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Chase recently introduced a new feature called Points Boost for its Ultimate Rewards® program. It’s a change to how points are redeemed when booking through Chase Travel℠, which may affect the value travelers receive from their points. While Chase is promoting this as an upgrade, the feature comes with some trade-offs worth understanding. We don’t […]

There is one resort that keeps me coming back to use my Marriott 85K free-night certificates: Marriott Wailea Beach Resort. Even though Marriotts don’t get us the oversized value that Hyatts do, this resort beckons me again and again. Marriott Wailea Beach Resort is a must-stay resort for me! 85,000-point Marriott annual free-night certificates are […]

Spending ten days in Maui on points and miles is the ultimate travel dream come true—especially for a multigenerational trip! From a luxury beachfront resort on Ka’anapali Beach to the luxury of the Wailea area, our family, spanning grandparents, parents, and four rambunctious boys, experienced paradise together without draining our bank accounts. Using a mix […]

Abby takes us along on her reader success story to Deer Valley, Utah, where her family had an unbelievable ski trip.  We love hearing how our readers use their points and miles!   Points and Miles to Deer Valley, Utah  After reading all of the blogs and listening to the podcasts, I jumped feet first […]

Trying to pick your favorite hotel stays is kind of like picking your favorite child. Each has their uniqueness and you love them for different reasons. And with hotel stays, getting to stay at them for pennies on the dollar anywhere you want makes you love more of them! Here are some of my favorite […]

Chase clearly likes me again—how else do you explain the instant approval on the card_name? After a stretch of feeling iced out with rejections and reconsiderations, this smooth approval feels like a warm welcome back into their good graces. It’s like they saw the application, remembered me, and said, “Yeah, we want this one.” Whatever […]

Lindsay and her family used points and miles for a recent trip. Here’s her reader success story to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.     Flights to Wyoming   Our family of four traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from Tampa for spring break in 2025.  I have been in the points and miles hobby since July 2024, […]

I usually love every Kimpton Hotel I meet, but I finally met one that was underwhelming. Welcome to my Kimpton Vividora Barcelona review, a.k.a. staying in a dorm room. Quirky, cute, but still a dorm room. It is located on a small, pedestrian side street near La Rambla, and the lobby seemed promising and charming. […]

Did I just stay at a hotel that may be my new favorite? I am on a trip to Mallorca after visiting Madrid and Barcelona. I left Alex and Jess in Barcelona and flew to Mallorca to meet another of my daughters. First stop: Nobis Hotel Palma in Mallorca, Spain. It was love at first […]

I knew that on my trip to Barcelona and Madrid, I also wanted to go somewhere else in Spain that was “new” to me. I remembered a fellow traveler on an airplane showing me pictures of the island of Mallorca and telling me that it was his favorite place. Problem solved—Mallorca it was. Mallorca on […]

Alex, Jess, and I usually take two trips together a year. One is our planning retreat in December, and the other is a trip just for fun. Last year for our “just for fun” trip, we went to Singapore, and Jess suggested that our trip this year should be “Travel Mom Squad Takes Spain.” I […]

Planning a trip to Spain on points and miles? It’s all about the strategy—especially when you’re juggling travel for multiple people! In this episode, the Travel Mom Squad dives into their recent Spanish adventure, navigating last-minute flight changes and uncovering the best of Madrid, Barcelona, and Mallorca—all while maximizing points and miles. What started as […]

​The Thompson Madrid is a luxurious hotel situated in the heart of Madrid, near the Gran Vía and the Puerta del Sol. It was also a quick walk to the Plaza Mayor, the largest square in Madrid. It’s smack in the center of Madrid, in fact, and close to tons of dining, shopping, and nightlife. […]

If you’re a business owner looking for a straightforward, high-earning rewards card, the card_name credit card might be a good choice for you. With unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase and a generous welcome bonus, it’s a top pick for people who value simplicity. Additionally, if you own the card_name or the card_name then […]

Our reader success story comes from Ted, Jess’s husband, about his trip to Bora Bora as a Player Two. He definitely has a different perspective about why this points and miles trip meant so much to him, reminding us once again how important it is to “you do you!”   “When you see the Southern […]

Today we’re catching back up with my family’s spring break trip to Greece and Croatia with kids on points and miles!  Next up, Croatia.   Dubrovnik, Croatia with Kids We flew from Athens to Dubrovnik with Aegean Air, using the same family fare we had used before. The flight was about an hour and a […]

Michelle sent us her reader success story to Italy. I especially love this story because they took grandma along! Here’s her story: I first got into points and miles in 2023 after stumbling across the Travel Mom Squad podcast. Soon I became totally obsessed! One idea that really caught my attention was flying business class […]

Currently, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has a welcome offer of five free nights (up to 50K points per night) after hitting the minimum spending requirement of $5,000 in the first three months.  Right now, it’s available only through referral links. We must ask, “Is the Marriott five free nights offer a great deal?” It depends. […]

If you love points and miles, you know there’s no shortage of opinions on how to get the most out of credit card rewards and travel programs. In this fun and honest chat, Alex, Jess, and Pam share their unique takes on some hot topics in the points world. They dive into everything from which […]

Kathryn sent us the next reader success story: adventuring in Moab. Moab is one of our readers’ favorite places to use points and miles. Here is Kathryn’s story: For my boys’ fall break (they’re ages five and eight), I knew I wanted to stay with Hyatt. At first, we tried desperately to make Costa Rica […]

I know there is a general aversion to paying an annual fee on a credit card. People tend to forget that along with annual fees come some amazing benefits, not to mention those welcome offers you earn after meeting the minimum spending requirements. (Those welcome offers are what enticed us to get the card in […]