Wonderland on Points | Credit Card Rewards & Budget Travel | Presented by Yahoo! Travel

This week on the Wonderland on Points Podcast , Mary Ellen is back from an unforgettable girls’ trip to stunning St. Kitts—and she’s spilling every detail! While Jo sadly couldn’t make it, she’s hearing all about it for the first time, right along with you. From scoring a steal of a business class flight on points to navigating arrival, transportation, and luxury accommodations (think $7,300 room...

Today on our Midweek Mini, we're diving into some seriously sad news — the beloved AMEX to Alaska Airlines transfer loophole (aka our secret weapon for booking awesome American Airlines flights) might be coming to an end. Word on the street is that this workaround is on its last legs, and we’re breaking down what that could mean for our points strategy. Should we be moving points speculatively to...

Join us for an unforgettable journey through the lush beauty of Costa Rica , as we explore how to travel this stunning country on points . Our guest this week is Lauren , one half of the dynamic travel duo behind KC Savvy Travelers . She shares all the juicy details from her recent family adventure, including: 🌿 Rainforest hikes and wild adventures in La Fortuna 🚌 Smart transportation hacks and...

This week on our Midweek Mini episode, we're sharing a truly chilling cautionary tale. One of our listeners recently experienced something that left us completely stunned — a major lesson in what can go wrong when adding someone as an authorized user. We’ve honestly never heard of a situation quite like this before. It’s eye-opening, a little scary, and definitely something anyone in the points an...

Today on Wonderland on Points , we're joined by Emmanuel, the founder and tech-savvy mastermind behind the incredible points and miles app, CardPointers. We've been amazed by what this app can do, and we wanted our audience to hear about it straight from the founder himself. Not only did Emmanuel create the app—he personally built every single line of code. From dedicated points and miles enthusia...

We are absolutely thrilled and incredibly humbled to hit this major podcasting milestone, and we couldn't have done it without YOU—our amazing, ever-growing community. Seriously, we wouldn’t be here without your support, and we are SO grateful to each and every one of you. 🙏 In this special mini-episode, we take you back to where it all began—through Mary Ellen's eyes! Even if you’ve heard our st...

Today on Wonderland on Points , we are so excited to welcome back Raimee Iacofano! You might remember her from her Japan episode last year, and now she’s back to share all about her incredible road trip across Ireland. Raimee has all the tips you need to plan your own Irish adventure—from using points and miles to get there, to essential driving tips for navigating a new country. She’ll also share...

In this week’s midweek mini episode, we’re diving into a newer and often overlooked benefit of the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card—Door Dash's DashPass . While this incredible perk might seem complicated at first, many cardholders are leaving money on the table by not fully utilizing it. If you’re using your benefit monthly, this card could actually be a money maker for you! In this bite-size...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by The Frugal Tourist , Kris, for an absolutely mind-blowing and comprehensive journey through American Airlines like never before. While we’ve taken deep dives into AA in the past, this episode is packed with fresh, invaluable tips and insights that you won’t want to miss—especially if you’re traveling with family! Kris shares clever strategies to stretch your tra...

This week on our Wonderland on Points mini episode, we’re diving into Capital One travel credits! While many other travel portals can make using credits a challenge, we absolutely love how Capital One makes it simple and rewarding. With both the Venture and Venture X cards offering travel credits, we’re sharing some creative ways to make the most of these perks. Tune in as we provide real, tangibl...

This week on Wonderland on Points, we’re heading back to Hawaii with a special twist! Our guest, Jamie, takes us on a journey through not one but TWO islands and incredible hotels—both booked entirely on points! First, Jamie shares how she managed to secure a stay at Disney’s Aulani Resort, a place known for being notoriously difficult to book with points. After soaking up the magic at Aulani, the...

This week on our Midweek Mini, we're diving into the latest news surrounding Southwest Airlines and their major overhaul. We're heartbroken by the changes and use this episode to break down what they mean for us and, more importantly, for all of you who have long relied on Southwest as a favorite airline. We react to the news and break down the details and how these changes could impact your trave...

