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Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
What if your investment portfolio could earn travel rewards without requiring you to spend another dollar on a credit card? In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Harry, co-founder of Silo Markets, a platform that rewards users with credit card style points simply for holding investments or cash. Silo currently offers 0.5 points per dollar of portfolio value annually, meaning a $100,000 portfolio could generate 50,000 points per year while the underlying investments remain invested.
DeAndre approaches the conversation from two perspectives, as a points and miles enthusiast and as a financial advisor. Together, they dig into how Silo actually works, its membership tiers, supported investment and retirement accounts, how existing investments can be transferred without liquidating positions, and how Silo plans to fund its rewards program. Harry also explains the relationship with Interactive Brokers, where customer assets are actually held, and what would happen to those assets if Silo itself were to shut down.
The conversation gets especially interesting when they explore retirement accounts. Traditional IRAs, rollover IRAs, and Roth IRAs can potentially earn Silo points, creating a way for long-term retirement savings to generate rewards that can be used today without withdrawing the underlying retirement assets. They also discuss Silo's current 1 cent per point cash redemption, travel portal, upcoming transfer partners, break-even points for each membership tier, and why most existing users are currently holding their points in anticipation of airline and hotel transfer partners.
DeAndre and Harry also address some of the biggest questions surrounding a newer financial platform, including account protection, fees, investment control, and how Silo differs from platforms like Symphony. Harry ultimately describes Silo's ambition as building a modern version of Vanguard, but with loyalty rewards layered on top of long-term investing. It is a fascinating look at what could happen when two traditionally separate worlds, investing and points and miles, begin to overlap.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Can Your Retirement Account Earn Travel Points?
(02:58) Meet Harry, Co-Founder of Silo Markets
(04:27) What Is Silo Markets and How Does It Work?
(06:30) How Your Investment Portfolio Earns Silo Points
(09:03) Blue, Gold and Platinum Membership Plans Explained
(10:29) Moving Investments to Silo and Supported IRA Accounts
(12:01) How Points Are Calculated and Redeemed
(13:00) Cash Redemptions, Travel Bookings and Upcoming Transfer Partners
(14:00) What Can You Actually Invest in Through Silo?
(18:28) When Does Paying for Silo Actually Make Financial Sense?
(21:23) Where Your Money Is Held and What Happens If Silo Shuts Down
(24:00) Silo's Biggest Limitation and the Push for Transfer Partners
(26:25) Using Retirement Savings to Generate Travel Rewards Today
(30:56) Silo vs. Symphony and Who Controls Your Investments
Key Highlights:
Resources:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre & Taryn:
Find out more about SiloMarkets:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
This week’s Quick Hits starts with a potentially major development for Chase cardholders. Reports suggest Chase may be tightening approvals for some business cards, particularly the Ink lineup, with certain applicants potentially facing a 3/24 threshold instead of the familiar 5/24 rule. DeAndre breaks down what is known so far, why the reports remain unconfirmed, and what it could mean for small business owners and sole proprietors. He also reminds readers to use expiring Q3 credit card benefits before the end of September.
Transferable points are also moving fast. Citi ThankYou has added Japan Airlines Mileage Bank as a 1:1 transfer partner and launched a 30% transfer bonus, while Bilt has added Amtrak Guest Rewards as its first rail transfer partner. DeAndre also covers Bilt card upgrade opportunities, Citi’s new once-per-lifetime welcome bonus language on Strata cards, and the approaching changes that will make Chase to Hyatt transfers less valuable for some cardholders starting October 1.
The episode wraps with two useful opportunities for travelers. The Chase Freedom Flex has eliminated foreign transaction fees, making the no annual fee card more useful internationally, while Flying Blue offers an interesting way to earn miles when purchasing eligible Apple products through its dedicated Apple storefront. For anyone considering a new iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods, it could be another opportunity to stack valuable airline miles on a purchase already planned.
Timestamps:
(00:00) A Quick Favor for the BoldlyGo Community
(01:52) Is Chase Changing From 5/24 to 3/24?
