A holiday how-to on making the most out of your travel points this season. Travel expert Winston Sih gives you the inside scoop on the best time and place to see your points while comparing different airlines.
As a frequent traveller, lounge access can help ease a long plane journey, especially if I’m stuck with multiple connections. Last summer, I was travelling to Toronto from Hong Kong, and after a 10-hour flight to Vancouver, it was nice to have access to food and drink, a quiet place to rest, entertainment options, a business centre and—my favourite part—a shower, before continuing my journey.
Generally speaking, you can purchase one-time access to a lounge for a bit less than half the price of a yearly unlimited access subscription through a provider such as Priority Pass. A variety of Canadian credit cards also offer appealing lounge privileges included with the annual fee, but there are differences around how access is granted and which spaces you can enter. Some cards offer unlimited access to select airport lounges, while others offer limited visits per year, so the estimated number of passes you’ll need each year may dictate which card you choose.
In Canada, the three ways you’ll typically access airport lounges through your credit card are Priority Pass, American Express Centurion and traditional airline-specific lounges, such as Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge and the Mastercard Experience Lounges. Browse the picks below to learn about some of your top options as you consider the annual fee alongside the value of lounge benefits.
As health statistics and wellness becomes a larger priority for Apple and their suite of tech offerings, the company is launching the ECG, or electrocardiogram, and irregular heartbeat notifications in Canada.
The features, which have been available in the U.S. last year and in the E.U. in March, comes to Canada and Singapore on Apple Watch Series 4 via a software update.
The ECG function, on Apple Watch with a Medical Device License from Health Canada, will capture an electrocardiogram when a user prompts a record upon feeling symptoms (i.e. rapid or skipped heart beat). This allows users to capture information in the moment for review by a physician. It’s important to note that the device does not check for heart attacks.
“We’ve seen the ECG App and irregular rhythm notifications on Apple Watch have meaningful impact on our customers across the United States, Europe and Hong Kong,” Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, said in a news release. “We are excited to bring these features to customers in Canada, giving them access to empowering information about their heart health.”
Additionally, the irregular rhythm notification is being rolled out to all Apple Watch users (Series 1 and later), leveraging the optical heart sensor to notify users if it detects a rhythm that can appear as an atrial fibrillation (or AFib).
Canada’s Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates AFib affects over 350,000 Canadians, adding that it causes one-third of all strokes over the age of 60.
As these devices become more common in the Canadian market, the tech giant is hoping it can equip users with tools to help healthcare professionals detect and diagnose health issues, marking a significant next chapter in Apple’s venture in health data—stored on device and private to the user.
Those of you who follow me, know I love to travel. This has been a passion project a while in the making, but I’m excited to launch the first part of my next chapter: Master Travellr.
Master Travellr is a travel and tourism website, aimed to help Canadians get abroad, off the beaten path, and experience the beauty of our country and beyond. A one-stop-shop for travel guides, tips, reviews, deals, and maximizing your loyalty points, MasterTravellr.com looks to be Canada’s destination for travel novices and aficionados.
With my passion to explore the world, this next step is one I’ve been waiting to do right.
Thanks again for the support, and I hope you’ll join along for the journey! This is just the beginning… There’s more to come. 🙂
Check out the website: MasterTravellr.com
Follow along: @MasterTravellr on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
2018 was the year that pushed me to grow, discover, and evolve.
From the goals I’ve achieved, the people met, new places travelled, lessons learned, and yes, stepping away from my job to reset and search for what’s next, my life is full of gratitude and love.
The constant has been your support.
Many of you have been asking what I have up my sleeve. The short answer is—I don’t know. It’s a challenge I’ve been excited to tackle, and it’s time to venture out and see what opportunities lay for me outside my comfort zone. I know it will still involve broadcast media in some capacity, but you will all be the first to know as soon as I do!
I know 2019 is going to be even better—I can’t wait to see what it has in store!
Happy New Year, everyone!
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