Frequent Miler on the Air

Having just wrapped up our #3Cards3Continents trips, this week we discuss the sweetspots realized during our journeys and how you can leverage them as well or better in your future travels. 00:57 Giant Mailbag 6:58 What crazy thing . . . did Nick do this week? 11:23 Main Event: Sweetspots realized 11:34 Stretching the Aeroplan award chart 19:50 ANA Round the World Awards 29:05 Turkish for intra-European business class awards for a better experience 32:30 Taking AAdvantage of Middle East to/from Asia sweet spot (40K business / 50K business -- and getting the first class lounge for the business class price) 38:15 Crazy Qatar business class award price: 6K Avios in business class for ~5hrs (no longer available) 40:57 Choice Privileges for Nordic Choice 48:37 Build your own sweet spot with transfer bonuses Join our email list: FrequentMiler.com/Subscribe Music credit: Annie Yoder

With a good deal of countries and continents under their belts, Greg and Nick have picked up some great tips for your international trips when it comes to packing your bag. This week we are currently on our #3Cards3Continents worldwide trips -- and with this episode you'll be able to imagine what we have in our bags. 5:04 Main Event: Packing tips for worldwide travel 07:43 A travel wallet in Greg's travel backpack 09:43 Get a good-quality bagpack / bag that is your go-everywhere bag 12:03 That backpack should have a lot of zippered pockets 13:13 Things you should keep in that backpack (A small carabiner for water bottle or sanitizer on backpack, small poncho, extra set of chargers that stay in travel bag, earbuds, snacks, at least one pen) 16:50 Single charger for laptop and phone and battery pack / earbuds / etc 23:12 Quick-dry clothes 27:04 Puffy jacket that collapses into itself 27:52 Hoodie with many pockets for flights on low cost carriers 28:37 Toiletry kit always fully-stocked 31:00 backup phone

From dirt-cheap awards to Hawaii to nearly-free airport parking and the best free airport tours worldwide, this week we discuss the top travel hacks learned from past frequent miler challenges as we prepare to set off on our latest such challenge. 3:00 Giant Mailbag 8:30 3 Cards 3 Continents 3 Updates https://frequentmiler.com/frequent-milers-2022-team-challenge-3-cards-3-continents/ 20:22 Main Event: Top travel hacks learned from past Frequent Miler challenges 20:33: 7.5K miles to Hawaii https://frequentmiler.com/7-5k-each-way-to-hawaii-with-turkish-miles-and-smiles/ 25:13 United Excursionist Perk https://frequentmiler.com/maximizing-and-understanding-united-excursionist-perks/ 31:16 Czech Airways from Prague to Seoul 32:14 Hong Kong to London for 12.5K miles 35:00 Free airport tours and hotels https://frequentmiler.com/the-best-stopover-deals-worldwide/ 37:50 Trip to New York for $19 per day / cheap airport parking https://frequentmiler.com/my-19-new-york-city-challenge/ 41:40 Manual bookings through Avianca LifeMiles https://travellingtheworld.boardingarea.com/2016/09/book-lifemiles-awards-not-available-online/ https://frequentmiler.com/when-lifemiles-com-shows-no-availability-try-a-manual-booking/

Want ultra-luxury perks like lounge access and elite status at a bargain-basement price? This week, Greg and Nick discuss how to get the most bang for your buck by maximizing annual credits on your ultra-premium credit cards. 1:21 GIant Mailbag 5:47 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 3 Updates https://frequentmiler.com/frequent-milers-2022-team-challenge-3-cards-3-continents/ 15:22 Awards we booked this week 19:45 What crazy thing....did Amex do this week? https://frequentmiler.com/12-transfer-bonuses-from-amex-membership-rewards/ 30:00 Mattress Running the Numbers: Craftsy through SimplyMiles https://frequentmiler.com/stack-craftsy-offers-for-small-profit-4050-american-airlines-miles-loyalty-points/ 37:34 Luxury Perks for Free (After Rebate) 38:46 Capital One Venture X card 46:50 Amex Platinum Card 1:24:22 Amex Business Platinum 1:38:55 Amex Hilton Aspire card 1:46:44 Question of the Week: Is it worth transferring speculatively (given the transfer bonuses available) if you know which programs you often use? Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ Music credit: Annie Yoder

Hyatt's top-tier Globalist elite status is easy to want, but it seems difficult to get. This week, we talk hacks to get you there faster. 1:14 Giant Mailbag 4:30 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 3 Updates https://frequentmiler.com/frequent-milers-2022-team-challenge-3-cards-3-continents/ 14:22 What crazy thing....did IHG do this week? 18:39 What crazy thing...did Nick do this week? 25:30 Awards we booked this week 29:46 Mattress running the numbers: Buying Hyatt points for 1.68c per point 33:38 Main Event: Elite status Hyatt Hacks https://frequentmiler.com/shortcuts-to-hyatt-elite-status/ 38:30 World of Hyatt Credit Cards 43:56 Promotions (Current promo = double elite nights with new business card and current Bonus Journeys) 49:40 Challenges 56:50 Partnerships (SLH, MGM) 1:02:58 Hosting meetings 1:04:32 Mattress runs 1:09:37 Friends & Family 1:14:01 Is it worth going after Globalist status given Guest of Honor, ways to book suites, and Hyatt Prive? https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-get-top-tier-hyatt-elite-benefits-without-status/ https://frequentmiler.com/getting-the-elite-experience-without-elite-status-via-luxury-partner-programs/ 1:25:23 Question of the Week: Are nonrefundable rates more attractive if using a card with good travel protections?

