Get a mid-year breakdown of the points and miles stories that mattered most so far in 2026, from the Hyatt award chart overhaul to Chase’s precedent-setting transfer change, and find out which trends are worth watching for the rest of the year.

Get a real side-by-side of two of Hyatt’s most talked-about Mexico redemptions, straight from two travelers who booked and stayed at both.

Discover why Air Canada Aeroplan has quietly become one of the most useful airline loyalty programs for award travelers, from the overlooked partner airlines and stopover strategy to using points for polar bears, northern lights, and high-end hotel stays.

Discover the third way to book United Polaris business class: a hybrid strategy that combines strategic cash spending with miles to secure premium cabin seats where award availability feels impossible. Learn how to find PZ inventory, identify high-value routes, and confirm your upgrade at time of booking—no status required.

London is one of the most accessible award travel destinations in the world, but most travelers don’t optimize their bookings. Learn the strategies that minimize UK APD taxes, the airline programs that offer the best value, which hotels deliver actual savings, and the hidden hacks that experienced award travelers use to book London for significantly less out-of-pocket.

Discover why booking your flight is just the beginning. Sam Hollander’s Autopilot platform automatically tracks your reservations after booking and alerts you when prices drop so you can claim lower fares without the hassle of constant monitoring. Learn how airlines’ permanent policy change created a massive savings opportunity most travelers never capitalize on.

Ever felt like Capital One’s approval process is completely random? Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks collected real approval data from 150+ applicants for the Capital One Business Venture card and discovered there are actually predictable patterns. Learn what her survey revealed about the factors that matter most, the 6-month waiting myth, and how to think strategically about Capital One cards.

Discover how a quiet Chase promotion could become one of the biggest points-earning opportunities of the year. Dr. Michelle Walther and I break down the Paze digital payment platform, explain which cards qualify, and reveal the merchant strategies (especially Newegg) that could generate thousands of Chase Ultimate Rewards points by year-end through 10-14x earning rates.

In part two of our Japan family trip recap, Brandon and I cover our five nights at the Park Hyatt Kyoto, every activity we did in Kyoto (from TeamLab to the Nintendo Museum), the travel home connection that almost went terribly wrong, and the complete points and cash breakdown showing exactly what nine days in Japan cost our family of four.

Hear the unfiltered reality of planning and taking a family award trip to Japan. In part one of this two-part series, my husband Brandon and I recap our spring break adventure – from booking Japan Airlines first class after an unexpected award dump to staying at the Park Hyatt Tokyo to traveling with two kids through Tokyo and Kyoto. Complete with points breakdown, what worked, and what we’d change next time.