Award Travel 101

Allison and Mike are on this week to talk a bit about Taylor Swift and how to earn free night certificates (FNC) from the 4 big hotel brands.Hyatt  Category 1-4 free night from World of Hyatt Card, Brand Explorer or 30-Night Milestone.Category 1-7 or A-D free night from 60-Night MilestoneMarriott35k free night Boundless Card: Business Card50k free night Bountiful Card: Bevy Card85k free night Brilliant Card: Ritz Carlton CardHiltonUncapped Free Night Cerificate from Hilton Aspire Card, Hilton Surpass Card, Hilton Business CardIHGIHG Premier Card and IHG Premier Business CardLinks to additional news and enhanced offersMarriott Bonvoy Increased Card OffersNew AA Upgrade PolicyPlaza Premium Lounges Rejoining Priority PassWyndham Status MatchWe also say goodbye to moderator Jerod Morales who is moving on to a new opportunityWhere 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 b

In this episode, we discuss common mistakes travelers make in the points and miles game. Key pitfalls include buying or transferring points from family members, overusing apps without fully understanding the rules, prioritizing airline or program-specific awards over flexible currencies, incurring late charges by not keeping track of due dates, booking travel without considering program flexibility, and chasing elite status without considering the true and opportunity costs involved.Links to news and offersEnhanced United offer - the good & the badBask Bank (up to) 20K AA Bonus - never before have they offered anything like thisUse AW to track FNA (Free Night Awards) - just a reminderFlying Blue promo - 25% transfer bonus ends 6/17Qatar Privilege Club promo - 30% transfer bonus ends 6/30What you didn't knowHow many times can I change the name for my Companion Pass with Southwest?Where to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on

In this episode, we start with our "Post of the Week," where Mike Zaccheo shares exciting news about the new Chase Sapphire Lounge in Boston and the upcoming eight lounges, along with the entrance rules for these lounges. This development adds some renewed value to the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) card, which had recently lost some of its appeal.In the news, we discuss reports of Chase shifting credit limits without member approval and Chase Ink cards appearing on personal credit reports, sparking concerns among cardholders.Our main feature highlights the various tools we use to search for award flights, including In-person meetups, Expertflyer, Point.me, Roame.travel, Flight Connections, Straight to the Points, Thrifty Traveler Premium, FlightRadar24, Flightaware, Wikipedia, Google Flights, Open Hotel Alert, Stay With Points, MaxMyPoint, and Awayz.Finally, in "What You Didn't Know," we cover which airlines offer a one-month calendar search for award flights, including United, Delta,

In this episode we discuss an epic trip from Award Travel 101 member Inga who shared her recent experience visiting Iran, despite a Level 4 travel advisory.In news and offers, we discuss increased Southwest offers with a 30% discount, a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic, and how to gain Frontier status with a rewards card. For trip updates, Angie is dealing with a termite invasion at home, while Joe recounts his recent travels to Atlanta and Chicago, highlighting the rewards and card benefits he leveraged, including free breakfasts, upgraded flights, and substantial point redemptions.Our "What Bonuses Did We Get?" segment where Joe shares his frustration with not being able to charge a planned travel expense to his Amex Biz Gold. The main feature focuses on credit cards that can help earn status with major airlines and hotel chains like American AAdvantage, Delta Skymiles, United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, Hyatt World of Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy.Final

This week's episode dives into a lively discussion from our group post of the week: Reva humorously asks if anyone needs a "free husband" after her own husband cashed in all their points to pay a bill! We explore what you would do in this situation and if there's any way to recover those points. Our main feature dives deep into planning Round-The-World (RTW) trips using carriers like Asia Miles, ANA, Aeroplan, and British Airways, highlighting key rules, segment limitations, and unique program idiosyncrasies. Lastly, in our "What You Didn't Know" segment, we offer a tip on avoiding cancellation fees: check if there’s been a schedule change that allows for a free cancellation or consider changing the ticket to a different date, as all carriers have different policies regarding schedule changes.Links to news and offersCiti 25% transfer bonus to Flying Blue through 6/17Amex Hilton cards all have enhanced offersUnited Increases the cost of AwardsPurchase Lifemiles for 1.32 cents

In this podcast episode, Award Travel 101 community manager Allison Caraway shares her journey into travel and loyalty programs, discussing her experiences traveling with family, her favorite programs, and her ongoing plans for a trip to Singapore and Bali with friends she met through the community.The "Question of the Week" comes from Eric, who asks about maximizing bonuses on his Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card without closing it. The hosts discuss Citi's product change rules and options, such as the AA MileUp, Double Cash, Custom Cash, and Rewards+ cards, each offering different earning strategies. Allison shares her own success using Citi points for a Turkish Business class flight.Trip updates are shared, with Allison's plans including visits to several baseball stadiums, Belize, Minneapolis, Bali, and more. Joe discusses his recent bookings, including a premium suite with Hyatt points, flights with Delta Skymiles and Southwest Rapid Rewards, and using expiring Marriott and Hyatt

