🏡 Double points on vacation rentals

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 16 seconds

👋🏼 Good morning and welcome back to Daily Drop — the newsletter that believes in love at first flight… but only if it’s nonstop. 💘

Here are some travel tips for you to fall in love with:

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

• 🏡 Double points on vacation rentals

• 🕵️‍♂️ Points Mythbusters: Are award flights free?

• 💳 New 25% hotel transfer bonus

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

The answer will be revealed in tomorrow's newsletter, so make sure you tune in! 👀

🏡 Double points on vacation rentals

If you’ve ever tried booking hotels for a family trip (or even just a group of friends), you know the struggle: two rooms, rollaway beds, someone stuck on the couch… It’s not exactly cozy.

That’s where Marriott Homes & Villas comes in — and right now, it’s even sweeter.

For travel from now through December 31, 2025, you’ll earn double Marriott Bonvoy points on 3+ night stays at participating Homes & Villas when you book by September 25.

Vacation rentals are especially useful for:

• Families who’d otherwise need multiple hotel rooms

• Friend groups who’d rather split one big place than scatter across separate reservations

• Travelers who value space (think: full kitchens, living rooms, hot tubs, and sometimes multiple bedrooms)

Not only can it save money, it also keeps everyone under one roof — which can make the whole trip feel more like, well, a trip together.

Take the Smoky Mountains, for example. You can snag a cozy cabin in Sevierville, TN — hot tub included — for around $119-125 per night. Over a four-night stay, that’s about $700-800 (with taxes and fees) total for up to six guests.

Split that among a family or group of friends, and it’s far more practical (and cheaper) than booking two or three separate hotel rooms.

Normally, Homes & Villas earn fewer points than Marriott hotels — but this promo changes the math.

To be clear, that’s double the points on the base fare (not including cleaning and other fees).

But the perks don’t stop at points. Homes & Villas bookings count toward elite night credits, which means stays like this can still help you climb the Bonvoy ladder.

Plus, paying with a Marriott co-branded card will trigger the usual Marriott bonus category.

Bottom line: Marriott hotels get most of the attention, but Homes & Villas can be the smarter play for families or groups — especially with double points and elite nights in the mix.

🕵️‍♂️ Points Mythbusters: Are award flights free?

We’ve all heard it: “I flew to Europe for free using points.”

Sounds great — but it’s not quite true. Award flights are rarely (if ever) completely free. Let’s bust that myth. 👇

First, the obvious: You always pay taxes and fees. Sometimes, this is just a few bucks — like the $5.60 in fees for a one-way domestic flight in the U.S.

Other times, it’s hundreds of dollars in surcharges tacked on by certain airlines.

Take this example from New York (JFK) to London (LHR). Same program (Atmos Rewards), same day, same itinerary, same points price. But booking American Airlines will save you over $300 in cash compared to British Airways.

This is why we steer toward programs and airlines that keep cash fees reasonable.

Of course, you could cover that $5.60 fee with a Capital One card, then offset the charge with 560 miles — making the flight feel free.

Even better? Using British Airways Avios to book domestic flights on Japan Airlines. And here’s a fun fact — those come with $0 in taxes and fees.

But even then, award flights still aren’t truly free.

That’s where opportunity cost comes in. Say you book a 5,000-point domestic flight. Maybe you earned those points by spending $5,000 on your credit card.

If you’d put that same $5,000 on a 2% cash-back card instead, you’d have $100 in your pocket. So at a minimum, that $100 is what you’re “paying” for your award flight.

And don’t forget — points themselves can be cashed out, even our favorite currencies like Membership Rewards Points and Ultimate Rewards Points.

It’s usually poor value, but it proves the point — your rewards always have a dollar value, which means redeeming them always has a cost.

The bottom line: I still much prefer to earn and redeem points — and most of you should, too. But don’t get tricked into thinking it’s free, because some of you might prefer the cash option instead.

More importantly, understanding these hidden “costs” will help you put your redemptions into perspective and make sure you’re getting the best possible value.

💳 New 25% hotel transfer bonus

When was the last time you heard someone brag about a Wyndham redemption? Exactly.

But every once in a while, this under-the-radar program sneaks its way into the spotlight — usually when a transfer bonus shows up. And right now, it’s having its moment.

Through September 20, 2025, you can move ThankYou points to Wyndham and get a 25% bonus.

Here’s why that matters:

• Wyndham hotels price between 7,500 and 30,000 points per night.

• With the bonus, that range drops to 6,000–24,000 ThankYou points.

That’s not just roadside motels, either. Wyndham covers airport hotels, family-friendly spots, and even the occasional more upscale property.

Take this NYC hotel that’s normally close to $300 after tax or 30,000 points per night. With the bonus, you’re looking at just 24,000 ThankYou points.

Nothing groundbreaking — but if you’re striking out with World of Hyatt or Marriott Bonvoy, Wyndham can be a surprisingly easy backup.

Would I dump all my points here? Nope. Would I transfer a little chunk just for the right deal? Absolutely.

Sometimes “not sexy” is exactly what gets you the hotel night you need.

That’s all for today, folks! Did you enjoy this educational content on top of the deals? Let us know, and we’ll be sure to include more. 😉

See you tomorrow ✌️

6.9175° S, 107.6191° E

With contributions by Tiffany Eastham, McKay Moffitt, and Benji Stawski