Category: Guides

How to Decide to Pay with Points or Cash on Your Next Trip
Key Takeaways
- Compare in real-time: PointsYeah shows points and cash prices side by side for flights and hotels, instantly.
- Apply the budget rule: Set a cash ceiling (e.g., $100/night, $250/flight) and use cash for anything below that threshold
- Context matters: Sometimes paying cash now lets you save points for a bigger win later. PointsYeah helps you see that trade-off in real time.
- Flexible searching: Use Hotel Collections and flight search tools to find the best deals across multiple destinations
- Additional considerations: Be aware of transfer bonuses, business class opportunities, cancellation flexibility, and expiring points when deciding whether to use points or cash as these circumstances could influence your decision
Understanding Points vs Cash Decisions

Not sure whether to use points or cash for your next trip? You’re not alone. PointsYeah makes the choice clear in seconds. The answer isn’t always simple, but real-time flight and hotel searches show exactly when it makes sense to pay cash and when points deliver more value.

Flight Comparisons: When Points Win

Mexico City Example: Clear Points Advantage

If you’re looking to travel to Mexico City, for example, you can search live flights and PointsYeah will check both the award rate, and the cash price. In this example, it costs 10,000 points to fly from Baltimore in economy, and the same flight costs $318. If you value 10,000 points at roughly $100, it’s a clear win for points. Save your cash and redeem.

Key Benefits:
- Real-time comparison: See both award availability and cash prices instantly
- Value calculation: Easily determine if your points offer better value than cash
Multiple airline options: Compare across different loyalty programs simultaneously

Family of 4 Europe: When Cash Makes Sense

Let’s say you want to travel to Rome with your family of four. You’ve saved up points on your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, and realize it would cost 50,000 points per person roundtrip to get to Europe for an economy nonstop flight.

However, when you look at cash prices to Rome, you notice it’s more affordable than some domestic flights. Nonstop, roundtrip tickets cost less than $400 per person! By using the Google Flights date grid, you can find the perfect combination of dates for the best price. With your transferable points earning card, you decide to use your points for hotel bookings instead.

Key Benefits:
- Real-time comparison: See cash & award prices to see which offers a better deal
- Date flexibility: Use Google Flights’ date grid to compare cash prices across multiple dates that work for you and your family
- Save your points for later: Use your points when it makes sense to, perhaps for hotels
Hotel Comparisons: Understanding Point Values

Hyatt Taipei Example: Points as the Winner

If you’re looking for a place to stay, you can evaluate the cash and award rates of hotels just like you would with flights. PointsYeah Hotel search displays both award and cash prices side by side, so you always see the full picture.

This Hyatt hotel in Taipei costs $149 per night or 7,500 points. Hotel points usually don’t stretch as far as airline miles, often worth about half as much. Hyatt is the exception. Their points are closer in value to airline miles, which means those 7,500 points are worth around $75 or a bit more. In this case, using points makes the most sense compared to paying the $149 cash rate.

Hotel Search Features:
- Instant price comparison: See both award rates and cash prices side-by-side
- Program-specific insights: Understand varying point values across hotel chains
- Regional pricing: Compare local market rates with award availability
Flexible Search Options

Hotel Collections: Broader Comparison Tools

You can also use PointsYeah’s Hotel Collections and see cash prices displayed when you search more flexibly for your trip. In this case, spending 12,000 points for the Grand Hyatt would save you money, since the value of those points is ~$120, or a bit more. That beats the $319 cash rate every time.

Additional Tools:
- Date flexibility: Find the best value across different travel dates using the “Award Calendar” view shown below.
- Property comparison: Evaluate multiple hotels in the same area simultaneously with Hotel Collections ingenious maps feature
Additional Considerations
- Transfer bonuses: Credit card programs periodically have transfer bonuses to specific hotel and airline partners. This could change whether you use points or cash
- Business vs economy: Business class international flights are typically the most valuable points redemptions. Always check economy and business class cabins when searching for your next flight
- Cancellation flexibility: Award tickets have much more flexible cancellation policies than cash tickets. If you may need to cancel your trip, booking with points could be wise
- Expiring points: When you have points that will expire soon, you may want to prioritize using them rather than cash.
- Booking one way with points: This gives you flexibility to travel internationally within the region for as long as you want, and to piece together your trip depending on the price & your interests. Booking a one way award ticket is often cheaper or the same price as booking roundtrip when using points, and offers far more flexibility than tickets booked with cash.
- Booking with cash: It’s often cheaper to book roundtrip for international trips when paying cash. Be sure to check both the cash price and award price for one-way and roundtrip tickets.
Making Smarter Travel Decisions

The key to optimizing your travel expenses is having all the information at your fingertips when making decisions about using points or cash. Whether you’re applying the budget strategy for low-cost flights, finding clear points & miles wins, or evaluating hotel stays, the right choice depends on your specific situation and travel goals.

Remember to consider additional factors like transfer bonuses, business class opportunities, cancellation flexibility, expiring points and one-way or roundtrip bookings, when making your decision. Sometimes cash is truly king, while for others, points come out ahead and occasionally your personal circumstances (like upcoming point expiration or a strict travel budget) will override a pure value calculation.

