The full archive
Cards, points, miles, travel, deals, and perks—all in one place.
Points earned on regular MBNA Rewards cards cannot transfer to Alaska Mileage Plan. This guide covers the two MBNA Rewards cards and how to cash out, book travel, or buy gift cards at about 0.5–1 cpp.
Manufactured spending (MS) means creating card spend you would not otherwise have, so you can earn credit-card rewards while getting most of the money back. Here is how it works, past examples, and practical tips.
Hundreds of Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties are now bookable on Hilton.com with Hilton Honors points and Free Night Rewards. This roundup covers elite benefits, cash-versus-points snapshots, and where to get more Hilton points.
Visa Infinite includes a complimentary tasting of five wines at Dirty Laundry Vineyard near Kelowna, BC. This visit walks through the Visa winery list, how the perk worked on site, and what we bought afterward.
Alaska will issue a Japan Airlines award with AS and JL confirmation codes, but Seat Manage and JAL’s Japan-site booking lookup often fail. Switch the JAL site to an international city such as Shanghai or Vancouver to choose seats and meals.
A February 2024 Hilton Honors Diamond stay at Hilton Singapore Orchard, Hilton’s Asia flagship on Orchard Road. Cash was S$400, or 65,000 points. A corner junior suite, lounge check-in, and why this Hilton beat the converted Conrad.
A first-person 2024 guide to applying in Vancouver for a multiple-entry Japan tourist visa as a China-passport holder living in Canada, including documents, the in-person process, and timing.
A practical intro to Best Western and Best Western Rewards: earn 10 points per US$1 with points that do not expire, status match, award nights from 10K, and the Low Rate Guarantee gift-card kicker.
Flying Blue awards on China Airlines and China Eastern often have no seat-selection option in the Air France app, and China Airlines’ site can error out. Use Czech Airlines’ My Bookings page with the Flying Blue confirmation code, then trial-and-error seats until they confirm.
Flying Blue and Etihad Airways now allow reciprocal mileage earning and award redemptions. Here are example Flying Blue awards on Etihad and the earning charts for both programs.
A practical look at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and Shangri-La Circle: the five brands, Gold through Inspiration status, the Singapore Airlines status match, and why dining can be a better use of points than rooms.
A practical walkthrough for opening a Chase Checking and Savings account in the United States on a tourist visa, including proof of address, funding, debit-card setup, and follow-up steps.
