Our reader success story is from our own Claire Waite, one of our Points Talk Squad Facebook moderators. She took six people to Disneyland for less than $600 out of pocket!   Here is Claire’s story:   I got an email about Halloween Time at Disneyland and felt the itch to go. We don’t really […]

Back in 2022, when I first became a Points Talk Squad Academy student, I made a bucket list of destinations I wanted to visit. The list was full of destinations that felt like they were once-in-a-lifetime trips—like trips you would save your entire life for and only get to go on once. Bora Bora sat […]

One of the great things about traveling to Europe with points is how geographically close many of the countries are to one another. Can’t find an award flight to Paris? Well, then book one to Madrid and hop a short cash flight over to Paris.  That flexibility can make award travel much easier, especially if […]

My first time flying Alaska Airlines’s long-haul business-class suites was a great value for points and all-around delightful experience. If you can find solid saver award availability in business class for one of their overseas routes, snap it up! Here’s what I loved about my flight.   Flight Information Flight: Alaska Airlines Flight 100 from […]

Sometimes the best points redemption isn’t the fanciest hotel or the one you’ve been dreaming about for years. Sometimes it’s simply the hotel that makes your trip easier. That was definitely the case with the last night my sister and I spent in Switzerland. After our time in Grindelwald, we took the train back to […]

On my recent European trip with my sister, we stopped in two big cities before we got to our actual destination. The first, Paris, was fun. Then Zurich surprised me. But Grindelwald was always the main event. I had been to Grindelwald before and absolutely loved it, so when my sister told me she’d like […]

I’ll admit it: Condor had me at the stripes. Before I even settled into my business-class seat, I was smiling at the branding. The blanket was striped. The seat had stripes. The amenity kit was striped. The slippers were striped. Even the eye mask carried the theme. Condor has clearly committed to its look, and […]

I’ll admit that Zurich wasn’t the part of this trip I was most excited about. I was looking forward to Switzerland, of course, but I saw Zurich as more of a stopover before we headed into the mountains than a destination. Instead, it became one of those cities that completely surprised me. We arrived after […]

There is something fun about visiting a city you already know with someone who has never been there before. I had been to Paris several times, but this was my sister’s first visit, so we really only had one goal for our two days: give her a good taste of Paris without trying to cram […]

Switzerland is one of those destinations that somehow manages to exceed expectations. The mountain villages are impossibly scenic, the trains run like clockwork, and even the smallest towns feel polished and postcard-worthy. Unfortunately, Switzerland is also one of the most expensive countries in Europe. That’s exactly why points and miles can be such a game-changer […]

Air Canada Aeroplan may be the loyalty program of a Canadian airline, but you definitely don’t need to live in Canada—or even fly Air Canada regularly—to get value from it. Aeroplan is one of the most useful airline programs for U.S. travelers thanks to its huge array of airline partners, several major transferable rewards currencies, […]

The points-and-miles world is full of opinions about getting the absolute maximum value from every single point. And while that advice can be helpful, sometimes you just have to block out the noise, ignore the spreadsheets, and book the trip anyway. Even if it is not the most optimal redemption on paper. The entire point […]

From fabulous weather to delicious food to gorgeous beaches, San Diego has a lot to offer your traveling family. You can use your points to get flights and hotels to San Diego and save your travel budget to splurge at the zoo!  In this series of posts, we show you how to get to a […]

The Avianca Lifemiles program has taken some serious hits over the past few years. Several rounds of devaluations have made many Star Alliance partner awards we loved more expensive, and some of the program’s best sweet spots aren’t nearly as sweet anymore. But that doesn’t mean you should write off Lifemiles. Avianca’s own flights can […]

It looks like the Hyatt transfer devaluation bandwagon has room for one more. Hot on the heels of Chase cutting the World of Hyatt transfer rate on several Ultimate Rewards cards, Bilt is making a similar move. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, Bilt will reduce its World of Hyatt transfer ratio from 1:1 to 4:3. That means […]

As a true millennial, I thoroughly enjoy a good ’90s callback. Why? Because I miss the simplicity of my childhood, when the only rule was to come home when the streetlights came on. My friends and I ruled our block, riding bikes, playing sports in the street, and spending endless hours at our community pool. […]

Bank of America is finally getting a points transfer partner—and it’s a good one. Alaska Airlines announced this week that customers with eligible Bank of America cards will be able to transfer points directly to Atmos Rewards beginning in 2027. That’s doubly exciting because, unlike American Express, Chase, Citi and Capital One, Bank of America […]

Summer always gets the most of the attention when it comes to travel, but fall might actually be my favorite time to go somewhere new.  The crowds start to thin out and destinations completely transform for a few short weeks. But while I love a good fall foliage trip as much as the next person, […]

I love Air France and KLM for getting to Europe with points and miles! One reason is the Flying Blue Promo Rewards, which are released on the first day of every month. Check out my post detailing the four reasons I love Air France. These are such good deals, so I will update this post monthly […]

If you’ve been considering a new credit card, you’re checking in the right place! We have plenty of great offers to let you know about this month. Whether you want to earn free hotel stays, rack up airline miles, or earn transferable points you could use for both, these elevated offers are worth a closer […]

If you’re looking for a family-friendly home base in San Diego where you kids can spot planes, helicopters, and boats, look no further than the Sheraton San Diego Resort!  I wound up at this hotel for a July stay because my husband/Player 2 scored a ticket to Comic-Con! And even though we were visiting during […]