How to Get Ready to Make A Retention Call

Although paying annual fees on credit cards is worth the benefits in most cases, you might consider canceling a card if you don’t receive enough value or want to make room for other cards in your wallet.

However, before canceling a card for good, consider making a retention call. You might receive an offer you can’t refuse to keep your card open for another year, and sometimes it’s OK to make these calls proactively, even if you don’t actually want to close the card.

If no offer is available at the time of your call, you might consider closing the account. In these cases, I recommend making certain preparations before dialing a retention line.

 

Do Not Make a Call Late in the Day

You get busy and forget to call the credit card issuer, but I do not recommend waiting forever and a day. Once that annual fee hits, or even right before, make the call. Do not wait until payment is due because as time ticks, you might compromise your plan B possibilities when no retention offer is presented and you will lose your points. Give yourself enough time to make the following preparations before closing the card.

Tip: This strategy does not apply to co-branded cards because your points will stay in that airline’s or that hotel’s account after the card’s cancelation.

 

Open Another Card That Earns the Same Points

Typically, bank credit cards issued by the same institution earn the same points, which can be pooled. Such is the case with American Express Membership Rewards-earning cards, Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning cards and Citi ThankYou Points-earning cards. You can combine rewards in one account and redeem miles as you see fit.

Having multiple cards in the same family helps to keep your points from expiring. For example, you have The Platinum Card from American Express and are considering canceling it because of the high annual fee ($550). If you cancel your card, your points will vanish. Make sure to hold another Membership Rewards-earning card that will keep your points alive, such as the no-fee Amex EveryDay Card or the Premier Rewards Gold Card with a lower annual fee ($195).

 

Think of Where You Want to Transfer the Points

Speculative point transfers usually aren’t your best plan because of devaluation risks, especially in the case of transferable points, which are highly valued. However, if you cancel your card and your points will disappear, decide which program you might want to transfer your points to before they expire. Ask yourself where you want to travel, which airline program you are more likely to use and where the miles would be safe. It’s also important to note each program’s mileage expiration policies before making that transfer.

 

If Possible, Transfer Points to a Spouse

This option isn’t possible for all rewards programs, but you might be able to transfer points to another person to keep them safe. Chase lets two members who either live in the same household or are authorized users on each other’s credit cards transfer points between accounts at no cost.

Citi lets you transfer ThankYou Points to any member, but the points expire 90 days after the transfer is made, and the points are alive only temporarily. You still will have to find a way to redeem them before then. Unfortunately, the option to transfer Membership Rewards points to another person is not available to those with American Express cards.

 

Convert Your Points to Cashback

This redemption option is the absolute last resort! If you’re not interested in opening more credit cards or transferring to a specific travel partner and risk mileage devaluation, you can redeem your points for cashback. In many cases, doing so won’t present the best value for your points, but it’s better than getting nothing after closing your card. This option works best when the points balance in your account isn’t significant enough to make a travel redemption.

 

What preparations do you make before calling a retention line and possibly closing a credit card that earns flexible points?

How to Redeem the Hyatt Credit Card’s Free Nights

Many credit cards on the market offer a free night upon card anniversary. Of course, when you factor in annual fees, these “free” nights aren’t really free, but they offer a significant discount for a night at an otherwise pricey hotel. In this post, we’ll discuss the free award night that comes with The Hyatt Credit Card, how to redeem it and the details else you need to know.

 

Where Can I Use the Free Award Night?

The anniversary night earned with The Hyatt Card can be used at any Category 4 (or lower) hotel toward a standard room. This means that the certificate can be worth as many as 15,000 World of Hyatt points. Of course, the higher the hotel category, the higher the value you extract from redeeming it.

It is also important to consider the monetary value of the anniversary night to see how much the night would cost otherwise. The card’s annual fee is $75, and I recommend treating it like an investment. Make sure your return on investment exceeds the initial cost.

 

When is the Free Night Available?

I have the old version of The Hyatt Card, the one that comes with one complimentary night certificate at each renewal. However, it doesn’t post to your account on the same date you opened your card. You have to pay the annual fee and wait for the statement to close. The anniversary night posted on my World of Hyatt account 12 days after my statement with the annual fee closed.

To check if the free night has posted, go to Hyatt.com and log in, choose My Account, click on My Awards tab, and you’ll find your free night there.

 

How to Use Your Anniversary Night at Hyatt Hotels

Once you choose a Hyatt hotel where you’d like to redeem your Category 1-4 free night certificate, make sure you check the “Pay with Points” box. A standard room must be available for booking to redeem the certificate.

You’ll be presented with all available payment options using your points, including Points + Cash and point upgrades to a Club room. Choose “Promotional Award Free Night” and click select. Then fill out all blank fields with traveler information and complete your booking.

 

Where I Redeemed My Anniversary Award Night

Earlier this year, I booked inexpensive flights to Paris in September. Although France isn’t our final destination, my fiancé and I will stay in the city for a night on both ends of our trip. We booked an Airbnb for the first night but decided to redeem the anniversary night I earned with my Hyatt Card at the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile for our final night.

It is a Category 4 property and costs 248 euros for our date. Not that we would spend that much money on a one-night stay in Paris, but even our first night at the Airbnb cost more than the annual fee on The Hyatt Card. I’m getting quite a bit of value in return for paying the fee, and it will be nice to finish our trip at a nice hotel.

 

Where have you redeemed your Hyatt anniversary night in the past?

My 5 Favorite Travel Tools That I Can’t Live Without

As travel has become both easier to access and more complex to understand, there’s a seemingly endless number of tools and services available to help navigate those complexities and find the best deal. Here’s a few of my favorite tools that you can check out when planning your next trip.

Autoslash

When booking a rental car, Autoslash.com is always my first stop. You just enter your pickup and drop off location(s), travel dates, and desired car type, provide a bit of information about your loyalty program memberships and credit cards, and sit back while Autoslash does all the work of comparing rates across a wide variety of websites and promotions. In just a few minutes, you’ll receive a link via email that will give you several car options, with a direct link to book that car at that rate either through Autoslash directly or on a major travel website like Priceline.

Their work doesn’t end when you make your reservation, though – their tracking feature allows you to enter details about an existing car rental, and they’ll email you if they find a lower price before your pickup date.

Awardmapper

Awardmapper is the easiest way to get a birds-eye view of the major chain hotels available in a city. Just enter your destination and you’ll see a map of the area with color-coded pins for each hotel chain; click on any pin to see the number of points required to book, and a link to the hotel’s website. You can filter your search by hotel program or number of points required, or scroll through a list of all the hotels visible to quickly compare relative prices. This makes it really easy to see which hotels make sense for your trip and find which one offers the best value.

Flyermiler

When booking award flights, Flyermiler is a great one-stop resource that quickly shows you all the different ways to use your miles to get from Point A to Point B. Just put in your origin and destination cities, and Flyermiler will instantly provide a list of mileage costs for award tickets on those flights in just about every program imaginable.

You can filter the results for class of service (economy, premium economy, business, or first), and then click on your preferred airline program to see details like where you can transfer points from and whether you’ll have to pay fuel surcharges on an award ticket. Once you’ve selected a program, the Routes tab tells you all of the possible routings for your trip with that program (ranging from straightforward to truly bizarre), to give you ideas of where to search for award space.

WhereToCredit

Have you ever booked a flight on a random airline you’ve never heard of before – or just seen a deal alert for a price you can’t refuse – and wondered how you can earn miles for that flight? WhereToCredit is a simple tool designed to answer that question. You’ll need to find the fare class on your receipt or the airline’s booking page, then just enter the airline and fare class on their website to get a list of all their partner airline programs and what percentage of the miles for that trip you’ll earn – it even factors in bonuses if you have elite status with an airline program! They also offer a Chrome extension which will show you mileage earning options in real time when you’re searching for flights on major travel websites.

Wikipedia

If you’re wondering what Wikipedia is doing on a list of travel tools, you may never have read a Wikipedia article about an airport before. On every airport’s Wikipedia page, there’s a section titled “Airlines and Destinations” that lists all of the airlines that provide passenger service to an airport and the cities they fly from. This can be a great way to find unexpected fifth-freedom routes (like Cathay Pacific from New York to Vancouver or Seoul to Taipei), local low-cost carriers, and generally know what to be looking for. (I’ve found this particularly useful in cases where an airline operates a route a few days a week, so I know to be looking for a nonstop even if my first few searches are only showing me connections.) Depending on the airport, this can also be a great way to get information about ground transportation options, and any special features like in-airport museums or art installations.
What are some of your favorite travel tools?

When Do You Pay Off Your Credit Card Bill? Pros and Cons of Paying Early vs. On Due Date, Setting Up Autopay

When it comes to managing credit cards, we all have a preferred method. It goes without saying that to be successful in this hobby, you must pay off your balance in full before the due date, but the exact time and frequency of payments varies person to person. Some pay before the statement closes, and others wait until the last minute of the due date. So, let’s go over some of the pros and cons of each card management style.

Make Sure to Pay Your Bills On Time

Credit card payment history contributes to a huge chunk of your overall credit score, or a whopping 35 percent to be specific, so it’s important to make all payments before their due dates. And I’m not talking about making a minimum payment. Technically, sending a check for the minimum balance due will contribute to the payment history in a positive way, but you’ll end up paying interest on the remaining balance. Rewards credit cards tend to carry especially high interest rates, therefore paying just the minimum amount will negate all your rewards and is not recommended.

Pros: Not paying interest

Cons: None

Paying Off Balance Before the Statement Closes

Consumers who use this method tend to stay on the cautious side and pay off their balance before the statement closes, sometimes multiple times per month. Although you won’t owe any interest on your card, which is the goal, you also won’t accumulate positive payment history. If the statement closes at $0, you technically owe nothing and the payment is not recorded by the credit bureaus, which get their information from lenders.

If you prefer paying off as much of your bill as possible in advance, it’s best to carry a small balance that is reported to the bureaus along with a full payment shortly after a statement closes. This will help you establish payment history, keep your credit utilization low and increase your score.

Pros: Keeping credit utilization rate low

Cons: No record of payment history

Cycling Your Credit

Sometimes lenders are fearful of offering a high credit line, especially to consumers with a thin credit file. If you apply for your first or second credit card, your credit line might be on the lower side. Let’s say it is $1,000, and you need to make multiple expensive purchases. If your first purchase is $800, you are now using 80 percent of your credit limit, which implies high risk.

To appear in control of your finances, you want to keep your credit utilization rate under 30 percent if possible. So, you can pay off the $800 before the statement closes and then use your card again to make another purchase. Doing this multiple times per month is called cycling your credit. You want to use this method if your credit line is low but you are 100 percent you can pay off your purchases in full right away. Just be careful and don’t let the statement close with a large purchase on your bill. This will increase your credit utilization rate and temporarily lower your credit score.

Pros: Keeping credit utilization rate low

Cons: Risk of not paying in full before statement closes

Paying Off Balance on Due Date

Some people like to hoard their money until the last day of the grace period. You may call it procrastination, but others call it investing. If you have money in a high-yield checking account, it might make sense to keep the money there for as long as possible to accrue a higher return. Of course, this only makes sense for accounts with high balances. You also need to be careful with your utilization rates. Racking up a huge credit card bill isn’t worth a credit score drop for a few extra bucks in your checking account.

Pros: Investing money elsewhere

Cons: High credit utilization rate

Setting Up Autopay for Credit Card Bills

This option really varies person to person. With different due dates, bonus categories and annual fees on each card, it can get rather overwhelming to keep track of everything. Setting up autopay for your bills can eliminate lots of stress, especially if you hold multiple rewards credit cards, but it also can backfire.

For example, if someone makes a fraudulent charge on your credit card and you don’t notice right away, the autopay might pay for something you didn’t buy. In my opinion, it’s easier to not pay for it in the first place than to jump though hoops trying to your money back after the fact. Not to mention the possibility of not having enough money in your checking account to cover the bill. Then you have to deal with overdraft charges from your financial institution.

Pros: Easy bill managing

Cons: Potential complications with fraud

How I Manage My Credit Card Bills

Now, after all of this, you might be wondering how I manage my credit card bills. I pay off every card in full the day I receive an email letting me know my statement is available. This way I don’t miss any payments, and everything gets reported to the credit bureaus. I pay everything manually and have not set up autopay on any of my cards for the fear of overdraft charges, just in case. This way I also can choose a checking account for that specific payment.

I’m curious. How do you manage your credit card bills? Please share your methods in the comment section below.

Why Southwest is Still America’s Most Family-Friendly Airline

A few weeks ago, I flew Southwest to one of their newer destinations — Providenciales in Turks and Caicos. While the Southwest boarding process is annoying and there’s nothing remarkable about their planes, I was still excited about the flight.

The main reason I like flying Southwest is because the people are so friendly. The flight attendants usually crack a few funny jokes, and they are always smiling and making you feel comfortable.

This particular flight to Turks and Caicos was also special since they made the entire plane sing happy birthday to a guy named Brian. The flight attendants even made Brian a birthday cake out of toilet paper and pretzels, which was pretty funny. They also gave him a bottle of champagne when he landed, which was a nice touch!

