You may recall back when our Honorary Points Pros shared their best tips with you for using Gold Passport points to explore the world. Well, they're back with new advice and new tips on how to make the most of the points you earn. Make sure to check out our new Point Pros, starting with Brian Kelly, well-known blogger of all things points who shares his first-hand guidance for smart travel below.

Brian Kelly of "The Points Guy" blog

While I've had the chance to use my Hyatt Gold Passport points to stay at fantastic properties all over the world, including the incomparably elegant Park Hyatt Paris Vendome and the breathtaking Park Hyatt Tokyo, I think my favorite use of my points was a two-night stay at Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires over the holidays in December of 2010.

Since it was a busy time of year, room prices were running high, so I decided to redeem 30,000 Hyatt points for a two night stay. I loved everything about the hotel, which is located in the city's upscale Recoleta neighborhood in a building that dates back to 1890, from the lavish crystal chandeliers, suites with working fireplaces and beautiful gardens to walk through. With 165 rooms, the suites feel intimate and the service is impeccable. Thanks to my Hyatt Diamond status, the hotel even upgraded me to a Park Executive Suite with a spacious living room, dining room, separate king-size bedroom (with possibly the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in!), terrace overlooking a garden and a huge all-marble bathroom.

So how did I get those 30,000 points? I was on the road a lot for work, which allowed me to easily rack up Gold Passport points (I am The Points Guy after all!), plus my frequent stays allowed me to work toward my Diamond status that I mentioned earlier.  I also was diligent about taking advantage of Hyatt promotions, including the "Great 10K" bonus during the fall of 2010 when consumers earned 10,000 bonus Gold Passport points for every five nights they stayed at a Hyatt.  After taking advantage of the ongoing promotion, as well as Hyatt's regular earnings ratio, it took me only about a month of busy work travel to earn enough points for this luxury stay.

Since I love to get great value out of my points by staying at Park Hyatt properties, a two-night stay in a suite at Park Hyatt Moscow right on Red Square is at the top of my list this year-- I've never been to Russia and the hotel looks gorgeous!

What are your favorite Hyatt properties to visit when you know you have points to spare?

I tend to use my points for one or two-night stays here and there (such as my recent weekend trip to Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa), so I often check free night redemption availability at some of my favorite properties, including Park Hyatt in Washington and Andaz Wall Street. Part of what I really love about Hyatt Gold Passport is the variety of options I have in terms of places where I can both earn and redeem my points.

Overall, to be a "Point Pro" I would say:

• Maximize your earnings by using the right card. Personally, I consider the Hyatt Credit Card to be a great card to start with. Just by signing up, you receive two free nights at any Hyatt as well as three points per dollar spent at Hyatt.  Additionally, the Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can earn through a variety of other Chase credit cards are useful because they can be transferred to Gold Passport points at a 1:1 ratio.
• Take advantage of Hyatt promotions. During Hyatt's promotion for the first quarter of 2012, in addition to the possibility of earning 20,000 bonus points, Hyatt Credit Card holders had the opportunity to earn an additional 25% bonus on top of the pre-existing bonus offerings (aka a potential haul of 11,000 extra bonus points)!
• Determine the right point strategy for you. While I prefer to use my points for stays at luxury properties, there are a lot of folks who prefer to keep costs down by using them for family travel. Develop concrete goals and take the trips that suit you best!
• Remember that points are a form of currency. Keep in mind that points can be worth a lot of money if you make smart decisions and are careful to maximize them in every way possible.

Learn more about Brian, Hyatt promotions and what you can do with your Hyatt Gold Passport points by visiting Brian's blog, The Points Guy: http://thepointsguy.com.