Award Travel 101

Mike and Joe discuss their trips to Australia. Mike was there for 8 days in a long anticipated trip to celebrate his 40th birthday while Joe jaunted down for 52 hours. Both flew United and American business class products on their longest routes discuss the pros and cons of each.Their respective stays at the Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt and Four Seasons in Sydney were also discussed along with attractions such as the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Hunter Valley wine region, scenic Blue Mountains, famous Bondi Beach and captivating Manly Beach. Links to Topics Discussed in This Week's Episode:United Mile PoolingUpdated Ink Cash BonusBilt - American & AlaskaTrack Travel Plans with AwardWalletChase Ink CashAmex Business CheckingWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to

In this episode, Joe interviews a long-time friend, who was hesitant to open up credit cards for fear of ruining his credit and overspending. Tune-in to hear how he overcame that fear and is now booking his first international business class flights! These aren't the typical domestic carriers a newer Award Traveler might book either (American, Delta, or United).Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podca

Finding award space could be difficult and often a frustrating exercise. Joe and Angie outline the steps and give tips on how to improve your results. Flexibility in types of points available, dates of travel, and airline routings. Start your search with your preferred airline, then expand your search out to partner airlines, and compare points needed.Links to Topics DiscussedNew Rewards coming from Wells FargoWorld of Hyatt’s Annual Sadness-Inducing Award Changes Announced World of Hyatt Adds the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las VegasWyndham Rewards Is Adjusting Award Prices for Hotel Stays and Vacasa BookingsIt’s Back: Bonus Offer on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® CardNew Hilton Credit Card Offers Provide enhanced bonuses Step-By-Step: How to Search for Award FlightsAT101 Transfer Partner ChartWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025

One of the keys in this hobby is maximizing the return on your spend. Joe and Angie talk about the ways to never earn only one point per dollar again. They discuss the idea of building a portfolio/family of cards that return more value. Some good references.TravelGasGroceryDiningOffice Supply & CommunicationsStreamingEverywhereOur friends at CardPointers also provide a fantastic tool to make sure you are using the best card for every purchase. Get CardPointers and SAVE:http://cardpointers.com/at101Links to other Topics discussedWhen and How You Can Book Award Flights for Friends and FamilyIncreased Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Offers: Up to 185K Points or 5 Free NightsGet Access to Hidden Award Space with United Credit CardsWorld of Hyatt’s Annual Sadness-Inducing Award Changes AnnouncedLittle-Known Southwest Credit Card Perk: 20% Off Discount Code for Southwest Reward FlightsWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You c

In this episode's highlight feature, "Let’s Get Crafty," we explore various strategies to maximize credit card rewards tailored to different situations. Whether you have a "Player Two" or are flying solo, Angie and Joe guide you through evaluating upcoming trips and selecting the best cards in 4 scenarios: Scenario 1: Two player mode, both people can get business cards  Scenario 2: Two player mode, only one person can get business cards Scenario 3: Two player mode, no business cards  Scenario 4: Single player mode, no business card  Links to Topics DiscussedEtihad Guest ChangesAwards to Book Before They're GoneCapital One to Purchase Discover?Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers h

John Ryan is very young and active in the Award Travel 101/201 community and writes for Bougie Miles. He talks with Joe about how his passion for travel began at a very young age. As primarily an economy flyer he discusses the different ways to approach budget travel.Contact info for John:john.ryan@fora.travel@vegasteenager on XWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your n

Joe and Angie talk about the value of transferable over fixed points and how to best leverage them for maximum value utilizing the strength of transfer partners. Links to topics DiscussedAir France–KLM Flying Blue Award Sweet SpotsAmex Adds ‘Family’ Restrictions to the American Express® Green CardBook Now: Turkish Airlines to Devalue Miles & Smiles, Introduce New Award ChartsUnited Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 6,000 Aeroplan PointsBack to Basics: An Introduction to the Types of Reward PointsAT101 Transfer Partner ChartWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for eve

