Your Points Questions Answered

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:09.410 --> 00:00:13.555
Today I'm answering questions that you all sent in related to Season 1.

00:00:13.555 --> 00:00:17.530
We have questions about hotels, flights and benefits.

00:00:17.530 --> 00:00:20.629
Welcome back to Points for Normal People.

00:00:20.629 --> 00:00:29.367
I'm Katie and I'm here because I know that travel costs add up, especially for a family, but I believe that travel isn't just for the rich.

00:00:29.367 --> 00:00:47.844
That's why, on Points for Normal People, I share the tips and tricks that my family has been using for over a decade to help you use your everyday expenses and credit card welcome offers to supercharge your travel points so that you can pay for entire vacations every year.

00:00:48.826 --> 00:00:54.485
We'll start today with questions about benefits and then move to trip planning, hotels and flights.

00:00:54.485 --> 00:00:58.740
Some of these questions will need long answers and others will be short.

00:00:58.740 --> 00:01:00.421
This episode is probably going to be a little longer than normal, just as a warning.

00:01:00.421 --> 00:01:09.212
This episode is probably going to be a little longer than normal, just as a warning, as I wanted to get all these questions in First up.

00:01:09.212 --> 00:01:10.935
We have this question from Jamie.

00:01:10.935 --> 00:01:22.275
She says the advice is to book flights and car rentals with a Chase Sapphire, preferred because it offers trip protection and acts as primary car insurance.

00:01:22.275 --> 00:01:28.859
And acts as primary car insurance If one were ever to need to use the trip protection benefits or car insurance benefits.

00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:32.009
What are the exact steps for doing this?

00:01:32.009 --> 00:01:41.629
This is such a great question because so often, even if you know about a benefit, it's hard to know how to actually use the benefit.

00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:50.227
Now, while I'm in the process of filming this episode, chase has started notifying customers that it is changing insurance providers.

00:01:50.227 --> 00:01:52.971
So far, this seems positive.

00:01:52.971 --> 00:01:58.852
In fact, a lot of the coverages seem to be increasing, but there may be some changes.

00:01:58.852 --> 00:02:16.703
Chase is also saying it will now have a centralized website which will be live on October 1st 2024, which will be chasecardbenefitscom, and this should act as a place to see all benefits and file all claims as of now.

00:02:16.703 --> 00:02:22.385
When you go to that website, you'll see links to other sites where you can go to start to file a claim.

00:02:22.385 --> 00:02:33.604
Now you can also call the number on the back of your card to start the claims process, but I have found that just starting the claim yourself online is easier.

00:02:33.604 --> 00:02:43.347
When you call to start a claim, the agent seems to just be opening up the online system and typing everything you say into it.

00:02:43.347 --> 00:02:48.905
Then they send you a claim number and then you still have to create an online account anyway.

00:02:48.905 --> 00:02:55.764
So if you just go directly to chasecardbenefitscom and start your claim yourself.

00:02:55.764 --> 00:02:59.353
You'll skip the middleman and it will be faster overall.

00:03:00.180 --> 00:03:06.433
Now, once you start the claims process, you will end up with a list of documents that you need to upload.

00:03:06.433 --> 00:03:08.927
This is the most tedious part.

00:03:08.927 --> 00:03:13.631
Exactly what you need to upload will vary depending on the claim.

00:03:13.631 --> 00:03:23.997
Again, I think this is the hardest because typically, if you need to file a claim, it's because something went wrong right, it's because something went wrong right.

00:03:28.180 --> 00:03:29.703
But if you plan to file a claim, you'll need to also have the forethought.

00:03:29.703 --> 00:03:34.854
Amidst whatever issue you're having, to try to get any necessary documents so that filing your claim will be easier.

00:03:34.854 --> 00:03:43.229
When I had my phone stolen in Thailand, I needed a police report, for instance, so I needed to make sure I got that before we left.

00:03:43.229 --> 00:03:50.153
If you have a bag lost or delayed, you'll need to go to the airline's luggage office and get paperwork from them.