In this podcast episode, the "Post of the Week" focuses on Award Travel 101 group member Maggie's engaging post asking about best card for Grocery spend. The overwhelming consensus among members favored the American Express Gold Card, but other popular options included the Citi Premier, Chase Freedom Flex (during certain quarters), Citi Custom Cash, Amex Blue Cash Preferred, and more, each offering various rewards rates and benefits.The episode highlights the benefits of attending Award Travel meetups, such as our recent one in Cleveland where you can network, learn new strategies, and discover exclusive tips not widely shared. They also mention Rakuten is having it’s "Big Give Week", a promotion for high shopping portal bonuses, encouraging listeners to stay informed about such deals through their community.Links to news and offersEnhanced Ultimate Reward points on our most recommended beginner cardCapital One Venture One zero annual fee cardHow to earn elite status with credit cards

In this podcast episode, Joe and Mike discuss various topics related to award travel and recent promotions. They feature a trip report by Award Travel 101 member Nicole, who shares how she creatively used expiring Marriott Free Night Awards along with other points and miles for a trip to trip to New Zealand.They also cover news such as Hyatt's acquisition of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a recent United Polaris booking frenzy which prompted trips to Australia.Additionally, the hosts recap their recent travels, including Mike's family trip to the Grand Canyon, and preview future trips. Lastly Joe details his experience at the results of the Freddie Awards, celebrating standout performers in travel loyalty programs, with Marriott and Aeroplan receiving top honors across several categories. See more in the Award Travel 101 Community. Awards UsedMarriott Free Night Award certificate.55K Alaska miles +$51 per person 65K AA miles + $47.27 per person (one card bonus could net those miles)Links to news and offersMa

Angie and Joe dive into a topic raised in post by Award Travel 101 member, Scott "How often do y’all apply for a new credit card?" They discuss the importance of timing when applying for cards to maximize rewards and avoid negatively impacting credit scores. Angie and Joe share their personal strategies, including considering factors like credit score impact, sign-up bonuses, spending requirements, and how often they apply for new cards to stay within a safe range. They also explore the pros and cons of applying for multiple cards within a short period versus spacing out applications.Links to news and offersHow to Book Emirates 1st ClassNew (and enhanced) Chase Sapphire Preferred Welcome Offer. See why we recommend this card so highly.New Choice SweetspotsApplication RulesWhere 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 a

In this episode Angie and Joe discuss strategies for leveraging their elite status across different loyalty programs. They share tips on how to maximize benefits by matching status from one program to another and how to navigate the process effectively. They also provide insights into their personal experiences, discussing the value of elite status in travel, hotels, and casinos. Links to news and offersMarriott Online Transfer toolCiti AA Personal CardANA cuts fuel surcharges by 40%-(Angie not familiar with ANA, Joe?)Wyndham Vacation Rental Condos in the US Bookable for Just 7,500 Points Per Night25% Transfer Bonus from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Air France/KLM Flying Blue and 30% Transfer Bonus When Transferring American Express Membership Rewards to Hilton Honors through May 15Joe's Atlantic City status match "merry-go-round" 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

This week Joe celebrates his 3 year anniversary leading the Award Travel 101  community. He talks with group moderator Mike Zaccheo about his background, passion for aviation, affinity for spreadsheets and his tips  for being based near small non-hub airports. Moral of the story is when in doubt, chart it out and never fear a layover!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 Podcast/Community when you signup for

This week Angie and Joe discuss Award Travel 101 member Jessie's post about having a hard time parting with points. Jessie says she has plenty but the award space she needs are overpriced due to peak dates. Weighing using points for non-ideal redemptions verses earning them on cash tickets can stresses us out! However as we and often our kids get older we would like to try and make as many memories as possible so sometimes less than ideal redemptions might be for the best.Angie is also finally back from her long awaited, much reschedule African safari trip so she discusses the highs, lows, things to do differently and how to use points on a $$$$ trip.Lounge Hopping and Flying KLMTarangire National Park and more from TanzaniaNgongoro Crater, Ndutu Plains, Game Drive, SerengetiZanzibar & Bush PlanePark Hyatt ZanzibarQSuites for the return homeWrap-up (How everything was booked)Links to news and offersAre you eligible for a business card?What if you're not approved?How did Angie accidentally earn t

In this episode's highlight, we meet Jerod Morales, a seasoned travel rewards expert, to discuss his journey into the world of loyalty programs, starting with his first card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Jerod shares insights on using rewards to offset the high costs of family travel, recounting a memorable experience of booking a Business Class flight for six on Singapore Airlines’ 5th Freedom route from Houston to Manchester. He discusses his preferred travel style and favorite programs, including Ultimate Rewards, World of Hyatt, British Airways, and Southwest Rapid Rewards. Jerod also reveals his upcoming travel plans and shares valuable tips for saving, such as using T-Mobile for international travel and clearing U.S. customs in Dublin, which is especially helpful when traveling with family.Links to news and offersDetails Of New Chase “Sapphire Terrace” At Austin AirportWhat are the new 5X Freedom categories? Bask raises Increases interest rate payout on savings accounts again! Brex Rewards devalua