(03:02) Last Call to Use Your Q3 Credit Card Benefits
(03:37) Citi Adds Japan Airlines With a 30% Transfer Bonus
(04:30) Bilt Adds Amtrak as Its First Rail Transfer Partner
(05:27) Bilt Card Upgrades and Citi's New Lifetime Bonus Rule
(06:31) Chase to Hyatt Transfers Are Changing October 1
(07:32) Chase Freedom Flex Drops Foreign Transaction Fees
(08:09) Earn Flying Blue Miles When Buying Apple Products
(09:35) BoldlyGo Live Miami Update and Final Thoughts
Key takeaways:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Resources:
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre Coke:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Sagar, founder of Creddy, a new app designed to solve one of the biggest problems for serious points-and-miles travelers: keeping track of everything. As premium credit cards add more monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annual credits, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember benefits, annual fees, free night certificates, spending goals, points expirations, and other valuable perks. Creddy brings all of that information together in one place, giving travelers a central dashboard for managing their credit card and loyalty strategy.
This launch is especially meaningful for the BoldlyGo community because members have spent months beta testing Creddy, suggesting features, and helping shape the app before its public release. Sagar walks DeAndre through features including benefit tracking, smart sorting, expiration alerts, keeper card calculations, annual fee tracking, points balances, loyalty programs, vouchers, transfer bonuses, and spending goals. DeAndre also shares how Creddy revealed benefits on cards he didn't even realize existed, while helping him weigh thousands of dollars in annual fees against the value he actually receives.
The conversation also explores where Creddy is heading next, including more automation, additional loyalty integrations, a desktop experience, and potential Plaid connectivity. Sagar explains how community feedback continues to shape the product and shares a special offer for BoldlyGo members. For anyone juggling premium credit cards or trying to make sure expensive annual fees deliver value, Creddy makes an increasingly complicated points-and-miles strategy much easier to manage.
Get Creddy for 50% off the Annual & Lifetime Plans
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro: The App That Tracks All Your Credit Card Benefits
(03:55) Meet Sagar and How the BoldlyGo Community Helped Build Creddy
(05:26) Why Sagar Created Creddy and the Problem It Solves
(08:18) Live Demo: Cards, Benefits, Loyalty Programs and Points Balances
(12:14) Keeper Cards: Are Your Annual Fees Actually Worth It?
(14:15) Smart Sorting, Expiration Alerts and Automatic Credits
(18:19) Tracking Cardmember Year Benefits and Hidden Credit Card Perks
(24:11) Points Expirations, Free Night Certificates and Vouchers
(26:42) Tracking Welcome Bonuses, Elite Status and Spending Goals
(28:20) Transfer Bonuses and More New Creddy Features
(30:42) Creddy Pricing and the Special BoldlyGo Discount
(32:53) What's Coming Next: Desktop, Automation and Plaid Integration
(36:31) Community Feedback and Helping Shape the Future of Creddy
(37:39) Final Thoughts and Why DeAndre Is Using Creddy
Key Highlights:
Resources:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre & Taryn:
Find out more about CreddyApp:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke and Taryn begin the New Zealand portion of their 33 day honeymoon with four days in Auckland, but almost everything starts going wrong before they even arrive.
The trouble begins at the airport in Fiji, where they discover they're missing the New Zealand Traveller Declaration just minutes before check-in closes. Slow Wi Fi makes the situation even more stressful, but their Oneworld elite status gives them access to the Fiji Airways business class check in line and extra time to complete the required paperwork.
Getting on the plane turns out to be only the beginning. After arriving in New Zealand, they navigate strict biosecurity procedures, delayed luggage, illness, and other unexpected problems that completely reshape their original Auckland itinerary. Instead of packing their days with sightseeing, Auckland becomes the reset they actually need after nearly three weeks of nonstop travel.
Their stay at Park Hyatt Auckland proves especially valuable during the chaos. The hotel's location, spacious suite, and exceptional service give them a comfortable base while recovering, tracking down luggage, and handling medical issues. They still find time to explore the waterfront and Viaduct Harbour, visit Commercial Bay, and enjoy a standout meal at Hello Beasty.
