Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast

The podcast dives into the debate over whether frequent flyer miles are worth the effort. It presents a counterargument to the Wall Street Journal's take, emphasizing that simple strategies can yield significant travel savings. Justin shares personal success stories and practical tips for simplifying credit card rewards. He debunks myths about rewards complexity, highlights the benefits of airline and hotel status, and suggests tools to manage points effectively. The discussion aims to make travel more accessible while avoiding the pitfalls of overcomplication.

In this conversation, Ronnie Dunston, a miles-and-points enthusiast who has traveled to over 100 countries, shares his secrets for budget-friendly travel. He delves into effective strategies for booking award flights and maximizing credit card rewards while managing family travel. Ronnie emphasizes the benefits of premium experiences, like airport lounges, and provides practical tips for flying with kids. He also highlights the importance of community meetups in mastering the points game and gives insights on transforming everyday expenses into travel points.

Explore the highlights of 2025 travel through points and miles strategies for unforgettable family trips. Discover how using Hilton credits and membership perks can save money on accommodations. Tune in for adventures planned in exotic locales like Southeast Asia and Australia, plus tips for maximizing hotel and airline benefits. Join discussions about exciting meetups, upcoming conferences, and insider travel hacks that make unforgettable trips affordable. Get ready to unleash your inner traveler for 2026 and beyond!

Discover how to score a nearly free balcony suite cruise using travel hacks and casino loyalty perks. Listen in as the host shares first impressions of the ship, room highlights, and the dining experience onboard. Dive into the casino scene, exploring gaming strategies and promotions. Unpack itineraries, port logistics, and candid assessments of Cozumel and Progreso. The insights on solo travel choices and maximizing points are invaluable for any travel enthusiast looking to elevate their cruising experience.

A spirited debate unfolds as Justin Vacula takes on Dave Ramsey's strict stance against credit cards. He highlights the numerous advantages of business credit cards, from earning points to cash flow management. The psychological aspects of spending are explored, drawing contrasts to Ramsey’s warnings. Justin critiques Ramsey's simplistic arguments and illustrates the real value of travel rewards, offering practical tips for disciplined use. Overall, the discussion balances responsible credit card strategies with the pitfalls of misguidance in financial advice.

Marc Konchinsky, a travel rewards enthusiast and frequent cruiser, shares expert insights into scoring complimentary cruises in 2026. He elaborates on strategies to combine casino loyalty programs like MyVegas with credit card benefits for a stress-free travel experience. The duo discusses recent changes in cruise offers, creative ways to secure upgrades, and best practices for maximizing rewards. They also promote upcoming meetups and events to enhance networking and travel opportunities in the cruise community.

Darren Remsburg, a savvy travel rewards strategist, joins host Justin Vacula to unravel the secrets of earning Caesars Rewards status. They reveal why casino loyalty programs are gold for travelers and share strategies for stacking rewards through grocery deals and credit card multipliers. Discover the perks of Caesars Diamond and Seven Stars status, from waived resort fees to celebration dinners. Plus, they discuss the value of meetups and community events for networking and refining your travel hacks while saving big bucks.

Getting Started in Points and Miles | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula breaks down the art of using credit card points, miles, and casino loyalty programs to save money on travel and travel in style. Justin shares how he went from discovering poker to focusing on credit card rewards, stacking offers, and traveling at next to no cost. Joined by Frank and Trey from the Poker Dealer School of Philadelphia, Justin explains the fundamentals of miles and points, how to safely manage many credit cards, and how poker, points, and miles rely on math, discipline, and strategy. You’ll learn how to: Maximize credit card rewards without going into debt Combine casino comps with points and miles for huge value Use apps and tools to track offers and organize your cards Think about expected value like a poker player when making financial decisions If you’re a poker player, casino regular, or just someone who wants to travel more for less, this episode is for you. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Interview with Frank and Trey from Poker Dealer School 01:39 Justin’s Journey into Miles and Points 02:47 Scaling Up Credit Card Rewards 03:51 Starting the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast 06:17 Credit Card Strategies and Tips 17:16 Favorite Trips and Experiences 19:30 Combining Credit Card Perks with Casino Comps 24:32 Learning Poker and Credit Card Fundamentals 25:08 Useful Apps for Credit Card Management 25:53 Exploring Credit Card Rewards and Offers 27:02 Podcast Break and Sponsor Message 27:54 JetBlue 25 for 25 Challenge 32:41 Coaching and Educating on Credit Cards 36:05 Philosophy and Credit Card Strategies 38:30 Navigating Credit Card Rules and Benefits 43:52 Final Thoughts and Advice — 🎙️ 📢 Listen to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: 👉 SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast 👉 Apple Podcasts / iTunes → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 👉 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/0PRUx83Z4XKHengsgOoLWg 👉 TuneIn → https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast-p1275539/ 👉 iHeartRadio → https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-51807405/ 👉 …and many other podcast platforms worldwide! 🌍🎧 📡 Prefer using your favorite app? Simply copy & paste my podcast RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss — 💜 Support My Work & Unlock Special Perks: 👉 Support me through helpful referral links on my site: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ 👉 Use my CardPointers affiliate link to save on annual and lifetime memberships → https://www.cardpointers.com/hurdygurdytravel CardPointers helps you activate card-linked offers and take advantage of other powerful credit card features. 👉 Become a Frequent Traveler University member and sign up for events. https://ftuniversity.com/?aff=24 👉 Earn 500 miles when signing up for Rove Miles using my referral link: www.rovemiles.com/?signup&referralCode=8AS1JSG9 — 👉 Visit the Support Tab on my website to contribute via SubscribeStar → https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdygurdytravel 🎁 Subscriber & Supporter Perks Include: ✨ One-on-one calls with me ✨ Advance notice of upcoming podcast guests (submit your questions!) ✨ A custom podcast episode recorded just for you 🎙️💬 ✨ Bonus content 🎁 — 🌐 Stay Connected With Me: 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 👍 Like on Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 🐦 Follow on Twitter / X → https://x.com/HurdyGurdyTravl 📸 Follow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/justinvacula/ — ✨ Thank You for Listening & Supporting the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast! Stay tuned for more tips, strategies, and stories to help you optimize your travel, rewards, and lifestyle. 🚀🌍💳

Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: Maximizing Points & Miles with Carissa Rawson of Rove In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula chats with Carissa Rawson from Rove to dive into the latest Rove promos, tools, and features that can supercharge your travel. They cover smart ways to earn and redeem Rove miles without opening new credit cards, so you can travel more while spending less. You will hear about the upcoming Travel Tuesday deals, how Rove stacks with existing loyalty programs, and what exciting new features are on the roadmap for 2026. Justin and Carissa also chat about upcoming travel meetups, community events, and how listeners can plug into the Rove ecosystem. If you are looking to make your travel more affordable, flexible, and fun, this episode is packed with practical strategies and real-world examples. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast 00:45 Meet Carissa Rawson from Rove 01:46 What is Rove and how it works 04:28 Travel Tuesday and Cyber Monday promotions 07:19 Strategies for maximizing rewards with Rove 10:46 Upcoming events, meetups, and ways to get involved 16:29 Listener questions and feedback 22:47 Final tips, takeaways, and closing thoughts — 🎙️ 📢 Listen to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: 👉 SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast 👉 Apple Podcasts / iTunes → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 👉 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/0PRUx83Z4XKHengsgOoLWg 👉 TuneIn → https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast-p1275539/ 👉 iHeartRadio → https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-51807405/ 👉 Podbean → https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/vvdph-a3425/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast 👉 Pocket Casts → https://pocketcasts.com/podcasts/1a722d50-2d0a-0138-96d6-0acc26574db2?_prerender=true 👉 Podchaser → https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-1153719 👉 Podcast Addict → https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/3497422 👉 Castbox → https://castbox.fm/channel/Hurdy-Gurdy-Travel-Podcast-id4351553?country=us 👉 …and many other podcast platforms worldwide! 🌍🎧 📡 Prefer using your favorite app? Simply copy & paste my podcast RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss — 💜 Support My Work & Unlock Special Perks: 👉 Support me through helpful referral links on my site: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ 👉 Use my CardPointers affiliate link to save on annual and lifetime memberships → https://www.cardpointers.com/hurdygurdytravel CardPointers helps you activate card-linked offers and take advantage of other powerful credit card features. 👉 Become a Frequent Traveler University member and sign up for events. https://ftuniversity.com/?aff=24 👉 Earn 500 miles when signing up for Rove Miles using my referral link: www.rovemiles.com/?signup&referralCode=8AS1JSG9 — 👉 Visit the Support Tab on my website to contribute via SubscribeStar → https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdygurdytravel 🎁 Subscriber & Supporter Perks Include: ✨ One-on-one calls with me ✨ Advance notice of upcoming podcast guests (submit your questions!) ✨ A custom podcast episode recorded just for you 🎙️💬 ✨ Bonus content 🎁 — 🌐 Stay Connected With Me: 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 👍 Like on Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 🐦 Follow on Twitter / X → https://x.com/HurdyGurdyTravl 📸 Follow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/justinvacula/ — ✨ Thank You for Listening & Supporting the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast! Stay tuned for more tips, strategies, and stories to help you optimize your travel, rewards, and lifestyle. 🚀🌍💳

Hunter Threadgill, a travel rewards expert and founder of Professor of Points, joins to dissect the value of the Chase Sapphire Reserve in 2026. He breaks down the practical benefits, including the $300 travel credit and exclusive dining perks. The pair discusses real-world applications of credits like StubHub and DoorDash, and weigh the financial math of keeping versus downgrading the card. Hunter emphasizes the importance of tailoring benefits to individual lifestyles, making a case for retaining the card while revealing advanced tactics for optimal use.