The Business of Meetings 305: When You Board the International Plane, Always Turn Left! with Eli Facenda
Today, we're thrilled to welcome Eli Facenda, founder and CEO of Freedom Travel Systems. Known as The Travel Guy, Eli helps entrepreneurs turn everyday spending into first-class travel experiences.
Join us as Eli breaks down what to do with the points you earn, how upgrades really work, and how first-class flights and luxury suites around the world are far more attainable than most people think.
Eli's Journey
Eli's career began in 2015 after graduating with a degree in finance and joining the travel industry through an international sports tour company. A trip to the Dominican Republic when he was 16 sparked his passion for travel and shaped his desire to build a life driven by curiosity rather than convention. Over time, he developed skills in group travel, logistics, and credit card points. That eventually evolved into a business helping entrepreneurs travel better by leveraging the systems they already have in place.
Why Uncertainty Matters
Eli believes uncertainty is essential for passion and fulfillment. Playing it safe may feel comfortable, but it often limits growth and experience. The willingness to take risks, follow curiosity, and act before everything feels certain has been a consistent driver in both his life and business.
Turning Crisis into Opportunity
When COVID disrupted the travel industry, it forced Eli's tour business into survival mode. Rather than freezing, he pivoted by launching a points-based consulting business that offered more control and scalability.
How Points Unlock Disproportionate Value
Eli discovered the power of points when he flew business class on a ticket worth thousands of dollars for only a few dollars in taxes. That experience revealed how strategic point redemptions could create massive leverage, turning ordinary spending into extraordinary travel experiences.
Why Loyalty Isn't Always Logical
Airline loyalty and elite status often come with high opportunity costs. Transferable bank points typically provide more flexibility, higher redemption value, and better travel outcomes than committing to a single airline, especially for globally mobile travelers.
Experience vs. Redemption Strategy
The best airline experience does not always align with the best points value. Some airlines offer superior products but poor redemption efficiency. Understanding alliances, partner transfers, and award availability allows travelers to optimize both comfort and value.
Redeeming Points the Right Way
The biggest mistake most people make is redeeming points through bank travel portals. Transferring points to airline partners can multiply their value several times over, but availability must always be confirmed before transferring, as transfers are irreversible.
Cards, Hotels, and Priorities
For business owners, Eli recommends prioritizing international premium flights for personal and family travel due to the quality and tax advantages. Hotel points usually offer lower value than airline redemptions, but elite hotel status can still deliver meaningful perks when earned strategically. Base your card selection on spending patterns, travel goals, and location—not card prestige.
Experiential Wealth
Eli frames success around "experiential wealth"—the memories, relationships, and moments that create fulfillment. Business growth matters, but experiences, not just achievements measure a well-lived life.
Eli Facenda: Speaker Bio
Eli "The Travel Guy" Facenda is the Founder and CEO of Freedom Travel Systems. He and his team help entrepreneurs maximize the money they are already spending so they can unlock bucket-list travel experiences and an upgraded first-class travel lifestyle entirely on points. Almost every entrepreneur spends money and travels, yet very few know how to do so efficiently.
Eli has spent nine years in the travel industry, has traveled to 42 countries, and averages over $100,000 per year in free travel using points. His biggest passion is helping others come alive through travel and adventure while sharing strategies that make first-class travel easily attainable at a fraction of the cost.
His team works with hundreds of entrepreneurs across all industries, including world-renowned business leaders such as Dan Martell, Cameron Herold, Karlton Dennis, Amber Spears, Tai Lopez, and others.
Eli brings a unique perspective to business speaking engagements and podcasts. As an industry leader in a blue-ocean market, his talks, workshops, and interviews are highly engaging and actionable for entrepreneurial audiences.
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