About Chris Dong
Chris is an obsessive traveler with an eye for luxury hotels and local, authentic experiences. He loves sleeping in opulent five-star suites (in the air or on the ground!) just as much as he enjoys eating at hole-in-the-wall noodle joints.
As a freelance travel writer and editor, he focuses on timely travel trends, points and miles, hot new hotels, and all things that go (he’s a proud aviation geek and transit nerd). Ultimately, he believes luxury travel, local experiences and loyalty programs can all go together.
Formerly full-time at The Points Guy, his work can now be found at AFAR, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, The Washington Post, Insider, and Lonely Planet, among others. When he’s not traveling, Chris calls Los Angeles home after nearly ten years of living in New York City.
You can follow Chris on Instagram and Twitter.
Countries Visited: 52
U.S. States Visited: 34
Highest Hotel Status: World of Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Highest Airline Status: American Airlines Platinum Pro
Favorite Airline Alliance: Oneworld
Favorite First Class: Cathay Pacific First Class
Favorite Business Class: Qatar Qsuite
Best Redemption Value: ANA First Class, Cathay Pacific First Class, Japan Airlines First Class.
Favorite Type of Points: Amex Membership Rewards and Bilt Rewards
Top 3 Cards in Wallet: American Express® Gold Card, Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Countries Visited
U.S. States Visited
World of Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
American Airlines Platinum Pro
Oneworld
Cathay Pacific First Class
Qatar Qsuite
ANA First Class, Cathay Pacific First Class, Japan Airlines First Class.
Amex Membership Rewards and Bilt Rewards
Chris's Latest Articles
See More ArticlesFour Seasons Yachts To Launch in 2025 [More Details]
Starting in late 2025, luxury travelers have a new option for setting sail with Four Seasons, the chain known around the world for its high-end properties and sublime service culture. The ultra-luxury hotel brand diving head-first into the cruising business…
Match Your Airline Status to LATAM With This Promotion
For travelers who frequent South America, there’s a potentially lucrative status match promotion with LATAM, the continent’s largest airline. The match opportunity is open to frequent flyers of dozens of airline programs around the world. Here’s what you should know…
Match Your Delta Status to Alaska Airlines With This Lucrative Offer
Alaska Airlines is out with a lucrative promotion for Delta Air Lines frequent flyers, requiring little to no effort. The offer is a direct rebuke of Delta’s announcement on September 13, 2023, that detailed how it would make it much…
Condor To Launch Flights Between San Antonio and Frankfurt Next Spring
German leisure carrier Condor just unveiled its newest U.S. destination — and it’s not a city many travelers may have had on their radar. Starting in May 2024, Condor will fly nonstop between Frankfurt (FRA) and San Antonio, Texas (SAT)….
IHG’s Avid Hotels Opens Its First New York City Location
There’s another IHG option for those traveling to New York City. However, instead of a central Manhattan location, this new IHG property is in the Dyker Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. It’s also the first avid Hotel — an IHG brand…
Live: Earn Up to 3x Hilton Points Through the End of 2023 With Latest Promo
As hotel chains try to compete for your business, many brands are offering promotions and challenges this fall and winter to encourage you to become loyal. That’s especially the case now as the summer travel season begins to wind down….
