Geobreeze Travel

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Benji Stawski @benjistawski is a strategic travel reporter at The Points Guy. In today's episode, Benji and I walk through his career journey of how he got started writing for TPG and other outlets while he was still in college, not majoring in journalism. He also provides us with some behind-the-scenes info on what it's like to report these travel stories from first-class cabins for one of the largest points and miles media outlets in the world. Many points and miles platforms, including this podcast, make money through our fans using our credit card affiliate links. Please please please make sure that you never ever just Google a card and then apply from there. Always use a referral link from a friend or a content creator if possible. you might even get a better offer that way, so make sure you do your research before you sign up for a card. If you'd like to support this show when you sign up for your next card, please use the links in geobreezetravel.com/cards. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction: Benji's Journey (06:15) - Convincing Mom Digitally (09:27) - Writing for The Points Guy (15:42) - Freelance to Full-Time (19:56) - Travel Writing at TPG (26:19) - Spontaneous Travel, Points (30:37) - Food Delivery Savings (33:31) - Maximize Credit Card Spending You can find Benji at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjistawski You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Katie Seemann from @zenlifeandtravel is a mom and travel writer based in Columbus, Ohio. She's an award travel writer for upgradedpoints.com as well as various other websites. In addition to traveling for free using points and miles, Katie also gets paid to travel by producing sponsored content for her blog. In today's episode, we talk about how Katie got started with the game of points and miles and how she has been able to turn the hobby into a lucrative career that she balances with being a stay-at-home-mom. One of the best ways to get featured on other outlets is by doing guest posts to build up your portfolio. If you're looking to get started with writing guest posts about your points and miles travel, I would love to feature your story on the Geobreeze Travel blog! This is a great way to get yourself featured on my website and Instagram, especially if you are shy about interviewing on the podcast or presenting during one of our monthly hangouts! For more information on how to submit a post, check out https://www.geobreezetravel.com/guest-post. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (04:52) - Credit Card Planning (10:26) - Blog to Travel Writing (15:54) - Credit Card Benefits Maximized (20:38) - Relationships, Networking (27:18) - Attracting Opportunities (30:35) - Sponsored Writing Negotiation (34:14) - Conclusion You can find Katie at: Website: https://www.zenlifeandtravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenlifeandtravel You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Scott Kobayashi from @thecredithacker is a local Hawaiian who uses points and miles to take staycations at luxury Hawaiian resorts. He also knows all about the award travel routes in, out, and around the islands. In today's episodes, we are going to discuss some of the insider Hawaiian travel hacks you wouldn't normally find on blogs and other platforms that are based on the mainland. And if you would like even more insider tips and tricks for all things points and miles, don't forget to sign up for our Geobreeze Travel Podcast off-air hangouts. We're switching up the format a little bit! Each month, we will dive deep into one particular award program, master-class style! Beginners are welcome to come and learn about the topic and anyone with knowledge on the award program of the month is invited to chime in with their advice as well! And as always, beginner questions are welcome just as much as more advanced topics. You can ask your questions live or submit them through an anonymous chatbox. And by popular demand, we have a way for you to access recordings of the hangouts now! Join the Geobreeze Travel Patreon to gain access to the recordings and materials from each month's podcast and more exciting benefits! Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction: Hawaii Island Hopping (05:17) - Chase Trifecta Points (10:47) - Credit Card Dining, Airlines (14:17) - Hawaii Hotel Deals (17:28) - Insider Info, Local Experiences (20:17) - Hawaii Exploration Tips (25:26) - Hidden Deals, Lounges (28:22) - Local Blogger Connections You can find Scott at: Website: https://www.thecreditcardhacker.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecredithacker You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreeztravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Free hotel upgrade email template that I used to save $1000 off the Grand Wailea in Hawaii: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/download-gifts

