Jarrod West
Senior Content Contributor
490 Published Articles , 1 Edited Article
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Jarrod has been writing about the ins and outs of credit cards and loyalty programs, as well as airlines and hotels, for over 7 years. He is regularly called upon to share his expertise on the latest news within the space and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Travel and Leisure, RetailMeNot, and Yahoo! Finance.
Jarrod has over 20 credit cards in his wallet and has tested dozens more to vet the best card options for readers. As he constantly samples new cards, Jarrod also earns (and redeems) over 1 million points and miles each year. This allows him to book luxury travel experiences the world over and save tens of thousands of dollars in the process.
He first became fascinated with the world of travel rewards as the perfect way to visit dream destinations without breaking the bank. Now, he loves to help others realize their travel goals and upgrade their travel experiences.
He holds a B.S. in Economics from Northern Kentucky University and now calls New York City home. Jarrod also runs his website, the Freequent Flyer Blog, where he has helped readers earn over 20 million points and miles (approx. $200k+ in travel savings) through his free credit card consultations. Outside of writing and traveling, he loves trying new restaurants, reading, and cheering on Liverpool F.C.
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card doesn’t get as much attention as other co-branded airline credit cards, but overlooking it is a mistake. Not only does Alaska Airlines have one of the best U.S. loyalty programs, but the card…
Avianca LifeMiles is a useful program for booking award tickets with Star Alliance carriers like United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and more. It’s also a favorite because it doesn’t tack on large fees to your award bookings. While you wouldn’t ordinarily…
Alaska Airlines has previously mentioned its intention to launch a premium credit card in the summer of 2025. The airline is staying true to its word, and we now have a few details surrounding the new card’s offerings. One is…
Emirates offers some of the very best inflight experiences in the world. However, booking award tickets in its premium cabins is limited to its Skywards loyalty program. While Emirates is already a 1:1 transfer partner of every major transferable points…
The latest promotion from Frontier allows you to earn up to 100,000 miles with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® with one catch: You need to currently hold a co-branded airline credit card for another U.S. domestic airline. On top of…
The latest Wyndham Rewards promotion allows you to purchase Wyndham points with up to a 45% discount through December 31, 2024. If you have this 45% discount, you can purchase Wyndham points at a tempting rate for a future free…
One of our favorite airline programs, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, has a new 20% transfer bonus from Chase Ultimate Rewards, giving you a limited-time opportunity to get even more value out of your hard-earned points. Here are all of the…
Credit cards, airlines, and hotels don’t publish points and miles valuations, so there are no official answers on what points and miles are worth. It’s up to you to come to your conclusions on that value. But we’re here to…
For those of you holding credit cards that charge annual fees, the various statement credits that the cards offer are a great opportunity to offset the overall cost of your card. As 2024 draws to a close, many credits are…
It can be easy to forget about Amex Offers on your various American Express cards, but keeping an eye on these deals is a fantastic way to save money or earn additional points on products or services you were planning…
It’s no secret that Chase has some of the best rewards cards on the market. With premium cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, cash-back cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, and small business cards…
It’s a new month, and with a new month comes a new round of transfer bonuses to take advantage of. Today, we’ll examine this month’s newest transfer bonuses for the top transferable rewards programs so you can get the most…
There’s no shortage of ways to earn points and miles. From credit card welcome offers to bonus categories to shopping portals to dining programs, the list goes on and on. Given the numerous options, travelers are often conflicted about purchasing…
Flying Blue is the popular frequent flyer program operated and managed by the Air France-KLM group. There is so much to love about this loyalty program — especially how easy it is to earn miles and how generously Air France…
American Express Membership Rewards and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club have a partnership that’s allowed travelers to unlock incredible value in exchange for their points. And now, the duo is back with a new promotion that can help you book these…
Each year, those with The Platinum Card® from American Express receive 2 separate $50 statement credits for Saks Fifth Avenue — one of which can be used between January and June, and the other from July through December (enrollment required)….
Cardholders of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express receive up to $400 in annual Dell statement credits each year, broken into 2 credits of up to $200 that are available in each half of the year (enrollment required). Now…
While there’s no shortage of ways to earn a large number of points and miles quickly via credit cards, on occasion, it may make sense to strategically purchase miles for an upcoming redemption if it gives you added flexibility or…
Those needing to book a stay at a Wyndham hotel are in luck, as the hotel chain has 2 promotions to help you save some cash: an ongoing offer and a new sale for Cyber Week. With both promotions, you…
If you need to stock up on Frontier miles, now is the perfect time to do so. For the first time ever, Frontier has launched a sale on purchasing its miles. While Frontier miles aren’t known for being the most…
The Prime Visa’s current welcome offer is rather easy to earn. You can get a $200 Amazon gift card on approval for the card — no requirement to spend a certain amount of money to earn it. However, this offer…
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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.