Points for Normal People by Katie's Travel Tricks

Katie's Travel Tricks
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Travel isn’t just for the rich. I teach people how to supercharge their credit card points so they can pay for entire family vacations every year.  I've  been redeeming miles and points to pay for travel for over a decade. Points have taken our family around the world. But one thing sets me apart -- our family flies economy because business class isn't worth the extra effort for us. But this podcast isn't about me and where I've been -- it's about you and your goals. I focus on "normal"  and streamlined credit card points strategies. This is about how to earn points the easiest way you can and redeem them easily, too. Season 1 covers common mistakes and myths and then will do a deep dive into Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

  1. Oct 15

    S3E21: The Southwest Companion Pass as we know it is ending

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Southwest just announced big changes to Rapid Rewards, including what we've been fearing for a while: the end of the Companion Pass as we know it. In this episode I walk through what's changing and when, the new status levels, and a few smaller positive changes, like partner awards and the new Icon Lounges. Then we talk strategy. If you were hoping for a Companion Pass in 2027 or 2028, your best move is to pivot and earn one before December 31, 2026. I cover exactly how to do that, including why you should now move your statement closing date later in the month. I also share how I'd shift both earning and booking domestic flights with points from here on out. Change is hard, but there are no crises in miles and points, and I'll keep helping you find the deals. UPDATE: There is a note in the fine print of FAQs that reads: If I get a Rapid Rewards Credit Card now, can my points count towards Companion Pass if and when I meet the requirements through the new Cardmember welcome bonus I apply for? Yes, any Cardmembers who are approved for a Rapid Rewards Credit Card on or before Dec. 2, 2026 and meet the requirements for the new Cardmember welcome bonus will have the opportunity to have those points count as Companion Pass qualifying points, even if the spend threshold is met in early 2027. MY TAKE: It seems like Southwest may be backdating points earned from a welcome bonus to 2026 if you opened the card before December 2, 2026 -- so you might have a grace period here where you can finish your spending and not HAVE to do it before your December statement closes. Waiting for precise confirmation.  ACTION STEPS Take the free course at katiestraveltricks.com/course. Do a quick strategy check if you're going for a Companion Pass. Use the Card Eligibility Checker to see which cards you can get. https://katiestraveltricks.com/course/lessons/card-eligibility-checker/ Then use the Card Combo Calculator to see how many points you need and which offers get you there by December 31. https://katiestraveltricks.com/course/lessons/card-combo-calculator/ Review the Bootcamp lesson on changing statement close dates. https://katiestraveltricks.com/course/lessons/nov-15-adjust-your-statement-close-date/ Sign up for her Saturday morning newsletter: https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/news Take a few deep breaths. There are other deals and other ways to travel with points. RESOURCES New Article on Southwest Status Tiers Explained: https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/guides/status-tiers-explained/The article on topping off your Companion Pass tracker: https://katiestraveltricks.com/earn-more-points-for-a-southwest-companion-pass-fast/ The Southwest Companion Pass Bootcamp: https://katiestraveltricks.com/southwest-companion-pass-bootcamp/ New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  2. Sep 2

    S3E20: What's Going On With Chase Ink Approvals in 2026

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures If you've been avoiding Chase Ink cards because you heard about the "lifetime language," or because someone told you Chase is dead, I want to walk you through what I'm actually seeing. There's a lot of half-truths floating around right now, and it's leaving a lot of people confused. In this episode I break down why I think "lifetime" is a misnomer and what the approval data points tell us about who is still getting approved and who isn't. RESOURCES Sign up for my newsletter to get curated miles and points news and first access to new resources: https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/news Chase Ink Guide: https://katiestraveltricks.com/chase-ink-guide/Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: https://katiestraveltricks.com/credit_card/ink-business-unlimited-credit-card/Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: https://katiestraveltricks.com/credit_card/ink-business-cash-credit-card/Chase Business Card Denials: Strategy Tips: https://katiestraveltricks.com/recent-chase-business-card-denials-strategy-tips/New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  3. Jun 10

    S3E19: Chase Sapphire Preferred Just 'Refreshed' [2026] — Is it still worth it?

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Significant changes are hitting the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card program starting June 15th, and while there are some nice new perks, others might cost new cardholders as much as $700 in potential value in the first year alone.  In this episode, I’ll be covering the bad news and the good news. Because these changes have different rollout dates depending on which card you have and when you applied, it can feel a bit complex. But don't worry—I'm walking you through everything step-by-step so you understand exactly what is happening to your points. RESOURCES Sign up for my newsletter to get curated miles and points news and first access to new resources: https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/news Sapphire Preferred Refresh 2026 Article: https://katiestraveltricks.com/sapphire-preferred-refresh-2026/Aeroplan Pay Yourself Back Article: https://katiestraveltricks.com/aeroplan-pay-yourself-back/ Guide to Chase Sapphire Preferred: https://katiestraveltricks.com/sapphirepreferred/Guide to Chase Sapphire Reserve: https://katiestraveltricks.com/sapphirereserve/ New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  4. May 13

    S3E18: Award Travel Updates: Alaska, Avios, Citi & Bilt Changes Explained!

