Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Lots of changes to the IHG Rewards program and cobranded credit cards are coming in March 2022. Here is a recap of some changes that have already been announced: IHG program moving to 4 elite tiers…
Category: Family Travel
It’s Funny What Kids Remember…
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
The other day, I was sitting in our backyard spa/jacuzzi with my 14-year-old. He was feeling philosophical, and he asked me what my favorite thing was about the past year. I had to think about my answer for a minute. Last year was a bit tough, with my …
Buying Discounted Carnival Gift Cards
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. I’m excited for my family to try Carnival Cruise Line for the first time. We booked a cruise on the new Carnival Celebration ship, which debuts later this year. Last month, I shared how I used Chas…
Biggest Credit Card Bonus I’ve Seen (But There’s a Catch)
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. A few days ago, Capital One announced a new bonus on the Capital One Spark Cash Plus business card. The total bonus is $3000 cash! Of course, there is a catch. Details on Capital One Spark Cash Plu…
Happy 10th Birthday World Traveler Lucas- 70 Countries Visited!
Written by Michael W Travels @ BoardingArea
A couple of weeks back my not so little man Lucas reached double digits! I can’t believe that he is 10 years old! To celebrate, we had our favorite burger at Peter Luger. Due to COVID, 2020 wasn’t a very good year for anyone. In terms of travel, Lucas …
Best Valentine’s Day Themed Travel Gifts
Written by The Travel Sisters @ BoardingArea
Looking for unique travel gift ideas for your husband, wife or significant other for Valentine’s Day? Whether they are traveling right now or reminiscing about travel at home check out these romantic Valentine’s Day gifts for travelers.
The post Best V…
How We Met the Minimum Spend on Venture X Cards So Quickly
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Back in November, my husband and I were each approved for the new Capital One Venture X cards. The card’s sign-up bonus is high at 100,000 miles. But, the minimum spending required is $10,000 over …
Baker’s Cay Resort in Key Largo: Why It’s a Great Place for Families
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Before I get into the review itself, let me make it clear that I’m in no way encouraging readers to travel at this point in time. My husband and I decided to keep our December reservation because e…
And I Would Do Anything For Points, But I Won’t Do That
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. I saw this post on Miles to Memories about people doing a virtual timeshare presentation for 50k Marriott Bonvoy points. I would do almost anything for points, but I won’t do that. (RIP Meatloaf…) …
Easy 1000 Southwest Points for Using TurboTax
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. I mentioned in my Travel Hacking 201 post that there are a plethora of ways to earn miles and points outside of actually traveling. One of the easiest ways is to use a shopping portal when you file…
3 Shows I’m Watching to Satisfy my Wanderlust
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. I’m in a bit of a travel dry spell right now. With Omicron and the weather, I’m sure I’m not the only one laying low at the moment. However, my mind still wants to dream about travel. So if I’m not…
7 Myths About Me and this Blog
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. In blog comments, emails and in-person conversations, I’m surprised and sometimes amused by the assumptions people make. Here are some common myths about me and this blog. I Make a Ton of Money fro…
What Is a Virtual Vacation? (And Why You Should Take One)
Written by Points With a Crew @ BoardingArea
If someone suggested taking a virtual vacation even a few years ago I would have probably said, “Pardon me, a virtual what?” But after nearly two years of navigating COVID-19, I’ve become intimately familiar with the virtual vacation. With travel restr…
My Family’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad COVID Week
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Not too long ago, my family spent a fabulous week at Baker’s Cay Resort in Key Largo. I’ll publish a detailed review soon, but for now, I give it thumbs up. If you have young kids, definitely consi…
Deciding to Go For an Easy $400 Bank Bonus
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Recently, my husband received an enticing bank bonus offer via snail mail. The offer is for a $400 bonus for opening a checking account at Regions Bank. I don’t dabble much in bank account bonuses,…
Why I Added my Son as an Authorized User on my Capital One Venture X Card
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. I am really smitten with my new Capital One Venture X Card (see this post for more details on the card). I’m still working on my minimum spending to get my 100k bonus miles, but I’m getting close. …
Unpopular Opinion: CLIA’s Message to Travel Agents is Short-Sighted
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. In a webinar last week, an executive at CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) discussed how safe cruising is compared to other types of activities. Charles Sylvia, CLIA’s VP of Trade Relati…
Comedian Trapped in Cruise Covid Quarantine, Accidental Points Hoarder and More
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
Some good posts from around the web: Shame and Fish Filets: Diary of a Comedian Trapped in Covid Cruise Ship Quarantine: This story in the LA Times terrifies me and is honestly one reason why we postponed our upcoming cruse. I would definitely be claus…
Targeted Chase Credit Card Spending Bonuses
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Yesterday, in my Travel Hacking 201 post, I was just talking about taking advantage of credit card promotions to earn more miles and points. Lo and behold, Chase just started offering some targeted…
Targeted Chase Credit Card Spending Bonuses
Written by Miles For Family @ BoardingArea
See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Note here. Yesterday, in my Travel Hacking 201 post, I was just talking about taking advantage of credit card promotions to earn more miles and points. Lo and behold, Chase just started offering some targeted…