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Daily Archives: May 18, 2026
Reliable Travel (booked everything in Cappadocia for them)
Balloon Turca (booked by/through Reliable Travel)
Ariana Sustainable Luxury Lodge (an SLH property!)
We trade our usual family travel format for a couple’s Turkey anniversary recap that is packed with points and miles tactics you can steal for your own peak season trips. Melissa walks us through how she booked business class flights, stacked hotel perks, and built a Cappadocia hot air balloon day that actually runs smoothly.
• How Melissa plans travel around a strict school schedule
• Booking KLM business class with Flying Blue miles and Amex transfers
• What KLM business class is like including Delft houses and the Amsterdam lounge
• Repositioning to Mexico City to find Turkish Airlines business class saver seats
• Istanbul hotel strategy with Hyatt Globalist benefits at the Grand Hyatt
• Istanbul sightseeing with a guided walking tour, Galata Tower and a Bosphorus cruise
• Cappadocia logistics, why local drivers and guides help, and when cash beats points
• Using Chase The Edit and points to book a boutique Cappadocia lodge with credits and upgrades
• Hot air balloon ride details: weather rules, pickup timing, what to wear and what it feels like
• Returning to Istanbul with an Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stay at the Park Hyatt and a hamam plan
• Turkish award booking tips, credit card requirements and why travel insurance matters
• School break booking rules: calendar open, flexibility on destination and smart repositioning
Let me know your feedback if you think that this would have better been split into two episodes or if you like the kind of longer format. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message and I will ask her for you.