00:03:50.153 --> 00:03:57.693
You'd want to get this anyway because you don't want to leave the airport without your bag or without filing a report.

00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:06.881
If you're claiming trip cancellation due to illness, you'll likely need a note from a doctor due to illness.

00:04:06.881 --> 00:04:12.860
You'll likely need a note from a doctor If your flight was delayed 12 hours and you're filing for trip delay, you'll often need a statement from the airline on why the flight was delayed.

00:04:12.860 --> 00:04:20.423
This you can often get after the fact, but if lines are short at the airport help desk, you can also ask there too.

00:04:20.423 --> 00:04:33.834
So one tip here would be that if you're in a situation where you know you'll be filing a claim, ask yourself what official document can I get to prove my loss to the insurance company?

00:04:33.834 --> 00:04:40.372
You should also be able to Google your issue plus a phrase like claims documents needed.

00:04:40.372 --> 00:04:57.490
So you could Google trip cancellation claims documents needed and you'll likely be able to find stories on Reddit or other sites about what documents people needed to file for those or these are usually listed also in your card's guide to benefits.

00:04:57.490 --> 00:05:01.343
Definitely keep all of your receipts organized for this as well.

00:05:01.343 --> 00:05:10.432
Typically, after you get all your documents and receipts uploaded, an agent will review your case and issue a check to you within a few weeks.

00:05:10.432 --> 00:05:15.831
Occasionally, it will take a few tries and they might need additional documentation.

00:05:15.831 --> 00:05:25.588
One more thing I will add is that some of the benefits will require you to pay costs on your card at first and then be reimbursed.

00:05:25.588 --> 00:05:32.473
This is why, if you're using a specific card for trip protection, you'll always want to travel with that card.

00:05:32.473 --> 00:05:45.052
If your flight is delayed 12 hours and you need to book a hotel, for instance, that cost is covered by a Sapphire Preferred assuming you had booked your flight or a portion of your flight with this card.

00:05:45.052 --> 00:05:49.711
But you'll also want to be paying for that hotel with your Sapphire Preferred.

00:05:50.521 --> 00:05:57.548
Next question we have is from Lisa, who asks Hi, katie, I'm wondering how you handle reoccurring bills.

00:05:57.548 --> 00:06:08.226
Do you change things like utility bills to a new credit card every few months to meet the bonus, or do you keep one credit card dedicated to those set it and forget it type bills?

00:06:08.226 --> 00:06:17.401
I think people might choose to manage this differently, but personally I just set up those recurring expenses on a card that I plan to keep long term.

00:06:17.401 --> 00:06:26.721
I know myself and I know that if I don't have those on autopay I may miss paying them on time occasionally, so I just keep them on a card.

00:06:26.721 --> 00:06:28.185
That makes that easy for me.

00:06:28.185 --> 00:06:32.274
That specific card might vary person to person.

00:06:32.274 --> 00:06:48.615
You could choose to put these recurring expenses on cards that have higher earn rates in those specific categories, but overall, for most people this difference in earning isn't going to amount to nearly as much as just getting a new card welcome offer.

00:06:48.615 --> 00:06:59.074
The only time I would really say it's worth it to change up those regular monthly expenses and how you're paying for them would be if you have a smaller monthly budget.

00:06:59.074 --> 00:07:03.552
So those expenses can really help you to meet minimum spend requirements.

00:07:04.461 --> 00:07:06.168
Here's a question from Donna.

00:07:06.168 --> 00:07:09.163
I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

00:07:09.163 --> 00:07:11.509
The annual fee is $550.

00:07:11.509 --> 00:07:17.928
I'm not sure if I should get my husband the same card or should I get him a card with a lower annual fee.

00:07:17.928 --> 00:07:26.173
Now, this is going to vary, but generally speaking, most families won't need two different Sapphire Reserve cards.

00:07:26.173 --> 00:07:28.485
That's the premium version of the Sapphire card.

00:07:28.485 --> 00:07:36.512
Even after accounting for the $300 travel credit, the Sapphire Reserve is still $250 more than the Sapphire Preferred.

