When the Chase Sapphire Reserve® launched in 2016, it quickly became the gold standard for premium travel cards. It delivered strong earning rates, a generous travel credit, easy lounge access, and a 1.5-cent-per-point redemption value through Chase Travel℠. But the Reserve has changed, along with the credit card landscape as a whole, and the question […]

We left Jenn and her family of four in Istanbul last Friday. Here is the continuation of her story to Christmas markets and Amsterdam:   After an amazing time in Istanbul, we took an inexpensive economy flight (around $100) on Turkish Airlines to Cologne, Germany. At Istanbul Airport, we had access to the IGA lounge […]

Every January, the same reminder pops up: spring break isn’t that far away, and the best deals won’t last. And every year, the moment flight searches begin, that urgency seems to be immediately rewarded with sticker shock—award space is gone, prices have jumped, and booking with points suddenly feels impossible. This spring break season is […]

Currently, the card_name has a welcome offer of five free nights (for stays of up to 50K points per night) after hitting the minimum spending requirement of $3,000 in the first three months. We must ask, “Is the Marriott five free nights offer a great deal?” It depends. Here are some things to consider.     […]

Bilt has moved on from its original single-card setup and now offers a tiered credit card lineup. With Bilt 2.0 in place, cardholders now have more choices—and more tradeoffs. Here’s how the three Bilt credit cards compare.   How Bilt’s Credit Card Lineup Is Structured Bilt now follows a familiar tiered credit card approach that […]

There’s much to enjoy in Spain’s capital city—from famous museums to delicious food. Points can significantly reduce your travel expenses to Madrid, which leaves room in your budget for more churros! (Really, don’t miss the churros if you’re going to Spain.) Madrid has something for every budget. Whether you have a lot of points or […]

My family (25 of 32 people) just got back from a glorious Christmas trip to Costa Rica. We had a blast surfing, snorkeling, going on a catamaran, playing games together, and just enjoying each other’s company. My favorite part? Watching cousins hanging out together! We gifted the Airbnb (expensive at Christmastime) to everyone, and almost […]

Do you get overwhelmed booking award travel, especially business class flights? In this episode, Alex and Jess are joined by Gunnar Olson and Kyle Potter from Thrifty Traveler to talk through what really goes into finding great award opportunities. They share how they each got started with points and miles, how they approach finding strong […]

American Airlines has started offering free in-flight Wi-Fi for AAdvantage members. The move brings the carrier closer to competitors that already include complimentary onboard internet. According to the airline, free Wi-Fi will be available across 100% of its narrowbody and dual-class regional aircraft. Once the rollout is complete, the service should be accessible on nearly […]

Let’s talk all about Chase offers, because I just found a great one. They are a great way to save even more on a purchase you plan to make. A Chase offer is a cash-back or discount deal available to customers who use a Chase credit or debit card issued by JPMorgan Chase. Here’s how […]

We are excited about the increased welcome offer for card_name! (This is a business card, not a personal card.  Now you’ll earn 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® after spending $8,000 in the first three months. That means lots of nearly free travel for only a $95 annual fee.)  We love business cards because they won’t count […]

When a credit card welcome offer is high, that’s basically the bank saying, “Here, take the free points and miles now.” If you’re already spending on groceries, bills, or a trip, taking advantage of a welcome offer can turn those normal purchases into a pile of points. It’s one of the easiest wins in the […]

One of our faithful readers, Jenn, sent us this reader success story about going to four cities with her family of four. They visited Frankfurt, Istanbul, Cologne, and Amsterdam with their family of four (P1, P2, 18-year-old son, 11-year-old son). Here’s her story:   Flights Our trip began with a flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, […]

Thanks to a Doctor of Credit post, my husband and I each just got a new Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. Both were NLL (No Lifetime Language) offers. Here’s how it went.  I logged on to my Delta account and saw the following:     When I hit “continue to offer”, this showed […]

Fair Credit Isn’t the End of the Road If you’ve ever checked your credit score, seen “fair,” and immediately assumed rewards credit cards weren’t for you, you’re not alone. For a long time, the credit card world has made it feel like perks, cash back and travel rewards are reserved for people with pristine credit […]

I was lucky to get several The Business Platinum Card® from American Express with NLL (no lifetime language) offers a couple of years ago. I have slowly cancelled them (in hopes of getting new offers and also not wanting to pay that high annual fee). Today I went down to just one such card. But […]

Most travel rewards programs are built around commitment to one airline, one hotel chain, or one credit card. Rove Miles isn’t. Launched in 2025, Rove Miles aims to function as a universal travel currency. Here’s how it works, how to earn and use miles, and whether it deserves a place in your travel rewards strategy. […]

It’s January first while I’m writing this, and I’m not sitting in front of the TV watching football games like most people. Nope, not me. I’m burning through every credit card credit that I can today. Annual credits, semi-annual, quarterly, monthly. All of them. Not because it’s exciting, but because it clears the slate. Handle […]

If Europe has been on your travel radar for 2026, now might be the moment to lock something in. A new transatlantic sale is pushing round-trip economy flights to Europe down to around $399, with discounted fares available on Aer Lingus and British Airways. The sale runs through January 22, and while the lowest prices […]

United Airlines has launched a limited-time series of award flight deals for Chase-issued United credit cardholders, offering discounted MileagePlus redemptions (rather than cash fares). Each deal runs for a short window and applies to a specific destination, with offers rotating throughout the week and changing as the promotion unfolds. Instead of a single systemwide award […]

We often get questions about whether or not someone who doesn’t spend much can get value from this hobby. Can low spenders travel with points and miles? Absolutely! Ideally, you want to be spending at least $1,000 a month on things you can put on a credit card to meet your minimum spending requirement, depending […]