Best Master Of Points And Miles Podcasts (2024)

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79. Hotel Award Travel Fundamentals with Ben Komenkul 43:29

44m ago43:29

43:29

In this episode, I sit down with Ben Komenkul, who knows everything there is to know about leveraging points for hotel stays. Ben is a seasoned expert in the world of Points and Miles, with over a decade of experience mastering the art of travel rewards. As the founder of Ben’s Big Deal, he combines his deep understanding of financial services, gai…

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78. Score Bonus Points and Waived Fees: The Art of the Credit Card Retention Call with Dr. Suzy Spadafora 37:10

13m ago37:10

37:10

Dr. Suzy Spadafora is back on the show this week. She’s a points and miles pro who has opened over 30 rewards credit cards since 2016, and her P2 has opened 25. She keeps detailed notes on the retention offers she scores each year when annual fees hit. By employing a few simple strategies, Dr. Suzy often convinces banks to incentivize her to keep h…

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77. Capital One: The Points Sleeper Agent That's Coming to Life with the Points and Miles Doc 48:00

7d ago48:00

48:00

Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc, is a returning guest on the podcast, and she has a wealth of knowledge to share on the Capital One transferable points currency. I recently started focusing on Capital One in my own points strategy, so we have a ton to discuss. Tune in this week to learn everything you need to know about the world of Capital One. We…

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76. Your Mid-Year Points Check-In: How to Evaluate and Recalibrate Your Strategy 33:41

12d ago33:41

33:41

Doing a points check-in is the best possible way to recalibrate and course correct while there's still plenty of time left in the year. This means getting clear on every aspect of your points world, including your current points balances, credit card welcome bonuses, loyalty program status, and estimating your upcoming spend. Whether you're brand n…

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75. Getting Your P2 Approved, Business Credit Cards for W-2 Employees, and the Future of Points and Miles: Q&A 59:29

16d ago59:29

59:29

Do you need a profitable business to apply for business credit cards? If your P2 has been repeatedly rejected for new card applications, how do you get them accepted? In this listener Q&A episode, we dive into a variety of topics related to optimizing your credit card strategy, whether you're just getting started in the points and miles game or loo…

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74. Unlocking Sweet Spot Awards: Scoring Amazing Flight Deals with Allison Tackette 1:10:47

23d ago1:10:47

1:10:47

One of the most rewarding ways to get the most value from your points is booking sweet spot awards. These awards represent unique opportunities to book incredible flights at points prices that are a steal, but in order to take advantage of these sweet spots, you have to know what you're looking for. That's where award travel expert Allison Tackette…

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73. The Secret to Booking Your Dream Safari: Budget, Locations, and Luxury (If You Want It) with Dr. Niki Topp 57:46

24d ago57:46

57:46

Dr. Niki Topp is a board-certified OB/GYN who is now retired from clinical practice. After moving to South Africa 8 years ago, her career focus switched toward philanthropy and opening her own small business. She is also the founder and director of a non-profit called Ithemba Ngemfundo, which focuses on improving early education in the townships of…

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72. Horses, Zebras, and Unicorns: Business Class Award Flight Edition (Part 2) 39:04

2M ago39:04

39:04

Is it possible to book four or more business class award tickets on the same flight? You might think it's outright impossible to get a deal like this, but in my experience, you have more options than you think. When you know what you're looking for and you have a strategy for getting it, you increase your chances of finding what you want. That's ex…

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71. Horses, Zebras, and Unicorns: Business Class Award Flight Edition (Part 1) 30:41

2M ago30:41

30:41

In the world of points travel, you're probably familiar with the concept of a unicorn award. These are flights so rare they might as well be magical, mythical creatures because your chances of seeing one are slim to non-existent. Award flights, especially long-haul business class award flights, are not all created equal in terms of how easy they ar…

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70. From Bills to Boarding Passes: Mastering Expense Buckets for Maximum Points 53:42

