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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.   […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 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 […]