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I started The Point in the fall of 2024 when I got a New York Times feature on the cover of the business section. I ran to my hotel room, launched this newsletter — a smart, thoughtful dispatch on elevated travel with points and miles — and never looked back!

Today, I am so honored to be on the list of top Substack bestsellers in travel — #40 among bazillions of Substack writers who cover the beloved theme of travel.

This month brought us a highest ever 100,000 point welcome bonus on the best starter card for points travel. It has only been this high three times in the last decade. If you missed it, you are in luck because the referral offer is still somehow at 100,000 points! This could disappear anytime but for now, HERE IT IS!
This bank added Leading Hotels of the World as a transfer partner! The transfer rate is 4:1, which typically wouldn’t be great, but it tends to come out at about 2 cents per point which is great! The properties tend to be pricey but if you’re already planning on splurging, this can save you a lot of money.
Hyatt has a new Latin America promo! Earn a Category 1-4 Free Night Award for every three night stay in Latin America and the Caribbean between January 1st and March 31st, 2027 (up to 5 Free Night Awards!). Register for the promo here.
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) released their monthly promos and are offering 30,000 point fares in premium economy from New York to Europe! See more here.
Many of you used my links to apply for cards this month and I just want to say thank you. Each time you click the card links and get approved for a card, you’re not only earning yourself welcome bonus points, but you’re helping a small business grow. It means a lot. You can always find card links here - or DM/email me for any you don’t see — or with questions. Thank you!

A bunch of business cards have elevated bonuses! Don’t think you qualify for a business card? You might be surprised.

Two business cards (this one and this one) are offering a 100,000 point welcome bonus and no annual fee. This one gets 1.5x on all purchases making it a first choice. If you think you don’t qualify for business cards? Read this. You might be surprised!
This card has a 200,000 point bonus. Crazy high! I recommend this one for anyone that can meet the spend.
This card and this one have bonuses up to 200,000 and 300,000 points. Super high!
Note: I am not keeping things a secret by being vague, there are rules I have to follow regarding saying names of cards and banks! Dm or email me anytime with questions and I can help :)
Curious how to earn more points? Get a totally free mini-wallet edit!

Get a Wallet Edit

“Deeply serious about points, deeply kind about people. You trust Rachel’s advice because she’s clearly done the work and actually wants it to help.”

- Ally Jane Ayers of Money Changes Everything

10 to dos for a 2026 mid-year check in (The Purse). Thanks Lindsey Stanberry and Alicia Adamczyk for including me in this piece!

Experts share their favorite ways to save money on vacation (Yahoo)

The Point (formerly Brooklyn Family Travelers) in the NYT!

The New York Times: It was such an honor to speak with The New York Times about loyalty and credit cards!

Condé Nast asked how we booked our spring break trip for our family of four to Eastern Europe on points. I broke it all down in a full feature! Read it here.
Bloomberg Travel: I talked to Bloomberg about home swapping — one of my favorite ways to travel!
New York Magazine: I shared my thoughts with New York Magazine on how to save on travel.

Just You Wait (Mama’s Boy) Read the whole piece and I dare you not to cry. This was so beautiful. Leah Hamilton.
Big Fish (Romilly’s Substack) Romilly Newman’s musings on sibling love through the lens of nights at home with her brother as a kid. Fun fact: I was her babysitter when she was a kid 🥹
There Was a Man I Loved (The Returning) A stunningly beautiful piece by Adrianne Wright. Read this and then read part two.

At the end of June we dropped the kids off at sleepaway camp for the first time. I have never had such mixed emotions in my life. To miss them, to be elated for them — to worry, to be a mom without being able to mom. It’s a little and a lot. I am so happy they are in such a beautiful, kind place and also can’t wait until the day they come home. Being a parent is hard!
Kamali and I had a date night at Gjelina, one of our favorite restaurants in LA, now in NYC. It did not disappoint! And it was amazing/weird to not need a babysitter for the first time!
We waited for camp to be underway for about ten days to make sure all was well and after getting the sweetest letters in the mail and happy kid phone calls, we boarded a plane to Paris (60K points per person transferred from this card) for a European adventure sans kids.

Paris is always a good idea.
Here are my postcards from Paris ❤️
From Paris, we boarded a plane to Rome (we used cash which I recommend for intra-Euro flights) where it was HOT. Kamali got heatstroke, we had to add on an extra day in Rome and I spent a lot of time exploring the city and taking photos.

Rome ❤️
When Kamali recovered and we were cleared to leave Rome, we took a train to Florence for two nights, saw the two incredible Rothko exhibits that are up, visited ateliers and artisans and walked everywhere (postcards to come).
From Florence, we took a train to Venice for The Biennale. Two years ago we visited with the kids and immediately said we’d try to come back without them for the next Biennale. This is the Olympics of art and it was a dream to be there.

So much art
One of the best parts of Substack is getting to know other writers on the platform, especially when you get the chance IRL! Gillian Longworth McGuire was happy to meet in Venice for a quick drink which turned into hours of chatting at Osteria Salvmeria.

After Venice, we flew to Zurich for a two night stay at The Park Hyatt (the best!) before catching our business class flight home on Swiss Air (booked via Aeroplan for 60K points each transferred from this card). We celebrated our anniversary on this trip and the hotel surprised us with these key cards 🥹 I don’t even know where they found this photo from our wedding day! Truly special and unexpected. I have lost every key card a hotel ever gave me, but this one I will hold onto.

This card had a 100,000 point bonus which I spoke about ad nauseam (sorry!) but many of you got these points and I’m so excited to see where you go with them. If you missed it, you are in luck because somehow the personal referral link is still offering 100,000 points! Use this link to apply. If you already have this card and want to figure out what’s next, fill this out and I’ll help you find a card that’s right for you.

We returned home and just 24 hours later (jet lagged and exhausted) rented a car and drove up to Vermont for visiting weekend at the kids’ camp! It was magical to see them in their happy place and drove home the next day with full (though sad!) hearts knowing it would be a few weeks before we’d see them again. We are tired AF but on we go :)