How to avoid Amex’s pop-up prison
Amex offers some of the best credit cards on the market both in terms of initial welcome bonus offers and rewards for ongoing spend, but how do you stay in Amex's good graces so...
Re-Wowed: Return to Alila Ventana Big Sur
My wife and I are workationing our way down the California coast in our endeavor to avoid big swaths of Michigan's winter. The journey so far included a 5 night stay at Hyatt's all-inclusive...
Is the Southwest Companion Pass still worth it in 2022?
I have for years called the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass the hands-down best deal in domestic travel, but is that still true in 2022?
Getting two passengers for the price of one every time you...
Platinum Forever Free (After Rebate)
Amex Platinum cards come loaded with elite perks: airport lounge access, hotel and car rental elite status, 100% rebate on a CLEAR membership, emergency medical transportation & evacuation, and much more. They also come...
A dive into points pooling: Which are the best airline frequent flier programs for...
The ability to pool points with others can be a valuable program feature for members of airline and hotel loyalty programs, but relatively few airlines offer any mechanism to share freely with friends and...
Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito: Bottom Line Review
Location, location location... Across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, and strikingly near the foot of the bridge, Cavallo Point Lodge's historic buildings form a semi-circle around the decommissioned Fort Baker parade grounds. ...
Award Booking Artistry
Getting the best deal on an award ticket is rarely done by going to one airline's website and searching round trip. On this week's Frequent Miler on the Air, we discuss the artistry that...
Marriott Platinum Elite Free Breakfast Simplified
One of the benefits of earning Platinum Elite status with Marriott is free breakfast, but not at all brands. Some brands, instead, give you only a $10 per day food & beverage credit. And...
Developing a British Airways strategy for business class flights using points
I've never flown British Airways in a premium cabin because I've always been put off by high carrier-imposed surcharges. However, there are factors that make British Airways a potentially good choice for a couple...
My nightmare booking Preferred Hotels via Choice
Oh the lengths I'll go to secure a good deal... Using Choice Privileges points, it's possible to book Preferred Hotels & Resorts (some of which are considered to be the best hotels in the...
New additions to the Best Offers page
We always make an effort to keep our Best Credit Card Offers page up to date with the best offers available on a wide range of rewards credit cards. Regular readers know that we...
Delta Choice Benefits: Which to choose and when
Delta's Platinum and Diamond elite status levels include "Choice Benefits" in addition to many automatic perks. Platinum elites can choose one Choice Benefit each year they qualify, and Diamond elites can choose three. This...
The Hotel Loyalty Rollercoaster
Is IHG about to be the next big thing in hotel loyalty? Is Hilton actively trying to drive me away? Where are Choice and Marriott headed -- and is Hyatt still at the top?...
Hyatt’s Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Scottsdale: Bottom Line Review
My wife and I recently spent three nights at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. We would have happily stayed much longer. We booked a premium suite for $183 plus 9,000...
