Recently, I flew a completely new business class product (for me): Air Tahiti Nui business class from SEA-PPT. I literally had no idea what I was getting into or what to expect. I just knew that the flight to Papeete, Tahiti (the place I had to connect to get to my final destination of Bora […]

Our latest reader success story comes from Kristi, who writes a travel blog called Fairy Tale Travel Guide all about traveling solo with two kids and tells us all about her trip to Portugal with another mom friend and three toddlers.  Kristi is a brave lady 💪! Here is her story:   Travel to Portugal […]

Is your social media feed filled with cherry blossoms, ramen, and gorgeous Japanese architecture? You may be suffering from Japan FOMO. (I know I am!)  This wonderful country is one of the hottest destinations for Americans, with its fabulous food and exciting sights. The exchange rate has also been quite favorable, so your dollar can […]

Many of our readers want to know if they can earn the Southwest® Companion Pass with the 100K Rapid Rewards offer that is currently available on the Southwest® personal credit cards. Yes, you can! Let’s outline the details! As a reminder, the card_name and the card_name both have welcome offers of 100K Rapid Rewards after spending […]

Many readers want to know more about airline transfer bonuses because these can really help your miles go further. A transfer bonus is when you transfer points from a flexible currency like Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards®, Capital One Venture Miles, or Citi ThankYou® Points to a travel partner, and you receive a […]

I love Air France and KLM for getting to Europe on points and miles! One reason is the Flying Blue Promo Rewards that come out on the first day of every month. Check out my post detailing the four reasons I love Air France. These are such good deals, so I will update this post […]

If you’ve been considering a new credit card, August is looking great! Whether you want to earn free hotel stays or rack up airline miles, these elevated offers are worth a closer look. Some deals are only available briefly, so now is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of these generous welcome offers. Here’s a […]

This week’s reader success story comes from Leigha, and shows how points and miles can really save the day when things go wrong! Japan was a bucket list destination for both my husband and me, and we were thrilled to share the experience with our toddler. We had everything meticulously planned—flights booked months in advance, […]

There is a new kid in town. (Well, a new kid in the “Citi.”) The Citi Strata Elite℠Card is alive now for applications with an 80K Citi ThankYou® points welcome offer. But if you can go into a bank to apply in person, the in-branch offer is 100K points. Even better news is that Citi […]

We had a reader mention that she would like to hear how the we travel the world on points and miles and do so safely. I have ALWAYS felt safe, except for one Vietnam taxi story I will share below The three of us often travel without our husbands, so today, I will share some […]

Amanda is a fairly new reader of ours. She followed a prior reader success story that we’d published to Moab, Utah, and replicated it! Here is her Reader Success Story to Moab: Since finding Travel Mom Squad a year ago, I  have taken three domestic trips and have the Netherlands and Denmark booked for May! […]

We have noticed a common credit card points and miles misconception among beginners.  Many people think it is about getting that perfect credit card and putting all your spending on that card. That is a great first step. But that is what it is: a first step. With that strategy, you can probably get a […]

Hello, fellow points and miles enthusiast—we see you and are here to help!  It wasn’t that long ago that we were starting our own points and miles journey, and within that first year, each of us had gone on nearly free trips. We continue to do that, and our passion is helping you, the beginner, […]

If a beach trip isn’t how you want to use your points and miles, that’s okay. Check out our family ski trip reader success story, which could be the best way for you to use points and miles. Remember: You do you! I wish I had the name of the reader who submitted her story, […]

It is the dream of many to fly in business-class seats “someday!” It’s often possible to find business-class award seats between North America and Europe for 70 to 80K miles and up, but what about the real deals that cost even fewer miles than that? Yep, that is possible with some of the best sweet-spot […]

Many of our readers are searching for a warm escape, particularly during the winter. Florida is a popular destination, and Bonita Springs, located on the southwest coast of Florida, is a great family visit. It is a charming city renowned for its stunning beaches, diverse outdoor recreational opportunities, and a laid-back coastal atmosphere. Our reader, […]

While we often recommend the card_name as a beginner-friendly first card for those seeking credit card points and miles, there is a definite time when the card_name might work best. In fact, I just applied for it after years of holding the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.      Learn How to Apply bonus_miles_full     […]

The Standard Hotels brand is Hyatt’s latest acquisition. Standard Hotels is a high-end boutique hotel brand known for its hip, artsy, and nightlife-oriented atmosphere. It’s not “standard” in the generic sense—the name is intentionally ironic, as their hotels are anything but standard. Hyatt’s acquisition of Standard International happened in late 2024 and many of these […]

I just want to assure everyone of one thing: the sky is NOT falling in the world of points and miles. We know there have been changes. There will ALWAYS be changes and we have seen many in the last decade that we have enjoyed this hobby. We keep hearing about people being “devastated” or […]

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Exclusive Tables is a new credit card benefit for the card_name and card_name that makes their high annual fees easier to bear. Just when I thought Chase couldn’t impress me any more, they’ve rolled out something that’s a total game-changer for food lovers: Sapphire Reserve® Exclusive Tables.  With my card_name now proudly […]

I just completed staying at three well-known Maui hotels this year: the Hyatt Regency Maui, Andaz Maui, and the Marriott Wailea Beach Resort. Jess, Alex, and I have surprisingly different takes on each one. And you all know we love the Grand Hyatt Kauai, but maybe not exactly why we love it, so we added […]