Travel Content That Converts: How to Use The Points Guy’s ‘Where to Go’ List for Affiliate and Pitch Opportunities

Stop missing affiliate and pitch opportunities tied to big annual lists

As a travel writer or content creator, you see the same problem every year: major outlets publish their "Where to go" lists and creators scramble to copy them, losing time and clicks to better-optimized coverage. You need a repeatable, pitch-ready system that turns those lists—especially The Points Guy's "Where to Go in 2026"—into affiliate revenue, editor-friendly story ideas, and loyalty-point lead magnets. This guide gives a tactical playbook, pitch templates, and loyalty-point tie-in modules you can drop into posts to convert readers into bookings and commissions in 2026.

Why the 2026 lists matter now (short version)

The Points Guy and similar outlets shape traveler intent with curated destination lists early in the year. In 2026, consumers increasingly book using points, seek flexible award options after airline program shifts in late 2025, and respond to content that pairs inspiration with concrete redemption steps. That makes list-driven content a high-conversion opportunity—if you execute with precise affiliate mapping, up-to-date award research, and editorial credibility.

Make 2026 the year you stop hoarding points for "someday" and book that trip. — The Points Guy (paraphrased)

Core strategy: The three-layer funnel you should publish against

Work from the top down. For each destination on The Points Guy's list, create three linked assets that map to stages of the reader journey.

1. Inspirational list piece — Short, social-friendly listicle that mirrors TPG's picks and drives initial discovery.
2. Practical destination guide — Deep guide with award availability tips, seasonal timing, and local highlights; optimized for SEO and affiliate conversions.
3. Loyalty-point action module — A compact, reusable component that shows exact ways to redeem points (credit card signup funnels, airline/carrier redemptions, and OTA deals).

Why this structure works in 2026

• Search intent is split between inspiration and conversion; matching both increases time-on-site and affiliate click-through rate.
• Recent industry moves (greater prevalence of dynamic award pricing and more bank-airline co-branded promotions in late 2025) mean readers want immediate, actionable redemption steps—not abstract advice.
• Editors value stories that link trend coverage to commercial outcomes (e.g., "Where to go" as a way to sell points-driven itineraries), improving acceptance odds for pitch outreach.

How to mine The Points Guy's "Where to go in 2026" for publisher-ready angles

Don't just republish the list. Use it as a research prompt. Follow this 5-step workflow.

1. Extract destinations — Pull the 17 destinations into a spreadsheet. Add columns: seasonality, nearest hub airport, typical award costs trend, and unique hooks (festivals, reopenings, routes launched in late 2025).
2. Search intent mapping — For each destination, run quick keyword checks: 'best time to visit', 'points to [destination]', 'how many miles to [city] business class'. Prioritize high-conversion longtails like 'redeem miles to [destination] from [origin]'.
3. Affiliate mapping — Match each destination to affiliate programs: airline portals, OTAs, credit card referral/approval offers, activity affiliates (GetYourGuide, Viator), and hotel loyalty/OTA programs. Note commission types: CPA, rev-share, or lead. Use an SEO audit + lead capture approach to ensure tracking and UX capture are set up correctly.
4. Editorial angle selection — Pick an anchor angle per destination. Examples: 'Best places in 2026 to redeem 60k points', 'Where to go in 2026 if you want fewer crowds', 'Luxury upgrades for 2026 award travel'.
5. Draft the loyalty-point module — Build a point-specific mini-guide: wallet-friendly redemption, high-value transfer partners, typical blackout windows, and sample itineraries with estimated points + cash.

Practical content templates that convert

Drop these modules into your posts. Each template is written to be editor-friendly and affiliate-ready.

1) Lead magnet: 'Top 3 ways to book [DEST] with points in 2026'

• Intro sentence: why [DEST] is a 2026 pick (cite The Points Guy's list for context).
• Option A — Transfer partners: list partner cards & approximate transfer ratios.
• Option B — Airline award search hacks: best days to search, city pairs to watch, preferred cabin classes.
• Option C — Hybrid: points + cash ticket packages and credit card sign-up incentives.

2) Affiliate CTA block (reusable module)

Quick Book Checklist

• Search dates: [insert best months]
• Nearest hub: [airport code]
• Typical award range: [e.g., 45k–80k one-way]
• Top transfer partners: [partner cards]
• Affiliate CTA buttons: apply for [card name] • check award space • book hotel

3) Pitch-ready editor snippet (for syndicated outlets)

Two-sentence summary you can include in pitches or guest posts:

"[Destination] tops 2026 lists because of [hook]. Here's how readers can use common credit card rewards and transfer partners to turn that recommendation into a bookable trip this spring."

Sample loyalty-point tie-in copy (drop-in, customizable)

Use this block inside destination guides. Replace brackets.

How to book [DEST] with points in 2026

• Starter route: Use [card name] points as a 1:1 transfer to [airline partner]. Typical award availability in low season runs from [estimated points].
• Upgrade shortcut: Book a refundable economy ticket and top up with [airline] miles to upgrade to premium cabin; watch for temporary award sales introduced by carriers in late 2025.
• Credit card play: Consider the [card name] welcome bonus (typical arrival offers in 2025–26 range) to bridge the points gap for a roundtrip flight.

SEO and affiliate setup checklist for list-driven posts

• Canonical strategy: If you're creating multiple posts around the same destination, use canonical tags and link them as a pillar cluster to avoid cannibalization.
• Schema: Add FAQ and HowTo schema (editorial answers + booking steps) to boost SERP features.
• Affiliate analytics: Add UTM parameters and event tracking on all CTA buttons. Track both clicks and downstream conversions (use publisher portals' postbacks where available) — treat this like a technical SEO and lead capture project to measure ROI.
• Disclosure: Prominently disclose affiliate relationships inline and in the footer—editors look for transparency, and FTC rules require it.
• Freshness: Re-run award checks monthly in peak booking windows (Jan–Mar and Aug–Oct) for 2026 updates.

Pitch templates: how to get on editors' radars in 2026

Editors in 2026 are overloaded. Keep pitches short, data-backed, and plug-and-play.

Pitch Template A — For travel outlets (TPG-style sites, large travel blogs)

1. Subject: Quick piece: How to book [DEST] from [MAJOR HUB] using points
2. Lead: One-sentence hook that references The Points Guy list and a timely angle (route launches, festival, seasonal opening).
3. Why it works: Two bullets with data points (search interest spike, new award accessibility after program changes in 2025, unique local event).
4. Proposed asset: 800–1,500 words, includes 3-5 booking examples and an affiliate CTA module; I can deliver in 7 days and provide high-res images.
5. Credentials: 1–2 lines about your past affiliate-driven pieces and measurable results (CTR, RPM, or conversions).

Pitch Template B — For mainstream / lifestyle outlets

1. Subject: Trend piece: Where to go in 2026—How points are unlocking these trips
2. Lead: Short thesis tying The Points Guy list to the rise of points-driven leisure travel post-2025 loyalty updates.
3. Hook: Offer 4 narrative-led sections (family trips, solo escapes, luxury for less, climate-conscious travel) with one real-world booking example each.
4. Deliverables: 1,200–1,800 words, photo credits, 2 sidebars with affiliate-friendly CTAs (opt-in).

Acceptance trends by outlet/type (2026 outlook)

Understanding what outlets accept and how they compensate helps you pitch the right asset.

• Dedicated travel affiliates and blogs: High acceptance for affiliate-driven deep guides; expect CPA deals and rev-share. Editors want concrete booking examples and compliance with affiliate disclosure policy.
• Large editorial sites (TPG, Condé Nast Traveler, etc.): Rarely accept overt affiliate-first guest posts. Better to pitch data-driven expertise (award trend analysis, program changes) and offer a companion affiliate module that their in-house team can evaluate.
• Local and niche mags: More flexible with sponsored content and affiliate CTAs, particularly for destination-focused features (e.g., city tourism boards, regional hospitality partners).
• News and lifestyle outlets: Prefer features that contextualize why a destination is trending in 2026 with low overt commercial language; you can include educational loyalty info if framed as consumer advice.

Monetization playbook — beyond raw affiliate links

Combine channels to protect revenue:

• Credit card referrals: High ticket, higher compliance. Use clear disclosures and match cards to the redemption stories you tell; consider loyalty-innovation thinking from a Loyalty 2.0 perspective.
• OTA & hotel affiliates: Good for last-minute conversions; add a live availability widget where possible. Think also about the hotel experience your affiliate promotes—see host room-tech guidance for meaningful guest upgrades.
• Lead-gen partnerships: Airline/hotel lead forms and newsletter signups can pay well when optimized.
• Sponsor placements: For bigger features, pitch a brand partnership that funds deeper reporting while allowing editorial independence.
• Memberships & downloads: Sell a '2026 Points Playbook' PDF with detailed itineraries and a points calculator template; membership models echo trends in micro-mentorship and accountability groups.

Compliance & trust: essentials for 2026

Regulatory and platform expectations tightened in late 2025. Protect your content and conversions by doing the following:

• Use clear, visible affiliate disclosures at the top of posts and near CTAs.
• Honor partners' program rules—don't claim guaranteed availability.
• Update content when major loyalty programs announce material changes (fuel surcharges, award chart elimination, transfer ratio changes).
• Maintain archived notes of award searches and screenshots—editors often ask for sourcing when commissions are involved.

Advanced tactics for higher conversion

• Interactive points calculator: Build a small widget that estimates points needed from common U.S. gateways to the destination. Embed affiliate CTAs on the results screen.
• Automated award alerts: Offer an email or Telegram alert for award availability to high-value routes—move from passive content to lead generation.
• Localized origin pages: Create origin-specific pages (e.g., 'How to get to Lisbon from NYC with points')—these convert significantly better for affiliate bookings.
• Seasonal refreshes: Update early-year list-driven posts with mid-year 'best time to book' updates that align with travel seasons and credit card cycle promotions.

Two quick case studies (experience-based examples)

Real actions you can emulate this quarter:

1. Case A — Niche blog to affiliate scale: A creator built 17 short destination guides mirroring TPG's picks, added one loyalty module each, and A/B tested CTA button text. Result: 32% higher CTR on guides that listed '3 ways to book with points' vs. generic 'book now'.
2. Case B — Successful editor pitch: A writer pitched a major outlet with a data-driven piece reducing editorial friction: 4 booking examples, one source screenshot per example, and a short disclosure policy. The piece ran with a non-branded affiliate module and drove affiliate registrations through a tracked link.

Checklist before you hit publish

• Does the headline include target keywords (travel content, destination guides, points and miles)?
• Is there a loyalty-point module with concrete transfer and redemption steps?
• Are affiliate links tagged and disclosure text visible?
• Have you added schema and internal links to pillar content?
• Is the pitch version (for outreach) shorter and includes measurable data points?

Final notes and predictions for creators in 2026

Expect travel audiences in 2026 to favor practical inspiration: they want a destination list AND the exact steps to book it with points. Affiliates that win will be those who combine editorial credibility, timely award checks, and frictionless conversion paths—interactive calculators, localized origin content, and automated award alerts will be the differentiators. As loyalty programs continue to experiment after late 2025 changes, staying nimble and updating content rapidly will keep your posts competitive and profitable.

Ready-to-use pitch & affiliate templates (quick-copy)

Editor pitch (one-paragraph)

Subject: Quick data-led piece tying points to 2026 destination trends

Pitch: "Hi [Editor], inspired by The Points Guy's 2026 list, I can deliver a 1,200-word piece that shows readers exactly how to book [DEST] using common card transfer partners and recent award-sale windows. Includes 3 bookable examples with screenshots and a short affiliate-friendly toolkit. I publish within 7 days and can provide image assets. Best, [Name]"

Affiliate CTA (button text options)

• Check award space
• Get the card offer
• Estimate my points

Call to action

If you're ready to convert The Points Guy's 2026 inspiration into repeatable affiliate revenue and accepted editorial pitches, start with one destination from their list. Use the three-layer funnel in this guide, drop in the loyalty-point modules, and run a tight UTM-tagged campaign for 8 weeks. Need a plug-and-play points calculator, a custom pitch template for a specific outlet, or an audit of your disclosure language? Reach out and we'll build a tailored action plan for your content pipeline.

Related Reading

• Loyalty 2.0 for the Frequent Traveler: Predictive Perks & Tokenized Upgrades (2026 Playbook)
• Cheap Flight Hacks for 2026: AI Fare-Finders & Ethics
• Pocket Edge Hosts for Indie Newsletters: Practical Benchmarks (2026)
• SEO Audit + Lead Capture Check: Technical Fixes to Improve Enquiry Volume
• Wearable Tech & Smart Fabrics from CES: The Future of the Blouse
• DIY: Create Art-Inspired Limited Edition Palettes (Renaissance Portrait Theme)
• Build a Creator Playbook for Live Streaming Discovery with Bluesky’s Live Now Badge
• How Restaurants Use Premium Cocktail Syrups and Olive Brines Together — Tasting Notes & Pairings
• What Travel Influencers Need to Know About Platform Outages and Moderator Strikes