Frequent Miler on the Air Greg Davis-Kean

The 2023 Frequent Miler team challenge is on. This week, Greg and Nick discuss what we've learned from past challenges and why we can't wait to see what is happening right now.00:00 Inro
00:00 Intro
01:20 Giant Mailbag
07:34 Card Talk: Business Platinum card
https://frequentmiler.com/amxplatbiz/
https://frequentmiler.com/200000-membership-rewards-amex-business-platinum/
24:50 Main Event: Conquering the impossible
26:02 Million Mile Madness
27:28 Necker Island
28:30 40K to Far Away
33:33 3 Cards 3 Continents
38:13 Party of 5
1:15:48 Question of the Week
Music credit: Annie Yoder

Here are ways to maximize your return on high levels of spend with low levels of effort.
00:00 Intro
00:29 Giant Mailbag
01:56 Giant Mailbag #2
https://frequentmiler.com/cross-brand-amex-referrals-possible/
04:25 Card Talk: Bank of America Premium Rewards card
https://frequentmiler.com/boapr/
https://frequentmiler.com/bank-of-america-rewards/
19:00 What crazy thing . . . did Choice Privileges do this week?
22:25 Mattress running the numbers: Wyndham summer promo
https://frequentmiler.com/wyndham-promo-earn-5k-15k-bonus-points-when-staying-2-4-consecutive-nights/
27:32 Award Talk
27:50 Nordic Choice rebrands as . . . Strawberry?
29:51 Using Wyndham points to book Vacasa
https://frequentmiler.com/bargain-luxury-in-hawaii-gregs-wyndham-vacasa-experience/
35:39 Avianca customer service success
https://frequentmiler.com/an-avianca-lifemiles-success-story-thanks-to-screenshots/
39:38 Frequent Miler Challenge Update
https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequent-milers-2023-team-challenge/
43:30 Main Event: How would we spend $1 million?
44:29 Bank of America Premium Rewards card with Platinum Honors
46:14 Citi Double Cash or Capital One Venture / Venture X / Spark Miles
https://frequentmiler.com/dc/
https://frequentmiler.com/c1vr/
https://frequentmiler.com/venturex/
https://frequentmiler.com/c1smbiz/
48:34 Multiple welcome bonuses
49:03 Business Platinums
51:36 Venture X for Business
https://frequentmiler.com/capital-one-launches-spark-travel-elite-250000/
54:32 Aeroplan Visa
https://frequentmiler.com/Aeroplan/
57:16 Delta Diamond for life
https://frequentmiler.com/manufacturing-lifetime-delta-diamond-status/
59:41 Get elite statuses
59:42 American Airlines elite status
https://frequentmiler.com/american-airlines-aadvantage-complete-guide/
1:01:45 Air Canada Aeroplan elite status
1:02:45 Hyatt elite status
1:04:51 Marriott elite status
1:06:09 IHG elite status
1:07:20 What would Greg do?
1:09:12 What would Nick do?
1:17:30 Question of the Week: Is it possible to get an Amex Business card with a low percentage of business owned?
Music credit: Annie Yoder

United steeply increased the cost of award tickets this week and as a result, United miles are worth less. Fear not --- you have many great options for booking Star Alliance awards moving forward. This week, we discuss your alternatives.
Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/
00:00 Intro
00:36 Giant Mailbag: Citi premier *does* have purchase protections
04:13 Award Talk
04:18: Citi adds a new transfer partner (Accor)
https://frequentmiler.com/accor-live-limitless-added-as-citi-thankyou-transfer-partner/
08:37 AA slot machine
12:23 United status challenge
17:14 What crazy thing . .  did United Mileage Plus do this week?
https://frequentmiler.com/major-united-mileage-plus-devaluation-33-increase-in-award-prices-to-from-europe/
21:33 Main Event: The sky fallen on United MileagePlus
25:20 United Good News
31:01 What do you do if you like Star Alliance?
https://frequentmiler.com/dont-transfer-chase-points-to-united-but-dont-despair-yet/
32:18 Air Canada Aeroplan
37:38 Avianca LifeMiles
https://frequentmiler.com/lifemiles-manual-booking-patience-compulsory-persistence-pays-off/
https://frequentmiler.com/avianca-lifemiles-awesome-mixed-cabin-award-pricing-first-class-for-less/
46:35 Singapore KrisFlyer
47:21 Turkish Miles & Smiles
https://frequentmiler.com/turkish-miles-smiles-complete-guide/
51:50 ANA
59:35 Will other programs follow suit?
1:15:09 How many points per year can one sustainably earn?
Music credit: Annie Yoder

Do Citi's unsung heroes make up the quintessential credit card quartet? Greg and Nick discuss the Citi card combo you might want to consider.
00:00 Intro
00:49 Giant Mailbag: Citi updates application rules
04:18 What crazy thing . . . did Hilton do this week?
08:52 Mattress running the numbers: IHG Timeshare offer for 3 nights + 50K points for $199 / $249
https://frequentmiler.com/ihg-timeshare-offer-get-3-night-stay-50000-points-for-199-249/
13:20 Award Talk: Booking Aer Lingus with Alaska Mileage Plan
20:42 Greg books British Airways via Asia Miles
24:25 Party of 5 Team Challenge
https://frequentmiler.com/party-of-5-frequent-milers-2023-team-challenge/
27:57 Main Event: Citi's quintessential credit card quartet
30:30 Card Talk: Citi Premier card
https://frequentmiler.com/typremier/
38:35 Card Talk: Citi Double Cash card
https://frequentmiler.com/dc/
44:00 Card Talk: Citi Custom Cash
https://frequentmiler.com/customcash/
49:50 Card Talk: Citi Rewards+
https://frequentmiler.com/TYRewardsPlus/
57:00 Downsides of the Citi quartet
1:00:53 Curve card to rule them all
https://frequentmiler.com/curve-card-review-awesome-but-limited/
1:10:26 Are people missing the boat on the Citi Quintessential Quartet?
1:15:36 Question of the Week: Is it OK to buy store gift cards with an Amex card?
Music credit: Annie Yoder

