Stephen's Latest Posts

Airline: Japan Airlines (JL) Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER Flight #: JL 61 Route: Los Angeles (LAX) > Tokyo-Narita (NRT) Date: November 7, 2018 Duration: 11 hr 45 min Cabin & Layout: Japan Airlines Business Class, 49-seat capacity across 7 rows, 2-3-2 Seats: 5G (mini-cabin) Miles Used: 60,000 American…

Paris in the spring. Spain’s Costa del Sol in the summer. Christmas markets in Germany. No matter what time of year it is, there is always a great reason to travel to Europe! If you book award tickets to Europe…

Cathay Pacific is an airline that I personally get super excited about. The Hong Kong-based carrier is known for providing some of the best flights in the industry. With such a rich heritage coming from the tiny sovereignty of Hong…

Here at Upgraded Points, we often get questions about the best routes to fly on a particular airline. Singapore Airlines is definitely an aspirational airline with fantastic service, great business and first class seats, and solid award availability. In addition,…

American Airlines is one of the most well-known airlines in the world. Its AAdvantage loyalty program is also well-received thanks to the value of American Airlines miles. The AAdvantage program has undergone significant changes over the years, including an entirely…

Congratulations! Having good or excellent credit means you’ve managed your credit well and have earned the privilege of being able to select from the best credit cards available. The world of enjoying premium travel benefits, paying for your trip with…

Airline: Japan Airlines (JL) Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER Flight #: JL 62 Route: Tokyo-Narita (NRT) > Los Angeles (LAX) Date: November 18, 2018 Duration: 10 hr 10 min Cabin & Layout: Japan Airlines first class, 8-seat capacity across 2 rows, 1-2-1 Seats: 1G Miles Used: 80,000 American…

With more banks than ever offering transferable points and miles, it’s vital to understand the best ways to redeem these different currencies. This guide is a must-read before you do anything with your Capital One miles. We’ll focus on demonstrating the…

There’s plenty of value to be found in the world of award travel, from scoring first class flights to posh hotel suites for pennies on the dollar. But all this luxury doesn’t exactly come easy or without obstacles. In particular,…

We’re all familiar with the concept that if you spend more on a rewards-earning credit card, you’ll earn more rewards. While it’s a simple concept, if you can generate big spending on a credit card, you may be able to…

Qatar Airways has consistently taken the airline industry by storm. With the fame of its Qsuites business class, it’s no secret that Qatar Airways has made a name for itself. Perhaps the biggest way Qatar Airways has impressed the frequent…

Japan Airlines’ business class product is a great option when you have a long trans-Pacific journey ahead of you. You can expect a great meal, a nice lounge, and fantastic service all the way through. Let’s dig into what the…

Wyndham is a hotel chain that often doesn’t get as much attention as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, or Marriott. This is especially true in the points and miles world, likely due to the absence of high-end properties that the other chains…

In the award travel world, stopovers and open-jaws are topics that get a ton of attention. They can be difficult to plan and overwhelming to visualize, but can allow you to visit 2 or more places for the price of…

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles miles have historically been difficult to earn due to the lack of transfer partners available, which made it increasingly difficult to earn enough points without flying a ton and crediting your flights to earn Turkish Airlines miles….

When you think of the best first class products in the world, Emirates is probably high on your list (if not at the top)! Without a doubt, Emirates offers one of the most luxurious seats in the sky, and flying first…

Avianca LifeMiles may not necessarily be one of the most talked about miles like ANA, Virgin Atlantic, or United, but we find LifeMiles extraordinarily useful, particularly for those who have lots of different transferrable points! Headquartered in Bogota, Colombia, Avianca…

To points travelers, it may seem overwhelming to find the best redemptions for flights to Bali. However, we did all the research so that you can plan your travel stress-free. In this guide, we’ll discuss in detail the best ways…

Normally at Upgraded Points, you’ll find a lot of focus on long-haul destinations. This is our typical strategy because traveling in premium cabins on long-haul flights is usually much more expensive than doing so in economy, making these flights virtually…

If you’re like a lot of travelers, you might have a favorite airline you usually travel with. Or maybe you’ve collected plenty of points and miles to make a reward booking you’ve been waiting for, but aren’t sure where to…

Whether you do major weekly grocery shopping to feed a family of 5 or just pop in to grab a rotisserie chicken on your way home from work for a solo meal, we all spend money at the grocery store….