Jona sent us this reader success story about her trip with her mom and two children to Puerto Rico. Here’s her story:   Trip to Puerto Rico We are a single-income (gross $80,000) family of four—kids ages two and four—living in upstate New York. Accumulating points is slow for us, but with strategic planning, I […]

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 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 […]

Here is Demita’s reader success story all about her family’s trip to Greece:   My name is Demita, and I’m a mom to two girls. I recently took my family to Paris and Greece!  It was the most complex points trip I’ve planned.  I opened my first Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card 13 years ago, but […]

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 […]

Scott sent us this reader success story!   Thank you so much for the opportunity to share—and for all the knowledge you’ve shared with us through your podcast. My wife and I are huge fans and loyal listeners! My wife and I are both educators, and like many teachers, we’ve spent years pouring everything into […]

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. […]

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, […]

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 […]

There are two types of people in this world. The first group books a family beach vacation with a killer pool setup and calls it a win. The second group wants a family adventure filled with pine trees, waterfalls, s’mores by a firepit, and a decent chance of spotting a bald eagle. Obviously, both of […]

If you’re familiar with the major hotel loyalty programs, then you already know the drill. Stay with Hyatt, earn World of Hyatt points. Stay with Hilton, earn Hilton Honors points. Stay with Marriott, earn Marriott Bonvoy points. But I Prefer Hotel Rewards is a little different. It’s the loyalty program for hundreds of independent hotels […]

This week’s reader success story comes from Shauna, who had an epic trip to Peru thanks to points and miles. Here’s her story: I started using points and miles in 2022 after coming across some videos by Pam and Alex online.  Eventually, I bought Points Talk Academy® and Points Talk Academy Next Level® as soon […]

If you’re looking to take the kids to the most magical place on Earth, you probably know that’s going to be expensive. But your flights and hotels don’t have to be—that’s what our points and miles stashes are for!  For travelers from the western U.S., Disneyland can be a more convenient choice than Disney World. […]

In the summer of 2016, I packed up my four kids (ages 18 months, 4, 6, and 9) and “moved” to Europe for nearly three months. Without my husband. Here’s the quick backstory: My husband and I had sold our house in Colorado and were trying to figure out where we wanted to live next. […]

Our Reader Success Story from Jen takes us to Long Beach and Sequoia National Park. This included a diving experience, which they are passionate about! Here’s her story: I’ve been in the points-and-miles hobby for about two years now. Before I found Points Talk Squad, I did some of the common things that others do. […]

We’re always looking for ways to turn our credit card points into high-value hotel stays, and American Express has brought us a new option to do just that. Recently, the bank added The Leading Hotels of the World® (LHW) as a transfer partner at a 4:1 ratio.  Now, that may sound like a terrible value, […]

If you have American Express® cards that come with premium hotel credits (or several as many in our community do), you’re probably looking to maximize those benefits. Whether you plan to wander the streets of Europe or take the kids to Disney World, let’s help you find the perfect stay. Enrollment is required for select […]

Robin sent us her reader success story that includes Washington, D.C., Paris and London! Here it is: My husband and I celebrated our ten-year anniversary last April with a dream trip to Paris and London, starting with a quick stop in Washington, D.C. It was an unforgettable experience in each city, and I’m excited to […]

Whether your family loves the beach or big cities, your IHG points can help you book the trip that fits your style.  We love the IHG program for family travel for many reasons, including:  Fourth night free on award stays if you hold the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Premier Credit […]