PointsYeah eliminates the guesswork by showing you both options side-by-side, letting you apply these strategies consistently across all your travel bookings. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an international adventure, having real-time comparisons across programs and destinations ensures you’re always getting the best value for your specific needs.
September 10, 2025

Is This the Best Travel Credit Card for Digital Nomads in 2025?

Most premium travel credit cards are designed for people who live in the United States and take the occasional trip abroad. They reward vacations or business trips, but they do not reward the reality of living abroad. Digital nomads pay rent in pesos, coffee in euros, Grab rides in baht, and coworking spaces billed in rupiah. For nomads, those everyday purchases are almost always foreign transactions. Nearly every premium card on the market lumps them into the dreaded “other” category that earns a flat 1X.

The Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® flips that on its head. Instead of treating foreign spend as filler, it makes it the centerpiece. With 3X on all foreign purchases, a built-in path to oneworld status, and award redemptions that remain some of the best in the game, the Summit feels like the first premium card actually designed for life lived outside the U.S.

The card carries a $395 annual fee, which is in line with other premium cards, but delivers a very different kind of value for nomads. It is available to U.S. residents, but unlike Amex or Chase products, it was built specifically with global spending in mind.

Why 3X on Foreign Purchases Matters for Digital Nomads

Digital nomad working from the beach underneath palm trees

The Summit Visa Infinite® changes the game. Every single non-USD transaction earns 3X Atmos points. Whether it is your rent in Lisbon, your morning latte in Paris, or your Grab ride in Bangkok, it all counts and it all earns like a premium category. Dining worldwide and Alaska or Hawaiian purchases also earn 3X, while everything else earns 1X.

The difference this makes is massive:

Spend $2,500 per month abroad = $30,000 per year
Earn 90,000 Atmos points
Add a 10% Bank of America bonus and the total is nearly 100,000 points
The same spend on Sapphire Reserve or Amex Platinum = 30,000 points

That is the gap between economy and business class award flights.

For nomads, this is not just a perk. It is a redefinition of what everyday spend means.

A Launch Boost With the Welcome Offer

What makes the Summit even more powerful is how quickly you can build a balance. The card is currently offering a 100,000-point welcome bonus after spending $6,000 in the first three months. For a nomad, that threshold could be met with a few months of rent and daily expenses abroad.

Layer that bonus on top of what the card earns naturally, and the numbers get impressive fast. A year of living abroad with $30,000 in foreign purchases would generate about 90,000 points from spend alone. Add the welcome offer, and you finish year one with close to 200,000 points. If you’re wondering what else is out there right now, our PointsYeah September Picks list highlights today’s most compelling travel card offers.

That total is enough for two round-trip business class tickets to Asia, or four round-trip tickets to Europe, with points still left over. For a nomad, it means your lifestyle abroad funds almost all of your long-haul premium travel in the same year you pick up the card.

Status Without Mileage Runs

Happy digital nomad waiting to board her flight

Elite status has always been elusive for nomads. You are traveling constantly, but not in the ways U.S. airlines want you to. Too many one-way tickets, too many discount carriers, too many routes outside the system. The Summit fixes that by giving cardholders a direct path to elite recognition through everyday spend.

Each year you automatically receive 10,000 status points just for holding the card. On top of that, the card earns 1 status point for every $2 spent, which means your groceries, your rent, and even your late-night cab rides are moving you closer to status.

Here’s how that looks over a year:

Annual Spend	Status Points Earned	+10K Bonus	Total	Atmos Tier	oneworld
$24,000	12,000	10,000	22,000	Silver	Ruby
$40,000	20,000	10,000	30,000	Just shy of Gold
$60,000	30,000	10,000	40,000	Gold	Sapphire
$100,000	50,000	10,000	60,000	Near Platinum	Emerald with some flying

Gold is the sweet spot: oneworld Sapphire means alliance-wide lounge access, priority check-in, and priority boarding. For a nomad, that’s achievable entirely on spend. Other cards also offer valuable ways to earn perks through spend, see our PointsYeah September Picks for this month’s top options.

Starting in 2026, Atmos will let members choose how they qualify for elite status: by miles flown, by qualifying spend, or by flight segments. With the Summit card feeding status points from everyday purchases, that flexibility becomes especially powerful for nomads.

Redemption Sweet Spots That Still Deliver

Points are only as good as what you can redeem them for, and Atmos still offers some of the richest fixed-value awards in the industry.

U.S. → Europe in Business Class: From 45,000 points
U.S. → Asia in Business Class: From 60,000 points
U.S. → South America in Business Class: From 35,000 points

Compare that to competitors charging 70K, 80K, even 100K for the same routes, and Atmos looks like a throwback to the golden age of award travel.

For nomads, this matters. The 90,000 points you earn from a year of foreign spend can already get you up to 2 business class seats to Europe or fly you all the way to Asia in lie flat comfort. And because Atmos partners with carriers like Qatar, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, and LATAM, you’re not just redeeming for flights, you’re redeeming for premium experiences that would otherwise cost thousands.

How Atmos Companion Awards Benefit Traveling Couples and Nomads

Travel companions waiting for flight at airport

The Summit card sweetens the pot with companion awards that go far beyond typical airline certificates. Each year, you receive a Global 25K Companion Award, which discounts a companion’s award ticket by up to 25,000 points. Spend $60,000 in a card year and you unlock the Global 100K Companion Award, which can shave an incredible 100,000 points off a companion ticket.