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome back to the final episode of Season 3! This season has been a bit more drawn out than I originally planned, and because the world of miles and points moves fast, I wanted to take a moment to catch you up on all the significant changes that have happened since I first recorded these episodes over the last year. In this wrap-up, we are covering everything from the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merger, to the shifting sweet spots with Finnair and Avios. I'm also diving into some sudden updates and devaluations with Citi ThankYou points, and I'm breaking down the somewhat confusing new Bilt Cash strategies so you can figure out if it's worth your time. Plus, I'm sharing some exciting behind-the-scenes updates about our website and what to expect when we return for Season 4.  ACTION STEPS & RESOURCES Compare partner programs (like Qatar Avios vs. Finnair Avios) before transferring any points to ensure you get the best deal.Call Finnair to book partner awards instead of using the chat, as the chat queue is often full and phone fees are waived for these unbookable-online awards.Cancel and rebook Finnair partner award tickets instead of changing them to avoid the €50 change fee.Use our Bilt calculator to see if a Bilt strategy is right for you: https://katiestraveltricks.com/bilt-guide-to-cards-earning-on-mortgage-and-rent-payments/ Sign up for my newsletter to get all of my recommendations first! https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/news Email Katie to brag about your latest travel point redemptions: katie@katiestraveltricks.com New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  5. Apr 22

    S3E17: How to Book United Flights Without United Miles

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Last episode I went deep on MileagePlus®, and today I'm following it up with the other half of the United puzzle: how to book United flights even when you don't have United miles, and when it might make sense to book that way even if you do. We're walking through Avianca LifeMiles®, Air Canada Aeroplan®, Singapore KrisFlyer, JetBlue TrueBlue® (through the new Blue Sky partnership), and a quick note on what happened with Turkish Miles&Smiles® after their December 2025 devaluation. I'll cover the pros and cons of each program, share the workflow I actually use when I'm pricing a United route across partners, and give you my honest ranking for short flights, medium flights, and Hawaii trips. Everything in this episode is also going up as a blog post, and if you want the most current info going forward, my Saturday email is where I put it first. ACTION STEPS Sign up for my newsletter to get all of my recommendations first! https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/newsRESOURCES Here is our article on this topic with charts and tools to help you decide which United partner is best for your specific situation: https://katiestraveltricks.com/how-to-book-united-flights-with-partner-miles-even-if-you-dont-have-united-miles/  New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  6. Apr 8

    S3E16: United MileagePlus® Explained: Earning, Cards, Pooling & More

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures If you fly United — or even if you're just thinking about it — this episode is your starting point for understanding their MileagePlus® program from the ground up. I'm covering how dynamic pricing and saver awards work, the full United credit card lineup and what cardholder pricing actually means for your bookings now, ways to stack your earnings with the MileagePlus X app, and one of my favorite United features that no other major airline offers: miles pooling for families and friends. This is part one of a two-part series. Next time, I'll show you how to book United flights through partner programs like Avianca LifeMiles®, Air Canada Aeroplan®, and Turkish Miles & Smiles® — which is especially helpful if you have Amex®, Capital One®, or Citi® points. All the links and resources I mention are in the show notes below! ACTION STEPS Download the MileagePlus X (MPX) app and spend a few minutes browsing the stores and earn rates to decide if the e-gift card strategy makes sense for you.Link your Lyft® and United MileagePlus® accounts if you have an upcoming trip — or wait until you know you'll have two Lyft rides within 30 days to earn the 1,000 bonus miles. https://promo.united.com/offers/lyft Set up a family miles pool now if you have family members with small United balances, even before you need it — so the 72-hour waiting period is already behind you when you're ready to book.RESOURCES How to maximize Instacart Benefits: https://katiestraveltricks.com/new-chase-instacart-benefits-how-to-maximize/ Seats.aero and PointsYeah.com (for setting up award alerts after booking a United flight)United.com miles pooling setup page: https://www.united.com/en/us/mileageplus/miles-pooling MileagePlus Shopping portal: https://shopping.mileageplus.com/ MileagePlus Shopping browser extension: https://shopping.mileageplus.com/button/ MileagePlus Dining program: https://dining.mileageplus.comUnited℠ Explorer Card: https://katiestraveltricks.com/portfolio-items/united-explorer/New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  7. Mar 25

    S3E15: How to Book Domestic Delta® Flights with Points (With SkyMiles + Airline Partners)

