Travel Miles 101

Weekly Points: Earn Bonus Marriott Points, Cashing Out Points, Using Shipping Credits and More!

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 19:41:20 GMT

Centurion Lounges Are Starting To Reopen: American Express had to shut down their Centurion Lounges for obvious reasons. They’re starting to reopen with new procedures. I think they’ve done a great job balancing what makes Centurion Lounges so great with the new safety precautions.

Earn Bonus Marriott Points: Marriott points are very valuable, and part of the reason why is because they’re tough to earn. When opportunities come to earn bonus points, it’s a good idea to take advantage when possible. Check out the latest Marriott promotion.

Better Cash Out Rate For MR Points: While we normally look to transfer our flexible points to airline and hotel partners for maximum value, many people still prefer cash back…. And that’s ok. They’re your points, so use them how you wish. Amex has a new deal for the cash back folks.

Amex Gold Losing $100 Airline Credit: One of the perks that helped justify the annual fee of the Amex Gold card was the $100 airline incidental credit. Beginning January 2022, the airline incidental credit will be removed.

Using Amex Business Credit: Getting the most out of your credit card perks is key to justifying the annual fee. Many business owners own the Amex Platinum which currently offers a $20 statement credit for shipping. Here’s a trick to use it.

Hawaii Pre-Travel Testing Guide: Hawaii is an extremely popular travel destination, but they have the strictest travel testing program of all states. If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, check out this guide for a smoother testing process.

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Weekly Points: Earn Bonus Hotel Points, Marriott Award Sale, Best Bonus Categories and More!

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 18:51:17 GMT

500 Hyatt Bonus Points Per Night: Hyatt is offering some bonus points per night if you stay at select properties worldwide. Hyatt points are extremely valuable because it doesn’t take a large balance for some free stays. Do you have an upcoming stay at these locations?

Earn An Easy 1,000 Hilton Points: Hilton and Lyft formed a partnership last year where you could earn Hilton points with Lyft rides. If you haven’t already linked your Hilton and your Lyft account, you can earn 1,000 Hilton points for linking them and taking a Lyft.

Deals To Hawaii: If you’re wanting to get away and are able to book ahead and change later, you could take advantage of this deal. You can book round trip flights from the west coast to Hawaii from $257!

Marriott Award Sale: Taking advantage of off-peak pricing is a great way to save points as it costs less to book your stay. Currently Marriott is offering off-peak pricing for stays booked by October 15 and completed by November 30.

Best Bonus Categories: Whether you have cards with rotating bonus categories or fixed earning rates, it’s good to know what card to use for each spending category. Whether it’s groceries, dining, gas or travel, make sure you’re using the right card.

Earn 5X ThankYou Points On Certain Categories: If you hold the right card, you can earn 5X points for every dollar spent online, cable and streaming services. This is capped at 7500 points, but it could give you a nice little boost to your points balance.

Want To Go To Costa Rica?: As very few countries are welcoming US Citizens, it’s nice to see when one plans to open up their borders. As of right now, Costa Rica plans to allow all US residents to visit without quarantine, under a few conditions. The conditions aren’t too bad either.

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Weekly Points: The Case For Cash Back, Appealing Transfer Bonuses, Using Positioning Flights ...

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 19:08:04 GMT

The Case For Cash Back: In this hobby we’re taught that transferring our points to airline/hotel partners is the way to maximize the value of our points. While that is true, there’s nothing wrong with cash back. There’s no right or wrong way to use your points. Cash back is another option you have.

40% Transfer Bonus To Marriott/Hilton: Transfer bonuses are nice because you use less of your transferable points. Currently you can get a 40% bonus when transferring your Membership Rewards points to Marriott or Hilton. Before doing this, make sure to crunch the numbers to make sure it makes sense to do so.

How To Use Positioning Flights: It can get annoying at times seeing these amazing flight deals pop up online from LAX to Tahiti for $200 round trip, when I don’t live in Los Angeles. While that doesn’t help, not all hope is lost to be able to take advantage of flight deals.

