I just returned from my most recent trip planned around an award redemption, Etihad Apartments, first class for only 65K Air Canada miles. While there, my daughter, Lindsey, and I did a little Hyatt hotel-hopping in Abu Dhabi. First, I had NO intention of returning to Abu Dhabi again, but the opportunity to try out […]

Recently, Alex, Jess, and I met in Scottsdale for our annual retreat. We make plans for the coming year, enjoy good weather, eat great food, get massages, and have a lot of fun. Of course, we stayed at a Hyatt. Here is our review of the Andaz Scottsdale Resort.   Location of the Andaz Scottsdale […]

One of my favorite ways to fly to London in business class is by positioning to Boston and flying on Virgin Atlantic. Even better, I can get this cheaper by booking it through the Air France site rather than the Virgin Atlantic site. Yes, the surcharges are high at about $700 for a round-trip ticket, […]

Once again, I’ve booked an airplane award redemption without a real trip planned. The option of flying Etihad Apartments for 65K miles (booked on Air Canada’s site) was too good to pass up. Amazingly, many people jumped on this offer in 2023, and many had their trips canceled as Air Canada and Etihad had some […]

I made one last-minute trip for 2023 to NYC. This was a trip that I hadn’t planned on – yay, for credit card points and miles and the ability to travel spontaneously! My daughter, Kasey, invited us on their annual Christmas trip, so we decided to go to New York City on Christmas evening for […]

On my most recent trip to the Maldives, we booked Singapore Airlines from San Francisco to Singapore in business class, but not the flight from Singapore to Male. That flight had to happen in economy class. I even tried to upgrade at the airport but sadly, was told the flight was full. 😢 Jess had […]

Scottsdale, Arizona is known for its beautiful weather, with over 300 days of sunshine each year. This makes it a great destination for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and golfing. Scottsdale offers a perfect blend of outdoor activities, family-friendly attractions, art and culture, and relaxation options, making it an ideal destination for a family […]

I still can’t even believe 2023 happened. It was my first full year as a business owner/content creator (and without having to adhere to PTO limits like I did when I was at my 9-5). Alex and Pam are great business partners and allow me to travel whenever I want. 😜 I sure did take […]

2023 was an incredibly great year for travel for this grandma of 21! Business-class seats, luxury hotels, and wonderful memories were all made possible with credit card points and miles. Here is Pam’s 2023 points/miles recap!   Pam’s 2023 Points and Miles Recap January I started the year with a multi-country trip to Japan, Australia, […]

2023 was another year full of earning and redeeming points and miles for nearly free travel! This year we took more family trips than we have ever before. It was a great year full of making great memories! Here’s Alex’s 2023 Points/Miles Recap! Alex’s 2023 Points/Miles Recap February The first trip in my 2023 Points/Miles […]

Yosemite National Park beckons families with an irresistible blend of awe-inspiring natural wonders and a wealth of outdoor adventures, making it a perfect destination for an unforgettable family vacation. With an enchanting realm of towering waterfalls, towering cliffs, and ancient forests, Yosemite offers a unique opportunity for families to connect with nature on a grand […]

One of my favorite things about using credit card points and miles for travel is the ability (usually) to cancel and rebook when you find a better deal. I was able to make a Maldives last-minute flight change recently when I saw that there was Q-suite availability from Doha. My original return flight was on […]

I just returned from my second trip to the Maldives. This time, I took my husband along. Once again, it was by mixing points and miles with cash for a Maldives trip. My husband wanted to check the Maldives out, and I found a great deal for $5,000 all-inclusive for an overwater villa. It seemed […]

Our Friday Family Vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is also a reader success story! Here is Christine’s story: We are new to the points game this year. My husband and I have opened five new cards totaling 575k in various types of points. We are a military family, so our fees for many cards […]

Visiting the beautiful city of Istanbul doesn’t have to break the bank. Istanbul, a city that straddles two continents, was even more magnificent than I imagined it would be. The people, the history, the food—I can’t wait to return! Here’s how I turned what would have been a $5,000 trip to Istanbul into one that […]

My family recently returned home from spending our fall break at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines located just outside Austin, Texas. We had never visited Texas as a family and usually spend our family vacations at the beach so this was a new experience for us. Spoiler…we loved it! Keep reading to hear what it’s […]

If you want the pura vida experience, head to Costa Rica. Sunshine, water, great food, and the nicest people – what’s not to love? Even better, using points and miles to Costa Rica for an amazing vacation is easy to do. I just got back from a trip to Costa Rica with one of my […]

This blog post is a tale of two Hyatt all-inclusive resorts in Mexico. One for couples and one for families. But first, did I meet my favorite Mexico resort (perhaps my favorite resort EVER)??   Hyatt All-Inclusives in Mexico Let’s first get you up to speed. Alex and her family asked my husband, me, and […]

Our fabulous Digital Business Manager and Facebook Group Moderator, Megan Condello, wrote up a trip report about 10 days in Morocco using points and miles. She usually uses a combination of cash, points, and miles for her trips, and this was no different. She paid for her hotels with credit cards and earned points and […]

I just returned from another vacation to Oceanside, California, and after staying at the incredible Seabird Resort, I had to do a Family Friday Vacation to Oceanside post. I promise you, this Hyatt hotel will not disappoint – I can’t wait to return myself. Check out all the pictures below – every spot was so […]

Recently, my husband and I were heading to Arizona for a wedding. Coincidently, I noticed that we had an 85K Marriott annual certificate expiring simultaneously, so I started to figure out how to use it for part of our stay in Arizona (we’d stay with my sister for the rest of the stay). We ended […]