In the last few days, Chase has dropped multiple offers, not to mention changes to a favorite beginner, and keeper card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

If you’re deep in the game - take a deep breath. And if it feels overwhelming - yes, it is. I’m here to walk you through it! If you’re new, you couldn’t be in a better position because you have multiple options to earn a lot of Chase points. (The world is your oyster!)

There’s literally no better time to earn points for future travel than NOW!

*When applying through my referral link, please use a new browser window. Don’t log in, if prompted and apply as a guest.

That’s how it credits to me, appreciate the support!*

But first, the changes.

Where one elevated offer ends, another (or two, or three….) begins.

Yesterday, Chase Sapphire Reserve’s elevated offer for 150k points ended. I was able to grab it earlier this month because your girl always needs to need to replenish that Chase points stash!

On that note, Chase Sapphire Preferred got a “refresh.” While multiple perks and benefits have been added, the bad news is that the Hyatt transfer ratio is no longer 1:1 on this card. (The Reserve will maintain a 1:1 ratio.)

If you’re someone who isn’t a Hyatt loyalist, this won’t affect you. And remember, there are multiple other airline or hotel transfer partners that you can transfer your Chase points to. Chase Sapphire Preferred is still a great beginner, and entry-level card into the Chase ecosystem.

And let me add in one more twist - it currently has an elevated offer for 100k points!

All the offers

Let’s review all SIX elevated offers from Chase Bank (I know, what is this insanity?!):

Chase Sapphire Preferred - Earn 100k points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months; annual fee is $95.

Chase Sapphire Reserve - Earn 100K points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months; annual fee is $795. (Yes, up until 6/15 this offer was elevated to 150k points.)

Chase Ink Business Preferred - Earn 100k points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months, annual fee is $95. (This card also has the ability to transfer points to travel partners.)

Chase Ink Business Cash - Earn $1,000 when you spend $8,000 in the first 4 months. Cash back can be earned as points when rewards are combined with a Sapphire product - NO Annual Fee! So $1,000 cash back turns into 100,000 points!

Chase Ink Business Unlimited - Earn $1,000 cash back after spending $8,000 in the first 4 months. Cash back can be earned as points when rewards are combined with a Sapphire product - NO Annual Fee! So $1,000 cash back turns into 100,000 points!

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business - Earn 200k points after spending $30k in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $795. The minimum spend is high on this one, but it’s a great offer if you have some huge expenses coming up!

Eligibility

Chase has added “lifetime language” on its Ink business cards, and personal Sapphire products.

Essentially, you can only get the bonus offer once, on each card. I know, pooh.

Additional tips to keep in mind:

• You can now hold both Sapphire products at the same time; you can only get the bonus offer once, on each card. (For example, I currently hold both the Preferred and the Reserve! I will more than likely downgrade my Preferred to a no-fee product, and keep my Reserve long-term.)

• You can combine points across all your Chase cards: no-fee, personal, and business. But remember, you will need a Sapphire product to transfer points to airline or hotel partners. Note that the Hyatt transfer ratio on the Preferred, for new applicants, is no longer 1:1.

• If you hold Chase Ink Business cards - you can only earn referral points on all Chase business cards when referring NEW business customers.

Which card should you get?

This can depend on multiple factors:

• Your 5/24 status

• How many other Chase cards you hold

• Your comfort level with annual fees

• Your ability to meet the minimum spend

That being said, here are some recommendations:

• BIG expenses coming up? Grab the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business!

• New to the Chase ecosystem? Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred!

• Want a card with no annual fee? Grab the Chase Ink Business Cash or Chase Ink Unlimited!

Again, lifetime language is in effect on Chase Sapphire, and Chase Ink Business products. If you’ve received a bonus on any of these cards before, you more than likely won’t get approved again.

I don’t believe we’ve ever seen this many six-figure offers from Chase. Sounds like someone’s really in the market for new customers ;)

Well, that’s all for now folks. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions!

As always, love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Earn 10x bonus points by checking out with Paze, when using your Chase Sapphire or no-fee Chase cards! (Select United cards also have this benefit.) Paze is a digital wallet you can use at participating merchants. You can earn an extra 10x points/$1 on up to $1,500 spend per month. This promotion is good through December 31, 2026. Log into your Chase account, and select eligible card. You’ll find the Paze option under “Digital Wallets.”

• New World of Hyatt promotion - Members save up to 25% on Summer Escapes: Book by June 30 for qualifying stays completed through September 30, 2026. You can check out all offers here.

• Hilton Honors Promotion - Earn up to 4,000 Bonus Points per Stay. Register by August 15, 2026 and earn 2,000 bonus points on stays of 1-3 nights, or 4,000 bonus points on stays of 4 nights or more, through August 15, 2026.

• Marriott Bonvoy - Earn 3,000 Bonus Points per Stay. Marriott Bonvoy Members can earn 3,000 bonus points/stay at participating properties. Book an eligible rate and complete your stay by September 8, 2026.

• Wyndham Rewards - Earn up to 30,000 Bonus Points. Register by August 31, 2026 and complete qualifying stays by September 3, 2026 to earn 7,500 bonus points after every 2 qualifying nights. You can earn this bonus up to four times, for a total of 30,000 points.

Other elevated offers to note

• Southwest Airlines has elevated offers on its personal cards, ranging from 80k - 90k points. There are 3 personal cards, and the offer on each card is slightly different.

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: Earn 125,000 Bonus Points + 1 Free Night Award and up to $100 in Airline credits - Offer valid through June 30, 2027. Annual fee is $95.

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There are multiple transfer bonuses this month - make sure to check them all out!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

As sandwich-generation, elder millenials, we have a lot going on. (Who feels me on this?) And in this economy, the struggle be all too real - with time, energy, and money even more constrained.

In come points and miles, allowing us to work smart. We can take care of our current financial obligations, while also planning for our future.

Between juggling jobs, family, aging parents, and all the life things, there’s very little time (or energy) to pursue passion projects and creative endeavors.

I booked a trip in the last (literally) few weeks so my husband could attend Tribeca Film Festival for a few days, and it cost less than $40 for his flight and hotel stay.

Yes, you read that right.

Points made it possible

My husband is a creative at heart, and dabbles in the arts when he has the time.

There’s a specific event at Tribeca Film Festival that he wants to attend. When I tell you I.got.on.it, in the last 1-2 weeks to book his flight, I’m not even kidding.

I actually booked his hotel stay before the World of Hyatt award chart changes kicked in May 20th, but didn’t book his flight until recently.

Having a stash of points and miles to work with made it possible for me, while giving him the motivation to just go for it.

I don’t know about you, but we don’t have money lying around to book a flight and hotel stay in NY, this late in the game. But we do have points (easy enough for one person) as we’re always in a points-earning mode.

Flight & hotel stay

I booked his flight on American Airlines, through Atmos Rewards (loyalty program of Alaska Airlines + Hawaiian Airlines). I actually booked one-ways, which worked out well as I had to change his return flight home, multiple times (cause, life).

My husband also holds Gold status on American Airlines, so if there’s one airline he prefers to travel on, it’s American. 15K Alaska miles total (7.5k miles/one way) - partner award flights ftw, y’all!

He’ll be staying at Hotel 50 Bowery, a JdV by Hyatt property:

This Category 5 property is a boutiqe hotel on NYC’s Lower East Side, and award rates actually haven’t increased after the award chart changes last month. I had to make an adjustment to his reservation, and forgot that after May 20th, changes to existing reservations could result in increased award rates. Lucky for me, award rates were still the same - phew!

$36.20 TOTAL for a flight and hotel stay in NY, say what?

Always in a points-earning mode

We are always in a points-earning mode here (aka, almost always working on a sign-up bonus). Life is more expense than ever, and we’re leveraging planned (and unplanned) expenses to earn points and miles for all of it.

I had Atmos Rewards points, and Chase points to work with. I used them, respectively, to book his flight on American Airlines, and transferred Chase points to World of Hyatt, to book his hotel stay.

Sometimes we’re using points and miles to book family trips all over the world.

Sometimes we’re using them to book a trip to Atlanta to attend a family wedding.

And then sometimes, we’re using them to book last-minute trips to NYC to pursue passion projects.

Because if not now, when?

That’s it for this week folks!

As always, Love That You Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

HIGH flexible points offers ENDING SOON

Flexible points are the way to go as you plan trips! You can earn points/miles that you can transfer to airline and/or hotel partners and redeem for travel.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve - Limited-Time Offer ENDS JUNE 15, 2026! - Earn 150k points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $795.

  Yes, the annual fee on this card is high. And I also don’t like a “coupon-book” card. But I know a great offer when I see one. For the 1st year, this card can make sense due to the bonus points you earn from the offer. Going forward, you would need to assess if it’s a keeper for you, as there are multiple credits that just aren’t that simple to use. Open link in new window, don’t log in!*

• Capital One Venture Business - Offer ENDS June 8, 2026! This is a brand-new card! Earn up to 150K bonus miles; earn 75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. *Even if you can only meet the first tier, this card is still worth getting, IMO.*

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Flying Blue Monthly Promo Rewards - You can save up to 25% on select routes! Award rates start at 18,750 points for one-way routes between the U.S. and Europe. Book in June, and travel through November 30, 2026.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards personal credit cards have elevated offers! You can earn 80k - 90k points. Note that each offer is slightly different, with minimum spends ranging from $1k - $3k.

• Speaking Southwest Airlines, the calendar is now open for bookings through March 10, 2027.

• World of Hyatt has a new promotion - Earn up to 30k Bonus Points for qualifying stays between June 1 - July 31, 2026, at select Hyatt Place and Hyatt Select hotels in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, and Latin America.

• Earn 10x bonus points by checking out with Paze, when using your Chase Sapphire or no-fee Chase cards! (Select United cards also have this benefit.) Paze is a digital wallet you can use at participating merchants. You can earn an extra 10x points/$1 on up to $1,500 spend per month. This promotion is good through December 31, 2026. Log into your Chase account, and select eligible card. You’ll find the Paze option under “Digital Wallets.”

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There are multiple transfer bonuses this month!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

I knew it was time…..time to go for my next card. And I’ve had my next card planned for a while now, to say the least. I was just waiting to drop below 5/24.

And I didn’t have to wait long. Yesterday, I dropped to 4/24….and the same day, I applied and got approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

There’s no time to waste around here! Life expenses don’t stop, and neither should earning points for them.

This one’s been in my back pocket

I honestly don’t know how I don’t already have this card. Well, maybe that’s not exactly true.

I’ve been saving it in my back pocket, so to speak, for when I need to replenish my Chase points stash. We can always use more flexible points, and there was no better time than NOW to grab it!

Highest-ever offer for 150k Chase points? Say less.

Lifetime language has been added to Chase Sapphire products, so while you can hold both Sapphire products at the same time, you can only get the bonus offer, once, on each card. I already hold the Sapphire Preferred, and wanted to be strategic about when I went for the Reserve.

Elephant in the room

Now, let’s talk about what you really want to know.

How can you justify the $795 annual fee?

For starters, for the first year the annual fee on a card is generally worth it because of the bonus points offer.

I will say though, I don’t feel the perks and credits on this card are easy to use. It truly depends on you spend, how you travel, and your lifestyle.

There’s a $300 annual travel credit that’s fairly easy to use, as it applies to any travel charge on the card. There’s also a $500 The Edit by Chase Travel hotel credit (actually two, $250 credits/year) that can be used on prepaid, 2+ nights at Edit Collection properties. There’s $250 Select Hotel credits, that’s for 2026 only. This a one-time bonus credit for 2+ night stays at a select group of hotels booked through Chase Travel.

I’m not saying the hotel credits will be easy for me to use, but I have some general ideas on how to make it work. I’ll report back on how that goes.

That’s $1,050 in hotel credits from this card - of course, there’s that big IF of how to make it work for us. The $300 travel credit will be easy enough to use, bringing that annual fee down to $495, at the least.

But first, we (try to) lounge

Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which includes unlimited entry for the cardholder + 2 guests. Given what’s recently happened with other premium credit cards and lounge access (only the cardholder can get in) - this is refreshing.

Another reason the timing couldn’t be better for me to get this card? There’s a new Chase Sapphire Lounge opening later this year at DFW Airport. We have some international travel coming up this fall, so I’m excited to try it out!

On the way to Atlanta last week, I used my Capital One Venture X Credit Card to access the Capital One Lounge. I quickly ate breakfast, prayed (they have multi-faith prayer rooms), and grabbed sandwiches for the rest of the family. (My husband could have accessed the lounge as well as he also holds the same card, but he stayed back with the kids. We can’t leave a 5-year old with two teenagers!) The food at this lounge is delish, and worth the visit!

