Every year, the TPG Awards honor excellence in credit cards, loyalty programs and travel. Please click here to read more about our winner selection process and methodology for the 2024 TPG Awards.

Hyatt Globalist status is among the best hotel elite statuses you can earn. Many travelers — myself included — would argue it is the absolute best and prioritize requalifying for Hyatt Globalist status each year.

Hyatt Globalist won the Best Hotel Elite Status award at the 2024 TPG Awards due to its valuable perks, including waived resort fees, free parking on award nights, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout at most properties and an assortment of other benefits like Guest of Honor certificates that you can choose through the Hyatt Milestone Rewards program.

However, qualifying for World of Hyatt Globalist status isn’t easy, as you need 60 tier qualifying nights or 100,000 base points per calendar year. There aren’t many shortcuts, but I’ll discuss three primary ways to earn Hyatt Globalist status in this guide.

Hyatt tier qualifying nights

As mentioned above, you can get Hyatt Globalist status by staying 60 tier qualifying nights with Hyatt during a calendar year. Specifically, you’ll earn Globalist status through February of the second calendar year following qualification.

Hyatt defines “tier qualifying nights” as when you stay at a hotel or resort, pay an eligible rate or redeem a free night award and associate your membership number with the reservation. However, the free night won’t count toward your tier qualifying nights if you book a promotional rate that gives a free night — such as a “stay four nights and get a fifth-night free” rate. Likewise, if your stay is settled to a group master account, you won’t earn tier qualifying nights.

You could stay with Hyatt for 60 tier qualifying nights within a calendar year to obtain Hyatt Globalist status. If these nights were each at off-peak Hyatt Category 1 hotels, you could snag Globalist status for just 210,000 Hyatt points each calendar year. Likewise, paying an average of $150 per night could get you Hyatt Globalist status for $9,000 each calendar year.

But, as I’ll discuss in the following subsections, there are ways to decrease the number of nights you must stay with Hyatt each year if you want to qualify for Globalist status via tier qualifying nights.

Related:?How much value does World of Hyatt status provide when you book directly?

Double elite night promotions

Hyatt occasionally offers promotions that let you earn twice as many tier qualifying nights. For example, Hyatt members could earn twice as many tier qualifying night credits at Thompson and Dream hotels in early to mid-2024. Hyatt also targeted some members — including TPG director Andrea Rotondo — with an offer to earn double elite qualifying nights on up to 10 nights at any Hyatt property earlier this year.

If you think you’ll otherwise fall short of the 60-night requirement for Hyatt Globalist status, it can be worth rearranging your travel schedule to maximize a double elite night promotion.

Related:?How I leveraged Hyatt’s double elite nights promo to cinch Globalist status

Spend on Hyatt credit cards

If you want to get Hyatt Globalist status, consider adding a World of Hyatt card to your wallet. These cards let you earn Hyatt points on purchases and provide various benefits to Hyatt loyalists. They also let you earn tier qualifying nights.

With the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you’ll get five tier qualifying night credits every calendar year. Plus, you’ll earn two additional tier qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000 on your card. (You’ll get these nights credited to the calendar year the spend occurred.) As such, you could spend $140,000 on your World of Hyatt card each calendar year to get Hyatt Globalist status.

Meanwhile, the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card doesn’t automatically give you any tier qualifying night credits. However, you’ll earn five tier qualifying night credits for every $10,000 in purchases each calendar year. As such, you could spend $120,000 on your World of Hyatt Business card each calendar year and maintain Hyatt Globalist status without any stays.

However, as I’ll discuss later in this guide, very few Hyatt loyalists will get Globalist status solely from credit card spending. Instead, most Hyatt loyalists will earn tier qualifying nights through a combination of methods.

Related:?Why the World of Hyatt credit card is great for family travelers

Gift Guest of Honor awards

In late 2023, World of Hyatt announced changes to how its popular Guest of Honor benefit works. Now, Hyatt members can earn Guest of Honor awards through the Hyatt Milestone Rewards program, and lifetime Globalist members get five Guest of Honor awards annually.

Hyatt members who gift a Guest of Honor award to another member now earn one tier qualifying night credit when the stay for which the Guest of Honor award was applied is completed. So, gifting Guest of Honor awards is now a way to earn a few tier qualifying nights each calendar year.

Related:?How and why you should maximize your hotel stays by using multiple loyalty programs

Spend with Hyatt to earn status

You’ll also qualify for Hyatt Globalist status any calendar year in which you accrue 100,000 base points. You’ll earn lifetime Globalist status once you accrue 1,000,000 base points over your lifetime.

Base points are different from bonus points. In particular, you’ll only earn base points on eligible rates, eligible incidental charges and eligible nonstay charges at Hyatt properties. Specifically, on these eligible expenses, you’ll earn 2.5 base points per dollar spent at Hyatt Studios hotels, 5 base points per dollar spent at other Hyatt properties and 10 base points per dollar spent on Find experiences.

You can earn base points on up to three rooms per night. However, you must pay an eligible rate for all the rooms and occupy at least one of them, and the rooms must all be within the same hotel or resort.

To get Hyatt Globalist status, you could spend $20,000 on eligible expenses at Hyatt properties that aren’t Hyatt Studios hotels each calendar year. This spending could occur on one short but ultraluxurious stay or across many practical stays throughout the year.

Related: Best Hyatt hotels in the world

Hyatt status match

World of Hyatt doesn’t usually offer public status match offers. However, in 2023, we saw a 90-day World of Hyatt trial and challenge for Bilt Rewards members that made it possible to get Globalist status after just 20 nights.

Meanwhile, American Airlines AAdvantage elite members got a Hyatt status challenge offer earlier this year through the AAdvantage and World of Hyatt partnership. Concierge Key members also get Globalist status once they link their AAdvantage and Hyatt accounts.

If you’re looking for a shortcut to World of Hyatt status, it may be worth linking your AAdvantage and Hyatt accounts and participating in the Bilt Rewards program since we’ve seen previous opportunities via these programs.

Related:?What are hotel and airline status matches, and how do you get one?

