Daily Archives: May 25, 2026

We share how we’re reshaping our points and miles strategy after Hyatt devaluations, including new card moves and the reality of planning family travel when award space disappears. We also walk through our Italy and Switzerland pivot, plus a credit score rebound that lets us apply for new cards with confidence. 
• choosing the Bilt Palladium for the signup bonus and transfer partners 
• why we skip mortgage payments through Bilt for now 
• using Bilt cash to activate the 3x accelerator on planned spend 
• targeting Japan Airlines miles and watching hard expiration rules 
• adding Capital One Savor for uncapped 3x groceries 
• pending Wells Fargo Autograph Journey verification and what we’re sending 
• navigating Chase 5/24 and our plan to earn more Chase points via a business card 
• booking Hyatt stays before devaluation while keeping options open 
• dropping Lake Como due to missing standard award space for two rooms 
• deciding between Florence costs and a Switzerland-heavy itinerary 
• planning Rome with hotel openings still uncertain and building a backup 
• timing credit card applications after utilization drops and scores rebound above 800 
If you listened to last week's episode where I had our very first guest on, I would love feedback if you haven't already sent it. Find me on Instagram at travel party5, and we will catch you on the next episode.