When I started researching hotels for my New Zealand trip, little did I think I would stay at a 5-star hotel in Queenstown with points.  I was looking at using my Hyatt points, and the Carlin Hotel in Queenstown had availability for two nights. It is part of the Small Luxury Hotels brand that collaborates […]

When planning a points and miles trip to Sydney, Australia, I knew I needed to stay at the Park Hyatt Sydney. No other place would do for that part of my stay. I used 40,000 Hyatt points per night for a room that runs over $1000/night in cash. That is a good redemption in my […]

Can you beat sun, beach, and waves? Only if you can do it on points and miles AND you take your family to create some lasting memories. I still remember fondly being a child in San Diego with my parents and siblings! We had such fun times that I thought it was surely the best […]

I just completed a stay at the Kimpton Margot Sydney, and it confirmed to me that Kimpton Hotels are my favorite IHG brand. Let me tell you why:   Boutique Feel Kimpton Hotels have a very boutique feel. They are all different, and many were built on historical sites. They have 75+ boutique hotels in […]

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply. There are traditional ways to save on a Disney cruise—sail at off-peak times, get an inside or guaranteed […]

Are you one of those people who think that traveing on points is only for individuals or couples, and not for big families? Think again! While it may seem challenging at first, there are plenty of ways to rack up points for families of all sizes!  Between all the Travel Mom Sqaud, there are a […]

When I decided to go to Australia with points and miles, I knew I would also add on a trip to New Zealand. I always hesitated to go to both places due to the distance involved. Fast forward to many LONG trips taken, like to the Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam, Dubai, etc., and Australia and New […]

  Family Vacation to Paris This trip is often requested by our readers and is quite doable. In these simple guides, I won’t go over every flight or hotel option but will pick one option for each, thereby decreasing that analysis paralysis we all run into. The hardest part of this plan is deciding what […]

I have long wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand as my London-based daughter and her husband have raved about both. I knew that their summer happens during my cold, snowy Colorado winters, so I started planning. Knowing that ANA business class to Australia was a great deal, I began my search there!  It […]

Here is my Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills Review. I had initially planned to stay at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo but started researching the best accommodations on points and miles and changed my mind. Many people felt the Park Hyatt was outdated, so I decided to try the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills. I was not […]

I previously wrote about booking an ANA flight to Australia with a free stopover in Tokyo. I used Hyatt hotels for my stays there. My trip report of points and miles to Tokyo, Hyatt hotel reviews, and our activities is here. And you can learn more by listening to this episode of our PODCAST!   […]

We know that travel days can be super stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! We’ve found some awesome credit card perks that make the experience so much better. From lounges where you can rest and grab a bite to eat, to pre-check that allows you to skip the long lines, these tricks will help […]

One of my travel goals has been to go to Australia and New Zealand. I knew that flying ANA to Australia in business class was a great deal, but it was also difficult to find availability. At the end of the pandemic and right after Australia and New Zealand had reopened, I began to search. […]

Back in October, my family of six spent three nights at The Seabird Resort in Oceanside, California.  We love traveling to Southern California with the kids and have done Newport,  San Diego, and Disneyland, but this was our first time to Oceanside. The reason we went with Oceanside this time was so that we could […]

Booking a round-the-world trip with points is one of my goals. Originally, I planned to do it for 2023 but overbooked myself for this year. It is now on the plan for 2024.  In the meantime, one of our readers, and frequent reader success stories contributor, Trent Sanders, did it! Here is his story! Warning: […]

If you are like me, most of the time I travel, I head to the airport wondering if I did everything I needed to do before I leave. In that vein, here is a list of 15 important things to do before you travel. I’ll check these off before every trip so I feel less […]

Do you dream of a tropical getaway filled with sunshine, sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and delicious food? Then you’re in luck because we’re sharing our favorite three resorts in Mexico where you can use your points to make your dreams a reality. ​​Mexico is often thought of as a popular destination for adults, but it […]

You may have heard someone talk about fifth freedom flights and using points and miles to take one. And you may have been totally confused. We’re hear to clear up that confusion as we talk about fifth freedom flights today. A fifth freedom flight or route is flight that operates between two countries that are […]

We love using credit card points and miles for all types of vacations! Family trips, couple trips, girlfriend getaways, luxury trips, staycations —you name it, we’ve done it! Because so many of our readers want to book family travel, we will start a new feature—Family Vacation Friday! On most Fridays, we will share either a […]

If you want to enjoy the life of nearly free travel, but are overwhelmed by the idea of keeping track of credit cards, then this episode is for you! And hey, even if you already have a spreadsheet and a card routine, this conversation can still take your points/miles earning to the next level! Welcome […]

My husband and I are in Sydney, Australia, as part of a great trip to Tokyo, Australia, and New Zealand. We should have left for Auckland this morning, but the weather changed dramatically on the North Island of New Zealand. We noticed the following scenes in Auckland on tv the night before we were to […]