Unlike many airline companion passes, these certificates apply even to premium cabins. That means you could book yourself into a 45,000-point business class seat to Europe, then use the 25K certificate to slash your partner’s redemption nearly in half. At the 100K level, you are looking at savings that make aspirational business-class travel genuinely realistic for two people.

Travel Day Perks That Make Life Easier for Digital Nomads

For digital nomads, travel days are rarely glamorous. They mean early mornings, crowded terminals, and the occasional delay that can derail your plans. The Summit doesn’t pretend to fix all of that, but it does give you a set of tools that make those days far less punishing.

Start with the lounges. Every year you get eight Alaska Lounge passes, issued two per quarter, and through 2026 each visit comes with a complimentary cocktail or upgraded bar item. For a nomad hopping between cities, that can mean the difference between hours in a crowded gate area and a quiet place to work, recharge, or simply decompress.

When you do fly Alaska, the card makes the experience smoother with a handful of practical perks:

Eight inflight Wi-Fi passes per year (issued quarterly) to stay connected midair.
Your first checked bag free for you and up to six companions.
Preferred boarding whenever you book with the card.
$50 credit automatically if your Alaska-marketed flight is delayed more than two hours.
Same-day confirmed changes waived, saving you the usual fifty-dollar fee.

Beyond Alaska, the Summit still travels with you. Every four years, you receive up to $120 in credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, which helps you move through airports more efficiently. And because it’s a Visa Infinite product, the card carries a suite of protections you can count on anywhere in the world, including:

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Trip delay reimbursement
Baggage delay coverage and lost luggage protection
Auto rental collision coverage
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Emergency evacuation assistance

Individually, none of these benefits are headline-worthy. But together, they create something far more valuable for nomads: peace of mind on the days when everything feels out of your control. And if you’re curious about other cards that also deliver strong perks for travel days, check our PointsYeah September Picks roundup.

The Perfect Pair: Summit + Venture X

Summit and Venture X, the perfect card combo

On its own, the Atmos Summit is one of the most compelling premium cards available. But pair it with the Capital One Venture X, and you’ve built the strongest two-card strategy a nomad can carry.

Venture X effectively cancels out its $395 annual fee with a $300 Capital One Travel credit plus a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus. It also provides Priority Pass membership and Capital One Lounge access, filling the lounge gap where Alaska doesn’t reach. Earning is simple: 2X everywhere, 5X on flights, and 10X on hotels and cars booked through Capital One Travel.

The play is straightforward: put all foreign purchases and dining on the Summit to maximize 3X earning and elite status progress. Use Venture X when booking flights or hotels through Capital One Travel, which triggers the $300 credit and earns 5X or 10X. Rely on Venture X for global lounge access, as well as for everyday purchases back in the States, where Summit would only earn 1X but Venture X gives you 2X. Together, the two cards cover every angle of nomad life: daily spend, aspirational redemptions, status progress, lounge access, and fee offsets.

A Year in the Life

Consider a freelance designer splitting her year between Medellín, bali, and Lisbon. She spends about $2,500 per month on living expenses abroad, including rent, groceries, and daily purchases, which adds up to $30,000 annually. On Atmos, that everyday spend alone earns 90,000 points. Add in another $10,000 across dining, nights out, and travel experiences, and her total annual spend climbs to $40,000, which translates into 120,000 Atmos points in a single year.

On the status side, $40,000 in card spend generates 20,000 status points. With the 10,000 anniversary boost, she finishes the year with 30,000, just shy of Gold. A few flights on Alaska or partners would push her into oneworld Sapphire, unlocking global lounge access and priority treatment.

On the redemption side, 120,000 points is enough for round-trip business class tickets to Europe, or for a one-way in business to Asia with a healthy remainder for a South America hop. All of it is earned not from chasing bonus categories, but from groceries, rent, and coffee shops abroad. That’s the Atmos difference.

Final Verdict: The Best Travel Card for Digital Nomads in 2025?

The Atmos Summit Visa Infinite® isn’t just another premium travel card. It’s the first card that actually feels designed for digital nomads.

Three points on all foreign purchases turns daily life abroad into outsized earning. Status by spend means you can finally reach oneworld elite perks without chasing mileage runs. Redemption sweet spots such as 45K to Europe, 60K to Asia, and 35K to South America stretch your balances further than almost any U.S. competitor. Companion awards, lounge passes, and Visa Infinite protections add practical value you will feel on the road.

And because it runs on the Visa network, the most widely accepted worldwide, you can rely on it whether you’re in a café in Paris, a market in Mexico City, or a coworking space in Bali. For nomads, that universal acceptance is more than convenience; it’s peace of mind.

Pair it with Venture X, and you’ve got a wallet that covers every angle of nomad life: a daily driver that makes groceries and rent as rewarding as business flights, and a global generalist that guarantees lounge access and fee offsets.

Verdict: Yes. If you live abroad and want a card that rewards your lifestyle instead of penalizing it, the Atmos Summit is the best travel credit card you can carry in 2025.

Want to Explore More Travel Card Options?

This review focused on one standout card, but it is not the only way to earn big rewards. Each month, we publish a roundup of the strongest travel card offers currently available, from beginner-friendly earners to premium cards with lounge access and luxury perks.

👉 Take a look at our September Card Picks to see what else is on the radar this month.

