You don't *have* to optimize your points + my next hotel redemption.

Coming at you this morning from another airport.

Flying to (and from!) Boston today for a donor visit (my full-time job).

I’ve never flown to and from somewhere on the same day like this - we’ll see how it goes.

Flying Delta, so feeling pretty rich today.

If anyone wants to sponsor me flying first class home tonight, DM me.

Also, nothing beats writing about travel from an airport. This stuff gets me so excited.

Let’s get into it.

My client doesn’t care about optimizing his points.

Yep, it’s true.

Worked with a business owner this week that should earn 1-2 million points this year.

• He doesn’t care about fancy hotels.

• He doesn’t have much time to travel.

• He’s got super specific dates when he is able to travel.

What he really wants?

Italy + staying at boutique agrotourism hotels. 

(You can’t book these with points).

When he told me this, honestly, I was a little frustrated.

Didn’t he know how many cents per point he could get if he stayed at fancy hotels or booked business class flights to Asia?!

He doesn’t care. He knows what he wants/likes, and is going to do it.

We can all learn something from that, eh?

Even if he flew his family business class round-trip to Italy every year, he wouldn’t be spending nearly 2 million points. 

(He can do that for about 120k points per person). 

Also, with his tight schedule, biz class will likely not be available. 

So here’s the strategy I implemented for him: 

—> Earn as many points as possible that can be transferred to valuable partners but can also be used as statement credits to pay for these boutique hotels. 

So, I’m having him sign up for this card.

It’ll get him:

• Lounge access for him + family at their home airport.

• 150k point bonus. 

• 2x points per dollar on every purchase. 

• $300 annual travel credit. 

• 10,000 point anniversary bonus. 

If he earns 2 million points he can: 

• Fly his family to Italy in business class twice a year. 

• Have about $13,000 worth of points to use for boutique hotels. 

Not a bad life. 

Points & miles nerds will HATE this. 

Why? Because he’ll be redeeming the majority of his points for 1 cent per point. 

But hey, it’s what he wants to do! So who cares? 

The whole purpose of all of this is to fuel your travel dreams. 

Yes, he could get 10 cents per point at a Hyatt in the Maldives, but he has no interested in doing that. 

So back off, nerds. 

Let him live. 

My next rodeo:

Speaking of Hyatt’s, I want to share my next hotel redemption I’m planning. 

Also, my wife is pregnant and not in the mood to travel, so please answer this poll regarding whether we should travel to FL soon. 

I’m hoping to do a little, “Babymoon” in Clearwater, FL at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater. 

It’s a beautiful hotel right on the beach with a few unique features: 

• Rooftop pool. 

• Rooms with full kitchens + ocean view balconies available to book with points. 

I’m not aware of any other Hyatt Regencies with these suite-style rooms - perfect for families like mine. 

I’m seeing cash prices as high as $650/night for when we’re planning on going, and I can get this place for 21,000 Hyatt points/night. 

Almost 3 cents per point in the U.S. for a beautiful family-friendly hotel a short direct flight away? Sign me & my toddler up. 

We also happen to have about $700 in Southwest flight credits that should mostly cover direct flights to Tampa.

On the theme of not optimizing everything, yes, I could get a much higher cents per point redemption elsewhere in the world. 

But my pregnant wife doesn’t want to fly to Asia (she barely wants to go to the grocery stores bc she’s so sick right now (she’s amazing!)). 

Points and miles are about fueling the things you want to do that SERVE your family. 

It would not serve my family right now to travel internationally. That’s a fact. But my points will keep working for me.

Grind don’t stop.

Thanks to all of your for reading! I’ll be at 1,000 subs in no time.