Paypal Returns As The 4th Quarter 5x Bonus

Chase Freedom Q4 Bonus Categories Are Here! 🎉

The Chase Freedom 4th quarter bonus categories just dropped, and we're excited because PayPal is making its return!

Chase offers rotating quarterly bonus categories for both the Freedom and Freedom Flex credit cards. These no-annual-fee gems are perfect wallet staples that really deliver value. The bonus categories make them even more rewarding – we've seen everything from gas stations and EV charging to entertainment venues and pet stores in previous quarters.

Here's what Q4 2025 brings us:

• Chase Travel - This category typically earns 5% cash back, so expect an additional 5x points boost 🛫
• Department Stores - Think Macy's, Nordstrom, Kohl's (but not Target or Walmart)
• Old Navy - Great timing for holiday shopping! 👕
• PayPal - December only, so mark your calendars! 💳

You can earn up to $1,500 cash back across all categories during the quarter, but remember to register for the bonus through your account – it's not automatic.

Don't have a Freedom Flex yet? You can snag one with a sweet $200 bonus after spending $500. This free card is seriously worth keeping around – it earns 3x points on dining and drugstores, 5x on Chase Travel Portal purchases, and 1x on everything else.

Pro tip: Earn points on this card, then transfer them to your Sapphire Preferred or Reserve for maximum flexibility and value! ✨

Ready to register for Q4 bonuses or apply for the card? Your wallet will thank you!

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Avios Just Got WAY More Flexible

Avios Just Got WAY More Flexible (And I'm Here for It!) ✈️

Hey travel friends! You know I'm obsessed with flexible points like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One miles, but there's another loyalty program that's quietly becoming a powerhouse player. Let me introduce you to the Avios ecosystem - it's about to become your new best friend! 🌟

Meet the Avios Family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Avios points work across multiple airlines, giving you tons of booking options:

• British Airways 🇬🇧
• Iberia 🇪🇸
• Qatar Airways 🇶🇦
• Finnair 🇫🇮
• Aer Lingus 🇮🇪
• Vueling ✈️
• Loganair 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Transfer Partners Galore! 💳

Here's where it gets exciting - Avios partners with practically everyone:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou Points
• Capital One miles
• Bilt Points
• Wells Fargo Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy
• American Express Membership Rewards

This means you can funnel points from multiple credit card programs into one super flexible currency!

Sweet Spot Alert! 🍯

Want to cross the Atlantic without breaking the bank? Iberia flights to Spain start at just 16,000 Avios + $50 in taxes for economy class. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus makes hopping over to Ireland surprisingly affordable. These are the kind of deals that make my travel-planning heart sing! 💚

Game-Changer: New Transfer Tool 🔄

Here's the really exciting news - Avios just launched a tool that lets you move points between different airline programs within their family. Found an amazing Iberia deal but your points are sitting in British Airways? No problem! Transfer them over in minutes.

Sometimes Iberia has the sweet spot, other times British Airways comes through with the perfect routing. Now you can chase the best deals across the entire network without being locked into one program.

How to Set It Up 🛠️

Getting started is straightforward:

1. Log into your Avios account 
2. Link your accounts with the other Avios airlines
3. Double-check that all your accounts have identical name and contact info (this is crucial!)
4. Set everything up BEFORE you need it - trust me on this one

Pro tip: There's no minimum transfer amount, and you can move points back and forth as many times as you want. The flexibility is incredible! 🙌

Why This Matters for Your Family 👪

For families like ours, having multiple options means better chances of finding award space for everyone. Instead of being stuck with one airline's availability, you can check across the entire Avios network and transfer points to wherever the best deals are hiding.

This kind of flexibility is exactly what we need to keep family travel affordable and accessible. The more options we have, the better our chances of scoring those sweet award flights that make international family trips possible! 🌍

Ready to dive into the Avios ecosystem? Start by linking those accounts and watch your booking options multiply!

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

My FREE Gift To You: 1,000 Airline Miles

My Go-To Strategy for Affordable European Adventures ✈️

When it comes to crossing the Atlantic without breaking the bank, I keep coming back to Flying Blue, the loyalty program that powers both Air France and KLM. Here's why this program has become my secret weapon for European travel.

The Sweet Spot for Award Flights

Flying Blue offers some genuinely solid redemption rates:

• Economy seats: 25,000 points one way (or just 18,750 during their regular promotions)
• Business class with lie-flat seats: 50,000 points each way 🛏️

What really sets them apart? Both airlines include free stopovers in their hub cities (Paris for Air France, Amsterdam for KLM). This means you can essentially visit two destinations for the price of one award ticket.

