Amar Hussain
Senior Content Contributor
826 Published Articles
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Amar was born and raised in England and sadly didn’t catch his bout of wanderlust until his early twenties.
Playing catch up, Amar embarked on an 11-country round-the-world gap year after graduation and then became well and truly hooked. The first gap year inspired a second which ended up being a 23-country down-the-world trip along the Americas.
Since then Amar has endeavored to turn his gap year into a “gap life” and has spent the last 13 years traveling the 7 continents. He has also lived in places such as Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
Amar is also an avid travel and outdoor product reviewer and tester. From the blistering Sahara Desert to the glaciers of Antarctica, he has put travel gear through its paces on 7 continents.
Amar holds a B.S. in Management & Strategy from Aston University, still runs the travel website OnlyWanderlust.com, and has contributed to publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Elite Daily, and Business 2 Community. You can follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Part of what makes 5-star hotels so luxurious is their exclusivity. You can find crowds in any hotel, but seclusion, peace, and quiet can be much harder to come by. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of our favorite stays…
Every kid dreams of having a treehouse they can spend hours in. Some even wish they had one they could live in. But growing up doesn’t mean you have to give up your dreams of having a sleepover in the…
Winter isn’t complete without some time on the slopes. While there are plenty of places to practice winter sports across North America, only a handful of places allow you to truly live, breathe, and sleep skiing and snowboarding. Being able…
As the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, the White House is one of the most easily recognizable and iconic buildings in the world. Home to every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800, the…
Ohio is a relatively quiet state in the middle of the U.S., but it’s home to some of the Midwest’s best museums. Whether you’re planning a solo trip or a family vacation, there’s an Ohio museum to suit your interests….
Christmas markets offer a sense of merriment and celebration, with markets of all shapes and sizes dominating entire towns and cities throughout the winter season. From massive events with over 300 individual stalls and daily nativity performances to smaller events…
New Jersey is often overshadowed by its New York neighbor, but this little state has become an East Coast cultural hub in its own right. In particular, the Garden State is gaining a reputation for having a wide variety of…
When most people think of the state of Michigan, the Great Lakes or its biggest cities, like Detroit, come to mind. Recently, this great state has also made a name for itself as a cultural hot spot, thanks largely to…
Chimney Rock State Park in North Carolina welcomes visitors year round and offers nature lovers a wide range of activities. Whether you enjoy the thrill of rock climbing, the tranquility of hiking, or the excitement of wildlife and wildflower sightings,…
Green Lakes State Park features 2 beautiful emerald-green lakes with numerous opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boating. It also boasts an impressive golf course, hiking trails, and campsites. Each year, almost 1 million visitors come to explore this captivating park…
Toronto is one of Canada’s largest and most important cities. So, it’s not surprising that it’s also one of the country’s biggest cultural hubs. As a result, Toronto’s museums are some of the most renowned in North America. From art…
Promised Land State Park offers a plethora of activities for visitors, including hiking trails that cater to all skill levels, 2 gorgeous beaches for swimming and sunbathing, a museum showcasing the area’s rich history, and various recreational facilities. With nearly…
Assateague State Park offers a diverse range of activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy. From scenic hiking trails and well-preserved historic homes to engaging interpretive programs, excellent fishing spots, and leisurely beachcombing, there’s something for everyone. How To Get…
Minneapolis is often associated with its neighbor, Saint Paul. However, this “Twin City” has plenty to offer all on its own. For example, it has some of the best museum exhibits in Minnesota. Whether you’re a history lover or just…
Ecola State Park offers something for every visitor, whether you want to spend a day on the beach or learn about the fascinating history of this area. Visitors can enjoy scenic hiking trails, sightseeing opportunities, surfing, beachgoing, tide pool explorations,…
Myrtle Beach State Park is a haven for nature lovers, where you can explore the diverse ecosystem of the South Carolina coast, spot a variety of wildlife, and soak up the stunning scenery. Whether you want to hike the trails,…
Charlotte, North Carolina, isn’t just one of the state’s biggest metropolitan areas. It’s also a center of art, culture, and education. So, it’s no surprise that the city is home to a number of museums in this part of the…
Pedernales Falls State Park is known for its stunning natural beauty, with the Pedernales River cascading over massive slabs of limestone, creating picturesque waterfalls and pools. Visitors can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, such as hiking along the scenic…
Located in the foothills of the Kiamichi Mountains in Oklahoma, Beavers Bend State Park offers a wide range of activities that appeal to everyone’s interests. From adventurous hikes to scenic drives, ziplining to fishing, and camping under the starry sky,…
When most people think of Tampa, Florida, they see beaches, sunshine, and vibrant culture as some of the first things that come to mind. However, this part of the Sunshine State also has some excellent museums worth visiting. From beloved…
Chino Hills State Park is a beautiful natural open space consisting of grasslands, woodlands, and sage scrub. The park offers numerous attractions, such as a top-notch discovery center, fantastic opportunities to watch wildlife, hiking trails, and stunning wildflowers. With so…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Editor & Content Contributor
Alberto joined UP in 2024 after serving as the international editor in chief of Forbes Advisor. His passion for points and miles began when he moved to the U.S. from Italy in 2000, leading him to become the first managing editor of The Points Guy in 2017. He previously worked at Vice News, Bloomberg, and CNN.
Originally from Milan, Alberto has lived in Rome and Atlanta and now resides in Brooklyn, New York. He speaks Italian, French, and Spanish, has traveled to every continent except Antarctica, and enjoys skiing, mountaineering, and flying—often with his wife, Regan, and always in a window seat.
Content Series Lead
Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs but now lives in Queens, New York.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.