[Expired] [Deal Alert] Norse Atlantic Flights to Europe From $99 One-Way
Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available. Norse Atlantic Airways, the low-cost start-up airline headquartered in Norway, has launched its fall promotion where you can get tickets from the U.S. to Europe starting at just $99…
Amsterdam Schipol Airport Pushes Ahead With Plan To Cap Flights in 2024
There’s a new planned flight cap coming to Amsterdam Schipol Airport (AMS) in 2024. The Dutch government — and the airlines that fly in and of AMS — have been embroiled in a years-long battle, but now authorities plan to…
Marriott Debuts Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara in Japan
Marriott is growing its luxury portfolio in Asia with the latest opening, Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara in Japan. This hotel set on lush grounds in the historic city of Nara is now open to guests — and you…
IHG Opens Convent Square Lisbon, a Vignette Collection Property
There’s another IHG option in Portugal’s capital city. The 121-room boutique-like hotel in Lisbon marks the second Vignette Collection property to open in Europe and the sixth worldwide, with IHG set to expand this lifestyle portfolio to 100 properties within…
[Expired] Deal Alert: Fly Delta to London for 40,000 SkyMiles Round-Trip
Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available. As the peak summer travel season winds down, fall and winter travel deals start to come out of the woodwork. As first reported by Frequent Miler, Delta has an…
Earn 3X Points at Hyatt Vacation Club Properties With Latest Promo
Hyatt’s portfolio of apartment-style timeshare hotels, formerly known as Hyatt Residence Club, is getting a rebrand. Now known as Hyatt Vacation Club, guests can earn 3x points on stays for a limited time. Here’s what you need to know about…
Here Are the U.S. Open Perks You’ll Get as a Chase Cardholder
The U.S. Open, held annually in Flushing, Queens, is the final Grand Slam tournament of the professional tennis season and undoubtedly the most important tennis event held in the United States. But did you know that you can access some…
Atlanta Now Has a Third Minute Suites Location Accessible via Priority Pass
Minute Suites is an ideal option for travelers looking to make the most of their Priority Pass membership — and want to get some rest or be productive in between flights. Now, there’s some good news for fans of the…
IHG’s 2023 U.S. Open Presence Includes a Pickleball Pop-Up and VIP Bar
If you’re headed to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in New York this year, there are a host of events occurring from sponsors and brands. That includes activations from IHG, a long-time sponsor of the tournament. Here’s what you can…
[Expired] [Deal Alert] Fly Between Atlanta and Istanbul for 15,000 Miles on Turkish Airlines
Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available. As part of a promotion through the rest of 2023, Turkish Airlines is revealing new deals weekly on its Instagram account for discounted award tickets. Today’s promotion is particularly…
Here’s How Marriott Elites Can Get SIXT Car Rental Status
There are many ways to leverage elite perks (or the right credit card) to obtain car rental status — even if you don’t rent cars frequently. If you’re a Marriott elite, there’s now an under-the-radar opportunity to obtain status with…
Virgin Hotels Glasgow Debuts as the Brand’s Eighth Location Worldwide
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels brand is making its mark in Scotland with the opening of its property in Glasgow. Virgin Hotels Glasgow has become the second Virgin property in Europe and the brand’s eighth worldwide. Here’s everything that you…
American Will Transition to Revenue-Based Earning for British Airways and Iberia Flights
Several years ago, American shifted how you earn miles on most American Airlines-marketed flights to be based on the cost of the ticket, not how many miles you flew (similar to Delta and United). For clarity, a “marketed” flight is…
New 24,000-Square-Foot United Club Debuts in Denver’s A-West Terminal
United is on a hot streak when it comes to revamping (and debuting) United Clubs. After opening a new United Club in Newark’s Terminal A earlier this summer, the Chicago-based airline is revealing its latest clubs in Denver (DEN), starting…
You Can Now Redeem Virgin Points for LATAM Flights
In 2022, London-based Virgin Atlantic established a partnership with South American giant LATAM by way of a codeshare agreement. And now, that relationship is being taken further — you’re now able to redeem Virgin points (redeemed through the Flying Club…
Find out about other members of the team
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.
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.
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.
He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.
Ashley Onadele
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.
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.
It wasn’t until Brian relocated to Dallas, TX, and moved in with an American Airlines employee that he truly discovered how incredible travel could be.
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.
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.
As a frequent traveler, frequent flyer miles have played a large role in planning her trips. Caroline has enjoyed discovering the ins and outs of how to maximize different types of miles, hotel points, and transferable points currencies.
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.
His earliest memory of visiting a flight deck was aged 8 and it was from then on that he was determined to become an airline pilot.
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.
Based in Abu Dhabi, the London City University graduate is regularly seen on Instagram, travelling over 100K miles each year in First and Business Class while holding down a regular job.
Chris Hassan
Social Media & Marketing 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.
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.
David is currently Senior Aviation Business Reporter and a photographer at The Points Guy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Katie Seemann
Senior Content Contributor
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 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.
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.
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.
Lori Zaino
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.
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.
Coupled with his passion for photography, Lukas is constantly seeking out new places to visit, and ways to get that elusive ‘perfect shot’ whilst on his adventures and as a result is ranked in the top 2% of global travelers by App in the Air.
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 first caught wind of the points and miles game in 2014 while at a bar in Washington, DC where the conversation amongst friends was quickly derailed because of an alert on a friend’s phone about a mistake fare. That’s where the love affair with points and miles began.
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.
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.
Ryan Smith
Content Contributor
Ryan has been on a quest to visit every country in the world and plans to hit his final country in 2023. 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.
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.
Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!
Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.
Stella Shon
Compliance Editor & Content Contributor
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.
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.
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 “Travel With Vikkie” newsletter.
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.
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.
Juan Ruiz
Compliance Editor & Content Contributor
Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in-Chief at Money Under 30.
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.
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.