My first of two 24 hour stops on this journey was in Pohnpei,
which is both the name of the island itself, as well as one of the four states
making up the Federated States of Micronesia.
Both Micronesia and the Marshall Islands are a party to the
Compact of Free Association with the United States which gives citizens of
these countries the right to live and work in the US without a visa (and vice
versa). The Compact also provides for significant aid funding to be distributed
to these countries in exchange for the US locating defence bases and
installations on several of their islands.
This Compact leads to the common misconception that these
islands are US territories like Guam or Puerto Rico, whereas in fact they are
both independent sovereign countries recognized by the UN. Therefore, when
entering Micronesia, you go through customs formalities the same as you would
entering any other country. However, there are some commonalities with the US.
For example, most people speak English relatively fluently in addition to their
local language, and the US dollar is the only accepted currency in both
countries.
The airport is located on its own island, just over a
causeway from the island of Pohnpei. There seemed to be two types of visitors
to Pohnpei, business travellers who represent a government or foreign aid
organization, or alternatively divers looking to explore the reefs surrounding
the island. The fact that I was in neither of these categories surprised almost
everybody I spoke to. My immediate thoughts after driving into Kolonia, the
main town on the island, was that it would be a struggle to fill 24 hours here.
This fear turned out to be slightly exaggerated, however the town is certainly lacking
in sights. The main sight in Kolonia is the Spanish Wall. It is literally just
a wall. The Spanish built it in the 1880s to defend against an uprising by the
locals, but today it serves as the boundary for a baseball field.
I also tried unsuccessfully to locate a series of old
Japanese World War II tanks which were apparently located on somebody’s private
property behind a hardware store. After this failure, I needed a drink and therefore
walked to the Mangrove Bay Hotel where I unexpectedly met the Australian
ambassador to Micronesia who was hosting an Australia Day event at the hotel.
After thanking him and his staff for the work they perform (I am an Australian
citizen by birth), I headed back to the hotel for some sleep.
The next morning, I took a tour to Nan Madol, which is the
true highlight of Pohnpei. Nan Madol is an archaeological site on the far side
of Pohnpei which is believed to have been an ancient city. How this site was
constructed and by whom is one of the great mysteries of the world. The stones
used in the construction are so large that even ten people could not lift one
off the ground, let alone to the height of the structure. Whoever built it also
faced the logistics of transporting these stones to the site in the first place
in this remote corner of the Pacific Ocean. The remoteness is likely one of the
reasons why so many theories exist regarding its construction, and why so much
mystery surrounds all aspects of the site.
One of the best things about visiting Nan Madol is how few
visitors there were. If this site were located anywhere else, it would be
overrun with tourists, but instead there was only me, my tour guide, and a very
small handful of other tourists. The entire site is much larger that the relatively
small area you can explore by foot. If you are interested, I highly recommend
searching YouTube and viewing some of the drone footage posted there.
My tour to Nan Madol was organized through my hotel. It was
extremely expensive at US$115, but there are very few alternatives available to
visit the site since it involves navigating to the other side of the island
through unmarked roads that you would never find on your own, and then walking
through a section of mangrove water. I’m sure it could be done independently,
but with limited time and knowledge I begrudgingly paid the price they quoted
me.
My guide and driver Clatwin was very sociable and gave me a
great insight into the local culture, but she very much lamented the fact that
I was not married and didn’t go to church. We passed by her house, church and
former school on the way to Nan Madol. If you choose to do a Nan Madol tour, I
recommend doing your research before going because you won’t find any
information at the site.
Pohnpei has several curiosities which I found interesting.
The first is that many cars are imported from Japan where the steering wheel is
located on the right side of the car, which is the wrong side since Pohnpei
drivers drive on the right side of the road. This leads to some scary moments
whenever people are passing each other on the roads. Also all of the warnings
in the car are shown in Japanese. The second curiosity was the number of
billboards with unusual advisories such as eliminating salt from your diet or
getting an HIV test. Unfortunately, there appears to be many health challenges
on the island. One final pleasant surprise was the availability and high
quality of tuna sushi and sashimi at several of the restaurants.
