Ariana Arghandewal | (TNS) Bankrate

If I had a point for every time I got asked about the best way to use points for travel, I’d have enough to fly around the world. Twice. After a decade in this racket, I know how to stretch my points as far as possible.

Used correctly, points can be more valuable than cash. You can use them for everything from a staycation at an extended-stay hotel to a first-class trip to the Maldives. You can plan a cross-country road trip with motel pit stops or literally fly around the world. The key is to know what your points are worth and to use them wisely. As a general rule, you should aim to get at least 1 cent of value out of each point (though that won’t always be possible).

If you’ve been saving up your points and wondering how best to use them for travel, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about maximizing value from your points and miles.

1. Use points and miles for international business- and first-class tickets

International business- and first-class tickets typically offer the most high-value return for your points and miles. A round-trip business-class ticket to Europe typically costs between 88,000 and 140,000 points or miles, while a cash fare will typically set you back about $5,000. An economy-class ticket typically costs 60,000 miles round-trip, with cash fares often going as low as $400 during the off-peak season. Overall, you’re more likely to get a better deal on a premium cabin redemption than on a coach redemption.

International business- and first-class travel doesn’t just provide the highest redemption value for your points and miles — it’s also something most people can’t afford without points and miles. That’s really the best use of points and miles for travel — not just keeping your expenses low, but accessing travel opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.

2. Book luxury (or all-inclusive) hotels and resorts closer to home

Luxury hotels can offer a tremendous return on your points. The Maldives, for example, is a popular destination for maximizing hotel points. Hotels in the Maldives can go well over $1,000 per night, making them a great use of hotel points and free night awards.

But one aspect that often gets overlooked is that these “free” luxury hotel stays often come with many additional expenses. Food is expensive in these remote destinations, and boat and seaplane transfers can cost over $500 per person. Unless you were planning to pay out of pocket for the room anyway, you may not save much money on this redemption.

A high-value alternative would be booking all-inclusive hotels closer to home. Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott all have all-inclusive resorts that require a reasonable amount of points (Hyatt especially). For example, there are Hyatt hotels that start at around 17,000 points per night (in the off peak season). You can easily accumulate enough points for three free nights using the welcome bonus from The World of Hyatt Credit Card* or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

To elaborate, the World of Hyatt Credit Card currently offers up to 60,000 bonus points — you can earn 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening, plus up to 30,000 more points by earning 2X points on purchases (that normally earn 1X points) during the first six months (on up to $15,000). The Chase Sapphire Preferred, on the other hand, currently offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

It’s worth noting this 17,000-point rate is for two people per room. Hyatt charges an additional 8,500 points per night (for this hotel category) for each additional person staying in the same room. The great thing about Hyatt’s all-inclusive hotels is that all meals and accommodations are included, making it possible to check out with a $0 bill. That’s not always possible at luxury resorts, where a trip to the minibar can put a serious dent in your wallet. All-inclusive hotels are ideal for budget-conscious travelers who want to enjoy themselves without going overboard.

3. For families and large groups, use hotel points for low-category extended stays

There’s more than one way to get value out of hotel points, and I’m a firm believer that extended-stay hotels can be an excellent use of points.

Extended-stay properties tend to be some of the cheapest hotels when it comes to using points, often requiring a fraction of the points needed by their luxury counterparts. Lower redemption rates don’t impact value. In fact, these affordable hotels often offer high-value perks that will improve your hotel experience.

For example, complimentary breakfast is typically standard at these types of properties. And thanks to larger beds and additional sofas, these properties can usually accommodate more than two guests per room. This makes extended-stay properties ideal for families and large groups.

4. You can still find great deals on peak travel bookings

During peak travel seasons — such as during the summer, spring break and the holidays — everything from airfare to hotel rates skyrocket. This can be a great time to utilize points and miles to keep your costs down.

It’s worth noting that an increasing number of airline and hotel loyalty programs — many of which are highlighted in Bankrate’s travel toolkit — are moving toward dynamic pricing. That means redemption rates will fluctuate based on the cost of airfare and room rates. That said, you can still put your points and miles to good use with dynamic pricing in place.

