Dana, Author at My Points Blog

Southwest Airlines - best cancellation policy in the industry

Cancel flights penalty-free up to 10 Minutes Before Depature on this Airline

September 13, 2017September 14, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

Flying the unfriendly skies these days–with baggage fees, overbooking, etc–most of the clouds you see are dark. But this One Weird Airline (sorry, I can’t stop) offers a silver lining. Delays, bumps, restrictions, fees. Take your pick: it’s trite to say flying isn’t fun these days; but the banality of saying so makes it no less true. However, one airline Mandy and I fly strives to make flying, if not fun, tolerable.

FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS

Chase Refer-a-Friend: a Win-Win Proposition

September 13, 2017September 14, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

When you see a good thing, it’s worth sharing. I routinely and vigorously recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to friends, family, and co-workers. Why? It’s the best single card for getting started in the miles and points game. Sharing is sweeter when it comes with rewards. Read on to learn how to help yourself and others by referring Chase cards you currently possess–or expect to apply for in the future.

The Secret to Packing Light: One “Weird” Trick and One Huge Advantage

September 12, 2017September 12, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

(Roscoe the dog asking, “can I come too?”)

“That’s all you have?” The crew member was clearly puzzled when I checked-in for my Boston to Bali adventure. Yes indeed. All I had was a small day pack and a larger convertible backpack: one item for under the seat and another for the overhead compartment. This was in the dawn of prehistory when hardly any airlines charged for checked bags. “And you’ll be gone how long?” Two and a half weeks. But it could have been two and a half months. Her expression grew more perplexed. “How?”

BEGINNER FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS TIPS AND TRICKS TRAVEL HACKING

5 Other Travel Hacking Tools of Note

September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

In another post, we explored hotel search tools for travel hacking. In the present, we’ll briefly survey tools and techniques that increase and enhance your free travel skill-set; including five travel hacking tools of note. Note well and enjoy.

BEGINNER CREDIT CARDS FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS

Top 3 Mile & Points Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

September 8, 2017September 8, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

(Kapu means “forbidden” in Hawaiian)

Nearly all of us have made regrettable points mistakes early on, and not so early on, in this hobby. Such is the case generally in life, right? “If only I knew then what I know now.” Or, “I should have known better.” Here’s a list of the top 3 frequent flyer mile and points mistakes and how to prevent them. Each could have its own post, so we’ll just hit the highlights.

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Is St. Pete pointing the way to free travel?

FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS

Credit Card Signup Bonuses: The Key to Free Travel. A Beginner’s Guide, Part III

September 4, 2017September 6, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

In part I and part II, we learned how credit card sign up bonuses play a significant role in traveling free (or nearly so). In this third installment, we’ll explore an action plan to get started: which credit cards should a beginner go for first? If you’re new and haven’t already, please read parts I and II. Although there may be overlapping information, we assume knowledge from those posts. Less new but things still not making sense? Follow the Roman Numerals enumerated above.

Roving sunlight from the Oculus at Rome's Pantheon. Praise be to United Mileage Plus points for getting us there.

BEGINNER CREDIT CARDS FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS

Credit Card Signup Bonuses: The Key to Free Travel. A Beginner’s Guide, Part II

September 1, 2017September 14, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

In Credit Card Signup Bonuses: The Key to Free Travel. A Beginner’s Guide, Part I, we discussed:

Truly free travel vs. “OMG, I’m Living My Dreams!” heavily subsidized travel
What the frequent flyer mile points game is about
Who should play it and who shouldn’t
The 5 chief types of credit cards used in The Hobby
Some variations on those credit cards and how to multiply your points take
What to put on credit cards–not cutesy little butterfly stickers…

In this second installment, we resume our Beginner’s Journey by adding actionable credit card signup bonus travel intelligence; answering the question “How do I really get started?” We also serve up a large heaping of Things You Just Need To Know to your fine self. Let’s do this thing.

Roscoe staying free on hotel points at the Country Inn & Suites Asheville Westgate; acting like he owns the place

FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS HOTEL POINTS

Hotel Points Eclipsed Cash in Asheville, NC: Club Carlson to the Rescue!

September 1, 2017September 5, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

Two prescient friends of ours booked hotels with cash a year before the total solar eclipse. Friends don’t let friends pay cash (for hotels or flights)–but we’re working on them with the hotel points thing. The prescience was, being astronomy nerds, they suspected prices would grow more outlandish as media hype intensified. Booking by phone many moons prior, a puzzled local hotel manager asked why they were making reservations so early. “The eclipse,” they responded. “Huh,” must have been the response. #RevenueManagementFail.

BEGINNER CREDIT CARDS FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS

Credit Card Signup Bonuses: The Key to Free Travel. A Beginner’s Guide, Part I

August 30, 2017September 14, 2017 Dana 2 Comments

“The only thing I’ve ever gotten free was 10 chicken wings,” joked a co-worker of mine. The conversation had been about another of my nearly free trips. To where I don’t recall: Hawaii, Rome, Paris, a Greek Isles cruise. Didn’t matter. What did was the notion that nearly anyone could do what I’d done: travel the world practically free through strategically planned credit card signup bonuses.

HILTON HOTELS HYATT IHG MARRIOTT TRAVEL HACKING

Welcome Gifts Gallery from Hotel Room Special Requests

August 25, 2017September 1, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

As promised in blog post “Dear Hotel Manager: Email Your Way to Free Room Upgrades and Welcome Gifts“, here’s a gallery of various welcome gifts we’ve received in our travels. Undoubtedly, we’ve forgotten to photograph some of them along the way. So think of this as a Selection. Looking forward to seeing what hotels will gift us this September on our Anniversary trip to Japan; the Japanese being famous for gorgeous food presentation.

Complimentary birthday welcome gifts from the Hilton Waikaloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii

FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HOTEL POINTS HOTEL POINTS HYATT TRAVEL HACKING WYNDHAM

Hotel Room Upgrade Success Stories: 4 Video Walkthroughs

August 25, 2017September 5, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

In a previous post, we learned how to email hotel managers for free hotel room upgrades. Here, I’ll share some success stories. The point? I want to inspire you to do the same. Then you’ll have success stories of your own to share: with friends, family, colleagues, and, if you’ll have us, My Points Blog. Do so in the comments section below or reach out to us via the Contact page. No textual Deep Dives here–just plenty of eye candy sorted by year. Enjoy. Or try to. Please excuse the poor videography in advance.

Complimentary birthday welcome gift at the Andaz Maui

HOTELS TRAVEL HACKING

Dear Hotel Manager: Email Your Way to Free Room Upgrades and Welcome Gifts

August 24, 2017September 5, 2017 Dana 0 Comments

Gimme dat! “Say please first,” your mom always said. Mom’s right. Asking for something nicely like free room upgrades, spa access, and welcome gifts greatly increases your probability of success with a hotel manager. And as some wise person once declared: “half of life is in the asking.” Further, giving a good reason why your wish should be granted tilts the playing field in your favor.

Put these concepts into practice by writing friendly, concise, and specific emails to hotel managers and I predict Great and Wondrous Things shall be granted to you. Sometimes it’s better to receive than give. However, if you show good character, courtesy, and respect in a hotel manager email for a special room request, you’re in a sense giving kindness. And Kindness is King. From my perspective specifically, a King Corner Suite, Top Floor with lounge access. 🙂 Join me as we learn how to soft-sell our way into hotel perks typically reserved for Elites.