Edition 5 | $1,000 Hyatt hotel for 3,500 points, new low-cost airlines, a look at Little Sri Lanka, and more.
Reminder: Airfare and gas and hotel prices are high; rental cars and airline staff are in short supply.
TMT | EDITION 5
Let's dive into this week's edition of The Multidimensional Traveler.
INSIDE THIS EDITION.
Local spotlight. Sri Lanka x Staten Island.
Last week in travel. New airlines. Old queer bars.
Deal alert. An amazing Hyatt deal in Mexico.
Travel trick. Earn Chase points with Amtrak.
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Local spotlight: Sri Lanka x Staten Island
A closer look at a more obscure (and local) gem.
From one island to another
New York's Staten Island is home to one of the biggest Sri Lankan diasporas in the world. Situated in the areas of Tompkinsville and Stapleton along Victory Boulevard and Bay Street, the neighborhood is home to 5,000 people of Sri Lankan descent.
Several weeks ago, I finally made the journey to "Little Sri Lanka" by ferry from Manhattan.
You now have two easy options to get to Staten Island from Manhattan: the original free Staten Island Ferry that leaves from Battery Park or the newer $2.75 NYC Ferry that departs from one of two stops on the Hudson.
Once you get to Staten Island about 25 minutes later, the main drag of Sri Lankan restaurants and shops are about a 25 minute walk ... or a quick MTA bus ride away.
On the Sunday I was there, I made a beeline for Lakruwana and its famous Sunday buffet. The ornately decorated restaurant is stunning, and features imported Sri Lankan artifacts throughout. But the true star of the show is the buffet with dishes like deviled chicken, black pork curry, dal, pineapple curry, and crispy pappadam.
I later found out that (after already at home) that in the basement of the restaurant is a Sri Lankan museum.
Last week in travel: New airlines. Old gay bars.
A mini-roundup of some of my favorite stories.
Delta's New Terminal (And Sky Club) Opens at LGA
New York's LaGuardia is getting closer and closer to completion. The next phase? Delta's new Terminal C opened to the public on Saturday, including a partially completed, brand-new Sky Club.
Priced Out of Flying This Year? These New Low-Cost Airlines (Might) Offer a Deal — www.nytimes.com With cheeky names like Play and Breeze, at least eight new low-cost airlines have entered the market since 2020. Here’s what to consider (potential headaches included) before buying a ticket.
The Great American Lesbian Bar Pilgrimage
From hundreds in the 1990s to just 21 today, here's how (and why) a queer writer is visiting the remaining lesbian bars across the U.S. Her favorite lesbian bar location? Bloomington, Indiana.
Deal alert: $1,000 hotel for 3,500 points.
A travel deal (and live as of this email's send time).
Numu, a luxury boutique property within Hyatt's "Unbound Collection" is scheduled to open in Mexico's San Miguel de Allende in November. But here's the kicker: While cash rates start at over $500 per night after taxes, Hyatt is only pricing this as a Category 1 points property.
That means on off-peak dates, you can find availability for as little as 3,500 points. That's an incredible value for your points.
This even works for New Year's where rates are over $1,000 per night. I'm getting an absurd 26 cents per point in value.
While no one knows if this hotel will indeed open by November, this may be a good time to start booking for next year. Remember, you can use Chase points for Hyatt by transferring them.
H/T: Shoutout to subscriber Ben who shared this deal with me.
Travel trick: Earning points on train travel.
A travel hack that I've used to earn points (or save cash).
If you know me, you know I love all forms of transportation (not just planes). So if there's a way to earn valuable Chase points through traveling on Amtrak, I'm all ears.
Here's my mini-hack to earn 5x Chase points per dollar from now through June 30: Buy Amtrak gift cards with Amazon using the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex card.
This card offers rotating quarterly categories where you earn 5x points (or 5% cash back) in addition to 3x points at restaurants, and more.
Interested in a no-annual fee Chase card? Here's my referral link.
From now through June 30, the 5x categories are Amazon and streaming services.
Since I'm headed from New York to Philadelphia later this week by train, I purchased Amtrak gift cards from Amazon and then redeemed them on Amtrak's website. No crazy deal stacking here, but it's a nice way to earn points without much work at all.
Related: My first look at Amtrak's newest trains
Anything you want to see featured in this newsletter? Just want to chat travel or points? Let me know. Respond to this email or shoot me a DM (@thechrisflyer) on the socials.
Until next time.
-CD
New to The Multidimensional Traveler (TMT)?
My philosophy, of sorts, is to always strive to be a more well-rounded traveler. That means being more savvy: Leveraging credit card points, finding cash deals, being prepared for travel mishaps, etc.
But I also want to be open to connection and soak in my surroundings: Connecting with locals, learning more about a destination, and have experiences that are unique.
No matter how you travel, I hope the things that I’ve learned (and continue to learn) help in some way.