Hotel loyalty programs offer a great example of how these redemptions can work out favorably. For example, a stay at the Westin New York Grand Central over Christmas and New Year’s could cost well over $6,000. The same stay could cost about 480,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, giving you a value of 1.25 cents per point. That’s a fantastic value for a Marriott redemption.

Award pricing goes up during peak travel season, but that doesn’t mean the math won’t add up favorably. It’s always a good idea to compare these redemption rates against cash prices and figure out which option would work best.

5. For the best deals, travel during off-peak seasons and be flexible with your travel dates

While expensive peak travel bookings can increase the value of your rewards, off-peak awards can save you points and miles.

Case in point: American Airlines is one of the few major airlines that still publishes an award chart, which includes off-peak travel dates for its own awards and partner awards. You may be able to save around 20% on an award ticket by traveling during the off-season. For example, a one-way economy class fare to Europe typically costs 30,000 miles. The same award costs about 22,500 miles if you’re willing to travel during off-peak seasons.

The same goes for fare-based programs like Southwest Rapid Rewards. By searching through the airline’s low-fare calendar, you can score incredible deals on award tickets. If you can afford to be flexible with your travel dates, you can stretch your points and miles even further by using fewer rewards for off-peak travel.

6. Look for sweet-spot redemptions with different airlines and hotels

Sweet-spot awards are one of the best-kept secrets of airline and hotel loyalty programs. A “sweet spot” refers to an award that’s offered at a significantly lower price compared to most other programs. Familiarizing yourself with sweet-spot redemptions is a great way to get more travel out of a limited points or miles balance.

For example, say United MileagePlus requires around 124,000 miles for a round-trip business class ticket to Europe. Meanwhile, fellow Star Alliance carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) might require just 88,000 miles for the same flight. ANA typically gives you a free stopover on these awards itineraries too, allowing you to book multiple trips for the cost of one.

Award tickets to Hawaii are always in demand, and even off-peak travel from the West Coast can cost 40,000 AAdvantage miles or more round-trip. However, the British Airways Executive Club often has a sweet spot for West Coast travelers, and you may be able to find flights for 13,000 Avios each way.

Air France and KLM’s joint loyalty program, Flying Blue, doesn’t get much mainstream recognition, but it’s packed with sweet spots that can save you miles and cash. For instance, you might be able to find a 106,000-mile award ticket between the U.S. and North Africa. Considering most other programs require 160,000 or more miles for the same award, that would be a fantastic deal.

One final note: If you’re interested in Flying Blue, be sure to check out its monthly Promo Rewards. These award tickets are discounted by as much as 50 percent, and they present an excellent way to stretch your rewards further.

7. Redeem rewards for good-enough value when needed

While following the above advice will ensure maximum value for your points and miles, you should use your rewards however you see fit. If redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a New Orleans ghost tour makes you happy, then go for it. If using your American AAdvantage miles for a rental car keeps cash in your pocket, do it.

While the best way to use points and miles usually involves redeeming them for international business- and first-class flights, the best way to use your own points and miles may differ. Your rewards are yours to use, so you may want to ignore what the influencers are doing and do whatever works best for you.

However, points and miles devalue over time — they may even expire after an extended period of time — so the absolute best way to redeem them is as quickly as possible, for the best value you can get. Don’t hoard them and don’t let them accumulate and devalue before you have a chance to use them.

FAQs

—What are credit card points and miles?Credit card points and miles are types of credit card rewards that you can earn for all eligible spending with your card. These types of rewards structures are usually a feature of travel credit cards.

—How do credit card points and miles work? Whenever you swipe your travel rewards credit card, you’ll earn points or miles for all eligible purchases. For example, you might earn a higher points or miles rate for select types of purchases (such as airfare, rideshares or dining) along with a fixed rate on all other purchases.

—How can you use your credit card points and miles? Many points and miles cards allow you to redeem your rewards for different types of travel, cash back, merchandise and gift cards, but redemption options will vary from card to card. Since credit card points and miles are usually a feature of travel credit cards, you’ll typically get the best value for travel-related redemption options.

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(* The information about the World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.)

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©2023 Bankrate online. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

“Dear Santa, I love you,” begins Armik’s letter to the North Pole’s big guy.

“My mommy tries so hard to create Christmas for me and my sister. Would be nice if you could help her out a little.”

Tug. Tug. We’ve got this, fellow elves. Join me in reporting for duty, conjuring holiday magic and easing St. Nick’s onerous load.

Once upon a time you’d pick a tag with a family’s wish list from the company Christmas tree to spread this kind of holiday cheer, but who has an office anymore? The U.S. Postal Service’s Operation Santa — now in its 111th year — is like a digital version of that tree.

Search for letters that tug at your heartstrings at www.uspsoperationsanta.com/. Specify a state if you like, or search nationwide. Then “adopt” a letter (or several), do the retail therapy thing and pop the stuff into the U.S. mail. It’ll land with a return address from the North Pole itself.

Say what you will about the Postal Service and its $6.5 billion deficit. How does one pass up the opportunity to sprinkle this kind of magic at this time of year?

“The program relies solely on random acts of kindness and the generosity of strangers,” the Postal Service says. “It allows people to help children and families have a magical holiday when they otherwise might not — safely and securely.”

The letter from Maria spoke to me. “I work full time and am raising two of my grandkids who are 7 years old — twin boys,” she writes. “I am really struggling. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.”

Yes, you’ll find letters from kids who want the moon — expensive computers ($1,000+), PlayStations ($500), ride-on electric cars (start around $199) — but you’ll also find wishes for size 11 kids’ tennis shoes and warm pajamas and bedtime books to read because mom or dad is sick and can’t work and they’re trying to be good, so very very good!

These, as one participant said, melt your heart into a puddle.

Now, I was raised Catholic and am plagued by guilt, but you don’t have to fulfill expensive requests, the USPS says. “Hopeful as ever, kids do tend to wish big,” USPS says in its how-to helper guide. “But just hearing back from Santa is a win!”

I’m rooting for Mylin, who’s apparently following  the footsteps of Hermey in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Mylin wants a Melissa & Doug dentist kit (starts at $25), a mini sewing machine (starts at about $17) and lip balm for dry lips ($1).

Elf logistics

Letters to Santa will be accepted until Dec. 11. They go to Santa’s workshop at 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888. The ones that can actually be deciphered, have legible return addresses and proper postage are opened, reviewed and posted online for action from us elves.

The last day to adopt letters is Dec. 18 — also the recommended deadline for getting packages in the mail so they arrive in time.

To adopt a letter, just register your vitals, including email address, at USPSOperationSanta.com. You’ll get an email. Click on the verification link. Voila! Your ears are pointy and you’re ready to roll.

Peruse letters, pick a couple, adopt them. You’ll get an email with a QR code for each letter you adopt, and you must have that code handy when you go to the post office to ship the gifts (no electronic skateboards, scooters, e-bikes, sparklers or perfume allowed!). Remember to print out the note from Santa and stick it in the package!

Mail gifts via Priority Mail (they don’t need to be in Priority Mail-branded boxes). You’ll have to pay the postage fees (USPS isn’t quite up to absorbing the bill just now, as first-class mail fell to the lowest volume since 1968).

So keep an eye on shipping costs. Postage is based on size, weight and distance. USPS recommends grabbing a Priority Mail Flat Rate box — free at your local post office — and taking it along when you shop. Buy only what fits in the box.

USPS recommends adopting a letter from your state or someplace nearby, or to consider a gift card — but that seems to lack pixie dust. If you do go that route, gift cards must be in a Priority Mail envelope at least 4 inches by 6 inches, to accommodate the North Pole shipping label.

And watch out for scammers. USPS warns that there are imitators out there, and any organization asking for money to adopt letters is in violation of the law. See detailed instructions from USPS here.

As the holiday season unfolds, you can watch the magic happen at #USPSOperationSanta on Facebook and X. Photos of beaming kids with their loot … elves complaining about shipping costs … parents wondering why their kids’ letters weren’t adopted.

In Operation Santa, as in life, not all wishes can be fulfilled. Me, I’m heading out to buy two pairs of size 12 shoes, two sets of size 6 pants and shirts, two police Lego sets, Hot Wheels and easy-reading books.

“Thank you Santa,” one of the letters says. “We will have cookies and milk on the counter for you and Mrs. Claus.”

Michael Phillips | Chicago Tribune

Bradley Cooper’s all over everything in “Maestro,” as director, producer, co-writer (with Josh Singer) and star. Spanning most of his subject’s dazzling, chaotic life, Cooper’s performance as the eternally hungry Leonard Bernstein — musician, composer, conductor, educator — takes second billing behind Carey Mulligan, who plays Bernstein’s second wife, actress Felicia Montealegre.

The billing seems a little off once you’ve seen “Maestro,” now in limited theatrical release ahead of its Dec. 20 Netflix streaming premiere. But we’ll get to that.

Cooper’s second directorial feature, which had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September, follows the massive success of his remake of “A Star is Born” five years ago. There, as the whiskey-soaked country star on the way down, the actor lowered his speaking voice to a warm Sam Elliott growl.

In “Maestro,” working off untold hours of video and audio tapes of his real-life subject, Cooper fashions a higher, faster approximation of Bernstein’s vocal cadence, while various degrees and thicknesses of prosthetic makeup handle the rest. The trick for any actor in these biopic circumstances is making all the externals into a lifelike but not slavishly archival whole.

I’ll review “Maestro” next week closer to the film’s Chicago opening. But after the recent press screening I was eager to sit down with Tribune classical music critic Hannah Edgar and hear what they had to say about it. In 2018 Edgar, also a musician, spent a summer assisting with the curation of the traveling Leonard Bernstein centenary exhibition under the auspices of the New York Philharmonic Archives.

Over coffee we talked about some initial reactions to Cooper’s embodiment of Bernstein; the focus of this version of his life; and the filmmaker’s reported six-year preparations for the film’s centerpiece conducting scene, depicting Cooper-as-Bernstein’s “antic” (Edgar’s word) attack on Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, photographed in a single take.

“Maestro” begins in 1943, in black-and-white, with a 25-year-old Lenny, in bed with a male lover, receiving the early morning phone call of his career: He has been tapped to substitute, with zero rehearsal time, for an ailing Bruno Walter. This marks Bernstein’s momentous debut with the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall, and lights a fire underneath his already roiling ambitions.

The following has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Phillips: Hannah, a year ago we talked about “Tár” when that came out, and I came away a lot smarter than when I went in, thanks to you. I wonder if there’s any film dealing with a conductor or a composer or any sort of musician that came to mind while we were watching “Maestro” the other day?

Hannah Edgar: The one that came to mind, honestly, for better or worse, was that really trippy Mahler movie from the ‘70s —

Phillips: Ken Russell’s “Mahler”! Trippy’s the word, all right.

Edgar: I remember seeing that in high school. And what that movie did successfully, at least for me, that parts of “Maestro” also does successfully, is instead of sort of rotely taking you through the beats of an individual’s life, it explored how their music makes you feel. For me the fantastical elements of “Maestro” were the strongest. And to see them more or less abandoned halfway through, once the movie turns to color, was kind of a letdown for me. In the early black-and-white scenes we see Bernstein’s life taking place (metaphorically) almost as if he lived in the wings of a theater, or a concert hall.

Phillips: Right, and it’s almost a full-on musical or ballet, when Bernstein and Felicia are on this sort of fantasy first date, scored to Bernstein’s “Fancy Free,” and at one point Bernstein’s actually dancing part of it himself, in a sailor costume. There’s also a bit of Bernstein’s “Lonely Town” ballet music from the Broadway musical “On the Town,” inspired by his work with Jerome Robbins on “Fancy Free” earlier that same year (1944).

I do think “Maestro” is going to introduce some great music to a lot of people who haven’t heard it yet. Tell me more about what did and didn’t work for you here.

Edgar: I did love a lot of the details. They lived at The Dakota at 72nd Street and Central Park West in New York, right along the parade route for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and I loved seeing the enormous Snoopy floating by when Leonard and Felicia are having this epic argument.

Phillips: Isn’t that a great screen argument? Why did it work for you?

