Well hello and happy weekend, friend ā¤ļø
Iām writing to you from Nashville, Tennessee, where the summer humidity is so thick my hair could now qualify as carry-on luggage.
Weāve had a week, yāall! Thereās lots going on, from hotel promotions and family travel to business-class award flights and more, so letās get this party started.
šØ Hilton points are half off right now (through September 25)!
āļø Donāt miss these major updates to our award search tool!
š„ One of our favorite cards has an insane welcome offerā¦ are you eligible?
š Our Favorite Pick: How to Use Miles for Anything
Iām not saying Capital One coined the phrase, āyou can have your cake and eat it, too.ā
But Iām also not, not saying that. š
On the real, Capital One is built a little different from our other points-and-miles friends, since it allows you to cover any travel purchase ā flights, hotels, Airbnbs, trains, theme parks, ferries, you name it ā at a fixed rate of one cent per mile.
How it works:
Book any travel directly with your card (no portals, no partner rules)
Redeem miles as a statement credit to cover the charge
And thatās it!
Why we love this trick:
It works for budget airlines and random routes that you might normally ignore
It helps avoid those āsurpriseā $150 taxes that make award flights suddenly terrible
It lets you pick flights based on convenience, not whether they fit a points chart from forever ago
The best way to gain access to this āpay with pointsā situation? The Capital One Venture X Card.
We love this card because it also gives you a $300 annual travel credit (when booking through Capital One Travel), 10,000 anniversary miles each year (worth at least $100 in travel), and tons of other sweet, sweet perks.
Bottom line: Capital One miles are the rare currency that works for both āI need to book this weird ferry tomorrowā and āI want to transfer these points to fly lie-flat to Europe.ā
š This Weekās Must-Reads
 | Is Airport Lounge Access Still Worth It in 2025? We break down Priority Pass value, domestic and international lounges, and the best cards for access. |
 | How to Combine UR Points in Your Household Learn how to share UR points with family or household members to unlock more valuable redemptions. |
 | Guide to American Airlines Main Cabin Extra Seats (And If They're Worth It) What they offer, how to book them, and whether theyāre worth the upgrade for your next flight. |
š Week in Review
Wednesday: š Biz class to London for 29k points
Friday: š„ Europe for 22k Delta miles (round-trip!)
Thatās gonna do it for today, friends! Now go forth, sip that coffee reaaaal slow, and weāll meet back here next weekend.
Love ya, mean it! š
With contributions by Benji Stawski
