About
The Author: Aaron | Miles Engineer
I have an engineering background, studied and worked in the United States, and now live in Japan. Today, however, one of my biggest passions is the world of miles and points.
Although I no longer work as an engineer, my engineering background still strongly influences the way I approach credit card points, airline miles, and hotel loyalty programs.
I like to break complicated rules into smaller pieces and use logic, data, and systematic analysis to find the most efficient strategies. That is where the name Miles Engineer comes from.
From credit cards in Taiwan, the United States, and Japan, to airline loyalty programs such as ANA and Alaska, and global hotel programs including Marriott and Hyatt, I have spent years studying how different programs work, how points can be transferred, and where the best redemption sweet spots can be found.
Along the way, I have used miles and points to unlock business class, first class, and luxury hotel experiences that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars.
The idea behind this website is simple:
Approach miles and points with an engineer’s mindset.
I want to bring the logical thinking, data comparison, and systematic analysis I learned through engineering into the miles-and-points world.
My goal is to take complicated topics—credit card rewards, airline miles, transfer partners, redemption strategies, and hotel elite status—and turn them into clear, practical strategies that anyone can understand and actually use.
Looking Beyond Credit Cards From Just One Country
The credit cards I cover are not limited to Taiwan, Japan, the United States, or any single market.
The question I care about more is:
From a global traveler’s perspective, which credit cards are actually worth holding?
That is why I research credit cards across different markets and evaluate their real-world value based on factors such as annual fees, rewards, airline and hotel transfer partners, free night awards, airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and other travel benefits.
Some of the cards I write about may be issued in the United States, while others may come from Japan or other markets. If a card offers meaningful value for international travelers, it may be worth analyzing and sharing.
Of course, credit cards in different countries have their own eligibility requirements, residency rules, and credit approval standards.
My goal is not to tell everyone that they should apply for the same cards. Instead, I want to provide a global perspective on credit cards, miles, and points that is not limited by the market where you happen to live, so readers who are eligible can find the options that make the most sense for them.
You Don’t Need Huge Credit Card Spending to Play the Miles & Points Game
Miles and points are not only for people who can generate huge amounts of rewards through credit card spending.
Even if you cannot earn large amounts of airline miles or hotel points through credit cards, many airline and hotel loyalty programs regularly run promotions for purchasing miles and points directly.
When the purchase price is right and the redemption is carefully planned, buying miles to redeem for business class—or buying hotel points to book luxury hotels—can sometimes cost far less than paying the regular cash price for the same flight or hotel stay.
That is why this website is not just about answering questions like, “Which credit card should I get?” or “Which mileage program is the best?”
I want to answer the bigger questions:
Which cards are worth holding? How should you earn points? When should you buy miles or points? When should you transfer them? How should you redeem them? And how can you experience expensive business class, first class, and luxury hotels at a fraction of the normal cost?
Whether you are completely new to credit card rewards and airline miles, a traveler who cannot generate huge amounts of points through credit card spending, or an experienced miles-and-points enthusiast, I hope Miles Engineer can help you avoid unnecessary mistakes, discover better strategies, and find an approach that works for you.
You don’t need to spend more, and you don’t need to limit your strategy to the credit cards available where you live. What matters is knowing how to earn, buy, transfer, and redeem.
Analyze points with an engineer’s logic. See the world with miles.