20% Transfer Bonus To Southwest: Well we don’t see this often! You can currently get a 20% bonus when you transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest. While many value Ultimate Rewards points very high, you need to crunch the numbers to make sure it makes sense to take advantage of this bonus.

Register For Hyatt’s Latest Promotion: Starting October 1, 2020 through January 4, 2021, you can earn triple points on eligible spending with Hyatt’s Bonus Journeys promotion. Hyatt points are very valuable as you can find properties for as low as 5K points/night! Consider registering because you never know when you’ll need to book a Hyatt stay.

Updated Hilton Cancellation Policies: There for a while, hotels were really rolling out the red carpet for us to come back with cutting back change and cancellation fees. Well it seems like the honeymoon is over as Hilton joins other hotel chains in going back to their old policies. It was fun while it lasted!

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Weekly Points: Award Routing Rules, Point Buying Opportunities, Win 100K AA Miles and More!

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 17:40:00 GMT

Taking Advantage Of Amex Platinum: This very popular card comes with a hefty annual fee which may scare newbies. However, with all of the perks this card offers, you can easily justify the annual fee by taking advantage of what this card offers.

Promotional Companion Pass Offer: The Southwest Companion Pass is easily the best airline perk around. While this promotional offer only offers the Companion pass for a couple of months, it does give you a taste of how awesome it is. Plus, it’s relatively easy to earn with this promotion.

Award Routing Rules To Know: So you’ve earned the miles and have found award space. You’re ready to book right? Not so fast… Make sure you’re aware of the routing rules before you book that award flight!

Point Buying Opportunities: Sometimes buying points makes a lot of “cents” and in those instances you want to get the best deal possible. Currently there are several opportunities to buy some points at a discount. Here’s what’s on sale and advice on which card you should use to buy them.

Win 100,000 AA Miles: There’s currently a sweepstakes you can enter for a chance to win 100,000 AA Miles. Once you register, there are several ways to accumulate entries for the sweepstakes. Will you participate?

Awesome Hotel Amex Offers: Amex offers are a great way to offset that annual fee on popular cards and there are several to choose from. Currently there are some great hotel offers that could save you some cash. Are you taking advantage of them?

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Weekly Points: South America Restrictions, Max Out Your Membership Rewards Points, Hyatt Promo ...

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 20:23:40 GMT

Shortcut To Hilton Diamond Status: I love Hilton Diamond status because of how easy it is to obtain. Just by holding the right card you have Hilton Diamond. Right now, you can use this shortcut to get Hilton Diamond without paying the hefty annual fee on the right card.

South America Restrictions By Country: Most of South America is very popular for travel since it’s so cheap! The Rona has definitely made travel difficult for all of us though. There is good news as some countries are opening back up. Here is some more detail on each country in South America.

Redeem MR Points For Max Value: Membership Rewards points are among my favorite flexible currencies. They’re so valuable because of the number of transfer partners and award redemption options. Here some ways to get amazing value out of your hard earned points.

Q4 Categories On A Popular Card: Many of us diligently max out quarterly bonuses on those cards with rotating categories. For Q4, this popular card has bonus categories for spending at Walmart and through Paypal. This should be easy to max out!

Does Travel Insurance Cover Covid-19?: Those that had travel plans prior to Covid may have had an awful experience getting reimbursed. Sometimes travel insurance will cover you and many times they weasel their way out of paying through loopholes. Can travel insurance cover any Covid related costs?

Hyatt Promo Overlap: Promotions are always good because they’ll help you earn more points or status faster. Now stacking promotions is even better! Currently Hyatt has several promotions going on and you’re able to stack some to your benefit.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred: Our Top Recommended Card

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 20:18:18 GMT

If you polled the team at Travel Miles 101 for our favorite travel rewards credit card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card would definitely top the list. If you want to get started traveling the world with rewards points & miles, this is a card you need in your wallet.

This was already our favorite card, but Chase just (as of 9/15/2020) increased the bonus offer:

Earn 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points after reaching the minimum spending requirement of $4,000 in the first 3 months the account is open
Earn 2x points on travel and dining at restaurants
$95 annual fee
$0 foreign transaction fees

Learn How to Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Here.

Important note: You can apply for this card if you don’t currently have either Sapphire card (Preferred or Reserve) and haven’t received a new card member bonus for either Sapphire card in the past 48 months.

How to Redeem Ultimate Rewards Points for Maximum Value

Here are the three Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption options, and we’ll focus on #3 since that’s where you can really get significant value with some fun redemptions!

Redemption Options:

Cash Back: Ultimate Rewards can be redeemed for 1 cent per point, so your 80,000 points = $800 cash back.
Use the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal: Chase allows you to book travel directly through their booking portal (which will be run by Expedia for tons of options!). Each point is worth 1.25 cents, so your 80,000 points = $1,000 of travel.
Transfer your points so they become frequent flyer miles and hotel rewards points. The list of current partners includes:

Aer Lingus AerClub
British Airways Avios
Emirates Skywards
Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
Iberia Plus
JetBlue TrueBlue
Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
Southwest Rapid Rewards
United MileagePlus
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
IHG Rewards Club
Marriott Rewards
World of Hyatt

Our favorites include: Hyatt, Southwest, United and British Airways (for use especially on American Airlines in the US).

The point value when transferred to these partners can far exceed the $1,000 you get when booking through the Chase Travel Portal. We think you can fairly often get upwards of 2 cents per point, so $1,600 or more in value this way. For example:

- 80,000 United Airlines miles is enough for a round-trip Saver Economy award flight from the US to Japan (or many parts of Asia)
- 80,000 Hyatt points will get you 16 free nights in a Category 1 hotel (usually a Hyatt House or Hyatt Place)
- 80,000 British Airways would be enough for 10 one-way flights on American Airlines (for direct flights under 1,150 miles one-way in distance).
- 80,000 Southwest miles are ultra-flexible and should get you at least $1,200 in value

Learn How to Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Here.

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Weekly Points: Best Ways To Fly To Hawaii, Marriott Bonvoy Basics, What Card You Should Be ...

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:47:05 GMT

Best Ways To Fly To Hawaii: Even though the pandemic has halted travel, it doesn’t mean you can’t plan for it. Hawaii remains a very popular spot that many want to discover or return to. Some of the old tricks in this hobby have been replaced with new ones.

Marriott Bonvoy Basics: For those that are new, learning all of the rules and values for each currency could be overwhelming. Even for the veterans in this hobby, it’s good to review the details for things that may have changed. Here’s a good guide for Marriott.

Two More Countries Welcome US Tourists: US Citizens are not welcome in many countries these days which severely limits travel destinations. The Bahamas and Morocco have opened up to tourists recently. So if you’re itching to go somewhere, consider these two destinations.

Buy United Miles With Bonus: If you’re short on United miles or have an extremely valuable award redemption planned, you may consider their current sale. You can buy United miles with up to a 100% bonus. This could be a good deal for you.

Cash Back Vs Points During Pandemic?: This is something many of us points/miles enthusiasts have pondered during this pandemic. Future travel is uncertain and many have felt the pinch in their wallets due to changing circumstances. What’s right for you?

Fake Out! Alaska To Join Oneworld In 2021: We were teased a bit when Alaska Airlines announced they were going to join the Oneworld Alliance in late 2020. As of now the move is still going to happen, but it won’t be until next year.

What Card To Use?: This year has been different to say the least! Some of the positive changes that came about were the additional perks and bonus categories some banks allowed to encourage more spending. Are you using the right cards for your spending?

Travel Miles 101 has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Travel Miles 101 and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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Weekly Points: No More Airline Change Fees, Finding The Cheapest Flights, Changes To Hawaiian ...

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 19:54:18 GMT

Bye Bye Change Fees?: The airline industry has taken huge hits to their bottom line with the pandemic, and they’re pulling out all the stops to try to lure people to fly. One of the big 3 US airlines announced the elimination of change fees, and the others are following suit!

Award Change And Cancellation Fees: You can save a considerable amount of money booking award flights to your destination. However, if you need to cancel or change your booking, then you may incur some fees which are never fun. Here’s a good guide to help you navigate through this.

Finding The Cheapest Flights: I’m always looking for a deal when it comes to travel. That’s the reason I’m involved in this hobby. When having to pay for flights with cash, it can be difficult to find good deals. There are some tricks you can use to get better prices if you’re flexible with your travel dates.

