Frequent Miler on the Air

The year 2023 has seen our travels take us all over the world. This week, we look back and discuss our favorite award redemptions of the year 2023 and of all time.

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00:00 Intro

01:35 Giant Mailbag

04:10 Travel Talk

04:28 Alaska wants to buy Hawaiian Airlines

12:00 EU261 claim

14:33 Card Talk : Hawaiian Airlines credit cards

22:30 Award Talk: Avianca customer service might be better than its reputation suggests.

29:30 Main Event: Our favorite travel rewards of 2023

31:05 Special situation: Party of 5 (ANA First Class and LATAM Business Class)

35:34 Qatar QSuites (maybe)

37:06 British Airways Club World Suites

39:35 Air France business class

42:01 Turkish Airlines business class

47:24 Our all-time favorite flight awards

47:31 Etihad First Class Apartments

48:08 Old Singapore Suites / ANA First Class flight

50:29 Our favorite hotel redemptions of 2023

50:38 Eichert's Private Hotel in Queenstown, NZ (SLH via Hyatt)

52:11 Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, Italy (on Lake Como) (SLH via Hyatt)

54:13 Kona Seaside Yacht Villa through Vacasa (Wyndham Rewards)

57:27 Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida

1:00:57 Greg honorable mentions: VIlla Copenhagen; Kimpton Fitzroy; Ventana Big Sur, Inn at Bay Harbor

1:02:57 Comfort Hotel Bolivar in Rome, Hyatt Regency Nice

1:04:44 Our all-time favorite hotel awards

1:05:48 Necker Island

1:09:36 St Regis Bora Bora

1:13:14 Non-flight or hotel rewards

1:13:30 BLADE helicopter flight

1:15:45 Cruising for free thanks to casino status matching

1:20:11 Which cards are worth getting in the hopes that they get grandfathered?

Music credit: Annie Yoder

Is the new IHG One Rewards set to top Marriott Rewards? While it won't dethrone Hyatt atop the loyalty rewards mantle, IHG One is looking surprisingly strong.

1:38 Giant Mailbag: Is the Apple card a better beginner card?

6:15 What crazy thing . . . did Caesars Rewards do this week? The un-matched get rematched.

https://frequentmiler.com/hail-caesars-revoked-caesars-rewards-diamond-statuses-are-being-reinstated/

8:24 Mattress Running the Numbers: Hyatt status fast-track

https://frequentmiler.com/get-hyatt-explorist-status-free-shortcut-to-globalist-status-targeted/

16:48 Maint Event: Marriott vs IHG

https://frequentmiler.com/ihg-one-rewards-new/

https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-earn-2-years-of-ihg-club-lounge-membership/

1:12:35 Question of the Week: Is there a trick to finding Qatar availability?

https://frequentmiler.com/avios-sweet-spots-for-award-tickets-british-airways-iberia/

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Music credit: Annie Yoder

On this week's episode, we talk about our Capital One mistake, how Uber has tried to "Bonvoy" us, and the many ways we use our Platinum credit card credits.

(01:27) - OOPS: Capital One doesn't transfer to JetBlue like we implied

(02:33) - BUT...then this week Capital One announced they ARE adding JetBlue as a transfer partner, (but at horrible rates)

(05:24) - Hotel transfer bonuses, yay or nay?

(10:29) - Uber adding 1.5% charge to rides abroad – here’s how to avoid overpaying

Read more about this Uber change here.

(14:37) - How we use our Amex Platinum "coupon book" credits...

(15:34) - Read more about maximizing American Express credit card rebates and credits here.

(16:07) - Both consumer & business cards

(30:50) - Amex Platinum (consumer card)

Learn more about the Amex Platinum consumer card here.

(48:37) - Amex Business Platinum Card

Learn more about the Amex Business Platinum Card here and read the Platinum Guide here.

(58:03) - Read about the indirect Amex Platinum benefits here.

(58:51) - One reader asks for advice about a Qatar Airways issue they experienced on a cash flight (for Q-Suites) where the entertainment system went out and the reimbursement offered for this problem was unsatisfactory.

The Smartly Credit Card (with opportunity for up to 4% cash back everywhere) has us wondering...when should you value cash back over other points and miles or transferable currency rewards?

(00:26) - Smartly Credit Card: Up to 4% cash back

Learn more about the Smartly card here.

(01:21) - Using 2x everywhere points card is like buying points for 2 cents each

(05:12) - So, is cash the final answer? No!

(09:07) - So what's the ideal strategy?

(13:36) - Learn more about the Hyatt milestone spending here.

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Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn Heads

Alaska Airlines is making some big changes in 2025! We'll talk about why we think these changes are exciting...(and will share an exciting announcement of our own!)

(01:20) - Greg was recently curious about if the Hawaiian Miles personal card would be getting elevated offers and one reader says the answer is yes! Check your emails for higher offers!

Listen to our episode about the Hawaiian / Alaska merger here: https://frequentmiler.com/podcast-alaska-hawaiian-airlines-wedding-planning-frequent-miler-on-the-air-ep269-8-23-24/

(03:25) - Fly 15 SkyTeam airlines (and credit to SAS or redeem SAS miles) by end of year and get 1 MILLION MILES... you all had ideas for us related to this challenge...

(05:29) - Greg's post "Catching up on 2 weeks of big miles & points news" (Read the post here: https://frequentmiler.com/catching-up-on-2-weeks-of-big-miles-points-news)

(07:04) - For the first time ever, the FM team will do 2nd challenge within 1 year...and we want you to participate!

Read more about our newest challenge here: https://frequentmiler.com/start-your-engines-for-frequent-miler-million-mile-madness/

(19:47) - Alaska / Hawaiian transfers live

(22:28) - Spirit Airlines adds free WiFi and ditches award fees for Free Spirit members.

(23:56) - Virgin Atlantic to go to dynamic award pricing - companion and upgrade vouchers may become more usable

(28:33) - Choice Privileges max award pricing for Preferred Hotels reduced from 118k to 87k. Only 9 out of 310 are currently priced 80K or higher. Meanwhile, 68 properties are priced 30K or lower.

(30:43) - Bilt adds Accor Live Limitless and TAP Air Portugal as transfer partners.

(36:18) - Marriott & Aeroplan launch reciprocal status match opportunity.

(42:42) - Huge mostly positive changes to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan coming 2025...

Read more about the changes to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan here: https://frequentmiler.com/alaska-mileage-plan-updates-earn-status-with-award-flights-credit-cards-shopping-portal-spend-more-other-changes/

(43:03) - Earning Elite Status with Alaska Airlines

(53:59) - Mileage Plan Milestones

(1:04:46) - Other changes

(1:13:11) - Some more negative changes

(1:15:14) - Summary of our assessments

(1:17:46) - Someone wrote in asking if the Alaska changes change our mind about whether it makes sense to earn Alaska miles when paying rent through Bilt