Award Travel 101

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year.  Recent finds include:OW Business Class to New Zealand for 50KRT to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 40KRT Premium Economy to Europe for 56KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekCharlie Hagadorn a feature in the paid version of seats.aero one of the award search tools called rooms.aero saves big bucks!NewsElevated American Express Business Platinum offerMr. & Mrs. Smith is now bookable with Hyatt pointsLufthansa First class bookable with LifeMilesNew rules/laws/protectionsTrip updatesAngieReturn flight from IndiaUpdating Southwest CompanionJoeNew Hilton on Clearwater - may use Free Night AwardWhat bonuses did we get?AngieAuthorized User card offersHilton Free Night Awards have been depositedJoeWorking on 10X bonus on Business Gold for 14XHighlight Feature: Nice to Meetcha!We just returned from our meetup in San Antonio for Fiesta. There were over 150 Award Travel 101 and members from the Award Travel 201 communities in attendance. Speakers:Justin Vacula (Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast) blew everybody’s minds with creative ways to hit minimum spend and earn status (Podcast Episode 43)Toni Perkins-Southam (Forbes Advisor) shared deals over the years as well as the one most important aspects of the Award Travel (Podcast Episode 51)Logan Robinson (Aligned Incentives) discussed how to simplify meeting minimum spendsRyan Smith (AwardWallet) shared some under-the-radar card perks and benefits (Podcast Episode 48)Several of the Chicago Seminars' organizers were there to share updates AND a nice discount for attendees (Podcast Episode 64)Tip of the weekAngie's story to check what cards are saved in your Uber/Lyft wallets.Chase Sapphire ReserveChase Freedom Flex Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Recent finds include:Business Class to Paris for 40KPremium Economy to Taipei for $1,994 R/TBusiness class to Seoul on Korean (Rare find) for 75KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekAndrew “Bacon” Goodman - Disney for $375 INCLUDING PARK TICKETS!?NewsHilton/Small Luxury Hotels (Updates)Choice Sweet Spots New Citi AAdvantage Business offerTrip updatesJoeGirl's night & Boy's night without spending $675!What bonuses did we get?AngieTwo Free Hilton NightsJoe20K Referral14X spend Amex Business GoldAlmost done with wife's Citi AAdvantage CardHighlight Feature: 20 Largest Hotel Chains & the Six We're Focusing OnWe came across an interesting diagram ranking the top 20 hotel programs throughout the world.  Do you know which is largest?Some are less familiar, so we ranked the six we most frequently discuss in the Award Travel 101 Facebook community:#2 Wyndham - 9,280 Properties from Days Inn all the way up to Wyndham Grand. #3 Marriott- One of the largest footprints with 8,484 properties a wide range of price points from Springhill Suites up to Ritz Carlton and St. Regis luxury hotels. #6 Choice - with 7,500 properties domestically, Choice is not known for being great. They start with low level properties like Comfort Inn’s and Quality Inn’s but  their Ascend and Cambria properties look great.#7 Hilton - counting 7,165 properties in their portfolio, Hilton is similar to Marriott with a fairly sizable footprint with a wide range of price points from Hampton Inn to Waldorf Astoria.#8 IHG - With 1,000 less (6,164) properties, another one that families on a budget may opt for is Holiday Inn Express and their tasty cinnamon rolls. IHG starts with Holiday Inn’s and has upper level Kimptons.#16 Hyatt - With 1,200 properties (Hyatt says 1,300+ today), World of Hyatt is markedly smaller. They start at Hyatt Place and their flagship properties fall under Park Hyatt. TIP OF THE WEEK:Have a good backup plan for using your credit cards. Tune in to hear Angie's fail.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Business Class to Switzerland for 60KJapan for 55K R/TBusiness Class to Europe starting at 45KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekJennifer Jacobs - A tale of caution - vacation club/time-share presentationsNewsAwardWallet’s Roundup of Airline and Hotel Program Sweet SpotsOne Credit Card Issuer Just Increased Its Global Entry Benefit. Will Others Follow?Credit Card Welcome Offers of 100,000 Points (or More!)What bonuses did we get?JackieEnhanced United Business card welcome offerJTSpending toward World of Hyatt card Free Night Award and elite night creditsWyndham Business Card - how will this be maximized (hint: Angie and I discussed this last week)JoeReferral from Amex Business Gold - why is that so important (14X Dining)?Tip for Double dipping this referral in Award Travel 201 (must be a member - $90 per year & includes AwardWallet Plus)Received 2nd Hyatt Cat 1-4 certificate and swapped out a two night stay at a Category 4 peak night pricing (from this card) to get 36,000 points backHighlight Feature: The Most Powerful Tool in Award TravelHow does one weed out the noise to find what's most useful for your Award Travel strategies?  