00:07:36.512 --> 00:07:50.233
So personally I'd probably get my partner the Sapphire Preferred and then, if it is their own lounge access that you're after, you could add them as an authorized user on your reserve card, which would still be cheaper overall.

00:07:50.916 --> 00:07:52.721
This next question is from Andrew.

00:07:52.721 --> 00:08:02.047
He says I hear a lot about downgrading cards to no annual fee options, but I've never seen or heard what happens to that card.

00:08:02.047 --> 00:08:02.507
Next.

00:08:02.507 --> 00:08:07.466
Throw it in the sock drawer and forget about it until they cancel you for inactivity.

00:08:07.466 --> 00:08:11.149
Remember to use it once in a while just to keep it going.

00:08:11.149 --> 00:08:13.086
Eventually cancel it.

00:08:13.086 --> 00:08:19.230
How many downgraded cards are the folks really into the points game walking around with?

00:08:19.230 --> 00:08:28.473
So I just went and checked my Travel Freely account and between my husband and I, we have 26 cards with no annual fee.

00:08:28.473 --> 00:08:31.608
Most of these are downgraded cards.

00:08:31.608 --> 00:08:47.302
We have about another 35 that are inactive in there Because those are cards that have been canceled, and this is mostly since 2018, when I started using the Travel Freely app and I didn't go all the way back to when we first started.

00:08:47.302 --> 00:08:57.186
So overall, we still cancel more cards than we downgrade, but we still do have 26 active cards with no annual fee.

00:08:57.186 --> 00:09:09.494
I have another 12 or so cards with an annual fee that we keep long term and then currently it looks like we have about 10 or so that have an annual fee that we keep long term, and then currently it looks like we have about 10 or so that have an annual fee, but we'll plan to cancel them in the next year.

00:09:10.477 --> 00:09:16.192
Now, personally, I keep my cards that I'm not using in a mini binder that has sheets for three cards together.

00:09:16.192 --> 00:09:24.147
It was meant originally for business cards and I keep mine organized by bank, I don't worry too much about keeping them active.

00:09:24.147 --> 00:09:27.501
To be honest, this is, in fact, a best practice.

00:09:27.501 --> 00:09:33.321
Ideally, you would put at least one purchase on each of these cards at least once a year.

00:09:33.321 --> 00:09:46.720
Some people choose to spread out their regular monthly expenses and put one on each of their cards to keep them all active, and that's one way you could sort of automate some of this active.

00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:48.683
And that's one way you could sort of automate some of this In practice.

00:09:48.683 --> 00:09:56.907
I'm not sure I have 30 regular expenses to spread out among all of my cards, and so it isn't uncommon for me that I go over a year without spending on a specific card.

00:09:56.907 --> 00:10:10.428
If you do this, after a few years you will every once in a while get a letter from a bank stating that if you don't use their credit card in the next 30 to 60 days, they will close it due to inactivity.

00:10:10.428 --> 00:10:16.148
So that's the point that I personally get the card out and put a few purchases onto the card.

00:10:16.148 --> 00:10:18.192
Then we put it back into the binder.

00:10:18.192 --> 00:10:23.575
I have never had a bank just close a card without sending a warning letter first.

00:10:23.575 --> 00:10:28.511
It might happen, but it hasn't happened to me, so that's why I don't worry about it too much.

00:10:29.214 --> 00:10:37.374
I had a related question from Amy, who asked do you have any primary cards that you keep, use and continue to pay annual fees on?

00:10:37.374 --> 00:10:39.602
If yes, why those?

00:10:39.602 --> 00:10:45.734
And we do currently have about a dozen cards with annual fees that we intend to keep long term.

00:10:45.734 --> 00:10:51.231
In every single case it's because the benefits outweigh the annual fee for us.

00:10:51.231 --> 00:11:06.626
I plan to film an updated video where I walk through each one with the specifics about it, but for now the short version is that six of those cards are hotel cards that give us an annual free night certificate for paying the annual fee.

