Once you’ve learned a bit about redeeming frequent flyer miles, this thought will probably cross your mind:“What if I just buy miles at a discount?” While it would still be out of pocket, you’d essentially pay less for that plane ticket especially when booking a long-haul international flight in a premium cabin. So, is buying miles an effective strategy for the frequent flyer? Let’s dive in and find out.

You may have never heard of Mons, Belgium, but that’s about to change. The latest CNN report on top travel destinations puts it in the spotlight as one of the prime places to visit in 2015, and for a good reason.

Bolivia was once largely cut off to travelers due to endless transportation strikes and general dysfunction. But that’s changed, and thanks in part to recent investments in tourist-friendly infrastructure it’s number eight on the New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2015.

There are two traits needed  if you want to excel at booking free airline award tickets and hotel rooms on points. The first is the knack for planning in advance sometimes up to an entire year. The second trait is the opposite: the flexibility to take advantage of spur-of-the-moment opportunities like booking a trip at the last minute within weeks or even days of departure.

Ever since American Airlines has come out of bankruptcy, they can’t stop talking about the new American. New planes! New amenities! And now: a host of new routes, hubs, and aircraft courtesy of the American Airlines-US Airways merger.

American Airlines does not allow stopovers on domestic award tickets, but does permit them for international travel. I live on the west coast and often use the rule to my advantage to squeeze in a stopover on the way to a foreign destination or to book one leg of a bonus trip on the way back from overseas travel.