Episodes

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!Hey everyone, welcome back to Points for Normal People! I am so excited to kick off Season 3 with you today! We're going to get into all things domestic flights and points this season, which is going to be a bit of a step up, getting into some of those intermediate strategies.If you're just joining us, welcome! But if you ever feel lost, definitely pop back to Season 1, Episode 1, because that’s where we build a foundation...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!In this episode I'm sharing my exact process to research the best domestic award flights. I’ll walk you through the initial steps I always take before even thinking about searching for award availability. I'll show you why it's so important to understand your routing options and get a feel for cash prices first, and I'll tell you about the tools I use to build a solid foundation for successful award travel planning.I also ...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!In this episode, we're diving into American Airlines miles. I know a lot of you want to use points for domestic travel, and American is a good option. We'll talk about the best times to use your miles on American flights, and how to earn those miles. I'll cover the pros and cons, and give you some tips to maximize your points. We'll also look at some tools to find the best deals, and I'll share a few tricks I've learned abou...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!Today I’m sharing the current best strategies on how to use Avios to book American Airlines domestic flights! With these methods you can book flights to Hawaii from anywhere in the US for 30,000 points round trip – or less!It used to be that British Airways offered a great way to do this, but now Qatar, and Finnair are the best option to book those same American Airlines flights, often for fewer points than using American'...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!Let's tackle a topic I get asked about a lot: Amex Membership Rewards. Honestly, I have mixed feelings – the points themselves can be fantastic for travel, but the cards? They definitely come with extra rules and quirks, making them feel more intermediate level. Still, since you're asking and the points can be super useful, this episode is your essential overview.We'll cover the must-knows for earning these points (like na...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!Today we're diving into two airlines perfect for trips to and from the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, or flights to Hawaii and Alaska: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines! With their merger underway, things are shifting, creating some unique opportunities, especially a cool loophole involving Amex points that gets them over to Alaska. We'll cover earning and using miles from both programs for domestic flights.ACTION S...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresWelcome to Points for Normal People!Today I’m going to show you how to book Alaska and Hawaiian flights for less by leveraging partner airline points. We'll explore options with Finnair, Qatar, JetBlue, American, and Singapore Airlines, including tips for maximizing your savings.I’ll break down everything from using Avios sweet spots to booking nonstop flights from the East Coast to Hawaii. Plus, I'll give you a heads-up on the upcoming changes with the Alas...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Hey everyone, sorry for the long break! The podcast is officially starting back up, but first I'm adding some much-needed updates to the end of Seasons 1 and 2 so everything still makes sense for new listeners. For Season 3, I'm super excited to add new segments like your success stories and helping you plan trips! If you want to share your story or get help with a trip, just email nicole@katiestraveltricks.com, and don't forget to stay in the loop by signing ...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosures I used to call the Capital One Venture X a "no brainer," but with the major changes coming in 2026, I now consider it more of a "full brainer." In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what is changing and helping you calculate if the card is still worth the $395 annual fee. I cover the solid benefits that remain that still help to offset the cost. I’ll also walk you through the massive new limited-time welcome offer of 100,000 miles and share critical appli...

It looks like it is going to get harder to keep earning Chase Ultimate Rewards in 2026, especially if you have relied on them to keep your points life simple. Chase has started limiting referrals and adding vague language to their card applications, making approval rules much less clear than the old timelines we used to count on. But don't panic—these changes just mean it is time to pivot. In this episode, I’m walking through exactly what is changing with Sapphire and Ink cards and offering spec...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Today I’m walking you through a great opportunity to earn Bilt Rewards points without ever opening a credit card. For the next few months, there is a unique sweet spot where you can maximize the partnership between Bilt and Rakuten to earn points on autopilot. I’m going to share exactly how you can set up your account to turn everyday spending—and even bank account sign-ups—into valuable points you can transfer to partners like Hyatt. We are going to dive deep...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosures If you've heard the buzz about Bilt's new system for earning points on your rent or mortgage, you're not alone! A lot of people got really excited about the idea of earning rewards on their biggest monthly expense. But after Bilt rolled out their new options, many people have been confused, overwhelmed by the structure, and underwhelmed by the value. In this episode, I’m breaking down the convoluted new Bilt structure step-by-step to help you decide if it make...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosures For a long time, the Citi ThankYou ecosystem has lived in the shadow of other rewards programs, but some massive changes in the last year have brought it back onto my radar. Between the addition of American Airlines as a transfer partner and a brand-new premium card—the Citi Strata Elite—there is new value to unlock. I’m especially excited to dive into the Preferred Hotels partnership, which is a hidden gem for anyone who loves booking unique, independent prop...

Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Booking a flight with the Southwest Companion Pass used to be easier,, but with their recent switch to assigned seating, the process has become a lot more convoluted! If you're feeling confused about how to make sure you and your plus-one actually get to sit together without paying extra fees, you aren't alone. In this video, I'm walking you step-by-step through exactly how to book with your Companion Pass under the new rules so you can navigate the changes li...

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'...

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...

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 poolin...

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 De...

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'...

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 y...