Family travel struggles be real, but we find a way to make it work.

Booking in the travel portal

If you’re someone who likes to book travel, in a bank’s travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a great option for that.

You earn 8x/$1 spent when you book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, tours, and activities through the portal, when using the Reserve. Generally speaking, I like to book hotel stays, and flights, directly with the hotel or airline, but there are times (like when trying to use a hotel credit, for example) where it can make sense to book in the bank’s travel portal.

Just make sure to read the fine print and disclaimers, as cancellations/changes are harder to do when you don’t book direct.

And it’s going away soon

We don’t have an official end date yet, but Chase has stated that this 150k points offer won’t be around for too much longer.

If you’re looking to replenish your stash of Chase points (I always am!), and have never held this card before, now may just be a good time for you to grab it!

I know the annual fee is scary, and I don’t like a “coupon-book” card either. But this bonus points offer is too good to pass up! This will be my first premium card of this sort, so trust me, the struggle be real. What I am confident about though, is knowing that I’ll be putting those Chase points to good use. Flexible points always ftw!

Hot tip: Apply when under 5/24, so at 4/24 or less. I checked my pre-approval when I was at 5/24 and when I went under to 4/24, yesterday. I only got a pre-approval for the Reserve, when I went to 4/24. *A pre-approval doesn’t guarantee an automatic “yes” when you do apply for a card, but it’s a strong indicator of your approval odds.*

That’s it for this week folks!

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

HIGH flexible points offers:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve - Limited-Time Offer ENDING SOON! Earn 150k points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $795.

  Yes, the annual fee on this card is high. And I also don’t like a “coupon-book” card. But I know a great offer when I see one. For the 1st year, this card can make sense due to the bonus points you earn from the offer. Going forward, you would need to assess if it’s a keeper for you, as there are multiple credits that just aren’t that simple to use.

• Capital One Venture Business - Offer Ends June 8, 2026! This is a brand-new card! Earn up to 150K bonus miles; earn 75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. *Even if you can only meet the first tier, this card is still worth getting, IMO.*

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There are multiple transfer bonuses this month!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

But my teen parents everywhere know the struggle of “well now that you have your own car….will we ever see you?”

And here’s the thing: we earned no points for it. I know, such a large expense, and no points or miles earned.

But it was the right decision for us.

But can we make it a points-earning expense?

Our regular expenses are generally always points-earning expenses. You know those monthly expenses we have to incur, to live. And as we started car shopping, I told my husband that we have to purchase a car where using a credit card for even a portion of the payment, would be allowed.

One thing about us, we never buy new cars. We buy pre-owned, or used from private owners. The latter option makes it even harder to earn points, but staying in budget for bigger expenses like a car is our highest priority. (We personally just don’t like having a car payment; this has just always been our personal preference.)

We found a car for our teen from a dealership, and when we asked about using a credit card, initially they were a bit hesitant. After some back and forth, we would be allowed to put a portion of the car payment on a card. (For the record, we were paying this expense in full.)

Here’s the catch: we’d have to take on the additional 3% fee to use a credit card (but of course).

Do the math

I had to be honest with myself. When it came time to making the car purchase, it didn’t make sense to use a credit card. And it came down to some main factors.

We weren’t going to meet a (larger) minimum spend on a card. And what I mean by that is, the minimum spend (for the card we are working on) was within our normal spending range over the span of 3-4 months. Sure, I’d meet it faster with this car expense, but did that justify using a credit card? No.

I thought about putting this expense on my World of Hyatt credit card. Why this card? Because I could easily earn some Hyatt nights towards status. (For every $5k you put on the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you earn 2 nights towards status.) But again, I wasn’t close to earning any awards, or the next tier level of status.

And to be honest, I don’t know if I want to continue chasing Hyatt status given the award chart changes that kick in from May 20th. I don’t know what award rates will look like, and how feasible award bookings will be. Again, could I justify the additional fee when I was currently unsure about my Hyatt loyalty? Again, no.

Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved World of Hyatt, but the new award chart is going to look very different, to say the least. I have our award stays booked through spring 2027. For now, I’ve secured what I can, while I have points and Globalist status. Going forward, time will tell as to how and when I diversify.

The struggle is real

When I tell you that it’s killing me inside that we didn’t earn a single point for this expense, I promise you I’m not being dramatic (well, maybe a little).

If I was working on a minimum spend that was much higher (let’s say a business card, for example) - one that’s out of our normal spending range, and charging a large expense could help me get closer to meeting it - then the math, would math.

If I was sure about my Hyatt loyalty for post spring 2027, I would no doubt have been happy to earn some nights towards status.

In the big picture, the additional fee we would have paid would have been minimal compared to the larger car expense we just made.

But in the end, we couldn’t justify paying an additional fee, especially not in this economy, as it just didn’t make sense for us.

There have been times where it has - this was not one of those times.

How do you decide?

Simply put, does using a credit card for a large expense, and paying an additional fee, help you reach a travel goal?

Will it help you get closer to the next level of hotel status?

Will it help you meet the minimum spend on a card, that you otherwise would be struggling to meet?

Do the rewards outweigh the additional fee you would pay if you use a credit card?

I couldn’t confidently say yes to that question, and in the end, decided against it.

Lastly, remember that all points are not created equal - the math was different for each credit card I was potentially thinking of using for this car expense.

Sometimes, the toughest decisions are best for your budget, and wallet.

I’m interested to hear - have you used a credit card to help pay for a car expense? How did you decide to do so (or not)? Comment on this post, and tell me below!

That’s it for this week folks!

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

HIGH flexible points offers still going strong:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve - The offer on this card just got hotter! Earn 150k points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $795.

  Yes, the annual fee on this card is high. And I also don’t like a “coupon-book” card. But I know a great offer when I see one. For the 1st year, this card can make sense due to the bonus points you earn from the offer. Going forward, you would need to assess if it’s a keeper for you, as there are multiple credits that just aren’t that simple to use.

  ICYWI: I’m planning on applying for this one, next month, once I go under 5/24. I’ll of course keep y’all posted! This is the highest-ever public offer, and I’ve actually never held this card! (I currently hold the Sapphire Preferred.)

• Capital One Venture Business - This is a brand-new card! Earn up to 150K bonus miles; earn 75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. *Even if you can only meet the first tier, this card is still worth getting, IMO.*

Related: How to use Capital One miles for Umrah travel

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Save 20% on Hilton Honors bookings through June 1, 2026.

• Swing by a Capital One Cafe for a free beverage on Mondays, from May 25 - September 7, 2026. If you hold a Capital One card, you can save 50% on beverages at a Cafe, all year long!

• Need more American Airlines miles? Check out the Citi AAdvantage Globe Mastercard! It has an elevated offer for 90,000 bonus miles once you meet the minimum spend of $5,000 in 4 months. Annual fee is $350.

• Speaking of American Airlines, check out the offers on these cards that earn Atmos Rewards (the new loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines). You can earn up to 100,000 miles! And these miles are great for booking American Airlines award flights as Alaska and American are in the same OneWorld airline alliance ;)

  ---

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a new transfer bonus from Chase to Southwest Rapid Rewards. I personally wouldn’t transfer points, unless I’m close to completing an award redemption. It’s better to earn Southwest points from their personal or business, co-branded cards.

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

How am I earning all these points? How am I able to book our trips on points and miles? How do I make these trips happen for our family of 5?

Folks, I’m no one special. I just want to travel now, while I have youth, (some) energy, and time (because tomorrow isn’t promised). And in this economy, the only way to do so, while being financially smart, and planning for your future as well - is points and miles.

These points and miles are earned from credit cards, where we charge our regular, everyday, and monthly expenses. Because a debit card doesn’t give me a return on the bills I have to pay, and the expenses that I have to endure, to live.

For starters, mindset.

Mindset is the hardest factor when it comes to points and miles. Yes, learning the game can be hard. Yes, there’s a learning curve to earning and redeeming points and miles. But IMO, changing your mindset around how you view your regular expenses, and getting past pre-conceived notions of credit cards is even harder.

If you have financial discipline, you’re already one step ahead. Yes, I want to travel. But I want to work smart with the $ that has to leave my bank account month after month. And if I can earn rewards for those monthly expenses, then.why.not?

Simply put, always being in a points-earning mode helps me consistently accumulate points and miles from my regular expenses.

Start with a flexible-points earning card

When you’re new, and even as you learn the game, nothing beats flexible points. These are points earned from bank cards (as opposed to co-branded cards). They’re not tied to an airline or hotel loyalty program. Rather, you can transfer these points to a transfer partner, aka, a hotel or airline’s loyalty program, and redeem for travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card is one I often recommend. Chase bank has 14 travel partners, and award redemptions are beginner-friendly. For a $95 annual fee, it’s one that’s easy enough to keep as you do need a Sapphire product to transfer Chase points to an airline or hotel partner.

Chase has a great suite of no-fee, personal, and business cards that you can add to your award travel strategy as you learn the game. Earning more of the same type of points can be especially useful when you’re trying to book travel for multiple people!

Yes, rules have changed over the years on how you can earn Chase points, and “lifetime language” has been added to their personal and business cards. But if you’re new, well, you have a lot of options!

Use a shopping portal

We all shop online. If you’re not using a shopping portal, you’re missing out on additional points you could be earning from any online shopping you’re doing.

There’s multiple options for online shopping portals, and remember the goal isn’t to spend more to earn points. It’s to maximize the earning potential for expenses you were going to make anyway.

My favorite portal to use is Rakuten. Yes it states you earn cash back. But you can change how you get paid (in your Rakuten account settings), to either Bilt points or AMEX points. I’m currently earning Bilt points for any purchases I make shopping through Rakuten. I generally transfer those Bilt points to Hyatt, as it’s currently a 1:1 transfer ratio.

Of course, always compare the price of an item before you make a purchase, anywhere. And for the most part, prices are generally the same whether I buy direct or use a shopping portal. So why not take a few extra seconds, and go through Rakuten, to earn additional points? (I say additional, because you’ll earn points for the expense, from the respective card you use, for starters.)

And the best part? No special credit card required! (Though I hope you do charge any online expenses to cards that earns you points or miles.)

Well, that’s all for this week folks! Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Turkish Airlines is having an award sale! You can get a 30% miles discount on select routes to/from the U.S. & Mexico. Book by May 22, 2026, and travel between October 1 - December 10, 2026.

• Just a friendly reminder to book your World of Hyatt stays ASAP! Award chart changes coming May 20th! (and it’s not looking pretty!)

• Are you using Rakuten for your online shopping? Maximize those everyday expenses; you can earn points instead of cash back! Check out this blog post, and sign up for Rakuten if you haven’t already! (We each earn $50 or 5,000 points when you do!)

• Check out Flying Blue Monthly Promo Rewards - one-way award rates between the U.S. & Europe start at just 18,750 points, one way. Book in May, and travel through October 31, 2026.

• Reminder that if you have the Chase Freedom Flex - use it for your Amazon purchases. Amazon is part of this card’s Q2 rotating bonus categories, where you can earn 5% on purchases. We use Amazon often (more than I’d like to admit), so this is one way I’m earning additional Chase points on those expenses!

ELEVATED card offers to note:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve - The offer on this card just got hotter! Earn 150k points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $795.

  Yes, the annual fee on this card is high. And I also don’t like a “coupon-book” card. But I know a great offer when I see one. For the 1st year, this card can make sense due to the bonus points you earn from the offer. Going forward, you would need to assess if it’s a keeper for you, as there are multiple credits that just aren’t that simple to use.

• Capital One Venture Business - This is a brand-new card! Earn up to 150K bonus miles; earn 75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. *Even if you can only meet the first tier, this card is still worth getting, IMO.*

  Related: How to use Capital One miles for Umrah travel

• Marriott Bonvoy has 3 elevated card offers ending May 13, 2026. Offers range from earning up to 5 Free Night Awards - 200K bonus points!

ICYMI on Instagram

• POV: You just booked travel on points & miles for peak travel times

• How to use the 20% Chase to Air France transfer bonus for Umrah travel

• How I booked a stay in Makkah on points, again, for $0

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. Every bank currently has a transfer bonus promotion going on!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Earning points and miles from everyday expenses, well that’s unfortunately too easy in this economy as a family of 5. But trying to redeem them for travel, during *peak* times is not for the faint of heart.

And after two days of strategizing, and then finally making some bookings, I turned to my husband in tears and said, “I did it, I finally did it.”

I love these moments in travel - where it’s just us, exploring a new place, eating meals together, and just being able to step away from our routines for a bit. So grateful for all the places we’ve visited in the last few years thanks to points and miles!