August 28, 2025

PointsYeah September Picks: The Travel Cards Worth Considering Now
Every month the lineup of travel credit cards shifts. Intro bonuses change, perks refresh, and some offers quietly become far more valuable than they look at first glance. September 2025 happens to be one of those months where the choices are unusually strong.

This month, four cards stand out. Each one is built for a slightly different type of traveler, the starter who wants a simple way to earn points, the international spender who racks up charges outside the U.S., the frequent flyer who values lounges and credits, and the luxury seeker who wants premium everything.

Here’s a closer look at what deserves attention right now:

The Everyday Travel Card: Simple Earning That Adds Up

For anyone new to travel rewards, this card sets the stage. It comes with a 75,000-point welcome bonus after $5,000 in spend within the first 3 months. That’s enough for a domestic trip or even a transatlantic flight in economy through partners.

On top of the bonus, the earn rates are practical: 3X on dining and groceries, 5X on travel booked through select channels, and 2X on other travel purchases. With a low annual fee and perks like an annual hotel credit, it’s one of the strongest “starter” travel cards available.

Explore this Card →

The Global Everyday Card: Rewards Designed for Spending Abroad

Most cards assume your biggest purchases happen in the U.S. This one flips that idea by offering elevated rewards on every non-USD purchase, whether that’s rent, groceries, or daily transport abroad.

The intro bonus is big too: 100,000 points after $6,000 in spend in the first 3 months. Add in companion certificates that can shave points off when traveling with a partner and annual perks that help unlock elite-style travel benefits faster, and you have one of the few cards built for those who spend significant time overseas.

Explore This card →

The Frequent Traveler Card: Credits, Lounges, and Reliability

For anyone who flies often, consistency matters. This card comes with a 75,000-mile bonus after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, plus 2X on all everyday purchases. Book through the portal, and rewards accelerate: 10X on hotels and boosted multipliers on flights.

It also comes with a large annual travel credit that offsets the fee each year. Combined with unlimited 2X earn rates and elevated travel multipliers, it’s a reliable, mid-tier option that works especially well for frequent flyers.

Explore This Card →

The Luxury Travel Card: Big Bonuses, Big Perks

This is the card for those who want premium perks from day one. The intro bonus can reach as high as 175,000 points after $8,000 spend in the first 6 months, enough for multiple luxury redemptions, whether that’s lie-flat seats to Asia or five-star hotel stays.

Beyond the bonus, it earns 5X on flights and hotels booked through the issuer’s portal and comes with a wide slate of annual credits across travel and lifestyle categories. Add in lounge access to 1,000+ locations worldwide, and the value more than justifies the higher annual fee for those who prioritize comfort and access.

Explore This Card →

What Can You Do With These Points?

Think of it this way:
- 75,000 points can take you on a beach escape to Hawaii or slide you into a lie-flat seat to Europe with points left over.
- 100,000 points unlocks long-haul comfort, whether that’s a trip to Asia or multiple shorter journeys across regions.
- 175,000 points puts luxury firmly on the table. Premium cabins halfway across the world or a week of five-star hotels that would otherwise cost thousands.
September’s lineup makes these possibilities more attainable than ever. Whether your goal is to travel more often or to travel better, these offers can get you there.
August 28, 2025
How I Saved $866 in One Week by Tracking my Reservations
By Sarah Cash

Key Takeaways
- Track and rebook regularly: Monitoring your existing hotel reservations using tools like PointsYeah Hotel Collection Calendar view can lead to significant savings through better rates or award availability.
- Optimize free night certificates: Use hotel loyalty program benefits and credit card perks at higher-value properties for maximum return.
- Consider unique accommodations: Alternative lodging like capsule hotels can offer local experiences while saving money. Search for this with PointsYeah Hotel Collection.
- Leverage flexible cancellation policies: Airlines like United offer free award flight cancellations, making rebooking risk-free.
- Set price alerts: Use tools like PointsYeah Points Price Alerts, Explorer Alerts, and Hotel Alerts to automatically monitor award flight prices.
- Strategic point usage: Reserve cash for expensive award periods and use points when rates are favorable.
The Digital Nomad Advantage

As a digital nomad with no home base, I book flights and accommodation almost every week of my life. That might sound exhausting to some, but it also means I have booked, canceled, and rebooked hundreds of reservations to maximize savings and discover new experiences. Here’s how I strategically manage my reservations and saved $866 in just one week.

Capsule Hotel Stay: Saving $196 on Tokyo Accommodation

The Opportunity

A fellow nomad recently reminded me about Tokyo’s famous capsule hotels – known for being clean, comfortable, and offering premium amenities like hot tubs, and complimentary breakfast. I discovered a capsule hotel featuring free champagne and a traditional sauna for approximately $50 per night. You can do this by searching for Unique Hotels when searching PointsYeah’s Hotel Collection.

The Decision

I had already booked a two-night stay at an Intercontinental Hotel, leveraging my Ambassador status to receive one free weekend night. However, I decided to cancel this reservation for two reasons:
1. The cost was relatively high compared to other Intercontinental properties worldwide.
2. I genuinely wanted to experience Japan’s capsule hotel culture.
The Savings
- Original IHG cost: $452 for two nights
- Capsule hotel cost: $256 for five nights
- Total savings: $196
The Intercontinental would certainly have been more luxurious, but the capsule hotel provided a cultural experience while allowing me to save my Ambassador Weekend Free Night certificate for a higher-value property.

Searching by Hotel Type
1. Navigate to PointsYeah Hotel Collection, which you can select from the left sidebar on the main page.
2. Search for the desired category of hotels on PointsYeah by clicking the relevant circle underneath the search bar.
3. Click “Unique Hotels” for local accommodations that you won’t find elsewhere.
Key Lesson: Always evaluate whether unique local accommodations might offer better value than luxury hotels, and reserve your loyalty program benefits for maximum impact. To do this, search for “Unique Hotels” in PointsYeah’s Hotel Collection.

United Award Flight Optimization: $670 in TravelBank Savings

The Situation

I had originally booked two United business class flights in the South Pacific using United TravelBank funds. While monitoring award availability using Points Price Alerts, I discovered these flights were available in economy for just 15,000 miles plus $13 in taxes.

The Analysis

Both flights were overnight routes under two hours – short enough that business class wouldn’t significantly enhance comfort compared to longer routes where lie-flat seats provide real value.

The Rebooking Strategy

Thanks to United MileagePlus’s free cancellation policy, I was able to:
1. Cancel the original TravelBank bookings (refunding $833).
2. Rebook using 15,000 miles + $13 in taxes for both flights, a value of over 5 cents per point!
3. Preserve TravelBank funds for future premium cabin flights on longer routes.
Key Lesson: Regularly monitor award availability using PointsYeah Points Price Alerts for existing bookings, especially with airlines offering free cancellations. Short flights may not justify premium cabin costs that could be better used on long-haul routes.

Hyatt Taipei Strategy: Mixed Bookings for Optimal Value

The Challenge

While attempting to optimize a Hyatt reservation in Taipei, I discovered that three of my eight planned nights were only bookable with cash, not points. I had originally planned on booking my stay solely with points.

The Current Booking
- Total cost: $448 cash + 25,000 Hyatt points for 8 nights
- Expected earnings: 16,000 points through a Hyatt promotion
- Net point usage: 9,000 points (25,000 redeemed – 16,000 earned)
Searching by Hotel Collection Calendar
1. Navigate to PointsYeah Hotel Collection, which you can select from the left sidebar on the main page.
2. Search for desired hotels on PointsYeah.
3. Click “Award Calendar” on the tile for the hotel you want to stay at.
Key Lesson: Even when you can’t immediately optimize an award booking, continue monitoring for improvements in award space using the Hotel Collection Calendar view. Mixed cash-and-points bookings can still provide excellent value.

Future Planning: New Zealand Award Alerts

The Strategy

Looking ahead to my trip to New Zealand next year, premium cabin award flights are currently expensive. Rather than booking immediately, I’m using PointsYeah Points Price Alerts and Explorer Alerts to monitor fare changes.

Setting Up Points Price Alerts for my exact route
1. Search for desired flights on PointsYeah.
2. Click “Create Alerts” in the top right corner.
3. Receive notifications when award prices drop or availability improves.
Setting Up Explorer Alerts for a broader search
1. Navigate to PointsYeah Daydream Explorer, which you can select at the top or from the left sidebar on the main page.
2. Search for flights from anywhere in the US to New Zealand over your desired period of time to find more flights for your trip.
3. Click the “Create Explorer Alerts” toggle at the top of the search.
4. Receive notifications when award prices drop or availability improves.
Key Lesson: For future travel, especially to expensive destinations, set up automated price monitoring with PointsYeah Points Price and Explorer Alerts rather than settling for current high rates.

Essential Strategies for Travel Savings
- Maximize Credit Card Benefits
- Embrace Unique Experiences
- Master Flexible Booking Policies
- Implement Systematic Monitoring
Conclusion: The Power of Strategic Rebooking

This single week of tracking my reservations underscores how significant savings are possible through strategic rebooking. The $866 I saved is money that I can spend on travel experiences or invest elsewhere.

I’m so grateful to live my life on the road. While this digital nomad lifestyle can be expensive, points and miles save me tens of thousands annually on flights and accommodations. The key is developing a routine for consistent monitoring and optimization.

Your action items:
1. Review your existing reservations this week.
2. Set up price alerts for future travel with PointsYeah Points Price Alerts, Explorer Alerts, and Hotel Alerts.
3. Understand the cancellation policies of your preferred airlines and hotels.
4. Consider local accommodations by using PointsYeah’s Hotel Collection for your next destination.
What could strategic rebooking save you on your upcoming travels?
August 5, 2025
Breaking: Citi ThankYou Points now transferrable to American Airlines

We’ve been waiting for this, and it’s finally here. With the launch of Citi’s newest travel card, ThankYou Points are now transferable to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio.

Until now, AAdvantage was the only one of the big four U.S. airlines without a major points transfer partner. Delta? Transfer from Amex. United and Southwest? Chase. But American had no option, until now. This opens the door to far more flexibility in finding high-value award seats.

AAdvantage has many low cost redemptions starting at 5k miles as of the time of this search. A quick browse through daydream explorer found over 100 nonstop flights priced at that 5k mile mark.

Looking to stretch out?

We’re currently seeing First Class seats to Tokyo for around 80,000 AAdvantage miles, on top-tier carriers like Japan Airlines.