This week on Wonderland on Points, we dive into the true essence of why we named this podcast what we did. Join us as we explore the stunning "Wonderland" of our own country, guided by the inspiring journey of Jordyn and JT from @themobilehomie. They share the incredible story of their year-long road trip across all 50 states. What started as an unexpected career setback—when JT was suddenly let g...

Get ready for a super fun Midweek Mini! We've got two exciting elevated offers on Hilton credit cards that come with Hilton's FAMOUS Free Night Certificate – and trust us, you don’t want to miss this ! These certificates are incredibly valuable because they're practically unlimited and can be used at almost any Hilton property worldwide. In this episode, we'll break down the details of these amazi...

Today on The Wonderland on Points Podcast, we’re excited to have Pat, the travel expert behind the popular TikTok and Instagram @PointsPat accounts. He took an incredible backpacking adventure through Southeast Asia, and in this episode, he’s sharing all the details of his journey. From scoring incredible hotel stays to flying in epic business class seats, Pat used points and miles to make his tra...

It’s that dreaded time of year again for all points and miles lovers – Hyatt is shaking up its award chart! In this episode, we’re diving into the latest changes, from the exciting updates to the not-so-great ones. Whether you're looking to maximize your points or plan your next getaway, we’re here to break down what’s changing and how it will affect your travel plans. Tune in as we spill the tea...

We’re heading to the breathtaking Masai Mara in Kenya for an exclusive look at a luxury safari experience. Our guest, Emily Cooper from Emily Eats and Explore , shares all the details on how you can experience this once-in-a-lifetime adventure using your points at the JW Marriott. While it’s a big redemption, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with a step-by-step formula to make this dream trip a r...

Midweek Mini Alert! Today, we’re doing a card showdown : Venture vs. Venture X —which one is the better fit for you? With the Capital One Venture Rewards card currently offering an elevated welcome offer, we thought it was the perfect time to break down both of these cards for you. We’ll also dive into why these cards have become our top choice for starter cards . Whether you’re a beginner or a se...

Welcome back to Wonderland on Points! Today, we’re revisiting our first love— affordable domestic family travel ! In this episode, we’re taking you to a city rich in history and culture: Boston , a perfect destination for a long weekend getaway or a family vacation—all while using points to make it insanely affordable. We’ll be sharing our top tips and tricks for booking flights, finding the best...

Today on our Midweek Mini, Mary Ellen is flying solo while Jo is out sick with the flu. In this episode, she dives deep into an essential topic: freezing your credit. With identity theft becoming more and more prevalent, freezing your credit is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself—and best of all, it’s completely free! Mary Ellen takes you step by step through the proces...

This week on the Wonderland on Points Podcast, Mary Ellen shares all the details of her incredible medical service trip to Cape Town, South Africa. While this wasn't a points and miles trip, we've done the research so you can turn it into an affordable family vacation on points. We provide recommendations for flights, accommodations, and AMAZING activities to make your trip unforgettable. The beau...

In today’s special Midweek Mini episode, we’re thrilled to welcome back Monday's guest, Ariana, who is breaking new ground as our FIRST EVER guest for our shorter episodes! Ariana recently helped her sister purchase a car using a credit card, racking up an impressive amount of points in the process. As many of you know, car payments and purchases can be tricky when it comes to earning rewards, but...

We’re putting on our friendship bracelets and Swiftie swag as we chat with Ariana from Point Chaser about her EPIC trip to Singapore to see Taylor Swift during the Eras Tour . Ariana is an expert points journalist, with viral articles featured in Business Insider , The Points Guy , and many more. We were thrilled to have her on the show to share her insider tips and tricks for maximizing points an...

This week, Jo flies solo on the Wonderland on Points Midweek Mini while Mary Ellen is out of town. As the one in the duo with a reluctant Player 2, Jo is no stranger to the myth that credit cards will ruin a credit score. She takes this mini dive into the world of credit scores, offering a quick refresher on what factors contribute to a healthy score. Plus, she shares some tips and encouragement o...

In today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Kylie, an engineer by trade and a true master of points and miles data . Kylie has spent years analyzing trends in transfer bonuses from various banks, and she’s here to break it all down for us. We dive into the key trends over the past few years, giving you a clearer picture of what transfer bonuses might look like in the year ahead. This episode is un...