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Ricky Zhang's blog, princeoftravel.com, is one of the leading Canadian sources for points and award travel content. His website gets more than 300K monthly page views, and he has more than 33k subscribers across his Instagram, youtube, and Facebook channels. In today's episode, we talk about Ricky's journey from getting into the hobby to building up his blog and going full-time as a content creator, blogger, and YouTube star. Many content creators such as Ricky and I love producing blog posts, podcast episodes, and other free content to help spread the joys of award travel. Two of the best ways you can support your favorite people who create free and valuable content like this are 1. tell ALL your friends about how awesome the content is so that we can get more eyes and ears on our work and 2. please use our referral links for new cards. Whenever you apply for a new credit card, please use a referral or affiliate link from a friend or content creator whose content you find useful, so that they get a referral bonus or commissions. Please please please do not ever simply Google a card and apply from there, without comparing offers to what you can get through referral and affiliate links. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (03:09) - Passion for Loyalty Programs (06:08) - First Credit Cards for Points (08:16) - Prince of Travel Introduction (11:43) - Diversity in Points and Miles Community (17:31) - Two-Year Solo Endeavor (19:38) - Prince of Travel Revenue Channels (28:03) - Issues with the term "Travel Hacking" (36:59) - Future of Content Creation (38:49) - Conclusion You can find Ricky at: Website: https://www.princeoftravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/princeoftravel You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Alida is a travel hacker who was born and raised in Panama. Quick history lesson: in the 1980s, Manuel Noriega was a Panamanian politician and military officer who was the de facto dictator ruler of Panama. It was during this time that banks were frozen in the country, many of the financial institutions became unreliable, and Alida's family fled and immigrated to the United States. Fast forward to today: Alida has traveled to 38 countries so far, many of them for free, and loves sharing her travels with her husband and 3 kids. In today's episode, we talk about how she was able to save $10,000 on a 10-night luxury wellness vacation and save $12,000 on a trans-continental European trip that included a segment in the highly-coveted first-class Singapore Suites. Are you looking to travel like Alida but not sure where to start? If you are fairly new to the game of points and miles, I offer free 30-minute coaching calls to help you get started in the right direction! You can sign up by going to https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat! Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (02:44) - Travel Hacking (06:18) - Credit Cards for Rewards (09:25) - Strategic Card Use (15:23) - Maximize Savings for Trips (18:29) - Surprise Trips, Luxury (21:46) - $22K Savings with Points (25:49) - Rewards Points Tips, Resources You can find Alida at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alitravelpoints You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Rob Dulgarian from @travelpointsrob is a former CPA and commercial real estate junkie who loves all things points and miles. In this episode, Rob and I talk about how to earn enough points and miles to get free travel for a family of seven, and we also talk about a loyalty program that is a huge game-changer and that people do not talk about enough, and that is the Miles and Smiles program. Rob is also a frequent attendant at our Geobreeze Travel hangouts each month, where podcasts listeners and featured guests come to hang out, celebrate each others' points and miles wins, and trade advice about how to level up your game. If you are new to the travel hacking world, the hangouts are a super-effective way to get your questions answered quickly -- no question is too basic! And if you are already a travel hacking expert or content creator, the hangouts are a fantastic way to promote your platform and share your expertise. If you would like an invite to the next hangout, you can sign up at https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (05:24) - Family Hacking Strategies (11:36) - Large Family Travel, Planning (14:37) - Attitude on Apps, Mistakes (18:57) - Credit Card Points Earning (24:30) - Hotel and Airline Tips (28:33) - Research for Hacking Success (31:43) - Conclusion You can find Rob at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelpointsrob Website: https://easytravelpoints.com/ You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Ruby Escalona from @ajourneywelove is a travel hacker, originally from the Philippines and currently residing in Jacksonville, Florida. She married a Slovak so they use their points and miles to travel to Europe, Asia, and around the US yearly while trying to discover new countries in between. She blogs about travel, personal finance, and Florida. In this episode, we talk about how people who don't have credit scores yet, such as new immigrants to the United States, can get started with travel for free by becoming authorized users, and what kinds of things to watch out for with the authorized user hacks. We also talk about Ruby's memorable experience with travel hacking their honeymoon from Florida to Alaska to get business class seats... except they only ended up with one business class seat for their honeymoon! Get excited to hear that story. Also, if you are fairly new to the game of points and miles and looking to get started in the right direction, I offer free 30-minute coaching calls! You can sign up by going to https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction: Immigrant Travel Hacking (09:15) - Earning, Using Points (15:22) - Challenges for Immigrants (20:44) - Traveling with a Baby (25:48) - Immigrant