From an anonymized client case: a portal redemption at 1.25¢ per point, rebuilt as a partner award worth roughly 11× more — same dates, same route, better cabin.*
Four entries in the chart. No payment to start, no subscription at the end — a consulting fee exists only if I'm confident I can genuinely help, and only for this one trip.
Origin, destination, dates or date range, who's traveling, and whether you want help with flights, hotels, or both. Share what points, miles, or status you already have — even if it's "I have no idea."
I personally read every submission. If I don't think I can add meaningful value — better routing, better cabin, a smarter hotel, or simply a better use of cash — I'll tell you directly instead of wasting your time or money.
If I believe I can help, I'll email you with what I propose to do for this trip and a one-time consultation fee. The fee scales with how complex the trip is and how involved you want me to be — never a subscription.
Best use of your points and cash, suggested flights and/or hotels, the trade-offs, and concrete booking steps. You implement the plan — I'm not your travel agent. When the trip is done, so are we.
The goal is simple: make this specific trip as good as possible for the best value possible — whether that means business class, a special hotel stay, or simply making the numbers work.
In some cases, I can turn low-value redemptions — around 1 to 1.5 cents per point in a credit card portal — into high-value, partner-based bookings that effectively get you many times that value per point.
Results vary and are never guaranteed. Award space comes and goes. But maximizing the value of points you already have is the entire point of what I do.
Choosing between economy, premium, business, or first based on your budget and points.
Finding flight options and routes that actually match your dates and tolerance for connections.
Helping you decide whether to use points, cash, or a mix — for flights and hotels alike.
Suggesting hotel options that fit your destination, vibe, and budget — chain or boutique.
Making sense of your existing points and miles for this trip — even if things are messy.
Laying out the trade-offs so you can confidently choose the plan that fits you best.
No yearly retainers. No course. No "10-step framework." Just the next trip you actually want to take.
Whatever piece of the trip is hardest to figure out — that's the piece I focus on for you.
Not the cheapest fare, not the flashiest cabin — the smartest mix of cash, points, and cabin for your trip.
Verbatim, from Google Reviews — real clients, real trips.
“Wonderful experience. Went to Paris business class with my points and stayed at my favorite hotel for 1/3 what I would have paid in cash.”
“They really work like surgeons, with the pinpoint accuracy and advice in saving us a bunch of money using our points for travel.”
“Super knowledgeable, responsive, and made the whole process easy to understand. They found options I never would have discovered on my own and helped me get much more value out of my points.”
“They helped me save a tremendous amount of money while securing fantastic airline tickets that I never would have found on my own.”
Use this form to tell me about one specific trip you'd like help planning. There's no payment to submit. I'll review your details and let you know if I can help and what a one-time consultation would look like.
Prefer email? contact@thepointssurgeon.com
All information and consulting services provided through this website, including any survey responses, emails, messages, or one-time strategy sessions, are provided by The Points Surgeon (“I,” “me,” or “my”) and are for educational and informational purposes only. I am not a financial advisor, investment advisor, attorney, accountant, tax professional, or licensed travel agent. Nothing on this site or in any consultation should be interpreted as legal, financial, tax, accounting, or investment advice, nor as a recommendation to apply for, open, close, or modify any specific credit product or financial account.
Any examples of redemptions, savings, point valuations, award pricing, or travel opportunities are illustrative only and do not guarantee that similar results will be available to you. Loyalty programs, banks, airlines, and hotels may change their terms, transfer ratios, pricing, routing rules, award charts, fees, eligibility criteria, or benefits at any time and without notice. I do not control, operate, or represent any bank, airline, hotel, loyalty program, or third-party portal, and I make no warranties or guarantees regarding their actions, decisions, approvals, denials, or system behavior.
No client relationship, advisory relationship, or fiduciary duty is created solely by viewing this website, submitting the survey, or communicating with me. A consulting relationship exists only if I expressly agree to take you on as a client and you have paid the agreed one-time consultation fee. By using this website or engaging my services, you acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for all financial decisions, credit card applications, product selections, bookings, transfers, cancellations, redemptions, program enrollments, and travel arrangements.
Award availability and pricing can change at any time and are not guaranteed until booked. Once a booking is made, your contract is with the airline, hotel, or travel provider directly — I am not a party to that contract and am not responsible for schedule changes, cancellations, delays, or service issues, nor for disruptions caused by events beyond anyone’s control, including natural disasters, severe weather, geopolitical events, security situations, or other emergencies affecting your travel.
The Points Surgeon is an independent consulting service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any airline, hotel, loyalty program, bank, credit card company, or travel provider. All trademarks, brand names, and logos referenced are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification and descriptive purposes only.
* Per-point value figures are illustrative. Award availability, transfer ratios, and program rules change without notice. Outcomes are not guaranteed.