Alberto Riva
Editor & Content Contributor
32 Published Articles , 2 Edited Articles
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Alberto joined UP in 2024 after leading Forbes Advisor as international editor in chief. His love of points and miles began after he moved to the U.S. from Italy in 2000 and started collecting Delta SkyMiles. Eventually, that passion led him to become the first managing editor of The Points Guy in 2017. Before that, he was the managing editor of Vice News and worked at Bloomberg and CNN among other places.
His favorite destinations tend to be places with rugged landscapes, like Scandinavia, or a rich culture, like his new favorite city, Buenos Aires. He likes getting to those places either by redeeming miles smartly to fly biz class or by taking weird routings to fly on airlines rarely seen in the U.S.
Raised in Milan, he has lived in Rome and Atlanta and is now based in Brooklyn, New York. Alberto speaks Italian, French, and Spanish, has been to every continent except Antarctica, loves skiing and mountaineering, and spends a lot of time in flight – often with his wife Regan, and always at a window seat.
Using Apple AirTags to track luggage is about to become easier. That’s because Apple has introduced a feature that can share the location of an AirTag with airlines. Up to now, users could put an AirTag in their luggage, track…
Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal is offering 6x status-earning miles on all bookings made by November 10, 2024. The promotion is meant to celebrate the sixth anniversary of TAP Miles&Go, the airline’s loyalty program. Let’s look at how this…
Spirit Airlines has not made a profit since 2020, and it’s trimming its route network to try to stem the losses. The latest development is that the ultra-low-cost carrier is terminating 24 flights from several cities. At the same time,…
Air Canada is expanding into the U.S., Europe, and Asia with its summer 2025 schedule, targeting mainly vacation destinations across the Atlantic and smaller but growing cities in the U.S. The new flights include services to Naples in Italy and…
American Airlines and one of its partners in the Oneworld alliance, Finnair, are cooperating more closely. In a filing with the Department of Transportation, the airlines said they would extend their codeshare agreement to 13 destinations in Mexico, from American’s hub…
The agreement between Lufthansa and the Italian government for the purchase of 41% of ITA Airways is on hold because the two parties cannot agree on the final price. The spat is jeopardizing a deal that would take the Italian…
Qatar Airways has introduced a useful feature allowing its loyalty program members to search for available awards for 1 month at a time. Called “My Reward Seat Finder,” it’s available on the Qatar Airways site but appears to have some…
Singapore Airlines will install a new business class on most of its Airbus A350s and add first class to those that serve the longest nonstop flights in the world. It is investing $830 million to install new cabins on 41 Airbus A350-900 long-haul and ultra-long-range…
Earlier this month, the Department of Transportation approved 5 new long-haul routes from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The DoT granted Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United exemptions to each operate 1 flight to a destination beyond the airport’s…
October has been a month of big news in the airline and points and miles world, from the big changes to Alaska Airlines’ loyalty program to the possible return of the merger between Frontier and Spirit. But a lot more…
It’s that time of the year again. The leaves are turning, Halloween is approaching, and frequent flyers have begun asking themselves what to do to keep their status for one more year. On December 31, the deadline for status-eligible activity…
In 1991, I flew across the Atlantic for the first time, aboard a Swissair Boeing 747. Since then, I have traversed the ocean more than 100 times, from middle seats in coach to luxurious first-class suites. Many of those flights…
One year after launching, the TAP Miles&Go American Express® Card from Cardless is out with a new bonus offer to celebrate. This is the only co-branded card in the U.S. market for Portuguese airline TAP, and it earns miles in TAP’s…
It’s back on: Frontier and Spirit are trying to merge for the second time. The union between the ultra-low-cost airlines that was scuttled 2 years ago is being discussed again between the two carriers. Frontier is exploring a new bid…
A sweet spot for redeeming partner miles to fly on American Airlines has become less advantageous, in some cases by as much as 50%. That’s because Finnair has updated its award chart for American Airlines, which now shows award prices…
We have found some exceptionally cheap business-class award fares in December to Dublin from several East Coast cities. For just 45,000 miles plus taxes and fees, you can hop over to Ireland in lie-flat seats from Boston (BOS), Newark (EWR),…
Oman Air, the flag carrier of the Gulf state of Oman, is joining the Oneworld alliance soon. That means you’ll be able to book its flights using points from its alliance partners. It’s already possible to book award seats on…
There’s one more flight connecting the U.S. to Europe, and it’s the first one in years from Indianapolis. Irish airline Aer Lingus will fly between Dublin and the Midwestern city beginning in May next year. It’s the first transatlantic service…
The merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines is producing its first consequences for credit cards. The Hawaiian Airlines co-branded credit cards issued by Barclays will be discontinued, and cardholders will be transfered to Alaska Airlines’ own co-branded card issued…
Passengers trying to board an American Airlines flight before their boarding group is called are triggering an alert when they scan their boarding pass, and they’re being asked to step aside. That’s because American Airlines is rolling out an automatic…
Cathay Pacific has revealed the new business class seat to be installed on the backbone of its long-haul fleet, the Boeing 777-300ER. The airline calls it the Aria Suite and unveiled it during an event held at its home base…
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.
Content Contributor
Ashley discovered a love for travel in college that’s continued as her family has grown. She loves showing parents how they can take their families on trips using points and has contributed to numerous publications and podcasts.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Former 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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Former 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.
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.
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.
Former 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.
Compliance Associate
From credit cards to high-yield savings accounts, debt management and avoidance, CDs, and insurance, Kathryn has or does edit it all, and more. Just don’t expect her to always be at home while working. All she needs is four things — her computer, phone, passport, and wallet — and she can get her work done from anywhere. She does pack clothes, of course, but they’re easily replaceable if anything goes amiss (and she has baggage insurance with two of her credit cards).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Former Content Contributor
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.
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.
Former 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.
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.
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.
Content Series Lead
Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs but now lives in Queens, New York.
Senior 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.
Senior Features 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.
Senior 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
News Managing Editor
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.
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.
Senior Editor & Content Contributor
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.
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.