DeAndre also shares some of the biggest lessons from the experience, including completing New Zealand entry documents early, taking biosecurity seriously, placing trackers in checked luggage, carrying travel insurance, and deliberately building recovery time into longer trips. Auckland may not have gone according to plan, but it became an important reminder that successful travel sometimes means adapting rather than trying to force the original itinerary.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Auckland Arrival Chaos Begins
(03:25) The Missing Entry Paperwork Mistake
(06:17) New Zealand’s Strict Biosecurity Rules
(07:34) Our Delayed Luggage Nightmare
(09:40) Tracking Our Lost Bags with SpotMinders #ad
(11:30) Getting Medical Care in Auckland
(13:34) Staying at Park Hyatt Auckland
(17:10) What We Actually Did in Auckland
(19:35) Essential Auckland & New Zealand Travel Tips
Key takeaways:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Resources:
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre Coke:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
This week’s Quick Hits is packed with points and miles updates, starting with a targeted IHG promotion offering 20,000 bonus points after just two qualifying nights. DeAndre also breaks down the newly refreshed Chase Aeroplan Card, which now comes with automatic Aeroplan 25K status, Air Canada credits, and a 15% discount on eligible award flights, but also doubles its annual fee and loses some valuable existing benefits. Other updates include a potential TSA PreCheck pilot allowing full water bottles through security, CardPointers Version 8, a 70% Chase transfer bonus to Marriott, and a delay to Symphony’s anticipated transfer partner launch.
The biggest story comes from Hilton, where elevated Amex Hilton card offers now include free night certificates across multiple cards. DeAndre explains how he and Taryn used a similar Hilton card strategy to accumulate five free night certificates and turn them into an incredible five-night stay at Calala Island in Nicaragua that would otherwise cost around $22,000. The episode wraps with Wyndham’s new four-tier award chart, Qatar Airways reversing its restrictive Avios traveler list policy, and unusually strong business class award availability to Dubai on Emirates and from Paris to New York on Air France.
Timestamps:
(00:00) IHG's Targeted 20K Bonus After Two Nights
(01:30) Chase Completely Refreshes the Aeroplan Credit Card
(02:44) TSA PreCheck Could Allow Full Water Bottles Through Security
(04:13) CardPointers Version 8 and Chase's 70% Marriott Transfer Bonus
(05:57) Symphony Transfer Partner Launch Delayed
(08:09) New IHG Card Offer and Huge Amex Hilton Bonuses
(10:05) How We Used Hilton Certificates to Book a $22K Calala Island Stay
(14:34) Wyndham's New Award Chart
(15:16) Qatar Reverses Its Avios Traveler Restriction
(15:58) Emirates and Air France Open Huge Business Class Award Space
Key takeaways:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Resources:
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre Coke:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
DeAndre Coke sits down with Carrie Yoder, Creative Director at Frequent Miler, to explore a side of long-term travel that does not always make it onto Instagram. Carrie shares how she and her former partner built a life around travel, points, miles, and extreme flexibility, eventually visiting around 70 countries while spending years living nomadically. What started as an experiment in proving that long-term travel could actually cost less than a traditional lifestyle gradually became their everyday reality.
Carrie takes DeAndre inside the evolution of that lifestyle, from backpacking through Asia on a tight budget to learning how airline miles and hotel points could completely change the way they traveled. She explains why IHG became especially valuable during their nomadic years, how hotel promotions and inexpensive stays helped them build huge points balances, and how points eventually opened the door to experiences that once seemed completely out of reach. But after years of constant movement, travel began to feel different. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences started becoming routine, and Carrie realized she was ready for something she hadn't had in years: a home base.
That realization eventually led her to West Virginia through the Ascend WV program, where she was actually paid to relocate and build a more stationary life. Now, Carrie is entering a completely new chapter. After years of being the P2 in a two-player points strategy, she is learning how to become her own P1, rebuilding her credit card strategy, earning points independently, and deciding what travel looks like when she is no longer traveling simply because she can. The conversation explores travel burnout, identity, solo travel, financial organization, and the surprising challenge of rediscovering travel excitement after seeing so much of the world.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro: When the Dream of Full-Time Travel Becomes Too Much
(03:00) Meet Carrie Yoder and Her Role at Frequent Miler
(04:55) How Carrie Started Traveling Full Time
(06:58) Discovering Points & Miles While Traveling on a Budget
(12:00) The Evolution of Nomadic Life and Using IHG Points
(17:47) How Points Changed the Way Carrie Traveled
(19:54) Visiting 70 Countries and What Kept Her Going
(26:04) Why Carrie Finally Walked Away From Nomadic Travel
(30:06) Getting Paid to Move to West Virginia With Ascend WV
(33:11) From P2 to P1 and Rediscovering Points & Miles
(36:45) Rebuilding Credit and Creating Her Own Card Strategy
(43:00) Figuring Out What Travel Looks Like on Her Own
(46:35) Using Daydream Explorer to Find New Travel Inspiration
(49:07) Carrie's Role at Frequent Miler and What's Coming Next
(51:15) Final Thoughts on Nomadic Life and Why She Still Recommends It
Key Highlights:
Resources:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre & Taryn:
Connect with Carrie Yoder:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
In this special announcement episode, DeAndre Coke introduces the official BoldlyGo Patreon, a new optional way for listeners and community members to support the podcast, videos, blog, WhatsApp community, and other resources BoldlyGo continues to create. Over the years, members of the community have asked how they can contribute directly, but DeAndre explains that he never wanted financial support to determine who gets access to valuable information. With the launch of Patreon, that philosophy is staying exactly the same. Every podcast episode, bonus release, travel strategy, guide, and community resource will continue to be available for free.