00:11:06.626 --> 00:11:12.509
We also keep our Southwest cards, our Sapphire cards, our VentureX card.

00:11:12.509 --> 00:11:32.448
I keep an ink preferred for my primary card for my business, and then a specific other one that we keep is the Hyatt business card, which honestly, I'd say overall doesn't really outweigh the annual fee, except that we use it to help us earn our globalist Hyatt status, and that's the base of what we keep with annual fees.

00:11:33.350 --> 00:11:44.354
From Jennifer, we have this question Since you can hold multiple ink cards, how long do you hold onto your ink cards before canceling and applying again With ink cards?

00:11:44.354 --> 00:11:46.975
I recommend that you hold them at least a year.

00:11:46.975 --> 00:11:57.677
Beyond a year, you don't really need to hold them unless you are actively using them, or you might choose to keep one open longer term to keep that account going with Chase.

00:11:57.677 --> 00:12:01.717
But at least a year is what I would recommend for those.

00:12:01.717 --> 00:12:02.942
After that it's up to you.

00:12:02.942 --> 00:12:14.274
Related is this question from Nicole how do you stay in good graces with Chase besides the basic 90 days in between cards and downgrading instead of canceling?

00:12:14.274 --> 00:12:22.197
And I got a very similar question from Kat, who also asked for tips on staying in Chase's Good Graces long term.

00:12:22.197 --> 00:12:28.099
She said I keep waiting for them to cut me off because I've heard of that happening to so many people.

00:12:28.099 --> 00:12:32.753
Now, as a point of reference, I currently have 12 credit card accounts with Chase.

00:12:32.753 --> 00:12:34.496
My husband has 11.

00:12:35.298 --> 00:12:38.683
Ultimately, you want to have a good relationship with Chase.

00:12:38.683 --> 00:12:46.364
People do get accounts shut down by Chase if their system suspects fraud or heavy gaming.

00:12:46.364 --> 00:12:54.677
Now, to be clear, pretty much every time I've read a story about someone getting shut down, they were doing something excessive.

00:12:54.677 --> 00:13:05.543
It often, but not always, has to do with manufactured spending, which is basically spending quote unquote, spending your money on your card to earn points.

00:13:05.543 --> 00:13:13.595
So some people, for instance, are buying tens of thousands of dollars of gift cards and then selling them off each month.

00:13:13.595 --> 00:13:26.432
I don't talk about these specifics on here because I think that those are risky behaviors and, on many levels, are unnecessary, but those are generally the people I have seen getting shut down by Chase.

00:13:27.274 --> 00:13:33.153
But so let's talk about some tips for keeping a good relationship with Chase and to show them that you're a good customer.

00:13:33.153 --> 00:13:41.245
And the first would be to space out your applications to an average of every 90 days, or four cards from Chase a year.

00:13:41.245 --> 00:13:45.321
It also helps that relationship if you have a checking account with Chase.

00:13:45.321 --> 00:13:51.102
Even better, you can often earn a cash bonus if you sign up for a new checking account with Chase.

00:13:51.102 --> 00:13:52.777
You can earn a little extra for that too.

00:13:52.777 --> 00:14:01.764
Now, about 12 years ago, we actually divested intentionally all of our savings and checking from big banks and we wanted to move them to a local credit union.

00:14:01.764 --> 00:14:12.505
But I've honestly since had to reopen a checking account with Chase because it seems like it has helped that relationship and helped me to be able to be approved for more cards.

00:14:12.505 --> 00:14:19.163
It also helps that relationship to be using at least a few of your Chase cards regularly.

00:14:19.163 --> 00:14:25.582
It might help you to pick at least one card from Chase that you'll keep and keep and keep.

00:14:25.582 --> 00:14:34.160
I have a Chase Freedom card that I've had for almost 20 years, so all those things can help Chase see you as a good customer.

00:14:34.931 --> 00:14:38.186
You will get some denials if you're in this hobby long enough.

00:14:38.186 --> 00:14:39.451
That's totally normal.

