Wonderland on Points | Credit Card Rewards & Budget Travel

The news just keeps coming! This week, we’re breaking down the new Chase Freedom Flex Q4 bonus categories, including why dining and groceries could make this an especially lucrative quarter. We also talk about Qatar making it easier to book award flights for friends and family, a huge 70% Chase-to-Marriott transfer bonus, reported delays with some Amex transfers, and a pretty painful Wyndham devaluation.Plus, Chase is celebrating the Sapphire Reserve’s 10th anniversary with new limited-time perks and credits. We go through what’s included, which ones we think are actually useful, and how we might take advantage of them. And finally, we clear up the difference between joining Wonderland Besties through Patreon versus subscribing through Apple Podcasts—and why we wanted to give you both options.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Chase Sapphire Reserve 10 Million Points GiveawayJOIN WONDERLAND BESTIES:Get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, timely points & miles updates, member Q&As, and more with our Wonderland Besties membership!FIND US ONLINE:Mary Ellen | JoannaWonderland on Points Facebook GroupOUR FAVORITE LINKS & DISCOUNTS:Some of the links below are affiliate or referral links, which means we may receive a commission or referral bonus when you use them. Thank you for supporting Wonderland on Points!Our Favorite Credit CardsReliefband — 25% off with code WONDERLANDRakuten — Mary Ellen (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points)Rakuten — Joanna (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points)Mary Ellen’s Fetch — Use code MARYELLENJoanna’s Fetch — Use code JOANNALYNNSeats.AeroCardPointers — Get Our Best PriceHalara — 10% off with code WONDERLANDComfrt — 15% offRove — Get 1,500 Free Miles

This week, Jamie joins us to recap her family trip through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks! She shares how they used Southwest points and a Companion Pass to fly into Boise and home from Bozeman, plus how they covered lodging with Wyndham points, Capital One miles, and credit card benefits. We talk about exploring Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls and String Lake in the Tetons before cold and rainy weather completely changed their plans.Then it’s on to Yellowstone for bison, bears, Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, and some seriously wild traffic. Jamie also shares what she would do differently next time, where she would stay, and her biggest tips for planning a Yellowstone and Grand Teton trip with kids. This one is full of practical advice for planning your own national parks adventure—and a good reminder that sometimes the best family trips require a little flexibility!MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Relief Band - Use code WONDERLAND for 25% off!JOIN WONDERLAND BESTIES:Get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, timely points & miles updates, member Q&As, and more with our Wonderland Besties membership!FIND US ONLINE:Mary Ellen | JoannaWonderland on Points Facebook GroupOUR FAVORITE LINKS & DISCOUNTS:Some of the links below are affiliate or referral links, which means we may receive a commission or referral bonus when you use them. Thank you for supporting Wonderland on Points!Our Favorite Credit CardsRakuten — Mary Ellen (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points)Rakuten — Joanna (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points)Mary Ellen’s Fetch — Use code MARYELLENJoanna’s Fetch — Use code JOANNALYNNSeats.AeroCardPointers — Get Our Best PriceHalara — 10% off with code WONDERLANDComfrt — 15% offRove — Get 1,500 Free Miles

This week’s Midweek Mini has some important travel updates plus a BIG Wonderland on Points announcement! We’re talking about the new Trusted Traveler app replacing the old Global Entry app, Alaska Airlines making international lap infant award travel much more affordable, and the current Capital One Venture offer. We also cover a major change to Chase-to-Hyatt transfers and what you may want to do before it takes effect. Then, Wonderland Besties is officially HERE! We’re breaking down everything included in our new membership, from bonus episodes and ad-free listening to timely news, voicemail questions, community input, giveaways, group trip access, and more—plus we explain the differences between joining through Patreon and Apple Premium.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Venture referral linkJOIN WONDERLAND BESTIES:Get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, timely points & miles updates, member Q&As, and more with our Wonderland Besties subscription!FIND US ONLINE:Mary Ellen | JoannaWonderland on Points Facebook GroupOUR FAVORITE LINKS & DISCOUNTS:Some of the links below are affiliate or referral links, which means we may receive a commission or referral bonus when you use them. Thank you for supporting Wonderland on Points!Our Favorite Credit CardsReliefband — 25% off with code WONDERLANDRakuten — Mary Ellen (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points)Rakuten — Joanna (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points)Mary Ellen’s Fetch — Use code MARYELLENJoanna’s Fetch — Use code JOANNALYNNSeats.AeroCardPointers — Get Our Best PriceHalara — 10% off with code WONDERLANDComfrt — 15% offRove — Get 1,500 Free Miles

Elizabeth von Tersch from U.S. News & World Report joins us to break down the latest rankings of the best airline and hotel loyalty programs—and there are definitely some surprises! We talk about why American took the top airline spot, what caused Atmos and United to fall, why JetBlue is gaining ground, and where Delta struggles. On the hotel side, we dig into Wyndham taking #1, why Hyatt remains strong despite its smaller footprint, and how programs like Choice, Hilton, Sonesta, and IHG compare. Plus, we talk about devaluations, transfer partners, redemption value, and why your points are almost always worth more today than they will be tomorrow.Mentioned in this episode:Travel.usnews.com@USNewsTravelTravel Essentials LinksElizabeth TikTokElizabeth YoutubeFind Us On Online:Wonderland Besties SubscriptionMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Relief Band - Use code WONDERLAND for 25% off!Rakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Seats.AeroBEST PRICE on CardPointers subscription!Halara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Our Favorite Credit CardsComfrt.com 15% OFF✈️💙Rove Referral Link- A FREE 1500 miles🎉We may receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards

This week’s Midweek Mini is packed with good news! We’re talking about Southwest’s plans for new airport lounges and how a potential new premium Southwest card could impact Companion Pass strategy. We also break down the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s DoorDash restaurant credit increasing, Rove adding Copa Airlines as a transfer partner with a limited-time bonus, and some great Copa redemption sweet spots. Plus, we’re sharing a BIG Wonderland on Points update that you don't want to miss!Mentioned in this episode:✈️💙Rove Referral Link- A FREE 1500 miles🎉Comfrt.com 15% OFFFind Us On Online:Mary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Rakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Mary Ellen's Fetch (Use code MARYELLEN!)Joanna's Fetch (Use code JOANNALYNN)Seats.AeroBEST PRICE on CardPointers subscription!Halara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Our Favorite Credit CardsWe may receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards