Balancing Annual Fees and Long-Term Value

Professor of Points: Unlocking Low-Cost Travel with Credit Card Rewards Host Justin Vacula sits down with Hunter Threadgill (aka the Professor of Points) to unpack practical strategies for turning credit card points and miles into real trips. We cover earning frameworks, smart redemptions, recent travel wins, and how to answer the arguments against credit card use. Hunter also previews Frequent Traveler University events and shares negotiation tips for retention offers. What you’ll learn How Hunter built his points toolkit since 2015 Simple systems to earn more rewards without overspending Smart ways to redeem for premium cabins and top hotels How to respond to Dave Ramsey-style critiques with facts Retention bonus scripts and optimizing your wallet mix Upcoming meetups and FTU announcements Chapters 00:00 Intro: Low-cost travel with points and miles 01:47 Meet Hunter Threadgill, Professor of Points 04:03 Frequent Traveler Education Foundation and Awards 07:15 Credit card perks, earning strategies, and stacking 19:53 Events and announcements 22:41 Promotions and meetups 25:06 Athens trip: Grand Hyatt and first class flights 27:32 Honeymoon highlights: Aruba and Maldives 29:39 Debunking common credit card myths 40:26 Upcoming trips and plans 42:34 Wrap-up and takeaways — 🎙️ 📢 Listen to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: 👉 SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast 👉 Apple Podcasts / iTunes → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 👉 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/0PRUx83Z4XKHengsgOoLWg 👉 TuneIn → https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast-p1275539/ 👉 iHeartRadio → https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-51807405/ 👉 Podbean → https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/vvdph-a3425/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast 👉 Pocket Casts → https://pocketcasts.com/podcasts/1a722d50-2d0a-0138-96d6-0acc26574db2?_prerender=true 👉 Podchaser → https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-1153719 👉 Podcast Addict → https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/3497422 👉 Castbox → https://castbox.fm/channel/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast-id4351553?country=us 👉 …and many other podcast platforms worldwide! 🌍🎧 📡 Prefer using your favorite app? Simply copy & paste my podcast RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss — 💜 Support My Work & Unlock Special Perks: 👉 Visit the Support Tab on my website to contribute via SubscribeStar → https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdygurdytravel 👉 Support me through helpful referral links on my site. 👉 Use my CardPointers affiliate link to save on annual and lifetime memberships → https://www.cardpointers.com/hurdygurdytravel CardPointers helps you activate card-linked offers and take advantage of other powerful credit card features. 👉 Earn 500 miles when signing up for Rove Miles using my referral link: www.rovemiles.com/?signup&referralCode=8AS1JSG9 — 🎁 Subscriber & Supporter Perks Include: ✨ One-on-one calls with me ✨ Advance notice of upcoming podcast guests (submit your questions!) ✨ A custom podcast episode recorded just for you 🎙️💬 ✨ Bonus content 🎁 — 🌐 Stay Connected With Me: 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 👍 Like on Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 🐦 Follow on Twitter / X → https://x.com/HurdyGurdyTravl 📸 Follow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/justinvacula/ — ✨ Thank You for Listening & Supporting the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast! Stay tuned for more tips, strategies, and stories to help you optimize your travel, rewards, and lifestyle. 🚀🌍💳