Decide how you will get Hyatt Globalist status

Unfortunately, there’s no way to earn Hyatt Globalist status via a mixture of base points and tier qualifying nights. So, you’ll want to consider early each year whether you plan to get Hyatt Globalist status via tier qualifying nights or base points.

If you plan to qualify via base points, you’ll want to focus on paid Hyatt stays at eligible rates. You’ll also want to ensure you charge all eligible expenses to your room to maximize the number of base points you earn. You may also want to book some paid Find experiences.

But if you plan to get Hyatt Globalist status via tier qualifying nights, you’ll likely want to earn these nights through a combination of methods. For example, I requalified for Hyatt Globalist status this year with the following:

• Forty-seven tier qualifying nights from stays at Hyatt hotels and resorts
• Five tier qualifying nights as a World of Hyatt Credit Card holder
• Six tier qualifying nights by spending $15,000 on my World of Hyatt Credit Card
• Two tier qualifying nights from gifting Guest of Honor awards

Out of my 47 tier qualifying nights, I paid $2,445 for 15 nights, used free night certificates for six nights and redeemed 367,000 points for the other 26 nights. I’ve earned most of my Hyatt points through spending on my Hyatt credit card, utilizing Hyatt promotions and transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt.

Related:?Why I aim to spend $15K on my World of Hyatt Credit Card each year

Bottom line

Hyatt Globalist status is valuable due to the perks it provides on stays. However, the status’ required 60 tier qualifying nights or 100,000 base points can be difficult for loyalists to earn each calendar year — especially since the shortcuts for these requirements are minimal. But, with some planning and the World of Hyatt Credit Card or the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card in your wallet, the requirements for Hyatt Globalist can become more attainable.

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

Like many things in the past two years (and counting), securing access to expedited airport security programs like Global Entry has resulted in long wait times among users, creating yet another travel-related pandemic casualty.

As previously reported, delays in processing applications for both new applicants and renewals for Global Entry had become the norm. While TSA PreCheck applicants can be approved in as little as a week thanks to the 400-plus enrollment centers across the country, there are far fewer locations for Global Entry enrollment, fueling a large backlog exacerbated by lack of appointment availability due to COVID-19-closures.

Perhaps due to time, luck or a combination of both, TPG readers have recently begun receiving their Global Entry in a timely fashion, some as soon as the next day after submitting their application.

Faster turnaround time for Global Entry applications

Nearly 200 TPG readers responded to a request in the TPG Lounge on Facebook and on Instagram sharing their experiences related to applying for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck and Nexus, three of the five government-operated Trusted Traveler Programs I’ve written about extensively.

Of the Global Entry applicants that responded, most said their applications were approved in 24-48 hours, some in as little as an hour, while those who waited longer still heard back within three weeks.

One TPG reader (and a friend of mine), Bre Revell, was pleasantly surprised to renew her Global Entry for another five years in less than 48 hours as she had anticipated traveling without it for at least a bit.

Depending on when you last applied for a TTP, you may have to create a new account to submit an application as the website to do so has changed. I’ll briefly outline how she navigated those steps below, which are also applicable to first-time applicants.

Read more: Answering your questions about TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear

How Bre renewed her Global Entry online

Since I first joined Global Entry before the new Trusted Traveler Program website was launched, I had to create a Login.gov account before I could proceed with the application.

For the renewal, you need your passport and driver’s license information. You also have to include your full address and employment history since your last application. For most people, that’s probably a quicker process than a wandering millennial like myself.

On Friday evening, Jan. 7, Bre went to the Department of Homeland Security’s TTP website to create a new Login.gov account since previous accounts no longer work for the process.

She created an account by entering her email address and language preference.

Next, she clicked “Submit,” which directed her to a home page with a personalized dashboard detailing notifications, applications in progress and program memberships, under which she found Global Entry. Since Bre was renewing her Global Entry, she clicked “renew.”

After submitting her application, she received a notice that it was “pending review” and a message warning of a “significant increase in application volume.” Don’t be discouraged though.

Read more: Round 2: Answering more questions about TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear

Bre went about her weekend only to receive approval on Sunday morning, approximately 40 hours later.

Related: Round 3: Answering more questions about TSA PreCheck and Global Entry

Schedule an online appointment if necessary

When renewing TTPs, an interview may or may not be required.

“This is determined by the vetting center,” says Customs and Border Patrol. “Once you submit your renewal application and fee, and your application is processed, check your TTP account periodically for updates on what actions are necessary to complete the renewal process.”

This was the case for Bre, who is now waiting for her card in the mail.

If you are told to schedule an interview, note that CBP has extended the grace period due to the increased volume of applications from 18 months after the expiration date to 24 months if you have applied for renewal.

“I didn’t remember this from last time, but you have to check back to see once the application has been conditionally approved before you can try to schedule your interview,” she said, while also noting that she set a recurring reminder on her phone to check back so she didn’t forget.

Depending on where you live, you might still face a lack of timely appointments at your nearest renewal center. Consider “Enrollment upon Arrival,” which allows online candidates who have received conditional approval to set up an in-person appointment upon returning home from abroad at select U.S. airports.

Read more: More answers about the French health pass and trusted traveler programs

Use a credit card for reimbursement

Thanks to the knowledge amassed as a TPG reader, Bre used a credit card for her application that offered a $100 reimbursement for application fees.

“Make sure to use the credit card with the traveler benefit,” said Bre. “I used my Chase Sapphire Reserve because I get up to $100 credit reimbursement every four years for Global Entry.”

Many credit cards offer fee credits every four or five years for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck when the card is used to pay for membership (worth up to $100). Just make sure the application fee is charged to one of the cards below:

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card.
• Bank of America? Premium Rewards? credit card.
• Citi? / AAdvantage? Executive World Elite Mastercard? (see rates and fees).
• The Platinum Card? from American Express.
• The Business Platinum Card? from American Express.
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.

The credit should be automatically applied to your next statement.

Bottom line

A few readers have been unable to schedule interviews in their areas or are still waiting to hear back about their applications.

Overall though, it seems that applications are back to being processed in a more timely manner, which is good news for travelers across the board.