Is Now The Time To Earn Marriott Elite Status?: Personally, I prefer Hilton Diamond Status just because it’s easy to get by holding the right card. However, there are a lot of perks associated with Marriott Platinum Status and up. Is now the time to earn it?

Best Cards For Booking Flights: Ideally you want to use your points/miles to book your flights. Sometimes though you don’t get good value by doing so, or you may not have enough points to book it. If you need to pay for a flight with cash, which card should you use?

$100 Dell Credit: A new Amex Offer is available to many with the Amex Platinum. This one is for $100 back when you spend $100 or more on dell.com by the end of this coming January. This one is a fairly easy one to use as Dell sells more than just computers.

Latest Changes For Travel To Hawaii: Hawaii is probably the state that has imposed the most restrictions to travelers. With the uncertainty of the pandemic and pressure to keep tourist dollars flowing in, I’m glad I don’t have to make those decisions. Here are the latest changes for travel to Hawaii.

Travel Miles 101 has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Travel Miles 101 and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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Weekly Points: Membership Rewards Sweet Spots, Credits To Use Before The End Of The Month, ...

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 18:54:18 GMT

Membership Rewards Sweet Spots: I love Membership Rewards. I love sweet spots. Combine the two and I start to salivate at the opportunities to travel for cheap. If you’re unfamiliar with uses for your Membership Rewards, take a look at this guide!

Google Travel’s New Features: There’s a lot of disruption in the travel industry due to the pandemic. In some places we’re welcome, in some we’re not. Some hotels and flights are operating while some are not. Google Travel now provides some data to better plan your trip.

Cards Used Most During The Pandemic: I like articles like this because I get another perspective on my points earning strategy. Sometimes I get tunnel vision going with “what works”, while I could be some points on the table.

Reminder To Use Credits Before Aug 31: One reason I love American Express is due to the helpful credits that many of their cards offer. Now with the pandemic, many of their travel credits have been converted into other credits we can get use out of. Don’t forget to use them before 8/31.

A Guide To Amex Offers: Speaking of Amex, another great thing about their cards is their Amex Offers. Other banks offer something similar, but they’re not quite as appealing as Amex Offers. Many times you can offset your annual fee with these perks. Here’s a guide to what they are and how to use them.

Food Delivery Promo Codes: Food delivery has spiked up during the pandemic, and credit cards have noticed. Many have offered perks for using their card for food delivery. This presents us with an opportunity to stack! Here are some promo codes for you!

Outlook On International Travel: Many people are like me in that they’re itching to book an international getaway somewhere. The pandemic doesn’t seem to be slowing down in many parts of the earth, including the US. Will travel get back to “normal” again?

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Weekly Points: New Amex Travel Credit, Southwest Airline Sale, What Card Have You Used Most ...

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 21:26:00 GMT

New Amex Travel Credit: One of my biggest annoyances with the Amex Platinum is the $200 airline incidental credit. You have to select an airline and it’s difficult to use and max out. Other premium cards offer a travel credit that’s much easier to use. Looks like Amex finally heard me out…

Southwest $49 Sale: Airlines want your business. While some still try to pack in as many people into their plane, regardless of social distance guidelines, Southwest isn’t one of them. They still respect the empty middle seat rule. Plus, they’re offering some great deals.

The Case Against ThankYou Points: When deciding which flexible point currency to accumulate, it’s good to know the pros and the cons. Many times we only read about the pros. This article breaks it down nicely to help you decide.

Singapore Airlines Blocking Award Availability: An appealing part of airline alliances is that you’re able to book award flights with partner miles. Many times you’ll save miles by doing so. However, Singapore Airlines is blocking award availability to its partners.

What Card Have You Used The Most During The Pandemic?: This is an interesting question, yet a valid one. Many of our spending habits changed with the pandemic. With our constant pursuit of earning more points, we may have changed out our normal cards. Do you agree that this card is an ideal one to use?