2M ago53:42

53:42

Getting value from points comes down to two simple things: earning points (ideally as many as possible for the money you're spending) and using points (ideally as few as possible for any given award), so you can take more trips, save more money, and have more travel options available. It's time to dive deep into a simple approach for part one of th…

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69. Dream Travel and the Reverse Bucket List with Dr. Faryal Michaud 31:34

2M ago31:34

31:34

Whether it's sipping champagne in first class, watching the sunset in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives, or enjoying access to the best first-class airport lounges, there are some aspirational redemptions that always seem to get the most attention from points enthusiasts. But before you can turn your travel dreams into reality using points, you…

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68. Racking Up Points with Chase Spending Offers 21:53

3M ago21:53

21:53

If you have a high monthly credit card spend and want to leverage these expenses to earn even more points, this episode is for you. Signup bonuses are the easiest way to earn a huge points return for every dollar spent, but what I'm sharing today allows you to expand upon this strategy, sometimes with relatively little effort, and earn more points …

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67. An Analytic Approach to Points Travel with Kevin Zanes 55:07

3M ago55:07

55:07

Kevin Zanes has a background in data science and analytics that he now uses to scour award programs for the best points deals. So on today's show, we're talking math, data, and how these two things help you land the most amazing points deals. Tune in this week to discover how data can get you the best value for your points. Kevin is using data and …

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An Italian Extravaganza for $3k 5:52

3M ago5:52

5:52

Learn how we leveraged 800k points for a total out-of-pocket cost of $3k!By Points and Miles by Lori

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66. You Don't Need to Use Points for Every Trip with Dr. Laura Jana 46:08

3M ago46:08

46:08

Dr. Laura Jana is an Omaha-based pediatrician, social entrepreneur, and award-winning children/parenting book author. From early literacy advocate and 9-year owner of a 200-student educational childcare center to advisor to Mattel, Primrose Schools, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, she is dedicated to addressing the most pre…

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65. Earning Points for Paying Student Loans or 529 Plans with Dr. Andrea Mabry 50:03

3M ago50:03

50:03

Today, I'm joined by my friend, points-earning expert Dr. Andrea Mabry. She's here to show you exactly how to earn points by paying off your student loans or by paying for your kid's education. This is taking one of your biggest expenses and leveraging it to earn more points, and Andrea's here to show us how to make this part of a financially respo…

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Italy Trip Report 4:29

3M ago4:29

4:29

Imagine as the weather cools in autumn, you're able to head off to remote parts of Italy where it's just you, the sea, and no tourists! Yes, you can (and probably should) have this experience as well.By Points and Miles by Lori

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64. Choosing a Miraval Resort for Your Next Getaway with Arpita Gupta DePalma and Mindy Stimell-Rauch 1:08:10

4M ago1:08:10

1:08:10

Miraval Resort is an all-inclusive, adults-only health and wellness resort that started in Tucson, Arizona, and has expanded to Austin, Texas, and The Berkshires, Massachusetts. Each location is different but has the same signature approach to wellness. So how do you know what to expect at the different locations and choose which one is right for y…

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63. From the UK to Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar on Points with Lindsay Bradley 54:42

4M ago54:42

54:42

Lindsay Bradley started her points and miles journey in 2011 but didn't get into extensive points travel until meeting her P2. After marrying in 2018, they took off to travel the world, doing mini retirements on points and miles. Lindsay has visited 77 countries on all seven continents and has redeemed over $300,000 worth of travel with credit card…

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62. Money Mindset and Owning Your Financial Life with Kara Loewentheil 50:37

4M ago50:37

50:37

For this conversation about how we think about ourselves in relation to money, I’m joined by one of the most brilliant women that I know, Kara Loewentheil. Kara is the Founder of The School of New Feminist Thought and creator of The Feminist Self Help Society, host of the top-rated podcast UnF*ck Your Brain, and author of the upcoming book Take Bac…

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61. Earn Points for Paying Your Rent and More: Everything Bilt with Dr. Suzanne Manzi 59:39

