How to see a show in another city (for free)

Hi everyone, Sam here! 👋 

Don’t worry, our fearless leader will be back tomorrow. Today, he’s working on an article on one of his current favorite topics… can you guess what it is? Stay tuned 😏

So today, I’ll be sharing some wins of my own. Here’s what we’ll cover today:

• 🤘 How to see a concert in another city for free 

• 🛳️ 10 cruises that sound… super cool

• 🫢 Using IHG transfer bonuses ain’t a crime 

🤘 How to see a concert in another city for free  

On our recent Points and Miles 101 webinar, Mike and I threw some shade at a certain premium card (that we both hold).

But then, a couple of weeks later, I used an underrated benefit on this card, and now I must eat my words.

I’m talking about this card’s StubHub (a resale ticket platform) credit.

So, I’m a concert girlie. I love seeing artists live and enjoying the energy of the crowd.🤘 

Recently, a show popped up in Toronto that I wanted to see (I live two hours away in Buffalo, NY, and often cross the border to feed my habit.)

Anyway, tickets for this show started at $200, so I passed. (The only artist I’ll pay that much for is NIN — I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again.)

Then, the morning of, I checked StubHub. Just for funsies.

And tickets that were originally going for hundreds of dollars started at $26 dollars.

I immediately sent an unhinged text to a friend like…. “Should we do it!?”

Obviously, we did. (In the end, we went for $66 tickets. The super cheapie ones were shoved in a sad corner.)

The StubHub credit covered it all.

Now, you don’t have to be like me and book concert tickets in another city the morning of. (Though the spontaneous adrenaline rush certainly added to the excitement.)

You can get tickets on StubHub in advance, like a normal person. It’s not just for concert tickets, either. You can get tickets to sports games, comedy shows, the theater, and festivals. If they’re selling a ticket for it, you can find some on StubHub.

And since this card gives you $300 in annual StubHub statement credits, those are 300 reasons I didn’t need to live my best concert life. I’ll probably use it all, bringing the eyebrow-raising annual fee on this card down quiiite a bit.

So, I got the tickets. Y’already know I got my hotel on points too. I’m slowly making my way through all of Toronto’s Hyatt options:

So I transferred 15K UR points, got a room at TOOR Hotel, and enjoyed the heck out of my stay in a new boutique hotel.

Oh yeah, and the travel credit on this card even covered the commuter train into Toronto.

And that, my friends, is how to see a concert for free in another city. 💅 

🛳️ 10 cruises that sound… super cool

Since we’re going down the rabbit hole of things Sam was salty about and then had to adjust her opinion on…

I may have judged cruises unfairly, too. When I learned about these ten cruises happening in 2026, I went…wait, what?

Turns out, you can go on everything from the epic cruises:

•  … on the world’s largest sailing yacht

• … through the solar eclipse totality path

•  … with Nat Geo photographers through the Arctic

… to affordable cruises like:

•  … a history-themed one to commemorate the U.S.’s 250^th anniversary

• …. an adventure through the Croatian seas as part of a sailing crew

Wanna spin the wheel of fortune, and turn up on day one of a cruise that you’ve got no idea where it’s headed? Yeah, there’s a cruise for that too.

Me? I’d be on the one that goes to French Polynesia’s least visited islands. It has a strong sustainability focus, and nearly all the crew are Polynesian themselves.

Idk y’all…cruises are suddenly sounding a lot more appealing to me….

🫢 Using IHG transfer bonuses ain’t a crime

It seems like today’s theme is turning out to be “things people are salty about yet shouldn’t be.” That’s what I love about writing.

You start talking about one innocent thing, and then it morphs into something else. You know, like a gremlin.

I want to talk about a topic other people are salty about, but I think they shouldn’t be.

That’s IHG.

Mike already told y’all about the current transfer bonus: 70% when transferring UR points to IHG.

I haven’t used this bonus yet… but I used a very similar one last year. That one was for 80%, so the math’s a bit different, but the takeaway’s the same: these promos can absolutely provide value.

Last year, I found myself planning a trip to France in August for a friend’s wedding.

When I learned about it, I was excited (obviously) but assumed I’d be shelling out a lot of points or cash for accommodation (ya know, high season and all).

And then an IHG transfer bonus dropped. 🎤

Using that bonus, I paid precisely $0 for 4 nights at this stunning, historic 4-star hotel in central Paris during high season. 🥖 

The stay was a mind-boggling 170,000 IHG points, but with the transfer bonus, I only needed 95,000 UR points. We stayed four nights, spending 23,750 UR points per night, which I was happy with.

Now I know what you’re thinking. 95,000 UR points for a 4-night hotel stay may seem like a lot. But remember the context: four nights in Paris during high season.

Even more important: I was super pleased with this redemption. It was an amazing trip. Plus, I had more points than money at the time, and there’s no sense in hoarding points like Smaug on his dragon horde.

Using points for an epic stay with memories that’ll last a lifetime? That’s a win every time.

Also, redemption pros will know that I could’ve sweetened the deal even more by holding a co-branded IHG card. When you hold one of these cards, your fourth night is free when you book three consecutive nights on points. Instant win. (I don’t hold one yet, but you better believe it’s next on the list.)

The takeaway? Don’t let finding the perfect valuation stop you from booking dream trips. See if the current IHG bonus can work for any upcoming trips you’re planning.

Transfer, book it, and enjoy. Because that’s what this is all about. 🤙 

Alright, that’s it from me! I hope these examples from my own adventures show how you can make the most out of card benefits and transfer bonuses.

Puhleeease report back on if you use them, especially on how you’re using your StubHub credit! 👊 

Til next time,

Sam Anthony 
Content & Compliance Editor
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