Takeoff: A Points and Miles Podcast by 10xTravel

Still need to book flights for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's? Don't panic! Last-minute holiday travel can be challenging, but the right points and miles strategies can help you find available flights without overspending.✈️ Try 10xTravel+ free for one month: Use promo code PODCASTOn this episode, Travis and Lovan break down how to book last-minute flights with points and miles, even when prices are high and your preferred award seats are hard to find. They're sharing practical ways to expand your search, compare booking options, and decide when paying cash actually makes the most sense.In this episode, you'll learn: How to find last-minute holiday flights with points and miles Why flexible travel dates can unlock better award availability The potential benefits of flying on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day How nearby departure and arrival airports can expand your options When to pay cash instead of redeeming points How to compare travel portal bookings with airline award tickets How booking flights through airline partners can save miles Why booking a backup flight and checking again closer to departure can pay off How to decide when a higher-than-usual points redemption is still worthwhile Whether you're booking a flight home to see family or looking for a holiday getaway, these strategies can help you find opportunities you might otherwise miss! Stay Connected:Join our Community: 10xTravel InsidersFollow us on Instagram: @10xTravelblogWatch this and every episode of Takeoff on YouTube: @10xTravelSubscribe for more tips on travel, points, and miles! Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which 10xTravel will earn an affiliate commission. 10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Chapters (00:00:00) - Last-Minute Holiday Travel(00:04:00) - How Late Is Too Late to Book Holiday Travel?(00:05:15) - Managing Expectations for Award Availability(00:10:30) - The Holiday Flight Search Playbook(00:11:00) - Finding Better Flights with Flexible Dates and Airports(00:16:00) - Rethinking Your Destination to Find More Award Flights(00:17:45) - Cash vs. Points: How to Choose the Best Booking Option(00:21:30) - Booking Through Airline Partners and Finding Backup Flights(00:25:00) - Last-Minute Holiday Travel Tips(00:29:45) - The Rules of Holiday Award Travel(00:33:30) - Join 10xTravel+ for Award Alerts(00:35:00) - Take the 15-Minute Holiday Search Challenge

Flying Blue just changed its award pricing, and there's a lot to unpack. In this episode of Takeoff, Travis and Lovan break down what changed with Flying Blue award tickets, what the new fare types include, and what it all means if you're planning to use Flying Blue miles for Air France or KLM flights. ✈️ Try 10xTravel+ free for one month: Use promo code PODCAST  In the episode, Lovan and Travis share what partner booking looks like, and walk through a workaround that could help you book Air France flights for significantly fewer miles and much lower taxes and fees by using Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles instead.  The episode covers:• The 2026 changes to Flying Blue award tickets• The difference between Light, Standard, and Flex awards• What's included at each level• How to effectively book with Flying Blue partners Instructions for How to Book Your Air France Flight With Japan Airlines (JAL) Over the Phone: Have passport info ready for every traveler before you call. Expect 30+ minutes and multiple ID checks. Call 800-525-3663 (JAL US reservations, 7am to 6pm CT). Choose English, then press 5 for award bookings. Enter your JAL Mileage Bank number and 6-digit phone PIN (not your website password). Forgot it? Press 3#. Ask the agent: "Can you check Air France business class award space using JAL miles?" Give them your exact route, dates, and flight numbers if you have them from JAL's site. Confirm availability before transferring any points. Once confirmed, stay on the line during the transfer so the agent can verify it landed. If they try to charge a phone booking fee, push back. Website errors aren't on you, and agents usually waive it. Resources mentioned in the episode:• seats.aero Stay Connected:Join our Community: 10xTravel InsidersFollow us on Instagram: @10xTravelblogWatch this and every episode of Takeoff on YouTube: @10xTravelSubscribe for more tips on travel, points, and miles! Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which 10xTravel will earn an affiliate commission. 10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Chapters (00:00:00) - Flying Blue Awards Changing(00:00:22) - Episode Introduction: Flying Blue Changes(00:01:15) - Past Flying Blue Bookings(00:03:25) - Light, Standard, Flex Explained(00:06:19) - Why It Feels Worse(00:07:38) - What Still Stays Same(00:09:43) - Why We Loved Flying Blue(00:13:21) - The JAL Workaround(00:13:37) - Partner Awards Explained(00:19:38) - Search Dates Free Method(00:21:42) - Using Seats.Aero Faster(00:25:16) - Booking on JAL Site Phone Call(00:28:11) - Wrap Up and Next Steps

Takeoff is back! After a summer break, Travis Cormier is joined by Lovan Edwards as the recurring co-host for a new chapter of the podcast. And to kick things off, they’re tackling 10 of the most frequently asked questions in points and miles.~ What points should you earn for a specific destination?~ Which points currency should you focus on?~ Will opening more credit cards hurt your credit?~ And how do you know which card to apply for next?Travis and Lovan are answering these questions and more! Join My10x: Manage your points and miles in one place ✈️ Try 10xTravel+ free for one month: Use promo code PODCAST In the episode, they're getting into the realities of last-minute award travel, whether you should use points for flights or hotels, how transfer partners work, and what to know before relying on award search tools. Plus, they discuss how to keep track of your points, cards, annual fees, and benefits without turning your points and miles hobby into a second job.Whether you're brand new to points and miles or you've been earning rewards for years, this episode tackles some of the questions that come up again and again. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Lovan's First Episode Award Booking Service Free Course Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet Stay Connected:Join our Community: 10xTravel InsidersFollow us on Instagram: @10xTravelblogWatch this and every episode of Takeoff on YouTube: @10xTravelSubscribe for more tips on travel, points, and miles! Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which 10xTravel will earn an affiliate commission. 10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Chapters (00:00:00) - Top Points Questions(00:00:24) - Meet The New Co-Host(00:03:40) - What Points Should I Earn?(00:06:43) - Best Points Currency(00:11:27) - Will This Hurt My Credit?(00:15:37) - Picking Your Next Card(00:18:57) - Can I Book In Two Months?(00:22:22) - Hotels Or Flights(00:24:59) - Transfer Partners Explained(00:27:06) - Best Award Search Tools(00:31:56) - Tracking Points And Accounts(00:34:05) - To Keep Or Close Cards(00:36:35) - Wrap Up And Next Steps

We’re wrapping up the summer with the final episode from the archives, but this isn’t the end of the journey. On September 23, Takeoff: A Points & Miles Podcast by 10xTravel returns with something new, including a few exciting changes to the show!Join My10x: Manage your points and miles in one placeBefore we get there, we’re revisiting past conversations with 10xTravel's Lovan Edwards, a frequent traveler who has a unique perspective on making points and miles work as part of everyday life. In the episode, Lovan shares his thoughts on a range of topics, from booking unique travel (like an African safari) to why he never checks bags on his flights.Learn from this travel pro, and stay tuned for what's coming next here on Takeoff!Original Episodes From This Episode: Ep. 67 - 2025 Points & Miles Recap: Top Trends from the 10xTravel Community Ep. 66 - Essential Travel Gear We Never Fly Without (Featuring Lovan Edwards) Ep. 58 - How to Book an African Safari with Points & Miles featuring 10xTravel’s Lovan Edwards Stay Connected:Join our Community: 10xTravel InsidersFollow us on Instagram: @10xTravelblogWatch this and every episode of Takeoff on YouTube: @10xTravelSubscribe for more tips on travel, points, and miles! Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which 10xTravel will earn an affiliate commission. 10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Do you know how many points and miles you actually have? Not just in your favorite airline or hotel program, but across all of your cards, airlines, hotels, and bank accounts. And more importantly, do you know roughly what all those points are worth?In this episode, Travis digs into a problem that even experienced points and miles enthusiasts run into: having plenty of knowledge about the hobby, but not having a clear picture of what you already have. Drawing from four years of Takeoff conversations, the episode explores why spreadsheets become difficult to maintain, how keeping track of points can create unexpected mental load, and why not knowing your balances can affect everything from credit card decisions to booking trips.The conversation also gets into a less obvious problem: what happens when you have hundreds of thousands of points but hesitate to spend them because watching the balance drop feels like a loss.And eventually, the team reveals what they built to help you see your points balances, upcoming annual fees, card recommendations, and past redemptions in one place.Join My10x: Manage your points and miles in one place10xTravel+: Upgrade your travel by becoming a member todayOriginal Episodes From This Episode: Ep. 41- 2024 in Review: Points Wins, Mistakes, and 2025 Goals Ep. 45 - Travel Smarter: How the My10x Redemption Tracker Transforms Points & Miles Management Ep. 50 - Points & Miles Unfiltered: Our Most Controversial Hot Takes Ep. 52 - Are Points and Miles Losing Value? Real Talk with the 10x Team Ep. 77 - The New 10xTravel+: Award Alerts, Tools & Community Stay Connected:Join our Community: 10xTravel InsidersFollow us on Instagram: @10xTravelblogWatch this and every episode of Takeoff on YouTube: @10xTravelSubscribe for more tips on travel, points, and miles! Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which 10xTravel will earn an affiliate commission. 10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.