Most recent news regarding transfer partners has been negative. This however is great news for users of PointsYeah who now have even more flexibility to book their next trip. Be sure to update your filters, adjust your strategy, and explore the latest tools (and cards) that can help you take advantage of this change.. Learn more about the featured cards this month.

July 27, 2025
How to use Points and Miles within Europe
By Sarah Cash

Key Takeaways for European Flight & Hotel Redemptions
- Low-cost redemptions beat budget airlines: Some European routes cost as little as 4,000-7,500 miles plus minimal taxes
- Orphaned miles find perfect use: Stranded airline miles and hotel points are an excellent use for short European stays
- Business class flights offer exceptional value: Premium cabin flights can cost much less using points vs. paying cash
- Transfer bonuses maximize value: Strategic transfers from credit card programs can slash redemption costs
- Flexible routing creates adventures: Use search tools to discover unexpected destinations at low mileage rates
- Hotel program perks: Know specific hotel loyalty program discounts, like getting a fifth night free when you book with Marriott Bonvoy points.
Ryanair, easyJet, and other low-cost carriers abound in Europe, setting low prices for intra-European flights. While you can typically only redeem miles for flights on more full-service airlines like Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, that may seem like a waste of points in comparison to the cash cost. However, there are many cases and reasons why using points for flights and hotel stays within Europe may actually be the wise decision.

When Points Beat Budget Airlines on European Routes

Let’s examine a flight from Bologna to Paris. This flight costs 4,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles and $21 in taxes—an extremely low cost, even compared to the cash price of $114. Because this is such a low-cost point redemption, it makes perfect sense to use points here rather than cash.

Summer Olympics in Paris

Orphaned Airline Miles

Use Air Canada Aeroplan to fly nonstop intra-Europe

This flight from Krakow to Istanbul costs 7,500 Air Canada Aeroplan miles and $44 in taxes, compared to $138 in cash. Whether you should pay cash or use points becomes less clear-cut here. Though you come out slightly ahead when you use points, the cash cost may be low enough that you prefer saving your points for higher-value redemptions. Make sure you consider the cost of cancelling or changing the flight as well, since that is typically easy to do with an award flight, but much more costly with a cash ticket.

This scenario perfectly illustrates when you might want to use “orphaned” miles—those stranded in your airline or hotel loyalty account that cannot be transferred back to credit card programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards. These orphaned points remain in your account until they expire or are used, making intra-European flights an excellent redemption opportunity since they often cost fewer points. In short, if you have orphaned miles, or plans that may change, using points for your ticket will be more cost effective. If not, spending cash may be the smarter option if you have the money.

Maximizing Business Class Value on European Routes

Within Europe, business class journeys offer good award redemptions with much more convenience and flexibility. Take this example from Milan to Paris, which costs 8,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles and $28 in taxes, compared to $413 in cash for business class one-way.

Flying business class for your journey will help ease travel stress, especially when you’re not paying much cash. Keep in mind that European business class typically won’t include wider seats, though you will receive increased baggage allowance, plus a more premium check-in and airport experience. For example, on an economy ticket, Air France lets you take one bag up to 50 lbs, and the ticket costs $111 in cash. But for the above business class ticket, you can take two bags at up to 71 lbs each, for just 8k points + $28 in taxes. If you’re on a longer trip and are carrying more luggage, this can be a great way to alleviate travel worries, and save time and cash.

Building Flexible European Adventures with Miles

Use Daydream Explorer to help you find these hidden gems

If you’re planning a European vacation, consider building your trip around cheap flight redemptions. Daydream Explorer serves as the best flight search tool when you have date and destination flexibility. Searching from Eastern to Northern Europe over the next couple months reveals opportunities like a nonstop flight from Warsaw, Poland to Riga, Latvia for just 6,000 United MileagePlus miles and $25 in taxes—compared to $150 cash. This highlights a super low-cost way to build an adventure while making your points and miles work efficiently for your travels.

Strategic Hotel Point Redemptions

Complement your flight strategy by leveraging points for European hotel stays to create an almost entirely free vacation. Transferring Citi ThankYou points to Choice Hotels at a 1:2 transfer ratio delivers exceptional value—4,000 Citi points becomes 8,000 Choice points for a free night in Paris. Even when cash rates are relatively low, using only 4,000 points for accommodations in a major European city is difficult to beat.

Transfer bonuses apply to hotel programs just like airline loyalty programs. Through August 15, 2025, Chase is offering a 50% transfer bonus to Marriott, enabling luxury stays in Belgrade, Serbia, for 37,000 points per night at a St. Regis property. While substantial, you can optimize this redemption by combining it with Marriott’s “Fifth Night Free” benefit—stay five nights for the cost of four when booking with points. This strategy stretches your point balance while potentially accessing luxury properties that might otherwise exceed your budget.

Bottom Line: European Points & Miles Strategy

When searching for flights and hotels within Europe, follow these essential strategies: always compare cash rates against points redemptions, prioritize using orphaned points from your loyalty accounts, take advantage of credit card transfer bonuses, evaluate business class rates, maintain flexibility with both destinations and travel dates, and utilize hotel program perks like getting an extra free night.

These optimization tips help you save cash for on-the-ground adventures throughout Europe. After all, it’s a lot harder to use points and miles for your crepes and concerts than for your flights and hotels!
July 24, 2025
How Repositioning Flights Can Unlock More Award Travel
By Manny Estrada | Published on July 23rd, 2025

You’ve run the search. You picked your home airport, adjusted the filters, checked a few dates, and the results are disappointing. Maybe nothing matches your travel window. Maybe the flights that do show up cost way more points than expected. You refresh, tweak the inputs, try again… and still come up short.

At this point, most travelers assume they’re out of luck. They either settle for something mediocre or give up entirely.

But experienced points travelers know there is another move to make. It doesn’t require changing your destination, switching programs, or altering your travel dates. It starts with one question:

What if the problem isn’t the destination… but where you’re starting from?

This is where repositioning flights come into play. By flying from a different departure city, often just a short domestic hop away, you can unlock far more award space, better itineraries, and lower points pricing. With PointsYeah, spotting these opportunities is easier than ever.

Why Your Home Airport Isn’t Always the Best Starting Point

Award availability is affected by dozens of factors, including partner networks, route demand, time of year, and airline-specific patterns. Even at major hubs like Los Angeles, Dallas–Fort Worth, Chicago, or New york, the flight you want might not show up in your search or it may cost significantly more points.

Meanwhile, another major city like Seattle or Washington D.C. might offer the exact same flight, on the same airline, at a far better redemption rate.

This is what makes repositioning so powerful. Instead of waiting for the perfect award to appear from your home airport, you take a proactive step to fly out of a city with better availability. It only takes a bit of flexibility and the right search tools.

How to Find These Opportunities with PointsYeah

PointsYeah makes this strategy easy with a tool called Daydream Explorer.

Instead of running one airport at a time, you can search by entire departure regions like United States West, United States Northeast, or United States Midwest, all in a single click. It is the fastest way to scan dozens of departure points without opening dozens of tabs or repeating the same search over and over.

Let’s say you’re based in Los Angeles. You run a standard search from LAX and find limited options. But when you search using the United States West region, you suddenly see better availability from cities like San Francisco or Seattle. You add a quick positioning flight, and now the award trip becomes possible.

This approach works across all types of travel. Whether you are flying internationally, booking domestic redemptions, or trying to match a partner program’s sweet spot, starting in the right region can make all the difference.

Washington D.C. to Madrid, Repositioning to New York

Let’s say you’re based in the Washington D.C. area and planning a Thanksgiving trip to Europe. You’re hoping to find a lie-flat business class seat using points, but every flight from D.C. is pricing well above 60,000 points each way. Nothing lines up with your dates, and none of the results feel like a good deal.

So you open Daydream Explorer and switch your departure region to United States Northeast.

That’s when it appears:

New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) – 43,000 points + $33

This matches your ideal departure window, and the price is better than anything you saw from D.C.

All it takes to make this trip happen is a short repositioning flight from DCA to JFK. That flight costs just $65 one-way, as shown in Google Flights, and gets you to New York in under 90 minutes.

By adjusting your starting region and adding a quick hop, you’ve gone from overpriced or unavailable options to a perfectly timed, lie-flat seat to Europe, right in time for the holidays.

San Francisco to Tokyo, Repositioning to Seattle

A traveler in San Francisco is planning a trip to Japan in early August. They want to fly in comfort, ideally in business class, but searches from SFO are either too expensive or unavailable on the dates they need.

So they open Daydream Explorer, switch the departure region to United States West, and the picture changes completely.

There it is:

Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) – 60,000 points + $18

Not only does the pricing beat anything found from San Francisco, but it’s on Japan Airlines, known for its exceptional business class experience, with lie-flat seating, elegant service, and a refined in-flight meal program.

To catch the flight, all they need is a quick positioning hop from San Francisco to Seattle. That flight costs just $69, takes just over two hours, and runs frequently.

With one small change to their departure city, they’ve gone from stuck to soaring, landing a high-end seat to Tokyo at a fraction of the points.

How to Use This Strategy the Smart Way
- Use Daydream Explorer’s region filters
  Don’t waste time guessing which airport might have better pricing. Use the regional filters to scan a wide range of departure cities at once. You can search any of the following:
  - United States West
  - United States Northeast
  - United States Midwest
  - United States Southeast
  - United States South
- Set alerts for multiple cities
  You can set up to four free alerts with PointsYeah, and even more if you’re a Premium member. These will notify you when award prices drop or new seats open up, even if it’s not from your home airport.
- Keep positioning simple
  Focus on nonstop or single-hop routes when booking your domestic flight. Use cash or miles, and leave enough time between flights to protect yourself from delays.
- Be flexible on direction
  Sometimes it makes sense to reposition only on the outbound or return leg. You might fly out of Seattle and return directly to your home city, or vice versa.
The Takeaway

Repositioning flights are one of the easiest ways to stretch your points and find better availability. All it takes is a shift in strategy.

Instead of asking, “Where can I go from here?”

Ask, “Where else could I start this trip?”

With tools like Daydream Explorer and flight alerts, PointsYeah makes this kind of flexible searching faster and smarter. You don’t need to live near the perfect airport. You just need to be willing to take one extra step, and the rewards can be huge.

Start exploring more departure regions today on PointsYeah.

A better award flight could be just one airport away.
July 22, 2025
Points in Action: July 2025

At PointsYeah, we believe that travel dreams shouldn’t stay dreams — and our users prove it every day. In this new series, Points in Action, we’re sharing real stories from the PointsYeah community about how smart searches, strategic alerts, and one powerful tool helped make big trips happen.

