Dan Miller
Content Contributor
16 Published Articles
Advertiser Disclosure
Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
Though born in a country that no longer exists (West Germany), Dan considers himself a native Ohioan who loves to travel with his wife and six (6!) children. He first learned about credit card rewards in 2012, when he realized that using miles and points was the only way he was going to be able to afford eight cross-country plane tickets to an upcoming family reunion. After researching the best credit cards, he signed up for a few and eventually used 170,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points (plus a Southwest Companion Pass) to fly his family to Lake Tahoe and back.
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.
After COVID cancelled his first attempt in March 2020, Dan finally made it to his 50th U.S. state (Hawaii!) in 2023. He is also trying to visit all 3,143 counties in the United States, and is currently about 70% of the way to completion. A lover of extreme road trips, he holds the world record for the fastest time to visit all 88 counties in Ohio (23 hours, 34 minutes and 34 seconds).
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
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.
Director of Special Projects
Leigh brings a wealth of travel expertise and connections to the growing UP Team. Leigh has visited over 60 countries, often traveling with his family in premium classes for little more than the cost of an economy ticket.
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.
Editor-in-Chief
Editing with Upgraded Points for over 6 years, as editor-in-chief, Keri manages the editorial calendar and oversees the efforts of the editing team and over 20 content contributors, reviewing thousands of articles in the process.
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 is letting his wife choose their destinations, including revisiting some favorites. Over the years, he’s written about award travel for publications including AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, Point.me, and Forbes Advisor.
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
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
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.
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.
Senior Content Contributor
Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 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 Finance Contributor
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices. 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 Partnerships Manager and Podcast Co-Host
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, LongWeekends Magazine, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 Forbes and has taken points-fueled trips to Sri Lanka, Sicily, and Myanmar.
Senior Editor and 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.