5 Reasons Southwest is Still America’s Most Family-Friendly Airline

But, there are plenty of other reasons to love Southwest, including some that ensure it is consistently called America’s most family-friendly airline. If you have never flown Southwest before and you travel with your family, here are a few reasons to give the airline a second look:

You get two free checked bags.

One reason Southwest is so friendly for families is the fact that everyone gets two free checked bags whether they pay in cash or miles. Since it usually costs as least $25 per checked bag, this leads to an average savings of $200 round-trip per family of four.

Families with kids six and under get to board early.

While the first-come-first-serve boarding process Southwest uses can be messy and stressful, families with children ages six and under get a special perk. They get to board between the first (A) group and the second group, the B group. This almost ensures they’ll get to sit together where they want.

It’s easy to earn free flights.

Southwest offers several rewards cards that make earning free flights easy, including a brand new offering with a 65,000 mile signup bonus. The fact that Southwest is a Chase partner is also great since you can transfer points 1:1 from Chase Ultimate Rewards to the airline.

There are no blackout dates or capacity controls.

Another benefit of flying with Southwest miles is that, generally speaking, there are no blackout dates. If you can find a seat on a plane, you can book it with miles provided you are willing to fork over the number of miles they ask for.

Southwest has frequent sales.

Last but not least, the fact that Southwest has frequent sales is a boon whether you pay in cash or airline miles. It’s not uncommon to find Southwest flights for less than $60 one-way, and I’ve personally booked award flights for 3,400 miles one-way in the past. That’s a steal, but it’s even better since Southwest doesn’t charge any hidden fees like some other airlines.

 

The Bottom Line

If you haven’t flown Southwest lately, I urge you to try it again. It’s not a luxury experience by any means, but it will likely leave you feeling positive. The fact that you can earn miles to fly for free is just icing on the cake.

Do you ever fly Southwest Airlines? Why or why not?

Be Careful When Changing Your Car Reservation

I’m not normally too big on renting cars, but occasionally it’s a necessity. On a recent trip to Seattle, I knew I wanted to get out of the city to explore some of the Olympic Peninsula, so I wasn’t going to get away without renting a car. The details of the end of the time in Seattle were a little up in the air when I locked in my car rental reservation.

I was able to get a rental with Hertz for around $250 for a week. This is a little higher than my ideal car rental price of around $30 per day, but wasn’t too much more expensive to make me reconsider my plans.

After spending a lovely week hiking in different parts of Olympic National Park, I had finally figured out the details of the last couple of days in the city, and realized that it made way more sense to drop the car off at a downtown rental location. Typically, there is no drop fee or it’s really small when picking up a car at the airport and dropping in a nearby city. I called ahead to make the change and was told that the fee would be an additional $29. Considering it was going to save me some time and a fair amount of hassle, I decided to make the change.

Fast forward to actually dropping off the car, and the price on my bill was about $90 more. I pretty much always expect something to go wrong with car rentals, so this really didn’t surprise me. I talked to the lady who was working at the counter, but the location was a non-corporate location and she was unable to get the issued solved then and there. She did, however, open up a support ticket and give me a number to call for followup.

When I arrived at the hotel, I had a chance to take a look at my original bill and my new bill and was finally able to figure out what went wrong. Hertz had dropped a coupon off of my account when they made the change to my reservation!

This lesson reinforced to me that car rental companies take every chance they can to rip off customers and that it’s always necessary to check and double check your bill after finishing a car rental, especially if you make a change to your reservation.

Have you ever made a chance to a car rental reservation and had something weird happen?

5 Things I Loved about Turks and Caicos

Recently, my husband and I spent a week in Providenciales at The Somerset on Grace Bay. We went with friends and wanted more room, so we splurged for a unit at this luxury condo resort.

This was not a budget stay by any means, but it was pretty swank and definitely worth it. This hotel has some regular rooms, but the bulk of their accommodations are 1, 2, 3, and 5-bedroom condos with full kitchens and living areas. This means you get all the amenities of a luxury resort but the feel of an Airbnb — and all on a world class beach.

While our hotel was grand, I really loved Turks and Caicos and believe we will be back. I have been to almost every country in the Caribbean, and Turks and Caicos is now in my top five next to favorites like Anguilla and Aruba. Here are the reasons I loved this destination so much and why I think you should add it to your travel list this year.

You can get there with Southwest Airlines.

There are a ton of airlines loyalty programs you can use to get to Turks and Caicos with miles, but I love the fact you can fly Southwest to the island. We wound up redeeming only 40,000 miles for two round-trip tickets, and as always this included two checked bags for person.

You can book sweet excursions through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

You can book many hotels in Turks and Caicos through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, even though we didn’t choose this option. One thing we did book through Chase, however, was a four-hour snorkeling excursion and boat ride. This trip cost us 28,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards for four people and included lunch and an open bar in addition to snorkeling and private beach stops. I loved it and I much preferred paying with Chase points versus handing over the $400+ it would have cost our group otherwise.

There are a ton of lodging options.

One thing I loved about Turks and Caicos is the fact that there are many, many condo options available. This makes it a solid option for our family in the future since we prefer rental condos when we travel with our kids. Checking around on Airbnb and VRBO.com, I have also noticed that many options are more budget-friendly than the luxury resorts of Grace Bay.

It’s easy and safe to rent a car.

You don’t really need a rental car in the Grace Bay area, but we got one anyway. It only cost us $167 for a week in a compact car through Expedia, so we figured why not. It was nice to drive all around the island, and specifically to the south end where the water colors were amazing!

The beaches were so beautiful.

Grace Bay reminded me a lot of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman only it was a lot less developed. The water was some of the clearest you can find in the world, and the sand was soft white powder. The waves barely moved, which made my favorite beach hobby (drinking beer in the water) super easy. The beaches in Turks and Caicos were easily as beautiful as Rendezvous Bay in Anguilla, minus the spectacular mountain views.

 

The Bottom Line

I loved Turks and Caicos, so much so that I can’t wait to go back. Honestly, my only real gripe is just how expensive the food and drink was. Cheap local beer was $42 per case at the grocery store for heaven’s sake, and a box of cereal ran for $6 to $7. We bought some very basic snacks and salad ingredients one day and spent over $100. I also paid $4 for a single cucumber!

Turks and Caicos is worth it, but definitely make sure you bring your wallet and eat cheaply when you can. Having a condo really helped us in that respect, so I will go that route again the next time we visit this group of islands.

Have you ever been to Turks and Caicos? If so, what did you love about it?

 

 

[Image Source: The Somerset]

Should You Bother with Hotel Credit Cards?

