“The place are you from?” It is a frequent query whenever you meet somebody new whereas touring. And it is a straightforward query for most individuals. However for me, it is difficult if I wish to give extra particulars than “america.”
In spite of everything, my husband and I gave up our Austin, Texas, residence in June 2017, bought or donated most of our belongings after which set out as digital nomads on July 2, 2017. So, excluding some prolonged time residing with household early within the coronavirus pandemic, we have traveled full time whereas working remotely for the final six years.
In 2020, I wrote about my first three years as a digital nomad. However on this story, I will look again on the previous six years. In doing so, I will focus on how I grew to become a digital nomad, a few of my journey statistics and the way journey has modified for me through the previous six years.
How I grew to become a digital nomad
On a bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu in Peru in 2013, I first heard of a spot yr or sabbatical yr. I hadn’t gotten into factors and miles but, however my husband and I liked the thought of taking a yr off to journey after I completed graduate college. Effectively, quick ahead 4 years to 2017, when it was time to depart on our “hole yr.” By this time, we have been already working as writers within the award journey area.
So, we hit the street as digital nomads as a substitute of taking a spot yr. And we rapidly fell in love with the liberty and suppleness of the approach to life. I respect experiencing totally different cultures, landscapes, experiences and cuisines each day. And I’ve discovered that incessantly visiting new locations conjures up me.
I additionally take pleasure in utilizing the subjects I write about — factors, miles, bank cards and elite standing — each day. We make award redemptions most weeks (and infrequently a number of occasions per week), and we’re continuously touring. So, I do know lots of the airline, lodge and bank card applications I write about from private expertise. And I am personally invested when these applications change or devalue their rewards.
Factors and miles actually gasoline a few of our journey. However we additionally ebook paid flights and nights when it is smart. In spite of everything, we solely have a finite quantity of factors and miles, and we have discovered that paid partner-operated premium-cabin flights are sometimes the easiest way to earn airline elite standing.
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1,121,959 miles on 575 flights
Over the past six years, I’ve taken 575 flights on 62 airways to 180 airports in 58 nations. I’ve taken so many flights within the final six years that my flight map is tough to learn.
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I flew 1,121,959 direct flight miles within the final six years, with a median flight distance of 1,951 miles (concerning the distance from Atlanta to Los Angeles). My longest flight was 9,532 miles, from New York to Singapore. And my shortest flight was simply 11 miles from Tahiti to Moorea in French Polynesia.
However my most memorable flight was on Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Air from Polgolla Reservoir Aerodrome (KDZ) to Koggala Airport (KCT) on a Cessna 208 amphibious caravan.
I incessantly fly American Airways and infrequently use Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) when visiting household. So, it isn’t stunning that my three most frequent routes by flight segments are between American Airways’ hubs and Atlanta. This is a take a look at my prime 10 most frequent flight segments during the last six years:
- New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to/from ATL: 15 flights
- Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) to/from ATL: 11 flights
- Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT) to/from ATL: 10 flights
- Kuala Lumpur Worldwide Airport (KUL) to/from Kualanamu Worldwide Airport (KNO): 10 flights whereas I earned Malaysia Airways Enrich Gold standing in 2019
- Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to/from ATL: 9 flights
- Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Worldwide Airport (LAS) to/from LAX: Eight flights
- DFW to/from LGA: Six flights
- London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to/from LAX: Six flights
- Hong Kong Worldwide Airport (HKG) to/from Da Nang Worldwide Airport (DAD): Six flights booked throughout Cathay Pacific’s New Yr’s deal in 2019
- DFW to/from LAS: 5 flights