Many of us in this hobby involve our significant others in our award travel strategy, thereby activating "two player mode" which often allows us to double our earnings. However having a Player 2 does also come with it's own costs and frustrations. We have to make sure that P2 uses the correct cards (labels help) but also travel with them (costing more) to utilize the points they helped earn.Links to Topics DiscussedDelta card changes - are the changes all bad?Marriott promo - promo runs February 13 - April 29Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card Keep earning simple for P2 with a 1.5X (or greater) cardChase Freedom Unlimited Chase Ink UnlimitedCapital One Venture XTip of the WeekMarry a P1 (kidding). Shopping portal strategy for valentines day presents. Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but

This week Joe interviews Award Travel 101 community member Allison Tackette who joins us to share tips she's learned over 10 years in the space.Allison is a former teacher who wanted to get out and see the world, but her time off in the summer often resulted in finding peak season pricing. Travel CAN be expensive if you're always paying cash, but pushing people to the brink helps them get creative!Leveraging close-in bookings are often the best ways Allision was able to score some killer redemptions. She highlights some of the aspirational flights she was able to score and gives advice on how to find others inside or 14 days or less including:LufthansaANAJALEmiratesUnsold business/first flights to Australia and New Zealand often open up around a week out (non-airline specific) Which programs offer you the greatest flexibility? Where  You Can Find AllisonInstagram: @luckytictacawardtravelvacations.comWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check

Having a solid credit history is a paramount goal in the Award Travel hobby. Angie and Joe talk about strategies for building healthy credit and finding better offers.Guide to Building Healthy CreditCredit Card StrategyApplication Rules of 4 Major IssuersLinks to topics discussed United Offers (Outrageous) Premier Elite Status Buy-Up OffersNew Alaska Consumer & Business cards as well as  Hyatt Consumer & Business offersDid Marriott just #Bonvoy MGMNew Lounge opening - who can get in?Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpo

Joe is joined by the most frequent guest of the podcast, Toni Perkins-Southam. Many of you may remember Toni as the longest-running Award Travel 101 moderator and community admin. Toni spent almost five years in the community (two years as a community manager) before taking a position with Forbes Advisor. Toni shares how she got her start writing with AwardWallet and continued her journey after her tenure at Award Travel 101 from 2017 to 2022.Toni's Tip of the weekIf you are already going crazy, might as well do it someplace cool!Where To Find Toni@tonisoutham on InstagramToni Perkins-Southam Forbes advisor profiletperkins@forbesadvisor.comWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from ou

Joe and Angie recap their prior year card openings and point earning.  Highlight feature: 2023 Trip RecapsAngie: 12 new cardsSUB  = 1.4M pointsReferrals = 390KPoints used = 1.2M (double prior year)Joe: 14 new cardsSUB = 1.5M points + HH FNAReferrals = 500KSpend = 100K Shopping portals = 100KTip of the weekIt's a new year,  with new credits. We mentioned this back in Episode 45, so use all your credits and perks. Don’t wait!Links to topics discused:Updates on the 737-Max9 - is it safe?Top 10 Card offers of 2024Now Live - Hyatt Milestone Rewards Offer Expanded Choices This YearThe Best Business Class Award Sweet Spots for Flights to EuropeWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our c

It's a new year and Joe and Angie talk about their resolutions for 2024, including:AngieUpdate and use all/more features of AwardWalletClean up Google PhotosClean up multiple email accountsCreate a spreadsheet of all my cardsExplore casino matching for free cruisesJoeCiti/Barclays AA companion certs - never use(4) UA Club passes - making sure to use(2) Gold monthly Dining credits - I rarely use these(2) Amex Platinum Streaming credits with only one in use and (4) Walmart Plus subscription credits with one in useLinks to news discussedBook Hilton Free Night Awards via ChatAmex Adds Family Language to Marriott cardsChanges to Bilt Rewards StatusAmex Business PlatinumChase Ink Business card bonusWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist.

