Mesa's abrupt shutdown and lessons

#262: Learn how to navigate major changes in points and miles while maximizing travel rewards in 2026. Chris and Brian M cover Bilt 2.0, the Mesa card shutdown, how to evaluate annual fees, find award availability, and what’s likely (and unlikely) to change this year.

Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/latest-on-points-miles-january-2026

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Resources Mentioned

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® (Rates and fees here)

Bilt 2.0

• Bilt Blue Card (Rates and fees here)
• Bilt Obsidian Card (Rates and fees here)
• Bilt Palladium Card (Rates and fees here)

Rove Miles

Silo Markets

Rakuten ($50 bonus here)

Kalshi Prediction Market

Alila Ventana Big Sur

The Big A## Calendar

Award Search Tools

• Award Wallet
• Points Path Chrome Extension
• Google Flights
• AwardTool ($20 off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS)
• Expert Flyer

ATH Podcast

• Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
• Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com

Full Show Notes

(00:00) Introduction

(01:27) Reactions to Bilt’s New Card Lineup

(04:08) Breakdown of the 3 New Bilt Cards

(05:14) Should You Convert, Apply Fresh, Or Keep the Wells Fargo Card?

(08:16) Questions Around Bilt Cash

(09:50) The Bilt Card Chris Is Leaning Towards

(15:03) Why Bilt's New Earnings Might Be Better Than It Looks

(20:03) Mesa's Overnight Shutdown

(24:25) Silo Markets Brokerage Bonus

(29:54) What’s Coming Up in 2026 For Points, Loyalty, And Cards

(32:25) Thoughts on the Southwest Companion Pass

(35:26) Implications of the Proposed 10% Interest Rate Cap on Credit Cards

(38:19) Will Points Tools Get Better in 2026?

(40:02) Why 2026 Might Be Quiet on Major Credit Card Changes

(43:18)  How Brian Decides Whether an Annual Fee Card is Worth Keeping

(46:50) Chris’ Order of Operations For Analyzing Cards

(51:42) Ways to Plan A Trip Using Points

(57:49) How Brian Leverages Flexibility for Travel

(01:00:04) Strategies for Booking Flights

(01:03:23) The Best Award Flight Search Tools

(01:04:58) Booking Hotels With Points

(01:09:38) Timeshares: When They Make Sense (and When They Don’t)

(01:11:51) Using Alerts to Monitor Award Availability

(01:13:12) Changing the Connecting City After Booking a Flight

(01:15:14) Business Cards for Personal Spend (and Vice Versa)

(01:17:09) What to Do When You Stop Getting Approved for Cards

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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

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