Wringing value from United miles | Ep228 | 11-11-23
11/11/23 • 64 min
United Mileage Plus is an extremely popular program, but how can you get the best value out of the miles? This week, we talk about using flexible awards to your advantage, cheap intra-European awards, the Excursionist Perk, and a lot more.
00:00 Intro
01:20 Giant Mailbag #1: Can we get a Delta-free podcast?
02:35 Giant Mailbag #2
03:48 What crazy thing . . . did Delta do this week?
https://frequentmiler.com/deltas-window-seat-shop-of-horrors/
06:46 Card Talk: United Quest card
https://frequentmiler.com/uaq/
11:33 Mattress Running the Numbers: Citi transfer bonus to Accor Live Limitless
17:34 Award Talk
18:00 Bilt adds Marriott as a transfer partner
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-bonvoy-added-as-bilt-rewards-transfer-partner/
19:40 Marriott's secret award chart
https://frequentmiler.com/marriotts-secret-award-chart/
23:03 Marriott Choice Benefit changes
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-say-quiet-part-out-loud-with-new-upgrade-award-enhancements/
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-choice-benefits-now-give-1000-off-mattress-bed-rather-than-40/
29:24 Book JetBlue with Qatar Avios
https://frequentmiler.com/book-jetblue-including-mint-with-qatar-avios/
https://frequentmiler.com/uh-oh-did-qatar-create-a-new-jetblue-award-chart/
35:56 Main Event: Wringing value from United Miles
37:00 First up: the bad stuff
40:20 Higher award prices, but not bad value
41:40 Best uses of United miles
41:46 Dynamic pricing can work in your favor
44:35 Free changes and cancellations
48:55 Cheap intra-Europe flights (from 6K miles)
50:04 Sao Paulo to/from South Africa for 50K miles in business class
50:40 Fly across the length of Africa for less than 25K in economy or 50K in business class
52:15 United Excursionist Perk
https://frequentmiler.com/maximizing-and-understanding-united-excursionist-perks/
https://frequentmiler.com/saving-thousands-of-miles-with-united-excursionist-perk/
https://frequentmiler.com/united-excursionist-perk-maps-visualize-regions-to-optimize-awards/
https://frequentmiler.com/leveraging-the-united-excursionist-perk-to-save-miles/
57:42 Question of the Week: Will a bank extend the minimum spending requirement period?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
United Mileage Plus is an extremely popular program, but how can you get the best value out of the miles? This week, we talk about using flexible awards to your advantage, cheap intra-European awards, the Excursionist Perk, and a lot more.
00:00 Intro
01:20 Giant Mailbag #1: Can we get a Delta-free podcast?
02:35 Giant Mailbag #2
03:48 What crazy thing . . . did Delta do this week?
https://frequentmiler.com/deltas-window-seat-shop-of-horrors/
06:46 Card Talk: United Quest card
https://frequentmiler.com/uaq/
11:33 Mattress Running the Numbers: Citi transfer bonus to Accor Live Limitless
17:34 Award Talk
18:00 Bilt adds Marriott as a transfer partner
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-bonvoy-added-as-bilt-rewards-transfer-partner/
19:40 Marriott's secret award chart
https://frequentmiler.com/marriotts-secret-award-chart/
23:03 Marriott Choice Benefit changes
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-say-quiet-part-out-loud-with-new-upgrade-award-enhancements/
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-choice-benefits-now-give-1000-off-mattress-bed-rather-than-40/
29:24 Book JetBlue with Qatar Avios
https://frequentmiler.com/book-jetblue-including-mint-with-qatar-avios/
https://frequentmiler.com/uh-oh-did-qatar-create-a-new-jetblue-award-chart/
35:56 Main Event: Wringing value from United Miles
37:00 First up: the bad stuff
40:20 Higher award prices, but not bad value
41:40 Best uses of United miles
41:46 Dynamic pricing can work in your favor
44:35 Free changes and cancellations
48:55 Cheap intra-Europe flights (from 6K miles)
50:04 Sao Paulo to/from South Africa for 50K miles in business class
50:40 Fly across the length of Africa for less than 25K in economy or 50K in business class
52:15 United Excursionist Perk
https://frequentmiler.com/maximizing-and-understanding-united-excursionist-perks/
https://frequentmiler.com/saving-thousands-of-miles-with-united-excursionist-perk/
https://frequentmiler.com/united-excursionist-perk-maps-visualize-regions-to-optimize-awards/
https://frequentmiler.com/leveraging-the-united-excursionist-perk-to-save-miles/
57:42 Question of the Week: Will a bank extend the minimum spending requirement period?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Previous Episode
How to get amazing value from American Airlines miles | Ep227 | 11-4-23
American Airlines miles can be used to fly some of the fanciest airlines in the world. They can also be really handy for buying domestic flights to/from non-American Airlines hubs. On this week's episode, we discuss some of our favorite ways to get awesome value out of American Airlines miles.
