Award Travel – A Note From Maria

HELLO AND WELCOME TO MARIA POINTS THE WAY!

By now, you’ve probably seen my tips on planning family award travel to Asia Pacific. But maybe… you still don’t really know me.

SO LET ME (RE)INTRODUCE MYSELF.

I help hundred of families, especially Asian American families, turn their points into multiple premium-cabin seats to Asia Pacific calmly, confidently, and without the chaos.

Some are flying grandparents to visit.

Some are returning home every year.

Some are celebrating milestones across Asia.

But I didn’t get into miles and points because of luxury. I got into miles and points because I had no choice.

My husband is American, but lived in Hong Kong for 20 years.

I’m a homegrown Hong Kong girl.

In 2017, we moved to San Francisco with our two daughters.

The culture shock wasn’t about language.

It wasn’t about work.

It was about credit cards.

Back home in Hong Kong, approvals were normal.

Stable income → high limits → life moves on.

So when I applied for my first “regular” card in the U.S….Costco, I didn’t think twice.

I was declined.

I remember sitting on the bed asking myself:

WHAT DID I DO WRONG?

Then I learned the truth about starting over in America:

I wasn’t rejected.

I was invisible.

INVISIBLE in the credit system.

A friend added me to a Taiwanese-American award travel group. My only goal was simple back then. I just wanted one, yes one U.S. credit card so life could function normally.

Instead, I discovered something else.

I discovered miles and points.

Not the solo version.

Not the influencer version.

The family version.

The version where the same vacation investment suddenly meant less exhaustion, fewer compromises, and more time together. The version where Business and First Class didn’t feel extravagant and it felt sustainable.

So I set a goal people laughed at:

>> Take a family of four to Asia on ANA Business Class using points.

I studied obsessively.

Read each post ten times, at least.

Asked endless questions.

And slowly I realized the problem wasn’t knowledge.

It was perspective.

Most advice online and in YT was written for solo travelers or couples.

But families live in a different reality.

We had three constraints others didn’t fully understand:

> Fixed school calendars: we could only leave on very specific December dates

> Multiple seats together: not one seat, not two… four

> Asia wasn’t optional: our family was there in Hong Kong, and in New Zealand

We weren’t chasing a trip.

We were trying to stay connected to our roots.

So I stopped following the “standard path.”

Everyone said beginners (and people) should stay in Chase, and 5/24 was gold. I got most of the chase cards you can name…

But Chase couldn’t get my family onto ANA on th epeak of the peak in the year…Dec 18, 19, 20 kind of dates.

So I stepped out of my 5/24 comfort zone and moved into Amex and partner strategies.

Eventually, I booked four premium seats for winter break, literally two Business and two First Class right when school ended and started.

That’s when everything clicked.

Family award travel isn’t about tricks. Neither about lowest rates nor traditional cards and points.

It’s about intention, priorities, and systems.

And the motivation isn’t the seat.

It’s the people waiting on the other side of the ocean.

In 2024 I started Maria Points The Way to share family-focused strategies.

In 2025 I launched workshops,

live group coaching program,

1:1 service and met hundreds of families facing the same overwhelm I once felt.

Since then I moderate in Award Travel 101, I’ve spoken at Chicago Seminars and ZorkFest, partnered with Roame on Family Award Travel live Q&A twice sharing my 4-step framework for planning and booking multiple premium seats to Asia and the myths that keep families stuck.

If you want to learn from someone who rebuilt from confusion into clarity, and created a repeatable system to bring families together across continents…I’m glad you’re here.

-Maria

WHERE TO START?

5 Insider Tools For Effortless Luxury Family Travel To Asia -Pacific

Planning premium family travel can feel overwhelming—finding Business & First Class award seats, booking five-star hotels, and navigating loyalty programs isn’t always straightforward.

But with the right tools, luxury travel to Asia Pacific becomes effortless and actionable. Inside this guide, you’ll discover 5 insider tools designed to help you elevate your family’s travel experiences in—without unnecessary complexity. (+ 1 BONUS tool and an exclusive checklist) to put these strategies into action immediately!