Follow the offers

Earning points and miles, and then redeeming for travel takes time. I cannot emphasize this enough. While folks around me are scrambling to plan summer travel, I’m planning spring 2027 and beyond.

Why?

Because I’m tied to peak travel times, need multiple award seats, and want to spend as minimal out-of-pocket as possible. It doesn’t get easier or cheaper closer to your travel dates!

I’m already tied to school breaks for travel, which are the most expensive times to travel. So when it comes to where we want to go - I stay very flexible. I follow the (elevated) card offers instead.

Now for spring 2027, our goal is to go for Umrah, Insha’Allah (God-Willing), as it will be our daughter’s senior year in high school (excuse me while I go cry as I don’t know how we are just a year away from this).

How I booked

In 2024, I booked Umrah travel for just $500 out-of-pocket. This time, it’s definitely going to be more. I’m booking for 5 people this time, and travel is just more expensive all around.

Here’s what I have booked so far:

• One-way flights from DFW to Istanbul on American Airlines - 22.5K American Airline miles+ $81.20 in taxes, pp:

  

  I earned these miles from my husband’s Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard. A few months back there was an elevated offer for 100k points and I had him apply!

• One-way flights from Istanbul to Jeddah on Virgin Atlantic - 10K miles + €25, pp. Total cost: 50k miles + €125 for 5 people.

  I transferred Chase points to Virgin Flying Club to make this award redemption - yes, something I did not want to do. (I’m currently saving all my Chase points for Hyatt stays!) But here’s how the alternative looked, if I wanted to book one-way flights in cash. And remember, I’m booking for 5 people:

  

  I have a stash of about 300k Chase points that my husband and I have earned from multiple cards. (I pulled from that stash). I’d check out Chase Sapphire products and/or the suite of Chase Ink business cards if you want to earn lots of flexible Chase points that you can transfer to airline and/or hotel partners to redeem for travel. *Note the lifetime language in regards to eligibility.*

• Two nights, for 2 rooms, in Istanbul at Hyatt Regency Istanbul Atakoy:

  

• Two nights, for 2 rooms, in Makkah at Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah:

  

Total out-of-pocket for flights and hotel stays booked so far: $551.60

All I can say is……phew!

I’m not done as I still need to book train travel from Makkah to Madinah, our hotel stay in Madinah, and then of course, return flights home. But half of the puzzle is done, and I can take a slight breather.

Ok, that’s a lie.

I won’t be taking any breather. I’ll be strategizing how to cover the rest of the trip in points and miles, and what card(s) to get next. And there may just be some parts that’ll be a points-earning expense, aka, booked in cash.

You can do this too

I say and share this to say, you can do this too. I’m no one special. I just can’t afford to pay the hefty price tag that comes with Umrah travel, especially when you’re traveling with a family.

And it makes financial sense to earn points and miles from our regular, everyday spend, and then redeem for travel. Because in this economy, it’s working smart.

Mindset. Strategy. Organization.

I’ll be sharing more on this trip as I book, but that’s all for this week folks!

Related: Check out blog posts here on how to book Umrah travel using points and miles.

Questions? Just comment on this post! Let’s get you traveling smarter ;)

As always, love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

HIGH flexible points offers to note:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve - The offer on this card just got hotter! Earn 150k points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $795.

  Yes, the annual fee on this card is high. And I also don’t like a “coupon-book” card. But I know a great offer when I see one. For the 1st year, this card can make sense due to the bonus points you earn from the offer. Going forward, you would need to assess if it’s a keeper for you, as there are multiple credits that just aren’t that simple to use.

• Capital One Venture Business - This is a brand-new card! Earn up to 150K bonus miles; earn 75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. *Even if you can only meet the first tier, this card is still worth getting, IMO.*

Related: How to use Capital One miles for Umrah travel

ICYMI on Instagram

• I recently got this question about booking Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah in points

• POV: Hubby, when he made it to a bucket-list destination

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a couple new ones!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Come May 20th, many popular properties and high-end Hyatt properties have award rates going up - and that’s what many are generally referring to. And in this season of life and travel, I don’t really aim to stay at them anyway.

Did some luxury Hyatt stays get further out of reach for me? Absolutely (but never say never).

I’m painting a very broad brush here, and there are category changes across all of Hyatt’s brands. Booking stays with World of Hyatt, especially when you can secure an award redemption at a luxury property that can easily cost you hundreds - $1,000/night was always a great use of points. (The suites we had in Puerto Rico last May - nightly cash rates were going for close to $1k/night!)

For example, some properties - effective May 20 - could be up to 75k points/night! Meanwhile, we’ve booked award stays where our total award costs have been just around that much. So yes, it will be harder and more expensive going forward, to book an award stay with Hyatt.

To be honest, I feel it was just a matter of time. But how you view the changes overall - while yes, much more drastic this year than previous years - depends on your travel goals. (I’m not saying I’m currently not sulking.)

Last May, we headed to Puerto Rico once school was out! We had two connecting suites at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, and spent $0 out-of-pocket.

This property is gorgeous, and coming out with a $0 stay (with free breakfast for all) was even sweeter! This year, I had planned for Grand Cayman Islands for the same time….but life had other plans.

World of Hyatt category changes look different this year

I’m not going to beat around the bush. The upcoming World of Hyatt category changes look very different this year, and it ain’t pretty.

And when Chase announced that it will be harder to earn bonuses on Sapphire products and the Ink suite of business cards by adding “lifetime language,” this has left many Hyatt loyalists (like me) in a state of “well, what now?”

I know many are wondering if it’s still worth it to book an award stay with World of Hyatt. This is such a great, but loaded question. And it comes down to your travel lifestyle, priorities, and goals.

I’m riding the Chase + Hyatt train as long as I can

I got this question on a reel I posted about how to book an award stay at Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah:

Let’s focus on the first part of the question. For starters, it’s a great, but loaded question. There’s no easy answer, and it comes down to these factors:

• Your budget

• How many rooms you need to book

• Your points goals/aspirations

In this season of life and travel, spending minimal out-of-pocket is my highest priority (so I don’t focus too much on the points/cent I’m getting, for example).

Spoiler alert: I’m booking this property again

I booked this property in 2024 for just 9k points/night. I booked 2 rooms, and my stay cost me $0 out-of-pocket. As a World of Hyatt Globalist, I also received free breakfast for all of us with a suite upgrade for our first room.

Umrah is an expensive trip as is, especially when you’re booking with a family. I’m currently planning Umrah 2027 (Insha’Allah), and nightly rates at this property for next spring, have doubled!

So why would I book it again?

Because I have points, thanks to always being in a points-earning mode.

Because I currently hold World of Hyatt Globalist status that I can leverage for perks like free breakfast, and suite upgrades (which save us money, and offer my family of 5 more space).

Because I’ll take a free stay, even if rates are higher (I’m booking 11-12 months out).

Because nightly award rates with other major hotel loyalty programs are still higher.

Because I don’t want to spend out of pocket, for a stay in Makkah (if I can help it) period.

Principles remain the same

But that last one though.

Changes in the points and miles space are inevitable. And as of late, it seems to be an influx of bad news. Lifetime language from banks, devaluations, increase in award rates across multiple hotel loyalty programs….I mean I could go on and on. And for families and those traveling with multiple people, it hits the hardest.

But what doesn’t change?

Monthly living expenses.

And if I can earn points and miles for bills that I have to pay to live life, well, you better believe I will.

Because while that won’t change, what will change, is my award redemption strategy (whether I like it or not). There is still so much value to be found! In this case, we’re speaking on hotels, and I’ll have to diversify how I earn, and redeem points for award stays.

For now, I’m riding the Chase + Hyatt train. While I can. Because I still can.

(Insert “pivot” scene with Ross from FRIENDS.)

That’s all for this week folks!

As always, love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Multiple card offers ENDING SOON:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited- Limited-Time Offer to earn $250 after spending $500 in the first 3 months ends 4/30! If you have a Sapphire product, $250 cash back turns into 25,000 points! There is no annual fee on this card.

• World of Hyatt Business Card - Offer to earn 80K points ends 4/30!

• IHG Premier Business Card - Offer to earn up to 200k points ends 4/30!

  • Related: Here’s how to book IHG properties for Umrah travel.

ICYMI ON Instagram

• Your travel advice probably won’t work for me

• How I booked tickets to Rome for less than $400, roundtrip for 5

• How to book 4-5 nights in Makkah, for FREE, with 1 card offer

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a couple ending 4/30!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

It’s easy enough to charge an expense on a card, and/or pay it off right away, and not think twice about it.

But by doing so, you’re leaving rewards on the table - rewards that you’ve earned because you’re living life, and have bills and expenses you can’t avoid, month after month.

And if you have to pay them, you might as well earn something back for them, no?

Back in October 2019, (just months before the world shut down) hubby & I took a two week trip to Europe - sans kids! (I know right, thank you village!) We visited 7 cities in Spain & Italy - and it’s still one of our favorite trips to date! We’ll be back in Rome this fall, iA (God-Willing) - with the family this time - thanks to points and miles!

What I did to actually make it happen

One, I stopped caring about what people think. You’ll probably wondering what this has to do with points and miles.

As a South Asian Muslim woman, who’s a travel and personal finance content creator, there’s no shortage of assumptions about how much debt we carry, and the interest we pay on our credit cards. (If you didn’t know, Muslims do not partake in interest, which is why the topic of credit cards is often very taboo.)

My husband and I learned very early on that financial discipline is rewarding, and the only debt we carry is our mortgage. I’m not going to speak further on this because by no means do I consider myself an expert on the principles of Islamic finance - but I will say this. Do your research, and then learn financial discipline.

By staying in a world of assumptions and pre-concieved notions, you are missing out.

As long as I’m staying true to my values and principles, and my partner and I are on the same financial page, I’m good. And that’s all that matters.

Two, I had to block out the “noise.”

Ufff this one.

You need to use your points and miles a certain way.

You need to utilize all the perks on your credit cards.

You need to optimize every point and mile.

You can’t use points and miles to cover travel expenses, or pay yourself back.

Gosh, I could keep going.

I’ve broken multiple “cardinal” rules. And frankly speaking, I could care less.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should simply ignore using your points and miles in an efficient manner. Absolutely not.

Just don’t let it cripple you to the point of analysis paralysis.

We all have a different reality when it comes to life and travel. Work within yours.

And more often than not, that means not playing the comparison game that takes place on social media. (The struggle is real, I know.)

Three, I stopped using my debit card.

This probably should have been first, but I honestly feel mindset is the #1 roadblock to individuals getting into the points and miles game (not the learning curve).

It pains me when I see friends, family, or even strangers in line ahead of me using their debit card at the store.

Yes, it feels great to pay off something right away. But in a world where literally the cost of everything has gone up, why not work smart?

To be honest, I can’t even remember the pin on my debit card….nor do I know where it is at the moment. (I should probably locate it for those rare occasions when I need it….)

Put expenses on cards that earn points and miles. It’s unfortunately too easy in this economy for us to meet the minimum spend on credit cards from our monthly living expenses. (Do I laugh or cry at this one folks?)

Pay everything on time, each month. No exceptions. Get a new card. Repeat.

Yes, I understand it’s truly not that simple. But you know what I mean.

Once you lean in, booking travel using points and miles, and realize you just had to change the way you thought about your expenses - I promise you, you won’t be going back to your old habits.

There’s no going back

No, this is not the part where you hear me say, our travel is “free.” Award travel is not free, there are always costs (aside from hotel stays and flights) associated with travel.

It’s working smart, and one of the best decisions my husband and I could have made. We’ve made it part of our wealth-building strategy, and I hope to teach our kids as they venture into their young adult years sooner than we would like. (Excuse me, while I tear up.)

It has allowed us opportunties to travel, we simply otherwise would not have been able to afford. (Um hello, elder millenial, sandwich-generation couple here!)

And that folks, has truly been life-changing, and worth it!

Want to get started in points and miles? Grab my FREE Award Travel Basics Guide!

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• American Airlines has Centennial flight deals to celebrate 100 years of flight. Check them out here, and book by April 30th!

• NEW CARD from Capital One! Capital One Venture Business just launched with a limited-time offer to earn up to 150,000 bonus miles. This is a two-tier offer: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. Even if you can only meet the first tier, as spend requirement is high, it’s still worth it to get!

  • Related: How Capital One miles saved us just under $3,000 for our 2024 Umrah trip

• The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offer for 80k points ends 4/30!

  • Related: Here’s how you can book 4-5 nights in Makkah with this offer.

• The IHG Premier Business Card offer to earn up to 200k points ends 4/30!

  • Related: Here’s how to book IHG properties for Umrah travel.

