Miles For Family
A Taste of Banff, Including Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
Last week, my husband and I got away for a childless vacation to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. See my review of our 3-night stay at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. We tried to squeeze as much sight-seeing as we could into our 2 1/2 days in the park while...
Miles For Family
Our Day in Machu Picchu: Expensive, Complicated, Worth It
This is the fifth installment  in my series of posts on our recent trip to South America. See my previous  posts Back from our family trip to Peru and Easter island: Bumpy start, awesome memories  , Flying in LATAM economy to South America and Easter Island , Layovers in airport-adjacent hotels:...
Your Mileage May Vary
Central American Country Updates Its Vaccine Requirements for 2nd Time This Week
June 28: “New rule.” July 4: “LOLZ, just kidding. This is what we actually meant.” Honduras has apparently changed its mind. About a week and a half ago, the Central…
Miles For Family
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise: An Anniversary-Worthy Splurge
Last week, my husband and I traveled to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada for a kids-free trip to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We stayed at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which was about a 2-hour drive from Calgary YYC airport. While our stay was not cheap, the hotel was...
Travel Points Playbook
Review: Hyatt Vacation Club Pinon Pointe
In my first ever post in the One Card, One Trip series, I wrote about visiting Sedona, Arizona…
Miles For Family
Emirates Transfer Devaluation, Marriott Flash Transfer Bonus and More
Happy Independence Day! I hope you all are able to relax and enjoy the holiday. Amex Membership Rewards Devalues Emirates Skywards Transfer Ratio: Both Citi and Amex have decreased the transfer ratio to Emirates. Will Chase and Capital One follow suit? See this post on One Mile at a Time. ...
Miles For Family
Japan vs. China: A Tale of Two Toilets
On my recent trip to Asia, my daughter and I flew to China after spending 10 days in Japan. Shortly after arrival, we were in culture shock because there were so many things that were different between the two countries. One of the biggest differences that I didn’t pay attention...
Travel Points Playbook
Airline Miles Made Our Bucket List Experience Possible
I had a great opportunity last weekend that was only made possible with airline miles. My daughter and…
Miles For Family
Dormy Inn Shibuya Jingumae Hot Spring in Tokyo: Practical, Not Fancy
This is a continuation of my Japan/China trip report. See also Back from China and Japan Trip! 5 Takeaways, Worth it: JAL Premium Economy Award Seats, Better Than Expected: AA Premium Economy Shanghai PVG to DFW, Hits and Misses from our day at Tokyo DisneySea, Take this Line and Shove...
Miles For Family
Ideal Base for Visiting Machu Picchu: Hotel Points Vs. Paying Cash
This is the fourth installment  in my series of posts on our recent trip to South America. See my previous  posts Back from our family trip to Peru and Easter island: Bumpy start, awesome memories  , Flying in LATAM economy to South America and Easter Island and Layovers in airport-adjacent hotels:...
Wingtips
Budget Beds, Big Station: Travelodge Joins the Liverpool Street Crew
Budget-hotel bruiser Travelodge is parking its suitcase smack opposite London Liverpool Street, the UK’s busiest rail hub, and… The post Budget Beds, Big Station: Travelodge Joins the Liverpool Street Crew appeared first on Wingtips.
Miles For Family
After visiting all 12 Disney parks around the world, which is my favorite?
I’ve always been a big fan of Disney theme parks. As a kid, my family visited Disney World several times, and it was my favorite vacation. In my 20s, I had the opportunity to work at a Disney corporate office in California, and that experience only increased my love for...
Miles For Family
Virgin Atlantic Doubles Fees on Awards, Bilt July Rent Day and More
Brutal: Virgin Atlantic Doubles Fees on Biz Class Awards, Raises Others: Per this post on Thrifty Traveler, taxes and fees on Virgin Atlantic awards are now higher, but not as high as they used to be. Ugh. Bilt Rent Day July 2025: This month, the big offer is 25%-100% gift...
Miles For Family
My Thought Process on Taking Advantage of Amex/Hawaiian Transfer in the Eleventh Hour
This is a topic that’s getting a lot of attention in the hobby right now, and for a good reason. As of June 30th, Amex Membership Rewards points will no longer transfer to Hawaiian miles, and with that dies an opportunity to easily acquire Alaska currency. So, the question is,...
Miles For Family
Take this Line and Shove It (Literally): Shanghai Disneyland Hits and Misses
Yesterday, I wrote about our day at Tokyo DisneySea. Later on our same trip, my daughter and I spent a day at Shanghai Disneyland, my last Disney resort in the world to visit. The two parks could not have been more different. Shanghai Disneyland is more like the traditional Disneyland/Magic...