Book Cathay Pacific And Gol Flights On Aeroplan: If given the option, many people prefer handling things themselves online as opposed to talking to someone on the phone. Now Aeroplan has provided that option to customers by being able to book Cathay and Gol flights on Aeroplan.com

Automatic Check In For Southwest Flights: While I love Southwest Airlines, I do get annoyed with having to check in 24 hours before my flight to secure a decent boarding position. If only there was a way to do this automatically without having to pay Early Bird fees…

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Weekly Points: The New Aeroplan, TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR, Where Can We Travel To and More!

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 17:53:19 GMT

Maximizing Aeroplan Miles: Last year we thought Aeroplan and Air Canada were cutting ties, but since then they’ve kissed and made up. That’s a good thing since I’m sitting on a stash of Aeroplan miles. Here are some great ways to use them.

TSA PreCheck Vs CLEAR: We see the signs at the airport, yet the difference between these two programs is not very CLEAR. Most of us are familiar with what TSA PreCheck offers, but how does CLEAR differ?

Breaking Down The Amex Gold: The Amex Gold is one of the more popular cards in the market, and for good reason. There are a lot of perks with it and their spending bonus categories are extremely useful. Here’s a good guide to help you decide whether it’s a good fit for you or not.

To Downgrade Or Not?: When getting involved with this hobby, we may be blinded by the nice sign up bonuses and the travel possibilities with all of those points. Then reality sets in after the sign up bonus has been spent and the annual fee hits. Do I keep, cancel or downgrade the card?

Where Can US Citizens Travel To?: The rules and restrictions change by the day, but we’re still pretty limited as to where we can travel to. With the number of cases far exceeding those of other countries, US citizens aren’t welcome all over the world at the moment. Here’s a list of places that you can visit if you’re wanting to get away.

What To Do If Your Miles Are Expiring?: Since using airline miles is pretty tough right now with limited travel destinations, you run the risk of them expiring. Are you out of options at this point? Check out this guide for more information.

Awesome Deal With Choice: If you’re looking for an All-Inclusive stay and want to earn some extra perks with your paid stay, consider this promotion by Choice Privileges. You’ll get a $200 resort credit, guaranteed room upgrade at check in, 50K points and more.

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Weekly Points: How To Waive Amex Platinum Annual Fee, Best Cards For Each Business Category, ...

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 18:30:54 GMT

Face Mask Required At US Hotels?: Welcome to the “New Normal”! As the cases of the Rona continue to grow, many businesses are requiring people to wear masks. Now it seems as if hotels will be jumping on board with this.

How To Waive Amex Plat Annual Fee: While I find the Amex Platinum well worth the annual fee, it sure wouldn’t hurt to be able to pay less for it. These tricks won’t make sense for everyone, but if they do for you, then you’ll have a cheaper Amex Platinum.

Best Cards For Each Business Category: Many of us are small business owners, or have a side hustle of some sort, that may incur expenses. Taking advantage of business expenses and bonus categories is a great way to boost your points balance.

Are You Sitting On A Pile Of ThankYou Points?: ThankYou points don’t get a lot of love, but they can be super useful. If you need some ideas to get your travel daydreams going, check out these suggestions.

What Credit Score Do You Need For Amex?: Have you ever wondered what credit score you need for certain cards? After all, there are starter cards to help build a person’s credit, and there are premium cards for those with awesome credit. Well wonder no more for Amex.

Amex Stay At Home Perks: Since travel spending has pretty much come to a halt, many banks switched up their perks to better suit the situation. The Amex Platinum card offered some great perks that you could take advantage of. How are you using yours?

What To Do When Airlines Go Bankrupt: Airlines are taking a beating since people are not traveling. US Airlines quarterly reports were horrible, so it’s no surprise that some airlines around the world are declaring bankruptcy. What happens to your miles?

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Weekly Points: Where Can Americans Currently Visit, Discover’s Little Known Trick, What Card ...

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 18:30:15 GMT

When Will The World Re-Open? Every country has been impacted differently by the pandemic and they each have imposed different rules regarding travel. Are you hoping to travel internationally soon? Check out this guide for more information.

Another Destination Open To Tourists: If you’re just itching to get out of town, here’s a nice destination that will welcome you in. Puerto is opening its doors to tourists with a few guidelines to follow.