And my loyalty to American Airways AAdvantage and its Oneworld companions exhibits whenever you take a look at the airways I flew most by flight segments:
- American Airways: 224 flights, together with critiques of American’s A321T enterprise class, 787-9 enterprise class, 777-200 enterprise class with B/E Aerospace Tremendous Diamond seats, 787-8 Foremost Cabin Additional, 757-200 Foremost Cabin Additional and 757-200 enterprise class
- United Airways: 31 flights, together with critiques of United’s 787-8 financial system class and 757-200 financial system class
- Southwest Airways: 29 flights, together with a evaluate of Southwest’s 737-800 from Oakland, California, to Newark
- Malaysia Airways: 26 flights
- Qatar Airways: 23 flights, together with critiques of Qatar Qsuite on a 777-300ER and Qatar Qsuite on an A350-1000
- Delta Air Traces: 22 flights, together with after I was one of many first American vacationers to fly to Italy on a COVID-19-tested flight
- British Airways: 20 flights, together with a evaluate of British Airways’ A380 financial system class
- Cathay Pacific: 17 flights
- Japan Airways: 14 flights, together with a evaluate of Japan Airways’ 777-300ER premium financial system
- Qantas: 12 flights
Nonetheless, for those who take a look at the airways on which I flew probably the most mileage, the rating is a bit totally different as a consequence of some mileage runs:
- American Airways: 404,296 miles
- Cathay Pacific: 104,481 miles
- Qatar Airways: 89,630 miles
- British Airways: 53,357 miles
- Delta Air Traces: 49,603 miles
- United Airways: 42,237 miles
- Singapore Airways: 36,176 miles, together with a evaluate of Singapore Airways’ A350-900ULR premium financial system
- Japan Airways: 33,756 miles
- Air Canada: 30,792 miles
- All Nippon Airways: 28,938 miles
I monitor all my flights in . So, though it is comparatively straightforward for me to assemble statistics on my flights, I haven’t got a easy solution to decide the quantity I paid in factors and money for my 575 flights over the past six years.
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1,103 nights in resorts
I’ve spent over half of the final six years residing out of lodge rooms. Specifically, I’ve spent 894 nights at 75 main lodge manufacturers inside the final six years. And I’ve spent 209 nights at different manufacturers and unbiased resorts.
This is the breakdown of my stays by loyalty program and model during the last six years, together with notes about my favourite applications.
390 nights at 15 IHG manufacturers
- Vacation Inn Categorical: 120 nights
- Vacation Inn: 66 nights
- InterContinental Lodges & Resorts: 51 nights, together with 5 nights on the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort in Australia, 4 nights on the InterContinental Phuket Resort in Thailand, 4 nights on the InterContinental Phu Quoc Lengthy Seaside Resort in Vietnam, three nights on the InterContinental Danang Solar Peninsula Resort in Vietnam, three nights on the InterContinental New York Instances Sq. in New York and two nights on the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa in Fiji
- Candlewood Suites: 28 nights
- Lodge Indigo: 26 nights, together with 5 nights on the Lodge Indigo Austin Downtown-College in Texas and 4 nights on the Lodge Indigo Birmingham 5 Factors South – UAB in Alabama
- Staybridge Suites: 22 nights
- Crowne Plaza Lodges & Resorts: 19 nights, together with three nights on the Crowne Plaza Beijing Wangfujing in China and three nights on the Crowne Plaza Instances Sq. in New York
- Vacation Inn Resort: 19 nights, together with 10 nights on the Vacation Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives within the Maldives
- Voco: 11 nights, together with six nights at Voco Gold Coast in Australia
- Regent: 9 nights
- Kimpton Lodges & Eating places: Eight nights
- Six Senses: Six nights, together with 4 nights at Six Senses Laamu within the Maldives and two nights at Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand
- Atwell Suites: Two nights at Atwell Suites Miami Brickell in Florida
- Avid: Two nights at Avid lodge Oklahoma Metropolis — Quail Springs in Oklahoma
- Even: One night time
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed 161 paid nights at IHG properties for a median of $152 per night time. The least I paid was $48 per night time on the Vacation Inn Categorical Berlin — Alexanderplatz in Germany. And probably the most I paid was $1,564 per night time throughout a evaluate of the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort within the Maldives.
In the meantime, we redeemed IHG factors for 209 nights during the last six years, together with 36 fourth-night-free rewards. On common, we redeemed 15,591 IHG factors per night time. We additionally redeemed 20 anniversary nights during the last six years, together with on the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa in French Polynesia and the Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam within the Netherlands.
You may surprise how we earned so many IHG factors and anniversary nights. We maximize IHG promotions to earn factors on stays. And we frequently purchase factors throughout IHG factors gross sales with a 100% bonus after we can achieve this for 0.5 cents per level. As for the anniversary night time certificates, we each have a number of IHG bank cards, so we have every earned two anniversary nights for a lot of the final six years.
We incessantly keep at IHG One Rewards resorts and resorts because of the excessive worth we frequently get when redeeming IHG factors. However, with the launch of the new IHG One Rewards program final yr, we’re additionally getting good worth from the annual lounge membership you’ll be able to choose via IHG’s Milestone Rewards program after staying 40 nights in a yr.
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209 nights at different manufacturers and unbiased resorts
As of late, we often keep at main lodge manufacturers to earn and use elite standing perks and profit from the consistency offered by these manufacturers. However we frequently stayed at unbiased resorts after we first hit the street as digital nomads in 2017. And even now, we typically discover ourselves in a vacation spot with out main lodge manufacturers or the place staying at a property outdoors our model loyalties makes probably the most sense.
For instance, we could not move up staying in a twin cell at YHA Fremantle Jail in Australia and a robotic lodge in Japan. Likewise, staying inside Addo Elephant and Kruger nationwide parks in South Africa allow us to maximize our time seeing wildlife in these parks.
We frequently ebook these stays via on-line journey companies since we do not have to fret about lacking out on elite standing advantages and earnings whereas staying at properties outdoors our major manufacturers. For instance, we’ll typically ebook via bank card portals to make use of credit, just like the $50 lodge credit score every account anniversary yr on the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card. And we’ll often ebook via American Categorical Effective Lodges + Resorts to snag additional perks and use the pay as you go lodge credit score we get every calendar yr as a perk of The Platinum Card® from American Categorical. We’ll additionally typically use Rocketmiles to earn American Airways miles and Loyalty Factors on our stays.
On common, I paid $83 per night time on these stays. However, my least costly night time was $18 per night time for a personal room with a shared toilet at Stella Di Notte in Belgrade, Serbia. And my costliest night time was $235 per night time on the RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas in Liberia throughout PeaceJam.
203 nights at 21 Marriott manufacturers
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed 140 paid nights at Marriott properties for a median of $121 per night time. The least I paid was $44 per night time on the 4 Factors by Sheraton Bogota in Colombia. And probably the most I paid was $350 per night time throughout a evaluate of the Waikoloa Seaside Marriott Resort & Spa in Hawaii.
In the meantime, we redeemed Marriott factors for 49 nights during the last six years, together with six fifth-night-free advantages. On common, we redeemed 16,167 factors per night time on Marriott award stays. We additionally redeemed 14 free night time awards we earned via Marriott bank cards and promotions during the last six years.
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115 nights at 6 Alternative manufacturers
- Ascend Lodge Assortment: 54 nights, together with 28 nights at Feelings All Inclusive Puerto Plata within the Dominican Republic, 9 nights at Gowanus Inn & Yard in New York (now not bookable via Alternative Lodges) and three nights at Bluegreen Holidays Fountains in Florida
- Consolation: 37 nights, together with 19 nights in Japan
- High quality Inn: 13 nights
- Cambria Lodges: 4 nights
- Rodeway Inn: 4 nights
- Clarion: Three nights
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed 34 paid nights at Alternative Privileges properties for a median of $93 per night time. The least I paid was $54 per night time on the Consolation Lodge Airport CDG in France. And probably the most I paid was $239 per night time at Cambria Lodge New York — Instances Sq. in New York.
In the meantime, we redeemed Alternative factors for 81 nights during the last six years. On common, we redeemed 9,531 Alternative factors per night time. I’ve discovered I can get wonderful worth when redeeming Alternative factors for distinctive redemptions and for stays in Japan, Europe and locations that sometimes function excessive paid lodge charges. So, as with IHG, we frequently purchase Alternative factors throughout gross sales or via Each day Getaways promotions.
87 nights at 11 Hyatt manufacturers and companions
I did not keep a lot with World of Hyatt till this system provided lowered qualification necessities and double elite night time credit in early 2021. I earned Globalist standing in 2021 for much fewer nights than is often required, however I’ve prioritized sustaining it because of the on-site perks it offers.
I’ve stayed 53 paid nights at Hyatt properties for a median of $139 per night time during the last six years. The least I paid was $24 per night time on the Excalibur Lodge & On line casino in Las Vegas. And probably the most I paid was $353 per night time at Hyatt Home New York/Chelsea in New York.
In the meantime, I redeemed Hyatt factors for 27 free nights during the last six years. I’ve discovered some wonderful Class 1 Hyatt resorts that present fantastic worth on award stays. So, it is not stunning that I’ve redeemed 5,563 factors per night time on common and simply 3,500 factors per night time for 9 nights. Moreover, I redeemed seven free night time certificates that I earned via Hyatt bank cards, Hyatt Milestone Rewards and the Hyatt Model Explorer promotion during the last six years.
40 nights at 10 Wyndham manufacturers
- Days Inn: 10 nights
- Ramada: 9 nights
- Ramada Encore: 5 nights
- Microtel: 5 nights
- Membership Wyndham: Three nights
- Tremendous 8: Three nights
- Viva Wyndham: Two nights at Viva Wyndham Azteca — All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico
- Baymont: One night time
- Howard Johnson: One night time
- Travelodge: One night time
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed 29 paid nights at Wyndham properties for a median of $103 per night time. The least I paid was $48 per night time on the Days Inn Guam-Tamuning in Guam. And probably the most I paid was $200 per night time throughout a evaluate of the Viva Wyndham Azteca — All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico.
In the meantime, we redeemed Wyndham factors for 11 nights during the last six years. On common, we redeemed 9,068 factors per night time on Wyndham award stays. And we love getting a ten% redemption low cost after we redeem Wyndham factors as a good thing about our Wyndham Rewards bank card, as this brings an award night time that may sometimes value 7,500 factors down to only 6,750 factors.
32 nights at 6 Hilton manufacturers
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed 18 paid nights at Hilton properties for a median of $130 per night time. The least I’ve paid was $58 per night time on the Hilton Jaipur in India. And probably the most I paid was $168 per night time on the Hilton Niseko Village in Japan.
In the meantime, we redeemed Hilton factors for eight nights during the last six years, together with one fifth-night-free profit. On common, we redeemed 46,250 factors per night time on Hilton award stays. We additionally redeemed six Hilton free night time certificates that we earned via Hilton bank cards during the last six years for wonderful worth on the Conrad New York Midtown, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island and the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa.
The typical quantity we redeemed per night time with Hilton Honors is considerably increased than with different lodge loyalty applications. This, mixed with my wrestle to get greater than TPG’s valuation (0.6 cents per level) when redeeming Hilton factors, is why I do not incessantly keep at Hilton manufacturers regardless of having Hilton Diamond standing via a Hilton bank card.
19 nights at 4 Accor manufacturers
- Ibis: 12 nights
- Mercure: 4 nights
- Grand Mercure: Two nights
- Ibis Price range: One night time
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed 19 nights at Accor properties for a median of $56 per night time. The least I paid was $36 per night time on the Ibis Muenchen Metropolis Nord in Germany. And probably the most I paid was $84 per night time on the Ibis Madrid Alcobendas in Spain.
8 nights at 2 Greatest Western manufacturers
- Greatest Western: Six nights
- Greatest Western Plus: Two nights
Over the past six years, I’ve stayed eight nights at Greatest Western properties for a median of $78 per night time. The least I paid was $57 per night time on the Greatest Western Amsterdam Airport Lodge within the Netherlands. And probably the most I paid was $147 per night time on the Greatest Western Plus Mountain View Auburn Inn in Washington.
452 nights tenting
Once I grew to become a digital nomad in 2017, I did not assume there was any probability I might camp 452 nights within the subsequent six years. And even three years in the past, I might solely spent three nights tent tenting for a live performance at The Gorge in Washington state and three nights in a rental RV doing a relocation from Las Vegas to Denver.
However, because it grew to become obvious the coronavirus pandemic would have an effect on worldwide journey for greater than just some months, my husband and I attempted out a six-night RV relocation rental in July 2020. Then in August 2020, we determined to purchase the identical RV mannequin we would relocated.
Once we purchased our Class C RV, we anticipated we would promote it as quickly as worldwide journey to most locations grew to become comparatively easy once more. However, we found we take pleasure in working remotely from our RV whereas within the U.S. We have now spent 440 nights tenting in our RV since shopping for it — 97 nights in 2020, 234 nights in 2021, 80 nights in 2022 and 29 nights to date in 2023.
Nineteen nights in our RV have been free at areas (like choose Walmarts, choose Cracker Barrels and companies that take part in Harvest Hosts) that permit RVers to remain in a single day upon asking permission. We have additionally spent 37 nights sleeping within the driveways of family and friends whereas visiting them.
However we often discover paid RV campsites with energy and water. We have paid for campsites on 393 nights as follows:
- 171 nights at metropolis and county campgrounds ($32 per night time on common)
- 133 nights at U.S. Military Corps of Engineers campgrounds ($27 per night time on common)
- 66 nights at state park campgrounds ($34 per night time on common)
- 37 nights at personal campgrounds ($52 per night time on common)
- 4 nights at nationwide park campgrounds ($48 per night time on common)
On common, we have paid $33 per night time for our RV campsites. The best we paid was $104 per night time at Orlando / Kissimmee KOA Vacation in Florida. And the least we paid was $17 per night time at Shady Grove Campground in Cumming, Georgia, throughout a half-off promotion.
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443 nights with household and buddies
One side my husband and I respect about being digital nomads is seeing our household greater than after we lived in a single place. This is a breakdown of our nights with family and friends during the last six years:
- July 2 to the tip of 2017: 32 nights
- 2018: 90 nights
- 2019: 83 nights
- 2020: 167 nights
- 2021: 29 nights
- 2022: 27 nights
- Up to now in 2023: 15 nights
We spent vital time with every of our mother and father in March via August of 2020 as a lot of the world locked down. Nonetheless, the nights since August 2020 are decrease than pre-pandemic since we now keep in our RV (both within the driveway or a close-by campground) whereas visiting most family and friends members.
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104 nights in transit
Over the previous six years, I’ve spent 101 nights in flight or sleeping in airports. I sometimes keep away from in a single day flights, however typically in a single day flights are unavoidable (and so they’re fulfilling if I ebook a lie-flat seat or luck right into a row to myself in financial system).
If I’ve an in a single day layover at an airport, I will ebook a lodge if the layover is lengthy sufficient and I can discover a modestly priced lodge on-site or with a free shuttle. However typically the layover is just too quick, or it simply would not make sense to get a lodge. In these circumstances, I will often sleep in a lounge — ideally one with a sleeping space or at the least lounge chairs — or in a Minute Suites (or an analogous kind of area) that participates in Precedence Move.
I’ve additionally spent three nights on trains, together with two on the Amtrak Empire Builder from Portland, Oregon, to Chicago and one on a Trans-Mongolian prepare from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to Hohhot, China. I totally loved each experiences, so it is stunning that I have never taken some other in a single day trains within the final six years. Nonetheless, low-cost flights on many routes served by in a single day trains usually make flying a extra handy and cheaper various.
