James Larounis
,Chris Hassan
James Larounis
Senior Content Contributor
610 Published Articles
Countries Visited: 30U.S. States Visited: 35
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...
Chris Hassan
Social Media & Brand Manager
374 Published Articles
Countries Visited: 27U.S. States Visited: 26
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 ...
Edited by: Juan Ruiz
Juan Ruiz
Senior Editor & Content Contributor
659 Published Articles 1078 Edited Articles
Countries Visited: 49U.S. States Visited: 32
Juan Ruiz is a leading travel journalist and expert in credit cards and loyalty programs. For over a decade, he has turned complex rewards and travel strategies into clear, actionable insights. His wo...
& Ryan Smith
Ryan Smith
News Managing Editor
821 Published Articles 1317 Edited Articles
Countries Visited: 197U.S. States Visited: 50
Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and is now revisiting some favorites. Over the years, he’s written about award travel for publications including Awar...
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