Point Me To First Class

Devon Gimbel MD
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Point Me to First Class is a show for employed professionals, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with higher-than-average personal and/or business expenses who want to learn to leverage them into credit card points to spend on travel. Your expenses are your greatest untapped asset - but learning how to use them to travel the world doesn't have to be confusing or complicated. Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points and shows you how to spend them on incredible travel experiences. Interested in learning more about working with Devon? Visit www.pointmetofirstclass.com to learn more. This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like: How do I earn credit card points and use them for travel? How can I make my expenses benefit me? How can I earn as many credit card points for as little spending as possible? How to maximize value from credit card points. How to earn credit card points for travel. Turn credit card points into travel.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    167. The Woman Dancing in the Sahara Arrived Terrified - Why the Right Adventure Trip Brings You Home to Yourself

    Have you ever felt like you're so caught up in your daily roles and responsibilities that you've lost touch with who you are beneath all of that?   Dr. Stacey Funt, a radiologist, health coach, and founder of LH Adventure Travel, believes that travel has the power to help us reconnect: not just with the world around us, but with ourselves. She curates wellness and adventure group trips for women to some of the most transformative destinations on earth, from trekking the Inca Trail to exploring the Atlas Mountains to hiking in the Himalayas. But the real transformation doesn't come from the destinations themselves. It comes from what happens when women finally give themselves permission to step away from everything they're responsible for and into an experience that's entirely their own.   Dr. Stacey Funt and I discuss why that permission is often the hardest part, what changes when you remove the mental load of planning and managing everything, and why traveling with a group of like-minded women creates such a unique space for vulnerability and connection. She also opens up about how a solo trek in Nepal during one of the darkest periods of her life became the catalyst for building a business around creating these kinds of experiences for others. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/wellness-adventure-travel-stacey-funt    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    36 min

  2. 4 MAY

    166. The Payroll Points Strategy Update: Cards, ROI & Best Practices with DeAndre Coke

    If you're a business owner who pays payroll for yourself or your employees, you might be sitting on one of the biggest untapped points-earning opportunities in your business—and it doesn't require opening new cards or chasing welcome bonuses.   DeAndre Coke, a financial advisor and points expert, returns to the show to give us a much-needed update on earning credit card points for payroll expenses using the Zil Money platform. We first talked about this strategy back in Episode 105 last year, but right after that conversation aired, the entire system experienced major disruptions. DeAndre and I discuss what happened over the past year, what's different and working reliably now, and how business owners can approach this strategy moving forward.   DeAndre and I walk through the step-by-step process for how this works, which credit cards are currently the best options for maximizing points, and the real math behind the ROI—including the processing fees, platform costs, and how to actually evaluate whether this makes sense for your business. We also cover critical best practices to avoid disrupting your payroll and who this strategy is and isn't right for.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/earning-points-on-payroll-update    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    46 min

  3. 27 APR

    165. Pack Your Bags for Austin: The 2027 Points Conference You've Been Waiting For

    If you've ever wished you could talk about points and miles with people who are just as enthusiastic about it as you are—without worrying about annoying anyone—this episode is for you.   Dr. Andrea Mabry and I are officially announcing the 2027 Point Me to First Class Conference, taking place in Austin, Texas from April 29th through May 2nd at the Hyatt Regency Austin. After the incredible response to our first conference in Chicago, we knew we wanted to do this again—and this time, we're giving you a full year to plan ahead.   Listen in as Andrea and I discuss why we're hosting another live in-person event, what makes this format so valuable compared to learning online, and all the details you need to know about the conference. We share details from the speaker lineup and our session format to room rates, CME accreditation for medical providers, and how to register. Whether you've been to points conferences before or you're considering attending your first one, this episode walks through what to expect and who this conference is designed for.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/2027-conference-announcement-austin    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    36 min

  4. 20 APR

    164. Credit Card Product Changes: 5 Strategic Ways to Strengthen Your Portfolio

    If you've been holding the same credit cards for years, you might be missing out on one of the most underutilized strategies for building a stronger, more cost-effective rewards card portfolio.   Product changes don't get the same attention as opening new cards for big welcome bonuses or booking aspirational travel. But they offer surprising benefits that can help you lower annual fees, acquire cards that are no longer open to new applicants, and even stack spend thresholds in ways that compound your rewards. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what credit card product changes are, how they work, and the five main ways you can use them strategically to your advantage.   Listen in as I walk through the mechanics of upgrade and downgrade product changes, the key benefits and limitations to understand, and tactical examples of how to use product changes to hold multiple copies of high-value cards, access cards that are closed to new applications, and maximize bonus category earning without opening new accounts.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/credit-card-product-changes-strategy    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!  Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    38 min

