Miles For Family
A Letter from US Bank Said My TransUnion Credit Score is 509
Nope, it’s not a typo, though there is a nuance to it. So, the other day I got a letter from US Bank telling me the credit limits on my cards have been sharply reduced. It mentioned too many credit inquiries and too many newly opened accounts. No surprise there,...
Miles For Family
Our Scenic Drive through Sacred Valley of the Incas, plus Overnight in Cusco
This is the sixth 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:...
Miles For Family
Surprise Upgrade at Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay
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
Citi Adds AA as a 1:1 Transfer Partner
This is big news: Citi just added American Airlines as a 1:1 transfer partner! While this move has been rumored for a while,  I didn’t actually believe it until it just happened. AA miles are incredibly valuable to my family since we live near an AA airport hub. I’ve found...
Miles For Family
Cruise Safety: Amy Bradley is Missing and DCL M.O.B.
Over the past few weeks. a few news stories have come to light that have some travelers doubting the safety of cruising. Let’s take a look at these stories. Amy Bradley is Missing (Netflix show) Amy Bradley is Missing is a documentary on Netflix that has remained in the Top...
Miles For Family
Another solid redemption with Chase Points Boost
My college student son and his friend have been working jobs and saving up for a trip to Universal Epic Universe in Florida over winter break. That makes me so happy! I told them I’d help cover flights with miles if we found decent award redemptions. Luckily, we found flights...
Miles For Family
Rolling with the punches and adapting new blog survival strategies
Miles For Family is now 12 years old! Almost a teenager! Over the years, the award travel hobby has seen a lot of changes. And, the same is true for bloggers who constantly have to adapt to stay in business. Ben at One Mile at a Time wrote a post...
Miles For Family
The Sad State of Booking Award Travel to Japan (With a Few Bright Spots)
When I came back from our amazing family trip to Japan in 2023 (see my series of posts) I certainly wasn’t planning to do it all over again just a few years later. Don’t get me wrong, I loved our adventure, and to this day  consider Japan to be the...
Miles For Family
The Premium Credit Card Launch I’m Patiently Waiting For
2025 is a year full of new and updated premium credit cards with high annual fees offset by various credits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve just got a major revamp, and Amex Platinum changes are coming later this year. Next week, Citi is launching the new Citi Strata Elite. I’m not...
Your Mileage May Vary
TSA Announces Changes + Discounts for Families
On the heels of the TSA announcing a program for more groups having access to faster TSA PreCheck lanes at a discounted cost (or for free), they just added yet…
Miles For Family
Rumored Citi Strata Elite Details, New Hyatt Calendar and More
(Rumor) Citi Strata Elite Details: This week (or maybe next week), Citi will launch the new Citi Strata Elite credit card. Various blogs are reporting leaked benefits/welcome bonuses for this card. See this post on Doctor of Credit. Finally: World of Hyatt Rolls Out New Points Availability Calendar: It’s always...
Miles For Family
PSA: Transferring Flexible Points Doesn’t Extend Validity of Miles Earned from Bank of America Credit Card
This is an issue  I’ve faced today, so I wanted to write a post in case you are dealing with a similar situation. A few years ago, my husband applied for Bank of America Air France/KLM credit card. It was done mainly for the signup bonus, and I had no...
Miles For Family
Oh No, I Didn’t! Another 2025 Trip Booked
Yes, I did. I booked another trip for later this year using miles. I couldn’t help myself. The destination: Guatemala, Central America. In college, I spent a summer and winter in Guatemala. Most of my time was in Quetzaltenango and San Lucas Toliman (on the side of Lake Atitlan). But...
Miles For Family
Whoa: How Did We End Up with Five (!) Ultra Premium Credit Cards?
When it comes to paying huge annual fees on credit cards, I always tend to err on conservative side as far as perks/coupons are concerned. Priority Pass can be useful, but only if you actually fly. Monthly Uber (and Uber Eats) credit is relatively easy to use, but the company...
Miles For Family
Highlights of our Tokyo Shenanigans
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...