This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

Many hotel cards come with free night certificates each year upon renewal. That's great, but those certificates expire after 12 months. If you don't time your applications well, you may struggle to use those certificates...

(00:17) - Greg's been considering getting the Hilton Aspire, but... is this the right time?

(01:05) - Example Problems

(03:55) - When do free night certificates post?

(07:52) - Nick & Greg's thoughts/analysis

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

For this challenge, our contestants will pick from wild card decks to select which hotel, airline, and transferable points cards will provide their points and miles budget, then they’ll select their travel destinations from another deck. And finally, they’ll select power-ups and obstacles to make their travels a little more realistic to the challenges our readers and listeners face.

(03:45) - Destination 1 cards are drawn

(08:12) - Destination 2 cards are drawn

(18:03) - Airline credit cards are drawn

(25:29) - Hotel credit cards are drawn

(30:56) - Transferable points credit cards are drawn

(36:46) - A surprise extra credit card is drawn

(43:31) - Reader-submitted obstacle cards are drawn

(51:13) - Power up cards are drawn

(57:39) - Stephen reveals the final, third destination where each contestant will need to meet up

(1:02:44) - Surprise! Contestants get a hail mary option they can choose to take...

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “swappin’ back n’ forth” by up @ night

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

In today's episode, listeners weigh in on Nick's pick for "best Hyatt Place breakfast", Hyatt breaks up with one airline and ties up with another, and we review Chase's refreshed Air Canada Aeroplan card.

Wild Card Challenge Update

(01:15) - Which cards did our contestants pick for the Wild Card challenge?

Learn more about the ongoing challenge here

Giant Mailbag

(09:02) - In our Hidden Gem Awards Ep373, Nick said Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport had the best breakfast in the world... but do people agree?

Mattress Running the Numbers

(14:24) - Marriott Amex Offer: Spend $450 & get $200 back (targeted)

Learn more about this targeted offer here

This Week in Points

(17:06) - US Bank adds Avianca LifeMiles as transfer partner

(18:28) - Rove adds Copa Airlines as transfer partner, launching with 40% transfer bonus through September

Learn more about Rove adding Copa here

(20:13) - Hyatt dissolves partnership with AA

Read more about Hyatt's ending partnership with American Airlines here

(22:27) - Hyatt adds partnership with Delta: https://newsroom.hyatt.com/DeltaAirLines

Card news

(24:39) - Amex Bonvoy Business Card is coming

(26:48) - Chase Sapphire Reserve enhances DoorDash benefit

Learn more about this enhanced benefit here

(29:34) - Chase IHG Premier Business anniversary free night certificate will increase to 50K points in 2027

Personal Points

(31:16) - Chase return protection success

(35:54) - Atmos Summit $60K spend

Main Event: Chase's disappointing Aeroplan Card refresh

(38:25) - New Cardmember Offer

(39:54) - The changes that really matter

(52:20) - Quick summary of the good stuff and bad stuff

(53:35) - Nick and Greg: Never got the card before. Is it worth it now?

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

Greg has just returned from a short trip to RiverView Ranch in Montana - probably the single most aspirational points stay available in the United States. Now, he'll tell us all about it.

Loving RiverView Ranch

(00:46) - RiverView Ranch Retreat & Western Adventures

Learn more about Hilton's flexible date calendar here

(02:45) - Cancelation fees

(03:28) - How to get free night certs

Read: How to maximize your Hilton cards (with upgrades and downgrades) here

(04:45) - Greg's pre-trip report

(12:28) - Greg's trip report

(14:49) - King Suite

(19:04) - Dining

(21:10) - Activities

(26:19) - Wildlife

(26:34) - Checkout

(27:52) - Review

(29:43) - How does it compare to Ventana Big Sur?

(31:17) - How does it compare to Necker Island?

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

What to do when your credit limit is too low? Kris reached out with the following question about managing a low credit limit:

On your recent podcast, you mentioned that banks don’t like you to cycle cards. I just got approved for the new Capital One Venture Business card, and upon approval, found out that they had given me a credit limit of $2000. This obviously is going to make it very difficult to make the minimum spend for the sign-up bonus, and obviously can’t if I don’t cycle the card. I did try to call and request an increase and pointed out that I have a personal Venture X with a credit limit of $50,000 that is paid off fully every month. I asked for a credit increase and offered to decrease my Venture X credit limit, but was declined.

(00:57) - What is credit cycling?

(02:38) - Why is cycling generally inadvisable?

(03:55) - Is cycling ever OK?

We’ve been answering a reader or listener question at the end of each Frequent Miler on the Air podcast episode. Now, we’ve turned the question of the week into its own weekly episode. Tune in every Monday at 1pm for our Question of the Week podcast. And if you have your own question you’d like to submit, you can send it to [email protected].

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

On today's episode, we'll talk about why Air Canada to Hyatt 2-to-1 transfers can be a good deal, how we won big on a 240x deal, the 250x deal that got away, and much more.

Our apologies for Nick's lower-quality audio this week! We're working to fix it!

Our biggest point gambles

Giant Mailbag

(01:04) - Josh: Is the Hyatt/Aeroplan deal good for Canadians?

