Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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 the many ways to shortcut Flying Blue elite status and why you might want to.

Giant Mailbag

(00:50) - Credit cards we're considering | Coffee Break Ep118 - Credit cards we're considering

Crazy Thing: Citi - Greg announce

(03:32) - Citi ThankYou Mastercard

Learn about Citi's retailer cards here

Mattress Running the Numbers

(09:12) - 50X AA miles for Stand Up for Cancer donation

Learn more about this here

Bonvoyed - Feeling Blue about Flying Blue?

(14:49) - Flying Blue to increase Standard award prices and introduce Light and Flex award fares

Learn about Flying Blue's Light and Flex award fares here

This Week in Points

(23:42) - Greg- Bilt adds new Bilt Cash Options (Learn how to use Bilt Cash to book Blade rides here)

(34:08) - Tim - Cardpointers: automatic "smart add" feature for Amex Offer priority (https://frequentmiler.com/workarounds-for-adding-amex-offers-to-multiple-cards-appear-to-be-dead/Learn some workarounds for adding Amex offers to multiple cards which appear to be dead here: )

Personal Points

(38:16) - Atmos 100K companion cert caveats (Learn all about Atmos Companion Awards here: https://frequentmiler.com/atmos-global-companion-awards-guide/)

Main Event: Shortcuts to Flying Blue elite status

(52:35) - Learn shortcuts to Flying Blue elite status here: https://frequentmiler.com/elite-status-via-the-air-france-klm-credit-card/ And why is Flying Blue status interesting?

(58:57) - How Flying Blue elite status works

(1:03:29) - Normal way to earn XPs

(1:09:24) - Shortcuts

Learn about Flying Blue Status Match (US residents version) here: https://frequentmiler.com/flying-blue-status-match-for-us-residents/

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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

With Tim based in Seattle, he's very familiar with the Alaska Atmos Rewards program. Today he's joining Greg to talk about some of the pros and cons of the program.

(00:54) - Pro: Free to move points to others with an Atmos Summit card or a Hawaiian card

(01:26) - Pro: Free stopover on most one-way awards.

(02:14) - Pro: Award changes are free and easy

(02:33) - Pro: Excellent award chart sweet spots (short-haul US, US-Oceania/Asia/South America, intra-Alaska).

(04:06) - Pro: Relatively easy to acquire elite status

(05:39) - Pro: Award flights booked through Alaska can earn status points based on distance flown, including partner awards

(09:05) - Pro: Many partners beyond oneworld

(11:20) - Pro: Various companion certificates can be very useful

(15:34) - Con: Less robust route network than competitors like Delta, United, and American.

(15:34) - Con: Atmos still doesn’t allow awards with multiple partners outside of American, British Airways, and Finnair (although more are expected to be added this year).

(20:25) - Con: $20 Partner award booking fee unless you have Summit 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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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's so great about Air Canada Aeroplan? We received this question from Dana:

I have 300,000 points stuck in Aeroplan, and they will expire in the next year. Instead of transferring more points in or purchasing points to keep them active, I just want to use them. I would like to use them for business class flights to or from Europe. I am flexible on positioning from ORD or the West Coast and want to just get anywhere in Europe. I would even do premium economy on the way back to the US. Most of the "good" redemptions I see are flying through the Middle East or other ridiculous itineraries that would take 18-24 hours to get to Europe. And more direct flights are on Air Canada metal and hundreds of thousands of points. Not worth it in my mind. I am only looking for 2 seats. I like to book a year out, but even looking close in, there's nothing. Everyone always says Aeroplan is a great program, but I'm not seeing it. What am I missing?

(01:43) - Advantages of Air Canada Aeroplan:

(03:13) - Disadvantages of Air Canada Aeroplan

(04:46) - What is Dana missing

(05:15) - Use an award search tool

Learn about award search tools here

(16:22) - Set award alerts

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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 share a reminder to check your credit card travel portal if you're renting a car. Nick will share tips about renewing passports, and we'll see how the Altitude Reserve has added 4 - no, 2 transfer partners.