4M ago59:39

59:39

Earning transferable points is key to unlocking some of the best possible deals on flights and hotel stays. But which of the points currency ecosystems best suits your specific needs? Well, there’s a newbie in the transferable points currency family: the Bilt points ecosystem, and it might just be the one for you. To help me explore the Bilt points…

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60. 5 Questions You Can’t Ignore When Applying for a New Rewards Credit Card 31:56

4M ago31:56

31:56

The points hobby has changed massively over the years. We have more points-earning cards, higher sign-up bonus offers, and rewards programs themselves are becoming more innovative. But on the other hand, we’ve also seen some less positive changes, like more restrictions around acquiring rewards credit cards, stricter eligibility rules, and limitati…

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59. Miles Ahead: Strategies for Smart Mileage Purchases 37:42

5M ago37:42

37:42

Right now in April 2024, there’s a unique points opportunity that I’ve taken advantage of every year for the past few years, but nobody seems to be talking about it. Despite my strong inclination to keep it to myself, I’m sharing it with you this week just in case you can make use of it for yourself. This points-earning opportunity isn’t for everyb…

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58. From Zero Points to South Africa in Business in Just 12 Months with Dr. Lisha Taylor 1:14:19

5M ago1:14:19

1:14:19

Dr. Lisha Taylor is a wealth strategist, "doctorpreneur," professional writer, and podcaster, advocating for physician wellness through financial literacy. As a Board Certified Primary Care Sports Physician, she's also the co-founder of Wealth Minded MD, a company and podcast that empowers women in medicine to build wealth and create the lives they…

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57. The Chase Points Ecosystem: What You Need to Know with Dr. Sujatha Murali 54:28

5M ago54:28

54:28

If you’re serious about points, you should have access to at least one of the major transferable points currencies. But how do you know which of the transferable currencies you should focus on? This week, I’m joined by Dr. Sujatha Murali, and we’re diving deep into one transferable points currency: the world of Chase Cards and their Ultimate Reward…

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56. Making Taxes Part of Your Points Strategy 40:44

5M ago40:44

40:44

Tune in to today's update on paying taxes with a credit card to hear how this annual expense can play a crucial role in your points strategy. If you’re a high-earning employed professional or a self-employed business owner, your tax expenses offer an enormous points-earning opportunity. Discover whether it makes sense for you to pay your taxes by c…

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55. Travel That Matches Your Values with Dr. Erika Moseson 38:25

6M ago38:25

38:25

Dr. Erika Moseson is a Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Physician in Portland, Oregon. She’s also the host of the Air Health Our Health podcast, about the air we breathe and how it impacts our environment and communities. Erika loves travel, but she’s also concerned about the climate implications of the travel industry and wants to explore how …

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54. Award-Travel Tips for Big Families with Dr. Susan Zink 50:44

6M ago50:44

50:44

Points travel is possible for everyone, even a family of five or more. To discuss the ways families can maximize their points, I’m joined by Dr. Susan Zink. Susan is a psychiatrist with three children who has managed to get some amazing deals that meet her family’s travel needs, and she’s here to share her tips for family travel using points. Disco…

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53. Deal or No Deal: How to Evaluate Points Redemption Value 35:48

6M ago35:48

35:48

Have you ever felt like you were doing points “wrong” because you aren’t booking the same kinds of high-value redemptions that you see other people posting about? If you’re scared of wasting your points so you just don’t use them to book travel, despite having hundreds of thousands of points saved up, you are not alone. This week, discover how to c…

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52. Strategy, Transferable Points, and Card-Canceling Mistakes: Listener Q&A 1:08:50

6M ago1:08:50

1:08:50

What do you do with cards once you’ve had them for a while and you’ve already earned the welcome bonus? How many cards is too many for you? What strategy will allow you to accumulate millions of points over one year? These are just some of the questions I’m covering in today's Q&A episode. I’m discussing specific cards, points currencies, and strat…

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51. Is Points Travel Still Worth It? With Traci Siegel 59:23

