The Points Playbook

Common Questions

Does Opening Credit Cards Hurt Your Credit Score? What Actually Happens

Will applying for multiple credit cards destroy your credit? Here's what really happens to your score - backed by how credit scoring actually works.

Feb 28, 20266 min read

How It Works

How Million Mile Club Works - From Signup to Business Class

Curious about what actually happens when you join? Here's the full walkthrough - from your first call to your first Business Class flight.

Feb 28, 20267 min read

Strategy

How to Earn 1 Million Airline Miles (Without Flying)

1 million airline miles sounds impossible. It's not. Here's how people are earning millions of points without ever stepping on a plane — and why the strategy is harder than it looks.

Mar 9, 20268 min read

The Best Business Class Flights You Can Book With Points

From lie-flat beds to private suites at 40,000 feet, these are the Business Class products worth saving your points for — and what they'd cost in cash.

Mar 9, 20267 min read

Strategy

How to Fly Business Class for Cheap: The Real Way People Do It

Business Class doesn't have to cost $8,000. Here's how people are flying lie-flat internationally for a few hundred dollars — and why it's not as simple as a Google search.

Mar 9, 20267 min read

Getting Started

How to Use Credit Card Points: A Beginner's Guide

You earned the points. Now what? Here is how to actually turn credit card points into flights and hotel stays worth far more than their cash value.

Jun 19, 20267 min read

Points 101

How Much Are Credit Card Points Worth? (And How to Get the Most)

Are your points worth one cent each, or four? The honest answer, and how to make sure you're getting the high end every time.

Jun 18, 20268 min read

Points 101

How Do Points Transfers Work? Turning Card Points Into Flights and Hotels

Transfer partners are the secret behind almost every great points redemption. Here is how moving your points the right way unlocks premium travel.

Jun 17, 20267 min read

How It Works

Award Booking Services: What They Do, What They Cost, and How to Choose One

You have points but no time to hunt for seats? Award booking services find and book premium flights with your miles. Here's how they work, what they charge, and what to look for.

Points 101

How Many Points Do You Need for Business Class? Route-by-Route Numbers

The honest answer: anywhere from 50,000 to 130,000 points one way, depending on the route and program. Here are the real numbers for the most popular routes.

Jul 15, 20268 min read

Value

Is Travel Hacking Worth It? Real Numbers From Real Bookings

Skip the theory. Here are actual bookings with actual receipts: $14,000 of Business Class flights booked for under $550 cash, and what it took to get there.

Jul 15, 20268 min read

Business Class to Bali With Points: What It Actually Costs

Bali is one of the best premium-cabin redemptions on the planet, and one of the trickiest to book. Here's what it costs in points and how the routing really works.

Business Class to Japan With Points: The Best Redemption in Travel

Tokyo is where points travelers get the most for their miles, including one famous deal that books a $5,000 seat for around 52,000 points. Here's what Japan really costs.

Getting Started

The Best Credit Cards to Start Earning Travel Points (2026 Beginner Guide)

Not a top-10 list. The honest framework: why flexible points beat airline cards, what a good first card looks like, and why the ORDER you apply in matters more than the cards themselves.

Jul 15, 20266 min read

Strategy

The Chase 5/24 Rule Explained (And Why It Should Shape Your Whole Card Strategy)

One bank rule quietly decides which signup bonuses you can ever earn. Here's how 5/24 works, why it matters more than any single card, and the mistake that costs people 200,000 points.

Jul 15, 20265 min read

How People Stay in $1,000-a-Night Hotels With Points

Overwater villas and five-star suites get booked with points every day, often for the equivalent of a mid-range hotel budget. Here's how hotel points really work.