Edgar: Because it felt true. We know by that point that she’s straining under the weight of Bernstein’s ego, and we know that he has these trysts with various men over the years. But it’s finally out in the open. It just plays out in a way that feels authentic. I don’t know many couples, even if they’re well-adjusted and have a great couples therapist, that can keep an argument entirely civil. Typically when you have an argument there’s a lot behind it, with long-simmering resentments erupting. It’s hard to watch, and usually with scenes like that in the movies, I’m cowering. But this one in “Maestro” is different. It felt cathartic to me.

Phillips: For me, too. That scene doesn’t feel amped up, and it plays out in a long take, no cutting for the usual emphasis. Compared to that scene, parts of the movie feel more routine. But more than you, I think, I basically went for it, even if I had the same feeling watching “Maestro” as I did with “A Star is Born,” which I liked as well — that Cooper, directing himself, has a way of ever-so-shrewdly stealing focus away from his female co-stars.

Edgar: Hundred percent! The “Maestro” trailer, which is great, makes it seem like it’s going to be a biopic told through the lens of their relationship. But the movie starts with Lenny getting the call about his Carnegie Hall debut. I think it would’ve been a more effective and sensitive story if it had been told through Felicia’s viewpoint.

On the other hand: I suppose there’s a self-aware argument Cooper’s making, and it appears in (daughter) Jamie Bernstein’s memoir: that you have to sacrifice yourself at the altar of Bernstein’s ego.

Phillips: Cooper has many more on-screen minutes in the role of conductor than Cate Blanchett did as Lydia Tár. Who’s the better pretend conductor?

Edgar: I’d say Cooper. But Blanchett had the harder job, which was to figure out her fictional character’s own style of conducting.

Phillips: Bernstein has the advantage of being real; there’s so much research material, all the archival video and audio, for an actor to work from. His concerts for young people, the lectures, the televised concerts, all of it. Here’s my question to you: Is what we see in “Maestro” a fully fleshed-out performance? Or more of a studious collection of external mannerisms?

Edgar: I do think Cooper’s seriousness about the research part of it shows in the movie, and people have already written about his apparently taking six years, off and on, to convincingly conduct, as Bernstein, six minutes of Mahler … We see just about every imaginable Bernstein-ism packed into those minutes. As a musician, watching that scene I was thinking: Would I actually be able to follow him? I don’t know. Cooper’s doing the pantomime of conducting. It’s hard to describe. I felt in awe of him as a mimic, but …

Phillips: I think I know what you mean. Cooper is so talented in so many directions, but I don’t know if he’s figured out how to throw away anything casually, even when he should. Mulligan isn’t playing as famous a figure, but man, she’s good. And when the movie does give Felicia her due, it’s worth every second.

Is there any musical biopic cliché that “Maestro” either does or doesn’t avoid that we should talk about?

Edgar: Maybe this: What made Bernstein such a unique creative personality — Jamie talks about it in her book — is that the only thing Bernstein loved more than music was people. And that creates a conflict. There’s usually a narrative of seclusion in the tortured-genius story, but that’s not really Bernstein’s story. He wanted to be in the thick of everything. He thrived on new people, thrived on adoration from the public. And that part, Cooper handles really well. That look in his eyes when he gets his first taste of fame in “Maestro” tees us up for the whole movie.

Phillips: There’s a lot of George Gershwin in Bernstein’s musical drive, at least to my ears — would you say they experienced the same struggle between highbrow and middlebrow music, the concert hall versus Broadway or Hollywood?

Edgar: Totally! He was so simpatico with Gershwin! And they both dealt with antisemitism, and I’m glad that made it into the movie. (As a young conductor) Bernstein was advised to change his last name to Burns. Thank God he didn’t.

Phillips: Let’s end with this question: Could anyone like Leonard Bernstein take a central place in 21st-century popular culture?

Edgar: No. Sad to say it, but I think his story is a period piece. During Bernstein’s life there was a national funding apparatus behind classical music and the fine arts. That funding does not really exist anymore.

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(Michael Phillips is the Chicago Tribune film critic.)

©2023 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Police say Barry Belcher, 61, was driving under the influence of drugs when he lost consciousness and drove into the sidewalk of the Murray Street Bridge.