Amex Membership Rewards points can be incredibly valuable when used properly toward flights (with airline transfer partners), but they are awful for those looking to redeem for gift cards. This week, we discuss how you can get so much more value with award travel than you will via redemptions like gift cards, Amazon purchases, etc.
Join our email list: https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/
00:00 Intro
01:14 Giant Mailbag
10:34 Mattress running the numbers: Numerous transfer bonuses
https://frequentmiler.com/current-point-transfer-bonuses/
10:53 50% transfer bonus to Marriott from Chase
11:27 25% transfer bonus from Chase to Flying Blue
14:50 25% transfer bonus from Amex to Flying Blue
16:57 15% transfer bonus from Amex to Avianca LifeMiles
19:19 30% transfer bonus from Chase to Virgin Atlantic
22:00 Award Talk
29:22 Seats.aero adds Qsuites finder
https://frequentmiler.com/seats-aero/
30:52 Nick's quick hit JetBlue Mint review
34:33 Challenge Update
37:37 Card Talk: Amex Gold Card
https://frequentmiler.com/amxgoldcard/
48:28 Main Event: How to get insane value from your Amex points
50:10 Paying with points can offer acceptable value only when paying for flights with the Business Gold, Business Platinum, or Business Centurion card
54:18 Domestic US: 7,500 BA Avios to fly on AA or Alaska on short nonstop flights
56:38 Domestic US: Delta via Virgin Atlantic for 7,500 miles on short flights
58:15 Domestic US: Avianca LifeMiles to fly United for 7,500 miles on short and medium-distance flights
1:02:03 Star Alliance economy class to Europe: Avianca LifeMiles for 20K one-way to Northern Europe
1:03:06 SkyTeam economy and premium economy class to Europe via Virgin Atlantic
1:04:46 oneworld premium economy to Japan with British Airways Avios
1:06:43 Business class to Europe on Delta using Virgin Atlantic miles
1:07: 18 Business class to Europe using Iberia Avios
1:08:32 Business class JFK to Lisbon for 35K LifeMiles
1:11:13 Anywhere in the US on Qatar Airways to Doha in business class for 70K
1:12:51 Air Canada Aeroplan examples
1:15:00 ANA Round the world business class award
1:17:51 Lufthansa first class to Europe with Avianca LifeMiles (including how to hack it)
1:20:02 Hacking Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for first class (if it comes back)
1:21:50 First class on ANA via Virgin Atlantic miles
1:34:39 Question of the Week: Nick, did you get elite credit for booking The Signature at MGM via Airbnb?
Music credit: Annie Yoder

Bilt Rewards is the real deal. With a great set of transfer partners and ways to earn points whether or not you rent or have the credit card, this program just keeps getting better. This week we discuss why you shouldn't sleep on Bilt Rewards.
00:00 Intro 01:04 Oops! 01:06 Oops: You need 40K AA for Gold 02:05 Ooops: AA charity donation may have been AOK 03:46 Ooops: Can't book JetBlue transatlantic with AA miles 04:52 Ooops: How did we forgret the Ink Business Preferred? 06:27 Giant Mailbag: That Sapphire Preferred 3x online grocery is better than we said 09:46 Award Talk 09:47 Seats.Aero adds support for Aeroplan and Emirates https://frequentmiler.com/seats-aero/ 10:21 Greg books his annual stay at the Inn at Bay Harbor  15:05 FM Party of Five Team Challenge Update 19:32 Mattress Running the Numbers 19:51 Marriott will offer 40K points for a Homes & Villas booking of 4 nights or longer https://frequentmiler.com/incredible-... 25:13 Bilt Rewards will offer a 100% transfer bonus to Air France Flying Blue on May 1st only https://frequentmiler.com/incredible-... 35:28 Card Talk: Bilt Card https://frequentmiler.com/bilt/ 43:48 Main Event: Bilt IS all that https://frequentmiler.com/amassing-bi... 44:20 Earn points paying rent 47:44 Bilt Transfer partners 55:09 Pay for travel at 1.25cpp 57:32 Earn points on things other than rent 57:57 Rent Day Quiz / Promos 58:36 Points for referring friends 58:54 Link other credit cards to to Bilt Dining (without the Bilt Mastercard) https://frequentmiler.com/bilt-reward... 59:29 Link Lyft account to Bilt Rewards account for extra points https://frequentmiler.com/bilt-offeri... 1:00:00 Is Bilt a no-brainer for renters? 1:05:00 Other things you can pay with Bilt (besides rent) 1:07:24 Is the Bilt card worth a 5/24 slot? 1:12:40 Who is the Bilt Mastercard definitely a bad fit for? 1:13:00 If you could only have one credit card, which one would it be? 1:17:04 Question of the Week: Avianca award taxes were wrong. What gives? https://frequentmiler.com/an-avianca-... Music credit: Annie Yoder