There are more than 8 million points and miles available via new credit card welcome offers. Here's how to score millions of points in your household.

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00:00 Intro

01:45 Giant Mailbag

09:05 Card Talk: JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Business Cards

https://frequentmiler.com/b6plus/

https://frequentmiler.com/b6biz/

15:37 What crazy thing . . . happened to Greg the Frequent Miler this week?

21:10 Mattress Running the Numbers: 50% transfer bonus from Chase to Marriott

https://frequentmiler.com/chase-ultimate-rewards-offering-50-transfer-bonus-to-marriott/

23:57 Award Talk

24:09 Nairobi to Cape Town....via Doha

27:15 Main Event: How to earn millions of points from credit card welcome offers?

https://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-sign-up-offers/

28:59 Won't this ruin my credit score?

32:53 High-level summary

https://frequentmiler.com/the-games-we-play/

36:56 How do you choose which card?

39:30 Start with 5/24 strategy

https://frequentmiler.com/must-have-chase-cards/

42:05 How do you find the best offers?

https://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-sign-up-offers/

50:08 Family referrals

58:35 If you get denied, it's not over

1:01:54 Meeting minimum spending requirements

https://frequentmiler.com/manufactured-spending-complete-guide/

1:02:40 Call for a retention offer

1:08:57 Downgrade options

1:17:12 Question of the Week: Why aren't we using Altitude Reserve points to pay for our car rentals?

Music credit: Annie Yoder

If you're flush with Delta SkyMiles, don't flush them on poor redemptions -- instead, listen to this week's show and learn how you can squeeze good value out of your SkyMiles. One quick update: During our Award Talk segment, we discussed the ability to book Starlux via Alaska Airlines, but that availability and pricing got pulled between the time we recorded and the time we published -- we were right that you had to jump on it quickly, but it died even faster than we expected.

00:00 Intro

00:56 Award Talk

01:07 Bilt: 75% to 150% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

https://frequentmiler.com/bilt-august-rent-day-up-to-150-transfer-bonus-to-virgin-atlantic/

07:31 Now book ITA via Virgin Atlantic

https://frequentmiler.com/ita-airways-bookable-with-virgin-atlantic-miles/

10:17 Alaska makes Starlux bookable*** Note that we discuss pricing for this award that Alaska has already pulled. See our post for more:

https://frequentmiler.com/alaska-airlines-fumbles-launch-of-starlux-awards/

12:59 Amex adds Qatar as a transfer partner

https://frequentmiler.com/amex-transfer-partners/

15:44 Aeroplan now allows awards to be changed online

https://frequentmiler.com/aeroplan-awards-can-now-be-changed-online/

17:27 Choice and Radisson finally merge

https://frequentmiler.com/radisson-to-choice-conversion-low-end-slight-deval-high-end-better-value/

21:47 Card Talk: Delta Gold SkyMiles and Delta Gold SkyMiles Business cards

https://frequentmiler.com/dlgold/

https://frequentmiler.com/dlgoldbiz/

28:34 Main Event: Wringing value from Delta SkyMiles

29:46 15% discount on Delta awards on Delta metal with several credit cards

30:17 Compare against the round trip prices

31:05 Unannounced sales

https://frequentmiler.com/delta-award-sale-40k-miles-in-economy-to-australia-and-more/

33:50 Westjet to Canada

36:18 Book awards that don't start or end in the US or Canada

https://frequentmiler.com/delta-skymiles-business-class-deals/

41:35 Finding partner award space on Delta.com

https://frequentmiler.com/a-great-new-way-to-find-delta-partner-award-availability/

46:29 Question of the Week: What's the best strategy to get rebooked when your partner award gets cancelled?

Music credit: Annie Yoder

If you're a loyal American Airlines AAdvantage customer, does this card make sense with the new structure? 

00:00 Intro

00:42 Giant Mailbag #1

01:45 Giant Mailbag #2

03:41 What crazy thing . . .did Delta Airlines do this week?

06:13 Award Talk

06:15 MGM and Marriott to partner from October 2023

https://frequentmiler.com/mgm-to-partner-with-marriott-bonvoy-from-october-2023-onward/

10:40 Air Canada has access to more Singapore Airlines space

https://frequentmiler.com/an-air-canada-advantage-far-more-award-space-with-some-partners/

13:49 AAdvantage Hotels

21:00 Main Event: The new AA Executive Card: Is it worth the fee?

https://frequentmiler.com/aa-enhances-the-citi-executive-card-and-encourages-spend-elsewhere/

50:03 Question of the Week

Music credit: Annie Yoder

It takes two to tango -- and you can dance your way to plenty of points and miles to make those dream trips happen twice as quickly when you play the game with a partner. This week, we talk tips and strategies for collecting rewards with a travel partner.

00:00 Intro

00:33 Giant Mailbag

02:18 Card Talk: Chase Sapphire Reserve

frequentmiler.com/csr

19:41 Award Talk

19:44 PointsYeah

https://frequentmiler.com/pointsyeah/

22:28 Fiji Airways ticket refund update

24:38 Choice + Radisson merger news

https://frequentmiler.com/choice-radisson-loyalty-programs-being-combined-on-july-18/

27:01 Hyatt x MGM partnership ending 9/30/23

https://frequentmiler.com/hyatt-farewell-cheap-mattress-runs-status-matching/

29:53 Mattress Running the Numbers: Should you book MGM properties to earn Hyatt elite status?

37:03 Main Event: Partner up to maximize rewards

https://frequentmiler.com/3-inks-approved-again-420k-points-in-the-bag/

1:05:52 Question of the Week: Is it possible to buy Hyatt Globalist status? Are there any shortcuts?

Music credit: Annie Yoder

Ever wonder how you can possibly snag a reservation at a high-demand property that never seems to have award availability? This week, we discuss the tools you can use to make those impossible awards happen.

00:00 Intro

01:10 Giant Mailbag: Don't Hilton free night certificates have a big drawback?

04:25 Card Talk: Hilton Surpass and Hilton Business cards

https://frequentmiler.com/amxhiltonbiz/

https://frequentmiler.com/hilton-honors-american-express-surpass-card/#Goto

https://frequentmiler.com/why-i-paid-over-1000-dollars-to-upgrade-3-no-fee-hilton-cards/

12:20 What crazy thing . . . did Chicago Seminars do this week?

15:06 Award Talk Double Header

15:26 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles devaluation

19:38 JW Marriott Safari Lodge Availability

https://frequentmiler.com/jw-marriott-masai-mara-lodge-award-nights-available/

25:06 Main Event: How to find impossible hotel awards

https://frequentmiler.com/tools-for-finding-impossible-hotel-awards/

https://frequentmiler.com/go/maxmypoint

https://frequentmiler.com/go/staywithpoints

51:02 Question of the Week: Is the 95x / 95% back LifeLock deal worth doing for the Membership Rewards point

s?

Music credit: Annie Yoder

On this week's show Greg and Nick discuss the huge advantage of flying business class over economy or premium economy (and how airline miles make that possible at a reasonable cost), and debate the next step: is it worth paying more miles to fly international first class instead of business class?

00:00:48 Giant Mailbag00:03:14 What crazy thing did Amex do this week? • Amex sometimes claims that tax payments don't count... • See also: Pay taxes via credit card 00:09:54 Deal talk: Save 40% to 50% at Amazon.com 00:16:56 Award Talk • Lufthansa often releases first class award space near last minute • Aeroplan not always showing awards that are bookable with United and/or Avianca00:19:37 MAIN EVENT: Are first class awards worth paying more for? • 00:21:26 Comparing economy, premium economy, business class, and first class • 00:32:10 First class ground services (Lufthansa example) • 00:36:39 Award cost econ vs. prem econ vs. biz vs. first class (AA example) • 00:41:40 Special first class products that ARE worth paying a huge premium for • 00:47:33 Award cost econ vs. vs. biz vs. first class (Aeroplan example) • 00:51:04 Award cost econ vs. prem econ vs. biz vs. first class (Lifemiles example) • 00:55:00 ANA First Class vs. JAL Business Class • 00:58:22 Conclusion: Is it worth it? 01:03:07 Question of the week #1: Are Greg and Nick out of touch? 01:07:31 Question of the week #2: Status match to get international upgrade?

Music Credit: Annie Yoder "Ocean Deep"

You can get Marriott Platinum status with as few as 10 nights actually spent in Marriott hotels per year with the right strategy. This week, Greg and Nick discuss easy paths to Marriott Platinum and Titanium status.

00:00 Intro

00:45 Giant Mailbag: The Bilt card's hidden bonus

03:28 Lessons learned from traveling as a group of 5

https://frequentmiler.com/points-for-family-travel/

12:46 Card Talk: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card

https://frequentmiler.com/mrplus/

20:20 Award Talk: Booking an IHG free night with a certificate when there is no points availability

https://frequentmiler.com/reminder-ihg-free-night-certs-sometimes-work-when-points-dont/

24:35 Mattress Running the Numbers: New Hilton offers include a free night certificate for a limited time

https://frequentmiler.com/amxhilton/

https://frequentmiler.com/hilton-honors-american-express-surpass-card/

https://frequentmiler.com/amxhiltonbiz/

https://frequentmiler.com/amxhiltonaspire/

31:50 Main Event: Easy Marriott Elite Status

https://frequentmiler.com/which-marriott-elite-benefits-apply/

https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-bonvoy-choice-benefits/

https://frequentmiler.com/getting-the-elite-experience-without-elite-status-via-luxury-partner-programs/

1:03:06 Giant Mailbag: Can you cover travel insurance given your recent loss?

Music credit: Annie Yoder

What did the judge think of each team's decisions? In this week's episode, Greg and Nick quick-fire recap the Party of 5 trip and Greg shares his view as to what each team did best and which things didn't go according to plan.

https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequentmiler-challenge-daily-update/

For full Party of 5 coverage, see: https://frequentmiler.com/tag/party-of-5/

00:00 Intro

01:35 Challenge Format

https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequent-milers-2023-team-challenge/

04:38 Team Tokyo's summary

14:56 Team San Francisco summary

28:18 Judge-eye view

28:51 Best location / worst location for each team

30:36 Best overall location

31:08 Best lodging / worst lodging for each team

33:45 Best lodging overall

33:58 Best flight / worst flight for each team

35:23 Best flight overall

35:45 Best local transportation / worst local transport for each team

39:41 Best local transport overall

29:52 Best overall food / worst overall food for each team

41:58 Best overall food

43:00 Best / worst activity for each team

44:38 Best overall activity

46:31 Best overall award redemption

Music credit: Annie Yoder

Four Seasons has a repiutation for elegance and luxury, but Hyatt has a lot of fans in the award travel community. Which hotel "wowed" in Macau? Listen for our thoughts.

00:00 Intro

00:52 Challenge update

08:25 Manila to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific Business

09:52 What crazy thing . . . did the Curve Card do this week?

11:31 Card Talk: A brief look at the Amex Platinum card

12:47 Main Event: Four Seasons vs Grand Hyatt Macau

15:11 Four Seasons Suite

16:02 Grand Hyatt Macau suites (Standard suite and Premium Suite

22:22 Club Lounge

24:30 Four Seasons Service

28:04 Grand Hyatt Macau service

30:12 Value

The 2023 Frequent Miler team challenge is on. This week, Greg and Nick discuss what we've learned from past challenges and why we can't wait to see what is happening right now.00:00 Inro

00:00 Intro

01:20 Giant Mailbag

07:34 Card Talk: Business Platinum card

https://frequentmiler.com/amxplatbiz/

https://frequentmiler.com/200000-membership-rewards-amex-business-platinum/

24:50 Main Event: Conquering the impossible

26:02 Million Mile Madness

27:28 Necker Island

28:30 40K to Far Away

33:33 3 Cards 3 Continents

38:13 Party of 5

1:15:48 Question of the Week

Music credit: Annie Yoder