Award Travel 101

The 14th annual Chicago Seminars has a long and storied history. In Episode 64: The Most Powerful Tool in Award Travel, we had two of the event's organizers sharing the announcement of this year's event changes.In this episode, Angie is joined by two more of this year's organizers, Chris Moss and Marty Paz who share more details on the variety of speakers for each level and what attendees can expect.Links to topics DiscussedNew Qatar Privileges Credit cardBilt ChangesPay Condo FeesNew Hotel Transfer Partner - but don't do it!New Amex Transfer BonusCapital One Removes Restaurant BenefitEnhanced Sapphire Card offer - will she get approved?Business Platinum application - can she get another?Alaska AirlinesCompanion Certificate to the rescueGold Guest UpgradesWhere 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.

Award Travel 101 Community members probably know which cards to start with - Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, Ultimate Rewards' earning Ink (Preferred, Unlimited, Cash) cards, Amex Gold and Platinum (consumer and business) cards. But what happens when you can't get new cards? Many of us have been in that boat where we can’t open new cards for a while. What's next?Links to Topics DiscussedShould You Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card?United Skyrockets Business Class Partner Award Pricing by up to 200%15K Award Flights to EuropeQatar Airways 30% Transfer Bonus From Citi31+ Promos Ending SoonWyndham Points save the dayWhere 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.

We just returned from our meetup in San Antonio for Fiesta. There were over 150 Award Travel 101 and members from the Award Travel 201 communities in attendance. We had a great group of speakers who shared their stories and tips:Justin Vacula (Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast) blew everybody’s minds with creative ways to hit minimum spend and earn status (Podcast Episode 43)Toni Perkins-Southam (Forbes Advisor) shared deals over the years as well as the one most important aspects of the Award Travel (Podcast Episode 51)Logan Robinson (Aligned Incentives) discussed how to simplify meeting minimum spendsRyan Smith (AwardWallet) shared some under-the-radar card perks and benefits (Podcast Episode 48)Links to Other Topics DiscussedElevated American Express Business Platinum offerMr. & Mrs. Smith is now bookable with Hyatt pointsLufthansa First class bookable with LifeMilesNew rules/laws/protectionsWhere 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.

We came across an interesting diagram ranking the top 20 hotel programs throughout the world.  Do you know which is largest? (Hint: it's not US-based)Some are less familiar, so we ranked the six we most frequently discuss in the Award Travel 101 Facebook community:#2 Wyndham - 9,280 properties#3 Marriott- 8,484 properties#6 Choice - 7,500 properties#7 Hilton - 7,165 properties#8 IHG - 6,164 properties#16 Hyatt - 1,200 properties  Link to Topics DiscussedHilton/Small Luxury Hotels (Updates)Choice Sweet Spots New Citi AAdvantage Business offerWhere 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.

How does one weed out the noise to find what's most useful for your Award Travel strategies?  In-person events will provide opportunities for attendees to speak with and listen to experts in the field which help fine-tune their strategies. We encourage you to attend, engage, explore, learn, and ask questions.Chicago Seminars organizers Jackie and JT join Joe to discuss the next event in September.Links to Topics Discussed14th Annual Chicago SeminarsAwardWallet’s Roundup of Airline and Hotel Program Sweet SpotsOne Credit Card Issuer Just Increased Its Global Entry Benefit. Will Others Follow?Credit Card Welcome Offers of 100,000 Points (or More!)Where 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.

Thanks to a recommendation from a member, we decided to review when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.Is there long-term value?Are the benefits enough to offset the annual fee?If not, is there a retention offer?If no offer, is there a path to product change to preserve the credit line to help with utilization ratioIf there's no path to product change, consider closing the card as long as it’s not the oldest cardIf no annual fee, little reason to close. If you’re not using them though, put a small charge on them periodically.Links to Topics Discussed Complete Guide to Wells Fargo Transfer PartnersAir India Refreshes it’s Flying Returns ProgramIberia Plus Bonus: New Milestone RewardsApplication Fee Is Going up for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, Kids Will Be FreeAlaska Business CardAlaska Consumer CardWhere 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.

One Quarter into 2024 Joe and Angie discuss their trips and progress towards their point and status goals. Well since we know Angie is a status slacker at least Joe talked about his progress there.Links to Topics Discussed8 New Airlines Just Joined PreCheck. Here’s A List of All 99 TSA PreCheck Participating Airlines— Iberia is the biggie hereChase Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Card Priority Pass Benefit Change: No More Restaurants or MarketsYou Can Now Redeem Choice Privileges Points Online at Preferred HotelsAmex Hilton Honors Business Card Shakeup: Priority Pass Out, Spending Credits In, Higher Annual FeeChicago Seminars 2024 Dates and New Location Just AnnouncedWhere 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.

Mike and Joe discuss their trips to Australia. Mike was there for 8 days in a long anticipated trip to celebrate his 40th birthday while Joe jaunted down for 52 hours. Both flew United and American business class products on their longest routes discuss the pros and cons of each.Their respective stays at the Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt and Four Seasons in Sydney were also discussed along with attractions such as the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Hunter Valley wine region, scenic Blue Mountains, famous Bondi Beach and captivating Manly Beach. Links to Topics Discussed in This Week's Episode:United Mile PoolingUpdated Ink Cash BonusBilt - American & AlaskaTrack Travel Plans with AwardWalletChase Ink CashAmex Business CheckingWhere 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.

In this episode, Joe interviews a long-time friend, who was hesitant to open up credit cards for fear of ruining his credit and overspending. Tune-in to hear how he overcame that fear and is now booking his first international business class flights! These aren't the typical domestic carriers a newer Award Traveler might book either (American, Delta, or United).Where 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.

Finding award space could be difficult and often a frustrating exercise. Joe and Angie outline the steps and give tips on how to improve your results. Flexibility in types of points available, dates of travel, and airline routings. Start your search with your preferred airline, then expand your search out to partner airlines, and compare points needed.Links to Topics DiscussedNew Rewards coming from Wells FargoWorld of Hyatt’s Annual Sadness-Inducing Award Changes Announced World of Hyatt Adds the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las VegasWyndham Rewards Is Adjusting Award Prices for Hotel Stays and Vacasa BookingsIt’s Back: Bonus Offer on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® CardNew Hilton Credit Card Offers Provide enhanced bonuses Step-By-Step: How to Search for Award FlightsAT101 Transfer Partner ChartWhere 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.