Stay ConnectedEarn miles without flying. Frequent Miler is all about getting the most out of the loyalty game. You can easily earn hundreds of thousands of points and miles without traveling, then learn how to use those points towards luxury travel.
In this podcast, Frequent Miler founder Greg, and senior author Nick debate current topics in the points & miles world.
Copyright: © Frequent Miler
You can get Marriott Platinum status with as few as 10 nights actually spent in Marriott hotels per year with the right strategy. This week, Greg and Nick discuss easy paths to Marriott Platinum and Titanium status.
00:00 Intro
00:45 Giant Mailbag: The Bilt card's hidden bonus
03:28 Lessons learned from traveling as a group of 5
https://frequentmiler.com/points-for-family-travel/
12:46 Card Talk: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card
https://frequentmiler.com/mrplus/
20:20 Award Talk: Booking an IHG free night with a certificate when there is no points availability
https://frequentmiler.com/reminder-ihg-free-night-certs-sometimes-work-when-points-dont/
24:35 Mattress Running the Numbers: New Hilton offers include a free night certificate for a limited time
https://frequentmiler.com/amxhilton/
https://frequentmiler.com/hilton-honors-american-express-surpass-card/
https://frequentmiler.com/amxhiltonbiz/
https://frequentmiler.com/amxhiltonaspire/
31:50 Main Event: Easy Marriott Elite Status
https://frequentmiler.com/which-marriott-elite-benefits-apply/
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-bonvoy-choice-benefits/
https://frequentmiler.com/getting-the-elite-experience-without-elite-status-via-luxury-partner-programs/
1:03:06 Giant Mailbag: Can you cover travel insurance given your recent loss?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
What did the judge think of each team's decisions? In this week's episode, Greg and Nick quick-fire recap the Party of 5 trip and Greg shares his view as to what each team did best and which things didn't go according to plan.
https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequentmiler-challenge-daily-update/
For full Party of 5 coverage, see: https://frequentmiler.com/tag/party-of-5/
00:00 Intro
01:35 Challenge Format
https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequent-milers-2023-team-challenge/
04:38 Team Tokyo's summary
14:56 Team San Francisco summary
28:18 Judge-eye view
28:51 Best location / worst location for each team
30:36 Best overall location
31:08 Best lodging / worst lodging for each team
33:45 Best lodging overall
33:58 Best flight / worst flight for each team
35:23 Best flight overall
35:45 Best local transportation / worst local transport for each team
39:41 Best local transport overall
29:52 Best overall food / worst overall food for each team
41:58 Best overall food
43:00 Best / worst activity for each team
44:38 Best overall activity
46:31 Best overall award redemption
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Four Seasons has a repiutation for elegance and luxury, but Hyatt has a lot of fans in the award travel community. Which hotel "wowed" in Macau? Listen for our thoughts.
00:00 Intro
00:52 Challenge update
08:25 Manila to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific Business
09:52 What crazy thing . . . did the Curve Card do this week?
11:31 Card Talk: A brief look at the Amex Platinum card
12:47 Main Event: Four Seasons vs Grand Hyatt Macau
15:11 Four Seasons Suite
16:02 Grand Hyatt Macau suites (Standard suite and Premium Suite
22:22 Club Lounge
24:30 Four Seasons Service
28:04 Grand Hyatt Macau service
30:12 Value
The 2023 Frequent Miler team challenge is on. This week, Greg and Nick discuss what we've learned from past challenges and why we can't wait to see what is happening right now.00:00 Inro
00:00 Intro
01:20 Giant Mailbag
07:34 Card Talk: Business Platinum card
https://frequentmiler.com/amxplatbiz/
https://frequentmiler.com/200000-membership-rewards-amex-business-platinum/
24:50 Main Event: Conquering the impossible
26:02 Million Mile Madness
27:28 Necker Island
28:30 40K to Far Away
33:33 3 Cards 3 Continents
38:13 Party of 5
1:15:48 Question of the Week
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Here are ways to maximize your return on high levels of spend with low levels of effort.
00:00 Intro
00:29 Giant Mailbag
01:56 Giant Mailbag #2
https://frequentmiler.com/cross-brand-amex-referrals-possible/
04:25 Card Talk: Bank of America Premium Rewards card
https://frequentmiler.com/boapr/
https://frequentmiler.com/bank-of-america-rewards/
19:00 What crazy thing . . . did Choice Privileges do this week?
22:25 Mattress running the numbers: Wyndham summer promo
https://frequentmiler.com/wyndham-promo-earn-5k-15k-bonus-points-when-staying-2-4-consecutive-nights/
27:32 Award Talk
27:50 Nordic Choice rebrands as . . . Strawberry?
