Learn to For Travel Free or Nearly-Free!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

    THE blog

    search the blog:

    read more

    Tired of long lines at immigration or security when traveling? We’ve got you covered! In this episode, the Travel Mom Squad revisits a favorite topic—Global Entry and TSA PreCheck®—but with a twist. While we’ve covered these programs before, there are important updates you need to know to make family travel even smoother. Whether you’re flying […]

    Tsa Precheck sign at salt lake city international airport

    read more

    Waiting in lines is such a pain when traveling with a family (and let’s be honest, even when traveling alone). But if you take advantage of some of your credit card benefits, you can significantly reduce the time you spend in lines at the airport. Many popular credit cards offer statement credits for Global Entry […]

    read more

    We all love a tropical beach vacation, traveling in business class, or staying at a luxury hotel. However, one of the less-talked-about features of credit card points and miles may be the unsexy award redemptions we can make that are just convenient or emergency lifesavers. Let’s talk about a few of these.   Family Emergencies […]

    Large white building with green lawn

    read more

    Jen sent us this reader success story to Washington D.C. She and her husband had a fun getaway as a couple and also realized they’re both totally on board with this hobby of points and miles. Here is her story: My husband and I took a leap of faith with our first card in January […]

    Hotel

    read more

    It is absolutely no secret that we love our Hyatt Hotels because of their outsized value. We are also huge fans of their luxury brand, Park Hyatt. But each of us all really enjoys another brand of Hyatt hotels:  the Hyatt Thompson Hotel brand, which is part of the Hyatt Boundless Collection.  It’s a TMS […]

    Large tower on bank of river

    read more

    I love Air France/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 monthly to […]

    Palm trees on sand near blue water

    read more

    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 […]

    read more

    Thinking about diving into points and miles but feeling overwhelmed by annual fees? You’re not alone! In this episode, we’re breaking down our favorite no-annual-fee credit cards and those that waive annual fees the first year. These cards are not only budget-friendly but also offer incredible rewards to help you travel more for less. Listen […]

    Sand and Turquoise Ocean

    read more

    You’ve filled out the credit card application and now you’re holding your breath—will they approve you? It doesn’t matter how many cards I’ve applied for, I still love/hate the anticipation of finding out if I am instantly approved! Here are some things you can do to increase your odds of a credit card approval.   […]

    read more

    Let’s check out some of the best credit card welcome offers that are available now. We will look at each of these offers and see why they are valuable. Evaluating and comparing before deciding what to apply for is always a good idea. All the best offers available now are listed here so they’re easy […]

    Man and woman standing near water falls

    read more

    Julie sent in our latest reader success story about how she got her family to Niagara Falls to view the eclipse earlier this year. Within one year of opening her first card, she has already helped her family of six have unforgettable experiences.   Starting Out with Travel Mom Squad I joined the Travel Mom […]

    Desk with to-do list on it

    read more

    At the end of each year, we should all go over a miles-and-points checklist to make sure that we’ve used all of our credit-card benefits, to see where we stand with our annual free-night certificates, and to check that we’re on target to achieve any status milestones we have in mind. There are also a […]

    read more

    Traveling internationally with kids might sound daunting, but Alex proves it’s absolutely doable—and affordable—using points and miles! In this episode, Alex shares how she made an unforgettable trip to Amsterdam and London with her husband and four boys, all while keeping costs incredibly low. From flights to accommodations and even transportation, she breaks down every […]

    Amsterdam Canal View

    read more

    Using credit card points and miles,  I planned a girls’ trip to Amsterdam with two of my daughters and a granddaughter. We used points for travel there and paid cash to stay at an Airbnb.  We had a wonderful visit and encountered so many friendly, helpful people during our stay there!  Here are some things […]

    read more

    We are so happy to share our two courses with you—Award Travel Academy and Award Travel Academy Next Level. When we started our points and miles journey years ago, we spent so much time, energy, and frustration trying to figure out the complicated world of points and miles. I would have LOVED a course to […]

    read more

    Travel Mom Squad podcast listener Larisa shared her story about a recent mother/son trip she took to Costa Rica and here’s how she made it happen:   Starting Out With Miles and Points I stumbled on to Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad early in January 2024. I was looking for a podcast on […]

    Sea view of Thera Greece with white houses

    read more

    My home airport (Denver) is a United hub, so the cobranded United credit cards have always been a part of my points-and-miles strategy. I’ve had all of them at one time or another! Right now, there’s an elevated welcome offer on United credit cards. Is it time for you to grab one? We’ve covered these […]

    Beach pic with palm trees

    read more

    I’ve had discussions with a couple of people recently that made me realize that they are totally NOT taking advantage of their credit card benefits. One friend lives in Salt Lake City and flies Delta a lot. Delta has an amazing Delta SkyClub Lounge. She has the Platinum Card® from American Express, so she could […]

    hotel lobby with colorful mural on one wall

    read more

    It won’t shock you to learn that each of us has the World of Hyatt Credit Card. While this card doesn’t currently have a huge welcome offer, it does give cardholders five elite-night credits on your journey to Globalist status. Additionally, one of the best benefits of this card is that each year on your […]

    read more

    If you’ve ever wondered whether Hilton Honors deserves a spot in your points and miles strategy, this episode is for you! We’re diving into everything you need to know about Hilton’s award program, from earning points and using free night certificates to snagging unforgettable stays like Bora Bora and Santorini—all without breaking the bank. Listen […]

    Hilton Conrad Bora Bora pool

    read more

    Hilton offers our favorite annual free-night certificate of all the major hotel brands. Surprised? We talk about Hyatt so much, and Hilton is usually low on our radar—except when it comes to their free-night certificates. The reason why Hilton shines with their free nights is that you can use them at almost ANY Hilton—even the […]

    Wondering which credit card you should get? 

    FREE consultation

    Click the button below to get a free credit card consultation.

    sign me up!

    We got ya! 

    Do you want to fast-track your points and miles education?

    Get Award Travel Academy and learn everything you need to know to travel for nearly free!

    Check it Out

    Get Our Courses

    Advertiser Disclosure: Travel Mom Squad has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Travel Mom Squad and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how or where products appear on this site. Travel Mom Squad has not reviewed all available credit card offers on this site.

    Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.