1:05 Giant Mailbag: How to find and book awards on Virgin Atlantic's website https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIh2Bosgas8&lc=Ugw-T8OXIc04QG7G0cp4AaABAg 3:41 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 1 update https://frequentmiler.com/frequent-milers-2022-team-challenge-3-cards-3-continents/ 9:58 Awards we booked this week 1 9:16 Mattress running the numbers: Winc Wines AA Loyalty Point Mileage Run https://frequentmiler.com/stackable-aadvantage-offer-2500-miles-and-4-bottles-of-wine-for-10/ 22:41 What crazy thing....did Marriott Bonvoy do this week? https://frequentmiler.com/rumor-mid-tier-marriott-cards-may-be-coming-next-month/ 26:26 Main Event: New Marriott Cards are Coming (Probably) https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-bonvoy-gregs-bountiful-bevy-of-brilliant-predictions/ 1:07:22 Question of the Week: How can I find Hyatt properties by category or location? https://frequentmiler.com/want-to-see-hyatts-full-footprint-theres-a-map/ Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ Music credit: Annie Yoder

Our two favorite Amex transfer partners offer access to a wide array of awards that make for fascinating possibilities, whether great award chart values or flexible routing rules or a lot more. This week, we debate which is best from a wide range of angles. 00:51 Giant Mailbag: Watch out for "free" award cancellations 6:36 Mattress running the Numbers: 14K Wyndham points with a 3-night stay 12:07 Awards we booked this week 19:38 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 3 Updates 32:42 Main Event: Which is the best Amex transfer partner -- Air Canada Aeroplan or ANA? 34:48 Transfer time 39:28 Award Charts 44:58 One-way awards 49:24 Fuel surcharges 55:32 Partner airlines 1:01:32 Stopovers 1:04:30 Award space for their own members 1:06:32 Change fees 1:08:10 Mileage Expiry 1:12:19 Lap infant fees 1:20:23 Question of the Week: Is Plastiq ever worth it for the 2.85% fee?  Join our email list: frequentmiler.com/subscribe Music credit: Annie Yoder

Friends don't let friends pay full price for hotels. Here are some of the tools we use to slice and dice the price of lodging. 00:44 Giant Mailbag: Pop-up averted over the phone 4:14 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 3 Updates https://frequentmiler.com/frequent-milers-2022-team-challenge-3-cards-3-continents/ 15:34 What crazy thing....did Marriott Bonvoy do this week? When it says you can't use suite night awards, maybe that's not true . . . 23:45 Mattress running the numbers: Buying IHG points for 0.5c each https://frequentmiler.com/buy-ihg-points/ 28:53 Main Event: Extreme hotel savings 29:40 Buying points on sale 36:45 Specialty rates 40:46 Card-linked offers (Chase Offers, Amex Offers, SimplyMiles, etc) https://frequentmiler.com/card-linked-programs-the-networks-they-run-on-aka-which-programs-stack/ 43:44 Portals 49:14 Membership sites (Capital One Spring, Greyhound, etc) https://frequentmiler.com/capital-one-spring-priceline-save-hotels/ 52:25 Hotels.com stacking 54:25 Best Rate Guarantees 1:01:16 Mastercard Travel & Lifestyle 1:03:48 Wyndham business to Caesars to Free room 1:05:12 Follow sites for deeply discounted prices 1:07:20 Question of the Week: Do you have an update on American Airlines Loyalty Points? https://frequentmiler.com/american-airlines-loyalty-points-game-update-halfway-through-whos-in-front/ Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ Music credit: Annie Yoder

Want to sleep cheap in the city that never sleeps? Using hotel points can save you a boatload on your next New York City vacation, but not all award options are created equally. This week, Greg and Nick discuss your best bets. 00:58 Giant Mailbag Double Header (First up: IHG welcome bonus free night not top-off-able) 03:56 Marriott free night certificates extendable after all 9:39 What crazy thing...did IHG do this week? 14:39 Mattress running the numbers: Locking in the 20% back Marriott offer for good rates in the future and abroad 21:27 Awards we booked this week 25:33 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 3 Updates 30:20 Main Event: The best free nights in the Big Apple 31:38 Hilton 38:00 Hyatt 45:50 IHG 51:35 Marriott 1:03:25 Choice 1:07:46 Wyndham 1:09:33 Radisson 1:14:48 Can you get off a cruise ship early to fly home? Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ Music credit: Annie Yoder

As we plan for our 3 Cards, 3 Continents dream trips, we can't quite have it all. There have been dreams we've had to put on hold for future trips and this week Greg and Nick discuss a couple of those fantastic trips they hope to take one day but couldn't fit into this challenge. 00:45 Giant Mailbag: Chase reconsideration success 4:00 3 Cards, 3 Continents, 3 Updates https://frequentmiler.com/tag/3cards3continents/ 16:45 What crazy thing.....did IHG and Chase do this week? https://frequentmiler.com/ihg-premier-140k-welcome-offer-free-night-certificate-cant-be-topped-off/ 21:08 Awards we booked this week 25:03 Main Event: The dream trip that got away 27:30 Greg's free night certificate wish list https://frequentmiler.com/best-uses-for-marriott-free-night-certificates/ 33:24 Nick's tropical paradises lost https://frequentmiler.com/aeroplan-plans-for-future-dream-trips/ 56:52 Question of the Week: What's the strategy for a person with high business spend?