00:14:39.451 --> 00:14:46.370
Sometimes you can call in to ask why and offer a further explanation that will help reverse that decision.

00:14:46.370 --> 00:14:48.174
Sometimes you can't.

00:14:48.174 --> 00:15:05.602
If I get a few denials in a row from Chase, I'd take that as a sign to cool off on applications, put some more spending on my Chase cards and even see if it makes sense to cancel a card or two that I'm not using at all to reduce my credit lines with them.

00:15:06.370 --> 00:15:10.705
Now here's a question from Lori how much of the fine print do you read?

00:15:10.705 --> 00:15:14.592
I feel like when you're applying online there's a different link for everything.

00:15:14.592 --> 00:15:18.398
I don't know if I should read everything or if I've missed something.

00:15:18.398 --> 00:15:19.078
It's a lot.

00:15:19.078 --> 00:15:25.285
So I always, always, read the fine print of the bonus section specifically.

00:15:25.285 --> 00:15:31.462
I make sure to scan for eligibility requirements in particular, so I make sure I qualify.

00:15:31.462 --> 00:15:40.071
I don't necessarily read everything else, but I do make sure to read that asterisk or footnote that has the bonus requirements.

00:15:40.071 --> 00:15:44.919
Amy asked at what point do you go over 524?

00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:53.363
I've been doing a lot of business cards but not sure if I really need to keep focusing on those or is it okay to go over 524?

00:15:53.363 --> 00:15:59.363
If I've had a lot of chase cards in the past six months, you can definitely go over 524.

00:15:59.363 --> 00:16:13.461
There's no hard and fast rule as to when, but one strategy we like is to have one person in the house go over 524 and get other cards and the other person stays under 524, and then we flip.

00:16:13.461 --> 00:16:20.732
That way you can still be eligible for some Chase cards, but also you can feel free to get cards from other banks.

00:16:21.374 --> 00:16:25.043
These next set of questions all have to do with using points.

00:16:25.043 --> 00:16:27.774
From Laura I got this question.

00:16:27.774 --> 00:16:35.078
I've got lots of points now, but I'm reluctant to use them because I don't know which transfer options are worth more.

00:16:35.078 --> 00:16:36.522
How do I use them?

00:16:36.522 --> 00:16:41.476
It can be really hard to start to actually use your points Now.

00:16:41.476 --> 00:16:42.942
It's different for different people.

00:16:42.942 --> 00:16:50.770
This might be due to scarcity mentality and not really trusting this hobby and the systems that you'll be able to keep replenishing your stash.

00:16:50.770 --> 00:16:55.018
It might be due to wanting to find a perfect redemption.

00:16:55.018 --> 00:16:59.764
It might be due to analysis paralysis, or it might be something else.

00:16:59.764 --> 00:17:09.156
Just keep reminding yourself that the potential value of your points is highest when you use them for an experience that you value.

00:17:09.156 --> 00:17:18.092
If you don't know how to use your points best, I recommend taking a step back and just asking yourself again where do you want to go?

00:17:18.092 --> 00:17:39.602
It might not be the highest sense per point value, but if it is helping you to see grandma or travel to a place you've always wanted to see, or just relaxing at a beach resort you couldn't otherwise afford, that's going to be worth a lot more than simply maximizing the cents per point of what you have.

00:17:39.602 --> 00:17:47.164
Take it from me as someone who has been in this hobby for over 12 years you can earn more points.

00:17:47.164 --> 00:17:49.205
Just start spending them.

00:17:49.205 --> 00:17:51.846
It'll get easier as you keep redeeming.

00:17:52.666 --> 00:18:02.496
A related question from JT is what is the order of best to worst partner redemptions among Chase in your opinion?

00:18:02.496 --> 00:18:03.258
My top transfer partner is Hyatt.

00:18:03.258 --> 00:18:06.230
I don't think that surprises anyone who's listened to this season.

00:18:06.230 --> 00:18:11.863
I value simplicity and a good, reliable travel experience, and Hyatt fits the bill.

