Now that’s a controversial take for you! As is the case with all families, it’s a matter of when and not if an unexpected emergency bill eventually comes our way. Unfortunately, we’ve had quite a few of those in the last six months. Both of our cars broke down and...

This past holiday season, I was gifted some new-to-me travel gadgets. I had the opportunity to try them out on my recent trip to Portugal. Two were a hit, one was a miss. Note: I am not affiliated with Amazon or these products.   Scrubba Portable Wash Bag We packed...

On our way home from Portugal, we had a 3-hour layover in Madrid. Since we were flying in Premium Economy and Economy, we did not have lounge privileges through our tickets. We decided to use our Priority Pass memberships (from our Capital One Venture X cards) to enter Neptuno Lounge. Location...

I am NOT a fan of connecting flights. When you have two or more flight segments, there are more chances for things to go wrong. Weather delays, lost baggage, etc… I’d much rather book a nonstop flight to reduce the risk of travel hiccups. However, I also love a good...

It’s been a little over two years since I first stepped into the Capital One Lounge at DFW and fell in love. Yes, I fell in love with the lounge experience. The comfortable chairs, the food, the uncrowded space in a crowded airport…all of it. You can see my original...

Earlier this month, when my family flew back home from Portugal, I had the opportunity to try Iberia Premium Economy seats from MAD (Madrid) to DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth). This flight runs almost 11 hours long, and I was really happy that I was sitting in Premium Economy rather than in...

Southwest Airlines Extends Flight Schedule through January 6, 2025: If you’ve been waiting to book a holiday flight on Southwest, the schedule is now open! United MileagePlus’ New Miles Pooling Feature: United just rolled out a new Miles Pooling option for up to five people in your friend/family group. I...

On our recent trip to Portugal, my daughter and I flew on TAP Air Portugal in business class from Chicago (ORD) to Lisbon (LIS). I booked our flights through Air Canada’s Aeroplan program for 60,000 miles each (see this post). I don’t have a lot of business class flights to...

Today, Wells Fargo launched the new Autograph Journey card online. While this has been available in bank branch locations for a few weeks, today marks the first day it’s available for online applications. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card (non-affiliate link) currently has a welcome bonus...

When I make plans to visit my family in Belarus, I usually book our flights as soon as award tickets become available. Unfortunately, due to ongoing war in Ukraine, this has become impossible. To be sure, I’m not complaining, as at least my relatives are not in Ukraine having to...

Before my daughter and I jetted off to Portugal, we spent two nights in Chicago at Pendry Chicago. I typically use points to stay at Hyatt, IHG, Marriott or Hilton properties. But, when a deal came up a few months ago for $200 off Capital One Premier Collection Hotels (see...

I’m in the process of catching up on some miles and points news that I missed last week while I was in Europe. One of the biggest stories is about transfer partner changes with Bilt Rewards. Since I just got the Bilt Rewards Mastercard last month, I’m paying attention to...

My family just returned from our spring break trip to Portugal that we booked using miles and points. We spent time in Lisbon, Nazaré, Leiria, Óbidos and Sintra. Overall, we had a fabulous time in Portugal! I plan to write separate posts on our flights, hotels and activities. But first,...

As first flagged by OMAAT blog, Virgin Atlantic is currently having a 50% off sale on all awards for routes between the United States and UK. Only Virgin Atlantic flights (not the ones operated by partners) qualify, and the sale is valid through June 30th 2024. You have to book...