In-person events will provide opportunities for attendees to speak with and listen to experts in the field which help fine-tune their strategies. We encourage you to attend, engage, explore, learn, and ask questions.In the podcast, I mentioned that early on, I didn't know how to complete a minimum spend. Here are some tips that might help you avoid that same situation. Had I attended an event back then, I would have understood my options.To learn more:14th Annual Chicago SeminarsTaco 'Bout a FiestaTip of the weekMake the most out of schedule changes. Hear how all three of us have used these recently to improve our schedules and/or save in the process.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Business Class to Europe for 59K pointsBusiness Class to Colombia for 64K miles R/TR/T to St. Kitts for $431You can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekPenina Olar - My husband and I are considering a trip to Asia this summer. When is the best time book with points? My husband wants to fly business class but it’s showing the miles to be at 200K per person for one way. Will the price come down if I book closer to our trip? Most likely going in June.NewsZorkcast Episode of “Yo 11 Minutes” 70 - status matchingComplete Guide to Wells Fargo Transfer PartnersAir India Refreshes it’s Flying Returns ProgramIberia Plus Bonus: New Milestone RewardsApplication Fee Is Going up for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, Kids Will Be FreeWhat bonuses did we get?AngieWhere's my 20K point checking account bonus?JoeAlaska Business CardAlaska Consumer CardTrip updatesAngieModified India trip - 3 separate carriers on 3 different ticketsDomestic flights used Business Platinum portal to get 35% points backJoeChicago Seminars flights 7K out & 11.4K back. Hotel (16K WOH) bookedTampa Dad/Son trip using 50K Breeze and 28K Southwest points plus WOHBooked GH Tokyo using 95K + Suite Upgrade Award $1,200 per night ($3,600)Highlight Feature: Strategy - When to Close CardsThanks to a recommendation from a member, we decided to review when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.Is there long-term value?Are the benefits enough to offset the annual fee?If not, is there a retention offer?If no offer, is there a path t0 product change to preserve the credit line to help with utilization ratioIf there's no path to product change, consider closing the card as long as it’s not the oldest cardIf no annual fee, no reason to close. However, sometimes it helps if you close some no fee cards with no value. This was something one of our moderators did to get a Capital One card. If you’re not using them though, put a small charge on them periodically.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Business Class to Hawaii for 31KFrench Polynesia for 40K R/TOne-way Business class to Paris for 40KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekNew Mod, Anthony Cave - fly to Australia for $100News8 New Airlines Just Joined PreCheck. Here’s A List of All 99 TSA PreCheck Participating Airlines— Iberia is the biggie hereChase Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Card Priority Pass Benefit Change: No More Restaurants or MarketsYou Can Now Redeem Choice Privileges Points Online at Preferred HotelsAmex Hilton Honors Business Card Shakeup: Priority Pass Out, Spending Credits In, Higher Annual FeeChicago Seminars 2024 Dates and New Location Just AnnouncedWhat bonuses did we get?AngieHilton Biz cards to get Free Night Award before 6/30JoeCiti AAdvantage 75K welcome offerProduct changed my Citi AAdvantage Platinum to Citi Custom CashMet $15K spend on World of HyattTrip updatesAngieMontana girls golf trip - Companion PassChicago Seminars. Using Hyatt points (8k per night) plus a FNC from brand explorerI’m going to India!JoeCarambola Renaissance Marriott Bonvoy - see my review hereHighlight Feature: How You Doing — Quarter One ReviewAngie -Free cruises - Wyndham Business CardSpending for all the Free Night CertificatesClosing cards that are causing too much workIn the home stretch of the house process so new cards and trips second quarterWas gifted AA Gold and upgraded Barclay’s Red to SilverBoundless to another Ritz?Joe - AA status - Just 1/10th of