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

At the Chicago Points Travel Festival last weekend, Greg and Nick filmed a live coffee break episode, letting the audience pick the topic of discussion: Best use of Bilt points now that the dust has settled. At the end of this discussion, they took some questions from the audience, which we've consolidated for our "Question of the Week" episode this week.

(00:18) - Would you spend Bilt Cash to pay a mortgage (if you had a mortgage to pay)?

(01:23) - How is rent actually paid to a landlord (through Bilt)?

(02:50) - There was an announcement that Bank of America points will transfer to Alaska Atmos at some point in the future, which makes some think Bilt may be cut off as a transfer partner. Should we transfer just in case?

(04:32) - Where does an authorized user's points go?

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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

Giant Mailbag

(01:02) Changing frequent flyer number on a partner award

Mattress Running the Numbers

(08:33) IHG Ambassador Promotion

More analysis of this promotion here.

Bonvoyed

(19:17) Amex Lodging credit will require 2-night minimum in 2027

Learn more about the new options and requirements in our post.

This Week in Points

(26:05) Bilt adds JetBlue as a new transfer partner

(31:27) SAS EuroBonus status match

Full details of the SAS status match can be found here.

(41:23) StubHub Quadruple Stack

Follow the steps of the stack by reading our post.

(44:32) American Airlines Admirals Club passes from Citi cards

Find more of what you need to know about Admirals Club passes here.

(50:25) Greg's quest for more Hilton Free Night Certificates

Main Event: Southwest Companion Pass: Now playing hard to get

(54:56) Southwest Companion Pass: Now playing hard to get

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

The Frequent Miler team appeared at the Points Travel Festival last weekend in Chicago, where Greg and Nick recorded a podcast episode live, selecting a topic from the audience suggestions: Best use of Bilt now that the dust has settled!

Best use of Bilt now that the dust has settled (Live Podcast Recording!)

(00:55) - What is Bilt?

(01:38) - Bilt 2.0 credit cards

(04:42) - Using Bilt to pay rent or mortgage

(05:39) - Why might you not want to use Bilt for rent or mortgage

(08:45) - Transfer bonuses

(10:21) - Is the Palladium card worth it?

(14:18) - Use your Bilt Cash to pay up to a higher transfer bonus

(17:24) - Blacklane

(19:31) - Is it worth transferring to Hyatt at 4:3?

(20:54) - Should you hold your points for transfer bonuses?

(28:42) - Do we have faith in Bilt as a company?

(31:30) - A strategy for getting to Platinum Status

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

Should I use points for business trips? Brian wrote in with this question, asking:

How do I handle bookings when my small business pays for the flight? I have never used points/miles to book a business trip because it feels like I’m using up my personal miles for what would be a legitimate business expense (even though I earned many of those point/miles from business travel). Every once in a while, I see a very good redemption opportunity but don’t take it because I don’t know how to value those miles as a business expense - if it’s a cash booking it’s very straightforward. But this seems like I may be unnecessarily hurting the business by paying more in cash. How do you think of points/miles in this situation? This could apply to hotel points and FNAs as well.

(01:58) - One option is to assert a value for your points

Find our RRVs here

(05:16) - Business pays base rate & you use personal points to upgrade or copay

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 today's episode, United will be making it harder to earn status in 2027; we're simplifying our card and bank account collections; there are Amex Platinum card rumors, and Hyatt now allows transferring points to others online. And speaking of Hyatt... they've made the next move in their relationship with Air Canada. But... is it enough?

Giant Mailbag

(01:13) - Megan asks Greg if he's considered opening a Bask Bank account as a potential for AA miles

Learn more about the Bask Bank Offer here

Bonvoyed: United

(09:16) - United will be making it harder to earn status in 2027

This Week in Points

(13:35) - Transferring Hyatt points to other members can now be done online!

(16:44) - Rove has added another new transfer partner: JetBlue

(18:40) - Elite night credits from multiple IHG credit cards do stack

(20:34) - Hilton and IHG drop their point sale price below half a cent

(23:59) - Get paid to visit Vancouver, British Columbia

Learn more about getting paid to visit Vancouver here

(25:49) - Amex Platinum Rumors

(39:00) - Find our "Which cards are keepers?" resource here

Personal Points

(39:22) - Nick is downgrading cards

(46:50) - Greg is downgrading cards too...

