Great round up! I'm a big believer in maximiIng value when I can, but also not being afraid to use them when I need to. Points depreciate fast after all.
I will throw in a rec for points.me (free with the AmEx Platinum). It can require a little diligence but it's especially handy for Europe or Asia, where good train options and budget airlines make transfers easy. I often search a few days in a couple cities to find the best redemption and lowest taxes for my needs.
And I'm obsessed with Kindred!!
Fun fact - your dates don't actually have match your swappers. You can list your availability, get credits for every night someone stays in your place, and then turn around and use those credits elsewhere. I've stayed +100 nights across London, Miami, Helsinki, Paris, Brooklyn, etc and never managed to do a 1:1 swap.
My pro tip is to prioritize longer stays and more expensive cities where you can, just to get the most bang for your buck. I've done 10 days in a Hackney penthouse for $120 and Christmas week in a Brooklyn brownstone for roughly the same. It can definitely save you a pretty penny!
Happy to chat more about Kindred for anyone interested! I think my referral code lets you skip the wait-list and get 5 free nights.
Great round up! I'm a big believer in maximiIng value when I can, but also not being afraid to use them when I need to. Points depreciate fast after all.
I will throw in a rec for points.me (free with the AmEx Platinum). It can require a little diligence but it's especially handy for Europe or Asia, where good train options and budget airlines make transfers easy. I often search a few days in a couple cities to find the best redemption and lowest taxes for my needs.
And I'm obsessed with Kindred!!
Fun fact - your dates don't actually have match your swappers. You can list your availability, get credits for every night someone stays in your place, and then turn around and use those credits elsewhere. I've stayed +100 nights across London, Miami, Helsinki, Paris, Brooklyn, etc and never managed to do a 1:1 swap.
My pro tip is to prioritize longer stays and more expensive cities where you can, just to get the most bang for your buck. I've done 10 days in a Hackney penthouse for $120 and Christmas week in a Brooklyn brownstone for roughly the same. It can definitely save you a pretty penny!
Happy to chat more about Kindred for anyone interested! I think my referral code lets you skip the wait-list and get 5 free nights.