• The Chase Freedom Unlimited’s Limited-Time Offer to earn $250 after spending $500 in the first 3 months ends 4/30! If you have a Sapphire product, $250 cash back turns into 25,000 points! There is no annual fee on this card.

ICYMI on Instagram

• How to book 4-5 nights in Makkah for free with just one card offer

• How I booked domestic flights for just $146 for the 5 of us

• POV: Why I’m using points and miles to travel now, rather than later

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a couple running through the end of this month!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Last week, I shared how I was recently denied a business card from my favorite bank. This week, I’m here to tell you that all is well again, and I just got approved for my first co-branded, Bank of America card - the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card.

Here’s how I played it.

I’m hoping to book American Airlines flights, through Atmos Rewards, for 2027 travel - the airline loyalty program of Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines. Airline alliances ftw!

Anyone else’s kids love plane spotting just as much as our 5-year old does?

Play the waiting game

I waited exactly two weeks from the date of denial before I applied again for another credit card. Should I have waited just a bit longer? Maybe. But to be honest, I was getting impatient. (Do as I say, not as I do.)

I like to almost always have a card that we are working on a minimum spend for, so we can stay in a points-earning mode. Taking five people, anywhere, requires advance planning and lots of points and miles!

Check prequalification

Ok, just because you are prequalified for any card, from any bank, doesn’t guarantee an approval when you actually go to apply. But it made me feel better, and I wanted to gauge my approval odds. After a recent denial, my nerves were all over the place.

Don’t ask me if I checked this last week, and then again this week. Because I did. (Where my people at that feel me on this?)

Establish a relationship with the bank

After reading some reddit posts about approval odds for Bank of America cards, it seemed that opening a checking account with Bank of America would be a good idea.

We bank with Chase, and always have even before getting into the points and miles world. And it doesn’t mean we are switching anything when it comes to our personal finances. I simply opened a new checking account, and transferred some money in. I’ll occasionally make some transactions to maintain a relationship.

From what I read, and my understanding, it seemed establishing a relationship with Bank of America would help my approval odds. Again, there is no guarantee, and I did read that many without an established relationship also got approved for Atmos Rewards cards.

I just didn’t want to take any chances.

Take the plunge

I think this one speaks for itself.

100k bonus points + a 50% flight discount code coming my way soon enough!

That’s all for this week folks.

As always, I love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Just a friendly reminder to book your World of Hyatt stays ASAP! Award chart changes coming next month (and it’s not looking pretty!)

• Rove miles added Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red as it’s newest transfer partners. You can now transfer Rove miles at a 1:1 ratio. Virgin is great for finding flights between the East Coast and the U.S. for just 6k points!

• Southwest Airlines has increased checked bag fees by $10, and this went into effect April 9th. Travel is getting more expensive - consider holding an airline card from them to help reduce this cost as cardholders get their first checked bag free.

ICYMI on Instagram

• Understanding airline alliance is essential in award travel

• Note these 2 Hyatt properties for your next family trip to Spain

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here. Thankyou always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here. There’s a lot of hot offers right now!

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. Capital One, Chase, and Citi all have transfer bonuses, with some running through the end of the month.

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

But I was wrong. And that’s part of the game. Recalibrating when one bank says, “no, not at this time.”

I know we don’t like talking about it, but it’s not just you. Denials happens to all of us and here’s what you can do when you get denied for a credit card.

The card I applied for

I applied for the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card. It currently has an elevated offer for 80k Bonus Points. I was fairly confident I could get approved. Here were my stats:

• My 5/24 status was 4/24.

• I had last applied for a Chase Ink in December of 2025.

• I currently had two Chase Ink cards open (I was worried about this one though!).

• My credit score is over 800.

• You can get this card bonus every 2 years - I was just past this mark.

I’m sharing these stats as I know it’s gotten harder to get approved for Chase business cards (generally speaking), and data points help in trying to calculate approval odds for future applications.

Well…..Chase said “not right now.” In sum, I had too many Ink business cards open for them to offer me another business card right now. Pooh.

Our stays in Puerto Rico, and Malaga, Spain last year were booked in full on Hyatt points. I like to earn Hyatt points, or Chase points that I can transfer to Hyatt.

It’s not the end of the world

…..is what I reminded myself. Because it’s true - it isn’t. And, luckily, I do have just under 300K Chase Ultimate Rewards that I’m saving for upcoming Hyatt stays.

This is why it’s important to plan ahead. And if that number seems like a lot, it’s not. We are a family of 5, and we need 2 rooms everywhere. That stash will go fast!

So why did I want more Hyatt points?

Because I’m planning for 2027….for when I run out of these points, before panic mode sets in.

What you can do when you get denied

It’s important to understand why you got denied for a credit card, and what the respective bank has to say. Here’s what you can do:

• Call the reconsideration line. I was nice, and explained my case. Nope, no luck. But atleast I tried.

• Give it time. You don’t want too many recent inquiries on your credit report. Denials don’t go on your credit report, but inquiries (regardless of approval) do.

• Close out cards you aren’t using past the 1-year mark. Every few months, I asses what cards I have. For those cards, I’m not using, and it’s been a year+, I downgrade them to a no-fee option by calling the respective bank. This way, I’m not paying annual fees for cards I’m not using.

• Try applying for a card from a different bank. I’ve almost always gotten approved for a Chase business card. This one hit hard, as I was like “…but you’ve always said yes to me!” I err on the side of being conservative more so with Chase than any other bank because they are my favorite points. (Again, it’s gotten harder to apply for Chase business cards, even co-branded ones, as rules have gotten stricter.) At the end of the day, I want to maintain a good relationship with Chase, so maybe I’ll take a break.

• Lower your credit utilization ratio. Generally speaking, if you are currently using 30% or more of your total available credit, you could be less likely to get approved for a new card.

So now what?

I’m just sitting on it for a bit. There’s so many hot offers right now, and before I apply for my next card, I want to let some time pass. (Trust me, it’s hard.)

I’m also going back to the drawing board:

• I need more American Airlines miles for international travel I’m planning for 2027. Alaska Airlines loyalty program, Atmos Rewards, just dropped some elevated offers, and American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are partners as they are in the same airline alliance. I can book American Airlines flights, through Alaska Airlines…..

• I’d like to grab the Chase Sapphire Reserve at some point as I’ve never had it….or should I keep it in my back pocket (for now) since earning Chase points has gotten harder….?

• AMEX just dropped some hot offers - flexible points always ftw! The minimum spends are much higher, but maybe with needing to buy our teen a car, we could pull it off….

This is my current thought process.

Which way should I go? Let me know your thoughts by commenting on this post - and what you think I should do!

That’s all for now! As always, Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• It’s Q2! Make sure to activate the rotating bonus categories if you have the Chase Freedom Flex! Q2 categories include Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Chase Travel, and Feeding American donations - you can earn 5% cash back (or 5 points/$ spent) on up to $1,500 in combine purchases across these bonus categories.

• If you’re looking for a no-fee card to start with, or add to your wallet, check out the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Earn a $250 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months. $250 cash back can turn into 25,000 when combine with a Sapphire product.

• You can earn up to 100k points with World of Hyatt if you want to go glamping this summer with 2 promotions:

  • You can earn 2,000 bonus points for every night you stay at Hyatt’s Under Canvas glamping properties. Register by June 30, 2026 and stay between March 13 and July 1, 2026 to be eligible to earn the bonus points. You can earn up to 60,000 bonus points with this promotion.

  • You can also earn 20 total points per $1 spent at Under Canvas locations. Register by June 12, 2026 and stay between June 1 and September 8, 2026. Members can earn up to 100,000 bonus points as part of this promotion.

  • Make sure to use your World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Card to pay for your expense. The latter has an elevated offer for 80k points, so if you don’t have it, it’s a great time to grab it!

Elevated Card Offer ENDING SOON!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an elevated offer for 75k miles + a one-time $250 travel credit to use in Capital One Travel, that’s ENDING April 13th!

With new eligibility rules surrounding the Venture family of cards, this is the card to start with - and a great time to apply! This is a great beginner, and keeper card for the Venture family of cards as it’s a straightforward 2x miles on all purchases! It’s an easy, “no-thinking” card.

Check out tips and inspiration in these blog posts on how you can use Capital One miles for Umrah travel. I love the perk on select Venture cards where you can use miles to cover select travel-related expenses such as flights, car rentals, boutique hotel stays, theme park tickets, and train tickets!

ICYMI - check out this post from last week on how to cover train travel between Makkah and Madinah using Capital One Venture miles. (I did it in 2024!)

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here. Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here. There’s a lot of hot offers right now!

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. Capital One, Chase, and Citi all have transfer bonuses, with some running through the end of the month.

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

---

How many times have we heard, “figure out your why,” followed by, “….and the rest will come easier.” But it’s true.

You see at first, earning points and miles was about getting flights and hotel stays covered in points/miles, and yes, as close to “free” as possible (taxes and fees aside). (Award travel isn’t ever truly “free.”) And it still is.

But now it’s more so about one plain and simple fact for me.

If I’m living life and paying bills, I’m going to make sure I earn all the points and miles, especially in this economy.

Looking back at our Merida, Mexcio trip where we swam in Cenotes! A beach vacation isn’t quite in the cards for this year, but I’m planning one for next ;)

Always in a points-earning mode

I was thinking about this recently, when I got this DM on Instagram:

Points and miles is about getting comfortable with sometimes, the uncomfortable:

• Regularly being in a points-earning mode, and watching out for elevated card offers.

• Planning trips as far out as possible because award availibility during peak travel times goes fast.

• Changing your mindset around bills and expenses - if you aren’t putting your regular spend on cards that earn you points and miles, you’re missing out!

You don’t have to “go all in.” You don’t need to understand every perk, benefit, or offer. You need to take time to understand that much of the taboo and preconceived notions around credit cards, and points and miles, simply isn’t true.

Financial disclipline can be truly rewarding and offer travel opportunities you never thought possible.

“But how do I know what card to get?”

First of all, just get started. Ditch the debit card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great place to start! With 14 different airline and hotel travel partners, award redemptions can be beginner-friendly. Flexible points always ftw!

Don’t get too hung up on the how just yet. Just work on putting expenses on a card that will earn you points. Adding in other cards, and a hotel strategy, for example, comes as you figure out how you spend, and how you like to travel.

Check out why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is great for beginners here.

Looking at how you like to travel

Knowing how to follow the elevated offers and what card to get comes down to multiple factors:

• Do you live in an airline’s hub? Apply for cards that will earn you miles for that airline.

• Do you frequent one hotel program over another? Or do you have your eye on a specific property? Apply for cards that will earn you points for stays at those respective properties.

• Do you currently not have any travel plans, and just want to earn points and miles for future travel? Apply for cards that will earn you flexible bank points. These are points that you can transfer to an airline or hotel loyalty program, that you can later redeem for a flight or hotel stay, respectively.

Remember, there is no right or wrong way to do this. And often times you’ll need to pick one elevated card offer, and you’ll miss out on another. Trust me I know the feeling, FOMO is real here.

Staying organized

As you start adding more cards in your award travel strategy, staying organized is key.

I use the Travel Freely app to keep track of both me and my husband’s cards. You don’t need to put in any sensitive information, and it keeps track of your 5/24 status, while also recommeding cards for you. And best of all, it’s FREE!

You do you, boo

Don’t let anyone tell you you need to earn a certain number of points/miles a year in order to play the game right. Don’t think you need to travel in a certain class. You don’t need to optimize every point and mile. We all have different realities when it comes to life and travel. (Please don’t use points for magazine subscriptions though!)

Just get in a habit of being in a points-earning mode, and I promise you - you’ll figure out the “how” soon enough. (I got you!)

Oh, you’re curious about my credit score while holding multiple cards?

Changing your mindset is harder than learning the game folks.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Check out points and miles news, and resources below!

Elevated Card Offer ENDING SOON!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an elevated offer for 75k miles + a one-time $250 travel credit to use in Capital One Travel, that’s ENDING April 13th!

With new eligibility rules surrounding the Venture family of cards, this is the card to start with - and a great time to apply! This is a great keeper card for the Venture family of cards as it’s a straightforward 2x miles on all purchases!

Check out tips and inspiration in these blog posts on how you can use Capital One miles for Umrah travel. I love the perk on select Venture cards where you can use miles to cover select travel-related expenses such as flights, car rentals, boutique hotel stays, theme park tickets, and train tickets!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. Multiple transfer bonuses are ending TODAY!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

There’s no better time to earn points (from said bills) for future free hotel stays for Umrah travel. Let’s break it down.

World of Hyatt

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has an elevated offer for 80K Bonus Points. This is their best points offer ever. Do note that this is a business card. (This is actually one I’m now eyeing…..) Offer ends April 30, 2026.