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90 nights in trip leases
Trip leases are the lodging of alternative for a lot of digital nomads, particularly those that keep in every location for at the least a month and respect having their very own kitchen. And I spent 39 nights in trip leases in 2017 after turning into nomadic July 2.
Nonetheless, one notably unhealthy Airbnb expertise in 2018 and an growing curiosity in lodge elite standing brought on me to modify most of my nights to resorts as a substitute of trip leases. I stayed in trip leases for 17 nights in 2018 and 20 nights in 2019. I solely stayed in a single trip rental every in 2020 (for 3 nights), 2021 (for 2 nights) and 2022 (for 2 nights). And to date, I’ve solely stayed in a single trip rental (for seven nights) in 2023.
On common, I paid $53 per night time for trip leases throughout my six years as a digital nomad. My least costly trip rental was $17 per night time for a personal studio residence in Da Nang, Vietnam, that I booked via Airbnb. And my costliest trip rental was $129 per night time for a waterfront residence in Auckland, New Zealand, via Lodges.com.
I will nonetheless keep in trip leases after they’re my best choice. However I typically desire to remain at resorts for consistency and to earn and use my elite standing perks.
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259 cities in 52 nations and territories
Lastly, let’s speak about locations. Over the past six years, I’ve visited 259 cities in 52 nations and territories. This is a take a look at the variety of nights I stayed in every:
- 1,253 nights: United States of America (together with 318 nights in resorts or trip leases)
- 88 nights: Germany
- 69 nights: Japan
- 56 nights: Australia
- 54 nights: South Africa (together with 32 nights in or close to South African nationwide parks)
- 36 nights: Dominican Republic
- 27 nights: Maldives, Thailand
- 24 nights: Spain
- 22 nights: Hong Kong, Malaysia
- 21 nights: New Zealand, Serbia, Vietnam
- 20 nights: Canada, Colombia, Italy
- 19 nights: India
- 18 nights: Netherlands, United Arab Emirates
- 16 nights: Singapore
- 14 nights: Bahamas, French Polynesia, Indonesia
- 13 nights: Fiji, South Korea
- 11 nights: Brazil, Mongolia
- 10 nights: China
- 9 nights: Bulgaria, England, France, Pakistan
- Eight nights: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Liberia, Mexico, Sri Lanka
- Seven nights: Greece, Guam
- Six nights: Turkey
- 5 nights: Belgium, Marshall Islands
- 4 nights: Sweden
- Three nights: Argentina, Chile
- Two nights: Panama
- One night time: Ethiopia, Finland, Eire, Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan
As you’ll be able to see, I’d have spent probably the most time within the U.S. even when the coronavirus pandemic hadn’t saved me within the nation for a lot of 2020 and 2021. And curiously, even my most visited nation outdoors the U.S. (Germany) accounted for simply 88 nights throughout the final six years.
I additionally visited 14 different nations and territories earlier than turning into a digital nomad. So, though I am not striving to go to each nation on this planet, I’ve visited 66 totally different nations and territories to date. My husband and I are attempting to go to a couple of new-to-us nations annually whereas additionally returning to a few of our favourite locations like Germany, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Hong Kong.
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Backside line
I really feel extremely grateful for the final six years I’ve spent as a digital nomad. I’ve grown considerably as an individual and content material creator whereas touring full-time.
And I’ve had some superb experiences, together with swimming with manta rays in French Polynesia and the Maldives, watching a sea turtle dig a nest and lay her eggs on a Florida seashore, staying at some superior resorts (Six Senses Laamu, Six Senses Yao Noi and Alila Fort Bishangarh instantly come to thoughts), and overnighting in second-class arduous bunks on a Trans-Mongolian prepare.
But it surely’s not these epic experiences that preserve me on the street. In spite of everything, I might take pleasure in many of those experiences on trip. As an alternative, the each day issues like being surrounded by languages I do not know, having fun with scrumptious native meals and exploring new cities and neighborhoods on foot preserve me hooked up to the digital nomad life-style.