Wonderland on Points | Credit Card Rewards & Budget Travel

Mary Ellen and Jo
  • 4.8 (287)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

A show where two adventurous moms share everything they have learned about traveling on credit card points and how to explore the world on a budget.

WONDERLAND BESTIES

Exclusive bonus episodes, listener hotline, & MORE

$9.99/month or $99.99/year

  1. 12h ago • Subscribers Only

    EARLY RELEASE: What Type of Points Traveler Are You? ✈️👀

    This is our Midweek Mini for Wednesday but Besties and Bros are getting it a little early! We have officially decided that points and miles people need their own personality test. Forget Myers-Briggs. Forget the Enneagram. We need to know the important things: Are you emotionally attached to your points balance? Do you spend six hours searching for the perfect business-class redemption? Do you know exactly which card earns 4x at dinner? Or are you just out here collecting points, booking things, and hoping for the best? 😂 In this episode, we created eight types of points travelers. Meet the lineup: ✨ The Maximizer — If the cents-per-point value isn't good enough, you're simply not booking it. 🐿️ The Hoarder — You technically have plenty of points…but spending them feels physically painful. What if you need them for something BETTER?! 🔎 The Hunter — Award calendars are your playground. You will search obscure routes, repositioning flights, and approximately 47 different date combinations if it means finding the redemption. 🥂 The Luxury Convert — You used to think a $900 hotel room was ridiculous. Now you've stayed there on points and suddenly a Holiday Inn feels unacceptable. 📊 The Strategist — You know which card is earning what, which bonus category is active, which transfer bonus is happening, and exactly why everyone at dinner needs to STOP before they put their card down. 🌪️ The Chaotic Optimist — Do you have a plan? Absolutely not. Do you have points? Yes. Will you somehow end up on an amazing vacation anyway? Also yes. We're just winging it, baby. 💰 The Budget Boss — Forget aspirational redemptions. The question is: Did the points save me money? If they covered the flights, hotel, or something you otherwise would've paid cash for, that's a WIN. 🔥 The Churn & Burner — Points are meant to be spent. Earn them. Book something. Earn some more. Repeat. No emotional-support points balances allowed. And because apparently we can't just choose ONE personality, we figure out our primary and secondary types too. Now we need to know yours. Besties: What is your PRIMARY points traveler type? And what's your secondary? 👀 Drop both in the comments because we have a feeling we're going to learn a LOT about this group from these answers.

    EARLY RELEASE: What Type of Points Traveler Are You? ✈️👀

  2. 2d ago

    253. Midweek Mini: Chase Q4 Categories, Qatar Gets Easier & Wyndham Gets Worse

    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 Giveaway 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 | Joanna Wonderland on Points Facebook Group OUR 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 Cards Reliefband — 25% off with code WONDERLAND Rakuten — Mary Ellen (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points) Rakuten — Joanna (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points) Mary Ellen’s Fetch — Use code MARYELLEN Joanna’s Fetch — Use code JOANNALYNN Seats.Aero CardPointers — Get Our Best Price Halara — 10% off with code WONDERLAND Comfrt — 15% off Rove — Get 1,500 Free Miles

  3. 4d ago • Subscribers Only

    3. Wonderland Besties: Behind the Curtain Part 2

    Besties, we’re back—and somehow we’re getting even more personal. 😂 We start with some completely chaotic life updates (including a baby gate that apparently has a personal vendetta) before picking up where we left off with more of the questions we probably wouldn’t answer on the regular podcast. We’re talking about the episodes we’ve recorded and never released, the things we immediately overthink after we stop recording, negative reviews that have stuck with us, and some of the surreal moments that have come from doing this podcast. Then we finally get into two stories we’ve never fully shared: What actually happened to Joanna’s mysterious wedding?! And why is foster parenting no longer part of life right now? That conversation gets a little deeper as we talk about changing seasons of life, faith, identity, and realizing when something you love may be taking up too much of who you are. And because we can’t leave you on an existential crisis 😂, we finish with a much lighter rapid-fire round: window or aisle? Business class with a connection or economy nonstop? Mountains or beach? Girls trips? Europe favorites? Comfort food? Concerts or sporting events? Basically, all the random questions you’d ask if we were sitting around talking way too late with our Besties. Thank you for being here and giving us a place to share the stories that don’t always make it onto the regular Wonderland on Points feed. 💕 And remember, The Wonderline is open! Leave us a voice message with your questions, travel dilemmas, hot takes, or something you want us to answer in a future Besties episode. ☎️✨ CALL THE WONDERLINE: https://www.speakpipe.com/WonderlandHotline