7M ago59:23

59:23

My guest this week is points expert Traci Siegel, a non-practicing attorney who has been using miles and points to travel around the US and the world with her family of four since 2011. She's been teaching friends how to hack their families' travel for years, and now she's teaching even more new friends how to expand their travel budgets through he…

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50. A Head-to-Head Comparison of 3 Tropical Hyatt Properties You Can Book Using Points 47:29

7M ago47:29

47:29

Looking to plan your next warm weather vacation? Tune in today to hear a comparison of three tropical Hyatt hotel properties where you can use points for vacation. I’m putting each of these properties head-to-head to give you an idea of what you can expect in each, and which one might be the best fit for your travel plans. I break down the basics o…

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49. A New Way to Work and Travel with Dr. Kristine Goins, The Nomad MD 42:12

7M ago42:12

42:12

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to take your career on the road and live location independent as a digital nomad? Did you know that you can you use your travel points to make this dream a reality? My guest this week has done just that and is here to tell you all about it. Dr. Kristine Goins is a Board-Certified Integrative Adult and …

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48. How Traveling with Kids Changes the Points Game with Dr. Chandani DeZure 38:17

7M ago38:17

38:17

Dr. Chandani DeZure is a Board Certified Physician living in California who’s been maximizing points for travel since 2014. She started out on a resident’s salary, traveling with no kids and tons of flexibility, and now she’s taking her kids on her trips and her flexibility has all but vanished. But that doesn’t stop her getting an amazing deal. Di…

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47. Umrah Travel and Booking Using Points with Amena Bakali 39:57

7M ago39:57

39:57

Amena Bakali is an award travel educator, travel blogger, and family travel enthusiast. While many of us use our points for leisure travel, points can also help with booking travel that is of religious or cultural significance. One example of that is how she used points to book a trip to observe Umrah, the Islamic pilgrimage to their Holy City: Mak…

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46. 2023 Points Spending Review with the Points and Miles Doc (Part 2) 1:20:24

8M ago1:20:24

1:20:24

I’m back with part two of my episode with Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc. In this episode, we’re divulging how we decided to spend the treasure trove of points we earned last year. We’re letting you see behind the scenes of our points wallets and travel plans, comparing the really fun part of the points hobby: how we used these points to book incr…

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45. 2023 Points Earning Review with the Points and Miles Doc (Part 1) 1:49:11

8M ago1:49:11

1:49:11

Today, I’m joined by my points friend Kelly (The Points and Miles Doc) and we’re taking a look back at 2023, breaking down all the points we earned last year, how we earned them, and we’re analyzing some current trends in the points and miles world. Tune in this week as we discuss the highs and lows of the points world in 2023. Kelly and I are shar…

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44. What’s Coming in 2024 on the Point Me To First Class Podcast 5:55

8M ago5:55

5:55

What can you expect from the Point Me to First Class Podcast in 2024? Instead of taking a deep dive into a points earning topic, I’m just bringing you a short and sweet episode about what’s to come over the next 12 months. Discover what the next year has in store for the Point Me to First Class podcast and how I’m diversifying the types of travel i…

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43. Unlocking Double Rewards: A Deep Dive into Chase Freedom Unlimited’s Latest Offer 19:03

8M ago19:03

19:03

If you love earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, you’re in the right place. Chase has a promotional offer right now that just might be the best points earning gift that you receive all year. Today, we’re looking at how you can get double cash-back or double points using your Chase Freedom Unlimited card. Discover how to get double points with you…

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42. High-Yield Strategies for Solo Points Earners with Dr. Erin Casey 46:38

9M ago46:38

46:38

Today, I’m joined by Dr. Erin Casey, a retired hematologist-oncologist turned hospitalist. As a solo points earner without high expenses, Erin wasn’t sure if she could earn as many points as those who play the points game with a spouse or friend. Yet, she implemented a strategy to maximize her points, and if you’re in a similar situation, you can t…

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41. Use It or Lose It - Your Year-End Checklist 19:15

9M ago19:15

19:15

How do you end 2023 strong and ensure you aren’t missing out on any valuable benefits from your rewards credit cards? We’re fast approaching the end of the year, so it’s time to do some points housekeeping. I’m reviewing five things I do to ensure I’m on track to hit my points and travel goals for the year. Tune in this week to discover how to roun…

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40. My Credit Card Journey: How It Started & What I’d Do Differently Now 41:45

9M ago41:45

41:45

A LOT has changed in the rewards card world since I got my first points earning credit card in 2012. Join me today to discover the first five rewards credit cards I got when I started my points journey, why I wouldn't recommend most of those cards to people now, and what I would do differently if I was starting all over again. While the cards I’m s…

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39. Rewards Travel Planning with Dr. Amita Kumar 39:11

9M ago39:11

39:11

Today, I'm joined by another physician-entrepreneur who is taking her travel experiences to the next level by leveraging her business expenses: Dr. Amita Kumar. Dr. Kumar is a primary care physician in San Antonio, Texas. Recently, she decided to take a sabbatical from her clinical practice and since one of her passions is traveling with her family…

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38. Travel, Adaptability, and Building Confidence on the Analyze Scripts Podcast 53:33

10M ago53:33

53:33

I’m sharing a recent conversation I had on the Analyze Scripts podcast. Analyze Scripts is hosted by Yale-trained psychiatrist Katrina Furey, MD, and psychotherapist Portia Pendleton, LCSW, analyzing the depiction of mental health in TV and film. In this conversation, we discussed the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and what we can learn about…

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37. Unlimited Free Flights with the Southwest Companion Pass with Lyn Mettler (Part 2) 37:31

10M ago37:31

37:31

Last week, Lyn shared how to earn your Southwest Companion Pass and how the pass works. We’re picking up right where we left off, discussing the specific points activities that do and don’t count toward qualifying for a Companion Pass, and Lyn is sharing a strategy you can use to make sure you qualify for a Companion Pass by early 2024. Tune in thi…

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36. Unlimited Free Flights with the Southwest Companion Pass with Lyn Mettler (Part 1) 33:18

10M ago33:18

33:18

I’m joined by Southwest expert Lyn Mettler, and she’s breaking down everything you need to know about the coveted Southwest Companion Pass. In 2015, she discovered how to fly her family of 4 free to all the places she'd written about, going from one car trip a year to flying free six times every year around the US, Europe, and the Caribbean. She no…

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35. Advanced Points Strategies: PayPal Bill Pay with Dr. Sujatha Murali 40:49

10M ago40:49

40:49

I’m an advocate for putting as many of your expenses as possible on rewards credit cards in order to maximize your points potential. But as we all know, there are certain expenses that charge a processing fee, or don’t offer a credit card payment option at all. Sometimes it’s worth paying the fee, but for those occasions when it doesn’t, PayPal Bil…

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34. Breaking Chase's 5/24 Rule: Pros and Cons with Dr. Azra Khan Salahuddin 36:10

11M ago36:10

36:10

While there are mistakes to be made, there is no one right way of doing points. My guest this week knows this from firsthand experience. After she’d found her feet in the world of points, she took a risk in deviating away from Chase’s points ecosystem and started exploring other options in the points space, and she has tons of insights to share abo…

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The Points Made Easy Difference - in Their Words 17:58

11M ago17:58

17:58

Are you brand new to points, without a bunch of rewards credit cards or points stocked up? Or do you have your points earning down but are not yet confident about getting maximum value from the points you have saved up? Whether you’re a self professed newbie to points travel or are looking for your points redemption skills to match your points earn…

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The Doors to Points Made Easy Are Open Now! 8:26

11M ago8:26

8:26

Doors are open to enroll in my 6 months, hands on points master course, Points Made Easy - but not for long. You have until this Saturday, October 21 to grab your spot in Points Made Easy before doors close again until next year. So today I’m dropping this bonus episode to share with you the stories of 3 Points Made Easy members, in their own words…

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Master Of Points And Miles Podcasts

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