Main Event: Our biggest point gambles

(07:54) - When we took big risks to earn big miles...

(08:04) - Nordstrom 36X (2012)

(15:32) - Convert 90K SPG points into a 7 night Marriott stay + 120K Southwest points + Companion Pass for 2 years (2017)

(19:43) - Marriott Travel Packages (2018)

(23:40) - Iberia 90K (2018)

(27:54) - Conservation International 240 AA miles per dollar (2021)

(34:40) - Amex 20% transfer bonus to Hawaiian Airlines (2024)

(39:28) - SAS: Fly 15 SkyTeam, earn 1M SAS Miles (2024)

(44:50) - JetBlue 25/25 (2025)

(48:42) - Kate Spade 250X via British Airways portal (2026)

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

New York is an expensive city. Today, we'll talk about tips to make it more affordable using points, credit card benefits, and smart stacking.

(00:52) - Flights: No one-size-fits-all option here, but consider...

(05:47) - Favorite points hotel options

(17:47) - Saving money on stuff to do

(20:21) - Saving money with credit card benefits

(27:24) - Tips for what to do while you're there

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

How can I maximize my bookings through The Edit by Chase Travel℠? Reader Rob wrote in with three questions about this.

(00:16) - What is The Edit by Chase Travel℠?

(01:16) - Does the person on the card have to stay on the property, or can they book for someone else?

(02:48) - Can you book before December 31st to take advantage of the stackable credits for select chains, but USE the credits for a hotel stay into the following year if you “pay now”?

(06:32) - Do you lose the free breakfast if you book back-to-back stays of 4 nights but 2 separate reservations?

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

In this episode, we'll hear about the "best ever" Hyatt Place breakfast, we'll talk about where Greg should go after Berlin, and share lesser-known sweetspot awards like flights to Europe from 90 points and Scandinavian hotels from 500 points!

Giant Mailbag

(01:08) - Paul asks: "Is there another way to status match Flying Blue elite status or do we have to wait until it opens up again for US residents?"

See our Shortcuts to Flying Blue elite status here

(03:19) - Kevin writes in with some miles and points success stories

This Week in Points

(05:12) - Rove enhancements (out on Friday 8/28)

(09:11) - Citi 25% transfer bonus to LHW through 9/19

Personal Points

(10:41) - LH multi-city via Aeroplan

(13:25) - Hyatt Place AMS

(16:51) - Greg's Berlin trip

Main Event: Hidden Gem Awards

(21:24) - Lodging

(21:51) - Cottages.com for 15K Wyndham points/bedroom/night

(23:14) - Preferred Hotels starting at 20K Choice/night

(25:59) - Nordic / Scandinavian hotels w/ Finnair Avios

Learn how to use Finnair Avios to book Scandinavian hotels here

(30:15) - Flights: Star Alliance flights for 3.5K econ, 7K biz (under 600 miles)

(32:27) - Air France business class to Europe with NO surcharges

(36:06) - British Airways business or first class with low surcharges

(43:06) - Royal Air Maroc: US to Morocco for 17.5K econ, 50.5K Biz w/ Finnair Avios

(45:38) - Use Virgin Atlantic miles to fly around Europe and Northern Africa starting at 4K one-way

Learn more about Air France KLM across Europe here

(50:02) - North America to Europe for 90 points via Lufthansa Miles & More

(55:54) - Delta short-haul 5K Flying Blue miles

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

Just by having the right United credit card or elite status, you'll have wide-open United Polaris award availability!

Read about United's amazing cardholder award availability here

(01:20) - Polaris

(02:00) - Define Saver

(02:38) - Better Saver Polaris availability for both cardholders & elites, and additional award discounts require card

(03:31) - Example North America to Europe

(05:38) - Research and findings

(15:12) - The April cliff...what is it and why is April significant?

(17:07) - Nick & Greg's thoughts/analysis: Is this a one-time thing to get people to sign up for United cards?

(22:02) - Is Nick going to jump on the United cardholder bandwagon?

Learn more about the Best United Cards here: https://frequentmiler.com/best-united-card/

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Saily. Saily is an ESIM service app created by the security experts behind NordVPN. Instead of paying absurd daily rates to your home carrier or swapping SIM cards on arrival, Saily gives you flexible prepaid data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide. Download Saily from your app store and use our code FREQUENTMILER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com/frequentmiler

How to handle Citi cards in 2-player mode now that point sharing is dead? "GH" wrote in with this question recently, wondering:

Paraphrasing and simplifying: My old plan was to keep a single Strata Premier card for myself, a Double Cash card for player 2, and multiple Custom Cash cards across both. Now that Player 2 can't move points to me, I need a new plan. Should Player 2 get a Strata Premier card to enable 1-to-1 point transfers, or should we give up on Player 2 holding any Citi ThankYou cards?

(00:53) - What does "player 2" mean and what does this question mean?

(03:09) - What is the best 2-player strategy for earning Citi points?

(06:46) - What is the best 2-player strategy for earning Citi points if you're starting from scratch?

Subscribe and Follow

Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape.com/advertsing.