Related: Learn from my experience: How to avoid a 7-week passport renewal saga

Featured photo by beijingstory via Getty Images.

Today I want to share a story from TPG reader Jennifer Croce, who used points and miles to book a trip to Spain and Portugal with her mother and godmother to celebrate their retirements next fall. They calculated that they’ll be getting over $23,000 in value from their rewards!

We will be using primarily Delta and Marriott Bonvoy points. We will be using ~300k Delta points, a good chunk of which came from my Delta Reserve bonus, to cover about $15k in airfare, making the points worth just over $.05 each. We found that all flights from our area connect through Atlanta, and the point redemption was about half of any other airport within 2 hours at one specific small airport (98k points for Premier Select vs 160k-200k at all other airports, including direct from ATL). 
 
We will then use 440k Bonvoy points to cover our hotels for 11 nights, which should be approximately $8k, so only $.02/point, but that also isn’t factoring in any Suite Nights or other upgrades that I have available with my Titanium status and certificates. Many of the Bonvoy points are also from our Bonvoy Brilliant Amex. 
 
We will also be using Enterprise points for our car rental, but that is pretty minimal. 

Jennifer shared that they’ll be flying out of Brunswick, GA (BQK) and staying in hotels like the Le Méridien Barcelona, The Westin Palace Madrid, Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza in Seville and the Sheraton Lisboa.

Jennifer’s booking strategy

Jennifer’s story highlights several award travel strategies. First, Jennifer was flexible with her departure airport. She shared that she searched for flights out of Brunswick (BQK), Jacksonville (JAX), Orlando (MCO) and Atlanta (ATL). But, she found that starting in Brunswick was significantly cheaper than the other cities. Although she didn’t need one, this serves as a great reminder to consider positioning flights if you live in a more rural area.

She ultimately got about five cents in value per Delta SkyMile, well above TPG’s valuation of 1.41 cents apiece. Although premium-cabin awards on Delta-operated flights often don’t get the most bang for your miles, it was worth it in this case. So, always compare all your booking options.

Related: Everything you need to know about maximizing Delta SkyMiles award tickets

Now, you might argue that $5,000 for a premium economy ticket to Europe sounds high, and I’d agree. However, even if the tickets cost $2,000 apiece (what premium economy flights to Europe normally go for), Jennifer would have still gotten over two cents in value per mile, which is great.

It’s also important to point out that Jennifer was able to book three award tickets at this rate. If she would’ve booked through a partner like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, she might’ve been able to save some miles but she likely wouldn’t have found three award seats on the same flight. When booking through a program with dynamic pricing like Delta SkyMiles, there usually aren’t any capacity controls.

Related: 12 tips for using frequent flyer miles for family travel

Next, Jennifer redeemed 440,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 11 award nights across several Marriott properties, again yielding a value above TPG’s valuations. She strategically picked brands where she’d be able to maximize her Titanium Elite status benefits like free breakfast and Suite Night Awards. For instance, for the nights in Lisbon, she was torn between the Sheraton Lisboa and Memmo Príncipe Real, a Design Hotel. However, she wouldn’t have been able to redeem Suite Night Awards or get complimentary breakfast at the latter as Design Hotels don’t offer these benefits.

Had Jennifer been spending more time in each city, she would have been able to stretch the value of her points even further by taking advantage of Marriott’s fifth-night free perk.

Related: TPG readers reveal their favorite points hotels in Europe

How Jennifer earned her rewards

Jennifer explained that she earned most of her points and miles through credit card welcome offers. To boost her Delta SkyMiles balance, she picked up the Delta SkyMiles? Reserve American Express Card, which is currently offering new cardholders a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.

Meanwhile, Jennifer earned a large chunk of Marriott Bonvoy points through the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card. It’s currently offering a welcome offer of 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the card in your first six months. Among the cards’ benefits are 25 elite-qualifying night credits per year, which helped Jennifer fast-track her way toward the next Elite status.

That said, there still are ways to earn points and miles without traveling or signing up for a new credit card. For instance, you can earn rewards by shopping through an online portal or participating in a dining rewards program. It could also make sense to buy points and miles in some cases.

Related: How to choose the right credit card for you

We love this story and want to hear more like it! Please email your own award travel success stories to [email protected]; be sure to include details about how you earned and redeemed your rewards, and put “Reader Success Story” in the subject line. Feel free to also submit your most woeful travel mistakes.

And if you haven’t already, make sure you join the TPG Women Facebook group, a safe space exclusively for women to ask questions about all things travel, with an emphasis on points and miles. In this group, women share tips for safe solo travel, discuss how to maximize travel rewards and get the opportunity to network with fellow women travelers.

Featured photo by Lucia Romero Herranz/EyeEm/Getty Images.

Here at The Points Guy, we’re consistently looking for ways to maximize our travel rewards. Whether it’s for premium-class flights or luxury hotel rooms, the world of points and miles can unlock some fantastic experiences and value — especially if you create an effective strategy for earning those points and miles.

Of course, the last 18 months have created some notable difficulties in traveling for many readers, who instead prioritized the earning side of the equation in hopes of hitting the road again in the future.

Today, as part of our series of reader submissions here at the 2021 TPG Awards, we want to tell the story of an immunocompromised individual who opted to upgrade her home environment during the pandemic — and earned points for a upcoming getaway.

Read more: Check out our reader stories from Airlines Week and Travel Week

Early days of the pandemic

When the pandemic hit, travel ground to a near standstill, and despite the implementation of mask requirements on U.S. flights in mid-2020, readers with compromised immune systems understandably still weren’t comfortable taking to the skies.

Those were the circumstances facing Marie Edwards, a TPG reader from Frisco, Texas.

“The past year or two have been challenging for obvious reasons,” Marie told TPG. “As an immunocompromised individual, traveling was out of question.”

So instead of hitting the road, Marie opted to lean into home renovations. After all, being mostly stuck around her house didn’t mean she had to feel trapped. And she knew that travel would ultimately be back on the table with the development of COVID-19 vaccines and the eventual end of the pandemic — so she wanted to be ready for when she was able to take trips again.

Upgrading her at-home oasis

Prior to the onset of the pandemic, Marie built a pergola at her house, using her Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card to earn points on the expenses she incurred. At the time, the roof only consisted of slats — so it was essentially unusable during inclement weather. She had purchased furniture through Habitat for Humanity but was forced to cover it when not in use so as to protect it from the elements.

This wasn’t a major concern in normal times, as Marie still had the option to leave her house for a variety of reasons.

And then, COVID-19 arrived.

“Once the pandemic hit and we were pretty much confined to home, the patio became an obvious choice to get out and enjoy fresh air,” she said. “So we took on the chore of upgrading the patio to make it our outdoor oasis.”

She used her Chase Sapphire Reserve to pay for a roof on the pergola, which gave her the ability to ditch the furniture covers. She also opted to add plants to enliven the ambiance (and deter the mosquitos), and redid the fence around the patio to enhance the view. Finally, since the furniture was second-hand, they swiped the card to refinish it — making sure that it would withstand the increased day-to-day use.

The end result? A patio that they can enjoy year round.

“Now, when it rains or snows, we can still sit out and enjoy the outdoors,” Marie said.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review

What about those points?

During her time at home, Marie wanted to bank her points toward future, post-pandemic trips. And that’s exactly what she did with the purchases for the patio renovation.

“Thanks to points obtained from our … patio, we were able to pay for airfare and the pre-cruise hotel for our upcoming trip,” she told us.

Her cruise is a seven-day journey from California down the Mexican Riviera, and she redeemed roughly 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points through the Chase Travel portal for flights. In addition, she used a pair of free-night Marriott certificates from her Bonvoy Brilliant card to cover two nights in San Diego.

She also has another cruise booked for next year — and while she hasn’t confirmed her flights and pre-departure hotel reservations, she’s again planning to put her Chase and Marriott points to use.

Marie’s story is an important lesson about having a strategy when earning rewards. When she was initially building the pergola, she was focused on building up her balance of Marriott points. And even when she knew that travel was out of the question during the pandemic as an immunocompromised individual, she nevertheless recognized that it would eventually return and leveraged her expenses to build her rewards balances up for future trips.

Related: An ultimate guide to the best credit card pairings

It also helps that she did so with a transferable point currency. These programs offer incredible flexibility — whether you want to book your travel directly or transfer the rewards to an airline or hotel loyalty program. And Marie’s choice of Chase Ultimate Rewards points was a solid one, as this program took home this year’s TPG Award for best transferable point currency out there.

Bottom line

Just about everyone’s travel habits were suddenly interrupted the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and for some, it took longer to get back on the road. For Marie, she made the most of her time at home by upgrading her outdoor space, all while saving her Marriott and Chase points for that first post-pandemic getaway.

Now, she can enjoy her patio throughout the year — and put the rewards she earned to great use.

As you look ahead to next year, be sure to consider your own credit card strategy and whether it will successfully get you to your travel goals for 2022.

Featured photo courtesy of Marie Edwards.

Over the last several months, many travelers took to the roads and the skies across the U.S. — some for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. While travel wasn’t fully back to normal (just ask those who faced issues created by the summer surge in demand), it did offer hope for the future as travel restrictions continue to be relaxed around the world.

And many TPG readers took full advantage of this reopening to take some epic trips — with an assist from travel providers.

Today, as part of Travel Week at the 2021 TPG Awards, we’re thrilled to share our second reader story of the awards (you can check out last week’s article right here). Read on to learn how one couple utilized their accumulated points and miles to book (and take) a dream trip to see their favorite team play in the Stanley Cup Finals — after COVID-19 put the breaks on another plan.

Editor’s note: Submission has been edited slightly for clarity.

Honeymoon to Europe foiled

TPG reader Michael Brill and his Canadian wife were set to embark on an April 2020 trip to Europe — their first in international business class — once his wife received her green card. Unfortunately, the arrival of the pandemic put a halt to these plans.

For starters, COVID-19 delayed the immigration process, so Michael and his wife were forced to postpone any travel plans. But more importantly, the border closure between the U.S. and Canada meant that, until his wife’s green card was issued, they would be separated.

In the end, they were apart for a year.

Finally, in March 2021, the green card came through — and the pair was reunited.

Coming up with an alternate plan

By then, certain parts of the world were reopening (a trend that continues today), but Michael and his wife had set their sights on a domestic trip: the Stanley Cup Finals.

“Hockey has always been a big part of our lives. We decided before the NHL playoffs started [that] we’d pivot our Europe trip into a domestic one to realize another dream of both of ours: seeing a Stanley Cup Final game in person … We would use a combination of Chase Ultimate Rewards, Delta SkyMiles and Delta flight vouchers to offset the cost of airfare and hotels, using whatever leftover [Chase] points as cash back to put toward tickets.”

Michael admitted to us that these redemptions didn’t offer the best value on a per-point or per-mile basis. But since it enabled them to realize a lifelong dream — and celebrate the end of a very challenging year — he felt that it was well worth it.

But little did they know that their plans were about to get even more exciting.

The icing on the cake

The 2021 NHL season was modified significantly due to the pandemic. It was reduced to 56 games, and cross-border travel restrictions necessitated realignment of the league’s conferences. There were four divisions, including one (the North) that featured all seven of the teams based in Canada. Ultimately, the top four finishers in each division advanced to the playoffs.

This included the Montreal Canadiens, Michael’s wife’s favorite team — which clinched the fourth (and final) spot from the North Division.

But despite this low seed, the Canadiens stunned the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Winnipeg Jets and the Las Vegas Golden Knights to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

As in, the very event that Michael and his wife had already decided to attend.

He went ahead and redeemed 100,000 Delta miles to book last-minute, round-trip tickets from Buffalo (BUF) to Tampa (TPA), and he burned 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points for a week at a downtown hotel within walking distance of Amalie Arena. Finally, he turned another 80,000 Chase points into $800 — which he put toward tickets to Game 1.

“With all of the savings booking the travel arrangements with points and an additional $800 in cash back, we treated ourselves to Game 1 seats five rows from the ice in the Montreal end of the rink so we could be up close and personal with the game. We even ended up clearly visible on TV where all of our friends and family could see us. We had such a good time that we ended up returning in different seats for Game 2 as well.”

And even though the Canadiens lost both those games (and would ultimately lose the series to the Tampa Bay Lightning), it was still a great way to cap off a difficult year and an extended period of time apart.

“The trip would never have been possible [or] affordable without the points,” Michael said.

Bottom line

Here at TPG, we frequently talk about redeeming points and miles for maximum value. Our monthly valuations reflect that, as the numbers are generally a bit higher than the “average” redemption you can get through each program.

That said, value is in the eye of the beholder, and in Michael’s case, he used his points and miles to unlock a fantastic experience for him and his wife. And after a year of separation, it’s hard to put a price on that.

Featured photo courtesy of Michael Brill

It’s been quite a year for travel. Things started slowly but quickly gained steam, resulting in a sudden summer surge that stressed many facets of the industry. Then the surge of the delta variant led to renewed fears of taking to the skies — and in the midst of it all came operational meltdowns from Spirit, Southwest and (most recently) American.

However, with the ongoing rollout of vaccines across the country and worldwide, many travelers saw this year as a chance to reconnect with loved ones or create new memories after the pandemic severely blunted trip possibilities in 2020. And despite the aforementioned hiccups, many travel brands were front and center in these efforts.

Today, as part of the 2021 TPG Awards, we’re thrilled to kick off a series of reader stories about those companies that helped facilitate memorable travel experiences. And first up — a pair of newly-partnered airlines that stood tall in the eyes of two TPG readers.

Editor’s note: Submissions have been edited slightly for clarity.

First-class upgrades for a deserving couple

The first story comes to us from TPG reader Cheryl Fairfield. Back in 2013, she and her husband took a two-week trip to Aruba — and promptly fell in love with the island. They began visiting annually, getting to know many in the local community.

They “loved on us,” she said, highlighting how the staff in hotels, restaurants and car rental companies took care of them on every trip. And that support made Cheryl want to do more.

“I started collecting school supplies and books to take with us,” she said, but “realized very quickly how heavy those things would be.” And overweight bags translate to added costs.

Related: How to avoid checked baggage fees on major domestic airlines

But here’s where an American Airlines agent saved the day.

When I called [American] to ask the cost to bring them — either in suitcases or boxes — the customer service rep was wonderful. She said, “Let me look at your reservation.” I heard typing in the background, and then she replied, “Well, look at that — you’re in first class, so you each get two 70-pound bags plus a carry-on and your own personal item. Will that cover your weight?”

Cheryl was in tears and expressed her gratitude to the phone agent, who replied, “If you can go and do kindness, we can help you do it.”

In all, Cheryl and her husband were able to take 280 pounds worth of donations down to the community on that trip — including school supplies, books and backpacks. They were given to St. Anna School (as recommended by the agent they befriended at the local car rental company). In fact, when they learned that the school had zero laptops for students, they decided to buy several for classroom use and brought them down on a subsequent visit — earning points on the purchases that can go toward a future trip.

And thanks to the generosity of the phone agent, they’ve remained loyal to American ever since.

Travel flexibility for a college student

In 2020, many U.S. airlines eliminated change and cancellation fees on most tickets. However, there are still exceptions and nuances to these policies. Passengers are often on the hook for fare differences, and these waivers don’t always apply to the cheapest tickets. So while travelers might be able to avoid fees, switching to a different flight isn’t always free.

But this wasn’t the case for TPG reader Adam Czarnik from San Jose, California — thanks to an assist from Alaska Airlines.

Adam is a senior in college and in the process of figuring out post-graduation plans. Seattle was on his shortlist of possible spots to live, but he hadn’t visited the city in almost a decade. So, when he found a great deal on Alaska and coordinated a place to stay with an old friend from high school, he jumped at the chance to check it out.

Related: 5 reasons why Seattle should be your fall vacation destination

After a great few days as a tourist — including early-morning paddleboarding on Lake Washington before logging into his remote summer internship — his friend’s family offered to let him extend his trip to enjoy a weekend in town.

There was only one problem: finding flight availability at the last minute, right in the thick of the summer travel rush.

Fortunately, an Alaska agent was ready (and willing) to help, according to Adam.

While the agents are always friendly and helpful, this time they really went above and beyond. It was looking like most of the flights were full, but because I was making a change within five days — the period in which I qualify for a complimentary first-class upgrade — the agent was able to put me on a full flight at a perfect time for me by processing my upgrade on the spot.

The agent even took the time to find a flight that not only had upgrade inventory but also would result in a minimal fare increase. In the end, he paid just $60 for the privilege of a confirmed seat in first class and a few extra days with his friends in Seattle — and to top it all off, the fare difference qualified for the annual airline fee statement credit on his Platinum Card? from American Express (enrollment required).

As Adam described it: “All in all, a great trip!” And one made even better by a fantastic agent at Alaska Airlines.

Bottom line

Many airlines have hit snags in 2021 thanks to surging demand, but it’s not all doom and gloom. And as these two stories show, airlines can play an important role in creating memorable travel experiences, especially as the industry continues to rebound. We’ll hopefully see even more of these as we move into 2022 and inch closer and closer to normalcy.

Stay tuned for more reader stories like these in subsequent weeks here at the TPG Awards.

Featured photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images.

Cleared for Takeoff is a weekly series showing readers like you the best ways to book post-pandemic adventures using points and miles. If you’d like tips on booking your own trip using miles, please email us with your preferred itinerary and current mileage balance.

Any anniversary is cause for celebration, but certain milestones deserve a little more thought. So, for today’s Cleared for Takeoff story, we’re going to help TPG reader Richard Manning book an unforgettable 20th anniversary trip.

More specifically, we’re going to help him book a getaway to a private island in the Seychelles. Richard was concerned that a destination like the Seychelles might not have enough activities for him and his wife, but as you’ll see later, they won’t run out of things to do at the resort.

I’ve been enjoying your columns for a while now and they have always been incredibly informative — thank you!

