The WanderWise Monthly — April 2026

Subject line: The WanderWise Monthly — April: Europe's Best-Kept Secret Is a Calendar Date Preview text: Shoulder season is when smart travelers go. Here's why — and where.

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Hi Friend,

Let me tell you a secret that European hoteliers would rather you didn't know:

The best time to visit Europe is not summer.

It's the six weeks on either side of it. Late April through mid-June. September through mid-October. The locals call it shoulder season. I call it the smartest window on the travel calendar.

The weather is glorious. The crowds thin dramatically. The prices — both cash and points — drop by 30-40%. And the experience? Genuinely better. You can actually get a table at that restaurant in Rome. You can walk the Uffizi without being carried by the crowd. You can sit in a Parisian café without competing for sidewalk space.

Shoulder season is when travel stops being tourism and starts being life.

And right now — mid-April — is exactly when you should book for September and October.

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✈️ DESTINATION OF THE MONTH: The Amalfi Coast, Italy (September)

In July, the Amalfi Coast is beautiful and unbearable. Buses packed to the windows. €25 for a beach chair. Three-hour waits for lunch.

In September? The same coastline, transformed. The light turns golden. The water stays warm. The lemon groves are heavy with fruit. And the villages — Positano, Ravello, Praiano — feel like they belong to you again.

Here's the points math for a September Amalfi trip:

Round-trip in business class (East Coast): ~70,000 Aeroplan miles per person (transferred from Chase or Amex) Flight into Naples, out of Rome (open jaw): Saves backtracking — many programs allow this at no extra cost 5 nights at a boutique hotel along the coast: ~100,000 Hyatt points (several Amalfi properties are Hyatt partners via Small Luxury Hotels) Cash equivalent for two: $8,500+ Points cost: ~$340 in taxes and fees

September on the Amalfi Coast isn't a compromise. It's an upgrade. The people who know, know.

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💳 CARD OF THE MONTH: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Annual fee: $550 Current sign-up bonus: 60,000 points (after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months)

I know what you're thinking: $550? Stay with me for 30 seconds.

The Reserve comes with a $300 annual travel credit that's automatically applied to travel purchases — flights, hotels, Ubers, even tolls. That brings the effective fee down to $250.

It also includes Priority Pass lounge access for you and a guest. If you've ever sat in a cramped airport gate for three hours, imagine instead: a quiet lounge with comfortable seats, complimentary food and drinks, and actual peace.

For European travel specifically, the Reserve earns 3x points on dining and travel, and its travel insurance covers trip delays, lost luggage, and car rental damage. When you're crossing the Atlantic, that protection matters.

The 60,000-point sign-up bonus is worth $900+ when transferred to partners. And points earned through the Reserve are worth 50% more when redeemed through the Chase travel portal.

This card isn't for everyone. But if you take two or more international trips per year, the math is overwhelmingly in your favor.

👉 [Read our full Chase Sapphire Reserve review →] # (Affiliate link — supports WanderWise at no cost to you.)

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💡 POINTS STRATEGY OF THE MONTH: The Open-Jaw Booking

Here's a strategy that saves time, money, and unnecessary backtracking — and most people don't know it exists.

An open-jaw booking means you fly into one city and out of another. Fly into Rome, spend a few days, drive down to the Amalfi Coast, then fly home from Naples. Or fly into Paris, take the train to Bordeaux, and fly home from there.

Many airline award programs — including United, Aeroplan, and ANA — allow open-jaw bookings at the same point cost as a round trip. You're not paying extra. You're just being smarter about geography.

The key: when you search for award flights, look up two separate one-way itineraries and compare the total to a round trip from the same city. Often, the one-way prices add up to the same total — and you've eliminated a tedious (and expensive) positioning flight.

One search habit. Major time saved. A much better trip.

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🗣️ COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

[This month's spotlight comes from the WanderWise community.]

"We almost booked Italy for August. Then I read a WanderWise article about shoulder season and moved everything to late September. Same destinations. Half the crowds. And we saved 40,000 points on the flights because there was so much more availability. Best advice we ever took." — Dave and Susan K., North Carolina

Shoulder season converts? Reply with your story. I love hearing these.

Not in the community yet? → [Join WanderWise Travelers →]

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📅 UPCOMING DATES & DEALS

• Now through May: Prime window to book September and October Europe travel on points. Award seat availability is excellent.
• April 15: Tax refund season. If you're getting a refund, consider applying for a new travel card and using the refund toward the spending requirement. You earn the points; the refund covers the spend.
• Late April: Hotels start publishing fall rates. Shoulder season hotel redemptions often drop to their lowest point costs now.
• May 1: Our next newsletter covers Memorial Day domestic deals — the best US destinations on points.

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❓ ASK MICHAEL

"I've wanted to go to Italy for 20 years. My husband keeps saying we'll go 'next year.' How do I finally make it happen?" — Patricia A., Florida

Patricia, I hear this more than almost any other question. Here's what I tell every couple in your position: don't plan the trip — book the flights. Once the flights are booked (on points, so there's minimal financial risk), the trip becomes real. "Next year" becomes "September 22nd." Everything else falls into place after the flights are confirmed. Start there. Book the flights, then tell your husband. I've found that works remarkably well.

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Europe isn't going anywhere. But your points are — slowly, steadily losing value every month you wait.

Shoulder season is the smartest way to see the continent you've been dreaming about. The weather. The availability. The value. Everything aligns.

👉 [Book a Free Europe Trip Consultation →] /concierge

Until next month — travel well.

Michael

P.S. — One more thing about shoulder season Europe: the locals are happier to see you. In September, they've recovered from the summer rush. They have time for a conversation. They'll recommend the restaurant around the corner instead of the tourist trap on the square. That alone is worth the timing.