Get The Most Out Of Your Grocery Spend: While dining has opened up in most parts of the country, it’s still limited and you may be better off eating at home. This will require you to spend more on groceries. Here’s how to earn more points on your grocery store visits.

Discover’s Little Known Trick: This is an old article, but not many people are aware of this trick with their Discover It card. Did you know that you can pull cash at checkout with your Discover card, without incurring cash advance fees?

Another Option For Marriott Elite Status: If you’re still apprehensive about staying at hotels, yet still want to go on a trip, you may consider Marriott Home Villas for your next stay. You can also earn elite night credits for each night at these properties.

What Card To Use For Purchasing Points: Buying points can be a great way to get discounted travel if you don’t have enough points in your balance. It can come out cheaper than paying cash for the flight. If you’re buying points, you might as well earn more points while you’re at it.

Where Can US Citizens Currently Visit?: Not a lot of countries are welcoming Americans with open arms. If they do allow Americans in, they have strict criteria that travelers must meet. However there are a few that allow Americans in without any restrictions.

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Weekly Points: Is It Safe To Fly Again, Extend Your Aeroplan Miles, Earn 10X On Gas, ...

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 20:16:42 GMT

Are You Looking For An International Escape?: With so many countries closing their borders to US tourists, it could be difficult to find a place to visit internationally. Thankfully some of the Caribbean islands are opening up their borders to US visitors.

Is It Safe To Fly Again: A lot of folks are suffering from severe cabin fever and want to get out and travel. Is it safe to do so? Here a several important questions answered to help you determine your decision.

Good Hyatt Promo: Hyatt is offering a new promotion where you can get up to 25% back on awards, triple points on dining and free parking. You can also earn a 25% rebate from Hyatt Dining, Spa and More!

Direct Flights To Bali?: Bali is on my radar for a future place to visit. One of the current drawbacks is getting there as there are no direct flights from the US to Bali. That could change soon and I hope to be able to use points and miles on this route.

Extend Your Aeroplan Miles: Since travel is limited many of our points balances haven’t seen much activity. Unless it’s a currency that you regularly earn points in, it may have been stagnant for months. This is the case of my Aeroplan account and here’s an easy way to keep them from expiring.

Earn 10X On Gas, Restaurants & Deliveries: For a limited time, you could earn 10X on restaurants, food delivery and gas stations with select Marriott Bonvoy cards. This is something to consider since you’ll be earning a little over the old earning rate of SPG.

Florida Is A Hotspot For Wrong Reasons: Many of us can’t wait to get out of the house and travel, even if it’s domestic travel. Some may be considering hitting the beach in Florida, but you may think twice about it. Not only is it a hotspot for the Coronavirus, but also for Dengue fever???

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Weekly Points: Americans Not Wanted In Europe, ThankYou Points Guide, What Cabin Crews Know ...

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 17:40:06 GMT

You’re Not Welcome Here: Well as expected, the EU is not allowing Americans in for the time being after they lift their restrictions on non-essential travel. This was to be expected considering the number of cases continuing to rise in the US. Stay safe out there!

Complete Guide To Amex Offers: Many of the cards you hold have perks that aren’t utilized and have a lot of value. Taking advantage of useful Amex offers could earn you a bunch of points, or save you a lot of cash. Many times it offsets the cost of the annual fee.

COVID Card Enhancements: Banks monitor your spending and they’re definitely seeing a shift from travel to other expenses such as streaming and groceries. Many cards have offered bonus points for these categories and are allowing you to use your travel credits for these items.

ThankYou Points Guide: ThankYou Points are not the most popular but they are very valuable. If you’re needing to diversify your points portfolio, you should definitely give these flexible rewards a look. Here’s a guide.

Alternatives To Plastiq: If you’re looking for ways to boost your points earning, you could look into paying your rent or mortgage with your credit card. Plastiq just announced a hike in their fees, but there is an alternative to Plastiq…

Cards Offering Travel Insurance: This has been a hot topic lately with a lot of trips being cancelled due to the pandemic. Does your current credit card offer you travel insurance and does it cover you in these situations? Check out this guide.

What Do Cabin Crews Know About You?: Airlines and cabin crews know more about you than you think. You may see them walking around with their iPads or other electronic devices, discussing things with the crew, but what information is on those tablets?

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Weekly Points: When To Use Points & Miles, Airlines Refunding Passengers With Fevers, ...

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 21:20:44 GMT

Using Your Bank Of America Points: Typically you can only use your Bank of America Travel Rewards points for statement credits on travel related items, however due to the current situation, you can use them for grocery, dining and takeout!

Miles/Points vs Cash: This question gets asked often and a lot of it depends on how much you value points. There are no “right or wrong” answers to how you should use your hard earned points. Do what benefits you. With that said, here are some good guidelines to help you decide.

Plastiq Is Raising Fees: Many people use Plastiq as a way to accumulate more points by paying for bills that traditionally don’t accept credit cards. They charge a fee and many have found ways around those fees. For those who still pay fees, they’re about to go up.

Booking Cheap Domestic Awards On Oneworld: Since international travel is pretty much on hold for a while, one may consider domestic travel more. There are some sweet spots to consider when using your miles for domestic flights. Here’s a guide to booking them with the Oneworld alliance.

Americans Expected To Be Banned From Europe: As the European Union plans to reopen borders, they’re also expecting to ban people from certain countries, including the United States. Oh how the tables have turned…

Airlines To Refund Tickets For Passengers With Fever: One of the symptoms of Covid is running a fever, so during the TSA screening process you may have your temperature checked. If you happen to be running a fever, you could be eligible for a refund.

Hawaii Reopens August 1: Here recently, if you went to Hawaii, upon landing you would have to be placed on a mandatory 14 day quarantine. Well that pretty much eliminated tourism to Hawaii. Now there are plants to open back up without a quarantine on August 1st. Are you going?

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Weekly Points: Does It Make Sense To Buy Points, Turkish Airline Guide, Covid Tracker On Your ...

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 20:24:15 GMT

When Does It Make Sense To Buy Points: Several loyalty programs are offering discounts for purchasing their points. Buying points can be a great deal as it could reduce your overall trip cost instead of paying for your trip cash. Is buying points always wise?

50% Of Your Miles Back With Aeroplan: Aeroplan is offering an awesome promotion going on where you could receive 50% of your redeemed miles back for Air Canada flights within Canada or between Canada and the US. I love using less miles for award flights!

No More Excise Taxes When Transferring To Domestic Airlines: Amex has made some favorable changes when transferring Membership Rewards points to domestic airline partners. You will no longer pay an excise tax when transferring MR points to US airlines.

Massive Centurion Lounge Planned For Seattle: Speaking of Amex, they’re currently planning a brand new Centurion Lounge in Seattle. They currently have one, but it’s VERY small and ALWAYS crowded. May this larger one would allow for social distancing?

Turkish Airlines Guide: The Miles & Smiles program is not a very popular one, but it should be one to look into. Not only do you get super cheap flights to Hawaii, but it’s a good way to get to Europe in business class.

Inside The Waldorf Astoria: For folks on a budget like me, paying for a stay at any of the Waldorf Astoria properties is out of the question. However, points allow us to stay at these magnificent properties. What other perks do you get out of this brand. Did you know of their complimentary House Car service?

IPhone Has A Covid Tracker?: There are many iPhone users out there and if you’ve upgraded to the latest IOS13.5, you may not have noticed the Covid-19 Tracker that’s on your phone now. Many Androids have it too.

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Weekly Points: Road Trip Ideas, Maximizing Grocery Spending, ANA Fuel Surcharges Eliminated ...

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 16:14:22 GMT

US Road Trip Ideas: International travel is on hold for most of the summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get out of the house. There’s some amazing places to visit within the US. Here are some great road trip ideas.

Maximize Your Grocery Spending: Chances are your grocery bill has gone up since traditional dining has changed. Credit cards and noticing the trends and many are offering bonuses for spending at grocery stores. Here are ways to earn more points.

Hawaii Extends Tourist Ban: If you had a trip to Hawaii planned later this month or next, you’ll definitely want to reconsider. The state has extended their 14 day self quarantine through July 31, 2020.