My 20th wedding anniversary is coming up next year (October 2022) and I would like to take a week-long romantic trip somewhere (provided things will have opened up for Americans to travel abroad in this post-COVID world – both my wife and I have been fully vaccinated). A beach vacation to Bora Bora or the Maldives or even the Seychelles seems like a quintessential trip in theory (and certainly an iconic 20th anniversary destination) but may be too boring if it’s a full week of just lounging around a beach as we’re both pretty active — we enjoy hiking and sightseeing in addition to lounging on a beach/pool or spa.

Do you have any suggestions of places we could go?

Richard has a hefty stash of American Express Membership Rewards points, Marriott Bonvoy points, American Airlines AAdvantage miles and Delta SkyMiles. Follow along as I share how they should redeem their points and miles for this epic trip.

Current points stash

Richard currently has over a million American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy points, as well as plenty of American Airlines and Delta miles. He should have no trouble covering both airfare and hotels with his current balance.

• 1,029,727 American Express Membership Rewards points.
• 1,200,212 Marriott Bonvoy points.
• 280,300 American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
• 75,398 Delta SkyMiles.
• 7,640 United MileagePlus miles.
• 4,508 Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
• 26,754 Hilton Honors points.

Richard mentioned that he was able to earn such a large balance by stockpiling his points following the switchover from Starwood Preferred Guest to Marriott Bonvoy. He also earns points with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express? Business Gold Card, Marriott Bonvoy Amex and Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card.

Related: A guide to earning transferable points and why they’re so valuable

Round-trip airfare to the Seychelles

Route: RDU-PHL-DOH-SEZ on Qatar Airways in business class; SEZ-DOH-PHL-RDU on Qatar Airways in business class.

Miles needed: 75,000 American Airlines miles plus $30.70 per person on the outbound flight; 75,000 miles plus $86.65 on the return.

The closest airport to Richard and his wife is Raleigh-Durham (RDU) in North Carolina. There are no nonstop or even one-stop flights to Mahe, Seychelles, from there so they’re going to want to fly comfortably for the multistop journey.

One of the best ways to travel between the U.S. and Africa is Qatar Airways business class. Not only is it reasonably priced when booking with American Airlines miles, but it’s also one of the poshest business-class products in the skies.

Plus, most Qatar flights between the U.S. and Doha, Qatar, feature Qatar’s Qsuite, which offers couple-friendly seats in the middle of the plane that can be converted into a double bed for two.

As mentioned, Richard and his wife will need to have at least two layovers — one in one of Qatar’s U.S. gateway cities, such as Philadelphia (PHL), and another in Doha (DOH). While American doesn’t offer free stopovers, the couple may be able to explore Doha by booking an extra-long layover there. After all, Richard did mention that he’d like to do some sightseeing on this trip.

Related: Maximizing redemptions with American Airlines AAdvantage

How to book this award with points

Richard and his wife’s anniversary is in October 2022. However, you can only book Qatar Airways awards through American Airlines 331 days or less before departure so they won’t be able to book their award flights yet.

Once it’s time for them to book their flights, they’ll be able to do so fairly easily directly through American’s website. On the airline’s homepage, enter your route (in this case, RDU-SEZ), select your dates and check off the “Redeem miles” box.

On the next page, you’ll be shown all of the available flight options for the date you selected. If there are no flights that work for you, there’s a handy calendar search tool you can use. You can also use ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) and set alerts to be notified when award space opens up. Alternatively, in Richard’s case, it might make sense to search out of a gateway city like Philadelphia (PHL) or New York-JFK outright and book a separate positioning flight.

Since Richard and his wife will have multiple stops, it’s extra important for them to make sure they’re not booking a mixed cabin itinerary.

The final step is to log in to your AAdvantage account to complete the booking. The round-trip business-class ticket costs 150,000 miles per person regardless of where in the U.S. you’re departing from, and the taxes and fees on this ticket should come out to around $120.

How to earn enough miles for this award

Richard already has about 280,000 American Airlines miles, but he’ll need 300,000 miles to book the two round-trip awards.

The options for transferring miles to AAdvantage are fairly limited, but not nonexistent.

For instance, Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to American at a 3:1 ratio, and you’ll get a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer.

There are also opportunities to earn American Airlines miles with other partners. For example, American Airlines elite members can earn American Airlines miles on World of Hyatt stays. You can also earn miles by shopping online through the AAdvantage shopping portal or by dining with AAdvantage dining rewards.

But perhaps the easiest option is to pick up a cobranded American Airlines credit card. Here are some cards to consider and their current sign-up bonuses:

• AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard: Earn Up to 80,000 miles: 50,000 miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening, plus 30,000 miles after spending a total of $6,000 within the first 12 months.
• CitiBusiness? / AAdvantage? Platinum Select? Mastercard?: Earn 65,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first four months of account opening.
• AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard: Earn 60,000 miles after making a purchase and paying the annual fee within the first 90 days of card opening.
• Citi? / AAdvantage? Platinum Select? World Elite Mastercard?: For a limited time earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 on purchases in the first four months of account opening.
• Citi? / AAdvantage? Executive World Elite Mastercard?: Earn 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage? bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months of account opening (see rates and fees).

The information for the Citi Chairman card, CitiBusiness Platinum Select, AAdvantage Aviator Red and the AAdvantage Aviator Business cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Hotel in the Seychelles

Marriott Bonvoy has just one property in the Seychelles and it’s truly one of a kind. Enter North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort.

This resort is set on a private island and has just 11 rooms. The entry-level room is a nearly 5,000-square-foot two-bedroom villa with a private pool. Although this might seem like the type of vacation where you lounge on a beach all day, the resort offers plenty of activities to keep Richard and his wife entertained. These range from scuba diving to kayaking to stand-up paddleboarding to cycling to yoga classes to guided walks and more. Every stay also includes complimentary breakfast and use of an island buggy.

Related: 10 private-island resorts you can book with points

As you’d expect, stays here don’t come cheap. Awards cost 388,000 Marriott points per night, though that price goes down a bit when booking five or more consecutive award nights thanks to Marriott’s fifth-night-free perk. Richard currently only has enough Marriott Bonvoy points for three nights but can boost his balance by transferring points from American Express Membership Rewards. Plus, Amex is offering a 30% bonus on all transfers to Marriott Bonvoy through Oct. 31. This means that each additional award night costs 299,000 Amex points, before factoring in the free-fifth-night discount.

Although that’s a lot of points, Richard will be getting some serious value from his points. Cash rates are often around $7,000 per night. He’ll just need to look out for extra fees, such as the mandatory helicopter transfer that costs 814 euros each way (around $960.25).

How to book a Marriott hotel with points

The process for booking this hotel is just like paying cash. The only difference is that you have to check the “Use Points/Certificates” box when searching. Note that this hotel has a four-night minimum stay requirement.

Related: How to spend a million Marriott points for an epic post-pandemic trip

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points

Richard will need to supplement his Marriott Bonvoy balance to cover the entire stay with points. 

As mentioned, one option would be to transfer from American Express Membership Rewards. Although we normally don’t recommend transferring Amex points to Marriott, as you’ll generally lose value, it could make sense in this scenario if Richard is able to take advantage of the 30% bonus currently available. 

Another option would be to pick up more Marriott Bonvoy cards, especially if Richard’s wife doesn’t have any yet. Here are the bonuses currently available on Marriott Bonvoy cards. Aside from the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card, all of the cards will also provide them with annual free night certificates.

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card: Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Related: 5 ways to maximize Marriott Bonvoy award night redemptions

Bottom line

Congratulations on the upcoming anniversary, Richard! It’s great that you’re planning this trip so far in advance since it’ll give you extra time to earn the remaining points you need and allow you to jump on award flights as soon as they become available.

If you have a destination in mind and need help figuring out your points strategy, send us an email to be featured in the next installment of Cleared for Takeoff.

Featured photo courtesy of Marriott.

Today I wanted to share a story from TPG reader Doug Sporrer, who booked a family vacation worth over $5,000 by picking up a new Marriott cobranded card.

Doug’s story shows how you don’t need to be a road warrior to be in the points game. You just need to be strategic about how you spend your money and redeem your rewards.

My family and I (wife and 2 teenagers) are finishing up 5 free nights at the Westin Hapuna Beach resort on the Kohala Coast in Hawaii. Thanks to your website I signed up for the Marriott Bonvoy card last fall that was offering 5 free night certificates and we really got lucky to find this place on the beach in Hawaii! We even have an ocean view. We are both teachers. I never really thought we could take our kids to Hawaii. But thanks to your website it has all worked out. It has been an unbelievable trip. These rooms are over $1,000 a night currently and ours was free! People don’t believe me. Ha! Thank you for the work you do. 

Doug Sporrer

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to get into the points and miles game. Regardless of what line of work you’re in, or even if you’re still in school, you can still start to collect travel rewards. What’s great about this hobby is that so much of it can be done from the comfort of your own home.

All you have to do is take advantage of some credit card sign-up bonuses and you’ll rack up a lot of points and free night awards before you know it. In Doug’s case, one card alone was enough to cover an entire vacation.

Related: TPG’s beginner’s guide to credit cards: Everything you need to know

While the sign-up bonus Doug took advantage of is no longer available, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card’s current bonus is still pretty exciting. Right now, new cardholders get 125,000 bonus points + 1 free night (valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $5,000 in the first three months from account opening (total of up to 175,000 bonus points).

The 50,000-point free night award can be used at any Category 1–6 Marriott hotel with standard award availability on standard and off-peak dates. Or, you can use it to book an off-peak date at a Category 7 property.

Doug was able to maximize his certificates by redeeming them at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort when cash rates were high and there was standard award availability. As a Category 6 Marriott Bonvoy property, standard award nights here normally cost 50,000 points.

Related: Here are the offers on Marriott cards right now

Normally, Marriott Bonvoy offers a “Stay for 5, Pay for 4” perk that allows you to get a complimentary night when you redeem points for five consecutive nights. But unfortunately, Doug couldn’t stack that offer with his certificates because free night awards are excluded.

Still, Doug was able to get thousands of dollars in value from his sign-up bonus and you can do the same.

Related: Can I mix hotel points and free night certificates to get a fourth or fifth night free?

Aside from a generous sign-up bonus, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card comes with some valuable perks. For instance, it provides automatic Bonvoy Silver status and a pathway to upgrade to Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 on the card each year. Silver status is typically earned after 10 nights, while Gold requires 25 nights.

But as you can see, you don’t need to be a frequent traveler to fast-track them. Other perks of the card include an annual free night award (worth up to 35,000 points) at each account anniversary, 15 elite qualifying night credits per year and more.

Doug was able to get great value at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, but if you need some more inspiration on where to redeem your 50k certificates, check out the on-Disney-property Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, the new JW Marriott Bonnet Creek, the perfectly located Springhill Suites Zion National Park, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino or the just-opened AC Hotel Maui Wailea. For more ideas, see this guide.

Related: TPG readers’ best Marriott Bonvoy redemptions

I love this story and we want to hear more like it. Please email your own award travel success stories to [email protected]; be sure to include details about how you earned and redeemed your rewards, and put “Reader Success Story” in the subject line. You can also feel free to submit your worst travel mistakes. Due to the volume of submissions, we can’t respond to each story individually, but we’ll be in touch if yours is selected.

Safe and happy travels to all, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Featured photo courtesy of The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort.

Well, after some last-minute maneuvering, Spain reopened to Americans today after all.

The Points Guy reader Liz Ender sent TPG founder Brian Kelly a note that she would be among the first American visitors to get to Spain. Naturally, we wanted to hear her story. She and her brother Brian Ender made the last-minute plans the moment they heard Spain would reopen back in May.

We talked to Liz and Brian Ender today about the brother-and-sister trip. They flew New York-JFK to Madrid, Spain’s Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD), and landed at 8:45 a.m… probably among the very first Americans under the new rules.

Brian Ender told me Spain is one of his favorite countries; he studied abroad in Spain and he’s gone back at least 10 times. He told me he and his sister Liz are “impulsive,” and when they heard Spain was reopening, they booked tickets on Delta One without second-guessing themselves. 

