Chris's Latest Posts

Whether you’re traveling with kids or are a big kid yourself, you’ll inevitably consider taking a theme park vacation. Here at Upgraded Points, we’re big fans of theme parks and know how much work (and money) goes into planning a…

In January I was looking for a quick, local getaway with my family. Since we live in an apartment and school was still remote, things have gotten quite cozy around here with 2 kids running around. We live about an…

It is no surprise that Marriott, the largest hotel company in the world, has quite an impressive footprint of pet-friendly hotels. The company has over 7,300 hotels across 131 countries and many of them, especially in the U.S., are pet-friendly….

São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is the busiest airport in Brazil. However, when I visited in the middle of the pandemic, it was eerily quiet. The airport is massive, with 3 terminals serving over 30 domestic and international airlines….

In December 2020 I found myself with a 24-hour layover in Houston before my continuing flight back home to Rio de Janeiro. Since I was traveling by myself, and not with 2 kids in tow, I had a few options…

Update: On April 18, 2022, a federal judge struck down the federal mask mandate. Airlines and local transit authorities will now create and enforce their own mask policies. If you are planning on traveling in the near future, you should…

Road trips are all the rage nowadays, and bringing your furry friend along is something that many of us like to do, if possible. When hitting the road, making sure that your hotel is pet-friendly is important. Fortunately, Hyatt has…

After an extended period of time without travel due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), many people have been traveling like never before. While masks are no longer required on most flights around the world, avoiding germs is generally a good idea….

Airline: United Airlines Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Flight #: UA149 Route: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) > Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) > São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) Date: October 9, 2020 Duration: 9hrs 35mins Cabin and Layout: United…

The travel industry has been heavily impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Initially, travel came almost to a complete standstill. Then, there was a slow reopening of some countries, and now we find ourselves in a complicated recovery period. Throughout…

Here at Upgraded Points, we love animals just as much as we love traveling — and we have a pretty good feeling that our readers do, too. So when we hit the road with our families, sometimes we like to…

This was a difficult post to write because regardless of who is reading this, they are likely to have very passionate beliefs on how people should behave and live their lives in the face of a global pandemic — and…

Kids and adults are surely looking forward to Halloween this year after a more restrained holiday last year. Whether you are planning on visiting the Disney After Hours Boo Bash at Magic Kingdom or trick-or-treating in your own neighborhood this…

Thanks to the coronavirus (COVID-19), many of us are now working from home and finding ourselves with a calendar full of virtual meeting requests. If you are new to the work-from-home (WFH) club, these virtual conference calls can be intimidating…

With many families hitting the open road in lieu of overseas vacations this year, bringing along a fluffy, 4-legged family member is something that is becoming increasingly common. If you are a fan of Hilton properties, you will be happy…

Update: On April 18, 2022, a federal judge struck down the federal mask mandate. Airlines and local transit authorities will now create and enforce their own mask policies. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic reshaped the global economy, along with the day-to-day…

Virtual tours are increasing in popularity, thanks to the coronavirus (COVID-19), unfortunately. Since many museums are temporarily closed, and those that are reopening are doing so with limited capacity, many of us have used social distancing as an opportunity to…

As part of my whirlwind trip between Rio de Janeiro and Boston, I found myself flying 3 different airlines and visiting about a half-dozen airport lounges. A tad exhausting, but also great for people like me who love checking out…

If you want to experience some of the best Disney rides from home, we have the ultimate list for you! That means that from the comfort of your own couch, or wherever you are reading this right now, you can…

When it comes to theme parks in Florida, the 2 biggest names in the game are Disney and Universal. Back in March 2020, both companies closed their parks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) with no firm…

After the rollout of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine across the country and world, theme parks in California have finally reopened. That means, with certain precautions, we are starting to see some of our favorite things come back to normal —…