About Ashley Onadele
Ashley didn’t travel internationally until she was in her early twenties when she and her then-boyfriend, now husband, gifted themselves with an all-inclusive trip to Cancun, Mexico after graduating from college. Since then there have been a few more all-inclusive resort stays, over a dozen more countries explored, and the added addition of two kids.
Ashley’s travel adventures have evolved to match her lifestyle. While she and her husband still enjoy coveted time away without the kids, the majority of her travel now revolves around family.
Points and miles have made otherwise impossible travel goals a reality for Ashley and her family. Her favorite thing in the world is showing other parents how to pursue the dream of travel through a combination of points, miles, and savvy travel tips.
Formerly the sponsored content writer at The Points Guy, Ashley has also contributed to Conde Nast Traveler, Matador Network, and other online and print publications. She also briefly shared her travels and points and miles tips on her own blog (frommyworld.com) as well as self-published “Your Baby Can Travel” which shows parents how to travel with their babies.
In other media, Ashley has appeared as a guest on podcasts like The Lily and Magnolia Travel Podcast and the Black Women Travel Podcast. She also recently moderated a panel about Black travel at the first-ever AfriCon conference in Los Angeles in 2022.
When she isn’t traveling, Ashley is obsessing over a new fiction novel, spending quality time with her kids and husband or the likeliest activity of researching where her points and miles will take them next!
Countries Visited
U.S. States Visited
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
American Airlines Gold
Oneworld
TBD!
Singapore Airlines (traveling in March)
Honestly, anything that saves me $$$ is a good redemption to me.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Ashley's Latest Articles
See More ArticlesHyatt Regency Cape Town in South Africa [In-Depth Review]
At the start of a 2-week trip to South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, my best friend and I had the opportunity to spend 5 nights at the Hyatt Regency Cape Town. We would spend the remaining part of our trip…
The Ultimate Guide to Flying Hawaiian Airlines With Kids [2024]
Hawaiian Airlines remains one of the most comfortable ways to fly to the Hawaiian Islands. For starters, it’s standard practice that every passenger gets a hot meal on every flight regardless of which cabin they fly in. Amenity kits are…
The 9 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Jamaica for Adults [2024]
Travelers to Jamaica can look forward to warm, humid weather, great beaches, rum punch, and a laid-back attitude. Indeed, it’s a great destination for families and singles alike, even if they’re not sharing a resort. At an all-inclusive resort, guests…
Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels Summer Sale [Rates Starting at $98]
Disney has announced a summer sale where for a limited time, guests can score rates for as low as $98 at select Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels in Orlando. This promotion stacks with nicely with the current Walt Disney World…
Free Tickets for Bank of America Cardholders With Museums on Us
Card perks aren’t just for free hotel stays and award flights. Sometimes, the benefits of holding a particular debit or credit card can be enjoyed right at home, and one example is Bank of America’s Museums on Us program. More…
The Ultimate Guide To Flying Alaska Airlines With Kids [2024]
Alaska Airlines is a Seattle-based airline often rated one of the best family-friendly U.S. airlines. The airline’s hubs are located along the West Coast and Anchorage, Alaska, making it ideal for West Coast travelers. Families can enjoy a comfortable travel…
Height Requirements for Walt Disney World Rides and Rider Switch Service [Avoid the Tears and Tantrums]
There are more than 50 rides between 4 theme parks and 2 water parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. While plenty of rides don’t have a height requirement — meaning anyone can ride — there are some…
Disney Cruise Line’s Loyalty Program — Castaway Club [Review]
In addition to Disney theme parks around the world, Disney provides magical cruise vacation experiences for guests of all ages on Disney Cruise Line. Castaway Club, the cruise line’s loyalty program, rewards cruisers with status and perks after completing just…
Enjoy Disneyland After Dark in 2024: Star Wars Nite and Pride Nite
The magic of a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, doesn’t have to end just because the park has closed for the day. Thanks to Disneyland After Dark, a series of events that take place after hours and features themed…
The Ultimate Guide To Flying Spirit Airlines With Kids [2024]
The ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines is both beloved and loathed. Despite the headache of having to pay for each amenity, Spirit continues to be the airline of choice for many, including families. Ticket prices are often favorable, and with a…
