If you’ve ever searched for an award flight and wondered why a Lufthansa flight shows up in your United search results, you’ve already brushed up against one of the most useful concepts in points and miles: airline alliances. Understanding alliances is one of the fastest ways to level up your travel strategy. It opens more […]

Chase is rolling out a new elevated redemption opportunity. It can stretch your Ultimate Rewards® points even further, but only if you’re booking high-end stays through its curated hotel program. Through Chase Travel℠, cardholders can get up to a 2.5x redemption rate with Chase’s Points Boost on select stays within The Edit, Chase’s special collection […]

Rakuten just announced a Big Give Week, which will be running from May 4th through 11th. Rakuten Big Give Week is a major promotional event where shoppers can earn rewards on purchases from hundreds of partner stores. It’s one of Rakuten’s biggest deal periods, designed to reward users for everyday online shopping. During Big Give […]

What’s it like to visit a big city with kids, and is it actually easier than it seems? In this episode, Alex and Jess share what it looked like to take their families to New York City and Chicago, and why these trips can be more manageable and fun than you might expect. They walk […]

Say it ain’t so! But it is. Changes were made to some Hyatt hotel award categories. There are always category changes each year, and we expect them. Honestly, these weren’t all that bad in our opinion. Starting on May 20th, 136 hotels will shift categories, with most going up a category. Some of the notable […]

Here is a reader success story from Suzanne, who went on an amazing trip with her husband and parents.   My name is Suzanne from Dallas, TX! I am a public school teacher who—thanks to you three—took a two-week trip to Austria and Italy with my husband and parents! Our flights and hotels were 100% […]

If you’ve ever taken the family to Disney World, you know that Disney magic can be hard on any parent’s wallet! But at least you can save (or splurge, if you prefer) on your flights and hotel accommodations with points and miles.  In this series of blog posts, we show you ways to get to […]


Let’s clear up one of the biggest points of confusion in the points and miles world: a credit inquiry and a 5/24 slot are not the same thing! 

While they often happen at the same time, they impact your credit and your strategy in completely different ways. Before you plan your next application, here’s what […]

While we love flying in business class across the ocean, if you’re traveling with a family or have inflexible dates, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up booking in award tickets in economy. Luckily, there are lots of seats in economy. So on most flights you should have a much easier time finding availability for […]

We are all still collectively mourning the changes World of Hyatt is making to their award chart starting May 1st, 2026. If you have been following us for a while, you know we are Hyatt girls through and through. For years, we have been saving all our precious Chase Ultimate Rewards® specifically for Hyatt redemptions. […]

How do you decide whether to cancel, downgrade, or keep a credit card when the annual fee hits? In this episode, The Points Talk Squad breaks down how they think through these decisions and what actually matters when evaluating whether a card is worth keeping. The Squad walks through the key factors they consider, including […]

American Airlines is rolling out a new boarding process at its Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) hub, and it could change how you board your next flight. The airline has begun testing electronic boarding gates. Instead of handing your boarding pass to an agent, passengers scan their own passes before entering the jet bridge. Think of it […]

Several airline loyalty programs use Avios as their rewards currency, but not all Avios programs work the same way. One of the most useful of these programs is Iberia Club, the loyalty program of Spain’s flag carrier, Iberia. The program—formerly known as Iberia Plus—was recently rebranded as Iberia Club as part of a broader refresh […]

Megan shared her ten-day trip to Japan as our latest reader success story. Here it is:   In April of 2025, my family of four (me, my husband, and two kids—ages 6 and 8 at the time) successfully executed our first major miles and points redemption. We traveled to Japan and spent a total of […]

If a beachy adventure to Mexico is on your travel wish list, you can use your points and miles to make it happen!  For those based in the Eastern or Central U.S., Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen are easily accessible and offer gorgeous beaches perfect for snorkeling, other water sports, or simply relaxing with […]

When people start getting serious about credit—whether to qualify for travel rewards credit cards or simply protect their finances—they often hear about credit freezes. A credit freeze is one of the strongest tools available to prevent identity theft. It stops lenders from accessing your credit report, which makes it much harder for someone to open […]

Capital One is giving its small-business card lineup a facelift, rebranding the Capital One Spark Miles for Business and Capital One Spark Miles Select cards as the Capital One Venture Business and Capital One VentureOne Business, respectively.  If those new names sound familiar, that’s the point. The update brings Capital One’s business cards more in […]

American Express is making another round of changes to benefits for the American Express Platinum Card®—and this time, it’s a mix of added flexibility and some paper cuts. One change adds value, while the others are small and somehow still noticeably painful. This latest round of updates expands flight discounts, including eligible domestic economy fares. […]

What do you do when your trip gets canceled and everything you planned suddenly falls apart? In this episode, The Points Talk Squad talks through what it actually looks like to pivot in real time when travel does not go as expected, and how to make quick decisions. The Squad shares real scenarios of trips […]

So if you’ve tried using the $10 DoorDash credit from a Chase Sapphire card lately, you’ve probably noticed a change: a lot of the pickup spots now have a $20 minimum. That basically killed the old moves that I loved of grabbing free snacks and calling it a day. I was used to getting a […]

We love that you can earn valuable and flexible points with Citibank.  Citi ThankYou® Points may not always get the same hype as other programs, but they quietly pack a serious punch when it comes to booking luxury hotels and incredible flights The earning potential is strong, and the real magic comes from Citi’s airline […]