00:18:11.863 --> 00:18:23.460
About 75% of our travel involves staying at Hyatt's and flying Southwest, so we really like the ease of that one-two punch For Chase airline partners.

00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:24.260
It's murkier.

00:18:24.921 --> 00:18:28.724
I went into the details in the flights sweet spot episode on ways.

00:18:28.724 --> 00:18:34.531
Each program has its strength and today I actually started ranking these.

00:18:34.531 --> 00:18:38.300
I sat down and tried to rank them but realized truly, with the airlines, I can't.

00:18:38.300 --> 00:18:44.781
They each have certain routes that they're really good for, so there isn't one good or one bad.

00:18:44.781 --> 00:18:47.294
So sorry, I don't have a succinct answer there.

00:18:47.294 --> 00:18:49.599
Here's another question from Anissa.

00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:53.875
She asks wondering how you choose where to travel next.

00:18:53.875 --> 00:18:57.726
Do you pick the destination or does the destination pick you?

00:18:57.726 --> 00:19:01.473
I want to start letting the destination and deal pick me.

00:19:01.473 --> 00:19:04.300
So any tips for this process is welcomed.

00:19:04.300 --> 00:19:07.835
Should I start with flights or accommodations Now?

00:19:08.415 --> 00:19:19.044
If you listen to episode six, it was all about how to make some mindset shifts to make planning trips with points easier, and one of those tips is to follow deals and sweet spots.

00:19:19.044 --> 00:19:22.259
This can often help you stretch your points further.

00:19:22.259 --> 00:19:26.740
One way to follow a deal is to sign up for a flight alert service.

00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:47.292
If you want to fly business class, which of course, isn't the primary purpose of this podcast, but if you do, really the easiest way to do it would be to collect plenty of points, preferably transferable ones, and then sign up for a deal alert service and when they send out business class availability then you book it.

00:19:47.292 --> 00:19:55.935
If you want to fly business class, you really have to let the flight availability dictate where and or when you go.

00:19:55.935 --> 00:20:00.944
If you fly economy, you don't have to let the flight dictate it as much.

00:20:00.944 --> 00:20:06.266
We find that we can almost always get tickets to any major region of the world.

00:20:06.266 --> 00:20:10.978
We can almost always find award seats, even for four people in economy.

00:20:10.978 --> 00:20:14.571
Is it every single airline and every single route?

00:20:14.571 --> 00:20:18.380
No, but overall we've always been able to find something.

00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:21.615
The further out you book, the more options you'll have.

00:20:21.615 --> 00:20:32.230
In our flight guides on our blog we walk through major destinations and how to book them in economy so you could map out which kinds of points you'd like to save for those trips.

00:20:32.992 --> 00:20:40.174
The biggest thing we personally use to dictate our destinations, especially when our kids were younger, was always routing.

00:20:40.174 --> 00:20:43.683
I'm a big proponent of minimizing connections.

00:20:43.683 --> 00:20:50.063
So we fly into Cancun a lot because it's an easy nonstop flight from Chicago to Cancun.

00:20:50.063 --> 00:21:02.159
We've only been to the Dominican Republic once and probably won't go back, not because it wasn't lovely, but because there are very few non-stops from Chicago and they are more expensive.

00:21:02.159 --> 00:21:07.798
We also don't really plan to go back to Hawaii because it's such a pain to get to from Chicago.

00:21:07.798 --> 00:21:13.594
We're more likely to go to Europe because it's easier to get to for us than it is to go to Hawaii.

00:21:13.594 --> 00:21:16.038
Now, that's my personal preference.

00:21:16.798 --> 00:21:27.090
You might not mind connecting flights, so for us we start at flightconnectionscom or Google Flights to explore routing and what flights are out there.

00:21:27.090 --> 00:21:32.019
You could also start with lists of known sweet spots for flights and work from there.

00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:39.913
And then as far as what to book first, this is going to depend on what is most important to you for that specific trip.

00:21:39.913 --> 00:21:48.006
So, as an example, we are going to Costa Rica with my whole family over Thanksgiving For my parents' 50th anniversary.