  5. 13 APR

    163. Listener Q&A: Bilt vs Amex, Spending Toward Status, & Rethinking Points Fundamentals

    Have you ever wondered if the advice you're following about credit cards and points is still relevant—or if the landscape has shifted enough that the old "rules" no longer apply?   In this listener Q&A episode, I'm answering your questions on everything from Rakuten rewards strategy and Chase credit card approvals to hotel booking during peak travel times and whether hotel status is worth the spend. But the biggest topic I tackle is one I've been thinking about a lot lately: how my fundamental advice about earning and using points has evolved over the past decade.   Listen in as I walk through why I no longer recommend Chase as the automatic starting point for everyone, why co-branded credit cards are becoming more strategically important than they used to be, and why the barrier to entry in this hobby may be lower than ever—but the bar for getting real value is actually higher. Whether you're just starting out or you've been in this space for years, this episode offers both tactical answers and a bigger-picture look at how to think about points strategy in the current landscape.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/listener-qa-points-strategy-evolution    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    1hr 39min

  6. 6 APR

    162. Where Japan Airlines Miles Fit in Your Award Travel Strategy with Michael Gandara

    If you've been transferring points to the same airline programs over and over, you might be missing out on one of the most fascinating but overlooked loyalty programs in the points world - Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.   Now that Japan Airlines is a direct transfer partner of Bilt, Capital One, and Rove, accessing this program is easier than ever. But given how new this is to many of us, you may not yet be familiar with its incredibly powerful sweet spots—both for flying on Japan Airlines operated flights and for booking flights on partner airlines.    In this episode, I'm joined by Michael Gandara from Nurse Michael Travels to break down how the Japan Airlines program works, highlight some of the best sweet spots for redeeming Japan Airlines miles, and talk about how to actually find and book those awards on the Japan Airlines website.   Michael and I discuss what makes this program different and powerful compared to other airline loyalty programs, walk through the practical realities of searching for award space, and cover the quirks you need to know before transferring miles. Whether you've been curious about Japan Airlines miles or you're ready to start using them strategically, this episode breaks down everything you need to know to start leveraging this program effectively.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/japan-airlines-miles-sweet-spots-strategy    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    54 min

  7. 30 MAR

    161. Points Earning Unicorns: Risk vs. Reward for Outsized Deals with Dr. Sujatha Murali

    Have you ever seen a points deal that looked too good to be true? 250 Avios per dollar spent. 240 American Airlines miles per dollar. Those kinds of multipliers make you do a double-take and for good reason. Deals like these are as enticing as they are uncertain.    In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Sujatha Murali to talk about what I call points earning unicorns—rare, outsized opportunities where the upside can be enormous, but the outcome is far from guaranteed. We break down how to think through the risk versus reward when these deals appear, the psychological traps that make them so hard to resist, and the framework we use to decide whether to jump in or sit one out.   Sujatha and I walk through real examples, including my decision to take advantage of the Simply Miles deal that netted me over 1.1 million American Airlines miles, and our decisions around the recent Kate Spade 250x Avios opportunity. We discuss how to evaluate whether you can actually use the points you're considering buying, the importance of reading terms and conditions even when you're excited, and how to build your own decision-making process. If you've ever wondered whether one of these deals is the opportunity of a lifetime or just a really expensive mistake, this episode gives you a framework for thinking it through.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/points-earning-unicorns-risk-reward    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!  Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    1hr 6min

  8. 23 MAR

    160. The Uncapped Value of Hilton Free Night Certificates with Jess Field

    If you've been focused on earning hotel points, you might be overlooking one of the most powerful strategies for saving money on luxury hotel stays—and it doesn't require hundreds of thousands of points.   In this episode, I'm joined by Jess Field of Points Talk Squad to break down exactly how Hilton free night certificates work and how you can strategically earn and use them for maximum value. Hilton free night certificates stand out because they have no cap on how many points a room can cost—as long as there's standard award availability, you can use a certificate even if the room would otherwise cost 200,000 or 250,000 Hilton points per night.   Jess and I talk about the best ways to earn these certificates, how to combine them with Hilton points for longer stays, which properties deliver the most spectacular value, and the current limited-time promotional offers that make this an especially compelling time to get into Hilton. Whether you're completely new to Hilton or you already have certificates sitting in your account, this episode gives you a clear framework for making the most of one of the most valuable perks in the points world.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/hilton-free-night-certificates-strategy    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

    55 min
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About

Point Me to First Class is a show for employed professionals, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with higher-than-average personal and/or business expenses who want to learn to leverage them into credit card points to spend on travel. Your expenses are your greatest untapped asset - but learning how to use them to travel the world doesn't have to be confusing or complicated. Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points and shows you how to spend them on incredible travel experiences. Interested in learning more about working with Devon? Visit www.pointmetofirstclass.com to learn more. This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like: How do I earn credit card points and use them for travel? How can I make my expenses benefit me? How can I earn as many credit card points for as little spending as possible? How to maximize value from credit card points. How to earn credit card points for travel. Turn credit card points into travel.

Information

  • Creator
    Devon Gimbel MD
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    174
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Devon Gimbel MD LLC All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Point Me To First Class

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