the way return to Executive PlatinumHyatt Status - 23/60 nights so far (just 4 from stays)Marriott Status - 54/50 nights via shortcutWyndham points - enough to book Vacasa for 2025Just two welcome offers so far, but I have more planned for Q2Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Mike returns to discuss his journey down under to skip his 40th birthday. I also share some tips on how I put my trip together to join him for just 52 hours on the ground.The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Round-trip to Paris for 38K milesBusiness Class to Vietnam "Nerd Alert" for 40K milesOne-way Business to England/Ireland for 45K pointsYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumNewsUnited Mile PoolingUpdated Ink Cash BonusBilt - American & AlaskaTrack Travel Plans with AwardWalletWhat bonuses did we get?Mike -Chase Ink CashAmex Business CheckingTrip updatesJoeRebooked Southwest - saved how many points?Rebooked Car rental in Caribbean to save $130Backup Flights to Protect optionsHighlight Feature: Points Down UnderMike shares how he created a memorable trip to celebrate his 40th turn around the sun. I spent 52 hours there too. Both of us flew American and United's longest routes in opposite directions.Mike - Birthday bucket list trip to AustraliaAA Flagship to LAXGreenwich Lounge JFK (former Flagship)Dream Hollywood (1 night) - Hyatt Cat 1-7 cert1 day National car rental $60Warner Brothers Studio Tour (Viator)AA Flagship to SYDQantas F Lounge (salt & pepper squid, minute steak)Flagship LoungeHyatt Regency Sydney (4 nights)Upgraded to Harbour View Executive SuiteBondi Beach, Ocean Pools, Coastal WalkHunter Valley Wine Tour (Viator)Blue Mountains Tour, Scenic World & Featherdale Animal Park (Viator)Park Hyatt (4 nights)Harbour View King room Opera House viewBridge ClimbOpera House TourManly BeachSt. Patrick's Day festivitiesUnited Polaris SYD-IAH-CLEJoe - Quick turn to SYD 56 hours of travel and 52 hours on the ground5 lounges in IAHPolaris 80K (now 100K) UA + $26Train $14 each way to CBD and Circular (Key) QuayFour Seasons FHR bookingLots of LoungesAA - bit of fiasco 65K + $80Tip of the weekPeople/community make the difference (getting my seat back). I shared a more in-depth piece in our Premium/Paid Award Travel 201 Community.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

In this episode, I interview a long-time friend, who was hesitant to open up credit cards for fear of ruining his credit and overspending. Tune-in to hear how he overcame that fear and is now booking his first international business class flights! These aren't the typical domestic carriers a newer Award Traveler might book either (American, Delta, or United).The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Round-trip Business class to Faroe Islands for under $1,100Business class to S.E. Asia for 50,000 milesPuerto Vallarta & Cabo San Lucas, Mexico under $294You can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 60 Show NotesPOINT.ME  DISCOUNT OFFERIf you didn't catch our LIVE interview Thursday evening (3/14/2024) with co-founder, Tiffany Funk, she's offered the Award Travel 101 community 50% off annual subscriptions of point.me for a limited time. Full Details:Code: AWARDTRAVEL101Offer: 50% off a yearly standard subscription (not redeemable for monthly)Expires: 3/31/24 at 11:59pm ESTThere are so many new tools you can use to search for award space, but the one that provides the most robust options is point.me, and it's one of the two tools I rely on to assist in my daily searches. So if you want to try point.me and SAVE 50% on your next year of Award Searches, use the code listed above. Highlight Feature: Booking Your First International Business Class FlightWelcome to Episode 60 of the AT101 Podcast! My co-host, Angie Sparks is off, AND I was traveling to Australia for the most crazy journey I've done to this point, but I thought I’d introduce Tod this week, so we recorded this episode ahead of my travels. Tod is a longtime friend, but he hasn’t always been as excited about award travel as many of us have been. He’s the perfect example of someone who didn’t believe in the power of credit card rewards, yet has come to embrace them as a tool to do more with less.In our highlight feature, we’ll discuss his growth and how he’s managed to book his first international (overseas) trip to Manilla, Philippines (in business class) and how he’s booking airlines that he would never have expected to be flying just a few short months ago (like Qatar’s QSuites or EVA lie-flat business class) - all from credit card reward programs and a willingness to branch out. Tip of the weekStacking rewards programs can be useful - like getting Grocery store/fuel rewards in addition to your cards that earn category bonuses.