Pohnpei is a place of contrasts. On the one hand, the island
has amazing natural beauty and scenery, but on the other hand, you can see
evidence of relatively poor living conditions and environmental neglect. The
photo I took below from the airport causeway captured this contrast perfectly.
Unfortunately you see many sights such as large piles of scrap metal, or
abandoned vehicles with tires missing and trees growing through them all
throughout the island.
I struggle to find the right word to describe these kinds of
conditions. It would not be poverty, because it seemed almost everybody had the
basic necessities of life, but at the same time you can see the potential for
the island to be so much nicer and picturesque than it is. Nevertheless, I
enjoyed my short visit to Pohnpei and was excited to continue my journey to
Majuro.
I heard the term “the toybox of life” the other day when a sportscaster explained how he viewed his job. When asked what he thought about his job, he said it was his dream job and that he lived in the “toybox of life”. I must admit that writing this blog, helping to form a travel hacking community in Canada, and getting to enjoy Business and First Class travel using miles and points, sure feels like I live in “the toybox of life”. Today was no exception.
I was invited by Air Canada to the Exclusive Premiere of their new Signature Suite Lounge at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). I was very grateful for the invite and through the experience, I finally got to meet Mark Nasr, the VP of Loyalty and eCommerce at Air Canada, which was quite a treat.
Pulling Out All The Stops
This was the first official Air Canada event that I had been invited to so I didn’t know what to expect other than a quick hour-long flight to Vancouver, courtesy of Air Canada. I was pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to Business Class at the gate in Calgary and on the way back from Vancouver. For those that know Altitude, the loyalty program of Air Canada, gate upgrades are a very rare occurrence so I can only assume that a request was made by the event organizers to make my travel as comfortable as possible, and for that, I am very grateful. Like I said … “toybox of life”.
When I arrived in Vancouver, I headed over to the meeting location and was greeted by some lovely Air Canada employees and then given my security pass and name tag.
Shortly after, we were led to the International Wing of the Vancouver airport and escorted to the Maple Leaf Lounge which is directly across from the international security gates. The Signature Suite Lounge is actually an exclusive lounge within the Maple Leaf Lounge (MLL) and is located upstairs from the main lounge.
The Lounge
Prior to the Signature Suite Lounge being developed and opened, the Maple Leaf Lounge spanned two levels with the main features of the lounge being on the ground floor. The upper floor was mainly additional seating.
As someone that has been privy to the development of WestJet’s upcoming Flagship Lounge in Calgary, I can tell you for a fact that finding space for a lounge is incredibly difficult and dealing with airport authorities to obtain space can be a long and arduous journey. It makes perfect sense for Air Canada to use the existing space of the Maple Leaf Lounge to carve out space for their new Signature Suite Lounge.
When you first make your way upstairs, you start to realize that Air Canada has really upped its game and is really doing a lot more to attract the coveted International Business Class customer. The economics around winning the business and loyalty of these customers can be very lucrative but the market is quite competitive given that so many world-class airlines fly out of YVR, specifically to Asia.
YVR is very well known for having excellent lounge facilities throughout the airport and I have had the pleasure of experiencing every one of the 11 lounges at YVR except for the British Airways Galleries Club Lounge in the International Terminal. I would say that the title for “Best Lounge in YVR” is a neck-in-neck race between the new Air Canada Signature Suite Lounge and the Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge.
The beautifully appointed Cathay First and Business Class Lounge at YVR
Both the Cathay Lounge and the AC Signature Suite Lounge have invested heavily in lounges with a focus on food and drink. Cathay’s lounge has an all-Asian themed menu whereas the AC Signature Suite Lounge is a bit more diverse but most definitely caters to the Asian clientele given that the vast majority of international flights out of YVR are bound to Asia.
The decor is tasteful, elegant, and bright with nices view of the tarmac. It was very hard to get a sense of how relaxing this lounge would be prior to a flight due to the crowd of people exploring the lounge prior to launch. Given its exclusivity, I can’t imagine it’s going to be too busy before your departure. I’ll speak more about the exclusivity of this lounge in another section below.
The seating area of the Air Canada Signature Suite Lounge at YVR
The Food
The Signature Suite Lounge features a menu that has been penned by celebrated Canadian chef, David Hawksworth, whose restaurant, Hawksworth, has won Vancouver Magazine’s Best Upscale Restaurant in Vancouver five times. You have most likely seen him featured in airline magazines and Top 10 lists of places to eat in Vancouver.
The lounge features both a buffet-style offering as well as an à la carte menu with full service.
The buffet featured a fairly wide range of foods with some delicious pork belly baos as the main feature of the menu. The quintessential Canadian dish that was represented on the buffet was the Montreal Smoked Meat on a Brioche Bun. I was told by the chef that the menu changes seasonally, about 4x a year so it will be interesting to see if the menu ever becomes too predictable, but honestly, with the quality of the food as high as it is, I can’t imagine it ever getting boring.
Pork Belly Baos
Red Tuna Cups and Beet Salad
Rice Vermacelli with Duck and Desserts
The a la carte menu features the following items (with descriptions):
Appetizers Assortment of Dim Sum (Har Gow and Sui Mai) Wild and Cultivated Mushroom Risotto, Parmesan, Chives Winter Greens, Beets, Blue Cheese, Craisins, Red Wine Vinaigrette, Pecan Hamachi Sashimi, Lemongrass and Kaffir Sorbet, Radish, Puffed Rice Pan-seared Foie Gras, Grape Gastrique, Brioche, Candied Walnut, Frisee Main Entrees Roasted AAA Beef Tenderloin, Spinach, Chimichurri, Pomme Puree English Pea Falafel, Zucchini, Pistachio Salsa Verde, Cherry Tomato Wild Spring Salmon, Lemon Emulsion, Leeks, Herb Crust Tuscan Bread, Stuffed Chicken Roulade, Turnip, Carrot and Brown Butter Puree, Shallot, Hazelnut
À la carte menu
Unfortunately, the full à la carte was not available as part of the preview, however, samples of bites from the menu were provided and they were straight-up delicious. From left to right, we were provided the Mushroom Risotto, English Pea Falafel, Hamachi Sashimi, and the Beef Tenderloin (but in the tartare form). The flavors were well balanced and bright. I especially liked the beef’s profile.
In speaking to the chef, I was told that like the buffet offerings, the menu will change seasonally about 4x per year.
I’ve never eaten at Hawksworth but after tasting these dishes, it’s definitely on my to-do list the next time I spend more than 4 hours in Vancouver.
The Drink
As you know, I’m not much of a drinker so the finer things, as far as alcohol goes, tends to be lost on me, but I can tell you that the Signature Suite Lounge features top-shelf alcohol, including Moët & Chandon Imperial and Brut Rosé champagnes. I tried the Imperial and it was fantastic.
The great thing about the Signature Suite Lounge is that it features a legitimate bartender that knows how to make a proper drink. Later in the evening, I went with an Old Fashioned and it was fascinating watching it being made. It took a few minutes to make but you could tell that the gentleman making the drink took great pride in his craft.
The Exclusivity
Access to the Air Canada Signature Suite Lounge is exclusive to paid International Business Class passengers on AC marketed and operated flights only. This is obviously a bit of a bummer to those that read this blog and are likely redeeming for Business Class, either on Air Canada or a Star Alliance partner. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get in on an award ticket. The exact terms are below:
*Air Canada Signature Class customers departing from or connecting via Vancouver International Airport (travelling to Australia, Asia and Europe only) on an Air Canada flight with ticket originally booked and ticketed in J, C, D, Z or P will be eligible for access to the Air Canada Signature Suite in Vancouver. Bookings with upgraded tickets (including, but not limited to, eUpgrades, Last-Minute Upgrades, AC Bid Upgrades) and redemption tickets (including, but not limited to, Aeroplan® Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards®, Star Alliance® Flight Rewards, Star Alliance Upgrade Awards) will be excluded. Eligible customers will not be allowed guests. Employee tickets are prohibited access.
The reason for this exclusivity is due to the space constraints of these Signature Suites Lounges. Apparently, even with the requirement of a paid business class ticket, the Signature Suite Lounge in Toronto (YYZ) is almost always full. To avoid turning away guests that have paid for and are expecting an exclusive experience, restrictions must be put in place. While this is not ideal for folks that are into the Travel Hacking hobby, it’s completely understandable. Based on the space constraints of the lounge, I do not foresee a time where these restrictions will be relaxed.
In addition to the exclusivity of the lounge, within the lounge, there is a private dining room reserved for VIP members of Air Canada. This is the status that is above Super Elite and by invite only. I asked one of the Air Canada employees about the spend required in order to access the VIP tier and he said that there are no written rules as to who can qualify but that it is by invite only and the person that makes the call as to who is invited is the CEO of Air Canada, Calin Rovinescu.
I’m still waiting for my call.
The Negatives
There’s only one big glaring miss when it comes to the Signature Suite Lounge at YVR, and that’s the lack of showers for the lounge. I’m unsure why they went with this choice but my guess is that it had to do with plumbing constraints of the upstairs area. With this, Signature Suite guests have to share the shower facilities of the larger Maple Leaf Lounge downstairs. While not a deal-breaker, it’s not ideal.
The bathrooms on the floor are very large and are private, meaning you lock the main door and have the room to yourself, which is nice if you want to change.
The bathrooms feature soaps and creams from Molton Brown, a luxury brand based out of London, UK.
Parting Gifts
As I mentioned, Air Canada pulled out all the stops and even provided a nice gift bag to return home with.
The main gift is a pair of Air Canada glasses (the same ones they use onboard in on their Business Class products), as well as a drink shaker and two metal balls, which I can only assume, are there to replace ice cubes. Additionally, they also provided a certificate for David Hawksworth’s upcoming cookbook, handcrafted granola from Hawksworth Restaurant, and toiletries from Molton Brown. Very generous indeed.
Official Description from Air Canada
Air Canada has provided an official description of the new Signature Suite Lounge below:
Air Canada unveiled its second Air Canada Signature Suite for its eligible Signature Class customers travelling to intercontinental destinations from Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The airline’s second exclusive airport retreat continues to enhance its award-winning premium offering with another space where eligible customers can relax before their flight from YVR. It features à la carte dining at a complimentary, full-service restaurant from a menu created by acclaimed Vancouver-Chef David Hawksworth.
The Air Canada Signature Suite officially opens March 14, 2020 and is accessible and fully complementary to Signature Class customers, excluding upgrades and point redemption programs. The 4,400-square-foot (408 square metres) suite, conveniently located in Air Canada’s international departure area at YVR above the International Maple Leaf Lounge, can accommodate seating for up to 105 premium customers. It hosts a full-service restaurant offering à la carte dining from a Hawksworth-designed menu. The suite also features a cocktail lounge space with full-service bar and a selection of specialty snacks, a quiet sitting area and concierge service.
Other notable features of the Air Canada Signature Suite at YVR include:
High-quality spirits supplied by the airline’s partner Diageo, Moët & Chandon Champagne (both brut and rosé available) and Signature cocktails;
Works of art drawing inspiration from and celebrating the Pacific Coast landscape and waterways include pieces such as Shape Agenda by Vancouver sculptor Jordy Buckles, and photographic work of Montrealer Nicolas Ruel, Victoria Peak.
Cloudscape chandelier by acclaimed Toronto design firm Moss & Lam;
Luxury skincare products from Molton Brown.
The interior design is a defining element of the experience
Designers Heekyung Duquette and Eric Majer have created an intimate sequence of spaces. Features of the design offer a retreat from conventional airport frenzy, providing customers with a serene, luxurious atmosphere:
Arrival is marked by smoked glass walls containing bronze mesh sculptural screens. Customers are greeted by concierges stationed at bronze podiums fronting a luggage checkroom, allowing visitors to explore the space unencumbered.
Ascending stairs up to the main space brings visitors into abounding natural light and impressive panoramic views of layered feature spaces: bistro, bar, and dining area.
Locally-produced bronze wall panels exude warmth and luxury, leading to the à la carte dining area and private dining room.
Telupana Blue stone – quarried on Vancouver Island – delineates and enlivens the bar.
Sumptuous custom hand-made wool carpet emulates the grey-blue hues of ocean vistas.
Nature makes its way into the à la carte dining room with a burst of forest flora contained within sculptural vessels that evoke the undulating inlets of the BC coast.
The dining scene comes alive with glowing cube lamps reflected in glassware, and the expansive view of the tarmac beyond.
Within this space is a bronze-clad private dining room for a more exclusive dining experience.
Its smoked glass doors are overlain with a filigree pattern of maple leaves in the wind, another reference to Air Canada imagery.
Throughout the Signature Suite, a heightened sense of quality is conveyed through the display of noble materials, the intricacy of its details and craftsmanship, as well as proudly showcasing Canadian craftsmanship, furnishings and art.
Virtual Tour
If you are interested in seeing what is inside the Air Canada Signature Suite Lounge, a virtual tour has been set up to allow you to experience it for yourself. You can find the tour at https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=yATjJVjqx8y.
Conclusion
I have to say that I am very impressed with the caliber of this lounge. With its exclusivity providing a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Vancouver International, Air Canada has done a superb job at providing the level of luxury that few get to experience. The food in the lounge is on point and a step-change better than what you find at the Maple Leaf Lounge, but I suppose that is to be expected given the pedigree of David Hawksworth.
Just a couple of bloggers enjoying the fine food and drink available at the Signature Suite Lounge at YVR. Photo credit to Britney Gill
I’m actually on the lookout for Business Class sale fares from Vancouver thanks to this lounge. Hopefully, I can visit as a paid customer in the near future.
If you end up visiting this lounge, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
United Airlines flight 154/155, better known as the Island Hopper is a flight between Honolulu and Guam, stopping at a series of remote Pacific Islands. The specific stops depend on which day of the week you travel, but the “full” Island Hopper flies twice per week, departing Honolulu (HNL) at 7:25am local time making stops at Majuro (MAJ), Kwajalein (KWA), Kosrae (KSA), Pohnpei (PNI) and Chuuk (TKK) before arriving in Guam (GUM) approximately 14.5 hours later at 5:55pm local time the following day. The same flight also operates in the reverse direction. This first part of the series chronicles my journey on the Island Hopper and provides some FAQs towards the end of the article in case you are also considering taking this flight.
I took the westbound Island Hopper departing Honolulu on
January 24th, 2020, and I flew as far as Pohnpei. The Island Hopper is popular
with travel and aviation enthusiasts for several reasons, including the
uniqueness of the route, the amazing views you get from the plane, and gaining
a window into how life operates in some of the most remote corners of the
globe.
I paid for this flight with 55,000 United Miles, plus C$29.40 in taxes and fees. Considering this flight regularly sells for over C$2,400, this is a fantastic redemption, and a great use of the excursionist perk in the United program. In the final article of this series, I’ll be covering several ways in which you can redeem your points and miles to fly the Island Hopper. I paid cash for my flights to and from Honolulu, which totalled approximately C$450.
My flight contained an interesting mix of Marshallese and
Micronesians commuting home to visit friends and relatives, US Army personnel
and contractors, and a small handful of travel and aviation enthusiasts like
myself.
This flight is truly a lifeline to the remote islands it
serves. In order to make it function efficiently, there are a few
peculiarities. You will see an off duty set of pilots sitting in seats 1A and
1B, who are there to pilot the latter legs of the flight. There is also a
mechanic sitting in seat 7C to address any issues which may come up during the
flight. These precautions are taken because if things go wrong, there is no
easy way to redeploy a crew to remote islands in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean, and few hotels big enough to house 120 passengers at short notice.
Prior to takeoff, the plane executed a 270 degree turn onto
the runway. At the time this seemed very strange, but it became apparent why
later in the day. None of the airports on these islands have the equipment to
push a plane back from the gate, and so the 270 degree turn was a test to make
sure everything was functioning well.
Takeoff from Honolulu offered wonderful views of downtown,
Waikiki and the entire island of Oahu. The first leg from Honolulu to Majuro
was the longest sector of the flight, and a great chance to catch up on sleep. Just
over four hours later, we had crossed the international date line, and were
arriving in Majuro.
Majuro is a circular atoll no more than 30 metres wide
throughout most of the island. The views on the landing were scenic and
spectacular. The landing passes over the most picturesque part of the island
and avoids some of the not so scenic areas.
