Ian Snyder Latest Posts

One little-known feature of American Express Membership Rewards is its Upgrade with Points option. Rather than deal with airline miles, you can book a ticket and make an upgrade offer directly through Amex. Although this might sound great, the value you get isn't as good as many other uses of Amex points. Here's how the feature works if you want to use it before it ends on December 3, 2023.

American Express allows cardmembers to refer their Amex cards for bonus points, miles, or cash back. This is an excellent way to boost your balances. While the number of points you can earn through Amex referral bonuses is capped each year, the counter does reset. In this post, we take a deep dive into Amex referral bonuses, how they work, and how to generate links to send to family and friends.

Deciding whether the Chase Sapphire Reserve®⁠ is worth its annual fee can be a complicated decision. In short, the answer will vary depending on your circumstances. The Sapphire Reserve⁠ has an annual fee of $550, but it also comes with an impressive array of benefits. Let's take a look at the value of these perks to help you decide.

Achieving United Premier status requires you to earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP), the primary metric United uses. It's a measurement of how much you spend with the airline. However, there are some creative ways to earn Premier Qualifying Points through booking partner flights. You often can out-earn the same itinerary on partner bookings. Let us show you how.

With highly valuable miles, a strong elite program, and unique partnerships with global airlines, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the best U.S. airline loyalty programs. Here, we provide a complete guide to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, including how to earn and redeem miles, the ins and outs of elite status, and the best Alaska Mileage Plan redemption options.

With over 6,200 properties in nearly 100 countries around the world, IHG hotels are ubiquitous. Thanks to generous promotions, reasonable award rates, and a great credit card portfolio, IHG One Rewards is a favorite hotel loyalty program for many. In this post, we cover everything you need to know about the program — from how to earn and redeem points to program features and elite status.

Finding award availability can be a challenge on its own, but knowing how far in advance award space becomes available and which miles can book at what time can make things even more confusing. We address all that here, including strategies to maximize the likelihood of snagging the seat you want. The booking window for all major carriers' loyalty programs is included.

With a strong elite program, great industry reputation, and excellent global network of partner airlines, Delta SkyMiles is a popular U.S. airline loyalty program. Here, we provide a complete guide to Delta SkyMiles, including how to earn and redeem miles, the ins and outs of Medallion status, and the best redemption opportunities.

Interested in learning more about program features, elite status, and how to earn and redeem points through World of Hyatt? Thanks to a great award chart, excellent elite benefits, and great credit cards, World of Hyatt is one of the best hotel loyalty programs.

United's MileagePlus program is one of the most accessible and rewarding frequent-flyer programs. Although we've seen significant changes in recent years, MileagePlus retains its core value for members. In this guide, we'll cover how to earn United miles, the best ways to redeem them, and how to make the most of MileagePlus Premier elite status.