00:00 Intro
01:23 Giant Mailbag
03:50 Card Talk
03:55 New Citi Application Rule
https://frequentmiler.com/possible-citi-5-day-rule-causing-denials-for-too-many-inquiries/
07:04 Plastiq news
https://frequentmiler.com/plastiq-once-again-accepts-amex-cards/
11:28 Card Talk: Delta Reserve cards
https://frequentmiler.com/dlrsv/
https://frequentmiler.com/dlrsvbiz/
22:46 What crazy thing . . . did Dollar Dig do this week?
26:55 Mattress Running the Numbers: Capital One Premier Collection promotion
https://frequentmiler.com/amazing-deal-get-200-off-capital-one-premier-collection-potentially-free-hotel-stay/https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-find-hidden-capital-one-premier-collection-hotels/
31:15 Award Talk: Hyatt / Mr & Mrs Smith promo
42:17 Main Event
42:30 How do you earn American Airlines miles?
44:51 Using miles for American Airlines flights
44:52 Close-in bookings
48:28 Flying from non-AA hubs
50:14 "Roll the dice" flights
52:16 American Airlines partner awards
53:07 North America to Africa (Great for Qatar Qsuites)
55:55 Europe to the Middle East (Great for Etihad apartments)
58:19 Middle East / India to Asia (Great for Etihad first or Qatar Qsuites)
1:00:08 Africa to Africa (get a lot of Qatar biz for a low price)
1:02:53 Asia to South Pacific
1:05:11 American Airlines partners
1:14:17 Question of the Week: Have I opened too many new accounts? Should I slow down?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
Next Episode
A good deed is its own reward (but we can do better) | Ep229 | 11-18-23
Maximize your charitable giving by earning a great return while doing good in the world. From ways to give without causing your favorite charity to incur processing fees to ways to earn thousands of points for your donation, this week we talk about how to do your charitable deeds (better).
00:00 Intro
01:13 Giant Mailbag
03:32 Giant Mailbag #2: United Quest card details
07:22 Card Talk: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card & Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card
https://frequentmiler.com/venturex/
https://frequentmiler.com/VentureXBiz/#Goto
18:35 What crazy thing . . . did Marriott do this week?
23:27 Award Talk
23:28 Alaska Mileage Plan March 2024 changes
https://frequentmiler.com/huge-alaska-announces-unified-award-charts/
https://frequentmiler.com/new-alaska-award-chart-winners-losers-and-sweet-spots/
https://frequentmiler.com/alaska-us-anything-we-discuss-the-new-alaska-award-chart-video/
37:06 Do you want to collect Alaska miles now?
39:06 Award Talk: Use JetBlue points to book Qatar flights
https://frequentmiler.com/book-qatar-flights-with-jetblue-trueblue-points/
42:15 Award Talk: Marriott free night certificate inside info
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-rules-for-extending-free-nights/
46:55 Main Event: A good deed is its own reward, but we can do better.
47:15 How do you find charities that do good? (search tools)
48:20 GiveWell
50:03 PayPay Giving Fund
52:15 Kiva Microloans
https://frequentmiler.com/why-i-love-kiva-for-earning-rewards-and-doing-good/
55:29 How do you earn rewards on charitable gifts?
55:47 Ways to earn miles for donating through airline programs, etc
56:48 Credit Card Rewards
46:49 US Bank cards that earn 2x on charitable donations....meh
58:13 Bank of America 2.62% cash back
58:48 Credit Card Big Spend Bonuses
https://frequentmiler.com/best-big-spend-bonuses/
1:00:25 Buying Visa or Mastercard gift cards and using them to donate
1:03:17 Earn a new card welcome bonus
https://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-sign-up-offers/
1:06:25 Donating miles and points
1:08:20 Earn Air France elite credit
1:09:38 Question of the Week: Is it worth it to travel to Australia for just a week?
Music credit: Annie Yoder
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