For our upcoming Norwegian Encore Alaska cruise from Seattle, August 2–9, 2026, we booked Delta for the flight to Seattle and Southwest for the flight home. Our effective new out-of-pocket airfare for the two of us was essentially $0. That does not mean the flights were free. We used 37,100 airline points, $465.80 in credits…
Updated July 22, 2026: We’ve refreshed this article with a real example from our son and daughter-in-law’s trip home from London. A canceled British Airways flight created a very tight separate-ticket connection at JFK, so we used points from another airline program to secure a cancelable backup. Their original connection was then delayed by 95…
Airline miles can be one of the most useful parts of a points and rewards strategy. They can help cover flights you may not want to pay for in cash. They can make a bigger trip feel more realistic. They can give you more flexibility when prices are high, schedules are limited, or travel plans…
Airline miles can feel like they should always save you money. After all, if you have points sitting in an account, why not use them? Sometimes that is exactly the right move. Miles can help cover expensive flights, make a bigger trip possible, or save cash for hotels, cruises, food, excursions, and everything else that…
Updated June 16, 2026: We’ve refreshed this article with clearer examples, current airline-points context, and stronger links to our newer Airline Points, Miles, & Loyalty guides. Many people think the main benefit of airline points is saving money. And that can definitely be true. It is not unusual to find flights that provide 2 cents…
Updated June 15, 2026: We refreshed this article with current information, updated links, and additional notes. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is getting a lot more interesting. Chase is currently showing a limited-time 100,000-point welcome bonus after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The annual fee is still $95. That combination…
Most people assume you need a ton of points — or a specific airline’s miles — to book a good flight. That’s not always true. In this example, we’re using Alaska Atmos points to book an American Airlines flight… even though we don’t really fly Alaska at all. And the result? A simple, repeatable redemption…
Updated June 26, 2026: We’ve refreshed this story with clearer real-life takeaways on when a travel deal is useful, when it creates friction, and why backup plans matter as much as the low price. We love luxury travel. We enjoy a great hotel, a good lounge, and the occasional “this is nicer than we need”…