DeAndre also shares some of what goes into keeping BoldlyGo growing behind the scenes, from producing the podcast and creating videos to maintaining the website and developing new resources for the points and miles community. Patreon gives those who find value in the content an opportunity to help support that work, with contributions starting at just $1 and no exclusive content tiers or special access based on contribution level.
More importantly, Patreon will also become another way for the BoldlyGo community to give back. Twenty percent of every dollar contributed will be donated to Give Kids The World Village, a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida that provides cost free vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families. DeAndre's financial planning practice will match those charitable contributions, doubling the impact generated by the community. Supporting through Patreon is completely optional, and listening, sharing, subscribing, leaving reviews, and participating in the community remain equally meaningful ways to help BoldlyGo continue its mission.
If you want to contribute, here’s the BoldlyGo Patreon link.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro: A Special Announcement From DeAndre
(01:08) Why DeAndre Wanted a New Way to Support BoldlyGo
(02:23) Introducing the Official BoldlyGo Patreon
(03:12) Why All BoldlyGo Content Will Continue to Be Free
(04:16) What Goes Into Producing and Growing BoldlyGo
(05:08) The Charitable Mission Behind the Patreon
(06:21) 20% Donated to Charity Plus a Matching Contribution
(07:09) Supporting BoldlyGo Is Completely Optional
Key Highlights:
Resources:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre & Taryn:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
This week’s Quick Hits covers a relatively quiet week in points and miles news that was interrupted by one major loyalty shakeup. DeAndre starts with an elevated Capital One Venture Rewards offer featuring 75,000 miles plus a $300 hotel credit, followed by a new Bask Bank promotion offering 20,000 bonus AAdvantage miles for eligible new Miles Savings customers. He also highlights an easy path to I Prefer Gold status through AARP, which is available to members 18 and older, and a new Amex Offer that can earn 20,000 Membership Rewards points on qualifying Air France or KLM purchases.
The biggest story of the week is Hyatt’s changing airline loyalty strategy. American Airlines and World of Hyatt are ending their enhanced partnership, bringing an important relationship that dates back several years to a close. Just hours later, Hyatt announced a new long-term partnership with Delta SkyMiles. DeAndre breaks down what is known so far, what benefits may remain during the transition, and why this could matter most for travelers who used the American Airlines partnership to access Hyatt elite status challenges. He also shares how that opportunity helped him earn Globalist status and what he will be watching for as the new Delta-Hyatt relationship develops.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro: This Week's Quick Hits and the Biggest Loyalty Shakeup
(00:21) Capital One Venture 75K Bonus + $300 Hotel Credit
(00:54) Bask Bank's 20K AAdvantage Miles Promotion
(01:57) Easy I Prefer Gold Status Through AARP
(03:16) Earn 20K Amex Points With Air France or KLM
(04:30) American Airlines and Hyatt Are Ending Their Partnership
(05:52) Hyatt Announces a New Partnership With Delta
(06:52) What the Delta + Hyatt Partnership Could Mean
(07:38) The Hyatt Status Challenge That Helped DeAndre Earn Globalist
(09:38) September 11 Reflection and Closing Thoughts
Key takeaways:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Resources:
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre Coke:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Erin Lynch to break down one of the easiest ways to earn more points and miles without opening another credit card or spending more money: shopping portals. Erin shares how she incorporates portals like Rakuten and American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping into her family's points strategy and reveals that she earned more than 100,000 Amex Membership Rewards points through Rakuten in a single quarter. Those points alone were nearly enough to book two Qatar Airways Qsuite tickets that would have cost roughly $20,000 in cash.