In the fall of 2024, we stayed at Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah. I had booked 2 rooms, at a rate of 9K points/night. Yeah, that rate doesn’t seem to exist anymore, and has almost doubled per night depending on when you want to travel. I’m seeing rates for 15k-18k/night/room!

Our stay cost me $0 out of pocket, as there are no taxes and fees on Hyatt award stays. With my Globalist status, we all had free breakfast, and my husband and I’s room was upgraded for free to a suite (with 2 bathrooms!).

I have no complaints about this property, and it’s definitely one I’d stay at again. If you’re looking to stay here (or earn more Hyatt points), I’d check out this business card offer. And remember, business cards don’t count towards your 5/24 status.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy has properties in both Makkah and Madinah. There are currently 3 elevated card offers, co-branded with AMEX.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card: Earn 175,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after spending $5,000 in the first 6 months. Offer ends May 13, 2026.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card: Earn 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months. Offer ends May 13, 2026.

Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card: Earn 3 Free Night Awards after spending $6,000 + an extra 2 Free Night Awards after spending an additional $3,000 in the first 6 months. Offer ends May 13, 2026.

You can read more in this post on how to search and book an award stay for Umrah travel.

I’d make sure to note room capacity, and that award rates will be higher/per room/per night when compared to World of Hyatt.

IHG

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has an elevated offer where you can earn up to 200,000 points! Offer ends April 30, 2026.

You can check out all IHG card offers in this post, as well as how to search and book IHG properties in Makkah or Madinah.

IHG offers a “fourth night free perk” to eligible IHG Rewards cardholders when you use points to book a stay of atleast four nights. So when you book a room in points, for four or more nights, the fourth night ends up costing you zero points. This discount can be seen when you are completing your booking. With award stays costing more points these days, getting one night free can be very helpful!

Hilton Honors

There are four elevated card offers from Hilton:

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $550. Offer ends April 15.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card - Earn 175,000 bonus points + a Free Night Reward after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $195. Offer ends April 15.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card - Earn 130,000 bonus points + a Free Night Award after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $150. Offer ends April 15.

Hilton Honors American Express Card - Earn 70,000 bonus points + a Free Night Award after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months. Offer ends April 15.

Note that while Hilton Free Night Awards can be used at any property, Hilton award rates are generally much higher per night than other hotel loyalty programs.

In the fall of 2022, we stayed at Hilton Madinah (this was a cash stay). The property seemed older and dated, but the location was priceless being just footsteps away.

Things to note

In sum, you have options from each major hotel loyalty program when it comes to booking an award stay in Makkah or Madinah. Remember:

• Check award calendars on respective hotel websites before applying for a card.

• Give yourself time to earn and redeem points. When it comes to Umrah travel, I suggest planning 12-18 months out, especially if you’re traveling with multiple people, need multiple rooms, and/or tied to peak travel times.

• World of Hyatt aside, some hotel loyalty programs can offer you a level of status which can include breakfast credits, depending on the card you get.

• Always note and confirm room capacity prior to booking and arrival.

Another option

And if you’re looking to book a hotel, that isn’t part of a major hotel chain or a boutique hotel, check out the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card which currently has an offer for 75k bonus miles + a one-time $250 credit to use in Capital One Travel. With new eligibility rules around the Capital One Venture family of cards, this is the card to start with. It’s a great time to get it if you don’t have it already!

Select Capital One cards, including this one, have a perk where you can use miles to cover eligible, travel-related expenses. This is great when you can’t book directly in points and miles, and helps to cut costs even further. In 2024, Capital One miles saved us about $3,000 when it came to Umrah travel expenses.

There’s honestly no better time than now when it comes to planning a future Umrah trip on points and miles. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. Trust me, I spent just $500 booking our 2024 family Umrah trip.

Check out all Umrah-related blog posts here.

With some planning and strategy, you can also plan a more feasible Umrah trip!

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• You can buy Alaska Atmos Rewards points with up to a 90% bonus, through March 18, 2026.

  • Buy 3,000 - 9,000 points, get a 70% bonus.

  • Buy 10,000 - 19,000 points, get a 80% bonus.

  • Buy 20,000 - 100,000 points, get a 90% bonus.

• World of Hyatt has multiple promotions going on right now! Make sure to check your account and register, especially if you have upcoming travels:

  • Earn 3K Bonus Points for every 3 nights.

  • Earn up to 50K Bonus Points.

• Earn 25K Bonus Points on a 5-night stay with Vacations by Marriott. Book by March 31st, and travel before July 31st.

• Citi is decreasing transfer ratios to Choice Privileges and Preferred Hotels & Resorts iPrefer Rewards starting April 19, 2026.

  • Citi points transfers to Choice Privileges will be 1:1.5 (currently 1:2)

  • Citi points transfers to Preferred Hotels will be 1:2 (currently 1:4)

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. Lots of transfer bonuses right now - multiple end this month!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Now of course, this isn’t inclusive of costs incurred during travels for food, dining, shopping, and other miscellaneous expenses. This is the cost for booking flights, hotel stays, and one-way transport from Makkah to Madinah for 4 people. (We had left our little one with family at that time.)

Here we are heading into spring, and I’m in full planning mode for our next trip, Insha’Allah (God-Willing)…… for the spring of 2027. And I’ve been planning this trip since the latter half of 2025.

A lot has changed in the points and miles space in the last few years, and planning this trip, for minimal out-of-pocket, just got harder. And this time, we are planning for 5.

Nevertheless, nothing will discount this trip more than points and miles.

Strategy is the name of the game

As with any trip you want to plan on points and miles, you need to get very comfortable with planning as far out as possible. If you travel with a family, and are tied to peak times for travel, this is even more important.

Start with Google flights. You’ll need to work backwards. Seeing what your flight options are - and what airlines are flying the routes you potentially want to take - allows you to determine what points/miles you need to earn.

Here, I’ve done a one-way search from DFW to JED, for Thanksgiving break. I’ll need to essentially earn flexible bank points that I can transfer to these airlines, or American Airlines miles to book the Qatar Airways flight, for example. You can set up alerts to track prices and that date grid is very helpful! Prices can fluctuate even by a day or so, so if you have any flexibility as far as dates - this can be helpful to note.

I live in an American Airlines hub, so I’m always watching out for elevated offers on co-branded cards. I also do award searches on airlines’ websites directly. You may have to also get creative in your routing.

Here I’m searching on the American Airlines website, for one-way routes from DFW to IST, for Thanksgiving break 2026. We flew this route back in 2024, so I’m familiar with award rates, and generally speaking, taxes per person. Yes, ideally I’d like to fly directly into Doha, but I know it’ll be easier to earn enough miles for the 5 of us to fly this one-way route. (I can book a short flight from IST to JED separately, which I did back in 2024).

• Check out co-branded cards that earn American Airlines miles. (We are actually working on the minimum spend for the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. I had my husband apply when the offer was at 100k miles! When those miles hit, I’m planning to book this route for spring 2027, Insha’Allah!)

Citi ThankYou Points now transfer to American Airlines, so that’s another option when it comes to earning American Airlines miles.

• Check out Citi cards that earn Citi ThankYou points here. (My husband got the Citi Strata Elite Card when it was elevated to 100k points! I transferred those points to American Airlines to book our trip to Europe this fall!)

The more points you need to earn, the further out you need to plan because earning and redeeming points takes time. And award seats for peak travel times go fast!

Next up, hotels

In the fall of 2024, we spent 2 nights in Istanbul, Turkey before catching a short flight to Jeddah. I’m thinking to do this again. We loved our stay at Grand Hyatt Istanbul. I’d go back just for the breakfast spread.

I always try to earn Chase points, and jump on elevated card offers (that earn Chase points) when I can. (Yes, it’s gotten harder.) I’m always in a points-earning mode, and aim to plan trips 6-9 months out. So, I have a good stash of Chase points that I’m hoping will carry me into the spring of 2027.

I’m planning to use these points for hotel stays this fall, and to cover our Hyatt stays in Istanbul and Makkah, Insha’Allah (God-Willing) next spring. Last time, our stays in Istanbul and Makkah cost me $0, with free breakfast in both places. I’ll take free anyday.

And if this stash seems like a lot, remember we need 2 rooms everywhere we go. It’s going to go fast.

Make it a points-earning expense

I’m tied to our kids’ school schedules and have very little flexibility in our travel dates. Spring break tends to be a busy and expensive time to travel for Umrah. That being said, I’ll be booking each piece of the puzzle sooner than later. And some parts of the journey may be points-earning expenses.

Flights from IST to JED? I’ll probably book using my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. I’ll book in Capital One Travel so I can earn 5x the miles on that expense. (Last time, I covered this expense in full.)

Train travel from Makkah to Madinah? I’ll also charge that to my Capital One card. I’m using my Venture X, because it’s a straightforward 2x the miles for all expenses. For expenses that I can’t book directly in points and miles, this is a great card to use as I can use miles earned to cover eligible, travel-related expenses. (Also covered this expense in full in 2024 thanks to Venture miles.)

Flights home from Madinah back to DFW? I’m still figuring out this part, but if we end up paying out-of-pocket, you better believe I’ll have a new card in hand because for 5, one-way tickets, we’ll easily meet the minimum spend. And those points can go towards a future trip ;)

Check out how Capital One miles saved us about $3,000 for our fall 2024 Umrah trip.

My next move

I’m eyeing the Chase Sapphire Reserve as it currently has an offer for 125k points, the highest we’ve seen. I’ve actually never held this card! You can now hold both Sapphire products, so yes, I’d like to earn all the Chase points (while I can).

I currently hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred and have been checking out different properties in Madinah through Chase’s Travel Portal. The Reserve though, comes with more perks and benefits such as an annual $300 travel credit, and “Points Boost.” If I can find a property in Madinah, where it makes sense to use my points to book in the bank’s travel portal, I will.

(And yes, there’s also “The Edit” where I can get 8x total points and more, enhanced credits. But it’s a collection of luxury properties, and I’m unsure if I’ll find any in Madinah that will fall in this list.)

This will be a hard move for me because I love using my Chase points for $0 Hyatt stays. But I also don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for a stay in Madinah as a family of 5.

The struggle be real.

Offers to note

Here are elevated offers to check out that can help you plan Umrah travel:

• Southwest Airlines personal cards: There are (different) offers on all 3 cards to earn 1 Companion Pass, through February 2027. I love using Southwest to book positioning flights for international travel, and often position ourselves to NY for travel to Europe.

• IHG cards: You can earn between 90k - 175k points from 3 different cards. IHG has a “4th night free” perk where you get the 4th night free when booking an award stay of 4+ consecutive nights. IHG has properties in Makkah & Madinah.

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card has an offer for 5 Free Night Awards +$100 airline credit. Each Free Night Award is worth up to 50K points, and you can “top off” with an additonal 15k points - so up to 65k points! Check out this post for how to use this offer towards stays in Makkah or Madinah.

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an elevated offer for 75k bonus miles + $250 credit to use in Capital One Travel. With new eligibility rules surrounding the Venture family of cards, this is the card to start with. And since it’s elevated, there’s no better time! While transferring flexible bank points to airline and hotel partners is most ideal, I like using Capital One miles to cover other travel-related expenses. For our 2024 Umrah trip, I used these miles to cover flights, train travel, and our stay in Madinah.

• Chase Sapphire cards: You can now hold both Sapphire products at once! Earn 75k - 125k points from 2 different cards. Chase has 14 travel partners where you can transfer your points to an airline or hotel partner, and redeem for travel. Chase points transfer to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio ;)

• Hilton card offers: Multiple Hilton cards have elevated offers that include Free Night Certificates. These can be redeemed at any property! Do note though, that Hilton stays require more points/night (and offers may not get you more than 2 nights, depending on property and timing of travel).

By no means is this a conclusive list. You can always check out all the best card offers here.

Just start

Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. If you’re new to points and miles, I’d recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Read here why it’s great for beginners!

From there, you can build on your airline and hotel strategy. I highly recommend planning 12-18 months out if you’re traveling with family or loved ones, bound to peak travel times, and/or need multiple hotel rooms.

Umrah doesn’t need to cost thousands of dollars. As someone who has booked Umrah travel multiple ways, with a group, out-of-pocket, and using points and miles, I can tell you this.

Nothing will discount Umrah travel like points and miles. I promise you, nothing.

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Have status with another airline? Southest Airlines will match it for free!

  Don’t forget - BOGO offers on Southwest Airlines personal cards is still going strong! You can earn 1 Companion Pass, good through February 2027.

• Hilton Grand Vacation is offering 100k Hilton Honors Points if you sit through a timeshare presentation. You can buy vacation packages starting at $199, and you have 12 months to travel.

