Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Learn how to find award availability for hard-to-book business class flights and hotels using your points and miles to travel. Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss how to find availability for hard-to-book award flights and hotels to help you get more value from your points and miles when you travel. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including American Express’ plans to open and expand Centurion Lounges in Newark, London, Houston and Philadelphia, American Airlines’ largest-ever Admirals Club lounge coming to Charlotte, expiring credit card transfer bonuses to Marriott Bonvoy, Flying Blue and Japan Airlines, the first-ever Encanto stage show aboard the upcoming Disney Believe cruise ship, Expedia’s 2027 travel trends report, and a reminder to join the waitlist for Smart Travel IRL, the show’s first in-person meetup in New York.  Then, joined by NerdWallet lead travel writer Craig Joseph, they discuss how to land hard-to-get award seats and hotel rooms, with tips and tricks on using award search tools and alerts to catch availability when it opens up, when booking far in advance or close to departure could pay off, and how flexible dates, positioning flights and speculative bookings could help you score aspirational redemptions. Join Sally and Meghan for a night of live Q&A, games (hint: brush up on those obscure travel credit card benefits), and mingling with fellow travelers! The drinks are on us. And yes, there are prizes, courtesy of some of the travel brands you already use. Meet other locals who love traveling with points and miles. RSVP required. Let us know if you’re coming and we’ll save you a spot. https://partiful.com/e/OOSMfQpFw9PPNn4Cat0H Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards World of Hyatt Card Review: Lavish Benefits, Reasonable Cost Atmos Rewards Summit Card: Perks as Rare as They Are Valuable American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits Resources discussed in this episode: Smart Travel IRL: A meetup for travel and credit card nerds American Express Continues to Expand the Centurion Lounge Network with Its Largest Lounge Yet, Further Strengthening its Presence in New York and London Premium travel with a touch of southern charm: American announces its largest Admirals Club lounge in Charlotte Current Credit Card Transfer Bonuses: October 2026 Disney Believe Updates: New Disney Cruise Ship Sailing in Late 2027 Unpack ’27: The Trends in Travel Atmos Rewards Adds New Ways to Earn, Plus Seats and Lounges First Look: United’s Most Premium Plane With Polaris Studios Flagship Suite seats are the new first: American Airlines unveils its premium-configured Boeing 777-300ER Bilt Rewards Adds Japan Airlines as a Transfer Partner The Best Award Travel Search Tools Seats.aero Award Search Review: A Go-To for Expert Travelers PointsYeah Award Search Review: A Great Tool for Points Collectors Gondola Review: My Favorite Hotel Award Search Tool Hyatt’s New Award Chart Raises Points Prices for Most Nights Bilt to Reduce Hyatt Transfer Ratio to 4:3 in 2027 How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2026? Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how to use award travel search tools like Seats.aero to find flights you can book with points and miles. Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to search for award flights across dozens of airline loyalty programs to help you get more value from your credit card points and miles. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Bilt joining Chase in cutting its World of Hyatt transfer ratio, a new premium IHG card from Chase and changes to the rest of the IHG card lineup, elevated welcome offers on United credit cards, the Lyft app launching in Europe. Then, joined by Ian Carroll, founder of Seats.aero, Meghan Coyle discusses how award search tools work and how to find hard-to-get award seats, with tips and tricks on when airlines tend to release award availability, how flexible dates and destinations could unlock better redemptions, and how to weigh taxes and fees and spot phantom availability before you transfer points. Join Sally and Meghan for a night of live Q&A, games (hint: brush up on those obscure travel credit card benefits), and mingling with fellow travelers! The drinks are on us. And yes, there are prizes, courtesy of some of the travel brands you already use. Meet other locals who love traveling with points and miles. RSVP required. Let us know if you’re coming and we’ll save you a spot. https://partiful.com/e/OOSMfQpFw9PPNn4Cat0H Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Dear Bilt Palladium: You’re Welcome to Move in, but You Won’t Pay the Rent Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card IHG One Rewards Premier Review: Free Nights on a Gold Platter IHG One Rewards Card Review: Plentiful Points, No Annual Fee IHG One Rewards Premier Business Card: Elite Status and Baller Welcome Bonus United Explorer: Richer Rewards, Perks You’ll Actually Use United Gateway Card Review: A No-Annual-Fee Ticket to Airline Miles United Quest Card: Piles of Perks and Credits, $350 Annual Fee United Club Infinite Review: $695 Fee May Still Lure Lounge Lovers American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits Resources discussed in this episode: Smart Travel IRL: A meetup for travel and credit card nerds Bilt to Reduce Hyatt Transfer Ratio to 4:3 in 2027 Is the New IHG Premium Card Worth Its $350 Fee? Best Credit Card Bonuses for New Cardholders Seats.aero Award Search Review: A Go-To for Expert Travelers How to Calculate the Cent-Per-Point Value for Travel Redemptions Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how to book your first flight with points and miles, and how to tell whether an award flight is a good deal. Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss the basics of booking flights with points and miles to help you turn a stash of rewards into your next trip. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including a new Atmos Rewards option that lets members choose how they earn points, upcoming Bank of America points transfers to Atmos, Bilt adding Amtrak as a transfer partner, a planned Chase Sapphire Lounge in Seattle, a new American Airlines and STARLUX codeshare partnership, and details on Smart Travel IRL, the show's first in-person meetup. Then, they discuss how beginners can book flights with points and miles, with tips and tricks on figuring out what your points are actually worth, using award search tools to find availability across airlines, and knowing when it could make sense to transfer credit card points to an airline partner. Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here. Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Atmos Rewards Business Card Review: More Value for the Most Loyal Resources discussed in this episode: Atmos Rewards Adds New Ways to Earn, Plus Seats and Lounges Bilt Adds Amtrak as a Transfer Partner at a 2:1 Ratio Exclusive: Chase Plans A 16,000-Square Foot Sapphire Lounge At Seattle Airport American Airlines and STARLUX Airlines launch codeshare partnership to expand trans-Pacific flight options Smart Travel IRL: A meetup for travel and credit card nerds How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2026? Credit Card Transfer Partners At A Glance  When Chase’s Points Boost Makes Sense For Business Class Flights The Best Award Travel Search Tool for 2026 Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.   The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how to audit a wallet full of credit cards and decide which annual fees are actually worth paying. Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss how to assess a wallet full of credit cards to help you figure out which ones are actually working for you. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including a doubled hotel credit and a new ad-spend cap on the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, fresh offers on the Chase Sapphire Reserve, a Las Vegas hotel and entertainment sale, and a new price-drop alert feature from Going. Then, joined by listener Tiffany Leung, a small business owner and competitive powerlifter, they discuss how to turn ten open credit cards into one coherent strategy, with tips and tricks on matching bonus categories to the way you really spend, weighing whether an airline card earns its annual fee when your home airport limits your options, and thinking through when closing a card could make sense and when keeping it open could help your credit. Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here. Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Review: Big Perks, Bigger Fee Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards Chase Freedom Flex Review: Multiple Bonus Rewards Wrapped in One Card Chase Freedom Unlimited Review: A Potential One-Card Solution Chase Ink Business Cash Review: Low Caps, But High Rewards Citi Strata Credit Card Review: Solid Rewards for No Annual Fee Costco Anywhere Visa Review: Bulked-Up Savings for Members Costco Business Card: Is It Worth It? 5 Key Things to Know World of Hyatt Card Review: Lavish Benefits, Reasonable Cost United Explorer: Richer Rewards, Perks You'll Actually Use Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Review: Modest Perks, Big Bonus Capital One Venture Business: New Name, Same Easy Rewards Capital One Venture X Business: A Premium Business Travel Card Worth the Annual Fee American Express Gold Card Review: Friendly for Foodies, Families Bilt Obsidian Card: Fine for Foodies, Complex for Housing Resources discussed in this episode: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Doubles Hotel Credit Chase Sapphire Reserve Increases DoorDash Credit, Unveils Travel Offers Chase 5% Bonus Categories, Q4 2026: Grocery Stores, Dining, American Red Cross Citi Adds Japan Airlines as Its Newest Transfer Partner New AmEx Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam Only for Flyers Departing Schengen Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Things to Do, Restaurants, Guides & Maps Sin City on a Budget: 8 Ways To Save on Your Next Trip to Vegas Professional Deal Finder Reveals Truth About Cheap Airfare How to Calculate Your Credit Utilization Ratio How Many Credit Cards Should You Have? Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.   The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the Hacks podcast host Chris Hutchins reveals his tricks for finding hidden discounts and getting real value out of points and miles — without the headache. Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss practical strategies for earning and redeeming points and miles to help you book the trips you actually want. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the refreshed Chase Air Canada Aeroplan card and its higher annual fee, Hyatt ending its American Airlines partnership in favor of Delta, and the limited-time offers Chase rolled out for the Chase Sapphire Reserve's 10th anniversary. Then, joined by Chris Hutchins, host of the All the Hacks podcast, they discuss how to get real value out of points and miles without turning the hobby into a second job, with tips and tricks on how many rewards cards one person could reasonably carry, why booking an inconvenient award flight early could still land you the itinerary you wanted, and the hidden discounts that could make a cash booking cheaper than an award booking. Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mEvFsa0x3ZlcHNrebvp3zYoA8UGfATY_MOOzZ_FyAzs/edit  Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Chase Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card: You're Permanently Elite  Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card American Express Gold Card Review: Friendly for Foodies, Families American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits AmEx Business Platinum Card: High Fee Pays Off for Big-Spending Travelers Hilton Honors Aspire Review: Rich Rewards, Luxury Perks for a Price Southwest Priority Card Review: So-So Perks for the Price 5 Things to Know About the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite Credit Card Resources discussed in this episode: The Guide to Air Canada Aeroplan What Is the Value of Air Canada Aeroplan Points? Aeroplan Credit Card Boosts Annual Fee to $195, Adjusts Rewards and Perks Hyatt Is Ditching American Airlines For Delta Partnership American Airlines-Hyatt Reciprocal Rewards for Elite Members Chase Enhances DoorDash Perks for Multiple Credit Cards Chase Sapphire Cards: News and Offers  The Best Award Travel Search Tool for 2026 Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices