My husband, daughter, and I recently took a road trip from Houston to Chicago. There are so many hotels from every brand imaginable in Chicago, so when we decided to stay downtown for four nights, I had quite a difficult decision to make. Ultimately, I decided on the Thompson Chicago. Here’s what we thought in […]

Recently, Alex and I flew KLM business class for the first time. This flight was from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam. Our final destination was Villa Orselina, near Locarno, Switzerland, but this flight offered us a convenient way to get to Europe for low cost. After landing in Amsterdam, we took EasyJet (a cheap European […]

My family and I recently returned from a trip to Dallas and had such a blast! It’s a perfect destination for both couples and families, with amazing food, museums, and parks. If Dallas, Texas, has been on your radar, here’s how you can make it happen for nearly free using points and miles…   Flights […]

I am planning a trip to Greece next Spring with a friend and have been looking at Greece hotels on points/miles. If I’m doing all this research, I might as well write a post about it! I’ll be looking at the main islands and what you can book on each. Athens has soooo many options, […]

We probably hear from more people wanting to travel the 20+ hours to get to the Maldives on points and miles than any other destination. People aspire to visit the Maldives, which is made up of 26 atolls and more than 1,000 coral islands, and it is known for its stunning beaches, clear waters, and […]

Boston is a city rich in history and culture. Families can explore famous landmarks such as the Freedom Trail, which takes you through 16 historical sites including the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church. Additionally, Boston has a vibrant sports scene, with teams like the Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins, so families can […]

A couple of years ago, I booked flights, a pre-safari hotel, and a post-safari trip to Zanzibar. I paid cash for a safari at TAASA Lodge in Tanzania with a TravelZoo deal. This time, I have booked a safari entirely with points and miles! Here’s how booking an African safari with points is possible. Recently, […]

There are many solid redemptions for IHG points, but one of the best is certainly Eastern Europe. With solid 10,000-20,000 point redemptions, there is no better place to maximize your IHG points. And with a high point-earning card, you can easily accumulate enough points for a free week in Europe with IHG points. Here are […]

My recent trip to Scotland allowed me to stay at a new IHG brand of hotels—voco. We had actually checked into an Airbnb that was smaller than anticipated. My first night’s sleep there was so horrible. Luckily, with points and miles I was able to remedy that! Just another reason I love this hobby! I […]

The Bahamas is a beautiful country located in the Atlantic Ocean, specifically in the Caribbean region. The country is known for its stunning white sandy beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and vibrant coral reefs, which attract visitors from all over the world. It is a popular spot for water sports such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and […]

Our latest reader success story comes from Jessica as she shares her trip to Ireland. Ireland has long been on my “to-do” list. Here is her reader success story to Ireland!   How It Began Early last year, we learned that our nephew’s high school band had been invited to play in the St. Patrick’s […]

Want to know a way to make your credit card miles and points go even further? Plan stopovers on award flights for free and get more mileage out of them. A stopover is when you stay 24 hours or more in a connecting city, and then finish your travel. It’s like a 2-for-1 special! Here […]

Usually I book one-way award segments when going somewhere with my points and miles. Here are 3 reasons why this works best for me. If I have many miles with one carrier and that is who I want to fly with, then booking a round-trip flight works just fine.   Wanting to Use a Variety […]

The sweltering London heat brought on one of my favorite points and miles activities—hotel hopping! Luckily, no one was traveling with me since I am probably the only person on earth who loves this activity! I was spending the days at my daughter’s flat but ran to an air-conditioned hotel to sleep well at night. […]

IHG has dynamic pricing which means that as the cash price increases, so does the points price. While we prefer the predictability of an award chart, the nice thing about IHG is that if the points price decreases, you can modify your booking and get points back! It’s basically like re-booking flights on Southwest Airlines […]

I recently took my first Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flight from London to Boston. I then flew home from Boston to Denver. Basically, I positioned myself to the U.S. and then flew home. I was excited to fly Virgin Atlantic because I had heard that they have a great premium-class product. Here is my Virgin […]

This NYC Andaz 5th Avenue Review comes from our friend Julie from Family Trips and Travel.   You can find her on Instagram here.  Be sure and check out her NYC with family posts here.   Andaz 5th Avenue in NYC Overview The Andaz on 5th Avenue is an upscale hotel located in the heart of […]

Today we are talking all about staying at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport. Jess, Alex, and I stayed there about four nights apart. We had each traveled from Milan to JFK. Our arrival times were at 9:00 at night, and we decided to stay at the TWA Hotel the first night. Jess stayed before […]

I’ve taken a fair amount of business class flights, but one airline I’d never flown on was Air Canada. Recently that changed, and here is my take on Air Canada business class. Did I love it? Would I fly them again? My flight came about because of the need to help my daughter in London. […]

My family recently returned from a trip to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach.  This place has been on my radar ever since my mom, Jess, and I went on a 2-night work trip here back in August of 2022. The resort was just as great as I remembered, and I am happy to report it […]

We talk about Hyatt Globalist status A LOT. It works for us. Over and over again. That’s not to say that it’s worth it for you, though. There are times when Globalist status makes a difference. Recently was one of those nights for me. I love being a grandma and love to help my children […]