It’s no secret that I love to travel. I keep a running list of places I want to go and try to cross a few off each year. There’s no better feeling than booking a new trip and getting ready to embark on an adventure!  While I love traveling and exploring new places, I do get overwhelmed with all of the booking options and information that exists in the marketplace. The act of researching flights, deciding which platform to book on and trying to figure out the best deals is not fun. Throw in the equation of points and miles and I’m thoroughly confused.

It pains me to think about how much unnecessary money I’ve wasted on trips and how many bad point redemptions I’ve made just because I didn’t understand. Travel can be expensive, but I wholeheartedly believe it’s vital to living a full life. The quote “travel is the only thing you spend money on that makes you richer” is so true.

Since travel is such an important part of my life I’ve been trying to become more mindful of ways to save money and book my trips in a smarter way.  I’m signed up for some great credit cards to build miles (Chase Sapphire Reserve and JetBlue World Mastercard) and I’ve joined airline loyalty programs like United’s MileagePlus program, but none of that matters if you don’t know how to use them correctly and maximize your rewards.

Becoming a more savvy traveler is one of my goals for 2019, and it should be important for everyone to learn how to maximize the travel experience. Part of my personal growth in this space is using online resources to become more educated. I’m so happy to share one website I’ve been using to become a smarter traveler- Upgraded Points.

Upgraded Points is an amazing travel resource. The website was launched in 2016 by founder Alex Miller with the goal of showing travelers the real value of points and miles, and how to best maximize rewards. There is so much information out there on this topic and Upgraded Points is a very comprehensive and organized resource to help you get started or enhance your current techniques. The UP reporters spend anywhere from five to 20 hours researching and crafting a single piece of content. They cover a variety of travel topics including guides to earning and redeeming points, packing checklists, info on airport lounges and travel credit card recommendations. These free, highly researched, in-depth and intuitive pieces of content have been read and used by more than 11 million users. The Upgraded Points team knows how frustrating it is to have to go to multiple sources to get the answer you’re looking for, and they strive to make their guides as comprehensive as possible.

I’ve been really leaning on Upgraded Points to help me with my credit card and points redemption knowledge. Their guide on the 11 Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards in 2019 has been super helpful to see how many amazing cards and perks exist. Knowing the best credit card for your travel needs is so important, and using the right one can bring major benefits. Just having the right credit card in your wallet can get you A+ perks, from access to some of the world’s nicest airport lounges to reimbursements on baggage fees to 24/7 concierge service! I even learned something new about the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card that I’ve been using for years- 50% more value is added to your points when you redeem for travel on the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Who knew!

I’m so happy that I discovered Upgraded Points; it has become my go-to website for their well researched, completely FREE articles! I’m looking forward to becoming a more savvy travel booker and points user. I’ll be continuing to build up my points and will reference Upgraded Points along the way. If I love the feeling of planning a trip, I imagine planning a trip booked completely on points will be amazing!

This review is part of a sponsored collaboration with Upgraded Points. As always, views are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make My Darling Passport possible!