Point Me To First Class

Today we're picking up where we left off last week in our 2025 points recap. In this second part of our year-in-review series, Dr. Andrea Mabry and I continue to break down the travel we actually booked with all those points we earned in 2025.    We're sharing the total value of travel we booked, our average redemption values, and the specific trips we planned—from family vacations to aspirational...

Do you ever wonder what cards other people have, how they use them, and exactly how many points they're earning each year? I'll be honest—I'm nosy when it comes to other people's points, and I love getting a peek inside someone else's points earning strategies. In this first part of a two-part year-in-review series, I've invited Dr. Andrea Mabry back to the show to break down everything that shape...

Have you ever taken a step back and actually evaluated what your points did for you over an entire year? In this episode, I'm inviting you to do your own Year in Points Review—a way to look at how you earned points, how you used them, and whether your approach to earning and redeeming rewards helped you reach your travel goals. I walk through why a year-end points review is worth doing, including...

What really changed in the points and miles world this year—and how should that shape your strategy going forward?   In part two of our 2025 Year in Review, Kelly and I continue breaking down one of the most transformative years we've seen in award travel. Beyond rising annual fees and tightening loyalty programs, this year revealed deeper structural shifts in how airlines price awards, who gets a...

In this episode, we bid farewell to 2025 with a year-in-review analysis of the biggest news, changes, and trends in rewards, credit cards, and award travel over the last 12 months. This episode is part one of a two-part year-in-review series, and I'm joined by Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc, to break down the biggest changes, surprises, and shakeups in the points and award travel world over the l...

Have you ever wondered what exactly goes on behind the scenes in loyalty programs—and what drives executive decisions about what to offer, add, or take away from their members' experience? In this episode, I get to do exactly that. I'm joined by Laurie Blair, Hyatt's Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Loyalty, for a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Hyatt designs a program that travele...

There's a new player in the rewards space, and it's changing what's possible for earning points even if you never open another credit card.  In this episode, I'm joined by Carissa Rawson, Director of Travel and Marketing for Rove, a fast-growing loyalty platform that combines a travel booking portal with an online shopping portal so you can earn transferable miles on hotel stays, flights, and ever...

This week marks the biggest points-earning opportunity of the entire year—especially if you're planning to shop online. While everyone else is focused on Thanksgiving prep, points and miles travelers know this is the week to turn everyday purchases into tens of thousands (or more) of bonus points. In this short and focused episode, I'm sharing my 5-step points-earning prep checklist for holiday sp...

Travel is never just about the destination — it's about what the journey makes possible. In today's episode, we explore how learning to earn and use credit card points isn't just a smart financial decision. It's a pathway to freedom, abundance, and experiences that reflect the life you actually want to live. From upgraded flights to dream hotels, points can turn everyday expenses into extraordinar...

This episode is all about your questions—and real answers. I'm back with another listener Q&A, tackling the points and miles decisions you're actually making right now. From whether it's possible to move points between airline partners to deciding if that old United card still deserves a spot in your wallet, we're covering it all. We'll walk through when to hold or cancel airline cards, how to dec...

Ever look at Google Flights and wonder, "Should I use points for this or just pay cash?" If you've ever felt unsure about which option gives you the best value, this episode is for you. In the final episode of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, I'm joined by Julian Kheel, former editorial director at The Points Guy and senior editor at CNN, now founder of Points Path — a browser extensio...

Do you ever find yourself opening multiple tabs, comparing shopping portal payouts, and trying to figure out which site is going to give you the most rewards for your online shopping — only to give up before you actually earn the points? If that sounds familiar, today's episode is for you. In this Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series episode, I'm joined by Avneesh Kohli, founder of Savewise, a...

Have you ever opened a new credit card for the welcome bonus, only to forget how much you've spent or when the deadline hits? Or maybe you're juggling multiple cards and can't remember which one to use next. In this next episode of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, I'm joined by Zac Hood, founder of Travel Freely, an app that helps you track your credit cards, sign-up bonuses, and annua...

Do you ever forget which credit card to use for a purchase — or worry you're missing out on bonus points and statement credits? It's easy to lose track when every card has different categories, offers, and perks. This episode is part of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, where we're exploring tools and strategies that simplify how you earn and redeem your points and miles. I'm joined by...

Do you think you have to wait until your sixties before you can retire? Maybe not. At least not the way we've been taught. In this episode, I'm joined by Jillian Johnsrud — author, podcast host, and coach — who challenges the idea of a traditional retirement in favor of taking mini retirements throughout your life and career. Jillian never expected to retire early, so she hatched a plan to retire...

Back in June, Chase refreshed its personal Sapphire Reserve card and introduced the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, complete with highest ever annual fees for rewards cards. Not to be outdone, American Express quickly followed with its own updates to the personal and business Platinum Cards. Now that the details are here, it's time to look at what's changed and what it means for cardholders....

If you've been in the points game for years, you've probably noticed how much has changed recently. And if you're newer, you might be wondering if you're already too late. In this episode, I share why I don't believe we're in the "golden age" of award travel right now — but also why points are still incredibly valuable if you know how to adapt. Over the last couple of years, the rules around earni...

You've built up a stash of transferable credit card points. Maybe you've been working hard to optimize your cards, your categories, and your spending. But when it comes time to actually book the flights you've been dreaming about, you hit a wall. You're not alone. For most points travelers, the hardest part isn't earning points — it's redeeming them for the best value. That's why in this episode,...

What does it really look like to transform your travel with credit card points? In this special episode, you'll hear directly from Dr. Faryal Michaud, a past Points Made Easy student who went from feeling confused and frustrated by points to booking over $150,000 worth of award travel. From Qsuites to the Maldives, South Africa, Tahiti, and beyond, she shares the exact turning points that changed...

Think booking through your credit card travel portal is always a mistake? Not so fast. Last week, I shared five reasons why you'll want to avoid making travel bookings through your credit card portal. But that's not the whole story. There are also situations where using your card's travel portal can be the smarter move. In this episode, I'm breaking down the five most compelling reasons to conside...

If there's one thing nearly every points traveler has done at least once, it's book a flight, hotel, or car rental directly through their credit card's online travel portal. With promises of 5x, 8x, even 12x bonus points, it can feel like the obvious choice. But as I share in today's episode, those tempting multipliers often come at a serious cost—and the reasons why may surprise you. In this epis...

In this week's episode, we're re-airing a fan favorite that so many listeners have loved and revisited. If you missed it the first time, or just need a refresher, this is one you don't want to skip. I love discussing discrete award travel topics like individual rewards credit cards and how best to leverage them, or the specific airlines and hotels that offer the best value for points. But today, I...

If a $595 annual fee premium credit card hits the market, should it automatically earn a place in your wallet? In this episode, I take a detailed look at Citi's newest addition to the transferable points landscape: the Citi Strata Elite Card. From its standard 80,000-point welcome bonus to the elevated 100,000-point offer available through certain channels, we'll walk through exactly what you get...

If you've ever been confused about airport lounge access—what counts, what's changed, and what's still worth it—you're not alone. In this episode, I welcome back guest Traci Siegel for an updated look at lounge access using rewards credit cards in 2025. We unpack the biggest changes to credit card lounge access this year, including new restrictions on who gets in and when. From premium travel card...

If you've ever hesitated before transferring points—or wondered if a redemption was "good enough"—this is the episode you've been waiting for. In this conversation with Greg Davis-Kean (a.k.a. Frequent Miler), we unpack how to think more strategically about the value of your points. Whether you're sitting on a big stash or navigating your first transfer, you'll hear expert insight into when to red...