Giant Mailbag

(01:26) - Podcast failed to download Friday evening and most of Saturday, so now we're experimenting with a release schedule to drop podcasts during working hours

(04:39) - Mitsu: Regarding booking rental cars through CREDIT CARD portals

Mattress Running the Numbers: IHG

(11:09) - Targeted IHG promo: Earn double elite night credits (limit 10 bonus elite nights)

Read more about this targeted IHG promo here

Bonvoyed: Amex Offers

(14:31) - Multi-card trick appears to be dead

This Week in Points

(18:24) - Miles, points, and more changes

(19:23) - Amex adds 350+ FHR/THC added in 2026

(20::58) - Select Tock restaurants available for Amex Resy credits as of 9/15

(23:16) - Avios.com award calendar

Read more about the Avios award calendar here

Personal Points

(28:25) - Greg: Overcoming Virgin award booking snafu

(34:38) - Nick: trying to book a cruise cabin for a family member

(38:06) - Greg: SAS award booking snafu

(46:43) - Nick: Online passport renewal data point

(50:05) - Read about rental car loyalty programs here

Main Event: US Bank's Mysterious Transferable Points

(51:56) - Altitude Reserve card is a collectible, but has been a bit of a dud until now

(52:54) - Altitude Reserve Before Dec 15 2025

(56:25) - After Dec 15, 2025

(1:02:54) - Altitude Reserve Now

(1:13:54) - Questions for Nick and Greg

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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

Even though we have lots of credit cards, we've always got our eyes on a few more. In today's episode, we'll talk about some of the credit cards we've been keeping on our radar.

(00:58) - Hidden gem credit cards Greg's considering

(08:28) - Other cards Greg's considering

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

(11:42) - Nick's nearer-term credit card considerations

(19:45) - Cards Nick is considering from Hidden Gems Credit Cards podcast

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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 do you handle travel when you are traveling with friends who don’t play the game? How would you rank the premium economy cabins? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on August 5th, 2026.

(00:46) - How do you handle travel when you are traveling with friends who don’t play the game? Do you adjust your plans to cheaper options to make it more affordable for them? Do you cover any portion of their travel with your points?

(05:31) - Excluding automobile coverage, must one use a specific credit card to get non-automobile insurance coverage? (i.e., which credit cards can you get travel coverage just by having the card?

Read our resource about travel protections here: https://frequentmiler.com/ultra-premium-credit-card-travel-insurance/

(06:55) - ​​Which credit cards have certificate/award claw-backs if you have a merchandise return credit to your card? Hotel credits? What about other cards?

(09:18) - How far out does your card strategy for new SUB’s typically go into the future? And do you stray if a shiny big bonus appears on one you did not plan for?

(13:01) - What is your breakeven point if it's only 15K economy but 75K business, would you go with economy for 60K savings? Why did you choose your answer?

(18:28) - With the changes in the Chase Ink train and Chase being more flexible with accepting applications after 5/24, I've gotten 2, is it time to rethink the 5/24 strategy? How do you navigate being over it?

​(20:33) - Looking to spoil my wife and 3 teens with a business class long flight. I'll fly from anywhere to anywhere. I simply () want 5 business class seats on one long flight. Where would you look?

(25:34) - ​​Should I apply for Robinhood Gold? I got an invite via Credit Karma

(27:23) - For the new challenge announcement on today's Coffee Break, where do we submit listener ideas?

Check out our Wild Card announcement here (https://frequentmiler.com/the-2026-team-challenge-wild-card-coffee-break-ep117-8-4-26/) and comment your own ideas for obstacles and power-ups here (https://frequentmiler.com/2026-wild-card-challenge-help-us-design-our-obstacles-and-power-up-decks)

(29:41) - Who spent too much time at Costco today?

