Point Me To First Class

Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc, is a returning guest on the podcast, and she has a wealth of knowledge to share on the Capital One transferable points currency. I recently started focusing on Capital One in my own points strategy, so we have a ton to discuss.   Tune in this week to learn everything you need to know about the world of Capital One. We give you an overview of all the Capital One rew...

Doing a points check-in is the best possible way to recalibrate and course correct while there's still plenty of time left in the year. This means getting clear on every aspect of your points world, including your current points balances, credit card welcome bonuses, loyalty program status, and estimating your upcoming spend.   Whether you're brand new to points and miles or a seasoned pro, tune i...

Do you need a profitable business to apply for business credit cards? If your P2 has been repeatedly rejected for new card applications, how do you get them accepted? In this listener Q&A episode, we dive into a variety of topics related to optimizing your credit card strategy, whether you're just getting started in the points and miles game or looking to take your earnings to the next level.   Le...

One of the most rewarding ways to get the most value from your points is booking sweet spot awards. These awards represent unique opportunities to book incredible flights at points prices that are a steal, but in order to take advantage of these sweet spots, you have to know what you're looking for. That's where award travel expert Allison Tackette comes in. She has been booking points and miles s...

Dr. Niki Topp is a board-certified OB/GYN who is now retired from clinical practice. After moving to South Africa 8 years ago, her career focus switched toward philanthropy and opening her own small business. She is also the founder and director of a non-profit called Ithemba Ngemfundo, which focuses on improving early education in the townships of South Africa.   Through her travel business Wande...

Is it possible to book four or more business class award tickets on the same flight? You might think it's outright impossible to get a deal like this, but in my experience, you have more options than you think. When you know what you're looking for and you have a strategy for getting it, you increase your chances of finding what you want. That's exactly what we're covering in part two of this seri...

In the world of points travel, you're probably familiar with the concept of a unicorn award. These are flights so rare they might as well be magical, mythical creatures because your chances of seeing one are slim to non-existent. Award flights, especially long-haul business class award flights, are not all created equal in terms of how easy they are to find and book. Premium cabin award flights ar...

Getting value from points comes down to two simple things: earning points (ideally as many as possible for the money you're spending) and using points (ideally as few as possible for any given award), so you can take more trips, save more money, and have more travel options available. It's time to dive deep into a simple approach for part one of the points-travel cycle: earning points.   Discover...

Whether it's sipping champagne in first class, watching the sunset in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives, or enjoying access to the best first-class airport lounges, there are some aspirational redemptions that always seem to get the most attention from points enthusiasts. But before you can turn your travel dreams into reality using points, you need to first uncover what your unique wish list...

If you have a high monthly credit card spend and want to leverage these expenses to earn even more points, this episode is for you. Signup bonuses are the easiest way to earn a huge points return for every dollar spent, but what I'm sharing today allows you to expand upon this strategy, sometimes with relatively little effort, and earn more points without needing to take out new cards and rely on...

Kevin Zanes has a background in data science and analytics that he now uses to scour award programs for the best points deals. So on today's show, we're talking math, data, and how these two things help you land the most amazing points deals.   Tune in this week to discover how data can get you the best value for your points. Kevin is using data and technology to dispel common myths of the award t...

Dr. Laura Jana is an Omaha-based pediatrician, social entrepreneur, and award-winning children/parenting book author. From early literacy advocate and 9-year owner of a 200-student educational childcare center to advisor to Mattel, Primrose Schools, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, she is dedicated to addressing the most pressing needs of children, families, and communities...

Today, I'm joined by my friend, points-earning expert Dr. Andrea Mabry. She's here to show you exactly how to earn points by paying off your student loans or by paying for your kid's education. This is taking one of your biggest expenses and leveraging it to earn more points, and Andrea's here to show us how to make this part of a financially responsible points strategy.   Discover how to earn ton...

Miraval Resort is an all-inclusive, adults-only health and wellness resort that started in Tucson, Arizona, and has expanded to Austin, Texas, and The Berkshires, Massachusetts. Each location is different but has the same signature approach to wellness. So how do you know what to expect at the different locations and choose which one is right for you? That's exactly what we're diving into today.  ...

Lindsay Bradley started her points and miles journey in 2011 but didn't get into extensive points travel until meeting her P2. After marrying in 2018, they took off to travel the world, doing mini retirements on points and miles. Lindsay has visited 77 countries on all seven continents and has redeemed over $300,000 worth of travel with credit card rewards.   Tune in this week to discover some uni...

For this conversation about how we think about ourselves in relation to money, I'm joined by one of the most brilliant women that I know, Kara Loewentheil. Kara is the Founder of The School of New Feminist Thought and creator of The Feminist Self Help Society, host of the top-rated podcast UnF*ck Your Brain, and author of the upcoming book Take Back Your Brain.   Tune in this week for a unique ins...

Earning transferable points is key to unlocking some of the best possible deals on flights and hotel stays. But which of the points currency ecosystems best suits your specific needs? Well, there's a newbie in the transferable points currency family: the Bilt points ecosystem, and it might just be the one for you. To help me explore the Bilt points world, I'm joined by Dr. Suzanne Manzi.   Dr. Suz...

The points hobby has changed massively over the years. We have more points-earning cards, higher sign-up bonus offers, and rewards programs themselves are becoming more innovative. But on the other hand, we've also seen some less positive changes, like more restrictions around acquiring rewards credit cards, stricter eligibility rules, and limitations on how many cards you can hold at once.   Disc...

Right now in April 2024, there's a unique points opportunity that I've taken advantage of every year for the past few years, but nobody seems to be talking about it. Despite my strong inclination to keep it to myself, I'm sharing it with you this week just in case you can make use of it for yourself. This points-earning opportunity isn't for everybody, but it could open up some truly fantastic awa...

Dr. Lisha Taylor is a wealth strategist, "doctorpreneur," professional writer, and podcaster, advocating for physician wellness through financial literacy. As a Board Certified Primary Care Sports Physician, she's also the co-founder of Wealth Minded MD, a company and podcast that empowers women in medicine to build wealth and create the lives they desire.   Initially, Dr. Taylor navigated the com...

If you're serious about points, you should have access to at least one of the major transferable points currencies. But how do you know which of the transferable currencies you should focus on? This week, I'm joined by Dr. Sujatha Murali, and we're diving deep into one transferable points currency: the world of Chase Cards and their Ultimate Rewards Points.   We're discussing the Chase points-earn...

Tune in to today's update on paying taxes with a credit card to hear how this annual expense can play a crucial role in your points strategy. If you're a high-earning employed professional or a self-employed business owner, your tax expenses offer an enormous points-earning opportunity.   Discover whether it makes sense for you to pay your taxes by credit card, how to strategize the best points ea...

Dr. Erika Moseson is a Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Physician in Portland, Oregon. She's also the host of the Air Health Our Health podcast, about the air we breathe and how it impacts our environment and communities. Erika loves travel, but she's also concerned about the climate implications of the travel industry and wants to explore how we can experience the benefits of travel while red...

Points travel is possible for everyone, even a family of five or more. To discuss the ways families can maximize their points, I'm joined by Dr. Susan Zink. Susan is a psychiatrist with three children who has managed to get some amazing deals that meet her family's travel needs, and she's here to share her tips for family travel using points.   Discover some of the challenges related to reward tra...

Have you ever felt like you were doing points "wrong" because you aren't booking the same kinds of high-value redemptions that you see other people posting about? If you're scared of wasting your points so you just don't use them to book travel, despite having hundreds of thousands of points saved up, you are not alone.   This week, discover how to calculate exactly how much value you're getting f...