Ryan Smith, editor for AwardWallet has accomplished a feat that few achieve. He has visited all 197 recognized countries. Ryan first talks talks his background, introduction to travel rewards and loyalty programs and travel style. He also delves into highlights of his globetrotting journey and how he was able to land some deals to travel for as economical as possible.Where To Find RyanTo follow Ryan throughout his travels, you can find him on X (Twitter) at @RyanSmithTravelWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 f

Angie, Allison, and Joe jump on this week to share the 100K Member Celebration Winner, their newest cards, trip updates, and to bring you an Airing of (2023) Grievances! Festivus was created as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas holiday season. The sitcom Seinfeld put their own spin on it, including the airing of the grievances, which consists of each person lashing out at others and the world about how they have been disappointed in the past year. "I got a lotta problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!" We’ve had a lot of negative changes in the Award Travel world in 2023 (25by our count), but here are the program updates that impacted the community most: MGM and Hyatt announce Breakup British Airways Hikes Avios Awards on American and Alaska & United Makes Major Award Chart Devaluation Citi Executive Card Changes (Higher fee, reduced AU benefit)Full list of all 25 Program ChangesWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 10

Allison and Jackie take over the podcast to discuss the news and to share more about their recent trip to Rio de Janeiro to see Taylor Swift in concert. They had a fantastic stay at the Hilton Copacabana and despite issues caused by excessive heat which caused one concert to be cancelled they were still able to make friendship bracelets, watch Taylor perform. All while enjoying the local culture and food.Links to news discussedAmerican Airlines Adjusts How Card Spending Counts Toward AAdvantage StatusBritish Airways Hikes Avios Awards on American and AlaskaYou Can Now Redeem Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles Online for Aeromexico FlightsCredit Card Perks You Can Gift for the HolidaysJackie's Trip ReportAllision's economy flight on LATAMCheap AA award for GOLWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but

Angie and Joe talk about their trip highlights from 2023. Angie's big trips were an African safari to a girls trip to Bali & Singapore. Meanwhile Joe went on an epic first class trip to Europe with his dad as well as several family trips.Links to News DiscussedWorld of Hyatt UpdatesGuest of Honor Perk37 different promosAlaska purchases HawaiianAmex Business Platinum card PLUS checking account offerChase Ink Business cardBuy AA miles for ONE cent each AND earn Loyalty Points Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.c

Feel like you are learning a new language? We often get folks saying “please spell out these acronyms” but when it’s the same word over and over again, you need shorthand. Some examples include 5/24, CSR, SUB, and P2.Links to News DiscussedSouthwest bookable through Chase travel portalLifelock at 95% RakutenBlack Friday Huge Qatar award dumpCondor and Emirates partnerAlaska changesAmex Business GoldAmex Business Platinum + checking offerOur world-famous Award Travel 101 Transfer Partner Matrix.FlyerTalk GlossaryWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist. Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup to

Justin fell into travel rewards programs accidentally as he was working his way through various casino programs. Listen as he and Joe discuss some of the dead deals of the past to learn more about what you can look for in the future.If you want to hear Part One of this discussion, where Justin interviews Joe, check out the Hurdy Gurdy Podcast. In this particular episode Justin shares how online poker led him to into travel rewards and loyalty programs. If you are in the area you can also join Justin's Greater Philadelphia Miles & Points monthly meetups. You can find some interesting takes on casino rewards, miles & points, and Dave Ramsey on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel YouTube Channel. For everything else, check out the Hurdy Gurdy Travel website.Tip of the weekCheck out our instructional video on how to use CardPointers with the Company's founder, Emmanuel Crouvisier. Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. Yo

Angie's back to catch up on all of the news and to discuss how we can better manage all of our award programs. Namely a Free AwardWallet subscription. You can also get AwardWallet Plus for more enhanced and time saving features. The Award Travel 101 group also celebrates the milestone of reaching 100K members!Links to News DiscussedNew United Card OffersAvoid Delta’s High Partner Award RatesBritish Airways Restricting Award Availability (non-issue for most)30% Transfer Bonus Hilton HonorsBilt Rewards new Transfer PartnerQatar Airways (was 30% - now 25%) Transfer BonusMarriott Changing Suite Night Awards12 Hilton Honors Redemptions12 Marriott Bonvoy RedemptionsSouthwest To Devalue Rapid RewardsWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT but visit the Chicago 2025 Meetup page to secure a spot on the waitlist.