In a time when blogging is no longer as popular as it once was, The Points Guy is still one of the few blogs that I read and reference - and it’s honestly one of the first results that pop up when I’m searching something travel-related. Ever see The Points Guy sticker on the side of a plane?

True to form, Brian Kelly’s How to Win at Travel is written in a conversational, straight-to-the-point tone. I enjoyed reading the origin story of how he figured out how to leverage credit card points and miles, and the chapters are comprehensive - it does feel like the author has tried to pass down as much of his wisdom and experience as he could. I think I may prefer the blog format since it is easy to do a quick search for information that you need and the details are broken up better. However, I think this book is more of an intro for someone who just wants to delve into the world of award traveling rather than a seasoned credit card churner.

Kelly does acknowledge that some of his advice may become outdated in the future, which is just the nature of traveling. I also appreciate that he mentions several time that traveling by season is pretty unpredictable with the changing climate - something we’ve often experienced on our travels.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are independently my own.

I loved this book so much that I read it all in 24 hours! I was hooked by Brian Kelly's story of how he became "The Points Guy" and how he ended up learning how to leverage points and miles in order to "hack" travel. As a teacher, I don't have a ton of disposable income to be able to make my travel dreams come true, but I do have a keen interest in credit cards and how I can use my everyday purchases to get points to live the influencer lifestyle that I dream of (don't we all...?).

In this book, he details how one can use credit card points for flights, hotels, transportation, and other fun experiences, and how to maximize everything you do with rewards.

I also enjoyed the story portions since it made it relatable, funny, and easy to read. I loved the sections on beating jet lag and fear of flying tips as well - since I do, actually, have a bit of a fear of flying at times despite being interested in travel and aviation in general.

This book really set itself apart from other books about points and traveling with the narrative and extras.

I will definitely be buying a physical copy when it comes out to have on my shelf, and take with me when I travel!

A great introduction to travel. Loads of tips and explanations from credit card points, websites, jetlag, family, and so much more. Not for someone that has traveled solo or even just a few times with folks.