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The 3 Most Popular Places to Visit in 2025 (+ Q4 Cheat Sheet)

  3 Hot (and hyped) for 2025 Alaska, USA — Glacier cruising, wildlife, and new lodge openings keep Alaska on “best of” lists for 2025 from multiple outlets. It shows up in Condé Nast Traveler’s global picks and Travel + Leisure’s annual list.   Fiji — Overwater bungalows, easy island-hopping, and dry-season sunshine make Fiji a consistent headliner in Lonely Planet and T+L roundups.   Tokyo, Japan — A perennial reader favorite with new hotels, dining, and events in 2025; ranked among Travel + Leisure’s top cities and a smart shoulder-season choice in late fall.   Best Places to Visit in the  Last Quarter  (Oct–Dec) October New England, USA (leaf-peeping road trip: Vermont, New Hampshire, Hudson Valley) — peak color, crisp weather, harvest festivals.    Japan (Kyoto & Tokyo) — vivid momiji (autumn leaves), comfortable temps, rich festival calendar.   Jordan (Petra) or Rajasthan, India — cooler, drier conditions ma...

Unlocking Hidden Value: Hotel Transfer Partners You Shouldn’t Ignore

  When most people think about travel rewards, they focus on airline miles. But here’s a little secret: sometimes the biggest value actually comes from hotel transfer partners. Why? Flexibility: You’re not locked into just one program. Sweet Spots: Certain hotels give you far more nights for the same points than an airline would for a flight. Perks: Elite status, free breakfast, or even suite upgrades can sometimes come along for the ride. For example: One well-known program lets you move points directly into a luxury hotel chain that has oceanfront resorts in Hawaii. Another credit card ecosystem transfers into multiple hotel programs — but only one of those transfers is truly worth it. 👉 Here’s the catch: Not all transfer partners are equal. Some are terrible value and can eat away at your hard-earned points. Others can turn a small stash of points into a dream stay worth thousands of dollars. I won’t spill every detail here (that’s where the magic comes in ...

The Starbucks + Delta Hack Every Traveler Should Know

  Did you know you can earn extra airline miles just by sipping your morning coffee? ☕✈️ Starbucks has a hidden perk that lets you connect your account with Delta SkyMiles—so every latte gets you closer to your next flight. That’s just one of the many easy ways people leave points (and free travel!) on the table. Want to see all the insider tricks to stacking points   ✨ “Hop on over to Facebook and join our community in The Points Princess Group — and don’t forget to follow our Facebook Page for the latest updates!”

Big Picture of the Points World

  Think of your points like a map with hidden highways. The chart I shared shows four main routes: Credit cards → Airlines: Where most people start. Credit cards → Hotels: A second path that’s often overlooked. Airlines ↔ Airlines: Some programs secretly talk to each other. Hotels ↔ Hotels: Yep, even hotel programs have a few bridges. At a high level, it’s all about flexibility — your points aren’t stuck where they first land. With the right moves, you can redirect them and unlock options most travelers don’t even realize exist. I’m not going to spell out every trick (where’s the fun in that? 😉), but you can see a lot more about this, along with a handy chart, in the files section in our Facebook group The Points Princess

✈️🌴 How I Turned Points Into a $14,300 Kauai Vacation 🌴✈️

  Here’s the quick math: I spent 300,000 points total The cash value of the trip (flights + resort + extras) was about $14,300 That means I got 5 cents per point in value ✨ 👉 Most people settle for about 1 cent per point. I squeezed 5× more out of mine. The trick? It’s not about how many points you have—it’s about how you use them. 💡 Want to see exactly how I pulled it off (and how you can too)?  Want more tips? Join our Points Princess Group on Facebook and follow the Points Princess Page to stay in the loop.

💳✨ “Wait… you must spend a TON of money to have that many points!”

Not true. It’s not about spending more — it’s about spending smarter and knowing how to redeem. I turned 300,000 points into a $14,300 Kauai trip (that’s 5¢ per point vs. the usual 1¢ most people get). 💡 Join fellow travelers in our Points Princess Group on Facebook — and follow the Points Princess Page to never miss a deal or hack!

Why Hyatt Is the Smart Traveler’s Secret Weapon 🔑

If you want to maximize hotel rewards, Hyatt is one of the best brands for points redemption value. While most hotel loyalty programs give less than 1 cent per point, Hyatt points often stretch to 2 cents or more, making them a top choice for luxury hotels, all-inclusive resorts, and dream vacations. Earning Hyatt points is simple within the Chase credit card ecosystem, where you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points directly to World of Hyatt. This turns everyday spending into free nights, luxury getaways, and high-value redemptions. 💡 Join fellow travelers in our Points Princess Group on Facebook — and follow the Points Princess Page to never miss a deal or hack!

Thoughts?

Starting January 27, 2026, Southwest Airlines will require passengers who cannot fit between the armrests of a single seat to purchase an additional seat at the time of booking. A refund for the second seat is only possible under strict conditions, such as the flight departing with an empty seat or with passengers on space-available passes, and if both tickets were the same fare class. This change is part of Southwest's broader shift to assigned seating.

✈️💳 Travel Hack: How to Earn Points on Rent

  Paying rent usually means throwing away thousands of dollars a year with zero rewards. But savvy travelers know the secret: the Bilt Mastercard. It’s the only card that lets you pay rent with no transaction fees while earning transferable points you can send to top partners like Hyatt, American Airlines, and United. That means every rent payment can move you closer to business class flights, luxury hotels, and once-in-a-lifetime trips. 👉 I break down exactly why the Bilt card is a must-have for travel hackers inside my group The Points Princess. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1ALo2Ey9nZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Trap Behind Paying Your Bill with Points

  Credit card companies make it so easy: you log in, see your balance, and right there is a button that says “Use Points to Pay.” It sounds perfect. But here’s the thing—while it feels simple and convenient, it’s usually not the smartest way to use your rewards. Here’s why: It hides the true value of your points. When you use points for a statement credit, the bank decides what they’re worth. And the value they give you is almost always on the low end. It’s designed for convenience, not benefit. The “pay with points” option is front and center because the banks want you to click it. It saves them money when you redeem this way. It can make you less aware of your spending. Applying points to your balance might feel like you’re paying down debt, but it’s not the same as making a payment from your bank account. It can give a false sense of progress. It locks your rewards into one choice. Once you’ve redeemed for a statement credit, that’s it—you can’t go back. If you later...

How I Saved 20,000 Miles on One Flight (and How You Can Too)

When it comes to stretching United miles, living near a United hub is like having a golden ticket. United’s hubs include Denver, Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD), Los Angeles (LAX), and San Francisco (SFO). Being in one of these cities means you’ve got way more flights, way more availability, and often better deals. And honestly? Denver is the sweet spot. Because it’s so central, it’s easier (and often cheaper in miles) to hop just about anywhere. Earning United miles the old-fashioned way—by flying and swiping your United credit card—totally works. It’s a slow and steady climb, and your balance will grow bit by bit. But if you want to speed things up, the real accelerator is credit card bonuses, promos, and learning the tricks to squeeze the most value out of those miles once you’ve earned them. This is where it gets fun: redeeming miles. Flexibility is your superpower here. United’s award calendar (check it out at www.united.com ) shows you month-by...