Hyatt has announced their award chart changes for 2025. Before we get into some of the not-so-good news, here’s the GREAT news—the Hyatt award chart is still around. Hyatt is our favorite brand because of the oversized value it offers, and the award chart is a huge part of that. There has been some speculation […]

Dreaming of taking your family to Europe without draining your wallet? In this episode, we sit down with our team member and resident Europe travel expert, Traci Siegel, to share her tried-and-true tips for flying a family overseas using points and miles. These strategies will help make your dream a reality!   Listen on Apple […]

Where in Europe do you want to go? Greece, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Croatia? There are so many fabulous European destinations, and most beginner points-and-miles users start off their points-earning journeys earning Chase Ultimate Rewards®, so let’s talk about using Chase Ultimate Rewards® for European flights. First, there are 11 airline transfer partners that you can […]

When you’re in the beginning stages of planning that dream trip, it’s worth considering whether travel insurance might be a smart addition to your plans.  Are you traveling abroad? Do you have concerns about getting sick? Or would you feel more at ease knowing that you and your family are covered if something goes wrong? […]

Currently, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an elevated offer. But . . . what can I do with the welcome offer from card_name? Does it make sense to get it now? Here are our thoughts and some ideas for using the welcome offer!   Learn How to Apply bonus_miles_full   For Capital […]

Our reader success story to South Florida comes from Laura. Here is her story:   Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Points and Miles We were fortunate to trade below-freezing temperatures in the Midwest for much warmer and mostly sunny weather in Southern Florida this winter.  Our family of four flew out of Springfield, Missouri to Fort […]

Our readers love Disney on points and miles! It is one of people’s favorite places to go to after getting into using credit card points and miles to reduce their travel expenses.  Disneyland and Disney World are known for well-produced shows, parades, and character interactions. The parks cater to people of all ages, creating a […]

Do you have a favorite point and miles currency? I do. It wasn’t always my favorite, but as I have continued in my points and miles journey, I have found that I am always wanting more Ultimate Rewards®. Let’s look at some ways we can accumulate more Ultimate Rewards® from Chase.   How to Accumulate […]

I don’t often fly American Airlines, but get ready for my American Airlines business-class flight review from DFW-AKL. This flight was a last-minute flight to bookend with a mistake-fare flight I booked from AKL-DFW. The mistake fare was only $1,000 in business class on United Airlines, which was fantastic—but I had to get to New […]

Credit card points and miles misconceptions—everyone has them, and we hear about them daily. In an effort to teach and dispel these misconceptions, let’s go over some of them.   People Who Use Credit Cards are in Big Debt This could be true for some people who can’t control their spending. It certainly isn’t true […]

I need to remember to use the $100 credit on the card_name. The card has an annual fee of $199, so that credit brings it down to $99. I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve NEVER used this credit. 🤦‍♀️ (And I’m usually on top of these benefits for most cards.) Are you using your $100 […]

If you’ve been looking for a go-to points and miles program for international travel, let us introduce you to Flying Blue, the joint loyalty program of Air France and KLM. In this episode, we’re diving into why this program has become one of our absolute favorites. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Watch on […]

Do you ever feel frustrated when booking reward flights only to discover that the available options come with long layovers? It can feel like you’re stuck wasting precious vacation time sitting in an airport waiting for your next connection. A lengthy layover might even make you rethink your travel plans altogether. But what if we […]

Nothing causes more analysis paralysis than this question, “Are you getting your best points/miles redemption?” You’ve done the work of earning all those credit card points and miles for that nearly free trip, and now you worry if you are doing it “right.” We see many messages in our Facebook group where people panic about […]

Nicole sent us her reader success story to Hawaii in 2024. This was a family trip with four generations in Hawaii, and we love it so much! Here is her story: About a year into my points and miles journey, I took my family of four to Hawaii. I fell in love with Maui’s natural […]

Accommodating a family of five or more in Europe on points can be daunting. Luckily, if you’re heading to London, the Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars offers one of the best values for your large family! Our family of five spent four nights at the Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars over New Year’s Eve and was thoroughly […]

Are you a single parent? Or if you’re married, does it seem that all your joint income goes towards the necessities and that there is never enough left for traveling? Do you often think, “If only I could take my family on a vacation?” We hear you. With the costs of housing, groceries, healthcare, utilities, […]

I keep my card_name year after year. You might wonder why, when it has a $95 annual fee and I’ve already used the points I earned from the welcome offer.  Would it ever make sense not to have this card?  Not for me!  Here are four reasons the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will remain in […]

You’ve worked hard to create that stockpile of points and miles and now you are wondering, “When do points and miles expire?” Let’s go over that!  If you know the rules, you can keep your points and miles from expiring pretty easily.   Transferable Credit Card Points Here’s a breakdown of when the most popular […]

For Valentine’s Day, we’re taking a trip down memory lane! In this episode, we’re sharing all the details about our honeymoons—how we booked them before we knew about points and miles, what we spent back then, and what we’d do today now that we’re points-savvy. Spoiler alert: our original honeymoons were not nearly as luxurious […]

In 2024, many hotels in the luxurious Mr. & Mrs. Smith collection became bookable with Hyatt points through an exciting new partnership. Staying at a Mr. & Mrs. Smith hotel is an experience unlike any other, as each property is uniquely designed, brimming with character, and exudes an air of exclusivity. With locations spanning the […]