Earlier this year, my husband and I both signed up for the Hilton Aspire credit card to cash in on the insane perks — things like the 100K signup bonus, automatic Hilton Diamond status, $250 resort credit, $250 airline credit, and free weekend night. Later in the year, my husband also signed up for the Hilton Business credit card to earn an additional 100,000 points.

Between those bonuses, some remaining Hilton points from hotel stays, and regular spending, we now have around 680,000 Hilton Honors points.

Across other hotel credit cards and loyalty programs, we also have 300,000 Radisson Rewards points, around 10,000 starpoints, two free IHG nights to spend at any IHG property worldwide, and a free Hyatt night at a Category 1-4 property.

At the moment, these points are becoming difficult to use. I *am* planning a big Hilton trip somewhere, but I can’t seem to decide when and where. I also likely have more points than I need, since I was considering staying in a property that’s 95,000 points per night for four nights and getting a 5^th night free.

I’m at a total loss for the Radisson Rewards, and the random free nights may not be used for a while.

This brings me back to the point of this post: Is pursuing hotel rewards and hotel nights worth it?

What I Love (and Hate) About Hotel Credit Cards

In a lot of ways, I think pursuing hotel points is absolutely worth it. The free nights many hotel cards offer make renewing the card and paying the annual fee is a steal in many cases. Plus, I can usually use our random free nights for hotel stays on the way to see our in-laws or for staging at a hotel the night before a flight. I also love racking up huge stashes of hotel points for fancy stays in hotels I wouldn’t normally pay for. With our Hilton Honors points, for example, I have flirted with the idea of spending five nights at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island or splurging for a few nights at the Rome Cavalieri Hotel in Italy when I go again next April.

Still, I definitely think you need to plan a little if you want to put hotel points to good use. Not only are hotel programs devaluing all the time, but it’s easy to forget you have points or free low-tier nights with some programs if you don’t keep track.

Another factor that makes it difficult for us to use hotel points is the fact we travel with our kids a lot. While you can use hotel points for stays in many destinations like the Caribbean and book a room for four, it is almost possible to use hotel points for a family in Europe unless you can book a suite or want to book two rooms. Most of the time, we prefer a condo with a few bedrooms when we travel with our kids anyway.

The Case for Flexible Rewards

This is part of the reason we focus a lot of our spending on flexible rewards cards — specifically cards affiliated with Chase Ultimate Rewards and my Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard. While Chase Ultimate Rewards lets you transfer points 1:1 to popular programs like Hyatt, IHG Rewards, Marriott, and Ritz Carlton, you can also book hotels — and even condos — through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.

I typically use my Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard rewards to book cruises and trains, but I have been known to use them for Airbnb stays, too.

Both of these options are a lot more flexible than hotel points, which are almost always good only for stays with a specific hotel brand.

The Bottom Line

Should you bother earning hotel points? I think it’s smart to rack them up if you have a plan to use them and also diversify with other types of programs. As for me, I’m done racking up hotel points for a while — at least until I can figure out how to spend the ones I have.

Do you rack up hotel points? Why or why not?

Put These 5 Things on Your To-Do List Before SPG/Marriott Programs Fully Merge

Marriott slowly has been releasing pieces to the Starwood merger puzzle, and we now have yet another important piece. The chain announced that the joint loyalty program would launch officially Aug. 18.

What This Means for You

It’s the end of SPG as we know it. The loyalty programs will merge into one, and there will no longer be separate award charts for the two hotel chains. Aug. 18 is when new standard redemption rates for award nights will be implemented and new elite status tiers will take effect.

Now that the Doomsday Clock is nearing midnight, make sure you do these five things before the programs fully merge.

No. 1 – Lock In Increasing Award Nights at Old Rates

About a month ago, Marriott released a new award chart for all its hotel brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, which will join the same program, and we have had time to study it. Some properties are increasing in price, and others are going down.

If you have a trip coming up, find the hotel you want to book and see if redemption rates are going up, going down or staying the same. If the rate goes up, make sure to set a reminder and book your stay before Aug. 18. You don’t want to be redeeming more miles for the same room come August, specially if you know your travel plans now.

No. 2 – Rebook Stays Decreasing in Price at Lower Rates

Technically, this step has to be completed after the programs integrate, but the gist is similar to the first to-do point. Evaluate the list of hotels and take a look at the properties decreasing in price, especially if you have made a booking prior to when the new chart was published. Once the programs officially merge, cancel your stay and rebook at the new, lower rate. You’ll save points by adjusting the booking after Aug. 18.

No. 3 – Prepare to Book Category 8 Properties at Category 7 Rates

Through the end of this calendar year, Marriott will implement seven new redemption categories. However, come 2019, another category will be introduced for the chain’s highly desired properties, which will require the most number of points to book. In comparison, we’re talking about 60,000 points per night at a Category 7 hotel vs. 85,000 points per night at a Category 8 hotel, which is a huge difference.

If you have enough points to book a long-enough stay to make it worth your while and have your eye on one of these sought-after properties, make sure to book quickly. You’re not the only one looking to redeem points at Le Méredien Bora Bora or The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, and it’ll be a feeding frenzy. You don’t want to be left out, that is if availability at these hotels actually exists.

No. 4 – Purchase Starpoints for a Luxurious Getaway

Which leads me to the next point. Keep in mind that Starpoints will be converted to the new Marriott points at a ratio of 1-to-3. So, if you almost have enough points to cover multiple award nights at one of the soon-to-be Category 8 properties, you can purchase the remaining Starpoints to book a once-in-a-lifetime stay. As always, don’t buy points just because. Make sure to crunch all the numbers before purchasing points because it isn’t a great investment in most cases, but this might be the case where it makes sense.

No. 5 – Book a Marriott Hotel + Air Package

Mariott’s Hotel + Air Packages have been a great use of Marriott Rewards points, and if you’re after value one last time, do not wait to book a seven-night stay at one of Marriott hotels, as long as you have use for a certificate.

Again, don’t do this without a plan in mind. Rather evaluate your options and see if it makes sense for you. We still do not know how the existing travel packages would translate to the new program, and I do not recommend buying one of these packages speculatively. They might be more limited than you think.

What have you done to prepare yourself for the inevitable integration of the two loyalty programs?

Easy Weekend Getaways for West Coasters

Living on the West Coast is pretty great overall. No, we don’t get those amazing business class fares to Europe, but we enjoy long-haul flights to international destinations. And if we don’t feel like hopping on a plane, there are plenty of awesome places to explore within 2-hour flying distance. If you’re a West Coaster and looking for great weekend destinations, here are my five picks:

San Diego, CA. Southern California has lots of great vacation spots, but what makes San Diego so great is that it has something for everyone. Awesome city? Check. Beautiful beaches? Check. Amusement parks galore? Check. The airport is also smack dab in the middle of the city, making transportation a breeze. San Diego is really the perfect spot for a quick weekend getaway, regardless of who you’re traveling with.

