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Four boys in swimming pool

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Our Friday family vacation to Punta Cana is a reader success story from Jess, who began her points and miles journey following our Jess! She took her adorable family of six to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic on points and miles. Here is her story:   Spring Break 2023 Family Vacation to Punta Cana […]

Airplane in sky that says one world

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British Airways Avios are a great way to book flights because three transferable currencies transfer to them (AMEX, Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One). The other transferable currency, Citi ThankYou Points, transfers to Qatar Airways, which also uses Avios (and you can transfer Avios between Qatar and British Airways once you link them), so essentially, you […]

Air Canada airplane on runway in front of Marriott hotel

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I’ve found a new place to position myself for flights to Europe. I had to find last-minute flights to Europe this summer and ended up positioning through the Calgary Airport. I was pleasantly surprised and hope to do it in the future. You might also consider it a place to position as it is not […]

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The American Express® Gold Card is one of our favorite credit cards. The annual fee of $250 is covered if you use the benefits it gives you. But what can you do with American Express Membership Rewards?  Let’s take a random amount like 75K and go over some ideas about what to do with them. Be sure […]

Screenshot podcast

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Do you have some American Express Membership Rewards points and aren’t quite sure how to use them? Or have you heard about the program but aren’t sure how it works? If so, this episode is for you. Keep listening as we cover all things American Express Membership Rewards. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify […]

Red bus on London street parked by a telephone booth

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Once you are over the Chase 5/24, it is time to head off into the world of American Express Membership Rewards®. I recently transferred American Express points to British Airways to travel to London. It was easy to transfer my points and then book a ticket. American Express offers several credit cards that earn Membership […]

Set of three blue suitcases

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We get SO many questions about how to travel carry-on only. The three of us do this consistently, even for a 2-week trip. After my Florence fiasco and losing my luggage for three days in Greece, this is the ONLY way that I will travel. Here are our tips and tricks for traveling carry-on only. […]

Aerial view of boats in turquoise water near beach.

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As much as I love Turkish Airlines, it can be a pain to book a companion’s flight. We’ve been needing a post on booking for someone else with Turkish miles for a while – here it is. For most airlines, you can book a flight for another person without any problem or extra step. However, […]

Sunset view of city with large cathedral

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Our latest reader success story to Spain using points/miles comes from Meghan. Here it is in her words: Our son is in a dual language program with Spanish.  We are trying to travel, at least once a year, to a Spanish-speaking country to help him build his real-life skills (especially since Mom & Dad aren’t […]

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December in Montreal is a time when the city dons its holiday best, and the streets come alive with the spirit of the holiday season. Last December, our family had a magical (and freezing!) weekend adventure in Montreal. We visited a number of Christmas markets throughout the city and enjoyed many of the kid-friendly activities […]

Young boy swinging a bat at a ball with onlookers in bleachers.

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Recently, we went out of town to watch our grandson’s soccer tournament. Luckily, we have credit card points so it made it an easy decision to tag along on Alex’s family trip to Idaho Falls. I can’t even imagine how much people spend when they use cash to go out of town for their children’s […]

Person using credit card for online shopping

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Do you love the idea of nearly free travel but are afraid you can’t meet that minimum credit card spend of $2,000 -$5,000 to earn the welcome offer?  I am here to show you how to meet the minimum spend on credit cards.   It is simpler than you think! And you can listen to […]

impressions moxche rooftop pool

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Jess and I recently returned from an incredible stay on points at Impression Moxché by Secrets. We spent three nights and lived a life of luxury with beautiful accommodations (including an ocean-view room complete with a soaking tub on the balcony 🤯), all the food and drinks we could ever want, rooftop pools, and a […]

Screenshot of Travel Hacking Mom podcast

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In this episode, Alex, Pam, and Jess share their recent adventures at two Secrets Resorts. These all-inclusive resorts can be booked with Hyatt Points and can be a great deal! Listen in as they break down their stays at two of them. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on YouTube   Hey there, […]

Hotel surrounded by palm trees

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It’s no secret that Hyatt is our favorite program to earn points for because of their outsized value. When you can stay at a luxury Hyatt for 40K points per night versus paying double or triple that for a Hilton, Marriott, or IHG hotel of the same caliber, it only makes sense. Many of our […]

Large canyon of stone

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The Grand Canyon is a massive natural wonder located in Arizona, USA. It is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River and is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and tourists from around the world. Our Friday Family Vacation is to the Grand Canyon National Park.   How to Get to the Grand Canyon: […]

Beach with black lava and palm trees

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Our latest reader success story comes from Stacy. She and her husband had a fun-filled vacation to Kona. Here is her reader success story to Kona in her own words.     My husband and I recently traveled to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii using points and miles. Let me share how we […]

Screenshot of podcast cover

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In this episode, Jess and Alex break down one of the greatest deals in travel – the Southwest Companion Pass. Learn how you, too, can make it part of your award travel strategies! Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on YouTube   Welcome back, travelers! It’s just Alex and Jess here today. Pam […]

Champs de Elysee at night with Arc de Triomphe

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This post on Christmas Markets in France on Points and Miles comes from our Digital Business Manager, Megan Condello. We know many of you are interested in Christmas Markets so we were thrilled to get her report. Here it is, in her words: It is very rare for me to repeat a visit to a […]

Center of village streets with pubs

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On our recent sister’s trip, we went to four cities, and I had already been to three of them.  I loved the return visits we had to NYC, London, and Florence, but I wanted to have at least one new destination. Ireland is somewhere I have never traveled to, so we included a sister’s trip […]

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Booking domestic United flights through Turkish Airlines can save you a ton of points. It’s also been a painful process recently because it has required either calling Turkish Airlines or emailing a ticket office. Well, up until now that is! You can now book Star Alliance award flights via the Turkish Airlines website. Here’s how […]

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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.