In this episode's main feature, we meet Jackie Wisniewski, one of the standout moderators in the travel community. We dive into her background and how she became a key figure in the group, sharing stories about how her and Joe first met and some of her memorable travel highlights. Jackie discusses her preferred travel style, her favorite loyalty programs, and her personal preference between window and aisle seats. She also shares her favorite booking experiences and her strengths in navigating the travel rewards world. Jackie wraps up by revealing her upcoming travel plans and what she's most excited about for these future adventures.Lastly Jackie shares her favorite tip... build your network.Links to news and offersBest way to fly lie-flat AA First Class domestically3/1 is reset day for American Airlines status. See how to re-earn AAdvantage status.Hyatt category changes - 214 up 158 down.United Business CardWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our t

Our favorite 90,000 point offer is ending soon. Get yours NOW!In this episode Joe talks to AwardWallet editor-in-chief JT Genter. JT is a seasoned expert in travel rewards, known for his deep understanding of maximizing points and miles. With a background rooted in a passion for exploring the world, JT loves traveling in comfort and style, often seeking out unique experiences that enhance his journeys. His favorite programs include those that offer versatile reward options and exceptional value, such as American Airlines AAdvantage and Hyatt's World of Hyatt. Known for his strategic approach and knowledge of the industry, JT's strengths lie in his ability to find sweet spots in loyalty programs and craft memorable travel experiences. Currently, JT has several exciting trips booked, including a much-anticipated journey to Japan and a luxury escape in the Maldives, both of which he's eagerly looking forward to for their cultural richness and relaxation opportunities.NEWS & ENHANCED OFFERSComp

In this episode, we address a listener's question on the pros and cons of booking through Avianca versus Air Canada, discuss recent developments in travel rewards including Korean Air’s brief award chart changes, and share valuable sweet spots with Etihad Guest and Citi Transfer Bonuses. We highlight the latest Hyatt promo for earning bonus points and emphasize the benefits of using AwardWallet to track loyalty programs. The episode also features trip updates from Angie and Joe, and underscores the importance of meetups for enhancing travel knowledge and building connections within the Award Travel communityLinks to news and offers Korean Air - announced & suspended award chart changes in short periodEtihad Guest - alluded to this last episode - before that happens, AT101 moderator Jerod Morales shares some of the sweet spots Citi Transfer Bonus - Hyatt Promo & Status Shortcut- World of Hyatt members can earn 3,000 Bonus Points for every two eligible nights, up to 30 nightsShould you be using Awa

This week's discussion includes tips on earning sign-up bonuses with limited spending for those looking to accumulate points for Singapore travel. Members shared what they collect on their travels and how they display them.News highlights include Virgin Red Cruises offering awards for just over one card bonus, potential changes in Aeroplan and Etihad Guest programs, and Marriott Bonvoy's upcoming shift to fully variable award pricing. There's also concern over American Airlines' removal of traditional "Saver" award charts. The community shared their recent bonus earnings and trip updates, including cancellations and new bookings. The main feature explores when it's time to let go of a credit card, and the Q&A addresses whether to book flights immediately or wait for potential price drops.Links to news and offersVirgin Red Cruises for just over One Card Bonus Award Travel 101 community member, Ashleigh Sch, booked75K Venture Rewards - who should get this?Aeroplan PYB - 1.

This week Joe and Angie detail 8 steps to better award travel.Build Healthy CreditTransferrable Over Fixed PointsStart With ChaseExpand to Other BanksAmexCitiCapital OneBusiness CardsMaximize SpendFinding Award SpaceUtilize Card BenefitsLinks to news discussedSouthwest Points and Companion PassBask Bank Interest Increases rates (Is it better than AAdvantage miles)Delta co-branded cards 15% off Ink LTOs (who knows when that'll expire?)90K Members in AT101Where 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% discou

Angie and Joe talk about creating memories through trips big and small. Angie is planning an African Safari (and making several rebookings) while Joe is taking a summer trip to Croatia with his almost 80 year old dad. Recently he also took a trip to Florida with daughter Links to news discussedAlaska Devalues award program Amex Centurion Lounges limited to cardholder -IHG 175K Card Offer - Ink 90K Choice Hotels -  getting 2 Choice points for 1 Citi ThankYou Point AND booking awards (up to suites) all for the price of a standard award.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 ev

In this episode, we discuss Angie's upcoming trip to South Africa, how she booked (and rebooked), and the 5 Steps we use to find award flights:Google FlightsSearching the Airline websiteUsing/checking the AT101 Transfer MatrixSearching partner airlinesSearching Credit Card portalsWhere 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 next card!