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FOLLOW MY TRAVELS

^^ Where you'll find me for the foreseeable future

^^ Where you'll find me for the foreseeable future
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I've been getting a fair number of messages from friends and family asking if I'm still traveling, if they should travel, etc., so I wanted to share a little bit about where my thinking is right now.
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I have personally decided to suspend traveling given the current situation. None of my travel is essential and as eye-popping as it is to see sub-$300 fares to Hawaii right now, I don't think it's the right move for my mental wellbeing (I'm anxious—not gonna lie) and I want to do what I can in terms of social distancing to help protect others.
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To be perfectly transparent, this was an easy decision to make since I was already planning to stay put for much of 2020. I have multiple surgeries coming up later this year (I am fine—they are preventative!), and because of that, I haven't had to grapple with whether to cancel trips that were already booked.
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I'm sharing this because everyone has different factors right now that are affecting their decision-making. I am in no way passing judgment on those who are still traveling, and I feel for those who have much tougher choices to make than I do—especially those whose livelihoods depend on travel.
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So that's where I'm at! If this is a topic that's been weighing on your mind, too, feel free to reach out any time. I've found that talking these things through has been super helpful lately, and I'm always down to chat! Stay safe, friends ❤️

Whether you're just starting out with points and m

Whether you're just starting out with points and miles or have some saved up already, you may feel frozen and unsure how to take the next step. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If this sounds familiar, my latest post for @livelikeitsthewknd is for you! I broke down the ENTIRE process necessary to earn your first free flight, starting from square one.
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Here's the general breakdown of what you're going to need to do:
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🌎 Pick your target destination (or destinations. I cannot over-stress the importance of starting with this in mind!)
🤓 Learn some points and miles basics (I have a beginner's guide up @livelikeitsthewknd in case you missed it!)
💳 Choose the right travel credit card for you (key words "for you")
💸 Earn earn earn! (Lots of ways to do it, all listed in that beginner's guide I mentioned)
💻 Do your booking research (Googling "best ways to get to X place on points and miles" will get you much further than you might expect - tons of resources out there)
🛫 Take the plunge! (Don't worry too much about "wasting" points the first time - you will earn them back)
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Check out the full post on livelikeitstheweekend.com and tell me - where are you in this process? Have you booked your first free flight, or does one of these steps have you feeling stuck?
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P.S. Photo is from Geneva. Why does everyone hate on Geneva? I liked it!

It's finally up! My 4,003-word guide to Portland 🤪I had been putting this one off for a while since I knew it would be a beast, but I'm glad to finally have my recommendations in one easy-to-share place.
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Here's a little preview with some of my favorite things to do. Save this post if you're planning a visit to the Rose City!
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🌹Ride @theportlandtram. Its a short ride and the aerial views are incredible!
🌹Get more amazing skyline views at @pittockmansion. I've never been inside, but the grounds and garden are beautiful!
🌹@powellsbooks for alllll the books/gifts/etc.
🌹@portlandrosegarden (obviously a must)
🌹Explore the Alberta Arts District. You can walk up and down NE Alberta for plenty of independent shops/cafes/street art 🌹Go for a hike. Keep it local in Forest Park or head out the Columbia River Gorge for insane scenery
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So much more up on 52citiesblog.com! What's your favorite thing to do in Portland? 🦌

Feeling all the nostalgia today to be back Texas!

Feeling all the nostalgia today to be back Texas! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'm currently near the Texas-Mexico border in McAllen—the place that really taught me how to use points and miles. And the last time I was here, life looked pretty different.
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Between 2013 and 2015, I traveled back and forth between McAllen and D.C.—a route that frequently runs over $500—on my entry-level copyeditor's salary. Points and miles wasn't a hobby back then—it was a necessity for sustaining a long-distance relationship I couldn't afford 😂
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I learned to get resourceful. I'd spend hours hanging out at my gate, volunteering to get bumped off of flight after flight in exchange for vouchers. This is also when status challenges, shopping portals and dining programs entered the picture—anything to help earn that extra mile per dollar spent.
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While I'm glad I'm no longer a regular on DCA-MFE, I'll still always remember those trips fondly. I'm very grateful for all the takeaways, and I'm very excited to be back (even if my favorite tamale place has since closed 😭). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
How did you get into points and miles?

How do you search for flights?
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No matter what it is I'm doing travel-wise, you can bet Google Flights is the first place I'm going to gather info. While it may seem like its main function is providing flight prices, I promise it can be a powerful tool even if you're planning to use points and miles and don't need the cash prices at all!
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With Google Flights, you can...
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✈️ Easily check schedules and filter by time of day. If I need an option that departs after work or arrives in time for an event, this is how I find it! ✈️ Search flights to/from multiple airports at once. This was clutch back in my DC days when I could use IAD, DCA and BWI on any given trip. But I still use it regularly when looking for the best options - later this week, I'm flying into MFE, but I also looked at HRL and BRO! ✈️ Filter by connection city. Since I connect all the time now, I love this feature for nixing itineraries that take me through cities prone to weather delays and cancelations (I love Chicago with all my heart, but no thank you to extra ORD visits)
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I wrote up a step-by-step guide (with screen shots!!) on how to do all of this and much more, and you can find it over on @bontraveler! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Do you use Google Flights? If not, how do you do your flight searches?

If you want to fly for free, you obviously have to

If you want to fly for free, you obviously have to have the points. But that's not all you need!
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You also have to find award availability--in other words, a free ticket you can book. Just because there are seats available on a flight for purchase doesn't mean they're bookable with your points and miles.
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In fact, if you're trying to use your points to fly internationally in first or business class, finding award space can be extremely tricky. What most people don't realize is that you often need to book it far, far in advance--in some cases, as soon as it becomes bookable, around a year out.
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So how do you ensure that you find what you need?! One popular way: Build your trip around the award space you find. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Now, I'll be the first to tell you that I don't actually do this 😂 I'm a big planner, and I have my next three years' worth of travel mapped out in the "Notes" section of my phone at any given time. I'm almost always selecting flights to target based on my tight schedule and then reverse-engineering to try to find a way to get those flights for free. But that strategy works largely because I'm okay sitting in economy and, from time to time, "overpaying" in points if I need to.
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Of course, sometimes you do get lucky. Earlier this week, I shared in Stories how I managed to book the elusive Etihad First Class, which just so happened to have open space on the exact date I needed (it's saved in my highlights under "Etihad Apts" if you want to see more!). But if you have your heart set on sitting up front, chancing it is not a strategy I recommend. Plan ahead!
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Tell me: Have you ever planned a trip around a cheap fare or award space you found? Or does the destination take precedence?

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