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.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler
When it comes to transfer bonuses, conventional wisdom has been not to transfer unless there's specific use in mind. But sometimes the bonus is too good to ignore.
(00:16) - Conventional wisdom: don’t transfer without specific use in mind. But...
(01:19) - With Bilt 2.0, earning hundreds of thousands of Bilt points is not so difficult anymore
(04:11) - So which bonuses are worth doing for airline programs?
Transfer bonuses where Greg & Nick disagree (or both said maybe)
Transfer bonuses Greg & Nick would NOT do
(26:15) - So which bonuses are worth doing for hotel programs?
Transfer bonuses Greg & Nick would definitely do
Transfer bonuses where Greg & Nick disagree (or both said maybe)
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Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email advertising@voyascape.com or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.
This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler
How are you using AI for trip planning? Frequent Miler reader Jared wrote in:
I recently asked the Bilt Neighborhood Concierge AI which weekends a particular Bilt Home Away from Home hotel (Kimpton Journeyman) had availability between August and December. It gave a useful and seemingly accurate response. Have you recently found any other good uses of Bilt's or other AIs?
We’ve been answering a reader or listener question at the end of each Frequent Miler on the Air podcast episode. Now, we’ve turned the question of the week into its own weekly episode. Tune in every Sunday at 5pm for our Question of the Week podcast. And if you have your own question you’d like to submit, you can send it to mailbag@frequentmiler.com.
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email advertising@voyascape.com or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.
In today's episode, we'll talk about Qatar's crazy new rules if you want to redeem rewards for friends & family, how Wyndham is going to devalue (but it might not be so bad), and we'll take a look back at the first 6 months of Bilt 2.0: The good, the bad, and where things stand now.
(01:13) - Gary Leff has a couple of minor interesting notes on our recent ‘question of the week’ podcast episode
Find our recent Question of the Week episode here
(07:51) - Want to use Qatar Avios to book flights for friends or family? Good luck!
Read more about this Qatar Avios restriction here
(15:36) - Learn more about Wyndham Rewards new award pricing here
(19:43) - Learn about Bilt adding I Prefer 1:2 here
(23:24) - Learn more about the Hyatt / Under Canvas Promo: 15% points rebate on award stays here
(28:59) - Necker Island has new award pricing: 250K per night for 2 adults
(35:08) - Random tips from Nick
Main Event: Bilt Palladium Review: 6 month checkpoint
(41:16) - Background: Bilt changed card issuers and moved from 1 card to 3
(51:39) - Palladium card details
(54:10) - Bilt Elite Status details
(55:41) - Bilt Cash details
(1:01:48) - Nick's Review
(1:10:49) - Greg's Review
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
When you have multiple family members working together to earn travel rewards, it becomes more important to share and combine points. So which programs are best for this ability to share?
(02:07) - Why Transferable Points matter
(05:07) - Why transferable point sharing matters
(07:20) - Read more about Citi discontinuing points sharing here
And read about Wells Fargo's end to combining points here
(08:04) - Transferable points ranked from worst to best for points sharing
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
Book airfare through credit card portal or direct? Frequent Miler reader Mike wrote in with this question:
American Express Platinum cards give you 5x points for direct bookings to airline flights. However, most airlines give you 3x to 5x for using their own co-branded cards for those same flights. Direct bookings give you more options if things go sideways (e.g., flight cancelations that require a rebooking). Or would prefer 8x Chase Sapphire Ultimate Rewards multiplier? If you use Amex or Chase, you have to deal with an online travel agency to re-book replacement flights. Do you prefer Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, over direct bookings versus that airline’s own co-branded card, and why?
We’ve been answering a reader or listener question at the end of each Frequent Miler on the Air podcast episode. Now, we’ve turned the question of the week into its own weekly episode. Tune in every Sunday at 5pm for our Question of the Week podcast. And if you have your own question you’d like to submit, you can send it to mailbag@frequentmiler.com.
In today's podcast we see how Wells Fargo Attunes out, we'll talk about the PAZE craze (and why it pays to pay with PAZE), and Greg convinces Nick that a $395 Wyndham card is a good idea.
(01:37) - Deya has a success story about Chase price match
Find our Best Rate Guarantee coffee break episode here
(07:07) - Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card refresh is out
(08:48) - Read more about Resy credit changes
(14:33) - A new collectible is born: Wells Fargo Attune card no longer accepting applications
(18:19) - Chase erroneously emails about Ink Plus 5X
(20:55) - Capital One Shopping: -0.25% Accor
(27:43) - Learn more about the PAZE $10 back, 10 times per card opportunity here
Find a Clover map here
(34:55) - Citi ThankYou 50% transfer bonus to ACCOR
(39:46) - Wyndham refreshed its card line up...
