Every year, thousands of travelers sit through a timeshare presentation promising decades of guaranteed vacations, only to later discover that a well-chosen loyalty program might have delivered the same lifestyle without the mortgage-sized commitment.
Points and miles get all the glory, but the unsung hero of smart travel planning is what happens when things go wrong - a cancelled flight, a lost bag, a sudden illness abroad.
Asia's luxury hotel scene is unlike anywhere else on earth: overwater villas in the Maldives, rooftop infinity pools in Bangkok, ryokan-style suites in Kyoto, and colonial-era grandeur in Mumbai.