Award Travel 101

Award Travel 101 Podcast partner and founder of Thrifty Traveler Premium, Jared Kamrowski, joins Joe to discuss how Award Travel fundamentally changed his life and experiences.Starting as a broke college student, Jared became a road warrior who learned techniques to improve his travel experiences for less. He and his wife wanted to travel more in their personal lives, so like many of us, he dug more into credit cards and reward programs that helped boost his ability to accomplish many of their goals. Eventually, he started his own site, Thrifty Traveler, sharing some of the tips he'd learned. The blog grew quickly, and he left his job to develop the business further, He hasn't looked back, and has grown the business into a 25 member team who scour the web looking for the best cash and award fares for you. 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

Joe and Mike talk this week about their recent trips plus aspirational flights they have taken or wish to take in the near future including:Alaska Pancake Run CLE-PIT-SEA-CLE. In Jan 2024 (Editors note: sadly this flight was cancelled due to the Boeing 737-9 door plug fiasco. Upper deck of 747. Lufthansa & BAAspirational Longest- Singapore JFK-SIN (Taking #9 SYD-IAH in the spring)Shortest- Loganair Island Hopper Orkney Islands of Scotland. Westray-Papa Westray (1.7 miles)United Island Hopper (former Continental Microneasia) 7 Stops HNL to GUMAlaska Milk Run- SEA to ANC with several options for stops in between.Former (defunct)BA001 Concorde, stopped flying 2003Other BA001 A318 (stopped in July 2020)Kai Tak (Hong Kong) Closed in 1998Links to topics discussedYear-end Strategies for Top Hotel Elite StatusBest Miles and Points for flights to HawaiiAir Canada Aeroplan Sues seats.aeroHyatt Sweet SpotsMike's trip for Beer, BBQ, Buc-EEsDriverless Car in AustinHow Joe saved 47K miles United milesWhere to Find

Angie and Joe both met for the first time as Joe was traveling to Angie's hometown, so they both love meetups. This week, Angie went to Chicago Seminars, Joe went out west for Zorkfest. Links to Topics DiscussedDelta Elite status changesMGM Marriott updatesTransfer Bonuses Flying Blue & LifemilesHow I Traveled (with my son) Using Awards & $54Hilton Surpass & Aspire changesIncredible Chase Freedom Unlimited OfferAmex Business Gold but need to call for reconsiderationWhere 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.co

Angie and Allison talk about how she is going on a girls trip to Bali and paying less than $1500 per person compared to $12,000 if they paid cash. Flights on Qatar (QR) for 100k, Singapore (SQ) for 112.5k and Etihad (EK) for 87.5k.Full trip report posted in the Award Travel 101 Community w/hotel and airline reviewsLinks to other topics discussedGet Bonus Hilton points -Is it worth purchasing points? There's a 100% bonus, and it could make sense in certain situations.What's going on with certain Award tools? ExpertFlyer and Seats.aero are having issues. Expertflyer is removing all Star Alliance carriers, plus seats.aero received a cease and desist order from Aeroplan. Is Expertflyer becoming useless?Angie closed her first Business Platinum Calling to start the Chase Sapphire Reserve product changeWhere 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, 20

Angie's back, and she and Joe jump on the podcast to discuss the state of Amex, their newest bonuses, trip updates, and under appreciated award currencies.Are all points equal? Should a member get a 140K IHG offer or take less from the 75K United Business or even less from the 60K Citi Premier?There are things for which you should have a basic understanding:How much spend until you hit your desired award?Is there outsized value New card bonuses vs bonus categories vs non-bonus categoriesIs there a reason to continue spending on a non-bonus cardDo your own comparisons and see which cards offer YOU the best returns.Links to topics discussedVirgin 30% Transfer bonus (Chase) - Through 11/15Amex introducing “family” rules across Delta cards and new Gold card restrictionsAmex refresh of biz gold cardHyatt Gaming Members & Hurting those who have disabilities? (Part of why having a My Hyatt Concierge could be beneficial)AT101 hit 100k members!Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community

Award Travel mod Sophie and Joe discuss news, their newest cards, trip updates, and how Sophie has transitioned into the travel business. Meet Sophie KellerBackground - 1st card- Chase Sapphire Preferred/United ExplorerHighlights - Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana right after it opened last year, Park Hyatt New York and Flagship First before award price hike for 25K Amex Membership Rewards JFK-SFO, and multiple Visits to Secrets Impressions and MoxcheTravel style - A mix of budget and Luxury, typically soloFavorite programs - World of Hyatt, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and American AAdvantageLinks to news discussedMaximizing Hilton Honors 5th Night Free - Joe’s story on mistakePromotions endingEnhanced Alaska Card $95 card offerFrontier Status (actual) MatchEnhanced Bonuses are back from ChaseWhere 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 S

