Award Travel 101

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 discussed American 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 y...

 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 discussed Lahina, Maui (Hawaii) #Masterthread Putting All The Tricks Together Incidental Credits Lounge Access Clear - how to access freely Precheck/Global Entry   Fine Hot...

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 CP...

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...

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 discussed Tips for Managing Credit Score - Know what goes into it - significant Tips for Finding Partner Award Availability - what is it, why do I care Should the Ink Preferred be your preferred travel...

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.  Li...

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 a...

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 Point Airline Hotel Car Rental Also Angie talks about the ever important tactic of "gardening" your reservations. Hotels, flights, car rentals - everything in travel is...

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 OFFERS Current Hotel...

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 Milestone Marriott 35k free night Boundless Card : Business Card 50k free night Bountiful Card : Bevy Card 85k fre...

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 flexibilit...

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...

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, wh...

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 carrie...

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 Cit...

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...

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 U...

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...

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 an...

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 Award Travel 101 Facebook Community . To b...

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 me...

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 Free...

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...

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 j...

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 AwardWall...