Tyler “Dublin” His Way Home from Europe

“When flights to Seattle were expensive in July 2025, PointsYeah’s Explorer Alerts found me a 27k American Airlines miles flight from Amsterdam. Then, Price Point Alerts discovered an even better 27.5k Alaska miles flight from Brussels that included a free Dublin stopover. The real win came when another Price Point Alert caught the same Brussels route in business class for just 55k Alaska miles – doubling my miles for a luxury experience home.

Tyler used PointsYeah’s Explorer Alerts and Price Point Alerts to make his trip home from Europe incredibly memorable. The power of the Explorer Alert allowed him to find his original availability before the Price Point Alert yielded even better opportunities. With PointsYeah watching all the programs at once, he didn’t have to manually check every day.

Rahul Jetsetting Across the Globe Through Alliance Partners

“I got an alert for Singapore Airlines nonstop business class Singapore to New York for only about 75k Air Canada points that I was able to book and will be doing later this year. I also booked a first class ticket from Dubai to Bangkok on Qatar Airways for only 50k American Airlines miles.”

Never underestimate the power of the transfer partners. Rahul found an incredible value traveling from Southeast Asia to the US through Air Canada and yet another trip from the Middle East to Southeast Asia through American Airlines. PointsYeah does the work for you, connecting you with the best redemption possible through partners you may not have even thought of.

Laura Bags First Redemption With Live Search

“It was exciting to do a live search for our Switzerland trip and receive an alert that met our criteria. We booked using points for the first time, so we were nervous, but now we are excited to go!”

Everyone remembers their first points and miles redemption and how nervewracking it can be. PointsYeah makes it simple with a straightforward, easy-to-follow search tool that can get you on your way to your next destination.

Your Story Could Be Next

Have you used PointsYeah to book an epic trip, unlock a hidden redemption, or stretch your points further than you thought possible? We want to hear about it!

Send your story to yeah@pointsyeah.com with a photo, your trip details, and how PointsYeah helped. We can’t wait to feature your story in a future edition of Points in Action!

July 21, 2025
How PointsYeah Makes United Airlines Upgrades Way Easier
Upgrades are one of the best ways to turn your miles into luxury, but tracking them on United Airlines can be a hassle. Whether you’re using PlusPoints, miles, or miles with a copay, the process often feels like crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.

Introducing PointsYeah’s United Upgrade Alerts, a Premium-exclusive feature that simplifies the process completely.

What Are United Upgrade Alerts?

United Airlines Upgrade Alerts let you track availability for upgrades from Economy or Premium Economy into Business Class or First on flights operated by United. This includes:
- ✅ Upgrades using PlusPoints
- ✅ Upgrades using miles
- ✅ Upgrades using miles with a copay
- ❌ Codeshare and partner airlines are not included
Whether you’re aiming for a flat-bed seat to Europe or a domestic first class upgrade, PointsYeah watches availability for you and sends an alert as soon as something opens up.

How It Works:

Here’s how simple it is to set an alert:
1. Select Your Route: Choose your departure and destination cities.
2. Pick Your Travel Date or Range: You can monitor a single day or a broader date range.
3. Optional: Enter a specific United flight number if you only want nonstop tracking.
4. Confirm and Track: That’s it. We take care of the monitoring and send you updates.
Each day you track counts as one alert and can set up to 32 active alerts at once.

Scanning Frequency: We start monitoring upgrade availability once per day when your departure is more than a month away. As your travel date approaches, the frequency increases. In the final days before departure, we scan every hour, helping you catch last-minute upgrade openings as soon as they appear.

What Makes This Feature Special?

Unlike other platforms that focus on cash fares or general award space, PointsYeah’s Upgrade Alerts are built specifically for travelers using miles, PlusPoints, or miles and a copay. The feature lets you monitor all United-operated flights between your selected cities, giving you the flexibility to track either a specific flight number or an entire route.

Once your alert is set, we’ll keep an eye on availability for you and send you a notification the moment an upgrade opens up. It’s designed for frequent flyers who value their time and don’t want to miss an opportunity to sit up front.

Premium-Only, and Worth Every Point

United Upgrade Alerts aren’t just useful. They’re powerful, and they’re only available to PointsYeah Premium Members. This feature alone can be worth the upgrade for anyone who flies United regularly or wants to travel more comfortably without wasting time hunting for upgrade space.

But the value doesn’t stop there. Premium gives you access to the full suite of advanced tools designed to help you find better flights, faster, and make the most of every single point you have.

As a Premium member, you’ll also get:
- 32 active flight alerts instead of just 4
- 8-day flexible searches instead for 4 days for both one-way and round-trip itineraries
- Hotel point alerts with up to 15 active alerts
- Tools to sort results by your custom point valuation
- Additional travel features designed to help you book the best deals faster
If you’re serious about maximizing your points and securing the best award flights, Premium is the way to do it.
July 19, 2025
Cardpointers: The app we are using to maximize our points earning strategy

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This app is sleek, fast and built to work with you everywhere. Dont believe us? They just won App of the Day from the Apple App Store on July 24th 2025.

CardPointers helps users earn more points everywhere they shop for free. With CardPointers+, most users save $750+ every year — and for a limited time you can save 30% off the normal price.

July 17, 2025