The 12 Best Disneyland Hotels To Book With Points [2024]
Though there are Disney parks all around the world, including in Southern California and Florida (and let’s not forget Disney Cruise Line), Disney vacations can be cost-prohibitive for a lot of families. Thankfully, there are ways to bring down the…
The Ultimate Guide To Flying JetBlue With Kids [2024]
Known for flying one of the most comfortable domestic economy products in the U.S., JetBlue is often ranked as a top family-friendly airline. Onboard amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, snacks and drinks (as well as food for purchase), and plenty of…
The Ultimate Guide To Flying Frontier Airlines With Kids [2024]
Frontier Airlines is a growing ultra-low-cost carrier in the U.S. As such, it can be a cost-effective airline for families that don’t require additional amenities such as advanced seat selection or checked baggage allowances. Low-cost carriers aren’t for everyone, so…
[Expired] [Deal Alert] Score Lie-Flat Seats to Europe on La Compagnie for $1,900 Round-Trip
Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available. La Compagnie, the French all-business-class airline, is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a couple’s flight deal. You can score two lie-flat seats to Europe starting at $1,900 round-trip, per person,…
Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland is Now Open
Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel is the new name of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland Resort — and it has officially opened as of January 30, 2024. The reimagined hotel is the first fully Pixar-themed hotel in the United States…
Why I’ll Never Plan My Own Disney Vacation Again
I would consider myself a seasoned traveler. I’ve traveled with my husband and small children to Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe. I’m an advocate for families traveling with babies and toddlers. My friends think I’m brave and turn…
Emirates’ Chauffeur Service Returns to Tokyo-Haneda
After a hiatus, Emirates’ chauffeur service for first- and business-class passengers will return to Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND). The exclusive service elevates the premium experience even further on 1 of the world’s best airlines. Keep reading to find out who can…
The Ultimate Guide To Flying Delta Air Lines With Kids [2023]
Delta Air Lines is voted one of the best U.S. airlines year after year. So it’s no surprise that the airline offers a comfortable way to travel with your family, including kids. But as with other airlines — such as…
Alaska Airlines and Canada’s Porter Airlines Form New Partnership
Today, Alaska Airlines announced its 30th airline partner: Porter Airlines. This is also the airline’s first Canadian airline partner to date. Starting today, you can now book Porter Airlines flights directly on alaskaair.com. Here’s what you can expect from this…
[Expired] Aeromexico and Hilton Announce Limited-Time Status Match
Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available. Aeromexico Rewards members may request a status match to Hilton Honors Gold elite status until the end of 2023. Enrollment is easy and open to all Aeromexico Rewards status tiers….
Marriott Bonvoy and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Announce New Status Match
Marriott Bonvoy and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer will now allow elite members of their respective loyalty programs to match their status to each program. It takes mere minutes to do so and the new status will be valid for 12 months….
Find out about other members of the team
Andrew Kunesh
Former Content Contributor
Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.
Brandon Brunner
Former Content Contributor
Brandon was born and raised in California and really didn’t travel much growing up, even outside of his own state. While attending college, he was constantly looking to find the cheapest fares to any destination abroad, and quickly learned about the motto- “Chase the fare, not the destination”. Luckily, his first international flight was to Costa Rica (under $300 roundtrip) where that “Pura Vida” lifestyle (and Imperials) hit him hard, and he knew he had to see more.
Brian Graham
Former Content Contributor
Brian’s first ever airplane ride was in a private turbo-prop jet. He was merely an intern boy trying to make a good impression, but it turns out the plane made an impression on him.
Caroline Lupini
Former Content Contributor
Caroline Lupini always enjoyed traveling, but it became her goal to do as much as possible after a 3-week trip around Europe in 2011. In March 2014, Caroline left her job and embarked on nearly full-time travels.
Charlie Page
Former Content Contributor
Charlie is a Senior First Officer and has been an airline pilot for nearly 15 years. He currently flies long-haul on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after 10 years buzzing around Europe on the A320. He got into travel and aviation from an early age, fortunate enough to be taken on some great family holidays.
Cherag Dubash
Content Contributor
Cherag was born in a family associated with aviation and was hooked on to planes since the age of 3, the time he undertook his first flight on an Airbus A310 from Mumbai to Dubai.
Chris Dong
Editor & Content Contributor
Chris is a freelance writer and editor with a focus on timely travel trends, points and miles, hot new hotels, and all things that go (he’s a proud aviation geek and transit nerd). Formerly full-time at The Points Guy, his work can now be found at AFAR, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, The Washington Post, and Lonely Planet, among others
Chris Hassan
Social Media & Brand Manager
Chris holds a B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management and managed social media for all Marriott properties in South America, making him a perfect fit for UP and its social media channels. He has a passion for making content catered toward family travelers.
Christine Krzyszton
Senior Finance Contributor
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
Christy Rodriguez
Travel & Finance Content Contributor
After having “non-rev” privileges with Southwest Airlines, Christy dove into the world of points and miles so she could continue traveling for free. Her other passion is personal finance, and is a certified CPA.
Dan Miller
Content Contributor
Realizing that it wasn’t all first class flights and 5-star hotels, Dan started the Points With a Crew blog in 2014, with the aim of helping families (especially large families) to use miles, points and credit card rewards to take that trip that they might have thought they couldn’t afford. He has spent over 10 years covering developments in the travel rewards credit card space. His expertise extends to all things personal finance, including student loans, budgeting and real estate, and his work has been featured in sites all over the Internet, including NerdWallet, Forbes, Business Insider, Rocket Mortgage, CreditCards.com, Bankrate, Turbotax, Credit Karma and Intuit Mint.
David Slotnick
Former Content Contributor
Born and raised in New York, David still remembers his first flight when he was only four years old: a U.S. Airways trip from New York-La Guardia to Palm Beach, Florida. He formed his love of travel around that and other family vacations, including to England at age eight and Namibia when he was 13. During college, a four-country trip around Europe with a friend cemented his passion for seeing the world.
Erin Miller
Content Contributor
An experienced points hacker, Erin is Alex’s partner-in-crime and contributes to Upgraded Points with in-depth guides and relationship management. Erin’s work has been cited in multiple major publications.
Greg Stone
Content Contributor
Greg got bitten by the travel bug at a young age while traveling with his Dad on business trips to Asia. He took over the family business in 2012 and uses it to maximize his loyalty points earning. His obsession with earning and burning loyalty rewards points allows him to travel over 100 days every year.
Jeff Brownson
Former Content Contributor
Since discovering miles and points in 2010, Jeff has traveled to over 35 countries, flying in first class, business class, and sometimes even in coach. Whether he’s staying in a hostel dorm, or in a luxury suite at a 5 star hotel, Jeff is constantly looking for the best deal to make travel as close to free as possible.
Julian Kheel
Content Contributor
Julian Kheel first learned the ins and outs of credit card rewards and travel loyalty programs while flying more than 200,000 miles a year as a TV producer and director for World Wrestling Entertainment. With over 15 years of professional experience studying travel loyalty programs, Julian has served as CNN’s Senior Editor covering travel and credit cards, as well as the Editorial Director of The Points Guy, and has worked as a consultant for the Big 3 U.S. airlines.
Katie Seemann
Senior Content Contributor and News Editor
Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.
Lindsey Olander
Former Content Contributor
Currently based in New York, Lindsey spent her childhood in Connecticut dreaming of far-off places. Her first flight was to Disney World at age 11. Her second flight was for a high school field trip to Italy, though travel as a career didn’t stick until she studied abroad in London during college and discovered the true power of her passport. Since then, she’s worked as a travel editor at Jetsetter and Travel + Leisure, where she reported on everything from African safaris to hot hotel openings to, yes, Disney World.
Lukas Picton
Former Content Contributor
Lukas escaped his hometown south of Sydney and moved to the big smoke immediately after high-school, but the bright lights of the city weren’t enough, and he soon set his sights on more exotic international destinations and has been in love with travel ever since.