    3. Wonderland Besties: Behind the Curtain Part 2

  4. 5d ago

    252. Grand Teton & Yellowstone: Points, Parks & Plot Twists with @Jamie.Travel.Tips

    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 | Joanna Wonderland on Points Facebook Group OUR 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 Cards Rakuten — Mary Ellen (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points) Rakuten — Joanna (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points) Mary Ellen’s Fetch — Use code MARYELLEN Joanna’s Fetch — Use code JOANNALYNN Seats.Aero CardPointers — Get Our Best Price Halara — 10% off with code WONDERLAND Comfrt — 15% off Rove — Get 1,500 Free Miles

  5. Sep 16

    251. Midweek Mini: Global Entry, Alaska & Capital One News + Wonderland Besties Hard Launch!

    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 link JOIN 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 | Joanna Wonderland on Points Facebook Group OUR 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 Cards Reliefband — 25% off with code WONDERLAND Rakuten — Mary Ellen (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points) Rakuten — Joanna (Get 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points) Mary Ellen’s Fetch — Use code MARYELLEN Joanna’s Fetch — Use code JOANNALYNN Seats.Aero CardPointers — Get Our Best Price Halara — 10% off with code WONDERLAND Comfrt — 15% off Rove — Get 1,500 Free Miles

  6. Sep 14

    250. The 2026 Best (and Worst) Airline & Hotel Loyalty Programs, Ranked with U.S. News & World Report's Elizabeth von Tersch

    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 @USNewsTravel Travel Essentials Links Elizabeth TikTok Elizabeth Youtube Find Us On Online: Wonderland Besties Subscription Mary Ellen | Jo Facebook Group Affiliate 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.Aero BEST PRICE on CardPointers subscription! Halara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off) Our Favorite Credit Cards Comfrt.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

  7. Sep 12 • Subscribers Only

    1. Wonderland Besties: Behind the Curtain Part 1

    Welcome to Wonderland Besties! 💕 First, THANK YOU for being here and choosing to support us. We are so excited about what we’re building with this community, and in our first Besties episode, we’re sharing what we have planned for the future—and then things get personal. 😂 We start with some rapid-fire questions before diving into the things we probably wouldn’t talk about on the regular podcast. What do our husbands do on vacation that drives us absolutely insane? What does one of us do while traveling that would HORRIFY the other? And how well do we actually know each other after all these years of traveling, podcasting, and friendship? This is much more unfiltered, behind-the-scenes, and exactly the kind of conversation we want Besties to be. And Besties, we want YOU to be part of the show! Have a question for us, a travel dilemma, something you want our opinion on, or even a question you’re a little afraid to ask? Leave us a voice message on The Wonderline and you might hear it on an upcoming Besties episode! ☎️✨ CALL THE WONDERLINE: https://www.speakpipe.com/WonderlandHotline Seriously, thank you for subscribing and helping us build this little corner of Wonderland. We have SO much planned for you, and we’re really happy you’re here. 💕

    1. Wonderland Besties: Behind the Curtain Part 1

  8. Sep 12 • Subscribers Only

    2. BONUS News Episode: Hyatt/American Breakup Tea + Flying Blue's Sketchy New Business Class Levels

    Besties and Bros, our first bonus news update is HERE! 💕 This is exactly what we wanted these episodes to be—a place where we can jump on quickly when big points and miles news breaks instead of waiting for our next regular Midweek Mini. We’re diving into Hyatt ending its partnership with American Airlines and the brand-new long-term collaboration with Delta, including what we know so far, the important dates, and what this could mean for World of Hyatt members. Then we have some feelings (okay, a LOT of feelings 😂) about Flying Blue’s new Business Class fare options. We break down the new Light, Standard, and Flex fares, what you’re actually getting at each level, and why some of these changes have us seriously irritated. Thank you for being a Bestie and making these extra episodes possible! And remember—Besties can call The Wonderline anytime with your questions, hot takes, travel dilemmas, or something you want us to cover in an upcoming episode. ☎️ Call The Wonderline: https://www.speakpipe.com/WonderlandHotline

    2. BONUS News Episode: Hyatt/American Breakup Tea + Flying Blue's Sketchy New Business Class Levels
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4.8
out of 5
287 Ratings

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A show where two adventurous moms share everything they have learned about traveling on credit card points and how to explore the world on a budget.

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