Main Event: Hyatt & Air Canada's partnership reaches next level

(50:30) - Initial partnership

(54:21) - What's new?

(1:04:06) - Hyatt/Air Canada Dual accrual promo

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 is going to Berlin, but he may not stay in Berlin for the weekend. He hasn't yet booked a flight home, so he could hop over to another European city and fly home from there. Nick recommended Prague, but are there other places Greg should consider?

Coffee Break: Weekend in Europe, where should Greg go?

(00:17) - See our August 28th podcast "Hidden Gem Awards" here

(01:20) - See Carrie's suggestions here

(02:53) - Feedback about Prague and other options by train

(06:55) - Flight options

(10:03) - Other listener/reader suggestions:

(17:19) - Greg's decision...

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

Should I keep my ultra-premium card to preserve 1:1 point transfers? Chuck wrote in with this question, asking:

Do you think other banks will do something similar to what Chase did with Hyatt — requiring the highest end card in order to maintain the 1:1 transfer? Will Citi require the Strata Elite for AA? Will C1, Will Amex? I wouldn't want to cancel an elite card only to later learn I need it to maintain value of points. Your thoughts?

(01:05) - Do we think other banks will do this?

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 today's episode, we'll speculate about Hyatt credit card changes, reveal 9 Secret Chase Sapphire Reserve® Exclusive Tables restaurants, and dig into Alaska Atmos Rewards: Which is better, earning by distance, price, or segments?

Wild Card Update

(02:15) - Congratulations to Tim!

Check out the recap videos here

Giant Mailbag

(03:35) - Correcting mistakes from last week's podcast episode

See last week's podcast episode about IHG's new card lineup here

(07:47) - Speculation about Chase

Bonvoyed: Wyndham

(13:54) - New Award buckets live as of 9/15 and Wyndham Rewards RRV drops 15%

Learn more about this here

This Week in Points

(23:17) - AA economy award sale to Sydney from 25K points

(24:21) - Chase Air Canada Aeroplan® Credit Card

(26:22) - United free checked bags on award tickets

Read more about free checked bags

(28:55) - 9 Secret Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Table restaurants

Find the dining credit map here

Personal Points

(34:21) - US Bank travel center for the save

(37:13) - Messed up re: United status match

Learn more about my quest for Flying Blue Platinum status: https://frequentmiler.com/my-quest-for-flying-blue-platinum-status/

Main Event: Alaska Atmos: Choose how you earn

(44:50) - Atmos Rewards: Choose how you earn

(47:50) - Rewards by price paid (the most complicated option)

(49:52) - Partner earn rates (other than AA)

(55:12) - Elite status considerations

(57:20) - Examples

(1:12:20) - Overall Conclusion

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

The Wild Card challenge has officially wrapped, with the final scores and official winner announced in our live YouTube broadcast on October 7th, 2026. Review the scoring and listen to the live broadcast here.

As a reminder, for this challenge, our contestants picked from different wild card decks to set the parameters of their trips. First, they selected travel destinations, then hotel, airline, and transferable points cards, which provided their points and miles budgets. And finally, they selected power-ups and obstacles to make their travels a little more realistic to the challenges our readers and listeners face, and make things a little more interesting! Finally, they had to meet together in Melbourne, Australia, a destination that was revealed as a complete surprise in our card draw livestream.

Total scores after Destinations 1 & 2

As a quick reminder, here were the scores each of the contestants earned after the first two destinations:

• Greg
• Destination 1 = 102
• Destination 2 = 106
• Total score = 208
• Nick
• Destination 1 = 105
• Destination 2 = 115
• Total score = 220
• Tim
• Destination 1 = 107
• Destination 2 = 123
• Total score = 230

Destination 3 scoring

During the livestream on Wednesday night, we judges awarded the scores for their third and final destination: Melbourne, Australia.

