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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Shannon shares her reader success story to Prague and Madrid with us today. Here is her story:   I spent the fall of 2023 learning about points and miles, and in November 2023, I opened my first credit card (Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, of course!).  In between then and now, my husband and I have […]

Marriott Bonvoy® members have a new way to stretch their free night certificates a little further. As of March 12, 2026, Marriott increased the maximum number of points members can add to a Free Night Award certificate from 15,000 points to 25,000 points. That extra flexibility could help travelers book hotels that previously fell just […]

What if your savings account helped fund your next family trip instead of just earning a little interest each month? That’s the idea behind the Bask Bank Mileage Savings Account. Instead of earning interest, you earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles simply by keeping money in your account. For travelers who actively use miles, it can […]

I was terrified the first time I boarded a plane alone with all four of my kids. My youngest was 16 months old and still breastfeeding. The others were 4, 6 and 9. I stood at the gate with a stroller, multiple passports and a diaper bag, acutely aware that no other adult was coming […]

We have a lot of requests for more content about how to make points and miles work for big families. For some great examples of points-fueled big-family trips, check out our reader success stories! We’ve had lots of readers with big families share the trips they’ve booked, and these can be a great planning template. […]

Washington, D.C., is a city where history, culture, and cherry blossoms collide most magically. You can spend your mornings wandering the Smithsonian, your afternoons kayaking on the Potomac, and your evenings eating at one of the incredible restaurants there. But if I am being honest, D.C. can drain your wallet faster than you can say […]

Avianca’s Lifemiles program is currently promoting a limited-time “Flights With Miles” sale offering up to 45% off select award flights. If you’ve been considering redeeming Lifemiles, this promotion could be worth a look, especially since there’s also a current American Express Membership Rewards® transfer bonus to Lifemiles. Bookings must be completed by March 9, giving […]

We have countless requests from readers to show how we find business-class seats. I need to find one for my husband to get to Norway this summer, so buckle up: I’m showing you from start to finish how I do it. Suffice it to say, now that he has traveled business class, he won’t go […]

Recently, a granddaughter’s wedding in Sacramento, California, gave me the opportunity to stay at another Kimpton hotel, the Kimpton Sawyer. If I’m not staying at a Park Hyatt (my fave), I am searching for a Thompson (in the Hyatt portfolio) or Kimpton (in the IHG portfolio). I had an Edit credit to use before January […]

Southwest Airlines has launched a new status match challenge that allows travelers with elite status from other airlines to receive Rapid Rewards A-List or A-List Preferred. While Southwest has offered status matches in the past, this version is extra enticing because it allows travelers to match all the way up to A-List Preferred, the airline’s […]

Spending money dining out while traveling in Europe can potentially add a significant amount to your travel budget. Combine that with long sightseeing days, museum marathons, and jet lag, and sometimes what you really need is a comfortable reset button. That’s where Hyatt club lounges come in. Club lounges are less common in Europe than […]

Airbnb has completely changed how many families (mine included) travel. Instead of squeezing into a standard hotel room with piles of people and suitcases, we’ve spread out in apartments in Europe, rented homes near national parks, and booked longer stays that make it feel more like we’re living somewhere rather than just visiting. But tragically, […]

With all the great Hilton credit card offers, I wanted to share how to transfer Hilton points and a couple of other Hilton tidbits you should know about. First, here’s how to transfer points. Step 1: Sign in to your account on hilton.com Step 2: Under your name, pick the “points” menu Step 3: Select […]

Before going to the Park Hyatt St. Kitts, I had heard some negative reviews. The service was slow, the hotel was outdated, there wasn’t much to do, etc. So how did it stack up? Here are my thoughts on the Park Hyatt St. Kitts.   Service at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts We were warmly […]

Say it ain’t so! But it is. Changes were made to some hotel 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. Notable ones here are: Hyatt Regency […]

If the bright lights of New York City are calling you, the New York Marriott Marquis might be the perfect place for your next Big Apple adventure. This hotel will put you within walking distance to Broadway, museums, delicious food, and more.  Read on to learn how I booked it, what I thought, and if […]