(41:13) - Changes to current cards
Read more about the card changes here
(51:55) - Wyndham Earner Premier card (NEW)
Learn more about the Wyndham Earner Premier card here
(1:05:28) - Should you care about Wyndham Rewards?
Learn how to value Wyndham points here
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
Chase has been slowly rolling out a Best Rate Guarantee for Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders who book hotels through Chase Travel℠. We'll talk about what that means in today's episode.
(00:51) - Chase Sapphire Reserve® Background
(03:07) - The basics of the Best Rate Guarantee
(07:25) - Nick's experience
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn Heads
In today's podcast episode, we'll talk about how the New Sapphire Preferred® card wows, but the new Chase to Hyatt transfer rate breaks our hearts.
(01:18) - Read more about stacking Chase Instacart deals here or learning to love Instacart credits here
(04:33) - Elliot talks about getting into the Instacart game
(05:58) - Christine found a great Instacart stack
(07:47) - IHG Targeted offer: 0K points every 0 nights
(08:53) - Wells Fargo ends point sharing (Sep 25)
Read more about Wells Fargo changes here
(12:30) - Greg rants about points brokers
(18:28) - United Pooling apparently now allows partner awards
(20:22) - Alaska Airlines CFO hints at BOA point transfers
(23:31) - Gondola: flight autosave
(27:49) - Learn more about the Chase / Paze Promo here
(35:15) - Transfer ratio to Hyatt dropping to 4:3 (except for Sapphire Reserve® cards)
Read more about this change in Hyatt transfer ratio here
(52:50) - Is there any upside?
(54:45) - Possible to-dos (if you care about Hyatt 1-1 transfers)
Find our "Which Premium Cards are Keepers?" resource here
Learn more about Hyatt milestone spending here
(1:08:02) - Learn more about the refreshed Sapphire Preferred® card here
(01:09:53) - Lots of good stuff (effective 6/15)
(01:15:42) - And some bad stuff (effective 10/1 for pre 6/15 cardholders)
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
In this episode, we'll discuss Wells Fargo's Premier version of the Autograph Journey card, only available to Wells Fargo Premier clients.
(01:04) - Almost identical to Autograph Journey, but this one is targeted to WF Premier customers
Learn more about the Wells Fargo Premier Autograph Visa Infinite card here
(02:09) - Advantages over the Autograph Journey
(05:52) - Only available to Wells Fargo Premier clients
(07:00) - Greg's experience
(09:33) - First impressions
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
How has SAS Eurobonus award availability been in the months since the Million Mile Madness challenge? What’s the single best card for your "player two"? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on June 3rd, 2026.
(00:38) - How many backup flights do you have booked at any one time, and how many fees does that incur?
(04:43) - Has Greg tried/considered applying for a Discover card as a way to get “in” with Capital One since he has been unable to get approved for Capital One cards in the past?
(06:05) - How has SAS Eurobonus award availability been in the months since the Million Mile Madness challenge? Any regrets?
Learn more about the Million Mile Madness challenge here.
(09:15) - Given all the hotel devaluations which now includes Hyatt, which hotel points would you recommend accumulating? Seems every chain wants lots of points for a room.
Learn about the decreased Hilton point value here
(16:01) - What’s a single best card for "P2" (player two)?
(23:24) - Should Chase Rapid Reward credit card holders EVER book something above Choice fares if you don't care about the multiplier?
(26:11) - How do you redeem Bilt cash for grub hub, walgreens and the $25 dining?
(32:47) - Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card annual fee just posted today but still haven’t received the free night certificate. I was planning to downgrade to surpass, when can I expect it, if it takes more than 30 days will I still get annual fee refund?
(34:36) - I want to fly Cathay Pacific First Class between Chicago and Hong Kong, either way or both works. I’m extremely flexible and can probably come up with enough points in any currency. How do I find it?
Find our "Which award search tool is best?" resource here
(36:57) - I'm applying for my first mortgage soon. While my credit score is fine, I'm a bit worried about having to explain my long laundry list of credit card accounts thanks to this crazy hobby. Should I be?
(41:24) - So what are your favorite choices for virtually undiscovered islands similar to Koh Kood that lack the crowds but still have things to do
(50:38) - What airline programs should be avoided due to poor customer service? I try to book when flights come out, which means there are often schedule changes that can be a problem/opportunity.
Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.
Music Credit – “swappin’ back n’ forth” by up @ night
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