29:51 Using Wyndham points to book Vacasa
https://frequentmiler.com/bargain-luxury-in-hawaii-gregs-wyndham-vacasa-experience/
35:39 Avianca customer service success
https://frequentmiler.com/an-avianca-lifemiles-success-story-thanks-to-screenshots/
39:38 Frequent Miler Challenge Update
https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequent-milers-2023-team-challenge/
43:30 Main Event: How would we spend $1 million?
44:29 Bank of America Premium Rewards card with Platinum Honors
46:14 Citi Double Cash or Capital One Venture / Venture X / Spark Miles
https://frequentmiler.com/dc/
https://frequentmiler.com/c1vr/
https://frequentmiler.com/venturex/
https://frequentmiler.com/c1smbiz/
48:34 Multiple welcome bonuses
49:03 Business Platinums
51:36 Venture X for Business
https://frequentmiler.com/capital-one-launches-spark-travel-elite-250000/
54:32 Aeroplan Visa
https://frequentmiler.com/Aeroplan/
57:16 Delta Diamond for life
https://frequentmiler.com/manufacturing-lifetime-delta-diamond-status/
59:41 Get elite statuses
59:42 American Airlines elite status
https://frequentmiler.com/american-airlines-aadvantage-complete-guide/
1:01:45 Air Canada Aeroplan elite status
1:02:45 Hyatt elite status
1:04:51 Marriott elite status
1:06:09 IHG elite status
1:07:20 What would Greg do?
1:09:12 What would Nick do?
1:17:30 Question of the Week: Is it possible to get an Amex Business card with a low percentage of business owned?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
United steeply increased the cost of award tickets this week and as a result, United miles are worth less. Fear not --- you have many great options for booking Star Alliance awards moving forward. This week, we discuss your alternatives.
Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/
00:00 Intro
00:36 Giant Mailbag: Citi premier *does* have purchase protections
04:13 Award Talk
04:18: Citi adds a new transfer partner (Accor)
https://frequentmiler.com/accor-live-limitless-added-as-citi-thankyou-transfer-partner/
08:37 AA slot machine
12:23 United status challenge
17:14 What crazy thing . . did United Mileage Plus do this week?
21:33 Main Event: The sky fallen on United MileagePlus
25:20 United Good News
31:01 What do you do if you like Star Alliance?
https://frequentmiler.com/dont-transfer-chase-points-to-united-but-dont-despair-yet/
32:18 Air Canada Aeroplan
37:38 Avianca LifeMiles
https://frequentmiler.com/lifemiles-manual-booking-patience-compulsory-persistence-pays-off/
https://frequentmiler.com/avianca-lifemiles-awesome-mixed-cabin-award-pricing-first-class-for-less/
46:35 Singapore KrisFlyer
47:21 Turkish Miles & Smiles
https://frequentmiler.com/turkish-miles-smiles-complete-guide/
51:50 ANA
59:35 Will other programs follow suit?
1:15:09 How many points per year can one sustainably earn?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Do Citi's unsung heroes make up the quintessential credit card quartet? Greg and Nick discuss the Citi card combo you might want to consider.
00:00 Intro
00:49 Giant Mailbag: Citi updates application rules
04:18 What crazy thing . . . did Hilton do this week?
08:52 Mattress running the numbers: IHG Timeshare offer for 3 nights + 50K points for $199 / $249
https://frequentmiler.com/ihg-timeshare-offer-get-3-night-stay-50000-points-for-199-249/
13:20 Award Talk: Booking Aer Lingus with Alaska Mileage Plan
20:42 Greg books British Airways via Asia Miles
24:25 Party of 5 Team Challenge
https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequent-milers-2023-team-challenge/
27:57 Main Event: Citi's quintessential credit card quartet
30:30 Card Talk: Citi Premier card
https://frequentmiler.com/typremier/
38:35 Card Talk: Citi Double Cash card
44:00 Card Talk: Citi Custom Cash
https://frequentmiler.com/customcash/
49:50 Card Talk: Citi Rewards+
https://frequentmiler.com/TYRewardsPlus/
57:00 Downsides of the Citi quartet
1:00:53 Curve card to rule them all
https://frequentmiler.com/curve-card-review-awesome-but-limited/
1:10:26 Are people missing the boat on the Citi Quintessential Quartet?
1:15:36 Question of the Week: Is it OK to buy store gift cards with an Amex card?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Amex Membership Rewards points can be incredibly valuable when used properly toward flights (with airline transfer partners), but they are awful for those looking to redeem for gift cards. This week, we discuss how you can get so much more value with award travel than you will via redemptions like gift cards, Amazon purchases, etc.
Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/
00:00 Intro
01:14 Giant Mailbag
10:34 Mattress running the numbers: Numerous transfer bonuses
https://frequentmiler.com/current-point-transfer-bonuses/
10:53 50% transfer bonus to Marriott from Chase
11:27 25% transfer bonus from Chase to Flying Blue
14:50 25% transfer bonus from Amex to Flying Blue
16:57 15% transfer bonus from Amex to Avianca LifeMiles
19:19 30% transfer bonus from Chase to Virgin Atlantic
22:00 Award Talk
29:22 Seats.aero adds Qsuites finder
https://frequentmiler.com/seats-aero/
30:52 Nick's quick hit JetBlue Mint review
34:33 Challenge Update
37:37 Card Talk: Amex Gold Card
https://frequentmiler.com/amxgoldcard/
48:28 Main Event: How to get insane value from your Amex points
50:10 Paying with points can offer acceptable value only when paying for flights with the Business Gold, Business Platinum, or Business Centurion card
54:18 Domestic US: 7,500 BA Avios to fly on AA or Alaska on short nonstop flights
56:38 Domestic US: Delta via Virgin Atlantic for 7,500 miles on short flights
58:15 Domestic US: Avianca LifeMiles to fly United for 7,500 miles on short and medium-distance flights
1:02:03 Star Alliance economy class to Europe: Avianca LifeMiles for 20K one-way to Northern Europe
1:03:06 SkyTeam economy and premium economy class to Europe via Virgin Atlantic
1:04:46 oneworld premium economy to Japan with British Airways Avios
1:06:43 Business class to Europe on Delta using Virgin Atlantic miles
1:07: 18 Business class to Europe using Iberia Avios
1:08:32 Business class JFK to Lisbon for 35K LifeMiles
1:11:13 Anywhere in the US on Qatar Airways to Doha in business class for 70K
1:12:51 Air Canada Aeroplan examples
1:15:00 ANA Round the world business class award
1:17:51 Lufthansa first class to Europe with Avianca LifeMiles (including how to hack it)
1:20:02 Hacking Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for first class (if it comes back)
1:21:50 First class on ANA via Virgin Atlantic miles
1:34:39 Question of the Week: Nick, did you get elite credit for booking The Signature at MGM via Airbnb?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Bilt Rewards is the real deal. With a great set of transfer partners and ways to earn points whether or not you rent or have the credit card, this program just keeps getting better. This week we discuss why you shouldn't sleep on Bilt Rewards.
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Want piles of American Airlines miles? Here are your best strategies for amassing a massive amount of miles in the valuable AAdvantage rewards program.
00:00 Intro
01:03 Award Talk
01:04 Booking The Signature at MGM Grand via Airbnb
https://frequentmiler.com/hacking-las-vegas/
07:10 Roame.Travel adds JetBlue
08:07 Seats.Aero helps Greg find Qsuites availability
09:28 Giant Mailbag: Laddering flights
12:40 Giant Mailbag: Can I transfer Ultimate Rewards to American Airlines miles at a rate of 2:1 right now?
16:10 Card Talk: American Airlines cards
16:55 Citi AAdvantage MileUp card
https://frequentmiler.com/aamileup/
19:17 Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
https://frequentmiler.com/aaplat/
22:50 Citibusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select card
https://frequentmiler.com/aaplatbiz/
23:31 Citi AAdvantage Executive card
https://frequentmiler.com/aaexec/
28:14 Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red
https://frequentmiler.com/aviatorred/
30:24 Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Silver
https://frequentmiler.com/aviatorsilver/
36:16 Barclays Aviator Business
https://frequentmiler.com/aviatorbiz/
38:36 Main Event: Amassing American Airlines miles
38:40 Credit card strategies
49:47 AAdvantage Shopping Portal
53:06 SimplyMiles
56:48 Rewards Network AAdvantage Dining
57:38 Hotels: Rocketmiles / BookAAHotels
https://frequentmiler.com/best-way-to-earn-aa-miles-status-via-hotel-bookings/
1:00:36 Hotel partnership with Hyatt
https://frequentmiler.com/hyatt-american-airlines-partnership-now-live-link-your-accounts-now/
1:02:46 Car Rentals
1:04:10 Shell partnership
1:04:40 Banking: Bask Bank & Citi Checking bonus
1:10:36 Question of the Week: How can you value Hyatt points more highly than Chase Ultimate Rewards points?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
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