An African safari can feel completely out of reach for most families, but what if there were ways to bring that cost down using points and miles? In this episode, Jess, Megan, and Pam break down how to make a safari more affordable, from flights to lodging and everything in between. The Squad walks through […]

Travel credit cards can unlock incredible benefits, from free flights and hotel stays to airport lounge access and travel protections. But before you can start earning points and miles, you need a solid credit profile—whether you’re building credit for the first time or working to rebuild it. That’s because many of the best travel rewards […]

It is no surprise that we love Chase Ultimate Rewards®! We are always trying to earn more of them to book great Hyatt stays. A favorite credit card that allows us to earn Ultimate Rewards® is the Chase Freedom Flex℠. We love the Freedom Flex because of the quarterly bonus for spending in rotating categories. […]

Joyce sent in her reader success story about a mother-daughter trip to Japan.    Planning The Trip I started accumulating points and miles in early 2023 and started planning for a mother-daughter trip to Japan in 2024 (a year in advance!). It’s been close to 20 years since my mom and I last took a […]

If you are looking to visit Hawaii with points then booking a Hyatt hotel is a great choice. Hyatt doesn’t have as many hotels in Hawaii as Marriott does, but they have some really great options! One thing I really love about Hyatt is when you book your stay with points you won’t have to […]

Chase has introduced a new hotel price-match guarantee through Chase Travel℠, a move that brings its portal more in line with (my personal favorite) Capital One’s long-standing price-match benefit. While this seemingly could make booking through the Chase portal more appealing, the details aren’t necessarily supporting this.  How the Price Match Works With this new […]

Hawaii is one of the top destinations for using points and miles, and one of our very favorites. When it comes to Marriott points, there is no shortage of hotels in Hawaii to redeem them at! In this guide, we’ll show you all the many options you have for using points to book one of […]

I’m lying in the sun at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts and realized that we are staying the perfect amount of time here. We had one positioning night in Miami and arrived here last night. First, time to explore and have a great dinner, and book massages for later. We will then have four full […]

TSA lines are having a moment, and it’s not in a good way. Just this morning, I hopped on social media and was immediately bombarded with posts showing crazy TSA lines. Travelers across the country are sharing horror stories of hours-long waits, missed flights, and security lines stretching so far you’ll need to pack a […]

What’s it like to take your family on a safari in Tanzania? In this episode, Jess and Pam are joined by Megan, who recently returned from a safari with her family. They’re breaking down their experiences, from booking flights to the safari itineraries, and sharing tips for a family-friendly adventure of a lifetime. Jess and […]

If you’re looking for a beach vacation with stunning views, it’s hard to top Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. This city offers many luxurious resorts that are a short flight from the western U.S., and you can book this trip no matter what your points budget is.  In this series of blog posts, we show you […]

We just returned from Austin, Texas, after our second nomination at the iHeart Podcast Awards in the travel category. Nope, we didn’t win, but what an honor!    Flights Jess drove from Houston (no miles needed), I flew United, and Alex flew on Southwest. We met up on Sunday night and left on Tuesday morning, […]

If flights you’ve been watching just jumped in price, you’re not imagining it—the cost of airfare is already rising ahead of summer. This isn’t your usual seasonal bump, either. Between high travel demand and rising fuel costs—driven in part by escalating tensions involving Iran—higher ticket prices are popping up earlier. And as airlines adjust, travelers […]

Traci just sent us her reader success story to the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Here’s her story: Recently, my family of four ventured to the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas. I’d come across this property a few times in the points and miles world, and the Gatorade-blue waters called to me during the […]

Disney fans have long had a couple of co-branded credit card options through Chase. Now there’s a new higher-tier option: the Disney® Inspire Visa® Card. With a steeper annual fee and a larger welcome bonus than the existing Disney cards, it’s designed for travelers who visit Disney destinations regularly. But does it actually deliver enough […]

World of Hyatt members looking to try glamping this year have a new incentive to do so. Hyatt has launched a limited-time promotion offering 2,000 bonus World of Hyatt points per eligible night on stays at Under Canvas properties and select outdoor partner properties across the United States. Members can earn up to 60,000 bonus […]

Luxury travel doesn’t always mean five-star resorts and infinity pools. Sometimes it means hiking for four days straight, showering (maybe), and collapsing into a bunk bed in a remote mountain hut. Over the past several years, I’ve used points and miles to backpack some of the world’s most spectacular trails, from the Dolomites to Iceland […]

A review of the Andaz Delhi is something that I’d never thought I’d be writing. Me in India? Preposterous! But sometimes you find yourself going places you never thought you’d see. And here is my review of the Andaz Delhi, if you want to head to India, too.   Redemption The Andaz Delhi is a […]

This was the trip I’d been dreaming about all year—the one I honestly never thought I’d take. No, it wasn’t entirely on points and miles (though they definitely got me there in style). India, Nepal, and Bhutan . . . just saying the names of these places feels magical. And while I’ve always had a […]

Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to visit India? In this episode, Pam shares highlights from her recent trip through India, Nepal, and Bhutan, a journey she had dreamed about for years after reading books about the region’s culture and history. From bustling cities to sacred rivers and mountain monasteries, she reflects on […]

I often go to Seattle to visit my son and remember past visits to the old American Express® Centurion® Lounge there. It was smaller then, and a bit darker, but I still enjoyed the visit. Today, I was visiting the Centurion Lounge for the first time since it’d been completely renovated and . . . […]