Marriott Rewards has long been my hotel loyalty program of choice. While often ignored by hardcore points/miles collectors because of it's difficult to attain elite status with weak benefits, I grew to be a fan of the program because it's the best earn and burn option around. In my opinion, Marriott Rewards strikes a great balance compared to it's peers, allowing for … [Read more...] about Maximize Marriott Rewards Earnings
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Help Me Plan a Trip to South Africa in April of 2014
After hearing all of the gushing reports of South Africa from my friends and other travel bloggers, I knew at some point I would need to visit South Africa myself. That opportunity appears to be coming sooner than later, because my father and I jumped at a deal to stay at the Vuyani Safari Lodge when the property was featured on Jetsetter last month. … [Read more...] about Help Me Plan a Trip to South Africa in April of 2014
Reader Question: Using Gift Cards at Ultimate Rewards Mall?
Today's reader question comes from Sara in Chicago, IL. Sara writes: Can you shop through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall, use gift cards, and still receive Ultimate Rewards Points? What about other portals? This is a great question with many potential answers, depending on where you shop and how you shop. The simple answer is that it depends on both the portal you use, the … [Read more...] about Reader Question: Using Gift Cards at Ultimate Rewards Mall?
Chase Really Wants me to Burn Ultimate Rewards Points
Once is fluke, twice is a coincidence and three times is a trend. That's the thought that went through my head when I received my third message from Chase in 3 weeks, each time asking me to transfer my excess Ultimate Rewards points to one of their partners. Coincidentally, it all appears to have started the moment my Ultimate Rewards balance topped 200,000 points for the … [Read more...] about Chase Really Wants me to Burn Ultimate Rewards Points