She's Your Travel Guru: How Rachel Points Turns Points Into Summer Art Season
Rachel Points, a former tech professional turned points strategist with nearly 800,000 followers, explains how she books first class flights and shares with our readers the best route to take to reach this summer's must-see exhibits: Hydra's DESTE Foundation, the South of France's Matisse X Yves Saint Laurent and Ellsworth Kelly shows, and the Venice Biennale, using airline transfer partners rather than credit card portals.
Antibes, on the way to Musée Picasso.
Every summer season has a person who seems to already be where you're trying to get to. This summer, ours is Rachel Points. She left a tech marketing job and within a year, she had built a community of nearly 800,000 followers who treat her recommendations like essential travel intel.
We handed her our art season itinerary, Hydra, the South of France, Venice, and asked how she'd actually get there. Before revealing the points tricks most travelers overlook, she shared the perks people underestimate, the best airlines to use, the one mesh dress that always gets noticed over champagne at 35,000 feet, and what she never travels without.
You were in tech marketing before this. How did you end up here?
The kind of flight that makes the destination feel like a bonus.
I wanted a side hustle in something I was already passionate about. Friends kept asking how I was flying business and first so often, since I'd post it on my story. That became the niche. I'd never posted a video before, never touched TikTok. A year later, nearly 800,000 followers across platforms.
What's the one move most people are completely sleeping on?
Most people redeem points straight through their credit card's own portal. The real value is almost always in transferring to an airline partner and searching that airline's own award space directly. I've seen a flight priced at 400,000 points through one portal turn up for 60,000 points and about $350 in fees once transferred to the right partner program. Once you understand that gap, everything changes.
Best redemption you've ever pulled off?
Singapore Airlines' first class suites, a private cabin with its own bed, Singapore to Sydney, for $82 cash. I've done close to $100,000 worth of flights this year the same way.
We're sending readers to Hydra, the South of France, and Venice this summer, all art, all expensive. Where do points actually work, and where do you just have to pay?
I usually tell people to save points for flights and pay cash for the room. A one-way business class seat from the US to Europe on saver pricing runs 60,000 to 90,000 points, which is realistic in a year if you're spending strategically. Flights just offer better redemption value than hotels almost every time.
Opening night for Nari Ward “Until That Day” at the Slaughterhouse, Hydra.
Nari Ward, Until That Day, installation view, the Slaughterhouse, Hydra, 2026. Image via Deste foundation
The most coveted invitation in the Mediterranean art calendar, a former slaughterhouse on a car-free island handed to one artist each summer. Past names include Jeff Koons, Kara Walker, Kiki Smith. This year, Nari Ward.
Athens is the base before the ferry. Does anything work there?
Emirates flies business class from Newark to Athens for around 87,000 to 97,000 points each way plus taxes. If your points transfer to Japan Airlines, I've seen round-trip saver space closer to 85,000 points total. One catch, if you want to upgrade Emirates business to first, you have to book the business award directly with Emirates, never through a partner.
SOUTH OF FRANCE
Henri Matisse x Yves Saint Laurent. Musée Matisse, Nice. Through September 28.
Henri Matisse x Yves Saint Laurent, Musée Matisse, Nice.
Yves Saint Laurent, Polaroid, 1980, on view at Musée Matisse, Nice.
Fly into Nice, does Hotel du Cap work on points, and is Airbnb the real answer?
I'd fly Air France into Nice, likely connecting through Paris. Saver space, when you find it, runs 60,000 points plus about $350 in fees. Open a free Flying Blue account, search the route with no date selected, and let the calendar show you the cheapest days. Hotel du Cap doesn't have a points angle, I'm not aware of one. For hotels generally, my go-to is Hyatt, usually 25,000 to 75,000 points a night for a genuinely nice property.
VENICE
Venice Biennale. Giardini and Arsenale, through November 23.
Fly into Venice or Milan, and does Belmond Hotel Cipriani work on points?
I'd take Emirates' A380 from JFK to Milan, first class suites with an onboard shower, booked direct for around 87,000 to 97,000 points, plus roughly 30,000 more to upgrade from business. The Cipriani is cash only as far as I know. If you carry a premium travel card, use the hotel credit instead, Amex Platinum gives you $300 semiannually at Fine Hotels and Resorts, Chase Sapphire Reserve gives two $250 credits at The Edit hotels.
Boutique hotel on a Greek island with no loyalty program. What do you actually do?
Check Rove.com first, you still pay cash but you earn Rove Miles, transferable to airline partners or future stays. Beyond that, I always email the hotel directly, tell them I'm excited to stay, mention any occasion. That's usually what gets you the upgrade or the welcome gift, not a loyalty number.
Next stop, Bodrum …the Philippines.
Everything online is about routines now. What's actually in your carry-on?
A full-length, body-hugging mesh dress, I know that's oddly specific. Throw it over a bikini during the day, wear it out at night, packs down to nothing. I have one from Jaded London that always gets compliments, and I just found a vintage Coperni one on The RealReal I've been obsessing over. I've had checked luggage go missing before, so my carry-on always has one athletic outfit, a bikini, and one evening look, just in case.
What's on your own list this summer?
Bodrum, and the Philippines are next.