Related: Country-by-country guide to reopenings

Brian said, “When I saw it was going to reopen on June 7, My birthday is on June 6th. (I thought there’s) no better way to spend my birthday than going to my favorite country.”

Related: I was one of the first Americans on a COVID-tested flight to Italy

They told me the airlines don’t ask when you book if you are allowed to go or not under the rules covering entry during COVID-19. Brian said, “Once you book the flight, they’ll start emailing you. You might need this test, but they don’t say you shouldn’t book this.”

I asked them if they were nervous since the rules kept changing ahead of time. Brian said, “It did get a little tense. I did a lot of reading, translating what they (the Spanish government) put out, IATA, etc.” They were also reading TPG articles on the reopening — articles that were updated at least four times!

The pair told me they were both nervous. Brian said, “I couldn’t get a straight answer.”

They even emailed the U.S. embassy in Madrid and the consulate in Washington D.C., but “even the embassies didn’t have the info.”

Related: Everything you need to know about Europe’s digital “vaccine passports” 

Brian said, “We knew there was a bit of a risk, but I was willing to take a chance… We’re brave.” 

Brian continued:

“We called Delta a few times. I tried to get information about PCR test or not. I was told I would need a PCR test or would be denied boarding at JFK. We erred on the side “we’re not getting a test. I was reading in Spanish that we wouldn’t need it. So we went to counter and they only asked for vaccine card, your Spain QR code and no mention of a test despite the Delta App saying I would need a test. It turned out to be the right choice.”

Brain says, “I will confirm 100% that vaccinated Americans did not need to show a PCR test in Spain — only that we had our two vaccine doses taken within 15 days and the QR code (from Spain Travel Health (SpTH) form).”

They told me that nobody ever asked for test results, and, in fact, at the gate, they were only asked for their passports.

Liz said that once they arrived, they were super nervous. They were the first ones off the plane. At first, the border patrol agent didn’t know what to make of it when they got to the window and told him they were Americans there for tourism. They showed the agent their vaccine cards and their passports, and she said he looked “confused” and went to get a supervisor. Liz said they never said two words to the agent or his supervisor. Eventually, after much deliberation, their passports were stamped and they were waived through. They did have one more stop to show QR codes to workers dressed in PPE, but that was it. Welcome to Spain.

Related: Why you shouldn’t miss Madrid on your next trip to Spain

Interestingly, after they arrived, the Spanish consulate wrote back to them with the new rules:

“From June 7th onwards, all passengers departing from the U.S. to Spain shall be granted entry if they can prove upon arrival, with their vaccination card,  that they completed their vaccination process more than 15 days earlier. This requisite does not exempt from obtaining a visa for those categories who are required to. In all cases, it will be compulsory to obtain a QR code in the site https://www.spth.gob.es/ , prior to boarding.”

I asked Liz and Brian if it was worth all the stress. Liz said, “Definitely worth it. We’ve been cooped up… we love traveling. It was hard for us not to be on an airplane.”

Brian told me, “Once we got in, knowing that we are one of the few global tourists in the country at the moment is very gratifying. People asking where we’re coming from; they are generally happy to have us back.”

Related: The cheapest way to get to Spain with points and miles

If you want to know more about the rules for visiting Spain, you can check out this article. Vaccinated Americans can enter Spain without a negative COVID-19 PCR test. Unvaccinated travelers from the US still are not permitted to enter if traveling for tourism purposes.

Featured photo of the famous Cibeles Fountain in Madrid, Spain by travel1116/Getty Images.

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information.

Today I wanted to share a story from TPG reader David Wong, who unlocked an incredible deal on his new Chase Sapphire Preferred Card:

“I’ve held a cash-back card exclusively for almost two years — the Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card — but it was time for a change. Since I’ve started to travel more the past few months, I decided to look into travel credit cards. I’ve thought about applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for some time now. What eventually motivated me to apply was the new sign-up bonus, offering 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points and a $50 grocery statement credit. As if the sign-up bonus wasn’t convincing enough, I applied for the card in person at a Chase branch near me to try to get the $95 annual fee waived for the first year. I wasn’t sure if this was going to work, but to my surprise, it did! Apparently, this is a branch-only special. Some Chase employees didn’t even know about this offer and were surprised when the manager approved me for a first year fee waiver.”

David Wong

The information for the Capital One Savor Rewards card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Chase is currently offering its highest sign-up bonus ever for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. This bonus awards 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Related: Why I’m keeping my Chase Sapphire Preferred forever

TPG’s 2-cent per point valuation of Ultimate Rewards points puts the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s sign-up bonus worth up to $2,000, making its $95 annual fee seem trivial in comparison. But what if you could make the deal even sweeter — and you could potentially get your annual fee waived for the first year?

As first reported by Doctor of Credit, some readers first tried applying in a Chase banking branch in hopes of getting their annual fee waived the first year with the previous sign-up bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after hitting the spending requirement. But with the elevated sign-up bonus, this is an outstanding opportunity to try and apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred — especially since it worked in David’s favor. (Note: This is not guaranteed.)

Without a doubt, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best travel credit cards available. For a reasonable $95 annual fee (assuming yours isn’t waived the first year), you’ll enjoy a 25% points bonus for travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 1:1 point transfer opportunities with 10 airline and three hotel loyalty programs, no foreign transaction fees and much more.

For readers like David, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an excellent choice for a starter travel rewards card.

Related: A decade later: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred should still be the first rewards card in your wallet

I love this story and we want to hear more like it. In appreciation for sharing this experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I’m sending David a gift card to enjoy on future travels, and I’d like to do the same for you.

Please email your own award travel success stories to [email protected]; be sure to include details about how you earned and redeemed your rewards, and put “Reader Success Story” in the subject line. You can also feel free to submit your worst travel mistakes. If your story is published, we’ll send you a gift to jump-start your next adventure. Due to the volume of submissions, we can’t respond to each story individually, but we’ll be in touch if yours is selected.

Safe and happy travels to all, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Featured photo by Wyatt Smith for The Points Guy.

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