Next up is a reader success story to Kona, a seaside town on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. Here is Michelle’s story: My family and I wanted to go on a weekend getaway to Waikoloa last October with another family to celebrate my friend’s birthday. Everyone knows that the Hilton Waikoloa […]

Hyatt keeps adding more hotel brands you can book with Hyatt points. Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hotels is one of their newer brands. This acquisition of over 1500 luxury hotels all over the world further cements why we love Hyatt so much. Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a travel company that offers a collection of […]

Last year I was chatting with my daughter, Molly, about our summer 2024 travel plans. I asked her if she could travel anywhere on points and miles where she would choose. She immediately exclaimed, “Stars Hollow!” While Stars Hollow is a fictional town made famous by the show Gilmore Girls, it is based on some […]

Listen up, Swifties! Today, we’re riding the high notes of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour across Europe with Jess. Dive into the excitement as she shares how she turned 120,000 points into an unforgettable journey through Milan and London, seeing Taylor Swift live and experiencing luxury without the luxury price tag. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen […]

Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a group of almost 600 hotels in more than 90 countries that are independently owned and luxury-minded. If staying in a chain hotel isn’t your thing, and you like a unique experience, these hotels are perfect! They are smaller than chain hotels, averaging about 50 rooms, and offer […]

Switzerland on points and miles is a trip that Stephanie went on, then posted about in our Facebook Group. She kindly said that we could share it on the blog to help the rest of the Travel Mom Squad. On a personal note, I have traveled to much of where she went and it is […]

Through September 30, 2024, American Express is offering a 30% transfer bonus to Hilton. Normally, American Express Membership Rewards® transfer 1:2 to Hilton. That means 1,000 AMEX points = 2,000 Hilton points. With this transfer bonus, 1,000 AMEX points = 2,600 Hilton points. We typically prefer to save our Membership Rewards® points for international flights, […]

Welcome back to another episode where we dive into the fantastic possibilities of family travel with points and miles! Today, we’re joined by some very special guests—our kids—who will share their favorite points and miles trips and their dream destinations. This is not just an episode about our travels but a practical guide on how […]

Here is Sayre’s reader success story to Europe on points and miles… and cash. She used a mixture of these things to craft the perfect 10 day trip to Europe! Here is her story:     I started using credit card points/miles with the simple goal to fly cheaper/more frequently from Raleigh, NC to New […]

I think we at TMS would all agree that booking a Hyatt Place for family travel is one of the most economical decisions one can make. Not only are the point redemptions phenomenally low in price, but you can usually fit SIX people in a room. Additionally, almost all Hyatt Places include complimentary breakfast for […]

I thought it would be fun to hear from some of our readers, particularly our Award Travel Academy Students, about their points and miles journey. I asked them to tell us about their first redemptions and their journey from beginner to booking that first trip with credit card points and miles.   Olivia’s Story with […]

Welcome back to another episode where we dive into the amazing world of points and miles! Today, we’re excited to share the details of a massive family trip to Florida that included 29 family members. Despite the size and scope of the trip, we were able to significantly reduce costs thanks to strategic use of […]

Today’s question is one that is frequently asked with transferable points – Should I book in a travel portal or with a transfer partner? First, I will tell you that we usually book with a transfer partner. We typically get better value for our points that way, but we also do more bookings internationally or […]

Here is Sierra’s Reader Success Story – Family trip to Washington, D.C. We love that so many people have been inspired to go to the nation’s capital after a trip Alex and I took there. After listening to the Podcast Episode about Washington, D.C., I decided it was the perfect place to take my family. […]

All of us here at Travel Mom Squad are huge supporters of Hyatt award stays. We love the oversized value we get with our award redemptions when we stay at one of their hotels. Their loyalty program may be the best in the business.  Today’s post is all about the Hyatt Loyalty Program. The Hyatt […]

Using an airport lounge before travel or during a layover really takes the sting out of traveling. And, yes, I’ve been known to get to the airport early to eat and relax in an airport lounge! Some may call me crazy, but I call it peaceful, easy traveling. Today, I want to talk about how […]

Elizabeth sent in her reader success story on going to St. Kitts on points and miles. That is a trip on my radar so I was excited to read it! Here is her story. I wanted to share our recent family trip to St. Kitts on points and miles. With our family growing over the […]

Welcome back to another episode where we dive into the fantastic possibilities of points and miles! Recently, one of our favorite cards introduced a welcome offer of 120,000 points! We thought it’d be fun and incredibly useful to share how we each would plan a trip using those points. Whether you’re looking to learn about […]

I recently had a stay at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Denver near the Denver Airport. Here is my review of the Gaylord Resort in Denver. Gaylord Resorts is part of the Marriott Brand, and there are currently five of them, with another one coming to Chula Vista, California. These are the ones presently available: […]

 I want to say THANK YOU! Without your podcast, my family of four’s trip would not have been possible. We spent two weeks island hopping on our trip to Greece with points. This trip had a cash value of $35,000 but only cost us $2,000 due to the system you taught me to use. I […]

It’s no secret that all of us at TMS are huge fans of Greece, so of course, a trip to the capital city of Athens is a must at least once in your life! It’s made even better when you can visit Athens on points and miles. That being said, you don’t need too much […]