ICYMI on Instagram

• Book your Hyatt stays before category changes take place in May!

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s multiple new transfer bonuses running through the end of March!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

I’m sitting on a stash of just under 300K Chase points. Now, of course, this is no accident. These points have been strategically earned from sign-up bonuses, referral points, and spend on cards we already have that earn Chase points (my go-to card is my Chase Sapphire Preferred, when I’m not working on a sign-up bonus).

And for the record, I’m trying really hard to not use that entire stash for Hyatt stays. But when you need two hotel rooms - because, family of 5 problems - I may not have a choice.

But in some lighter news…I just helped a good friend book a stay a room at La Zambra in April. I helped her transfer Chase points to World of Hyatt, to book a FREE stay! This is a property I’d go back to in a heartbeat. So dreamy, so luxurious!

ICYMI

World of Hyatt announced upcoming category changes last week, and this year - in sum - it’s not looking great.

Hyatt is moving from its three-tier system of off-peak, standard, and peak pricing to a new, five-level model that will now consist of lowest, low, moderate, upper, and top. A lot of award redemptions are just going to be more expensive, as rates across all eight categories will be higher.

Sure, properties on the lower end will see some price drops. But their award chart and redemption structure is going to get more complicated. More information will be released in April, with changes going into effect in May.

We’re familiar with World of Hyatt rolling out changes each spring, but my Hyatt-loving heart is definitely hurt. Any time changes happen with loyalty programs in the points and miles space, it always affects families the hardest. And as someone who has to book two rooms, I’m not sure what to say right now.

I just need to sulk for a bit.

Pivot is the name of the game

This past week, as expected, there’s been no shortage of talk around pivoting, looking to other hotel loyalty programs, and saying bye to Hyatt.

I want to remind you of one important fact: everyone has a different reality when it comes to earning and redeeming points for travel.

And as it normally happens, Hilton Honors released elevated offers across all its cards last week as well (smart move, Hilton). It’s a great time to grab one of them because they come with Free Night Awards. You can redeem them at any property (as long as a standard room is available). At the same time, it also costs a lot more points to book 1 night with Hilton. Any change in strategy - especially for a family like mine - will take (a lot of) time to say the least.

Don’t feel the need to jump ship just yet because it seems everyone else is doing so.

Diversify…..as it’s right for you

Don’t get me wrong. Diversifying your points and miles across multiple banks and loyalty programs is smart. But the goal is not to spend more money to earn more points. It’s to leverage your monthly expenses to earn travel rewards. And earning, and then redeeming points for travel - takes time.

We are a family of 5. I generally aim to book our travels 6-9 months out as I’m tied to peak travel times - school breaks - for travel. And that stash of Chase points I was mentioning earlier? I’ve already planned and allocated them for multiple Hyatt stays we have coming up this fall, and ones I’ve planning next spring.

Jumping ship immediately would require me to change strategy completely. And I’m not made of points, miles, or money, for that matter folks. (Ok, ok, I know how that last statement looks when I’m sharing my points stash right after….)

You’ll often hear, “don’t hoard points.” I agree, but when you travel with multiple people, and need multiple rooms, you have to “hoard” for a bit - until you are ready to book!

Going forward

We have Hyatt stays coming up in the northeast this fall, Europe, and Insha’Allah (God-Willing), Turkey and Makkah next spring. Another motivating factor for me is that I currently hold World of Hyatt Globalist status - perks like free breakfast, free parking, and free suite upgrades aren’t just a flex. They’re how we save money in our travels!

Here’s what you should do:

• Have your eye on a Hyatt property? Book your award stay before May - when category changes go into effect.

• If you’re Globalist, you can do “advance bookings.” This allows you to book properties, without needing the points upfront. (I have used this perk so much, and it’s probably my favorite one!)

• Try searching and booking award nights, one night at a time. Annoying, I know.

• There are *multiple* elevated offers right now where you can earn flexible bank points, airline miles, and hotel points. Always be in a points-earning mode, and continue to earn (and diversify) your stash of points and miles!

• Before applying for a Marriott or Hilton card - check award rates with both hotel loyalty programs. Do dummy searches for destinations you want to visit, and see what properties are available. This will give you an idea of how many points you’ll need for a stay…..and how far in advance you’ll need to plan, especially if you need 2 rooms. (Spoiler alert: You’re still going to need a lot more points per room/night than you would with World of Hyatt.)

It’s still meant to be

For now, I’ve booked my Hyatt stays for the year, and in the midst of doing some through the spring of 2027. I’m definitely not taking any chances there! Here’s what I currently have planned (or planning):

• Hyatt Place Mystic - I finally booked a leaf-peeping trip to Connecticut in October! I’ve been wanting to do one for some time!

• Hyatt Regency Rome Central - We head to Rome this November! Our daughter has been wanting to visit Italy for some time, and I can’t wait to check out this new property!

• Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort - Montenegro has been on my list for so long! We booked flights from Rome to stay here for a few days because this is another property I’ve been dying to check out!

• Grand Hyatt Istanbul - We’re planning Umrah for spring break 2027, Insha’Allah (God-Willing). I’m planning to book through Turkey, for a stop here for 1-2 nights (similar to what I did last time). Did I mention I would stay here just for the breakfast spread?

• Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah - Ahhh this property is amazing! Rates have gone up, but I’m looking forward to staying here again, Insha’Allah (God-Willing). I have a tenative stay booked already. Once I confirm flights, I’ll adjust accordingly.

And get this.

When World of Hyatt announced upcoming category changes last week, they shared a list of properties that were moving up in category, right off the bat. Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort was one of them!

I may have wiped off some sweat beads in gratitude that I had already booked our stay here earlier this year - phew!

Also, funny story: I had booked a stay at Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa for a trip in May. I had to cancel that trip because the property wasn’t going to be open in time, and I really only wanted to stay there when in GCI! Who knows, maybe we can go for a kid-less trip in the future? (Because with award rates going up, I definitely can’t afford 2 rooms there anymore - let’s be real!)

So Hyatt, we’re still meant to be. I’m still here booking $0 stays (and leveraging my Globalist status)……for now.

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Chase has added Wyndham Rewards as a new hotel transfer partner.

• Hilton Honors has elevated offers on 4 cards, and they come with Free Night Awards - this is the time to grab one! Check them all out here.

• A new month means its time to check FlyingBlue Promo Rewards. Get up to 25% off - book in March, trave through August 31, 2026. Select one-way routes between the U.S. and Europe start at 18,750 miles.

• As you’re booking Hyatt stays before upcoming category changes, don’t forget to register for offers and promotions - there’s multiple right now!

ICYMI on Instagram

• Planning a stay at Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah (on points)? Book it ASAP (preferably before the upcoming Hyatt category changes).

• Some places points and miles have taken us over the last 5 years

• I’m partnering with Naseeha Mental Health this Ramadan to support their 24/7 hotline - they are zakat-eligible, please give what you can!

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s multiple new transfer bonuses running through the end of March!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Considering the time of year, many families are counting down the days to spring break. For us, it’s another year of not traveling during spring break because it has coincided with Ramadan yet again. (I prefer not to travel while fasting.) This year will actually be the last year for this to happen. The end of Ramadan, followed by the holiday of Eid-al-Fitr, will fall during spring break and it couldn’t have worked out better.

But this spring, like the last few, is another points-earning season for us.

March of 2023 was the last time we traveled during spring break! I had booked flights for less than $500 (roundtrip) for the 5 of us to the U.K. This past November, we were able to visit again - this time our flights there cost me just $28 - oh, the power of points!

Don’t stop earning points and miles

A mistake I often see people make is not continuing to earn points and miles. In multiple consults, messages, and emails - individuals will tell me they have “a lot of points and miles.” They’ve either accumulated them over some time, taken advantage of elevated card offers, and/or have been planning a trip.

But then they stop trying to earn more. For starters, what you can do with those points and miles depends on multiple factors: where you are going, when, how many are traveling with you, what class you are flying (or trying to), etc. A number like 100k may seem like “a lot of points.” But when you have a family, are trying to travel during peak travel periods, and/or need two rooms everywhere - you go through that stash of points, very fast.

Remember, inflation affects points and miles award rates too.

We’re in a points-earning season

It’s that time of year where Muslims are busy trying to incorporate their Ramadan schedule into their regular, everyday routines. And it’s a time when expenses can naturally be higher between hosting iftaars (breaking fast together), attending iftaars (hostess gifts of course), charitable giving, Eid preparations (gifts for family and friends, new outfits for Eid, Eid parties, etc.), and everything else in between.

*By no means am I saying that any of the above are required to celebrate Ramadan or Eid. I am generally speaking, and the goal is to always work smart in regards to expenses - planned or unplanned.*

I try to make the most of any additional expenses by making sure I charge what I can - to cards that earn points and miles. You see, points and miles I earn now will eventually help me plan 2027 travel.

I know, call me crazy - but when you’re 5, tied to peak travel times, and need 2 rooms - you need to plan as far out as possible. More specifically, I’m trying to plan spring break 2027. Emphasis on the word try.

The goal isn’t to spend more. It’s to work smart, and leverage what I’m already spending to live life - to earn points and miles. And if I want award rates during peak travel times (for 5), I need to book as early as possible. (I generally aim to book travel 6-9 months out.)

Filter out the “noise”

It’s easy to get frustrated when you can’t find decent award rates, or any for that matter, for when you want to go somewhere. It’s easy to think points and miles aren’t worth it because you see award rates that seem ridiculous. But the questions to ask are: how far out are you planning? Are you giving yourself enough time to earn, and then redeem your points and miles, for flights and hotel stays?

I will say, it’s easy to see someone on social media secure an amazing award rate. Keep in mind everyone has a different reality. Of course, off-peak and shoulder seasons can give you (sometimes) better award rates for a flight, or hotel stay. But if that’s not your reality, realize you need to get comfortable with planning as far out as possible.

The magic doesn’t happen overnight

I say all this to say, it all starts with what you do when you aren’t traveling, and/or not planning a trip. Because we still have to live life, and that means regular expenses we can’t avoid. So regardless of what season of life you’re in - and whether that currently includes travel or doesn’t - always be in a points-earning mode.

So when you do want to travel, you have a points and miles stash waiting for you ;)

Two Hotel Card Offers For 5 Free Night Awards - ENDING SOON!

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card - Earn 5 Free Night Awards + $100 Airline Credit after spending $3,000 in 3 months. Annual fee is $95. Remember, you can “top off” each Free Night with up to 15k points. Free Night Awards expire one year after they are earned, so have a plan for how you want to redeem them. Offer ends March 11, 2026.

  And if you need some inspiration, here’s how we used this offer a few years back to stay in a Riad in Marrakech, Morocco for $0!

• World of Hyatt Credit Card - Earn up to 5 free nights! Earn 3 free nights after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months + 2 free nights after spending $15,000 in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. Free nights can be redeemed at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel. Offer ends February 26, 2026.

BOGO Offers on Southwest Airlines personal cards

• All 3 Southwest Airlines personal cards have elevated offers to earn a Companion Pass, through February 28, 2027! Offers vary slightly on each card.

ICYMI on Instagram

• Points and miles make visiting places off the beaten path, affordable.

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. Multiple transfer bonuses ending February 28, 2026!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

Earlier this year, my husband told me there was a family wedding that same week in Atlanta. Say.What.

To be honest, I didn’t know what to do. I book 6-9 months out as I’m tied to our kids’ school breaks - the most expensive times to travel. It’s not easy to find airline award availability for 5, plus we need 2 rooms! I just sat on this new-found information, to say the least.

Then, this past week, I got an email from Hyatt Hotels letting me know the resort would not be open in time for us to visit this May.

That was two strikes. The universe was telling me it just wasn’t meant to be (atleast, not right now).

Last summer, we visited Puerto Rico right after school got out! My family loves a beach vacation - I try to book atleast one in the year, not to mention, our stay cost me $0!

I did what I do best

I got to work, searching for flights to Atlanta for the 5 of us. My goal was to spend minimal out-of-pocket…..and I think I did just that ;)

I booked my husband’s flight to Atlanta for just $5.60 in taxes on American Airlines. I then leveraged airline alliances for the rest of the family. I booked me and our three kids on the same American Airlines flight, using Atmos Rewards (the new loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines) for $72.40 total in taxes. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are both in the oneworld airline alliance.

For our return flight home, I booked my teen daughter and I on Southwest Airlines. I booked my flight in points, and then added my daughter as my Companion. I have 1 Companion Pass that is valid through December of 2026. Total taxes here were $11.20 (taxes still apply to Companions).

This is where things get interesting.

I booked my husband and the other two kids’ return flight on a different airline, with both our flight departure times less than an hour apart.