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Business Class to Europe 55K pointsRound-trip to Mexico/Caribbean for 10K milesRound-trip to Zanzibar for $885You can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekLee VC - Amex is going crazy!NewsNew Rewards coming from Wells FargoWorld of Hyatt’s Annual Sadness-Inducing Award Changes Announced World of Hyatt Adds the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las VegasWyndham Rewards Is Adjusting Award Prices for Hotel Stays and Vacasa BookingsIt’s Back: Best-Ever 75K Bonus Offer on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® CardNew Hilton Credit Card Offers Provide up to 155,000 PointsTrip updatesAngie - still nothing newJoeReturn from AustraliaEurope/Rome - canceled Waldorf Astoria?Return from St. CroixCanceled Back up Spring Break tripWhat bonuses did we get?AngieAlaska offer hasn't posted yetWyndham Business and Venture X Business haveJoeExtreme Stacking - PS5 for $81Cardpointers will help so you don’t miss an offer ever again Highlight Feature: Finding Award SpaceFlexibility in types of points available, dates of travel, and airline routings. Start your search with your preferred airline, then expand your search out to partner airlines, and compare points needed.point.meseats.aeroroame.travelOTHER TOOLS include - AwardLogic, Awayz,  AwardNexus, SeatSpy, maxmypoint, openhotelalert to make your search easier or award alert services such as our partner Thrifty Traveler Premium. Do practice searches to improve your searching skills.Step-By-Step: How to Search for Award FlightsAT101 Transfer Partner ChartTip of the week100 days out for booking Choice Privileges Rewards, but…Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year.  Recent finds include:Round-trip to Mexico for 11K pointsBusiness Class to Southeast Asia for 50K milesBusiness class to Europe for 55K milesYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium Join us for Ask Me Anything LIVE Event with Tiffany FunkNew group of modsPost of the WeekWill Weider - long lines at LAS CenturionNewsWhen and How You Can Book Award Flights for Friends and FamilyIncreased Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Offers: Up to 185K Points or 5 Free NightsGet Access to Hidden Award Space with United Credit CardsWorld of Hyatt’s Annual Sadness-Inducing Award Changes AnnouncedLittle-Known Southwest Credit Card Perk: 20% Off Discount Code for Southwest Reward FlightsTRIP UPDATES? Angie - nothing newJoe - Virgin IslandsRebooked GH Seoul again thanks to a member's suggestionWHAT BONUSES DID WE GET? Angie - Alaska card and Venture X Business Joe- Ink Preferred. 20K Frontier MilesHighlight Feature - Maximizing Spend for the Most RewardsCards to use and where - idea is to build a portfolio/family of cards that return more value. Get CardPointers and SAVE:http://cardpointers.com/at101Never earn only one point per dollar ever again:TravelGasGroceryDiningUtilitiesOffice Supply & Communications belowStreamingPharmacyHealth/GymEverywhereTip of the Week Book now, ask questions later. My buddy's how a friend nearly lost his optimal booking.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Business Class to Europe for 50K pointsTapei for 75K milesBusiness class to Hawaii for $582You can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekXochitl Sierra Hernandez - What would you do if placed in this situation?NewsEtihad Guest ChangesAwards to Book Before They're GoneCapital One to Purchase Discover?American Airlines Trip updatesAngieSafari cancellation Beach day in MayJoeSydney, Australia - How I used a Credit Card Perk/BenefitChase Travel Portal Booking - Does it make sense?$573 savingsChoice Points for HUGE savings - should you buy them?Flexibility vs paying lessHyatt Points, but a catch?What bonuses did we get?AngieWyndham BusinessAlaska CardVenture X BusinessJoeChase InkBarclays AAdvantageHighlight feature: Let’s Get Crafty - Crafting a Credit Card StrategyThe basic strategy is the same for every situation. Do you have a Player Two?Evaluate any upcoming trips or desired tripsScenario 1: Two player mode, both people can get business cardsNumber one recommended starter cardBest business cardsSpecific branded cards5/24 StatusScenario 2: Two player mode, only one person can get business cardsSimilar to Scenario 1 but you can’t refer each other on business cardsScenario 3: Two player mode, no business cardsThis is when looking long term is very importantScenario 4: Single player mode, no business cardThis is the most challenging way to play the game. Tip of the weekAn Award Travel 101 member who goes by FindFlightsforMe on IG - how to buy Flying Blue miles (for less).Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Starlux Business Class to Taipei for 75K milesBusiness Class to South America for 39K pointsRoundtrip to Hawaii for under $500You can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumHow did your passion for travel begin?"I used to watch planes from the airport. I would ask my mom where each plane was going, and she would make up a place. 🤣"Why? Most teens are not into learning about travel rewards programsLike many in the space, it started with saving money.Favorite airline, hotel, credit card programs (and does status play a role in any of your travels)?Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate RewardsWhere are you heading next?Queenstown, NZStudy abroad in JapanTravel Style -Mostly economy. Best deal you’ve received?San Francisco (SFO) to Lisbon (LIS) for $300 round tripSFO to LIS that was only $90Highlight Feature - Different Ways to Approach Budget TravelSchedule changesFrontier 50K/PlatinumSpirit GoldTicket counter bookings Southwest A-ListDelta SkyMilesSouthwestAmericanVirgin AtlanticKLM nonstop and VirginVirgin offers an underrated companion fareBritish AirwaysSolid amount of award space from Vegas - high surcharges. Other Things to KnowFrontier 100K/Diamondfree checked, carry-on bag, early boarding, and other perksJetBlue True Blue Southwest Rapid RewardsUnited Aeroplan awards under 500 miles Lifemiles Turkish - used to be 7.5K, but is now 10K for economy. Business was 12.5K, but is now 15K per personAmerican - last minute awardsBritish Airways - see the updated award chartEtihad Guest - starts at 6K for awards under under 500 milesDelta - CompareVirgin Atlantic - start at 8.5K - see updated chartFlying Blue - Where to Find JohnJohn is active in the Award Travel 101/201 community and writes for Bougie Miles. To reach him:john.ryan@fora.travel@vegasteenager on twitterWhere To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

 The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Recent finds include:Qatar First Class "Nerd Alert" to Australia for 100,000 pointsJetBlue Mint to London, England for $1,856 round-tripBusiness Class to Paris for 50,000 milesYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium Marianne Michalek Shovan - Why is my car rental more expensive with Amex Discount Code than without?NewsAir France–KLM Flying Blue Award Sweet SpotsAmex Adds ‘Family’ Restrictions to the American Express® Green CardBook Now: Turkish Airlines to Devalue Miles & Smiles, Introduce New Award Charts683 United Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 6,000 Aeroplan PointsTrip updatesAngienothing new (again)JoeUsed 5.5K Virgin miles (per person) to fly Seoul to Jeju Island on Korean (KE) saving over $310 each way. It totaled 13,000 points total for 3 of us (16,5000 with 30% speculative transfer bonus) each way.  25,385 Membership Rewards converted to 33,000 Virgin Flying Club Points to save $620 on our travels.Should I use points or cash for Hyatt hotels in S. Korea?Applied Suite Upgrade Awards to Grand Hyatt Jeju and Grand Hyatt SeoulWhat bonuses did we get?AngieWaiting for Wyndham offer to post.Waiting for Amex Business checking bonus.Approved for Bank of America Alaska cardP2 not denied for Venture X BusinessSo putting spend on 0% apr cards for right nowJoeNearly done with Player Two's Chase Ink Business Preferred offerWorking on World of Hyatt Business card to retain elite statusHighlight feature: Transferable Over Fixed PointsBack to Basics: An Introduction to the Types of Reward PointsFixed Value RewardsCashbackTravel StatementWhen to UseTravel PortalsFixed-Value Airline MilesBranded Airline Miles and Hotel PointsFlexible AwardsAT101 Transfer Partner ChartTip of the weekBe flexible with your card strategy and don’t take denials personally. It happens to everybody at some point in this hobby so be prepared to pivot to a new card or your existing portfolio.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:ANA First Class "NERD ALERT" for 73KBusiness Class for $2,627 round-trip to IndiaBusiness Class to Istanbul and beyond for 45KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the WeekZee Stacy received a 1099 from Chase and was quite concerned. Is this normal?NewsDelta card changes - are the changes all bad?Marriott promo - promo runs February 13 - April 29Trip UpdatesAngieBoys trip?Montana?Canada or San Diego?Slovenia and CroatiaMikeNew Orleans - used World of Hyatt points and AAdvantage milesPancake Run canceledAustralia!Work travel - Capital One Vs Centurion Lounge.What bonuses did we get?AngieWyndham Rewards Business Earner - Denied Capital One Venture X Business and P2 got Amex popup (meaning no welcome offer) on Amex Business GoldCould the Bank of America Alaska card do the trick? If not I’ll use my 0% APR cards and my Amex Hilton Business to earn a FNC for my upcoming large spendMikeAmex Business Checking - Capital One Venture X - Chase Ink Cash - always a perennial favorite in the Award Travel 101 communityNext card… Bonvoy Brilliant?Highlight feature: Getting Player Two (P2) Into Award TravelWhat is a P2? Do you have to be married?Keep it simple! Mike started card labeling for P2 and she still struggled, so now strategy is KISS (Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Ink Unlimited)Keep P2 in the loopSet a dollar thresholdTeach shopping portalsSuggestions from our P2’s: “tell me which card to use”Tip of the weekMarry a P1 (kidding). Shopping portal strategy for valentines day presents. Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:Round-trip business class to Japan for $1,925 (or 125,000 points)Business class to Hawaii for 55,000 milesBusiness class to Germany for 55,000 pointsYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium.Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 53 Show NotesWe're changing up this week's format, with our very first member interview. Award Travel 101 community member Allison Tackette joins us with tips she's learned over 10 years in the space.BackgroundAllison is a former teacher who wanted to get out and see the world, but her time off in the summer often resulted in finding peak season pricing. Travel CAN be expensive if you're always paying cash, but pushing people to the brink helps them get creative!Introduction to travel rewards and loyalty programsIs it as simple as asking how to travel for free? In 2013, information was far more scarce than it is today. Now we have tons of resources and the Award Travel 101 Facebook community where you can ask questions and get instant answers.  Places You Could Return Over and OverWhile she enjoys traveling the world, check out why she thinks Japan is the place she could never lose interest in.Travel styleAllison travels primarily as a solo traveler, but she does travel with family on occasion too.DealsIs there anything better than First Class for your first significant redemption? Can you believe that the redemption she made years and years ago, is still the same cost today?Highlight Feature - Can I book travel inside 60 days (or less)?Which programs offer you the greatest flexibility? Use these to set yourself up and keep looking as you get close-in. Some of the most aspirational flights and airlines might be found inside 14 days or less including:LufthansaANAJALEmiratesNot airline specific, but unsold business/first flights to Australia and New Zealand often open up around a week out.Tip of the weekUse tools like seats.aero or point.me to simplify your searches. Check out Episode 19 "The Tools We Use" Where  You Can Find AllisonInstagram: @luckytictacawardtravelvacations.comWhere To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:Business Class to Europe for 55K pointsPremium Economy to Singapore for $1,249 R/TBusiness Class to Portugal for 45K milesYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekBeth Hanes Product changing gone wrong - Why does Chase hate me?John Buchan - Is there an over-emphasis on the Chase Ink sign ups?NewsAlaska cancels 20% of their flightsUnited Offers (Outrageous) Premier Elite Status Buy-Up OffersNew Alaska Consumer & Business cards as well as  Hyatt Consumer & Business offersDid Marriott just #Bonvoy MGMNew Lounge opening - who can get in?Trip updatesAngie -Tulip girls coming to Tampa for GasparillaKeeps checking for flights to "Taco 'Bout a Fiesta" San Antonio meetupLooking at flights for Montana-would love to piggyback a trip with P2P2 mentioned he’d love to do a cruiseJoe -Booked a trip to Japan and Korea trip as a result of a “missed” Thrifty Traveler Premium alert that retails for $31K for less than $250What bonuses did we get?AngieFinished Minimum Spending Requirement (MSR) on Ink CashApplied for Wyndham Business and eventually approved approved! JoeFinished MSR on the Wyndham Business Earner cardShared a tip on how I plan to get 25% off an $1,800 purchaseP2 -100K Ink Preferred40K referralHighlight feature: Strategies for Building Healthy Credit and Better OffersGuide to Building Healthy CreditCredit Card StrategyApplication Rules of 4 Major IssuersTip of the weekDon’t sleep on lesser known partner programs. I provided an example of how you can use Etihad Guest miles for less in Award Travel 201. FULL DISCLOSURE - it is a subscription group, and runs from $9.99 monthly to $89.99 annually AND provides complimentary AwardWallet Plus.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:Delta One Business Class to Europe for 50K pointsCathay Pacific First class to SE Asia starting at 125K pointsBusiness Class to Hawaii 40K pointsYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumAward Travel 101 Podcast Episode 51 Show NotesJoe is joined by the most frequent guest of the podcast, Toni Perkins-Southam. Many of you may remember Toni as the longest-running Award Travel 101 moderator and community admin. Toni spent almost five years in the community (two years as a community manager) before taking a position with Forbes Advisor. Toni shares how she got her start writing with AwardWallet and continued her journey. Are you interested in writing about travel topics too? Fill out this form to put in your application.Award Travel 101 from 2017–2022: Longest active mod/admin2020–2022 craziness2022 and beyondFear of Flying Season 1 Episode 4 + Season 2 Episode 13updates?Paul Borish Traveler's PsychWhat you’ve been up to since leavingTripsFavorite placesWishlistNew CardsFavorite award currenciesHow you’re earning points todayWelcome offers/sign-up bonusesBuyer's groupsShortcutsTaco ‘Bout A Fiesta: PresentersToni Perkins-SouthamRyan SmithJustin VaculaTip of the weekIf you are already going crazy, might as well do it someplace cool!Where To Find Toni@tonisoutham on InstagramToni Perkins-Southam Forbes advisor profiletperkins@forbesadvisor.comWhere To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:Business Class to Ireland for 50,000 pointsAruba in Mint (lie-flat) for 35,000 pointsBusiness Class to Spain for 34,000 milesYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekEither Tom Coumaris - disappearing in-room coffee makers. How do you get your morning brew?NewsUpdates on the 737-Max9 - is it safe?Top 10 Card offers of 2024DONT MISS OUT ON THE 90,000 ENHANCED INK OFFERS BEFORE THEY EXPIRE - 7AM on 1/18/2024Now Live - Hyatt Milestone Rewards Offer Expanded Choices This YearThe Best Business Class Award Sweet Spots for Flights to EuropeTrip updatesAngie - Focusing more on earning right now while preparing for a moveJoe -Decided against NZ. Trying to figure out a winter get-away.What bonuses did we get?Angie - Working on Minimum Spend Requirement on Ink Cash. Considering a Venture X Business.Joe - Barclays Wyndham Business card arrived - why did I get this card?Highlight feature: 2023 Trip RecapsAngie: 12 new cards (6 and 6) 8 biz, 4 personalSUB (Sign Up Bonuses/Welcome Offers) = 1,435K pointsReferrals = 390KOne checking account bonus for P1 (Player one - her husband)Points used = 1,200K with net increase of 575K points.Doesn’t include normal spend. Loads of Southwest flights and used several Free Night AwardJoe: 14 new cards (10 P1 & 4 P2), 43 totalSUBs = 1,476K + HH FNAReferrals = 500K100K from spend100K from shopping portals$8K in annual fees - $1,500 positive in perks vs annual feesSaves me around $2,700Tip of the weekIt's a new year,  with new credits. We mentioned this back in Episode 45, so use all your credits and perks. Don’t wait!Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:Round-trip to Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, etc...) starting at 68,000 pointsBusiness class to Switzerland for 50,000 pointsRound-trip to Punta Cana for 16,000 milesYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium.Post of the week Ira Serkes  asks, "How many trips do you take each year, and what is your longest trip in 2023?"NewsBook Hilton Free Night Awards via ChatAmex Adds Family Language to Marriott cardsChanges to Bilt Rewards StatusTrip updatesAngieCan you believe that she only has one trip planned?JoeStayed at the Ritz Carlton for New Year's EveNZ with help from seats.aeroWhat bonuses did we get?AngieJust received the bonus for an Amex Business PlatinumWorking toward an Chase Ink Business card bonusJoeFailed NLL application Barclay's Wyndham Business card (for opportunities like this)Upgraded to Bonvoy BrilliantTransferred 200K Amex MR to Virgin Atlantic with 30% BonusHighlight feature: 2024 (Award Travel) ResolutionsAngie -Update and use all/more features of Award WalletClean up Google PhotosClean up multiple email accountsCreate a spreadsheet of all my cardsExplore casino matching for free cruisesJoe - Here are some other things I need to work onCiti/Barclays AA companion certs - never use(4) UA Club passes - making sure to use(2) Gold monthly Dining credits - I rarely use these(2) Amex Platinum Streaming credits with only one in use and (4) Walmart Plus subscription credits with one in useTip of the weekTake some time to look at all the cards and ensure you’re using all of your credits and benefits and see if your strategy should be tweaked.