My Top 5 Mistakes with Points & Miles
All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Real-World Valuations and Fair Comparisons
Chris walks an SFO‑London example showing cash bookings often outperform headline cents‑per‑point math.
#258: The 5 biggest mistakes Chris has made in his points & miles journey. He dives into the hidden cost of status, the math behind point values, the power of opportunity cost, and why hoarding points quietly destroys value.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/top-5-points-and-miles-mistakes
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Resources Mentioned
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- US Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
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Award Search Tools
- Gondola (Get $50 here)
- Points Path Chrome Extension
ATH Podcast
- Ep #245: How Much Are Points and Miles Worth in 2025?
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- Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:28) Mistake #1: Not Valuing My Time
(02:09) Setting a Personal Minimum Hourly Rate
(03:51) Step Back and Ask “Is This Worth It?”
(04:23) The Hidden Cost of Mental Overhead
(05:48) Using Daily and Weekly Priorities to Stay Focused
(07:00) Mistake #2: Not Considering the Opportunity Cost
(11:34) Mistake #3: Chasing Status
(16:56) Airline by Airline: The Value of Status in Real Life
(20:52) Reframing the Cost of Status
(24:09) When Milestone Benefits Change the Math
(28:33) Chris’s Status Plan Going Forward
(31:52) How to Decide Whether Status Is Worth Chasing
(32:50) Mistake #4: Overvaluing Points
(34:20) What the Data Actually Shows
(35:43) Why “Retail Value” Is Misleading
(41:22) When Paying Cash Can Be the Better Value
(46:03) Mistake #5: Not Cashing Out Points
(49:27) Chris's Plan for 2026
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