At all stops except Kwajalein, it is possible for transiting
passengers to deplane and take a walk around. If you deplane, you must take all
your belongings with you. There is a security sweep of the plane where each
passenger is asked to identify their baggage, and any unidentified pieces are
removed. Majuro is one of the more pleasant stops, and the only one with
functioning, reliable wifi.
The Marshall Islands and Micronesia run on “Island time”,
which means that things happen when they happen, and nobody is in much of a
rush. This flight certainly does not run on Island time. You can tell
everything is organized, and every member of the crew does their part to make
sure the flight stays on time. United doesn’t want their crew to time-out
somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.
After the brief stop in Majuro, the plane continued to
Kwajalein. The entire atoll of Kwajalein is a US military base. The approach
was also spectacular, until the ugly military installations became visible. This
was easily the most popular stop of the trip, as around half the plane departed.
The most unusual sight in Kwajalein were the palm trees, which had been lashed
so hard by the wind that they all faced in one direction.
Contrary to what I had heard from other sources, there were
no warnings about taking photos or videos during the stop, and nobody seemed to
care that I did. I’m sure the US Army won’t mind their secrets being revealed
from the photos above and below.
Kwajalein was our final stop in the Marshall Islands. The
next stop of Kosrae is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, and I took a
different seat on the other side of the plane for this sector. The scenery in
Micronesia is very different to the Marshall Islands. The islands of Micronesia
are very green, wet, and have much of a jungle or rainforest feel to them in
contrast with the tropical atolls of the Marshall Islands.
The runways in Kosrae, and the next stop of Pohnpei were
both extremely short. For this reason, these were amongst the roughest landings
of my life, and the captain slammed on the brakes immediately after landing. Kosrae
seemed to be the smallest stop of the entire journey, with very few people
waiting outside the airport and very little sign of activity on the island
visible from the airport. Kosrae is also home to (perhaps) the world’s smallest
and most crowded terminal waiting area. There was a place to line up for
boarding, but it was more of a scrum than a line.
The next stop, and the final one of the day for me was
Pohnpei. Pohnpei looked a lot like Kosrae from the air, very green, wet and
mountainous. Disembarking in Pohnpei really made me appreciate how much of a
lifeline this flight is for these remote islands. I was just about the only
person on the flight who did not check a cooler full of types of food freely
available in Honolulu, which no doubt would be rare in Pohnpei. There must have
been 30-40 coolers unloaded onto the baggage belt at Pohnpei. The airport was
also an amazing hive of activity as the residents came to greet their friends
and relatives who they haven’t seen for months.
Overall, I had a fantastic experience taking the Island
Hopper. This is one of the most unique flights in the world, and something few
people get to experience. Having said that, there are some drawbacks. It is a
very long day, and 14 hours in a 737 is not the most comfortable flight even
with the opportunity to stop and stretch your legs every few hours. If you want
the experience, then I would recommend doing it. However, if your style of
travel is more about reaching a destination and relaxing, then maybe this trip
isn’t for you.
FAQs
Westbound or Eastbound?
I recommend Westbound. Unless it is significantly delayed,
the Westbound flight will land and takeoff from every island during the day. On
the Eastbound flight, a relatively short delay means you will land in Majuro in
the dark. The Eastbound flight also terminates with an extremely antisocial
arrival time of 3am in Honolulu, whereas the Westbound flight terminates in
Guam around 6pm.
Fly the full Island Hopper, or skip the smaller islands?
If you’re the type of person who is taking this flight, then
you’re probably doing it for the experience. So even though you might be
wondering why you decided to make a stop at Kosrae or Kwajalein at the time, in
hindsight you’ll probably be glad you did. Therefore, I recommend taking the
full Island Hopper.
Sit on the left or right of the plane?
Some quick google searches will uncover many peoples’
opinion on this subject. I sat on the left side for most of the journey, and
was very happy with my choice.
Stop at one of the islands, or continue straight through
to Guam?
