Hotel, timeshare, and connecting room strategies

#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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