Point Me To First Class
Devon Gimbel MD
Point Me to First Class is a show for employed professionals, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with higher-than-average personal and/or business expenses who want to learn to leverage them into credit card points to spend on travel. Your expenses are your greatest untapped asset - but learning how to use them to travel the world doesn't have to be confusing or complicated.
Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points and shows you how to spend them on incredible travel experiences.
Interested in learning more about working with Devon? Visit www.pointmetofirstclass.com to learn more.
This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
How do I earn credit card points and use them for travel?
How can I make my expenses benefit me?
How can I earn as many credit card points for as little spending as possible?
How to maximize value from credit card points.
How to earn credit card points for travel.
Turn credit card points into travel.
Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points and shows you how to spend them on incredible travel experiences.
Interested in learning more about working with Devon? Visit www.pointmetofirstclass.com to learn more.
This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
How do I earn credit card points and use them for travel?
How can I make my expenses benefit me?
How can I earn as many credit card points for as little spending as possible?
How to maximize value from credit card points.
How to earn credit card points for travel.
Turn credit card points into travel.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 26, 2026 • 53min
191. The Southwest Companion Pass Shakeup: What's Changing and What to Do Now
Southwest is overhauling the Companion Pass, threatening the credit-card strategy that made it attainable for so many travelers. Katie explains the shrinking 2026 window, new qualification rules, card sequencing, and whether the pass will still be worthwhile in 2027. They also weigh Southwest cards against flexible points, alternative companion perks, and why diversifying loyalty programs matters.
15 snips
Oct 19, 2026 • 28min
190. Mind the Cap: How to Avoid Dropping From 5x Points to 1x
Bonus category caps can quietly turn a 5x rewards rate into 1x, even on cards you use every day. Explore spending limits across Amex, Chase, Bilt, and Capital One, how reset dates work, and practical ways to keep earning at higher rates. Learn how duplicate cards, product changes, and smarter portfolio planning can protect your travel points.
33 snips
Oct 12, 2026 • 47min
189. The Hotel Points Program You're Probably Overlooking: ALL Accor with Dr. Suzanne Manzi
Dr. Suzanne Manzi, a points-and-miles enthusiast and travel rewards educator, reveals why ALL Accor is an overlooked powerhouse. They explore fixed-value points, transfer bonuses, family-friendly bookings, and a last-minute Paris solution. Plus, Suzanne shares memorable Accor properties, airline-mile conversions, Accor Plus perks, and smart ways to avoid costly transfer mistakes.
21 snips
Oct 5, 2026 • 31min
188. The Transferable Points Report Card: Grading Every Currency on Points Sharing
Combining points can make or break a shared dream trip. This episode grades Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Bilt, and Rove on their sharing policies, revealing which currencies allow household pooling, which impose strict limits, and which block transfers entirely. It also covers authorized users, protecting points before closing cards, and setting up accounts before award space appears.
61 snips
Sep 28, 2026 • 51min
187. Atmos Rewards Explained: Alaska Airlines' Loyalty Program, Partners, and Best Uses
Betsey Wilson, travel rewards educator and founder of Become Travel Rich, shares her deep expertise on Alaska’s Atmos Rewards. Discover its global airline partners, standout redemptions with Starlux and Condor, credit-card perks, elite-status strategies, and why availability is changing. She also spotlights underrated partners, upgrade certificates, and ways to navigate this generous but evolving program.
34 snips
Sep 21, 2026 • 1h 19min
186. Around the World in Five Days: How We Reverse-Engineered an Epic Award Trip
Two travelers build a whirlwind five-day adventure around coveted Singapore Airlines Suites, stitching together five flights across the globe. They unpack the award-booking puzzle, aircraft-specific planning, creative positioning, and the points-and-cash cost. Along the way: EVA Business Class, Cathay Pacific surprises, Singapore’s A380 experience, and a Lufthansa First Class finale.
48 snips
Sep 14, 2026 • 57min
185. Which Points Get Your Family to Asia in Business Class?
Maria Fung, founder of Maria Points the Way, specializes in family award travel to Asia-Pacific. She explores why Chase-only strategies can fall short, how her ASIA Method reshapes points planning, and which airlines offer the best shot at multiple business-class seats. They also discuss manual searches, overlooked airports, Philippine Airlines, and making fast pivots when award space appears.
17 snips
Sep 7, 2026 • 39min
184. Hotel Planner Points: How to Earn Points for Any Event
Rachel Posada Fletcher, a Seattle-based event manager, lifelong traveler, and points enthusiast, reveals the overlooked world of hotel planner points. Learn how weddings, reunions, retreats, and work events can unlock rewards, how hotel chains differ, and why room blocks and master bills matter. She also explores negotiating perks, stacking points with credit card bonuses, and avoiding costly contract mistakes.
56 snips
Aug 31, 2026 • 1h 17min
183. Is the Bilt Palladium Card Worth It? A Six-Month Review of Bilt 2.0
Six months in, two points enthusiasts put Bilt Palladium through its paces. They compare mortgage rewards, daily earning, Bilt Cash, transfer bonuses, caps, guardrails, and the realities of managing multiple cards. One remains a devoted fan while the other wrestles with a love-hate relationship, revealing who may benefit most from Bilt’s ambitious rewards ecosystem.
63 snips
Aug 24, 2026 • 57min
182. Behind the Scenes of seats.aero with Keith Van
Keith Van, head of community at Seats.aero who helps build an award-search platform and its user community. He reveals what aggregate search data reveals about traveler demand. He explains stale and phantom availability and why tools can show what you cannot book. He also demystifies why some airlines are visible and highlights underrated features users often miss.