I have had a stash of miles stranded in my Virgin Atlantic loyalty account for some time. I booked a Delta Airlines flight for them, on Virgin Atlantic. Again, I leveraged the power of airline alliances, as Delta and Virgin Atlantic are both in the SkyTeam airline alliance. I’d love to have used these airline miles for a different trip, but the priority right now was minimal spend out-of-pocket. Taxes here, for 3, were $16.80. And I only did this because I didn’t have enough Southwest Airlines miles to book the entire family on one reservation, which is always the most ideal for us.

Our total cost for roundtrip flights to Atlanta for 5: $146!

I promise the learning curve is worth it

When people tell me that points and miles are overwhelming, and just “too much to handle,” I couldn’t agree more (true story). But when they tell me they don’t even want to bother to learn, I truly don’t get it.

The award travel space has changed a lot over the last few years. Lounge access changes, banks have added “lifetime language” to cards, and certain card bonuses (depending on the card/bank) have gotten harder to earn. So I understand the hesitation, and where people are coming from.

But you know what hasn’t changed?

The expenses we have to endure, month after month, in order to live. And that makes it worth it to give points and miles a shot.

All is not lost, and depending on your situation in life and travel, you just have to get more strategic with your credit card strategy, and earning points and miles.

I mean……I had my husband book our car rental for $82.40 for our Atlanta trip, using my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card’s $300 annual travel credit. I can’t be more grateful for having leaned all in.

And what about our Grand Cayman Islands trip you ask? Well, that will have to wait until the stars align for us again.

For now, I’m relishing in the fact that I was able to book this trip to Atlanta for as much as I did.

Sometimes we’re using points and miles to book trips to Europe or the Caribbean.

Sometimes we’re using them to book a trip to attend a family wedding in Atlanta without breaking the bank. And that makes the hustle, and struggle, all worth it.

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• There is a targeted offer for opening an AMEX business checking account, and earning up to 70,000 AMEX Membership Rewards. The public offer right now is for 30,000 points. (My husband & I have each opened an account in the past for 50k-60k points, each.)

• The Southwest Airlines calendar is now open for bookings through October 31, 2026. As a reminder, there are elevated offers on all 3 personal cards where you can earn a Promotional Companion Pass, through February 2027, after meeting the minimum spend. Offers on each personal card vary slightly.

ICYMI on Instagram

• There’s multiple elevated hotel card offers right now! Here’s how you can book a free stay in Makkah or Madinah.

• This is your friendly reminder to always register for all the World of Hyatt promotions!

• Last summer, we visited Puerto Rico for $0!

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a new 40% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, through February 28, 2026!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

The hardest thing to accept - but you must - is that you just can’t get every great card offer out there.

So.Many.New.Offers.Right.Now.

I’m not sure where to even begin, but here’s a start:

• Chase Sapphire cards have great offers on both personal cards. This is a great time to grab one! There are new elgibility rules, with “lifetime language;” this means you can only get a bonus on a Sapphire product if you have never received one, on it, before.

• Southwest Airlines has promotions on all 3 personal cards for a promotional Companion Pass good through February 2027. If you are trying to earn a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass the traditional way (1 personal card + 1 business card), then ignore this offer, and continue on! I’d make sure you can make use of the Companion Pass in the next year before you apply for a personal credit card.

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an Limited-Time Offer for 75k bonus miles + one-time $250 travel credit to use in Capital One Travel. I love Venture miles for covering other travel-related expenses such as theme park tickts, boutique hotel stays, train travel, and car rentals, for example.

• World of Hyatt Credit Card has an offer to earn 5 Free Night Awards! (And the offer on this card doesn’t usually change!)

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card has an offer to earn 5 Free Night Awards + $100 Airline Credit! These Free Night Awards do expire one year after issuance, so have a plan for how you plan on using them.

I could go on, but I’ll let you check out all the latest, best credit card offers here.

How I play the game

I focus on:

• Cards that earn flexible bank points that I can transfer to an airline or hotel program (I focus on Chase points….yes it’s gotten harder to earn them!)

• Co-branded cards that earn airline miles for airlines I fly often (usually American Airlines or Southwest Airlines)

• Co-branded cards that earn hotel points (for me, that’s World of Hyatt)

In December, we stayed 4 nights at La Zambra Resort in Malaga, Spain. We had 2 suites, booked on points, and I have to say this has been our dreamiest stay with Hyatt to date. Oh the possibilities with points - pictures don’t do justice to those views!

ICYWI

This past weekend, my husband applied for the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, well actually…..I applied on his behalf. And he was approved! 100K AA miles coming our way! My hope and plan is to use them for late winter 2026, or spring 2027 international travel. Btw, this is 1 of 2 cards that earn American Airlines miles, with a 100K offer on it right now!

Last November, I flew the family to the U.K. for just 19k AA miles + $5.60, pp!

There’s no one size fits all

There’s no one magical card that will continue to earn you a lot of points. With a family of 5, the fastest way to earn lots of points and miles is to always be in a points-earning mode, aka - always be working on a minimum spend.

It’s unfortunately too easy in this economy to meet the minimum spend on a credit card. And that’s not to say you shouldn’t focus on card multipliers. But it’s simply too much to try and do it all.

When we aren’t working on meeting a minimum spend on a credit card, I have my two go-to cards that I use: Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. This way, I’m earning flexible bank points that I find valuable.

Some other strategies I use to earn points and miles without getting a new credit card:

• Referral bonuses

• My husband’s work travels

• Using the Rakuten shopping portal for online shopping

• Opening a business checking account to earn AMEX points (The offer is currently at 30k points, but in the past my husband & I have gotten it when it was 50K-60K points.)

• My husband has the Chase Freedom Flex. Paying attention to the quarterly rotating bonus categories is an easy way to earn additional points.

• Targeted and promotional offers on cards I currently hold - Chase will often send these out on its co-branded cards (for example, Southwest and Hyatt cards).

• Registering for hotel promotions - World of Hyatt often has promotions for stays during select dates, and/or select brands. It’s an easy way to earn additional points on planned stays!

My husband stayed at Hyatt House Leeds this week for a work trip. I had registered him for the Extended Stay Promotion, and then this past week, during his stay, the Bonus Journeys Promotion came out! I went in his account and quickly registered him. 8K points earned just from 2 World of Hyatt offers!

World of Hyatt FTW

You’ll notice a theme here.

I’m trying to earn points for Hyatt stays, any which way I can. And since it’s gotten harder to earn Chase points - points that transfer to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio - I have to be even more strategic.

When you get deeper into points and miles, and figure our your travel style - you’ll realize what’s important to you. Is there an airline you frequent? Do you live in any airline hubs? Do you prefer one hotel’s loyalty program over another? Is chasing status for an airline and/or hotel loyalty program worth it for you?

And yes, I know …..eventually, I may need to branch out to other hotel brands. For now, I’m staying loyal to Hyatt because I value $0 stays - and my Globalist benefits (free parking, free breakfast, free suite upgrades) because it helps my family travel smarter. (There are no taxes/fees on Hyatt award stays.)

Financial discipline can be very rewarding

I know there’s still so much taboo, preconceived notions, and myths around the world of award travel. I will just say this:

• Holding multiple credit cards does not ruin your credit score, rather it goes up.

• You’ll often hear individuals say, “You don’t need that many credit cards to earn points.” More often than not, they aren’t tied to traveling during peak travel times, need multiple award seats, and/or have to get 2 hotel rooms.

• It’s not about how often you apply for a card, or how many cards you hold. Just always be in a points-earning mode. I often time getting a new card with an upcoming large expense, around my husband’s work travels, and/or other financial obligations. If I need to make an expense or purchase, I’m going to try to earn as many points as possible. Using the same 1-2 cards for all expenses = slower points-earning rate.

This is my personal award travel strategy; there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Just ditch the debit card folks - it’s not earning you any points. If it wasn’t for points and miles, our family could not travel as we do now. And to be honest, it’s not even just about travel anymore.

It’s about making award travel a part of our wealth-building strategy, and opening the door to travel opportunities that we otherwise couldn’t afford (because life is just too darn expensive).

So it’s not about having the right card (well, not exactly). It’s about having an ongoing credit card strategy that works for you, how you live, and how you travel.

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• Hilton Honors has a promotion for buying points. When you buy atleast 5,000 points or more, you can get a 100% bonus. This promotion runs through March 14, 2026.

• If you’re shopping online, make sure to go through Rakuten! You can use my referral link here to sign up! We both earn $50 or 5,000 points ;) Make sure to link your Rakuten and Bilt accounts, starting in the Bilt app. (You must use the same email address for both accounts.) On the Rakuten side, in your account settings, make sure to change how you get paid to Bilt points. Bilt points can be transferred to many amazing partners like World of Hyatt, Southwest Airlines, Atmos Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and more!

ICYMI on Instagram

• Chase Sapphire card holders get early access to FIFA World Cup tickets starting TODAY, on Feburary 10th!

• Here’s why I’m keeping my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (despite the lounge access changes)

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

If you’re wondering which credit card to get (next), I offer FREE Card Consults!

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here.

Want to travel smarter in 2026? Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you Come Holiday With Us,

Amena :)

A new month has brought with it the reminder that in the points and miles world, changes are inevitable. All good things, sometimes, just come to an end.

More specifically, I’m talking about how the only premium card I currently hold - the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - will no longer allow guests and authorized users of cardholders complimentary lounge access. What used to be one of the most generous lounge programs, has now tightened up access around who can enter in for free.

Sigh, it was great while it lasted.

Previously, Capital One allowed Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card holders the ability to bring in guests and authorized users for no additional cost. Authorized users on the Venture X received complimentary access to a Capital One Lounge, Capital One Landing, and Priority Pass lounges.

No card, No access

Now, only primary cardholders can get in for free. For guests and authorized users - unless you spend $75,000 or more on your respective Venture X card in a calendar year, you need to pay a fee to enter a Capital One lounge. (Are you kidding me?)

Grateful we got to squeeze in some free lounge access for our kids, for our recent trips to London & Spain in 2025! Also, our little one loves plane spotting from the lounge!

So, now what?

I personally love the Capital One lounge at DFW airport! There’s good food, and I’ve been able to grab a to-go bag of food items and drinks, for each member in the family, that has eased those (sometimes) long travel days.

I also appreciate how there are multi-faith rooms because as a Muslim traveler, I’m often trying to find a quiet, and clean place to pray at the airport. This lounge has made this quest so much easier the last couple of years, on travel days.

*I can’t say that there are multi-faith prayer rooms at all Capital One Lounges. I did not see any at the Capital One Lounge at JFK Airport during my visit in December.*

I say this to say, I don’t believe there is one “best card” for lounge access, especially not for families. Since 2025, multiple lounge programs have tightened up their guest policies, so it’s no surprise that Capital One did so as well. Sad, but not surprising.

If you travel with a family, it’s going to come down to this:

• what lounge programs are available at your home airport

• who you travel with

• what’s important to you in your travels

• accepting that you won’t be able to get the whole family in for free

That last one, though.

For now, I’m planning for my husband and I to each keep the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. The reason is twofold: yes, there’s a lounge at my hometown airport, but there’s talk of Southwest Airlines also operating flights in the future from DFW Airport. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines are the two airlines we generally fly, and this could mean we may just find ourselves at this airport more often.

This will allow the two of us to get in, and we will need to pay $25/kid (x3 for us) for them to access a Capital One Lounge. This math, can math for us, because we’ve easily spent more on airport food that just wasn’t worth it. Feeding my family, grabbing a to-go bag, and also being able to pray as needed makes it worth it for me.

And no, it’s not just about the lounge access. The $300 travel credit alone on this card, makes it a keeper for me. I’ve often using it to cover a car rental expense or other travel. There’s multiple other benefits such as no foreign transaction fees, 10K anniverary miles, travel and purchase protections, and more!

Options, Options

I’m grateful I live in a big city with an international airport.

There’s a Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club coming soon to DFW airport. You’ll need a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Credit Card to enter. And, you can take in 2 guests, free of charge.

Last May, I accessed the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club location at LGA airport, and I must say it was very nice! You’re allowed one complimentary visit per calendar year, with a Priority Pass membership - that’s how I got in.

I currently don’t hold a Reserve, and have never received a bonus on it - so I am eligible. Once I do I get it, and the lounge is open, I’ll need to compare. The Reserve can get 3 of us in for free (me + 2 guests), and leave us having to pay for 2 people.

Both the Venture X, and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer a complimentary Priority Pass membership for the cardholder. But unlike the Venture X, Reserve cardholders can also take in 2 guests, complimentary, to a Priority Pass lounge.

