If you’ve been wanting to get into points and miles but have no idea where to start, this is the card I would recommend opening first. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is offering a welcome bonus of 75k Chase points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months after opening the card. When someone asks me, “What credit card should I get first?” I always look for three things: ✅ A valuable welcome bonus ✅ Flexible points that are easy to use ✅ A card you’ll actually want to kee

Grand Hyatt is one of three resorts that make up the Baha Mar complex, alongside Rosewood and SLS. Grand Hyatt is the only one of the three that can be booked with Hyatt points. First Impressions From the moment we arrived, we knew this resort was something special. The property is beautiful, the grounds are immaculate, and there is an energy throughout the resort that makes you excited to explore. The casino may or may not have something to do with that! We never gambled and

Disney vacations are magical... but they're definitely not cheap. When I started planning our trip, I knew I didn't want to pay full price if I didn't have to. Instead of relying on one rewards program, I combined four different credit card strategies to dramatically reduce the cost of our vacation. Here's exactly how we did it: 1. Disney Swan Resort → Chase Sapphire Preferred Instead of paying cash for our hotel, I used Chase points from the welcome bonus for the Chase Sapph

If you’re new to points and miles, transfer partners can feel like one of the most confusing parts. You earn points with Chase, Capital One, or American Express… but then what? Where can those points actually go? And which airlines and hotels can you book with them? That’s exactly why I made these two cheat sheets. I wanted something simple that I could look at and immediately see which airline and hotel programs partner with each major credit card points program -- without h

Quick Take This wasn’t our first time visiting the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, and that’s actually what made this trip even more special. We already knew this resort was one of our favorite family beach escapes - the incredible beach, the pools, the activities, and the relaxed Florida vibe are exactly why we keep coming back. But this visit felt completely different thanks to one unforgettable surprise: an incredible upgrade from the room we booked to a Beachfront

One of our all-time favorite family resorts in Florida. We've stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón multiple times, and it continues to exceed our expectations. If you're looking for a luxury resort that's just as enjoyable for kids as it is for adults, this is one of the best we've found. One of the biggest reasons we keep coming back is the incredible service. Every stay, the staff goes above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The hospitality here is truly exceptional

We've now stayed at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point twice, and somehow it keeps getting better. Between the incredible pools, fast water slides, suite upgrades, and excellent Globalist benefits through a Guest of Honor (GOH) booking, this has become one of our family's favorite Hyatt resorts in Florida. Booking Hotel: Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa Length of stay: 3 nights Booked with: Hyatt points (transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards) Elite benefits: Guest of H

Some hotels are fun to try once, but others quickly become places you find yourself wanting to come back to again and again. That’s exactly how we feel about Wequassett Resort & Golf Club in Harwich, MA. We’ve now stayed here three years in a row, and it has become one of our favorite Cape Cod traditions. How We Book Wequassett With the Capital One Venture X One of my favorite credit cards has easily become my Capital One Venture X. While it does have a $395 annual fee, the a

Here's our exact 3-day itinerary for New York City. It was the perfect mix of iconic attractions, kid-friendly activities, great food, and a few memorable splurges… all while using points to cover our hotel. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 🌳 Central Park 🎢 RiseNY ⛵ Classic Harbor Line 🛝 Playgrounds 🧸 FAO Schwarz 🗽 Statue of Liberty 🥪 Lenwich 🧱 LEGO Store 🌇 Skyline views 🎯 Spy Games 🚶 Times Square 🍕 NYC Pizza 🎭 Harry Potter 🍨 Gelato 🌆 SUMMIT One Accommodations 🏨 Thompson Cent

Quick Take We booked a two-night stay at the Thompson Central Park, and it exceeded every expectation. We booked the hotel for 29,000 Hyatt points per night, and between the incredible location, exceptional service, and valuable Globalist benefits through a Guest of Honor (GOH) booking, this ended up being one of our favorite city hotel stays. The free breakfast (included with GOH for 2 adults and 2 kids) was incredible and well over $200 each morning. We were even upgraded t

About a week before every trip, I send a quick email to the hotel manager letting them know how excited we are for our stay and mentioning any special occasion we may be celebrating. (There is always something to celebrate!) I usually don't send it much earlier than that, since the hotel may not have a clear picture of room availability or potential upgrades until closer to our arrival. To find the manager’s email address, I usually start by searching the hotel online and loo

About a week before every trip, I send a quick email to the hotel manager letting them know how excited we are for our stay and mentioning anything special we’ll be celebrating. And I usually ask about an upgrade. The goal isn’t to demand a better room or make the hotel feel obligated to upgrade you. It’s to put yourself on their radar and give them an opportunity to make your stay a little more special if they are able to do so. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how often th

Quick Take Our four-night stay at the Walt Disney World Swan was everything we hoped it would be—and more. We booked the hotel using points through the Chase Travel portal, and surprisingly, it cost fewer points than booking directly through Marriott, even after factoring in a 70% Chase-to-Marriott transfer bonus. If you're looking for one of the best values at Disney World, it's hard to beat staying in the EPCOT resort area without paying deluxe Disney resort prices. The loc

Understanding Travel Rewards Programs Travel rewards programs are designed to incentivize customers to use specific credit cards, airlines, or hotel chains. These programs allow you to earn points or miles for every dollar spent, which can later be redeemed for travel-related expenses such as flights, hotel stays, and car rentals. Types of Travel Rewards Airline Miles: Earned through airline loyalty programs, these miles can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other travel