Los Cabos, Mexico. Cabo isn’t on the West Coast of the U.S., but it’s still the perfect weekend spot if you live on the West Coast and want a stress-free vacation. Thanks to all-inclusive resorts like the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos, it can be incredibly cheap. For just 20,000 points per night, you get a room at an awesome beachfront resort along with free meals and activities. It doesn’t get better than that. The best part? Southwest has lots of flights to Cabo, so chances are you can get there cheaply – especially if you have the Southwest Companion Pass.

Carmel, CA. When I really need to relax and be surrounded by beautiful scenery, there’s nothing better than Carmel. On points you can book the Hyatt Carmel Highlands for 30,000 per night. This rate applies to both Garden and Ocean View rooms, which is well worth it! Even if you don’t end up in an Ocean View room, the views from the hotel lobby (which has floor-to-ceiling glass windows) is pretty stunning and open to all guests. Aside from the hotel, Carmel is also just a beautiful city with rugged scenery, great food, and lots of charm.

Seattle, WA. If you’re tired of the 100+ degree weather this summer (right here), hop on a flight to Seattle. Known for its beautiful summers, Seattle boasts sunny days and reasonably warm weather all season long. More importantly, the city has tons of great hotels, restaurants, and outdoor activities to keep you entertained. Do follow this advice that locals are always drilling into my head: DO NOT visit the city while a cruise ship is in town. I’ll leave it at that.

 Cannon Beach, Oregon. Cannon Beach is a sleepy little coastal town with stunning beaches, located just two hours away from Portland. If the thought of driving two hours from a beach sounds anything but relaxing, keep in mind that Amtrak has bus service from Portland to Cannon Beach. You’ll take in lovely scenery and end up in a great little town where you can enjoy a relaxing weekend.

 

What are some of your weekend getaway suggestions for West Coasters?

How I Used My Iberia Avios From That Recent Promotion

There was a lot of hype a couple of weeks ago about the Iberia 9,000 Avios point per flight promotion that was going on. You could book an Iberia flight (of any cost) and receive 9,000 Avios, up to 10 times! If you maxed it out, you could get 90,000 Iberia Avios for as little as $140. Late comers to the party could still easily book 10 flights for around $350.

I was offline on a hiking trip for a few days when the promotion launched, so I didn’t find out about it until the last day. At the time, the best price I could find for a single flight was about $33, and I went for it! I booked 10 flights for a total of $330 to earn 90,000 Iberia Avios.

And I wasn’t even sure what I was going to do with the Avios if I even got them!

There was some confusion and a lot of doubt as to whether Iberia would honor their promotion, and for the most part it seems that they have. Everyone I know who had or created legitimate Iberia accounts for this promotion has gotten the miles that were due to them.

There are a lot of great options for what you can do with your Iberia Avios, and FTG writer Anya has previously written a great guide to redeeming Iberia Avios in case you need help.

Here’s what I did with my miles and what it would have cost if I had paid cash for these flights.

I already have a flight from Denver to Madrid for April of next year because I want to spend some time learning Spanish. My boyfriend wants to join me, so I booked him on a flight from Chicago to Madrid in Business Class for 34,000 Avios.

I also used my Avios to book our return flights from Madrid to Chicago. I booked myself in Business Class for 34,000 Avios and my boyfriend in Premium Economy for 25,500 Avios. This means I spent 3,500 extra Avios over what I earned from the promotion, but I had some Avios in my British Airways account and transferred those over to Iberia.

The taxes for the Business Class flights were about $130 each and for the Premium Economy flight around $120.

If we had paid cash for these flights, we would have paid $3,783 (total) for the Business Class flights and and about $2,000 for the one-way Premium Economy flight. Of course, we wouldn’t have actually spent that much on our flights, but even if we had purchased Economy Class tickets, it would have cost $994 per person for direct flights on Iberia or $646 per person for connecting flights through Istanbul on Turkish.

All in, it cost us $718 plus 3,500 additional Avios to book these flights. $330 from the Avios promotion and taxes and fees from the flight. For Business Class!

Overall, I’m thrilled with how this promotion turned out and that I was able to get such great deals on flights that I needed to book anyway!

 

Did you participate in the promotion? What are you doing with your 90,000 Iberia Avios?

How to Use 50,000 Hawaiian Miles to Get to Hawaii and Beyond

Recently, I shared my excitement over the new version of the Hawaiian Airlines came credit card. This refreshed version of the Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite MasterCard offers 50,000 miles after you sign up and use your card for $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. You are also able to earn more miles faster with their improved earning structure. Once you sign up, you’ll earn 3 miles per $1 spent on Hawaiian Airlines purchases, 2 miles per $1 spent on gas, dining, and grocery purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent one everything else.

Also remember that a few major rewards programs let you transfer points to Hawaiian Airlines. This includes the American Express Membership Rewards program and the Starwood Preferred Guest program, both of which allow transfers at a 1:1 ratio.

But, back to the signup bonus on this card. What can you do with 50,000 Hawaiian miles anyway?

Here are a few of the best options available:

• Fly between islands for 7,500 miles. A Coach SuperSuper award can be booked for just 7,500 miles one-way between the islands, which is a stellar deal.
• Book a SuperSaver award from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii for 40,000 miles round-trip. You can fly round-trip from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii in economy for just 40,000 miles.
• Fly one-way from Hawaii to Australia for 40,000 Hawaiian miles. One-way from Hawaii to Australia (or back) in economy may be a dreadfully long experience, but one-way flights for 40,000 miles are a great deal.
• Fly one-way from Hawaii to Japan for 40,000 Hawaiian miles. If Japan is on your travel wish list, consider flying one-way from Hawaii in economy for just 40,000 Hawaiian miles.
• Fly from Beijing, China to North America for 60,000 Hawaiian miles. If you find SuperSaver award availability, you can fly economy from the U.S. to Beijing for just 60,000 Hawaiian miles.
• Fly First/Business Class one-way from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii for 40,000 Hawaiian miles. Last but not least, don’t forget that a one-way flight to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines First Class product is only 40,000 miles. This experience is well worth it.

These are just some of the ways you can utilize Hawaiian miles to get to Hawaii and beyond, but there are myriad other options — especially when you get into airlines that partner with Hawaiian such as All Nippon, Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin Australia.

Still, the best deals involve getting back and forth to the Hawaiian mainland from the U.S. in economy and flying within the islands of Hawaii. While 50,000 miles isn’t enough to fly First all the way, you only need 40,000 Hawaiian miles to get from mainland departure cities to paradise.

What is your favorite way to use Hawaiian miles? Why?

Should You Get the Refreshed Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card?

Recently, I visited a new state — Hawaii — for the first time. As a beach snob and Caribbean enthusiast, I wasn’t sure I would love the islands as much as my Caribbean favorites like Anguilla, Nevis, and Aruba. However, I can honestly say that my visit to the islands of Oahu and Kauai changed my tune — quickly.

I absolutely loved being in Hawaii! The food, the scenery, and the Polynesian vibe was right up my alley. The beaches I spent time on were beautiful, and I loved how everything was so incredibly green and mountainous.

With that in mind, I am super excited about the newly refreshed Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite MasterCard offers through Barclays. This card now offers a more lucrative earning structure and signup bonus, which makes getting to Hawaii on miles a lot easier.

Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite MasterCard Details

Why should you consider getting this card? For starters, the new version of the credit card offers 50,000 miles after you sign up and use your card for $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. This is a lot better than the 35K bonuses we’ve seen in the past, and it provides a much bigger incentive to sign up.

The new version of the card also offers a vastly improved earning structure. Instead of the 2/1 earning tiers of many other major airline credit cards, the Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite MasterCard now offers a 3/2/1 structure. This means you’ll earn 3 miles per $1 spent with Hawaiian Airlines, 2 miles per $1 spent on gas, dining, and grocery purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent on everything else.

Other perks you should be aware of include:

• No foreign transaction fees
• A free first checked bag when you use your card to purchase airfare directly from the airline
• Receive a one-time 50% discount on a companion fare for a round-trip economy flight between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland
• Annual $100 companion discount on airfare for an economy flight between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii
• $99 annual fee

One barely mentioned perk about the Hawaiian Airlines program I really like is the fact you can pool miles with other people. This is due to their ShareMiles program, which lets you share miles with friends and family without a fee. Having the ability to share and transfer miles makes this program a lot more valuable for families who might want to earn multiple signup bonuses or spread miles around to different people before booking flights. Also remember that there is a business version of this card, so you could earn even more miles if you you have a business that would allow you to qualify.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a way to get to Hawaii with miles, it can pay to check out the newly refreshed Hawaiian Airlines credit card. Not only does it have a better signup bonus now, but the 3-2-1 earning structure makes it more competitive with other travel credit cards.

I know I am very much looking forward to going back to Kauai someday, and I would really like to visit Maui. This card will be a part of my plan once I get around to signing up.

 

Do you have the Hawaiian Airlines credit card? Why or why not?

5 Reasons to Check Out the Updated Radisson Rewards Credit Card

If you’re looking for a new hotel credit card and have exhausted your card options with the major hotel brands, you may want to consider the newly refreshed Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card. This card lets you earn points good for free stays at over 1,000 hotels including the Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu^®, Radisson^®, Radisson RED, Park Plaza^®, Park Inn^® by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites^® by Radisson.

There are several notable benefits that come with this program, including the fact that free nights start at just 9,000 points. You also get bonus points for each year you renew the card. Here are the major details you’ll want to consider:

Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card

• Earn 85,000 bonus points – 50,000 points after your first purchase and 35,000 points once you use your card for $2,500 in purchases within the first 90 days
• Get a 40,000 point renewal bonus each time you renew the card and pay the annual fee
• Earn 10x points per $1 spent at eligible Radisson hotel brand properties
• Earn 5x points per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Earn a free night e-certificate for each $10,000 in spend on your card – up to three per year
• Get automatic Gold status with the hotel brand

5 Reasons to Consider this Card

One of the biggest reasons to consider this card — as well as Radisson Rewards in general — is if you have tapped out on other co-branded hotel cards and signup bonuses already. Many people have never tried this program, and many of us have never had a credit card through US Bank. This makes Radisson Rewards a new prospect altogether, which could make it fun to explore. And, you never know – Radisson Rewards could end up being your favorite new hotel program.

Here are some additional reasons you should consider applying now:

• The signup bonus is worth up to nine free nights: With the signup bonus worth 85,000 points if you spend $2,500 on your card within three months of account opening, you could potentially earn up to nine free nights at a Category 1 property your first year with the signup bonus alone.
• Low annual fee: This card’s $75 annual fee is not waived the first year, but it is still very reasonable considering the first-year rewards incentive.
• Anniversary bonus: The Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card offers an anniversary bonus of 40,000 points each year you renew the card and pay the annual fee. This gives you an incentive to keep the card for the long haul.
• Good for international travel: With no foreign transaction fees, you can use this card outside the U.S. without any additional charges.
• Automatic Gold status: Radisson Rewards Gold status gives you the opportunity to earn 25 points per $1 spent at Radisson hotels, a 15% discount on Radisson food and drink, complimentary bottled water, complimentary room upgrades based on availability, early check-in and late checkout, a complimentary gift upon check-in, and plenty of other perks.

The Bottom Line

If you haven’t considered the Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card yet, you may want to take a closer look. The signup bonus alone is worth up to nine free nights, and you get a big signup bonus right off the bat.

The best way to find out if this program is for you is by looking at their hotels around the world to see if they’re a good fit. There aren’t a ton of high-end properties within the U.S., but Radisson Rewards is ideal if you love Radisson Blu hotels in Europe and elsewhere.

 

Do you have this card? Why or why not?

Chase, Amex to Limit Sign-Up Bonuses on Mutually Issued Marriott, SPG Credit Cards

As if we didn’t have enough welcome bonus restrictions with Chase’s 5/24 rule and American Express’s one-bonus-per-lifetime rule, both credit card issuers will limit sign-up bonus eligibility even further for co-branded Marriott and Starwood Preferred Guest credit cards next month.

Related: Chase, Citi, Amex: Application and Bonus Restrictions You Need to Remember

On the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card application page, you can see the following language:

“Please note effective 08/26/2018: You may not be eligible for the bonus if you hold, or have previously held, a Marriott International co-branded card issued by a United States credit card issuer.”

What this means is that Chase-issued and Amex-issued cards Marriott/SPG cards will be considered the same product family, and Marriott will limit the number of new cards one person can qualify for after Aug. 26.

So, under the current Chase rule, you are not eligible to receive a bonus on a Marriott-branded credit card if you currently have it, or if you have received a welcome bonus or an upgrade bonus on either the Marriott Rewards Premier or the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus cards in the last 24 months.

When the new rule takes effect, you won’t be able to earn a new sign-up bonus on a Marriott Chase card if you currently hold one of the Marriott cards or one of the SPG cards, including business cards. However, American Express seems a bit more lenient when it comes to the new limitation. You will be able to receive a bonus on a Starwood Amex if you currently hold other Starwood credit cards (but not if a co-branded Marriott card).

The upcoming Starwood Preferred Guest Luxury Card likely will be affected by the change as well, so spare an application of you’ve applied for a Marriott Chase card in the last 24 months.

There’s no doubt that the new restrictions will put the breaks on travelers who treat signing up for credit cards like a sprint. However, this is a game that constantly changes rules as we go, and we have to do nothing more and nothing less but adjust and keep winning one trip at a time.

 

Please share your thoughts on the new Marriott/Starwood welcome bonus rules in the comments section below. How will it affect your card strategy?

6 Great Radisson Rewards Redemptions to Consider This Year

Recently, a newly refreshed Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card hit the scene. This card lets you earn points good for free stays at over 1,000 hotels from the Radisson collection worldwide, and free nights start at just 9,000 points. You also get an 85,000 point signup bonus after you use your card for $2,500 in purchases in the first 90 days. Last but not least, you’ll earn 10x points at Radisson hotels and 5x points on all other purchases, along with automatic Radisson Hilton status.

Still, not everyone knows where you can use these points, mostly because Radisson isn’t one of the biggest or most mainstream hotel brands in the U.S. Fortunately, there are a ton of amazing Radisson properties around the globe — many of which are bookable with fewer points than you think.

If you’re considering signing up for the Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature card but aren’t sure how you would use your points, consider these amazing properties:

Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam

This hotel sits in the city center of Amsterdam just a five-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station. The property boasts historic architecture, free internet access, an indoor pool, indoor sauna, and indoor solarium, and proximity to all this metropolitan city has to offer. Best of all, it only costs 70,000 Radisson Rewards points per night.

Radisson Hotel & Suites Sydney

In expensive Australia, scoring free hotel stays is especially important. Fortunately, you can book a room at Radisson Hotel & Suites in Sydney for just 50,000 points per night. This property is located in Sydney’s central business district and is just a quick train ride to Sydney’s Opera House. The hotel also has an indoor pool, sauna, and spa.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh

If you’re traveling to the United Kingdom, paying 70,000 Radisson Rewards points for a night at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Edinburgh would be a smart move. This hotel sits in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town, offering proximity to the area’s most popular sites along with a historic, old-world flair.

Radisson Blu es. Hotel Rome

Rome’s Radisson Blu Hotel is only 50,000 points per night, yet it offers proximity to the train station and many of Rome’s famous sites such as the Roman forum and the Colosseum. You’ll also get free high-speed internet and access to a fitness center and a rooftop pool.

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Split

Any trip through Croatia should include a stop in historic Split – the city built around an ancient palace. Fortunately, you can book a stay in Split at the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa for just 50,000 Radisson Rewards points per night.

Radisson Blu Saga Hotel, Reykjavik

So many of us dream of a trip to Iceland and earning Radisson Rewards points can help that dream come true. The Radisson Blu Saga Hotel in Reykjavik costs just 44,000 points per night, yet it sits in the heart of the city’s west-town district and offers over 200 mountain-view rooms and an on-site gym.

 

What’s your favorite Radisson Rewards redemption? Why?

The Right Rewards Card for Casual Credit Users

Do you shop at grocery stores but also make random non-bonus purchases every month? Or are you looking for ways to eliminate debt without paying interest? Perhaps the Amex EveryDay Credit card might be a good choice for you. This card is designed for families. But they’re not the only ones who can benefit from this card with no annual fees.

Interested in this card or others? Head HERE

Someone Who Doesn’t Like Paying Annual Fees

Perhaps one the best features of this card is that it has zero annual fees. You don’t have to worry about extracting certain value out of the card every year when being a member costs absolutely nothing. And the welcome bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points doesn’t hurt, either. To earn the bonus, you must spend $1,000 on the card in the first three months, but it’s easy to reach by spending an average of $334 per month. Not having to pay annual fees makes this card a long-term keeper, which also helps increase your credit score over time.

Someone Who Shops at Grocery Stores Often

With the Amex EveryDay Credit Card, you’ll earn double points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (capped at $6,000 per year). Although other popular credit cards, such as the Chase Freedom Card or the Discover it Credit Card, can earn you 5X points per dollar spent in the grocery category, the high rewards are limited to just three months out of the year. If you hold one of the category cards as well as the Amex EveryDay Card, swipe the Amex card outside of the bonus category until you reach the yearly cap.

Related: 5 Cash Back Credit Cards That Save You Money at the Grocery Store

Someone Who Likes to Earn Flexible Points

Points earned with the Amex EveryDay Card are transferrable to travel partners within the Membership Rewards program, including Delta Air Lines, Air France/KLM and Iberia, to name a few. It’s pretty generous, considering you don’t have to pay annual fees. Just keep earning points at your own pace and redeem them toward award travel whenever you have enough for a trip. In comparison, Chase doesn’t let you transfer points earned with its no-fee cards to travel partners unless you also have one of the premium cards that carry a fee.

Someone Who Uses the Same Card for All Charges

Not everybody has 12 different cards in our wallets, and that’s OK. In many cases, rewards are all about maximizing the cards you have. The Amex EveryDay Credit Card rewards consumers who make at least 20 purchases per billing cycle with a 20-percent point bonus. If you use the same card to pay for gas, groceries and dining out, you’ll earn a bonus on all the points earned as long as you make 20 transactions that month. It’s that simple to earn 1.2X points on every purchase.

Someone Who Wants to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Although opening more credit cards while in debt isn’t the right move, in some cases it’s what you have to do to get out of debt. The EveryDay Card from American Express charges no balance transfer fees and offers a zero-APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months of being a cardholder. Just make sure to transfer a balance from another card within 60 days of opening the account and make monthly payments to pay down your debt without worrying about interest.

Interested in this card or others? Head HERE

What is your favorite feature of the Amex EveryDay Credit Card?

Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard Makes a Return

When the new Barclays Arrival Premier card hit the market earlier this year, some of us were sad to see consumers could no longer sign up for the Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard.

The Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard is one of my favorite cards – and for good reason. I use it all the time for purchases I can’t get 3x points for with other cards, and I even used it to pay off my house! I love earning 2x points on all purchases with it, and I thought it was a great deal for consumers considering its signup bonus and the fact its annual fee was waived the first year.

Most people were pretty underwhelmed with the Barclays Arrival Premier card, too. This is partly due to the fact it came with a $150 annual fee, but also because it didn’t offer an initial signup bonus. Instead, it offered the opportunity to earn an annual bonus if you spent $25,000 on the card within a year. It also comes with a Global Entry credit (yay!), but its Lounge Key airport lounge membership sucks because you still have to pay $27 to get into an airport lounge.