ANA Fuel Surcharges Eliminated: Transferring Membership Rewards points to ANA is an excellent way to get to Europe or South America for only 88K miles, but I never considered flying ANA on their own currency. Well that’s about to change!!

Best Kimpton Properties in US & Canada: Kimpton is one of those smaller hotel chains that have a strong following. IHG bought them a few years ago, but they’ve maintained their charm for the most part. Here’s a list of the best properties to consider.

What To Do With Alaska Airline Miles: Are you sitting on a large balance of Alaska Airline miles? Well since you’re not traveling right now, you could plan your next getaway. Alaska Airline miles are extremely valuable and here are some ideas for you to use them.

Updated Flight Fees And Waivers: We are in typical vacation season and many of us had trips planned for the summer, yet this pandemic could be affecting those trips. Here’s what you need to know about flight cancellation and change fees.

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Weekly Points: Stay In Bali For Cheap, Walk In Global Entry Interviews, Aeroplan Sweet Spots ...

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 16:16:57 GMT

Plan A Trip To Bali: If your cabin fever has you searching for a tropical paradise, then look no more. You can stay at the Conrad Bali for an unbelievable $89/night for 2 night bookings through December 2021.

What’s Your Travel Strategy Now?: With so many countries banning visitors and the uncertainty of this virus, it’s difficult to book travel 11 months out. Maybe last minute travel is the way to go for the time being? What are your thoughts?

Walk In Global Entry Interviews?: If you’ve signed up for Global Entry in the past, then you know it can be a hassle setting up an interview months in advance. However some locations offer walk ins for their interviews. How and where is this done?

Etihad Partners With Air Canada: Now you can earn Aeroplan miles when flying Etihad, or vice versa. What’s exciting though is being able to use your Aeroplan miles on Etihad, book them through aeroplan.com and fuel surcharges will not apply!!!

New Pandemic Centric Benefits: In order to keep you as a customer, banks have had to adapt to customers’ new spending habits. We’ve seen changes in premium travel credit cards. Will these new benefits sway you into keeping those cards?

How To Access Airport Lounges: Airport lounges could make your layover a little more pleasurable with free food and drinks. Is there a way to access them without having elite status with an airline? There are several ways the us mere mortals could enjoy them…

Air Canada/Etihad Sweet Spots: Oh I love sweet spots! The ability to use even less miles to travel in luxury is very appealing to me. How about 75K/105K miles from the US to South Africa in biz/first? Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!

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Weekly Points: Best Beaches In California, Increase Credit Card Spend From Home, Grocery ...

Fri, 29 May 2020 17:54:31 GMT

Increase Credit Card Spend From Home: While I sit at home daydreaming about my next vacation, I’m also looking for ways to increase my points balance. I’m still staying at home but that doesn’t mean my point earning has to stop. Here are ways to boost your balance.

Best Beaches In California: This pandemic has made some people think twice about international travel. Some people feel safer staying within the country. Once the country gets rolling with the “new normal”, here are some great beaches to enjoy in California.

The Covid 19 Surcharge: We knew this was coming…. Hotels have gotten a bad reputation for tacking on pesky fees to their rates. The resort fee, the destination fee, the check in/out fee…. You name it, they charge it. Now comes the Covid 19 fee.

Best Use Of Hyatt Points: Are you sitting on a stash of Hyatt points? If so and you’re anxious to plan your next getaway, you may consider some of these properties to get great value out of your points.

Membership Rewards Basics: Membership Rewards points are my absolute favorite of the flexible travel currencies. They provide a good variety of airlines partners and the bonus earning categories fit my spending patterns like a glove. Here are the basics!

Grocery Delivery Guide: Those retailers offering grocery pickup/delivery are definitely seeing a spike in business. Understandably many people don’t want to go to the store. Since this may be the norm going forward, which credit card should you use?

Southwest Extends Schedule Through Holidays: Southwest Airlines doesn’t open up their calendars as far out as many of the other airlines. When they do, one must be ready to try to secure their preferred travel dates. The calendar is now open through January 4, 2021.

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