Award Travel 101

Tim Qin, founder of Roame.Travel and an engineer-turned-entrepreneur who built real-time award and hotel points search tools. They trace how Roame finds rare award space and sends alerts that caught ANA First Class. Short digs into LifeMiles booking quirks, Iberia’s 40% off award promo, hotel points search, product limits like missing BA and Cathay, and upcoming Roame features.

Cameron and Mike tackle a bizarre airport encounter that raises the importance of staying alert while traveling. They dive into the latest travel and credit card news, highlighting a Hyatt offer for five free nights and a new Capital One Venture bonus. The main focus is on the controversial Bilt 2.0 rollout, with new card tiers and complex earning rules for rent and mortgage payments causing user backlash. Amidst the outrage, they weigh the benefits and drawbacks of the new system, urging listeners to evaluate its worth for their needs.

Discover massive savings on family trips booked with points, totalling under $2,000 instead of $40,000. Tune in for the latest buzz on new Bilt cards and Amex credit shifts due to a potential Saks bankruptcy. Dive into unique travel quirks like premium cabin dining preferences and window-shade etiquette. Hear about exciting upcoming trips to Switzerland, Turkey, and Vegas while strategizing credit card bonuses. Plus, learn tips to dodge rental toll fees in Orlando. Travel smarter and more creatively!

This episode features a reflective look at memorable award travel experiences from 2025. Highlights include Bilt's new flight search tool and the potential for mortgage-earning points. The discussion digs deep into the Choice Privileges program, exploring its new Titanium status with enticing perks like free breakfast and suite bookings for the price of standard rooms. However, they also highlight downsides like resort fees and inconsistent late checkout. Anthony shares his travel plans while maximizing Amex credits, making for a well-rounded conversation on travel and rewards.

Listen as the hosts dive into community tales of painful travel blunders, including lost points from rigid policies. They highlight the looming deadlines for the Venture X 100k offer and the JetBlue–JAL partnership ending, along with the impact of British Airways' recent Avios devaluation. Topics like 2026 points strategies, card application timing, and dream trips to Switzerland and Australia spark insights. They also discuss managing card activity, maximizing family travel, and the importance of avoiding low-value credits. Tune in for tips and trip aspirations!

Explore the latest in award travel, including tips on navigating delayed Amex-to-Delta transfers and the impact of American Airlines ending mileage on Basic Economy tickets. Discover news on airlines offering free in-flight internet and changes to Chase's Points Boost. Listen to hosts share challenges with Amex credits and phantom award space, alongside personal booking highlights like LATAM business class to Chile. The discussion wraps up with reflections on earnings and points strategies as they anticipate travel plans for 2026.

Join the hosts as they tackle significant travel news, including unexpected Mesa card shutdowns and changes to the Ritz-Carlton lounge policy. Explore JetBlue’s exclusive new lounge and possible transfer devaluations with Cathay Pacific. Dive into ZorkFest highlights, featuring hands-on learning with experts, small-group labs, and strategies for maximizing rewards in travel and casino settings. Plus, get personal trip updates and insights on the value of co-branded cards. This recap reveals the ultimate blend of travel rewards and gaming enjoyment!

Dive into year-end travel strategies with creative tips for reaching Delta Diamond status just in time. Explore a paid status match with Royal Air Maroc and the impacts of Turkish Miles&Smiles devaluation. Discover Capital One’s transfer ratio changes and how they affect redemptions. Don’t miss key updates on expiring statement credits, essential spending thresholds for free nights, and elite status deadlines. Plus, hear personal travel updates and card strategies to maximize rewards before the year wraps up!

Discover the ins and outs of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program, featuring over 8,900 properties across 34 brands. Explore elite status tiers, with Platinum status offering irresistible perks like room upgrades and free breakfast. Learn about credit card strategies and how to maximize elite night credits from Amex and Chase. The hosts weigh the program's benefits against its drawbacks, such as resort fees on award stays. Finally, they share a crucial tip: prioritize loyalty strategies that cater to your travel needs over chasing status.

Episode 148 of the Award Travel 101 podcast focuses on maximizing points and cashback during Black Friday shopping while also covering the week’s key award-travel news. Angie and Cameron open with a community highlight about stacking rewards on large purchases—using new credit cards for signup bonuses, checking card-linked offers, comparing shopping portals, and leveraging gift-card category bonuses at grocery or office-supply stores. They also touch on programs like Wayfair Professional that sometimes unlock extra savings or rewards opportunities. News updates include a 40% Amex-to-Virgin Atlantic transfer bonus, Frontier’s extended Go Wild Pass, expanded Air France Flying Blue saver availability for elite members, and an elevated $40 TopCashback referral bonus.The hosts also share their personal points wins and trip planning. Angie is using a new Citi Strata Elite card to cover property taxes and wrap up a United Gateway spending tracker, while Cameron is evaluating Citi and Chase cards for various family members and prepping for future Southwest Companion Pass timing. Travel planning includes Angie’s upcoming Uruguay trip and Cameron’s multi-stop itineraries for Greece and Thailand, including discussions about award pricing, hotel options, and routing strategies on carriers like Qatar, ANA, and JAL.The main topic—Black Friday shopping—dives into stacking card offers, elevated Rakuten rates, Capital One Shopping deals, Visa gift-card plays via Rove, and portal comparisons using tools like Cashback Monitor. Cameron and Angie outline the best credit cards for holiday spending across different categories and offer strategies like buying gift cards in bonus categories to boost points. They also share must-have travel items recommended by the AT101 community, such as portable fans, chargers, Airfly adapters, and CO₂ detectors. The episode wraps with a tip of the week: using Thrifty Traveler’s credit-card benefits tracker to manage annual credits across multiple cards more effectively.Episode Links:Amex to Virgin 40% Transfer bonusFrontier Go Wild PassAir France Award Space for ElitesTop Cash Back LinkAmazon Black Friday DealsWhere to Find Us The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here Reserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.