Fortunately, the Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard is now back online. Here are a few reasons you might want to consider signing up:

• Earn 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. This is the biggest bonus we’ve seen on this card!
• Redeem your points for any type of travel in increments of $100 (10,000 points) or more. This makes this card ideal for travel expenses like off-brand hotels, rental cars, and trains.
• Earn unlimited 2x points for every dollar you spend. This makes this card perfect for people who don’t want to keep track of rotating or bonus categories.
• Get 5% of your miles back toward your next redemption every time you redeem.
• Pay an $89 annual fee that is not waived the first year. This annual fee is easy to justify when you consider the signup bonus is worth $600 in travel right off the bat.
• You’ll pay no foreign transaction fees, which makes this card a smart option for travel outside the United States.

The Bottom Line

While nobody was sure the Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard would be available for new signups, I am happy to see it’s once again available for consumers. Not only is the signup bonus lucrative on this one, but it’s standard 2x earning rate is a winner no matter what.

I also love the fact you can redeem your points for any type of travel with this card, and with any travel vendor. This makes it possible to shop around for the best deal before you book, which makes it easier to conserve points.

At the end of the day, I think anyone can benefit from signing up for the Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard. With a huge signup bonus and 2x points on every purchase, what’s not to like?

 

Were you excited to see this card available again? Why or why not?

InterContinental Hotel Deals to Nab Before the Summer’s Over

The new IHG PointBreaks list has been released, so get your points ready to book some of these discounted properties around the world for stays through Sept. 30.

One hundred twenty-six properties are included this time around, 67 percent of which are located in the United States. The list is considerably shorter than the one from last quarter, which included 170 hotels. Perhaps, peak travel season doesn’t allow for an extensive list of discounted hotel options.

Six month ago, IHG PointBreaks changed its structure from charging 5,000 points per night for all hotels on the list to dividing up the properties into tiers and charging 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 points per night, depending on the hotel category.

The breakdown is as follows:

• 5,000 points – 21 properties, or 17 percent
• 10,000 points – 68 properties, or 54 percent
• 15,000 points – 37 properties, or 29 percent

Hotels of Interest on the New PointBreaks List

The famous River Walk is the best place to stay in San Antonio, Texas. It’s steps away from the Alamo as well as many popular restaurants and coffee shops. The Hotel Indigo San Antonio – River Walk is just the right place at 15,000 IHG points per night. A night outside of the promo period will cost you 30,000 points, so you can book two nights for the redemption rate of one regular night.

If you have Central Europe on your mind, a visit to Poland is a must. I spent a week there in June and recommend it as a travel destination full of history and delicious food. A trip to Poland isn’t complete without visiting its capital, and the Holiday Inn Warsaw City Centre is listed at 10,000 IHG Rewards points. The rate represents a 50-percent discount off the usual award night rate, and you can’t beat that for a hotel in the heart of the city.

For those looking to vacation in Paris this summer, the Holiday Inn Paris – Montmartre is a great choice located in my favorite part of the city. A standard room here goes for 40,000 IHG Rewards points, and you’ll redeem just 15,000 points as long you can find availability. I’ll be in Paris for a couple of nights in September, but rewards nights weren’t available for my dates.

For those looking to go off-the-beaten path, the Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea in Jordan is a great place to relax, rejuvenate and get skin treatments using the Dead Sea’s mud. The nightly rates here are 10,000 points, down from 20,000 points at a regular rate. With Petra and Wadi Rum, Jordan has no shortage of sights to see if you have time to explore the country.

 

[Image: Holiday Inn Dead Sea]

 

Which properties on this PointsBreaks list look interesting to you?

Getting to Hawaii on A Budget

Recently, we talked about the fact that Hawaiian Airlines came out with a refreshed version of their credit card. With the new Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite MasterCard offers through Barclays, you get 50,000 miles after you sign up and use your card for $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. You also get an improved 3-2-1 earning structure, which lets you rack up 3 miles per $1 spent on Hawaiian Airlines purchases, 2 miles per $1 spent on gas, dining, and grocery purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent one everything else.

With that in mind, you’re probably trying to figure out how you could put those miles to use for a cheap Hawaiian getaway. And, who can blame you?

Getting to Hawaii with Hawaiian Miles

The number of miles you’ll fork over for a trip to Hawaii will depend on the type of fare you’re able to secure based on availability. Generally speaking, SuperSaver awards from North America to Hawaii are 20,000 miles each way, while CoachSaver awards are 30,000 miles one-way. Coach Flex awards are 40,000 – 60,000 miles one-way. However, Business/First Saver Awards are only 40,000 miles one-way, or 80,000 miles round-trip.

I flew First Class from LAX to HNL then from HNL to SFO on Hawaiian Airlines on my recent trip to the state, and I would do it again in a heartbeat provided I had the miles to spare. The lie-flat seats are roomy, and the food is superb — even for a vegetarian. They also offer pre-departure and constantly flowing Mai Tais and a personal iPad loaded with movies. It’s a very nice experience that I would suggest if you get the chance!

Still, a 20,000 one-way SuperSaver is hard to beat, especially since the signup bonus on this card is 50,000 miles. If two spouses signed up for this card and earned the signup bonus, they would have enough miles for 2.5 round-trip flights in economy.

Where Should You Stay in Hawaii?

There are an endless number of hotels you can book in Hawaii with rewards. You could stay at the Andaz Maui for just 25,000 Hyatt points per night, for example. You could stay at the Hilton Waikiki Beach (50,000 Hilton Honors per night), the Holiday Inn Resort: Waikiki Beachcomber (40,000 IHG rewards points per night), or the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa, for just 25,000 starpoints per night.

Personally, I think Hilton has some of the best options in Hawaii. Some of the properties you can book include:

• Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay: as little as 45,000 points per night
• Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Alaina, Waikiki Beach: as little as 47,000 points per night
• Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach: as little as 50,000 points per night
• Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort: as little as 60,000 points per night
• Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria resort: as little as 95,000 points per night

But, I feel inclined to make a suggestion here. I spent two nights at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai on my recent trip to the island. This property is luxurious in every way with amazing grounds and one of the coolest pools I’ve ever seen. The rooms are just okay, but the environment the hotel exists in is absolutely heavenly. This hotel also costs just 25,000 Hyatt points per night for a standard room, making it a steal.

The Bottom Line

If you’re dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway and hope to pay in points and miles, your options are better now than ever. Once you take the time to explore airline credit cards and hotel cards that can bring your trip to fruition, you can strategize the exact trip you want.

 

What is your favorite hotel in Hawaii that you can book on points? Why?