Angie and Joe are off traveling this week, so Mike takes over the podcast with community member Erin Kilpatrick to discuss her “mid-life renaissance” this year which would not have been possible without award travel. Listen to her journey through Ecuador (Galapagos), Uruguay, England/Wales, Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands and Sweden along with future plans in Portugal, Turkiye, Brazil, Germany, and Tunisia.By the Numbers Thus Far4.5 months, 50 hotel award nights, 58 paid nights: (cheap in S. America), 40 other nights free w/ friends/family, volunteer work, 12 award flights, 9 cash flights ($2000)What Erin Has LearnedDiversification! Variety of points and mile currencies.Focus on the more important things in lifeHilton program- 5th night freeChoice Hotels - secret of EuropeAmex uber credits work in Ecuador (USD)Capital One Points- Redeem through Capital One statement credits vs Travel portal.Fringe benefits of the award travel credit cards/statusPriority Pass - Most lounges are great outside the US, even in tin

What happens when you're too loyal to a program - are they loyal back? Angie and Joe discuss developments this week, bonuses they've earned, and prepping for travel.Links to topics discussedPoint.me “Quicklook”Hyatt Elite status shortcut Hyatt Bonus JourneysBuy Frontier Elite 20k statusVenture X Business Miles BonusCapital One changes how to use the $300 portal credit on Venture XDelta MASSIVE (program) devaluationWhere 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 subscript

 Angie and Joe jump on the podcast to discuss news, their newest card/s, trip updates, and to share the key to unlocking so many more miles/points - BUSINESS CARDS. Links to topics discussedThe newest (and second) Capital One Lounge FINALLY opensLimited time increased offer on Hyatt business card but it’s a tiered bonusSouthwest promotion to earn 3x CP points on qualifying flightsTransfer These Points to a Friend or Family Member for just $15Should you buy these CHEAP points?Enhanced Marriott Bonvoy Business Offer - is this going under the radar?How do you get a business card?Amex Business Gold 4x multiplierChase Ink Cash 5x multiplierWhere 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. W

Angie is back with Joe to discuss card offers, news, trip updates, and the answer to whether having so many cards will ruin your credit. Links to topics discussedNew Transfer BonusHow far out do airlines open their schedules?If this guy is switching loyalty, should you?Joe redeemed 153K points worth of Free Night Award certificatesUse tools to identify Premium planes not serving Premium routesTip of the WeekAlec Legg -"A weird tip for those who book partner awards and have trouble booking seats. Try putting the PNR on other airline's "manage booking" tool. I just booked China Airlines through KLM and the China Airlines site wouldn't let me choose seats or even let me pull up my record. I read to try Saudia but that didn't work but I tried Garuda Indonesia and it let me pick my seats!"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

Mike joins Joe to discuss his newest cards, news, and their most recent trip to educate members on how to ramp up their Award Travel game, the "Let's Go Crazy with AT in the TC. Plus is there a Fiesta in-store? Links to topics discussedHilton Business. 130k + FNA. Immediately redeemed it for Niagara Falls.Ink Business Preferred. 50% through min spend. Also got two referral bonuses for a total of 80k. Joe - almost done with Chase Ink Preferred Minimum Spend RequirementNext meetup in San Antonio- Taco 'Bout A Fiesta! Tip of the weekOur Tip of the Week comes from Mike, who's been updating the Award Travel 101 website. For some of the tools we've produced to answer common questions of group members:Transfer Partner Matrix - simple view of which card points transfer to which travel partnersCard Earning Charts - quick view of potential earningsCents Per Point Calculator - how to value point returnsTransfer Bonus Calculator - helps determine exact requirementsLounge Map - custom Google MapsA

Angie and Joe talk about the cards that they carry on a regular basis and how they leverage each of them to maximize their earnings.Link to news discussedAmerican Express makes some changes that most Award Travel 101 members won't be pleased with. What's your take?Finnair announces changes to their rewards program and follow the steps of Qatar in switching to Avios. Does this excite you?Angie - tried to apply for the Charles Schwab American Express Platinum - what caused this plan to fail?Joe - Chase Ink Business Preferred arrived - knocking out his Minimum Spending Requirement easier than expectedWhere 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 automat