This is the hardest question to answer. While these
destinations look spectacular from the air, the truth is that they are not easy
destinations to travel to. There are very few tourists, hotels are not at the
quality you would see in Hawaii or even Guam, and the only way around is
through a shared taxi. Most food, amenities and experiences are quite expensive,
and the countries themselves are not wealthy. You will unfortunately see things
like stray dogs and trash on the streets.
On the other hand, these islands have incredible natural
beauty, and such warm and friendly people who are genuinely curious about where
you are from and why you are visiting their tiny island. Most people speak
fluent English, and the islands are also extremely safe. If you have a real
sense of adventure, and you know what to expect, then go for it. If you’re expecting
luxury (or even mid range) travel experiences, then you should fly straight through
to Guam.
Check a bag?
Definitely check your bag, even a carry-on size bag. Getting
on and off the plane with your bag 5 times in a day is a bit of a pain. Much
easier to check it in.
Where can I get a passport stamp?
The immigration officials at most stops seemed quite busy with incoming arrivals. Kosrae was definitely the best bet, and I also heard reports of people in Majuro going back behind the departure gate to outbound immigration to get a stamp there.
Up Next
Now that we have covered the flight experience, I’ll take you on a journey to the island of Pohnpei, one of the states that make up the Federated States of Micronesia.
One of the most difficult things to do when attempting to get a US Credit Card is to get your Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN). This is a number that stands in place of a Social Security Number (SSN) so that credit agencies like TransUnion and Equifax can associate your credit history/score with an individual. The ITIN or SSN acts as a unique identifier that is unique to each person. Without it, you cannot build a credit history and therefore won’t qualify for credit cards because issuers won’t know if you’re a good credit risk or not.
In my previous series, US Credit Cards, I walked you through how to get US-based credit cards as a Canadian but the method that I detailed to get your ITIN largely looks dead so I worked with US Tax Resources to find another solution.
I just got my new ITIN yesterday! Thanks again to Jayce for the contest – and for Pointsnerd! – and to Ian Davis at US Tax Resources for all his help.
Ian reached out to me to start the process once he knew I had won the contest. Overall, everything was very straightforward – we were able to complete everything online with just a handful of emails.
The whole process, from start to finish: I filled out the US Tax Resources online intake form, Ian asked me to clarify a few points, and within a week he had sent me the tax filing package – including my ITIN application – that he had prepared for me. Along with my certified true copy of my passport, I mailed out the package at the end of January was quite pleasantly surprised to find a letter from the IRS with my ITIN in my mailbox yesterday.
Throughout, Ian was friendly, polite and quite responsive, despite the timing of my application during what must be his busiest time of the year and some hiccups with emails ending up in junk mail.
I joined the points game a bit late – I suspect my failed ITIN application at the beginning of 2019 using a letter from Amazon Direct Publishing just missed the boat on that method working fairly straightforwardly. And when that didn’t work, as a churner who probably falls on the lazier and more risk-averse end of the spectrum, I was pretty much ready to give up on getting an ITIN and just go as far in the US card game as global transfers could take me. As unsatisfying and disappointing as finishing with just a Blue Cash Everyday and Green card, and maybe another Amex or two every year, might be…
But when I read Jayce’s post on this very-close-to-surefire method to get an ITIN, it immediately appealed to my laziness (US Tax Resources could do the paperwork for me) and risk-aversion (Ian’s expertise assured me that the method is both legitimate and would probably work).
So I completely ready to pay for US Tax Resources’ service in order to scale up my US churning. While their service is not cheap, it is easily justified by even one strong signup bonus (where the net gain exceeds the $249 + HST) that would not otherwise be accessible. Needless to say, winning the Pointsnerd draw for a free tax package made it a no-brainer.
Jayce asked me to include in this review whether I would recommend US Tax Resources. My answer: yes, for the reasons above. Indeed, P2 plans on using them next year.
I’ve been holding off on the next US card in my sights, the Hilton Honors, to make sure my ITIN is attached. Very excited the wait is finally over!
Thanks again, Jayce and Ian!
Lyming
ITIN Contest winner
Conclusion
I’m happy to see that the method I detailed in my previous post on ITIN is now confirmed to be successful. I would encourage everyone that is interested in getting a US credit card to use US Tax Resources as your method of getting your ITIN.