00:21:48.006 --> 00:21:51.252
We had decided we all wanted to stay at the Andaz Papagayo.

00:21:51.252 --> 00:22:01.124
This was fairly hard to book four rooms at over a holiday weekend, so I focused on finding those first before starting to look for flights.

00:22:01.124 --> 00:22:08.549
That's because we had picked that specific hotel as the goal and we had specific dates, and the flights are a mess.

00:22:08.549 --> 00:22:13.182
It is a pain to get to Costa Rica from Chicago and it's expensive.

00:22:13.182 --> 00:22:16.228
If you think I always get a good deal, I don't.

00:22:16.228 --> 00:22:18.310
We are paying I'm not kidding.

00:22:18.310 --> 00:22:26.792
For the one-way home just the one-way home from Liberia to Chicago, we are paying 55,000 Southwest points per person.

00:22:26.792 --> 00:22:32.288
It is so expensive, but because we have the points we can do it.

00:22:32.288 --> 00:22:37.589
At least it's points and at least the kids fly free with the companion pass.

00:22:37.589 --> 00:22:41.130
But we planned around one part first the hotel.

00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:49.111
Now, when we went to Japan, we booked our flights first, because going to Japan on a nonstop flight was the priority for us.

00:22:49.111 --> 00:22:52.568
Then we filled in our itinerary and our hotels.

00:22:52.568 --> 00:22:59.801
After that we didn't have specific hotels we needed to stay at, and then occasionally we'll do it all at once.

00:22:59.801 --> 00:23:09.721
In February we were looking for somewhere to go over our kids' break and my husband and I just started searching Hyatt and Southwest at the same time to see what we could find.

00:23:09.721 --> 00:23:13.309
Since it was somewhat last minute, I think we booked two months in advance.

00:23:13.309 --> 00:23:24.819
We were able to find the Andaz Mayakoba, followed by the Hyatt Regency in Merida with Hyatt points, and we also happened to get lucky and there were cheap Southwest tickets.

00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:27.208
So we could book it all pretty close together.

00:23:27.208 --> 00:23:36.028
All that to say, you book the part of the trip that's most important to you first and then you fill in the other parts Along these lines.

00:23:36.148 --> 00:23:43.913
Rory asked what are strategies you use to plan travel more in advance, to leverage points and miles redemptions?

00:23:43.913 --> 00:23:48.243
Also, which subscriptions do you feel are worth paying for?

00:23:48.243 --> 00:24:01.924
So, as I've said, I personally don't actually plan travel in advance, but that works for us because we don't have a bucket list and we usually have some flexibility in our dates as well.

00:24:01.924 --> 00:24:05.854
You'll certainly have more options if you plan in advance.

00:24:05.854 --> 00:24:13.374
So the main thing is just to sit down and start planning, because we don't plan in advance.

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:21.125
My number one subscription is Max my Point, which is what I use to look at a calendar view of hotel availability.

00:24:21.125 --> 00:24:25.201
It just helps me compare hotels quickly for a whole month at a time.

00:24:25.201 --> 00:24:38.469
While we used to stay at lots of hotel chains, we currently, for the next few years, decided to just scale back and make decision making easier, and so we almost always book Hyatt's, which is easy to find on MaxMyPoint.

00:24:38.469 --> 00:24:40.865
I also use their alert feature.

00:24:40.865 --> 00:24:45.944
There is some free functionality with that site, but I think the paid service is worth it.

00:24:45.944 --> 00:24:58.015
When you're in active trip planning mode, if you're wanting to fly business class, you will want a paid subscription service to a deal alert for business class points deals, since I don't have one.

00:24:58.015 --> 00:25:03.134
I don't actually know which is the best here, but I'd venture to guess they are pretty similar.

00:25:03.134 --> 00:25:10.560
I think Spencer at Straight to the Points has had his the longest I know Kevin from the Points Analyst runs a good list as well.

00:25:10.560 --> 00:25:21.005
Thrifty Traveler Premium would also be a good option if you like getting alerts for cheap cash fares in addition to points fares For searching for flights.

