Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

Travel hackers have more choices than ever when it comes to which points or miles currency to use when making an award booking. In many cases, the most obvious choice isn’t always the most economical.

For example, if you wanted to book a flight within the U.S., you first choice may be to use the miles of a domestic airline. However, it may be possible to pay a lower number of miles by booking that same flight via the award chart of an international partner. In all cases, you will want to compare the value of mileage redemption to the redemption rates available for fixed value currencies.

World travel can seem daunting. After all, there are many places to go, a lot of preparations to make, and some uncertainty about what you’ll find once you reach your destination. Fortunately, there are tools online to help ease both your burden and your anxiety about traveling abroad. We found one called YouCouldTravel.

Imagine traveling the world, exploring exotic locations, immersing yourself in extraordinary cultures, and meeting new exciting people, all while earning a living. Sounds like a dream, right? Fortunately, it’s one that can become your reality—even if you’re not a travel blogger or adventure photographer—with the help of Upwork, a web-based platform designed to connect freelancers with companies and the contract jobs they need to fill.

Beware of fuel surcharges when booking a flight, whether you are using miles or cash. The practice of imposing fuel surcharges blossomed around 2004 when world oil prices spiked. But they can vary greatly from one carrier to the next, even on carriers flying the same route with the same aircraft.

If you think you’re the only person in your circle of friends who has not been on a cruise, think again. According to Cruiseline.com founder, Faraz Qureshi, “In North America, 85% of people have never been on a cruise.” Qureshi gets that statistic from the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA).

The fact that only 1 in 5 people in the U.S. and Canada have ever taken a cruise is one of the leading reasons Qureshi created Cruiseline.com in the first place.

Imagine that you’re out in a new city—let’s say New York—and you want to go where the local residents are going, such as an event that they are recommending to each other. Alban Sayag had that same wish, and built a solution that generates hyper-local recommendations on the fly.

Being able to cash in your miles and points for an award flight is a great feeling. Even better? Getting an incredible deal. The key to redeeming fewer miles is to take advantage of sweet spots found on award charts to book flights for great prices compared to what else is out there.

In the fast-paced world of education, people young and old find a variety of methods to help them conquer workloads and advance in their studies. In the 21st century, they don’t have to feel alone while doing it.

Figuring out the best time to buy an airline ticket is often one of the most vexing parts of planning a trip. Wait until the last minute and the airfare skyrockets. Book too early and you may spend more than you should as well.

So what’s the best approach? As it turns out, it’s somewhere in between those two extremes.

Between Portland’s exploding culinary scene, the recent recognition of the Willamette Valley as one of the world’s best wine regions, and the soon to open Oregon Timber Trail for mountain bikers that was inspired by the iconic Pacific Crest Trail, Oregon seems to be maturing into a new level of sexy as a travel destination.

Even though Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top wine destinations for 2017 only included two wineries in the United States, you don’t have to go overseas to do some quality wine tasting and sightseeing.

With so many new and exciting developments throughout this country – from Napa’s many trendy and stylish new tasting rooms and cutting edge restaurants to the much buzzed about Finger Lakes and Texas Hill Country wine regions – it isn’t necessary to travel half-way around the world to have a memorable wine themed vacation.

Are you ready to apply for a new rewards credit card? But maybe you’re not sure which one you’ll qualify for? We’ve taken a look at the major travel cards on the market and figured out the credit scores you’ll need to get them.

Maybe it’s the Justin Trudeau factor.

Maybe it’s the drop in the value of the Canadian dollar, as compared to other currencies. Or perhaps it’s the fact that Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, an occasion that brings with it all sorts of special events, festivities and fanfare.

H&R Block tax experts are prepared to meet the needs of clients both in the U.S. and abroad. With a few simple steps and information literally at a user’s fingertips, H&R Block can help anyone complete their taxes, whether they live right down the street from one of their offices, or thousands of miles away.

United is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Delta is a partner of American Express Membership Rewards, but you won’t find American Airlines in the transfer partners list of major credit card rewards programs. That, however, doesn’t mean you can’t fly American using the points from these programs and Citi’s ThankYou program.

Do you dread searching the Internet for flights, hotels and rental cars? Do you long for the days when real, live travel agents were plentiful and available to help you plan the details of any trip—not just book a cruise or European tour?

Are you ready to get back to doing what you do best—i.e. meeting with clients, developing your latest product, or otherwise building your business—and turn your travel arrangements over to an expert?

Do you want to enjoy all the benefits of elite status at your favorite hotel including complimentary room upgrades, discounts, club access and more? There are a number of ways you can earn status quickly.

Long, frustrating commutes. Cramped cubicles within windowless rooms. Mind-numbing tasks requiring little if any face-to-face interaction with others. These statements describe the day-to-day office experience for many professionals. Unless, that is, they have the option to telecommute.

It’s always a unique story when a global company is founded by friends with a double-decker bus and a passion for adventure. It’s even more remarkable when that thirst for exploration results in a company that promotes travel on multiple continents.

Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the most valuable credit card rewards programs available today. Chase offers several business and personal credit cards that allow you to earn these points, which can be redeemed directly for travel reservations using the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel center. But the best feature of this program is the ability to transfer points to miles in seven different frequent flyer programs and four hotel programs.