A Recent Win That Made My Day

Earlier this year, I snagged a flight from Athens to Los Angeles for only 20,000 points plus $50 in taxes. The cherry on top? When I missed my connection in Paris due to delays, Air France stepped up big time – covering my hotel, meals, and even sending me an $800 compensation check. Sometimes travel hiccups work out better than expected! 🎉

Easy Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles

The beauty of Flying Blue lies in its flexibility. You can transfer points from all the major credit card programs:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou Points
• Capital One Miles
• Bilt Rewards
• American Express Membership Rewards

The New Player Worth Watching

Here's where things get interesting – Rove Miles just entered the scene as a shopping portal meets flexible points program. They've partnered with over 12,000 online merchants, letting you earn miles on everyday purchases that you can then transfer to Flying Blue and other airlines.

Their airline partners include Flying Blue, Finnair, Aeromexico, and Turkish Airlines, giving you plenty of redemption options.

Limited-Time Opportunity 🎯

I've got something special for you – 1,000 free Rove miles just for signing up (no purchase required). The signup process takes under a minute, and you can transfer those miles to Flying Blue if that's your preference once you have earned 2,000 Rove miles.

Important: This offer expires September 17th, so don't let it slip by if you're interested in building your points balance.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. Not ready to dive into the coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities.  

Why You Might Want To Try Staying At The Generator Hostel

Recently I stayed at The Generator Hostel in Miami Beach just to see what the fuss is about. I loved it! 

Affordable, stylist and with the tagline "for the young at heart", you gotta love it. 

Currently, there are 12 locations in Europe: Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna, Dublin and more. These funky hostels are known for their lively atmosphere and are often sold out. 

The first US based Generator opened in 2018 and offers an affordable accommodations in the otherwise expensive Miami Beach. There are 5 Generators in the US. For August, the chain is offering buy 3 nights, get a 4th FREE and 10% off if you buy directly from their website. Remember if you use your Capital One Venture or Venture X to make this purchase, you can "erase" it with points.  Right now, you can get 75,000 points with a $4,000 minimum spend on the Capital One Venture X credit card. 

The Miami location is right across the street from the beach/boardwalk and down the street from Starbucks and a grocery store with a hot food counter. 

The restaurant inside the Generator hotel features modern Mexican cuisine, the corn appetizer is delicious. The fish tacos were also a delicious choice. 

The rooms are small but the view was fire of the Atlantic ocean

The room was lacking in desk space which for remote workers would be a necessity, but the property did offer FREE high speed Wifi. Plus a work space downstairs, but again no desks. 

The pool area also had lots of low seating, but very few desk type spaces. The one space with tables and chairs that could be used as work space was a designated smoking area.

The Generator offers a deal with the AC Marriott two blocks away for parking at $35 per 24 hours with in/out privileges however it is cash only. 

The rooms included a funky modern refrigerator, but no coffee maker, microwave or hot water kettle. There was a hot water dispenser in the lobby. Beach umbrellas, chairs and luggage lockers were offered at the front desk. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

 Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

The Best Way To Visit Iguazu Falls, Brazil

It's one of the wonders of the world, the beautiful Iguazu Falls! The falls are located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. And the country of Paraguay is just up the road. 

Iguazu Falls is actually made up of more than 250 small falls. And because of that fact presents completely differently than the other great falls in the world, Victoria Falls in Zambia and Niagara Falls in New York. The falls are also home to many animals and plants that make this one of the most diverse eco systems in the world. Both sides are National Parks and UNESCO declared the falls a World Heritage Site in 1984. Most than one million people visit the falls each year.  

This should definitely be on your bucket list! So what's the best way to visit the falls? 

• Where to fly? You will most likely fly into Foz Do Iguazu, Brazil (Airport code IGU) or Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. (Airport code IGR). Both cities are about a two hour flight from either Rio or Buenos Aires. Whichever side is easier for you to arrive, you must see the falls from both sides and crossing the border is easy. 

• Where to stay at the falls? There are many hotel options on both sides of the falls. There is only one hotel inside the park on the Brazilian side and its quite costly. But you can choose to stay in a hotel walking distance from the entrance like the Sanma Hotel. It cost just $125 per night and included breakfast. It featured a nice pool and was located right next door to the Bird Park. It is about 25 minutes out of town so something to keep in mind for dinner. The hotel offers a dinner buffet for $20 per person and a snack bar which has $6 burgers and french fries. The hotel offers helicopter rides, hot air balloon rides and a spa. You can use Capital One points to "erase" any hotel or book through the Capital One Travel Portal. 
• 
  

• How to visit the Brazilian side of the falls? No need to buy tickets prior to arriving at the falls. There are kiosks at the entrance gate and plenty of staff to direct you to the kiosk and then to the line for the bus. There is also a snack bar available if you want to grab an inexpensive snack. Entry tickets cost approximately $18 pp. The bus ride takes approximately 20 minutes and I recommend you get off the bus at the pink hotel. It's the second to last stop. Take the platform heading down the hill on your right and you get an incredible view of the falls. Keep going and the platform will take you along the river and all the way down to the platforms in the water and a viewing station next to the falls. No worries, there is an elevator you can ride to come back up or you can continue walking to the last bus stop to catch the ride back to the entrance. There is no need to hire a guide for this park. At a leisurely pace, you will probably spend 3 hours here.

• How to visit the Argentinian side of the falls? This park is much larger so you will probably need more time here. If you are staying on the Brazilian side, you will also need to include about 45 minutes to cross the border. Bring your passport! If you are staying on the Argentinian side of the falls, you will also need a visa to visit the Brazilian side of the falls. A visa costs $80 and is good for 10 years. You can buy it online here. The website is a bit glitchy so you may have to try several times. If you are coming from Brazil, you may want to hire a guide for the day, the going rate is approximately $150 for the guide. Entry tickets and the boat ride are additional. If you break down the cost though, you will need to get to the border, cross the border, and then get to the park. Plus once you are inside the park, it's nice to have someone guide you to the best viewing spots. Entry tickets cost approximately $38 pp and the boat under the falls costs approximately $63 pp. You can buy both of them online prior to your visit. I do recommend doing the boat ride into the falls. The boat gets so close to the falls that you get soaking wet, but it's an amazing view watching the water fall towards you and feeling the power. The boat staff gives each person a dry bag  for their shoes and personal items and I recommend bringing a rain poncho, towel, change of clothes and waterproof phone holder. 

Other highlights in the area include kayaking on the Parana River with Aguaray Eco Esportes, the Bird Park and a shopping trip in Paraguay. I recommend spending three days in the area so you don't feel rushed. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. Not ready to dive into the coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Southwest Promotional Companion Pass Is Back! 3 Days Only!

 

With all the changes happening at Southwest, it was nice to see this offer pop up this morning! Whether you are working on the real Southwest companion pass or not, this promotional pass could help bridge the gap in early 2026 while you wait for your real pass to kick in OR how about a winter getaway?

The Southwest Companion Pass gets you BOGO flights for you and one companion as many times as you want where ever Southwest flies. Costa Rica, perhaps? Belize, perhaps? 

This promotional pass will be valid Jan 6, 2026-March 6, 2026. 

All you have to do is book one round trip or two one way flights by Thursday August 28th and travel by Nov. 15th. Basic tickets do NOT count. 

You must register here first! 

A few years back, I flew to Phoenix and had lunch with a friend. Round trip flight cost less than $100 and then I used the promotional pass for a few trips to New York. Worth it! 

Now Southwest is also offering a bonus offer of 100,000 points right now, with this offer , you can earn the companion pass for almost two years because Chase is giving you five months to reach the minimum spend instead of the usual three. But you have to time it right! You have to earn the bonus in January 2026. It's not easy, but we have a strategy. 

I have done this multiple times and helped dozens of people do it, if this interests you. You need to act fast. Book a consult with me now. Before you apply, you have to do one very important step and with this bonus offer ending on Sept. 17th, we don't have much time. 

So let's talk now! 

Alaska Airlines Brand New Loyalty Rewards Program

Big news today! Alaska Airlines is launching its new loyalty rewards program rebranded as Atmos Rewards. 

Here's what we know so far and an amazing 100,000 bonus point offer:

• Current Alaska loyalty members will keep their current loyalty account number. Hawaiian Air members who linked to their account to an Alaska loyalty account will keep their current number.  
• Atmos rewards are now points instead of miles 
• Ability to use Atmos rewards to book flights on 30 different airline partners including American, Iberia, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Finnair. 
• Ability to transfer Atmos rewards to 5 hotel brands including Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, Wyndham Rewards, I Prefer Hotel Rewards and Shangri La Circle. 
• Three ways to earn points, you pick which one you prefer: distance, revenue or segment (you can change your preference once per year)

In honor of the new loyalty rewards program, Alaska also announced three new credit card bonus offers. All three cards are co branded with Bank of America. 

ATMOS REWARDS™ ASCENT VISA SIGNATURE® CARD

• $95 annual fee
• $4,000 minimum spend in 120 days 
• 80,000 bonus offer
• Use points only to book on Alaska and Hawaiian Air
• $99 companion certificate good on Alaska and Hawaiian air
• free checked bag

Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card

• $395 Annual Fee
• $6,000 Minimum Spend in 90 days
• 100,000 Point Bonus Offer 
• 25,000 Point Companion Certificate
• Ability to use points to book on any partner airline 
• Global Companion certificate 
• 8 Alaska Air Lounge Passes 
• Free checked bag
• Free onboard WIFI
• $120 Global Entry credit 

Atmos Rewards Visa Business 

• $70 Annual Fee
• $5,000 minimum spend in 90 days 
• 80,000 Point Bonus Offer 
• $99 companion certificate good on Alaska and Hawaiian Air if you spend $6,000 on the card during the year
• Free checked bag

My recommendation with these offers is to apply for the Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card because the points can be used on any partner airline which makes the points almost transferable. 

Plus you get the Global Companion Certificate. Alaska Airlines points are usually very valuable and easy to use. Since the program is distance based, you can get some good deals. 

It's exciting to see how this program develops and grows. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Not ready to dive into the coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities.