Ryan Smith Latest Posts

Former Senior Editor
Distance Traveled in 2025
Visited in 2025

Ryan is a writer and editor who first wrote for AwardWallet team in 2021 but has been around points and miles for several years. He has written at Forbes Advisor, CNBC Select, Miles to Memories, The Points Guy, and USA Today Blueprint.

After someone at his hostel in China said “I flew here for free using points,” Ryan was hooked. In December 2023, he finished his goal of visiting every country and now plans to return to those that merit another visit.

His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether all of this is illegal.

100k+ Welcome Bonuses: The Biggest Credit Card Offers Right Now

Big welcome bonuses can supercharge your travel rewards — and this post rounds up the best offers currently available, each offering 100,000 points or more. Whether you're eyeing flexible points, airline miles, or hotel rewards, these standout deals could be your ticket to a luxury trip or bucket-list experience. Bookmark this page to stay updated on the biggest bonuses in the market.

Get a 20% Bonus on Transfers From Chase Ultimate Rewards to Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Want to stretch the value of your hard-earned Chase Ultimate Rewards points? Through September 30, 2025, you can bank 1,200 Flying Blue miles for every 1,000 Chase points you transfer, which amounts to a 20% bonus. While 20% may seem minimal, you can leverage this transfer bonus to score some amazing deals on award travel — including business class awards to Europe from 50k Chase points or business class to Asia from just 53k Chase points!

Earn up to 200,000 Points or Two Free Nights Plus 40,000 Points With IHG Credit Card Offers

Chase just launched three great welcome offers on the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, and the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. These bonuses can provide up to 200,000 points or two free nights plus 40,000 points. But should you add one to your wallet? And what do these cards offer beyond great bonuses?

Hyatt’s Partnership With Mr & Mrs Smith: Perks You’ll Get & Point Redemptions at 1,000+ Integrated Hotels

Hyatt has integrated over 1,000 Mr & Mrs Smith hotels into the World of Hyatt program. You can now earn and redeem Hyatt points at boutique luxury properties around the globe, including some in locations where Hyatt previously had no presence. Here’s what to know about elite perks (or the lack thereof), how dynamic pricing works, and what to expect when booking these unique properties.

Free FoundersCard Membership for CLEAR Plus Members – Here’s How to Claim This Offer

It's not every day that I check my email and find a free one-year trial of something that normally costs a few hundred dollars. But that's the magic happening today. CLEAR Plus members are receiving emails to activate a free one-year trial membership for FoundersCard, the travel-meets-business luxury card that normally carries a steep membership fee. What is FoundersCard, and how do you enroll for the free 12 months of it? Read on.