Michael McHugh
Former Content Contributor
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Michael took his first international trip in 2013 with friends to the Bahamas. Although he didn’t travel much in his younger years, on that trip, he caught the travel bug and has been hooked ever since.
Michael Y. Park
Editor
Michael Y. Park is a journalist living in New York City. He’s traveled through Afghanistan disguised as a Hazara Shi’ite, slept with polar bears on the Canadian tundra, picnicked with the king and queen of Malaysia, tramped around organic farms in Cuba, ridden the world’s longest train through the Sahara, and choked down gasoline clams in North Korea.
Senitra Horbrook
Writer
Senitra Horbrook is a frequent solo traveler who began using points and miles in 2012. Formerly credit cards editor at The Points Guy, Senitra has also contributed to Forbes Advisor, AwardWallet, Insider, among others.
Spencer Howard
Former Content Contributor
Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.
Stephen Au
Senior Content Contributor
Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.
Susan Wright
Former Finance Contributor
While writing about finance and insurance isn’t something that keeps most people awake at night, it is what Susan Wright has focused on for more than 25 years. As a financial copywriter, Susan has an eye for money-related details such as credit and savings, and she loves to pass along helpful information to consumers. Susan holds 11 financial industry designations (including CLU, ChFC, RHU, REBC, ADPA, CITRMS, CIPA) as well as several licenses.
Ryan Smith
Content Contributor
Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and now plans to let his wife choose their destinations. Over the years, he’s written about award travel for publications including AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, and Forbes Advisor.
Kellie Jez
Director of Operations & Compliance
Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s compliance operation.
Stella Shon
News Managing Editor
With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in The New York Times, USA Today, and more.
Jarrod West
Senior Content Contributor
Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.
Juan Ruiz
Senior Editor & Content Contributor
Juan has extensive experience in writing and editing content related to credit cards, loyalty programs, and travel. He has been honing his expertise in this field for over a decade. His work has been featured in various prestigious publications, such as USA Today, CNN Underscored, Forbes and The Points Guy. Juan is the visionary behind JetBetter, a premier award booking concierge service.
Amar Hussain
Senior Content Contributor
Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.
Ehsan Haque
Content Contributor
Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.
Carissa Rawson
Senior Content Contributor
Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.
Nick Ellis
Editor & Content Contributor
Nick’s passion for points began as a hobby and became a career. He worked for over 5 years at The Points Guy and has contributed to Business Insider and CNN. He has 14 credit cards and continues to leverage the perks of each.
Lori Zaino
Senior Content Contributor
Lori is an intrepid traveler who loves creating itineraries that exude “luxe on a budget.” She’s written for CNN, NBC, The Infatuation, and more, and loves to muse about points-fueled trips to Sri Lanka, Sicily, and Myanmar.
Keri Stooksbury
Editor-in-Chief
With years of experience in corporate marketing and with a nonprofit, Keri is now editor-in-chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and reviewing thousands of UP articles in the process.
James Larounis
Senior Content Contributor
James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.
Alex Miller
Founder & CEO
Founder and CEO of Upgraded Points, Alex is a leader in the industry and has earned and redeemed millions of points and miles. He frequently discusses the award travel industry with CNBC, Fox Business, The New York Times, and more.
Jessica Merritt
Editor & Content Contributor
A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little cash as possible.
Victoria M. Walker
Senior Content Contributor
Victoria holds a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the Howard University School of Communications and is an award-winning journalist, travel reporter, and the founder of the “Carrying On with Victoria M. Walker” newsletter.
Brett Holzhauer
Content Contributor
Brett is a personal finance and travel junkie. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, he’s had over 100 credit cards and earned millions of credit card rewards. He learned the tricks of the trade from his mom, and has taken many steps forward. He wasn’t exposed to much travel as a kid, but now has a goal of reaching 100 countries in his life. In 2019, he sold all of his possessions to become a digital nomad, and he says it was one of the best decisions he ever made. He plans to do it again at some point in his life.
Daniel Ross
Senior Content Contributor
Daniel has loved aviation and travel his entire life. He earned a Master of Science in Air Transport Management and has written about travel and aviation in publications like Simple Flying, The Points Guy, and more.
UP's Bonus Valuation
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.