The WanderWise Monthly — July 2026

Subject line: The WanderWise Monthly — July: The Art of Booking When Everyone Else Has Given Up Preview text: Finding award availability in peak season isn't luck. It's technique. Here are five that work.

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Hi Friend,

July. The month when half the country is traveling and the other half is trying to book something — anything — on points and finding nothing available.

I hear it every summer: "The flights are all gone." "There's no award availability." "Points are useless in peak season."

I understand the frustration. But here's what I've learned after years of booking peak-season travel: the availability isn't gone. It's hiding. And if you know where to look — and more importantly, when to look — you can find it.

This month, I'm sharing the strategies that actually work when everyone else has given up.

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✈️ DESTINATION OF THE MONTH: Maui, Hawaii

Hawaii in summer might seem like the hardest points booking in existence. Everyone wants to go. The flights are packed. The hotels are full.

But Maui has a secret: the west side of the island — Kaanapali, Napili, Kapalua — has drier weather and better availability than the rest. And the snorkeling at Napili Bay is, in my opinion, the best free activity in the entire Pacific.

Here's the points math — even in peak season:

Round-trip flights (from West Coast): ~35,000 Southwest points per person (check midweek availability) Round-trip flights (from East Coast): ~25,000 United miles per person via a repositioning connection 7 nights at Wailea Beach Marriott or similar: ~280,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (or mix points + cash for better availability) Cash equivalent for two: $7,800+ Points cost: ~$280 in taxes and fees

The trick for Hawaii in summer: book hotels on points first — they have more flexible cancellation. Then hunt for flights over the next 2–3 weeks. Award seats to Hawaii release sporadically, especially 2–3 weeks before departure as airlines adjust inventory.

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💳 CARD OF THE MONTH: World of Hyatt Credit Card

Annual fee: $95 Current sign-up bonus: 60,000 Hyatt points (after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months)

If I could only recommend one hotel credit card for the rest of my life, it would be this one. Here's why:

Hyatt points are, dollar for dollar, the most valuable hotel currency in the world. While Marriott and Hilton points are worth roughly 0.7–0.8 cents each, Hyatt points consistently deliver 1.7–2.0 cents per point. That means 60,000 Hyatt points aren't just "a nice bonus" — they're worth $1,000–$1,200 in hotel stays.

The card earns 4x points at Hyatt properties, 2x at restaurants, on airline tickets, and on local transit and commuting. You also get a free night certificate each year (at properties up to 15,000 points per night), which alone is worth $200–$400.

For anyone who values hotel quality — and Hyatt's portfolio ranges from the Park Hyatt Paris to cozy Hyatt Places across America — this card delivers outsized value at a very modest fee.

👉 [Read our full World of Hyatt review →] # (Affiliate link — supports WanderWise at no cost to you.)

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💡 POINTS STRATEGY OF THE MONTH: Five Peak Season Booking Techniques

When standard searches come back empty, these five strategies open doors:

1. Search one-way, not round-trip. Most award search engines handle one-way searches more effectively. Build your trip as two separate one-way bookings. You'll often find availability that round-trip searches miss entirely.

2. Check multiple programs for the same route. A United flight from New York to London can be booked through United MileagePlus, Aeroplan, Turkish Miles & Smiles, or Avianca LifeMiles — all at different prices and with different availability. The same seat, visible through different windows.

3. Set up availability alerts. Tools like ExpertFlyer or Seats.aero monitor award availability and email you when seats open up. Cancellations happen daily — especially 2–4 weeks before departure. Someone else's change of plans is your opportunity.

4. Call the airline. This sounds old-fashioned because it is. But phone agents can see inventory that websites don't display. Call during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening), be polite, explain what you're looking for, and ask them to check partner availability. I've booked dozens of flights this way that showed "unavailable" online.

5. Book now, improve later. If economy award seats are available but business class isn't, book the economy seats. Then set an alert for business class. If it opens up, you can often upgrade for the difference in points — no rebooking needed.

Peak season rewards persistence, not surrender. The seats exist. You just have to be more determined than the algorithms.

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🗣️ COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

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

"I was told business class to Tokyo in July was 'impossible' on points. I checked Aeroplan every morning for three weeks. On day 18, two seats opened up — someone cancelled. We flew ANA business class to Japan for 75,000 points each. The person who told me it was impossible is still talking about it." — Frank L., San Diego

Found award availability where others couldn't? Reply with your story. These inspire the whole community.

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

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📅 UPCOMING DATES & DEALS

• Now: Check your points balances. Mid-year is the perfect time for your semi-annual points audit. Write down every balance, every program.
• Mid-July: Airlines release October and November award seats. Fall travel — the golden season — books now.
• Late July: Many credit card issuers launch "summer" bonus categories. Check your card app for targeted offers.
• August 1: Our next newsletter previews fall travel — the smartest season of the year for points travelers. You won't want to miss it.

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❓ ASK MICHAEL

"I keep reading about 'transfer partners' but I don't understand the concept. Can you explain it simply?" — Donna B., Illinois

Donna, absolutely. Here's the concept in plain English: Banks like Chase and Amex have partnerships with airlines and hotel chains. You can move your credit card points to these partners — usually at a 1:1 ratio — and then book directly through the airline or hotel. Why does this matter? Because the same points are worth more when you use them this way. A Chase statement credit might give you $500. Transfer those same points to Hyatt, and they're worth $1,200 in hotel stays. Same points, different door. Much more value.

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Peak season isn't the enemy of points travel. It's the test. And the travelers who pass that test — with patience, flexibility, and the right strategies — are the ones sitting in business class while everyone else paid full price.

You can be one of them.

👉 [Book a Free Points Strategy Consultation →] /concierge

Until next month — travel well.

Michael

P.S. — My mid-year reminder: do your points audit this month. Log into every account. Write down every number. The average WanderWise member who does this in July discovers enough points for at least one fall trip they didn't know they could afford. Fifteen minutes. That's all it takes.