Earn miles without flying. Frequent Miler is all about getting the most out of the loyalty game. You can easily earn hundreds of thousands of points and miles without traveling, then learn how to use those points towards luxury travel. In this podcast, Frequent Miler founder Greg, and senior author Nick debate current topics in the points & miles world.
The podcast hosts corrected a previous misinterpretation of the partnership between Marriott elite status and Japan Airlines' "fly on points" for elite status. It was clarified that while Marriott Platinum status grants 20,000 fly on points annually, and Titanium grants 30,000, these points contribute to, but do not solely fulfill, the requirements for Japan Airlines' Crystal or Sapphire status. A significant portion must still be earned directly from Japan Airlines group flights.
A listener questioned why Bilt Rewards has not yet launched cash redemptions for Blacklane and Blade, nearly six months after they were first announced. Greg suggested that Bilt's timeline might differ from the listener's expectations, and that the delay is likely due to the complexity of finalizing the partnerships, rather than a deliberate delay tactic.
The podcast hosts engaged in a lighthearted prediction of when Bilt Rewards' cash redemptions for Blacklane and Blade might launch. Greg speculated October, while another host guessed September, acknowledging the uncertainty.
Tim discussed his straightforward approach to international mobile data, relying on his carrier's included international service which provides 5GB of high-speed data and an additional 5GB via an eSIM through GigSky, often provided by credit cards. He noted that this has been sufficient for his needs.
Greg prefers a simple $12/day AT&T international plan, capped at 10 days per billing cycle, with a discounted rate for a second line. Another panelist uses AT&T but opts for a local SIM or eSIM for longer or remote trips, finding it more reliable. A third panelist, living in the UK, uses Talk Mobile for local service and previously used Google Fi for international data.
The hosts discussed their favorite Hyatt stays, with mentions of Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, and Hyatt Regency St. Louis for its location near the Gateway Arch. Tim highlighted the Hyatt Carmel Highlands (formerly Big Sur) as a fantastic property but noted its recent increase to Category 5, making it more expensive in points. Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve in Puerto Rico was also suggested as a beach resort option.
Jul 10 · The best credit card travel credits | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep366 | 7-10-262 stories
A listener, Joaquin, successfully saved $200 on a hotel booking at the Andaz Miami Beach by monitoring prices and discovering the hotel was moved from Amex's The Hotel Collection to Fine Hotels & Resorts. This allowed him to rebook with additional benefits like included breakfast and a guaranteed late checkout.
Delta is introducing 'Basic Business' and 'Basic First Class' fare options, akin to basic economy, for flights starting in September. These fares will have restrictions such as no free seat assignments until check-in, reduced mileage earnings, fewer checked bags, and no Sky Club access (with exceptions for certain cardholders).
Jul 3 · 12 things to know about Hyatt's devaluation | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep365 | 7-3-264 stories
A reader noticed that hotel bookings through the Chase Travel portal showed different point valuations depending on whether the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred card was used. This difference was observed for properties in Montreal.
Avianca's LifeMiles program has removed the benefit of free changes and cancellations for new subscribers to its LifeMiles Plus subscription service, effective June 26th. Existing subscribers to the basic tier or higher will retain this benefit for 12 months.
Southwest Airlines discount codes, often received through debit or credit card benefits, are retained if a flight booked with them is changed. However, if the original flight is cancelled, the discount code is lost and not reinstated.
Contrary to a previous on-air statement, numerous airline-branded credit cards now offer 5x earning on flights with their respective airlines. Examples include the JetBlue cards (6x), United Club card (5x), Qatar Airways Privilege Club Infinite card (5x), and Frontier Airlines World Mastercard (5x).
The "conventional wisdom" of only transferring points to loyalty programs with a specific redemption in mind is being re-evaluated due to Built's frequent 100% transfer bonuses. With Built 2.0 enabling increased point accumulation through various methods like rent payments and enhanced earning rates, the capped nature of these bonuses (up to 100,000 points) makes holding onto points for a "perfect" bonus less practical.
Built 2.0 has significantly increased opportunities to earn Built points. This includes a 2X base earn rate with the Palladium card, earning points on rent and mortgage payments, and potentially enabling boosts for 3 points per dollar on up to $25,000 in spend.
Further expanding earning potential, Built points can be accumulated through the Rakuten shopping portal, with one-to-one transfers possible if Built Elite status is achieved. Additionally, Built Neighborhood Rewards allow for automatic earning of points on everyday spending like dining and at pharmacies.
Greg strongly recommends speculatively transferring Built points to Alaska Airlines when a 100% bonus is available, calling Alaska one of Built's "best transfer partners" due to the high value of its miles for various redemptions.
Southwest Airlines miles are seen as a good candidate for speculative transfers, particularly for those with the Companion Pass, as the 100% bonus offers great results due to their relatively fixed value. Nick also indicated he would likely transfer speculatively due to recent changes in Southwest's seating policy and booking flights for family members.
Both Greg and Nick agree that a 100% transfer bonus to United Airlines would be highly desirable for speculative transfers. They note that United miles are very valuable and useful due to the airline's extensive partner network, and that such bonuses are rarely offered.
Greg and Nick both expressed willingness to speculatively transfer Built points to Air Canada Aeroplan and American Airlines, citing the value of their miles and their respective alliance memberships (Star Alliance and Oneworld).
While Greg finds British Airways miles valuable, he notes they can be hard to use, making a speculative transfer not a "slam dunk." Nick shares a similar sentiment, indicating he would likely proceed with the transfer despite these reservations.