Hacking Awareness (28:54) - Philippines Trip, No Cards (32:28) - Sharing Experience (39:04) - Conclusion You can find Ruby at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajourneywelove Website: https://www.ajourneywelove.com Website: https://www.voyageflorida.com You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) In case you haven't already jumped on the CardPointers train, it is an easy-to-use app that answers the fundamental question of "what card to use for this purchase" as well as providing many additional features such as tracking for your statement credits each month. In this episode, I am going to interview the man behind the app. Emmanuel Crouvisier walks us through his journey of how he got into travel hacking, his transition from his day job as a director of engineering to working on the app full-time, and more.  You're going to hear me fan-girl over the app a lot in this episode, and I just want to note -- none of this is even sponsored content. The app really is just that good! Emmanuel is also a regular guest at our Geobreeze Travel Podcast Off-Air Hangouts, where listeners and featured guests jump on a video call each month to help answer each others' points and miles questions, and Emmanuel has often given out door prizes such as a free month of CardPointers Pro, the paid version of the app that comes with even more features to help with your travel hacking lifestyle.  As you've all heard me say before, the best travel hack is making friends who can show you even more travel hacks. If you'd like to join us for the next one, you can sign up at https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts to get on the invite list. You can download the app here:  Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cardpointers-for-credit-cards/id1472875808  Web version: https://www.getcardpointers.com/ Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction: Hacking Tips, Security (01:58) - Emmanuel's Engineer to App (07:27) - Cards, Europe, Frugality (11:45) - CardPointers App Introduction (18:16) - App for Tracking, Optimization (26:01) - Memorable Travel, Upgrades (29:50) - Card Rewards with App (32:42) - Conclusion You can find Emmauel at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardpointers You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Spencer and Ashley are rising stars in the world of Canadian reward travel, and have booked numerous first-class trips on points and miles, including a $90,000 trip to Dubai. Doesn't even matter if that's in Canadian or American dollars, it's super impressive either way! In today's episode, Spencer and Ashley share with us some tips for how to take advantage of 2-player mode referrals, how they're able to get a ton of points and miles by being AirBnB superhosts, and some of the key differences between Canadian and American travel hacking programs. Spencer and Ashley also mention that one of the key ways they've been able to level up their game so quickly is by connecting with others in the Canadian points and miles community, and I couldn't agree more. The best travel hack is always to make friends with people who can show you even more travel hacks. If you would like to connect with the community at one of the meetups I host for podcast listeners and featured guests like Spencer and Ashley, you can sign up for invites to the next one at geobreezetravel.com/hangouts. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction: $90K Dubai Savings (06:55) - Maxing Card Points as Airbnb Superhosts (17:23) - $400 Savings, Lessons (22:10) - Canadian Business Cards (26:18) - Shopping Portals, Deals (29:56) - $90K Luxury via Airbnb (35:41) - Caution, Canadian Tips (41:47) - Conclusion You can find Spencer and Ashley at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencerandashley You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Panny from @pannyzhao1 and her husband Louie recently hacked an amazing $17,000 honeymoon to Bora Bora, including a first-class flight on United Polaris! In this episode, we are going to discuss exactly how they did that. Panny is an ER nurse in New York City, so please go show her some love on her Instagram and thank her for all she did during the cluster year of 2020 (and continuing on into 2021). It's also worth noting that she and Louie were able to able to travel hack this trip without the benefits of job-related travel, without side gig or small business spend going through their cards, and without hacky hacks like manufactured spending. It is possible! Additionally, in this episode, we discuss how to get a free upgrade using my free upgrade email template. You can find this template at https://www.geobreezetravel.com/download-gifts. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (04:45) - Travel Hacking: Initial Steps (11:25) - Benefits of IHG Card (15:38) - First Class to Tahiti (18:13) - COVID Impact on United Flight (20:12) - US Travel to Bora Bora During Pandemic (21:49) - Future of Travel Hacking (25:57) - Tips and Conclusion You can find Panny at https://www.instagram.com/pannyzhao1 You can find Julia at: Website: https://www.geobreezetravel.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Hangouts: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/hangouts Patreon to access recordings of hangouts: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Free 30-minute coaching call: https://www.calendly.com/geobreeze/free-introductory-chat Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.