Tag: Daydream Explorer

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
How Buying Points Helped Me Fly My Family to Europe in Business Class for Less Than $900 Each
Flying business class to Europe as a family of four? Most people think that’s a once-in-a-lifetime splurge. But with a little strategy, the right timing, and the right tools, I made it happen for a fraction of the cost.

Here’s the full story of how I saved over $10,000 on our flights and turned a dream family trip into reality.

Step 1: Catching the Points Sale of the Year

In late 2024, Hawaiian Airlines ran a 100% bonus sale on miles. When you know how to use points, deals like this are impossible to pass up. I didn’t hesitate. I bought around 320,000 Hawaiian miles for $4,064.00 because I knew I could put them to work later.

But here’s what made this special.

At the time, there was a workaround that let you transfer Hawaiian Airlines miles to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. This was huge. Normally, getting points into Alaska is difficult, but this Hawaiian path opened up access to some of the best award redemptions in the game.

I didn’t know exactly when I would use the miles, but I knew the opportunity was too good to miss.

Step 2: The Search for Four Business Class Seats

Fast forward to February and March 2025. I started searching for four business class tickets from the West Coast to Europe for a late spring or early summer family trip.

Finding four seats in business class on the same flight? That’s not easy. But it’s possible if you know where to look.

I spent weeks searching, checking routes, flipping through dates, and running searches across multiple airlines. I knew I needed a tool that could keep up with me and help me move fast.

That’s why I used PointsYeah’s Daydream Explorer. It’s fast, flexible, and my absolute go-to for finding award flights. You can search across programs and dates in seconds, which saves a ton of time and opens up flights most people miss.

Then I found it.

Four business class seats from Las Vegas to Frankfurt on Condor Airlines for just 70,000 Alaska miles per ticket.

Finding one seat at that rate is pretty rare. Finding four on the same flight? That’s tough, but this is exactly what Daydream Explorer is built for. It helped me spot this deal quickly before it was gone.

I stared at the screen, double-checked the dates, the cabin, the taxes. I refreshed the page. I ran the search again. I triple-checked everything just to be sure.

It was real. And I knew I had to move fast. Deals like this don’t wait around. If you hesitate, they’re gone.

So I booked them immediately.

The trip was locked in.

The Final Numbers:
- Total Miles: 280,000 Alaska miles
- Cash Paid: $196.80 in taxes and fees
Just out of curiosity, I checked the cash price for those same flights on Google Flights.

$14,080 for 4 people.

I booked them for less than $900 per person. That’s a savings of over $10,000.

That’s not a discount. That’s a major win!

Step 3: Flying in Style

When the day finally came, it all felt surreal. We weren’t crammed in economy. We weren’t worrying about sleep, legroom, or whether our kids would be miserable for ten hours. We were flying in comfort. We were flying in business class.

Boarding Condor’s A330, we settled into wide, spacious seats that fully reclined into beds. The cabin was quiet. The service was smooth. The food was surprisingly good. And when we took off, I had this moment of realizing this is why I chase points. It’s not just about saving money, it’s about creating moments that make travel easier, more enjoyable, and more memorable.

The flight was perfect. We dined, we slept, and we landed in Frankfurt feeling refreshed, rested, and genuinely excited to kick off our European adventure.

When you travel with your family, this matters. Arriving well-rested changes everything. It sets the tone for the entire trip.

And the best part? I didn’t need to spend $14,000 to make it happen.

This is the power of points. This is why I play the game.

How Daydream Explorer Made It Happen

It’s not just fast. It’s not just easy. It’s built to help you find flights most people miss. I could quickly scan wide-open date ranges, mix and match departure cities, and explore hidden opportunities that would have been buried in endless airline searches.

While others are still clicking through airline websites, I’m already booking.

If I wasn’t using Daydream Explorer, I never would have found those four seats. I never would have pulled this off.

Looking back, this whole experience changed how I think about buying points.

Buying Points Can Be a Game-Changer When It Makes Sense

This trip really opened my eyes to what buying points can unlock. It’s not something I do for every trip, but when the right opportunity shows up, it can make a huge difference.

When there’s a big sale, when you’ve done the math, and when you can actually find the seats you want, buying points can be the key to getting incredible value. It can turn flights that seem completely out of reach into something that’s possible.

I didn’t buy points just to have them sitting in my account. I bought them because I had a real plan and a real way to use them.

Buying points isn’t always the answer, but sometimes, it’s exactly what makes trips like this happen.

Important: The Points Game Is Always Changing

When I bought Hawaiian miles last year, the Hawaiian-to-Alaska transfer path was wide open. It was one of the best workarounds in the game. That path has since closed, and it’s a perfect reminder that these windows don’t stay open forever.

Award programs, transfer partners, and sweet spots are constantly shifting. What works today might be gone tomorrow. We’ve seen it happen with Virgin Atlantic’s rising fees, Emirates’ recent Amex transfer devaluation, and other changes across the points landscape.

The key takeaway?

Maximize transfer bonuses and partner sweet spots while you can, but don’t move points speculatively. Wait until you find a real, bookable flight. Programs can devalue, transfer ratios can shift, and award space can vanish overnight.

There will always be new deals, but the industry moves fast. Staying ready, staying flexible, and using the right tools is how you stay ahead.

Final Takeaway: You Can Do This Too

Buying points when the math works out can be one of the smartest moves in points travel. You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to:
- Be ready to act when a deal drops.
- Use the right tools, like Daydream Explorer, to search smarter and faster.
- Trust the process.
This is how you win with points.
June 15, 2025
✈️ Introducing the all-new Daydream Explorer
April 2025

The way you explore with points just changed completely.

We didn’t just update Daydream Explorer, we reimagined how award travel should feel.

It now starts with a first-of-its-kind map that lets you search from anywhere to anywhere, across both flights and hotels. Toggle between them, zoom into regions, and start spotting possibilities instantly.

When you hone in on a destination, you’ll drop into a list view that feels familiar to Daydream of the past, letting you compare cabins, airlines, transfer partners, and more side by side.

You might start out looking for a trip to Paris… and end up planning something entirely different. That’s the magic of Daydream.

Whether you’re ready to book or just playing around, it’s the most inspiring way to use your points.

Explore Like Never Before

No departure city? No destination? No problem.

Start by choosing a region, or just hit “Anywhere”, and Daydream Explorer will instantly find flight and hotel options based on your filters. You can have up to three continents, Regions, countries, States or airports in each departure and arrival

It’s built for open-ended exploring, flexible planning, and those “just browsing” moments that turn into real trips.

And it’s not just about flights. Daydream also includes access to the Hotel Collection, a curated set of inspirational stays you can book with points. From beachfront escapes to boutique hideaways, it’s your gateway to unforgettable hotel experiences.

Cabin Class Colors on the Map

A quick visual guide to help you scan with confidence.

Every cabin type is color-coded on the map, so whether you’re browsing one class or all of them, it’s easy to compare. It’s a fast, intuitive way to spot the cabins you care about most, especially if you’re casually browsing or comparing options across the world.

🔵 Blue – Economy
🟢 Green – Premium Econ
🟣 Purple – Business Class
🟠 Orange – First Class

Filters That Actually Matter

Daydream Explorer lets you fine-tune your search to match exactly what you’re looking for.

On the flight page, you can filter by:
- Cabin class
- Airline program
- Bank program
- Number of stops
- Max points
- Max taxes
- Trip themes like beach, city, honeymoon, golf, family, and even to the moon
Whether you’re trying to find nonstop flights to Tokyo or a luxury stay in Rome, it’s all right there.

From Dreaming to Doing

Once you’ve found a destination you’re excited about in Daydream, you’ll land on a search card, a smart summary that shows you everything available for that specific route.

Here’s what you’ll see:
- All currently available award options
- Points pricing across multiple days
- All airline program options for that route
- Clear cabin labels (economy, business, etc.)
- Latest updated time
It’s a bird’s-eye view of what’s possible with your points.

And when one of those options looks right, just click to preview and tap ‘Real-Time Search’ to confirm availability instantly.

Explorer Alerts: Your travel sidekick

Not ready to book yet? That’s what Explorer Alerts are for.

You’ll find the orange bell icon at the top near the search filters or next to any deal you want to keep an eye on.

Click it, and you can customize your alert with flexible settings like:
- Where you’re departing from
- Travel dates
- Number of seats
- Travel theme
- Airline program
- Bank program
- Maximum taxes
Set it and let it run in the background. We’ll let you know when something hits your criteria, so you don’t have to keep checking back. You can track these alerts alongside your Price Point Alerts and Hotel Alerts in your account.

Explorer Alerts are free, unlimited, and built for travelers who like to keep their options open. Learn more about Explorer Alerts.

A few ways to use Daydream Explorer

Whether you’re browsing the map, diving into a search card, or setting up alerts, every part of Daydream is designed to turn ideas into action, and points into travel
- ✈️ Fly to London in business class for just 29,000 points
- 🛄 Find a 5k or less award flight
- 🌴 Book an overwater villa in the Maldives
- 💼 Find nonstop business class to Asia under 75,000 points
- 🏙️ Explore hotels in Tokyo for a perfect stay
From planning to playing around, Daydream helps you turn “maybe someday” into “I’m doing this”.

🚀 Ready to Try It?

The most visual way to plan award travel is live now.
Explore freely. Toggle between flights and hotels. Get inspired.

See where your points can take you →

Not loving the new Daydream Explorer flow? You can toggle back to the old view at any time by pressing “Detail view” button. You can even set this as your preference in your user settings.
April 10, 2025
Product spotlight: Hotels
Today, we are shining a light on our hotel vertical.

Some of the most memorable parts of a trip come from where you wake up. That’s why using your points for hotel stays is one of the most rewarding ways to travel!

Often missed by many of users, our 3 core hotel products give users the tools to book their next trip in confidence, whether that is with points or with cash.

From overwater bungalows in the Maldives to boutique hideaways in Rome, PointsYeah helps you turn your points into five-star stays, weekend escapes, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Hotel Live Search

Search your next destination and compare Points vs Cash in real time

Starting your search is intuitive, just select your destination and stay window like any OTA. From there, instantly see award nights and cash pricing side by side across loyalty brands like Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and more.

Our filter options are extensive, allowing everything from filtering on your favorite loyalty program to only searching for free nights that are given to you based on your status or cobranded credit card.

You can even sort here by CPP, a unique option only available on our hotel product.

Daydream Explorer: Hotel Collection

Get inspired by our hand picked collection of 2,000+ point hotels around the globe

Discover hotel deals from luxury resorts to boutique hideaways and hidden gems, all inside the Hotel Collection.

For those familiar with our Daydream Explorer product for flights, you will find a similar view tied to our hotel collection. In our starting map, search for far flung destinations you have never heard of to get inspired for your next trip.

Prefer visuals of the hotel instead of a map to get started? We have you covered.

Click on the “List view” button to be brought to our hotel collection homepage. Here, you can browse our full collection, with some of our favorite hotels tagged as Featured properties.

One feature that we love to use ourselves is our calendar view. To find this, click on the calendar icon, found on the hotel card at various points in the funnel

From here, we are able to see a comparison of cash vs points across a full month at a time.

This is great for finding those hard to get award nights at some of the most exclusive properties around the world.

Hotel Alerts

Set your alerts and let PointsYeah do the heavy lifting

Similar to flight price point alerts, our hotel alert product is there so that you can avoid constantly checking the hotel website. Whether you
- Booked a refundable cash fare and want to book the same room at a lower price
- Booked an award room and want to see if it lowers
- Are waiting on a price to go below a certain threshold
Hotel Alerts are the product for you. Just click the 🔔 bell icon next to a result, and that’s it! You’re covered.

Free members can track up to 4 hotel alerts. Each unique stay is tracked as 1 alert. Premium users unlock up to 15, great for planning trips or keeping tabs on dream stays.
April 1, 2025