Points & miles writer since 2015. Digital nomad since 2017. I help travelers maximize loyalty rewards programs and credit cards. @awardwallet Editor-in-Chief
Location Independent
Joined May 2011
- Tweets27.3K
- Following1.2K
- Followers21.4K
- Likes77.6K
Amex giveth: awardwallet.com/news/amex-me…
And Amex taketh away: awardwallet.com/news/amex-me…
Rove just added its 22nd transfer partner, and it's another US airline! awardwallet.com/news/rove-mi…
To celebrate the launch, get 20% bonus TrueBlue points for the next month -- just one of four transfer bonuses that Rove is currently offering.
10 years ago, Katie and I started traveling so much that we created a Google Sheet to track of where we would be each night.
And we've kept it up every night since Oct 13, 2016.
Over a decade, we spent $130,776.55 in out-of-pocket lodging costs plus 11,782,695 points redeemed.
We've redeemed nearly 11.8 million hotel points - more than half of which were IHG points. Plus we've stayed over 100 nights on free night certificates:
🎫Malaysia Airlines MH790
🗺️Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Phuket (HKT)
🛋️Malaysia Golden Lounge Satellite and Regional (guest of Oneworld Emerald)
✈️Boeing 737 MAX 8 (9M-MVL)
💺29"
🖥️none
🔌USB-A and USB-C
💰7,500 Alaska points + $21.80
💳Alaska Summit Card
📶free Wi-Fi
☕Sandwich box
🎫Ryanair FR2898
🗺️Manchester (MAN) to Venice (VCE)
🛋️Aspire Lounge (Priority Pass via Ritz-Carlton Card)
✈️Boeing 737 MAX-8-200 (EI-IHE)
💺29"
🖥️none
🔌none
💰$99.68 including bags and seats
💳Alaska Summit
📶none
☕buy onboard menu
2026 LODGING RECAP
JANUARY:
- Hotel nights: 27
- Redeyes: 2
- RV: 1
- Airbnb: 1
- Hotel brands: 7 (14 nights at Lindner, 5 Residence Inn, 2 Hyatt Place, 1 Tru, 1 Marriott, 1 HIExpress, 1 Hyatt Regency)
Cost:
- $870.86
- 49k Hyatt (4.03 cents per point)
- 28k IHG (0.61 cpp)
AUGUST
- Airbnb/Marriott Homes&Villas: 17
- Hotel: 14
- Brands: 2 (11 nights at Staybridge, 3 nights at Travelodge)
Cost:
- $921.45 out-of-pocket
- 173k IHG points (0.95 cents per point)
- 40.5k Wyndham points (2.05 cpp)
2026 month-by-month flight recap:
JANUARY
- Flight miles: 15,213 (including 12,757 in biz/first)
- Flights: 8
- Airlines: 6 (American, British Air, Ryanair, Lufthansa, Turkish, Cathay Pacific)
- Airports: 11
- Cost: $2,075.02 plus 85k Turkish miles, 14k United, 12.5k AAdvantage
AUGUST:
- Flight miles: 5,718 (including 3,612 in biz/first)
- Flights: 6
- Airlines: 4 (Porter, American, LATAM, JetSMART)
- Airports: 8
Cost:
- $357.04 out-of-pocket
- 44,000 Alaska points
- 21,000 AAdvantage miles
10 years ago today, I left my tax accounting career.
I was making $90k, liked the firm, and had the most generous vacation policy of any accounting firm.
But, it wasn't my dream.
Here's what led to me to jump to working full-time in points & miles: jtkatie.com/2025/09/jt-tax-c…
Katie and I have been "living" the past week in Wales. We finally got over to Conwy this morning and were blown away by this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What incredibly preserved walls dating back to the 13th century!
Today, @AmericanExpress opened it's newest Centurion Lounge - in Amsterdam!
AwardWallet got an early preview and @SkyeTravels filed this detailed, 32-photo look at the stunning new lounge:
awardwallet.com/travel/amex-…