 Angie and Joe are back to discuss their most recent card bonuses, some of their favorite card perks, and how Joe managed to combine multiple card offers/discounts plus earn rewards totaling thousands of dollars! Links to news discussedLahina, Maui (Hawaii) #MasterthreadPutting All The Tricks TogetherIncidental CreditsLounge AccessClear - how to access freelyPrecheck/Global Entry Fine Hotel & Resorts (FHR) Platinum CreditRental car status - walked in, skipped lines, had my choice of luxury vehicles for less than $50 per dayUpgrades on AA flightsSouthwest 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 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 se

This week Mike talks to Eric Holly, moderator for the Award Travel 101 community, protector of northern California, Alaska Airlines aficionado and colloquially appointed Certified Pancake Machine Repair Technician (CPMRT). Eric, talks about his start in award travel, reminisces about his most memorable trip and the worst grump he has encountered. He details the “training process” of becoming a CPMRT and fondly remembers his favorite pancake machine location. For travelers who encounter broken pancake machines, Eric offers some practical tips to remedy common issues.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 se

In this episode of Award Travel 101, Joe and Angie explore premium credit card travel protections, highlighting features of the Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X, and Chase Sapphire Reserve . They discuss their preferred cards for travel protections and the nuances of their coverage. For more detailed information, check out our "Master List" of Credit Card Benefits.Links to other news discussedBiltSouthwest PromotionHilton HonorsLifeMilesMarriott BonvoyBask BankWhere 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

In this episode, Joe chats with his wife Jessica, a Special Education Intervention Specialist their recent trip to the Andaz Mayakoba in Mexico and how we navigated various obstacles.Link to topics discussedTips for Managing Credit Score - Know what goes into it - significantTips for Finding Partner Award Availability - what is it, why do I careShould the Ink Preferred be your preferred travel cardHyatt Suite Upgrade Award Milestone Reward 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 li

Angie and Joe share their latest trip updates and sign up bonus bonus acquisitions, including new card offers from Chase, Amex and Barclays. Our highlight segment examines the value of points across various programs using AwardWallet's data, comparing flexible points and airline miles to hotel rewards. Tune in for insights on what points are worth and how to maximize your travel rewards. Links to topics discussedChanges to Citi AA Exec card - increased Annual Fee PLUS fee for Authorized UsersHyatt/MGM - no longer. The "Break-up." The new partner.How AwardWallet calculates value AwardWallet points and mile valuesOur favorite transferrable pointsAmerican Express Membership RewardsCapital One Venture Miles Chase Ultimate RewardsCiti ThankYou PointsWhere 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 t

Mike's joining us LIVE from the Polaris Lounge in Newark (EWR), where he discusses the ways to gain lounge access via cards, status, or class of service.  Joe and Mike also break away from our normal discussion on credit card offers, asking if it's worthwhile to chase or keep top-tier American Airlines status now that benefits that once were only available to Executive Platinum members are now available to all. Is Platinum Pro the new sweetspot?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 o

This week as usual Joe and Angie talk trip updates and the bonuses they received or are working on. Additionally in the highlight feature they discuss their favorite loyalty programs in the following categories:Flexible PointAirlineHotelCar RentalAlso Angie talks about the ever important tactic of "gardening" your reservations. Hotels, flights, car rentals - everything in travel is very dynamic (means ever-changing) right now, and you can likely snag deals by periodically checking over your booked trips for lower prices or last minute award availability.Links to latest news and enhanced offersNew Chase Ink Preferred OfferRefer AwardWallet get points - after years of tracking almost 700 other programs AwardWallet now offers a referral program to earn points and transfers to 7 partnersReal data driven info (DL1 on domestic routes) - 30% Transfer Bonus to BA/IB - use GCMap & FlightConnections to see where this could take you. Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To bo

Joe talks to Angie this week about his trip to Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Italy with his father. Joe has been planning this trip for some time and discussed it extensively in the group.Angie also talks about finalizing her trip to Bali with friends.Finally they discuss the merits and risks of speculatively transferring points.NEWS & ENHANCED OFFERSCurrent Hotel Status Match OpportunitiesWhy I Speculatively Transfer PointsQatar 30% TYP bonus ends 6/308 Steps to Better TravelMini Course in Award TravelWhere 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