Points and Miles Travel Chats
Welcome to the Points and Miles Travel Chats podcast. I'm Michele from Fancy Travel Pointers, and I believe your everyday spend is the secret to extraordinary travel.
If you’ve ever worried that points are too complicated, or wondered if a busy family with public school schedules and competitive sports could really travel with points — I’m here to show you it’s absolutely possible.
Here’s what I know for sure: it’s not about spending more, and keeping my credit score sky-high is always front and center. I’ll give you actionable steps and teach real, repeatable strategies that transform the way you earn points and the value you get from them.
Points and Miles Travel Chats
How I’m Planning 2026 Travel on Points (Without Overdoing It)
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In today's episode, we're chatting about
- Why 2025 was an “amazing but too much” travel year—and the hard family conversations that forced a reset for 2026
- The mindset shift from chasing every deal to deciding what “enough” travel actually looks like
- A full breakdown of what’s booked for 2026—including Bora Bora, Asia, Mexico, Disney, and luxury US stays
- How points, free night certificates, companion passes, and credits are being stacked to save tens of thousands
- Why opening fewer cards can still unlock incredible travel—and how comparison culture gets this wrong
- Why diversifying hotel points and leaning into credits matters more than ever going forward
- Proof that you don’t need nonstop luxury travel to “do points right”—you just need a strategy that fits your life
📋 SHOW NOTES
Elevated Marriott Offer - And how to get the most from it
Ritz Carlton card - How to access via product change
Love luxury travel perks & credits? This card is my fav for lux travel
How to earn Bilt points via Rakuten
Rakuten Sign Up Bonus - New sign ups get $50 off after making $50 purchase in 1st 90 days
📋 READY TO LEVEL UP YOUR POINTS TRAVEL?
Free points & miles guide – PDF downloaded over 17K times
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Fancy Travel Pointers Instagram – keep up to date on all the latest points news
Fancy Travel Pointers Facebook – great place to share wins, ask questions
Fancy Travel Pointers Newsletter – sent weekly to over 24K points lovers!
Current Best Offers - Curated by spend, annual fees and travel style
👋 Hi! I'm Michele!
A points and miles expert, using points for family vacations to Japan, Hawaii, Thailand, Greece, Italy, Spain, theme parks and so much more.
I don't believe in spending more to earn more points. The key is knowing how to earn the best points and getting massive value from them.
With a teenager in competitive sports & public school, traveling during the busiest of times is our family's norm. I'll show you my best tips & strategies to use points for making incredible family travel happen.
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Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.