(Venture X Business card holders are allowed 2 free guests for Priority Pass lounges, but neither me nor my husband currently hold this card.)

Time Will Tell

At the end of the day, it depends on your travel lifestyle and goals.

For me, it’s going to come down to Capital One and Chase. Both banks will eventually have lounges at DFW airport. While the annual fee on the Reserve is higher ($795), I’m going to look at what perks and benefits are easy enough to use. I don’t prefer “coupon book” credit cards, but I do appreciate a good welcome offer that will make it worth it for the first year, atleast.

Since I can’t have it all (for free, anymore), I'm basing my decision on what hometown lounge program I like, and find value from. And for now, Capital One is the winner.

What’s in your wallet?

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• World of Hyatt Bonus Journeys Promotion is back! Register to earn up to 28k Bonus Points across multiple stays! Eligible nights must be completed by 4/15/2026.

• Southwest Airlines now has assigned seating - how is everyone feeling about this? I’m curious to hear!

• Southwest Airlines has a short-term BOGO promo! This offer ends Thursday, 2/5! Register, then book a round-trip, or two one ways by 2/5. Travel by 3/31. Your Companion flies free from 8/10/26 - 10/7/2026. Remember, taxes and fees apply to Companions.

• Chase Bank recent made some changes to eligibility rules regarding Sapphire products. You can now hold both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve, at the same time. BUT, lifetime language has been added - you can only get the bonus offer once, on each card.

• You can buy Atmos Rewards points for up to a 100% bonus. This promotion runs through 2/18/2026.

• A new month always means it’s time to check FlyingBlue Promo rewards. Get up to 25% off. One-way routes between select U.S. cities and Europe start at 18,750 miles. Book in February, and travel through 7/31/2026.

ICYMI on Instagram

• Sapphire card holders get early access to FIFA tickets starting February 10th! And if you don’t currently have a Sapphire product, it’s not a bad time to grab one ;)

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an elevated offer for 75k miles + one-time $250 credit to use in Capital One Travel. Here’s why if you’re planning Umrah travel, it’s a great time to grab this card!

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a new 50% transfer bonus from Chase to Marriott Bonvoy through the end of the month. If you got - or are planning to get - the 5 Free Night Awards Offer on this Marriott card, this could be a good option for you (since you can top off with up to 15k pointsnight)! *Only transfer bank points to a travel partner with a plan.*

Want to travel smarter in 2026? ;) Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you come holiday with us,

Amena

Well, if you call making multiple customer service calls for two days in a row, to finally get full refunds on travel credits from two premium credit cards - then yes, we did (make lemonade).

This was no easy feat, and a reminder that booking travel in bank portals comes with its own set of challenges if plans change.

Home Sweet Home

I had booked my husband a trip to Park City so he could attend Muslim House at the Sundance Film Festival happening this past weekend. Just a few days after booking, we started hearing that a snowstorm was expected and travel would be nearly impossible. Texas doesn’t know how to handle snow, much less, sleet or ice.

I wanted to cry.

Here I was riding high on the heels of booking him a flight and hotel stay - for just over $100 - thanks to credits from his Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Citi Strata Premier Elite Credit Card, respectively - for a passion project he’s been really excited to pursue - only to turn around and cancel?

Throwback to our Park City trip in the winter of 2024/2025. I booked for just $56!

A snowstorm wasn’t on my bingo card for the week

But here we were. Starting Friday, my husband called American Airlines, Capital One Travel, and Citi Travel to try and get refunds for his flight and hotel stay.

When you book travel in a bank’s travel portal, such portals are considered “3rd party portals,” since you aren’t booking direct. So while he booked a flight on American Airlines, in the Capital One travel portal, allowance of changes/cancellations would be at the mercy of the travel portal, and the type of ticket booked.

What to keep in mind when booking in a bank’s travel portal:

• Again, a bank’s travel portal (Chase, Citi, Capital One, AMEX) is considered a 3rd party portal. You are not booking a flight or hotel stay directly with an airline or hotel brand, but rather, through a bank’s travel portal. The Venture X $300 annual travel credit is one that is applied at checkout, in Capital One Travel.

• Changes/cancellations can be very limiting. When booking a flight, note the type of ticket. In my case, I had booked my husband a non-refundable ticket on American Airlines, in Capital One’s travel portal. For changes/cancellations - you’re at the mercy of Capital One Travel, and any credit you receive is generally tied to the airline you orginally booked.

  For our case, Capital One Travel told my husband he had to wait for a 3+ hour delay from American Airlines, before he could cancel his flight, and get a full refund. I had used the $300 annual travel credit from his Venture X to book his flight, and that was fully refunded, along with the difference in cash paid. American Airlines eventually cancelled his flight Saturday evening (they should have done so a lot sooner!).

• In the past, we haven’t been as lucky with getting credits back if we simply wanted to change or cancel a flight booked in a travel portal. In this case, weather was the prohibiting factor (even then it wasn’t easy!). The hotel credit was easily refunded with one call to Citi Travel, but there was a lot of going back and forth between Capital One Travel and American Airlines.

Overall, our out-of-pocket loss was $75 for a car rental that wasn’t refunded. But I’m calling this a win as we got $600 in credits back ($300 for the flight, and $300 for the hotel stay). So yeah, I guess when life gave us lemons, we made lemonade.

Points & Miles: News, Promotions, & Reminders

• There are multiple elevated hotel card offers! Let’s round them up:

  • World of Hyatt Credit Card - Earn up to 5 Free Nights! Earn 3 free nights after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months + 2 free nights after spending $15,000 in the first 6 months. Free Nights can be redeemed at any Category 1-4 hotel or resort worldwide. Annual fee is $95. Offer ends February 26, 2026.

  • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card - Earn 5 Free Night Awards + $100 Airline Credit - Earn 5 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $95.

    *Marriott Free Night Awards expire one year from the date they are issued. Make sure you have a plan for how to use them. Awards can be “topped off” with up to 15k points/night.*

  • IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card - Limited-Time Offer to earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $99.

  • IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card - Limited-Time Offer to earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months + up to 30,000 bonus points by earning an additional 3x on purchases, except at IHG Hotels & Resorts, in the first 6 months from account opening on up to $10,000 spent. No annual fee!

    *Note that IHG One Rewards credit cardholders receive a complimentary 4th night free when redeeming points for 4 or more consecutive nights at the same hotel. This discount is automatically applied for points bookings.*

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a LIMITED-TIME elevated offer! Earn 75,000 miles + enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel after meeting spend of $4,000 in the first 3 months. Annual fee is $95.

  This is a great beginner-friendly card in the Capital One family of cards! It’s a straight forward 2x back on all purchases, which makes it a no-brainer card for those everyday, regular purchases. Now, with new eligibility requirements for the Venture family of cards, it’s better to start from the bottom up (in terms of annual fees), making for a great time to grab this card if you don’t have it already!

  You can check out all blog posts here on how I used Capital One miles for our 2024 Umrah trip, to save us $3,000.

• World of Hyatt has a new promotion! Register to earn up to 50k Bonus Points! Earn 5K Bonus Points on each qualifying stay of 5+ nights completed by December 31, 2026, for up to 50K Bonus Points.

  You can check out all offers here.

• Southwest Airlines has assigned seating starting from January 27, 2026.

• You can now use American Airlines miles to book award flights on partner airline, Aer Lingus.

Missed a previous post? No worries, you can check them all out here!

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here.

Want to travel smarter in 2026? ;) Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you come holiday with us,

Amena

But sometimes, having a stash of points and miles allows us to pursue well, other passions and projects.

Sometimes all you need is a push….aka, points, to help cut costs

My husband is a creative by heart. He dabbles in other projects, and as a family man, elder millenial, and sandwich-generation adult - well…..time, money, and resources are always stretched thin.

I came across Muslim House at the Sundance Film Festival happening in Park City this coming weekend, and I knew he needed to be there. I also knew exactly what he would say as I shared it with him…."it’s so last minute, it’s going to cost us.” Say less. (Sometimes he forgets who he’s married to.)

Can I just say I love Park City? I’ve been multiple times, in spring, fall, and of course - winter! Our most recent trip in December 2024/January 2025 cost just $56 to book!

Making use of premium credit card perks

One of the biggest complaints I hear from individuals when it comes to premium credit cards - you know the ones, that have the juiciest welcome offers - is “….but that annual feel though?!”

Here’s the thing. No-fee cards or cards that earn cash back rewards can definitely have a place in your wallet, and play a crucial role in your overall award travel strategy.

But I’m not going to sugar coat it. If you want to earn points, miles, and perks towards travel - it’s those premium cards that will get you where you want to go, and more efficiently, I might add.

First things first, let’s see what we have to work with

My husband and I each hold the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. This premium card comes with an annual $300 travel credit. I didn’t have enough points or miles in any of our airline rewards accounts to cover a round-trip flight.

But lucky for him, this travel credit just renewed on his Venture X (it renews every year after your card anniversary).

Now, as a reminder, you need to book travel in Capital One’s travel portal and then the $300 credit is applied at checkout. I found him a flight that worked just right.

$63 out-of-pocket, we’ll take it! It’s nonstop, and on American Airlines as he preferred because he holds Gold status with them.

Up next, hotel.

Last month, I had him get the Citi Strata Premier Elite Credit Card. (I already transferred those 100K miles earned to American Airlines and booked flights to Rome for Thanksgiving break!) Each calendar year, you can enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of 2 nights or more - and yes, you need to book through cititravel.com.

Bingo.

In the Citi travel portal, I found him a hotel:

A 3-night hotel stay, for less than $45 out-of-pocket? Yes, please!

Now, this hotel isn’t exactly in Park City. It’s in Salt Lake City, and he’ll have a 40-minute drive. Hotels in Park City - as expected - were pricey! He’ll be renting a car, which suprisingly, isn’t costing much (and will be out-of-pocket).

Financial discipline is more than rewarding, it’s life-changing

Forgive me if this sounds overly dramatic, but financial discipline has been life-changing for us.

No matter how much we budget, and save - which you should still do, no matter what - it will never be enough to allow us to travel as we do now. That travel savings fund feels nonexistent at times, in a season of life where we have multiple obligations and responsiblities calling our name at the same time.

Points and miles allow you to truly….take the trip

I know, I’ve felt it too. “Take the trip!” is something we’ve all heard, and I’ve been guilty of just throwing it out there lightly too. And sometimes, we want to respond with, it’s just not that easy for some of us to do!

But having a working stash of points and miles, along with credit card perks and benefits to work with, can help open doors, and allow you to take that trip.

And that’s exactly what I told my husband Saturday morning, after I found him a flight and hotel…..go, just take the trip. You won’t regret it.

Points & Miles: News, Reminders, & Promotions

• FREE HYATT AWARD AVAILABLE! A generous individual from the HOH community has a Hyatt Club Access Award to gift! This award expires 2/28/2026. A Club Access Award, when applied to an upcoming Hyatt stay, can offer you free breakfast, snacks, and/or drinks - as applicable - during your stay. *You must check with the property, prior to arrival, if they have a Club Access Lounge/if you can apply this award to your stay. Not all properties have lounges available.* If you have an upcoming Hyatt stay, where you can make use of this award - please reach out!

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business 200K bonus points offer ENDS 1/22! The minimum spend is high - $30k in the first 6 months, with an annual fee of $795. But if you have big expenses coming up (hello tax season!), this card may be a great fit for you.

• Marriott Bonvoy’s 5-Free Night Awards Offer is back! Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card has a 5 Free Night Awards + $100 Airline Credit offer ($95 Annual Fee)! I got this card in the summer of 2022, and then used the Free Night Awards to book a stay for my husband and I in Marrakech, Morocco at Riad Anayela that winter. I used Capital One miles earned from my Capital One Venture X Credit Card to cover the taxes - resulting in a dreamy, FREE, 6-night stay at a Riad!

  *Marriott Free Night Awards expire one year from the date they are issued. Make sure you have a plan for how to use them. Awards can be “topped off” with up to 15k points/night.*

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card has a limited-time offer where you can earn up to 5 Free Nights. Earn 3 free nights after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months + 2 free nights after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Annual fee is $95. This card is a keeper as a World of Hyatt loyalist! This offer normally doesn’t change from its standard offer; if you don’t have this card, this is a good time to grab it!

• American Airlines has launched free, high-speed Wi-Fi, sponsored by AT&T.

You can always find all my card links, resources, and guides here.

Thank you always for your support!

As a reminder, you can always check out all the best card offers here.

Check out current bank transfer bonus promotions here. There’s a 15% transfer bonus from Capital One to Avianca LifeMiles, through early February!

Want to travel smarter in 2026? ;) Book an award travel consult here.

Love that you come holiday with us,

Amena