Here's a breakdown of what each of them earned:

Greg

Flights

• Wallet-friendliness – 8
• Ingenuity – 9
• Luxury – 6
• Duplicability – 10

Accommodation

• Wallet-friendliness – 6
• Ingenuity – 6
• Luxury – 9
• Duplicability – 10

Activities

• Wallet-friendliness – 7
• Ingenuity – 10
• Luxury – 10
• Duplicability – 10

Mini challenge description

• Many of our readers use miles and points for their honeymoons. Pick an activity you could imagine including in a honeymoon trip. – 10

Additional bonus points

• We were impressed with Greg's gameplay whereby he paid for his hotels using airline miles and paid for nearly all his flights using hotel points - 10

Total points for Destination 3 – 121

Total points for Destinations 1 & 2 – 208

Total points for the entire trip – 329

Nick

Flights

• Wallet-friendliness – 7
• Ingenuity – 8
• Luxury – 7
• Duplicability – 10

Accommodation

• Wallet-friendliness – 7
• Ingenuity – 8
• Luxury – 8
• Duplicability – 10

Activities

• Wallet-friendliness – 10
• Ingenuity – 9
• Luxury – 9
• Duplicability – 10

Mini challenge description

• Many of our readers travel with picky eaters. Order a dish you think is locally authentic, but wouldn't scare off a picky eater. – 10

Additional bonus points

• Nick was a real trooper considering he had to fly across the Atlantic three times despite not having to actually visit Europe as part of the challenge, as well as for managing to fit in so many activities despite the lack of sleep - 10

Total points for Destination 3 – 123

Total points for Destinations 1 & 2 – 220

Total points for the entire trip – 343

Tim

Flights

• Wallet-friendliness – 10
• Ingenuity – 10
• Luxury – 10
• Duplicability – 10

Accommodation

• Wallet-friendliness – 9
• Ingenuity – 9
• Luxury – 10
• Duplicability – 10

Activities

• Wallet-friendliness – 8
• Ingenuity – 10
• Luxury – 9
• Duplicability – 10

Mini challenge description

• Many of our readers travel with young children. In this destination, find an activity that would be infant-friendly, but not a snooze fest for Mom and Dad. – 0

Additional bonus points

• Tim had arguably the best set of cards that were picked for the challenge, but what he did with them far exceeded what we imagine many people thought he'd be able to do with them - 10

Total points for Destination 3 – 125

Total points for Destinations 1 & 2 – 230

Total points for the entire trip – 355

Rewatch the livestream below

(01:15) - Recap of Greg's previous score

(01:40) - How did Greg get home?

(04:08) - Greg's final score

(07:49) - Team rebuttal for Greg's score

(11:28) - Recap of Nick's previous score

(12:18) - How did Nick get home?

(15:03) - Nick's final score

(20:09) - Team rebuttal for Nick's score

(24:11) - How did Tim get home?

(27:46) - Recap of Tim's previous score

(28:03) - Tim's final score

(35:19) - Did anyone wish they'd made use of the option to fully redraw cards?

(39:47) - At any point in this challenge were you truly dead tired?

(46:33) - What surprised you most about your activities or destinations?

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

Just like we've seen with most of Chase cards, Bilt has announced it will be moving to a 4:3 transfer rate with Hyatt starting in January. So, what's the best way to get Hyatt points now?

Learn more about this here

(01:12) - Option 1: Earn Bilt 3x (or more)

(05:05) - Option 2: Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

(09:08) - Option 3: Hyatt card

(11:04) - Read about Hyatt Milestone spending here

(14:18) - Will Bilt do transfer bonuses?

(16:16) - Is it worth pursuing Hyatt points post deval?

(19:50) - Which approach will we take?

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 should you keep in mind when Estate planning for miles and points? Reader John wrote in with this question, asking:

I’m working through estate planning right now and one thing keeps bothering me: what happens to a meaningful stash of points and miles when you die?

Have you ever thought through your own points-and-miles estate planning? What would you do if your heirs weren’t hobbyists? Transfer where possible, redeem in advance, leave detailed instructions, designate one knowledgeable person to handle it, something else?

I’d be interested in how you would approach it.

See our post about this here.

(01:11) - If you are planning for an imminent situation:

(01:25) - Combine points where possible

(05:06) - Cash out points

(05:44) - Planning an "in case" scenario

(08:43) - Take things slowly

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.