DeAndre and Erin walk through how shopping portals actually work, how to choose between earning transferable points, airline miles, status, or cash back, and why timing purchases around elevated multipliers can dramatically increase your returns. They discuss Rakuten, American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping, Capital One Shopping, Viator, browser extensions, airline shopping portals, and the importance of understanding exclusions before making a purchase. Erin also explains how shopping portals can play a major role in earning American Airlines Loyalty Points and maintaining elite status without relying entirely on flying.
The conversation gets practical with strategies for stacking portal rewards with credit card earnings and Amex Offers, tracking purchases that fail to credit, taking screenshots before large transactions, and planning purchases around Black Friday and other promotional periods. DeAndre and Erin also discuss Check Before You Shop, a newer tool designed to compare shopping portal rates and help users track rewards. The biggest takeaway is simple: purchases you already make can become a meaningful part of your travel strategy when you take a few extra seconds to shop through the right portal.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro: How Online Shopping Can Pay for Business Class Flights
(03:37) Meet Erin Lynch and Her Points & Miles Journey
(07:14) Where Shopping Portals Fit Into a Points Strategy
(12:26) Rakuten, AAdvantage eShopping and Other Portal Options
(14:30) Elevated Multipliers, Viator and Earning Airline Status
(19:27) How Erin Earned 100K Amex Points in One Quarter
(23:01) Shopping Portal Mistakes That Can Cost You Thousands of Points
(26:00) Capital One Shopping and Comparing Online Deals
(31:00) What to Do When Your Shopping Portal Points Don't Track
(35:41) How Long Does It Take for Shopping Portal Points to Post?
(39:01) Black Friday and Timing Purchases for Huge Multipliers
(42:00) Turning Shopping Rewards Into Two Qatar Airways Qsuites
(46:37) Check Before You Shop and Comparing Portal Rates
(50:17) Tracking Missing Rewards, Erin's Travel Philosophy and Final Thoughts
Key Highlights:
Resources:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre & Taryn:
Connect with Erin Lynch:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.
Smart Travel Podcast
In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke takes viewers inside the Park Hyatt Auckland and breaks down how he and Taryn booked a four-night luxury stay that would have cost more than $6,000 for zero cash out of pocket.
Located directly on Waitematā Harbor in Auckland's Viaduct Quarter, the hotel became the perfect place to slow down and reset during their 33-day honeymoon. DeAndre shares a full look at their spacious Harbor Suite, complete with a separate living area, private balcony, floor-to-ceiling windows, marina views, and a massive marble bathroom.
Beyond the room, the episode explores the hotel's restaurants, breakfast experience, infinity pool, spa, fitness center, and waterfront location. But the biggest reason the Park Hyatt stood out was the service. When Taryn became sick and their luggage was delayed, the hotel arranged for a doctor to visit their suite, helped track down the missing bags, and continued checking on them throughout the stay.
DeAndre then breaks down the points strategy behind the booking. They redeemed 116,000 World of Hyatt points for a standard room, benefited from Globalist status to receive a Harbor Suite upgrade, and enjoyed complimentary breakfast as another elite perk. With Chase Ultimate Rewards points transferable to Hyatt, the episode shows how a smart redemption can transform an expensive five-star stay into an attainable luxury experience.
By the end of the stay, the combination of location, accommodations, amenities, service, and points value made Park Hyatt Auckland their pick for the best all-around hotel in the city.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Park Hyatt Auckland: First Look & Overview
(01:33) New Zealand Honeymoon Context
(02:26) Why the Wynyard Quarter Location Works
(03:14) Inside Our Harbor Suite
(04:29) Hotel Amenities & Meeting Larry
(05:36) Breakfast, Dining & Food Experience
(07:53) Five Star Service During Travel Problems
(09:36) How We Booked with Hyatt Points
(12:18) Hyatt Globalist Benefits Explained
(14:45) Final Verdict on Park Hyatt Auckland
(15:52) Next Stop: Queenstown
Key takeaways:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Resources:
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre Coke:
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.
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