(32:16) - ​​I don't see you guys talking much about sweet spots to South America (more specifically Brazil). I am struggling to find good routes with reasonable amount of points…

Read more here: https://frequentmiler.com/best-ways-to-get-to-south-america-using-points-and-miles/

(36:28) - How would you rank the premium economy cabins you have used? Who has the best upgrade from regular economy, and why? Which have the closest to business class experience?

(41:15) - ​​Is Nick's background real? Just saw cars passing by

(42:26) - ​​Do y'all ever get credit card fatigue? I've been churning on and off for a couple of years. Wanting to just sit tight for a bit.

(48:18) - Thinking of this having to fly with a stroller wild card, what was the weirdest or most cumbersome thing you had to fly with?

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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 podcast episode, a listener leverages a tip from last year's team travel challenge to book Virgin Atlantic premium economy for less; we look at a crazy use of AI, and analyze the updated AAdvantage® Executive card.

Announcement

(01:07) - The 2026 Team Challenge: Wild Card! (See our Coffee Break Ep117 travel challenge announcment here: https://frequentmiler.com/the-2026-team-challenge-wild-card-coffee-break-ep117-8-4-26/)

Submit your ideas for obstacles and power-ups here: https://frequentmiler.com/2026-wild-card-challenge-help-us-design-our-obstacles-and-power-up-decks

Giant Mailbag

(04:56) - Peuv leveraged a Virgin Atlantic premium economy tip learned from last year's 100K Vacay travel challenge

Learn more about last year's 100K Vacay challenge here: https://frequentmiler.com/annual-team-challenges/#100K

Card News

(08:58) - Discover cardholder promo: Earn 15% cashback on first stay booked on Capital One Travel (up to $200 cashback)

(10:04) - Capital One adding a $100 hotel credit to the Venture Rewards card?

Crazy Thing: FM's Payroll Processor

(13:12) - Here's a professional response that acknowledges the question, lets the client know you're looking into it, and buys you some time...

Awards, Points, and More

(15:56) - Roame now supports EVA (only 1 passenger)

See how to book EVA awards here: https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-book-eva-air-infinity-mileagelands-awards/

(19:59) - Earn 50K Alaska Atmos Rewards points when getting a mortgage through Rate.com

Learn more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/earn-50k-alaska-airlines-miles-when-getting-mortgage-through-rate-com/

(21:47) - Accor Gold and Platinum members can status match

Main Event: Introducing the re-couponified AA Executive card

(26:00) - Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive changes launch August 23rd: https://frequentmiler.com/citi-aadvantage-executive-card-changes-are-coming-higher-fee-more-benefits/

(26:28) - What's not changing

(27:56) - Increased annual fee

(29:32) - New coupons

(37:28) - Increased Lyft credits

(38:59) - Increased AA portal earnings

(41:44) - More Loyalty Point Boosts

(43:30) - Elite Status

(51:17) - World Legend rather than World Elite

(52:54) - Final thoughts

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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

Every year, the FM team does a team challenge where we compete to see who can make their points & miles go farthest. We're calling this year's challenge "The Wild Card Challenge". In today's episode we'll give you the high-level overview of what it's about! (Don't worry, we'll give you even more granular details soon!)

(00:41) - What are the FM team challenges

Learn more about past challenges here: https://frequentmiler.com/annual-team-challenges/

(01:24) - Why do we do these?

(03:39) - Who's participating this year

(04:41) - Introducing: The Wild Card Challenge

(08:08) - High level about this challenge

(10:48) - How do the contestants feel?

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.

Get 15% of on Saily E-Sims

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

Which Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners are best? Podcast listener "FlyerDad" asked us this question recently, writing:

Marriott points are truly the most valuable airline currency given the number of programs they transfer to. But I have never heard you guys discuss who their most valuable transfer partners are, as you do for all the other transferable currencies. Would you consider a podcast on the "forgotten" but most valuable transferable reward points in the game?

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 Sunday at 5pm 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.