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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 […]

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 […]

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.   […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines merger was completed in September. Here are some things you should know about the merger that may help you make even better redemptions. While I have never gotten over-the-top value with my Hawaiian miles like I have with several other programs, I have gotten good value with Alaska miles.  I have had […]

Rachel sent in her reader success story about her trip to Poland using points and miles. We hadn’t covered Poland yet, so this was great hear about and Rachel has me scheming to go there now! Here is her story:   Getting to Poland on Points and Miles I started getting into the points and […]

I travel to London quite often and have anxiously anticipated the opening of the Park Hyatt London River Thames. My daughter lives outside of London, so I don’t need a hotel very often because I usually stay with her. But I love going to the theater in London, so we decided to stay overnight at […]

I love a good airport hotel, and they get extra love from me when they are an in-terminal hotel! Talk about ease; waking up and walking to your gate is the best way to start a great travel experience. My sister and I had a great stay in Italy recently, and before we flew home, […]

My sister and I had an emergency interruption to our trip to Italy last year, so this year, we took a sisters’ return trip to Italy on points/miles. This trip was made possible by an incredible 90K Turkish Airline redemption from ORD-FCO and MXP-JFK—roundtrip business class for 90K each. Sadly, redemptions that low are now […]

In this episode, Pam takes us on a journey through Italy, sharing how she and her sister made the most of credit card points to explore some of the country’s most iconic spots. From the excitement of snagging business class seats on Turkish Airlines to their adventures in Rome, Lake Como, and Cinque Terre, this […]