00:25:21.365 --> 00:25:25.201
I tend to only pay for services if I'm actively searching for a route.

00:25:25.201 --> 00:25:31.951
That is more complicated, but even then I find I don't often need to anymore, since there are a lot of free tools.

00:25:31.951 --> 00:25:35.709
Lately I've been using PointsYeahcom as my first stop.

00:25:35.709 --> 00:25:38.448
I sometimes get a month of award logic.

00:25:38.448 --> 00:25:41.769
Still, I will say that there is no perfect service.

00:25:41.769 --> 00:25:48.371
When new ones come out, I often test them, but every service seems to miss some airlines or some routes.

00:25:48.371 --> 00:25:54.432
I haven't found a service yet that eliminates my need to do duplicate searches of my own.

00:25:54.432 --> 00:26:05.013
In season three, which will hopefully launch around January next year, I'll be diving into more tips on how to search for flights with points Related to Hyatt.

00:26:05.013 --> 00:26:07.648
I have a few questions and then we'll wrap it up.

00:26:08.371 --> 00:26:18.580
Rachel asked for my thoughts on the best Hyatt resorts for East Coast families and multifamily generation trips that don't require more than eight hours of travel time.

00:26:18.580 --> 00:26:25.565
She said looking for things that are a wise use of points in terms of valuable and using club lounge passes, if possible.

00:26:25.565 --> 00:26:31.481
So to answer this question, I first went to the Hyatt club lounge map on my blog.

00:26:31.481 --> 00:26:49.048
I don't have all of these hotels memorized and after looking at the map, I'd say my top recommendations, specifically for ones with club lounges, would be one Aruba there's a Hyatt resort there that has a club lounge where you could use your certificates to upgrade into a club room.

00:26:49.490 --> 00:26:50.311
Merida, mexico.

00:26:50.311 --> 00:26:57.476
This is not a resort as it's an inland hotel, but if you're looking for a more adventurous vacation, we really liked this hotel.

00:26:57.476 --> 00:26:57.438
It.

00:26:57.438 --> 00:26:58.258
If you're looking for a more adventurous vacation, we really liked this hotel.

00:26:58.258 --> 00:27:06.604
It's cheap, it's a category one, the club lounge is pretty good and there are so many really neat day trips that you can do from there.

00:27:06.604 --> 00:27:11.761
We flew into Cancun and then drove to Merida from there and it's a pretty easy drive.

00:27:12.463 --> 00:27:16.150
And then, third, I'd say another suggestion would actually be Paris.

00:27:16.150 --> 00:27:21.140
And then, third, I'd say another suggestion would actually be Paris, again not a resort.

00:27:21.140 --> 00:27:34.210
You need to book a suite to fit a family of four there, but the suite there automatically includes club lounge access and nonstop flights from the East Coast would generally be at or under eight hours, besides the fact that it's pretty common for them to be $500-ish.

00:27:34.210 --> 00:27:43.311
And then last question here from Sally, who asked what is the best way to find availability in Hyatt resorts in Hawaii for a family of four.

00:27:44.161 --> 00:27:46.107
Every time I look the dates are not available.

00:27:46.107 --> 00:27:51.765
Now the top tool I recommend for finding Hyatt nights is maxmypointcom.

00:27:51.765 --> 00:27:55.633
You can search with a calendar view and you can also set alerts.

00:27:55.633 --> 00:28:07.512
I did a whole episode with tips on finding Hyatt availability and other Hyatt tips, so if you're newer to Hyatt, I recommend that you check out that episode as well for more information there.

00:28:07.512 --> 00:28:13.352
Next week we will have some fun success stories to share for our final episode of season one.

00:28:13.352 --> 00:28:21.948
To wrap it up, thank you so much for being with me today and I look forward to seeing you next time, where we will continue to unlock these secrets of travel points together.

Your Points Questions Answered

Listen On

Recent Episodes

Your Points Questions Answered

​​​​​

Listen On

Recent Episodes