Stella Shon
Senior Features Editor
156 Published Articles , 879 Edited 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.
Stella was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she lived for nearly two decades. Stella attended college just a stone’s throw away from her childhood home, graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) with a bachelor’s degree in media and journalism. She also studied abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, which then fueled her desire to continue seeing the world using travel rewards.
Stella now calls New York City home. With three airports practically in her backyard and plenty of airfare deals to be found, Stella easily flies 100,000+ miles every year.
She has been a points and miles enthusiast for more than six years, and her work has been featured in media outlets like CNBC, Travel + Leisure, The New York Times, ValuePenguin, The Points Guy, LendingTree, Slickdeals, MoneyUnder30 and USA Today. Most recently, Stella was a corporate communications analyst at JetBlue.
Stella carries a dozen credit cards in her wallet but always reevaluates her points and miles strategy. Some of her favorite trips—all paid for with her credit card rewards—include a five-day trip trekking through Morocco, a week campervanning in Iceland with her mom and a 48-hour jaunt to Antigua, Guatemala.
Recent redemptions included: ANA first class from Chicago to Tokyo for 60,000 points, Delta One from New York-JFK to Honolulu for just $300 (thanks to a regional upgrade certificate) and some R&R in the Dominican Republic.
If you’re not a frequent traveler jetting off to a new destination every month, you may wonder if The Platinum Card® from American Express is worth having. While it’s widely recognized as a luxury travel card, it offers an extensive…
One of the best perks of having an American Express card is having access to Amex Offers. If you have multiple Amex cards, you can maximize your chances of discovering (and enrolling in) some of the best offers, helping you…
Southwest is selling its elite qualifying points to targeted travelers, which could potentially help you earn A-List status with the airline. However, this promotion is only available through December 30, 2024. In this post, we’ll dive into the details you…
Your Marriott Bonvoy points just got a lot more useful for unforgettable escapes to the nation’s most beautiful national parks. The Red Cliffs Lodges in Moab and Zion have recently been added to the hotel giant’s portfolio, allowing members to…
Want to redeem your points and miles to get to Europe in lie-flat seats? Starting at just 45,000 miles per person, you can fly from multiple U.S. cities to Spain’s capital. Here’s what we’re seeing from January to October 2025….
If you plan on only carrying 2 credit cards in your wallet, it makes sense to pick ones that work well together. A perfect example of such a pairing is the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card and the Wells Fargo…
If traveling to Türkiye is on your wish list, you should pay close attention to these business-class deals available to Istanbul. We’re seeing up to 2 business class seats open per route on these Turkish Airlines flights. For a one-way…
I’ve always been an adventurous eater, thanks in large part to my dad introducing me to his love for seafood and various delicacies at a very young age. As a frequent traveler, my journeys are often planned around restaurant recommendations…
When you apply for a credit card, the issuer usually performs a credit check, which can temporarily lower your credit score by a few points. However, American Express offers a unique feature called Apply With Confidence that allows you to…
Do you have elite status with another airline? If so, you can jump on this limited-time elite status match opportunity to get Free Spirit Silver or Gold elite status for 90 days. If you want to keep that status for…
Bilt Rewards launched in 2021 and has quickly become one of our favorite points programs. Its standout feature is the ability to earn points on rent payments with no transaction fees, setting it apart from the competition. Beyond rent payments,…
The credit card landscape in 2024 has been dynamic, with exciting new products and enhanced benefits that particularly appeal to travelers. However, whether you were ready for these changes or not, many of them came at the expense of a…
Insurance may not be the most thrilling topic, but it’s a necessary evil. While some types, like car and health insurance, are essential, others are considered to be optional but can prove to be useful when you least expect it….
Singapore Airlines’ excellent business class is ripe for your next award booking, as availability is fantastic. Singapore Airlines is one of the top-rated carriers in the world, and it has an impressive business-class product. This is easily one of the…
It’s not often that we see an elevated welcome bonus offer on the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the issuer’s top-tier travel credit card. Right now, eligible applicants can earn 65,000 bonus points upon meeting minimum spending requirements. This offer adds 5,000…
The American Express® Gold Card has long been my preferred way to pay for groceries, and I have no doubt that it serves as a go-to for many others as well. Earning 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to…
In the past two years, The Platinum Card® from American Express has upgraded my travel experience by giving me access to airport lounges and more wallet-friendly stays at upscale hotels. Today, I’ll focus on that second perk. While I don’t…
If your goal is to earn more travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is frequently our top recommendation. This popular travel credit card comes with the following welcome offer for new applicants: As 2024 draws to a close,…
The next time you apply for an American Express card, you might notice some new wording surrounding welcome bonus offers. The issuer is now encouraging applicants to apply for a card before knowing what the exact welcome bonus offer is,…
We’re approaching the final weeks of the year, and right now could prove to be a lucrative time to apply for a rewards card. In particular, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express provides a substantial welcome bonus offer that,…
One of the most useful everyday perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the complimentary DoorDash membership. First introduced in 2020, Chase extended this partnership this summer, allowing cardmembers to enjoy the convenience of a DashPass membership through the…
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.
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 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 & 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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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
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 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 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.
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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.