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:R/T Business class to Lima for $1,620R/T Emirates Business class to Milan for 108KO/W Business class to Australia/New Zealand for 63KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium.The Award Travel 101 Community needs your helpIf you have an interest in applying, we're looking for a few good moderators. You'll hear Ryan discuss how he got his start in this episode, so to get more information, check out our application form here.Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 48 Show Notes To provide listeners with more depth, we've included some questions and answers we didn't have time to explore further in the podcast episode. You can also check out the day Ryan completed the journey here.Background -How did your passion for travel begin?When did you start chasing countries (and how long has it taken)?Why?Introduction to travel rewards/loyalty programs -Do you remember when you realized the power of Award Travel?First Credit Card? How many cards do you pick up every year? Any cards you’re working on bonuses for right now?Favorite airline, hotel, credit card programs (and does status play a role in any of your travels)? This has evolved with needs. I’ll give a few examples, but also Hyatt and Marriott status, no airline status, losing Hilton statusHighlights - Off the beaten pathIs there a place that blew you away that would surprise listeners? Where would be the first place you’d return? Is there somewhere you believe once was more than enough and you’d never return?Where are you heading next?Travel Style Solo/Family/Couple?Slow/fast?Economy/Business/First?DealsPandemic pricing was incredible. As travel was rebounding, we booked everything we could before prices exploded. How best can podcast listeners follow in your footsteps or is that even possible today?More than one passport? US and BrazilIs it possible to do this on an US Passport? With the exception of North Korea, yes, but there are delays with some visasTip of the weekDon’t forget to reprice your bookings. This saves us a ton of money and points every year.Where To Find RyanTo follow Ryan throughout his travels, you can find him on X (Twitter) at @RyanSmithTravelWhere To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

 Welcome back to the Award Travel 101 Podcast — from the original Facebook community created for miles and points enthusiasts. Angie, Allison, and Joe jump on the pod to share the 100K Member Celebration Winner, their newest cards, trip updates, and to bring you an Airing of (2023) Grievances! Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details. Recent finds include:Business class to Hawaii for 31KBusiness class to Tokyo for 60KBusiness class to Europe for 32KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium.Post of the weekWe polled the Award Travel 101 community to see which of the 25 Program Devaluations hit you the hardest.NewsThe Grand Prize Winner for our 100K Member CelebrationTrip updatesAngie - nothingAllison - getting ready for GasparillaJoe - What to do about Australia - it’s only 90 days away. Is it worth doing for two days?What bonuses did we get?Angie - Business Platinum, Bank Bonus, and Ink UnlimitedAllison - nothingJoe - Business Platinum, but maybe another Business Platinum too?Highlight feature: Festivus Airing of Grievances 2023Festivus was created as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas holiday season. The sitcom Seinfeld put their own spin on it, including the airing of the grievances, which consists of each person lashing out at others and the world about how they have been disappointed in the past year. "I got a lotta problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!" We’ve had a lot of negative changes in the Award Travel world in 2023 (25 to be exact), but here are the program updates that impacted the community most: MGM and Hyatt announce Breakup British Airways Hikes Avios Awards on American and Alaska & United Makes Major Award Chart Devaluation Citi Executive Card Changes (Higher fee, reduced AU benefit)To see the full list of all 25 Program Changes, check out the AwardWallet Blog at 7PM Eastern/4PM Pacific.Tip of the WeekDon’t procrastinate. As you can see from our review of 2023, things change all the time!! Earn and Burn baby!Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community