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Category: Podcast
Rakuten Referral Link: http://www.rakuten.com/r/RAYAPI6?eeid=28187
Chase Sapphire Reserve 150K REFERRAL LINK!
Capital One Shopping Referral Link (turns out I do have one!!!!)
We share the exact tools we use to plan trips faster, keep packing under control, and squeeze more value out of everyday spending. We also break down a 10x Chase Ultimate Rewards play using Paze, including where it works, how to stack it, and what to troubleshoot if your accounts get messy.
• noting the elevated Chase Sapphire Reserve offer and why we still use it heavily
• using Rakuten to earn cash back or points on regular online shopping
• testing Capital One Shopping for strong cash back offers
• building trip idea lists and reusable packing checklists in Google Keep
• planning itineraries with Trava linked to TripIt for confirmation email imports
• earning 10x Chase Ultimate Rewards with Paze on eligible retailers
• maximizing the promo with Newegg gift cards including Airbnb
• stacking card category multipliers on top of the 10x where it applies
• fixing Paze issues by separating emails and phone numbers across accounts
If you have questions, find me on Instagram and we will catch you on the next episode.
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.
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.
Chase Sapphire Reserve 150K Offer!!! (thank you for using our link!)
Marriott Homes & Villas Promotion– register and book by 5/14/26!
Spirit Airlines disappears, Hyatt pricing shifts again, and we map out how we keep our family travel plans steady when loyalty programs and flight options change. We also share updates on three international trips and the exact points and miles moves we’re making right now.
• Mother’s Day recap and the economics of buffet pricing versus hotel status value
• Orlando work trip at the Disney partner Swan and Dolphin and how Marriott free night certificates can help
• Why losing Spirit Airlines hurts competition and what it can mean for fares
• How points create flexibility when low cost airlines reroute or disrupt trips
• London and Scotland itinerary pivot after award availability changes, plus a Paris overnight to make business class work
• Switzerland and Italy planning, including Wengen lodging sticker shock and backup hotel strategy for Rome
• Marriott Homes and Villas promo basics and using points to offset cash costs
• Capital One Shopping versus Capital One Offers and how targeted cashback emails can show up
• Hyatt devaluation deadline, booking 13 months out, and dealing with missing standard room availability
• Chase Sapphire Reserve 150K offer, new eligibility rules, and how we think about credits versus the annual fee
Any questions, as always, DM me on Instagram at travelpartyof5
We break down a simple way to think about travel insurance so we stop guessing and start choosing coverage that matches the trip. We also share what happened on our Thailand trip and how our annual policy reimbursed a missing-bag wardrobe and an unexpected ER visit.
• thinking in four layers: health insurance, credit card coverage, standalone policy, evacuation membership
• deciding when travel insurance matters more for international trips than domestic
• credit card travel protections and the need to pay with the right card to activate coverage
• what Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, Venture X and Bilt coverage can look like at a high level
• why we use an Allianz annual family plan and what it covers
• when cancel for any reason can be worth the upgrade
• evacuation options like Medjet and what they do differently
• Thailand claim walkthrough, what we submitted, and what we would document next time
please send me a DM on Instagram.