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Today we’re doing a full deep dive on booking domestic Delta® flights using points. I’m covering how to earn SkyMiles®, how to find the best deals when you use them directly on Delta®, and when it actually makes more sense to book the exact same Delta® flight through a partner program like Flying Blue® or Virgin Atlantic® for fewer points. We’re also looking at fare class differences, cancellation policies, and how dynamic pricing works so you can make smarter choices for your family. I also share some real pricing examples we pulled while working on this episode so you can see just how much you could save, plus a simple framework for deciding how to book any Delta® flight with points. Whether you live near a Delta® hub or just fly them occasionally, this episode will give you the tools to stretch your points further. Stick around for the action steps at the end so you know exactly what to do next. ACTION STEPS: Link your SkyMiles® account to Starbucks® and Uber® (set it and forget it).Make a note that you can earn SkyMiles® through Airbnb® (must be done manually each booking via the Delta®–Airbnb® landing page).If you plan to fly Delta® regularly, look into one of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express® Cards to start.Bookmark the SkyMiles® Award Deals page and check it regularly for your home airport.Sign up for transfer partner bonus alertsWatch the seats.aero webinar inside the free course at learn.katiestraveltricks.com.Practice searching routes: pull up a route on Delta®, then check the same route on Flying Blue® and Virgin Atlantic®.Try out PointsYeah or seats.aero to get comfortable comparing prices across programs.RESOURCES SkyMiles Award Deals page (enter your home airport for current award sales): https://www.delta.com/us/en/flight-deals/skymiles-award-dealsDelta's Deals & Destinations page (cash deals that often signal award deals): https://www.delta.com/us/en/flight-deals/current-flight-dealsLink Starbucks + SkyMiles accounts: https://www.deltastarbucks.comArticle by Kamree from Our Family Passport (Delta® tips): https://www.ourfamilypassport.com/easiest-ways-to-earn-delta-skymiles/ Uber®–SkyMiles® account linking page: https://www.uber.com/us/en/u/delta/ Delta®–Airbnb® landing page for earning miles: https://www.deltaairbnb.com/content/delta-airbnb/en/overview.html Transfer partner bonus alerts sign-up resource: https://yourbestcreditcards.com/current-transfer-bonuses/?ccid=katiestravelSign up for my free course at learn.katiestraveltricks.com - PointsYeah and seats.aero tutorials are just after Lesson 47Submit a Delta Bags On Time claim for late bags (2,500 miles per person): https://www.delta.com/bags/bagsClaimAutomation.actionAwardWallet article on Flying Blue slashing Delta award rates for 2026: https://awardwallet.com/news/flying-blue/delta-award-sale/Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal: https://www.skymilesshopping.comDelta SkyMiles Dining program:New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

  8. Mar 11

    S3E14: Every Credit Card I Keep (And Why) — $3,000 in Annual Fees Explained

    Click MORE to see Ad disclosures I pay almost $3,000 a year in credit card annual fees — and yes, that's more than our monthly mortgage. In this episode, I'm walking you through every single keeper card my husband and I hold year after year, showing you exactly how I value each benefit and how I personally decide whether a card earns its place in our wallet.  I also want to be really clear: what works for our family isn't necessarily right for yours, and I don't think it should be. That's exactly why my team has built card benefit calculators on the blog — so you can plug in your own life and see what actually makes sense for you. At the end, I've got three simple action steps so you can do your own credit card spring cleaning and make sure every dollar you're paying in fees is actually working for you. ACTION STEPS: Take stock of every card you have open. Use the Travel Freely app to stay organized, or track everything in a spreadsheet.Review every card with an annual fee. Use the benefits calculators on Katie's blog to assign your own values to each benefit and see if it's worth what you're paying.Make a plan. Use the "Ultimate Guide to Closing a Card" (linked in show notes) to understand the full evaluation process before canceling, downgrading, or keeping any card.RESOURCES Detailed blog post on the Chase Sapphire Reserve: https://katiestraveltricks.com/sapphirereserve/ Map of Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit locations: https://katiestraveltricks.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-participating-restaurants/ Overview article on the Chase Ritz-Carlton card: https://katiestraveltricks.com/the-complete-guide-to-the-chase-ritz-carlton-card/ Episode on Citi ThankYou Points: https://youtu.be/8Zzdczsvti4 Bank of America Museums on Us program: https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/museums-on-us-partners Credit card spring cleaning post: https://katiestraveltricks.com/spring-clean-your-credit-cards-the-ultimate-guide-with-free-checklist/ Ultimate Guide to Closing a Card:https://katiestraveltricks.com/ultimate-guide-to-closing-a-credit-card/ IHG Rewards Credit Card Guide: https://katiestraveltricks.com/ihgrewardscards/ New Here?  Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year. Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too. More from Katie’s Travel Tricks 🔗 Website  Instagram 💻 Free Course 💳 Best Current Card Offers 🎒 Favorite Travel Gear Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...

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Travel isn’t just for the rich. I teach people how to supercharge their credit card points so they can pay for entire family vacations every year.  I've  been redeeming miles and points to pay for travel for over a decade. Points have taken our family around the world. But one thing sets me apart -- our family flies economy because business class isn't worth the extra effort for us. But this podcast isn't about me and where I've been -- it's about you and your goals. I focus on "normal"  and streamlined credit card points strategies. This is about how to earn points the easiest way you can and redeem them easily, too. Season 1 covers common mistakes and myths and then will do a deep dive into Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

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