Shelli Stein
Shelli first got hooked on miles and points during a flight from San Diego to New York. A flight attendant in economy class told her to go see if there was any cream for her coffee in first class. There was, and Shelli got a peek into first class when fellow passenger John F. Kennedy Jr. handed her the cream! She wondered what it took to fly up front.
After spending two years earning miles and points to attend a friend’s destination wedding in Italy, she still ended up paying cash for her flight. This experience made her realize that miles and points were much more complicated than she thought, so she committed to studying the best ways to both earn and spend miles and points.
Shelli is a passionate content creator. She is known for her comprehensive hotel, restaurant, airline, 'things to do' reviews, and how to maximize miles and points. Her writing connects readers to destinations around the world, helping them navigate their travel lifestyles. Her love of travel and exploring different cultures lies at the core of her work.
Since 2009 Shelli has traveled extensively and some years was even a full-time traveler. Prior to 2009, she attended art school in Japan, traveled to Germany for business, and Korea for the summer Olympics. She mixes up her routines traveling by train, plane, bus and has also lived in various locations as a temporary local. She appreciates slow travel and prefers to walk everywhere and everyday. Through her unique voice and independent travel spirit, she continues to enrich the travel lives of others through educating, inspiring, and entertaining them wherever and whenever she can!
Learning to travel the world by leveraging frequent flyer miles, hotel points, and credit card rewards can be life-changing. Shelli’s content helps others discover the real-life strategies that anyone can use for traveling. She writes about earning points and miles, which credit cards are best, and about which airlines and points programs to use.
Shelli has written in depth about the loyalty programs of World of Hyatt, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines. As a senior travel writer on Point Me To The Plane and highlighting her knowledge, in 2019 she was interviewed and quoted for a New York Times article regarding the best uses of miles and points.
Food is a language universally understood and passionately spoken. During Shelli’s travels she explores local cuisines, giving you her best tips. She’s also a big fan of coffee, writing about both the local coffee scenes and where to indulge in the best java so you’ll be in the know. And if there’s great gelato or pastry to be found, she’ll find it and pass along her tips on where to go and what to sample.
Additionally, Shelli's "Things to Do” articles focus on exploring the possible and best activities, both on and off the beaten path. Whether it’s walking and hiking, visiting historical and cultural sites, or browsing the best bookstores, she brings you a wealth of options that can create a fantastic holiday and adventure of a lifetime.
Air travel is often an overlooked aspect of the travel experience. As a very frequent flyer using airlines from all three alliances plus independent airlines as well, her airline reviews are comprehensive. From comfort, amenities, customer service, and food offerings, she’s got your flight concerns covered.
As a seasoned hotel reviewer who regularly spends over 100 nights a year in hotels, Shelli provides detailed and unbiased reviews of accommodations ranging from luxury resorts to boutique getaways. Her goal is to ensure travelers find the best lodging that matches both their expectations and budget.
“I want to equip and empower you with ideas and strategies so you can make your own choices and do the things you want to do. I’ll give you the hammer, you decide where to drive the nail.”
- Shelli Stein
