146. 2025 in Points and Miles In Review: The Biggest Wins, Disappointments & Shifts - Part 1

In this episode, we bid farewell to 2025 with a year-in-review analysis of the biggest news, changes, and trends in rewards, credit cards, and award travel over the last 12 months.

This episode is part one of a two-part year-in-review series, and I'm joined by Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc, to break down the biggest changes, surprises, and shakeups in the points and award travel world over the last year.

In this first half of the conversation, we focus on the biggest wins and disappointments of the year—from credit card issuers that made significant changes to new programs that expanded what's possible with points. We talk through how the landscape has shifted, why earning and redeeming points feels more complex than it used to, and how those changes showed up across credit cards, transferable points currencies, and airline loyalty programs.

This episode isn't about declaring whether 2025 was "good" or "bad." It's about understanding how the points and miles world is becoming more specific, more nuanced, and more complex—and what that means for how you participate in it moving forward.

Be sure to tune in next week for Part Two, where we'll dive deeper into the trends we expect to shape 2026, along with our predictions and award travel wish lists for the year ahead.

Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/2025-points-and-miles-year-in-review-part-1/

Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!

Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy