Turning the Tables: My Approach to Points, Miles and Travel
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PocketCasts Key Takeaways
- Chris Hutchins shares his personal strategies for earning, spending, and maximizing millions of points and miles.
- Most people only need a simple two-card strategy rather than managing a massive wallet of credit cards to optimize rewards.
- Chasing an extra point per dollar on everyday spending rarely moves the needle compared to focusing on massive sign-up bonuses.
- Booking award travel for a family requires flexibility, leveraging advanced search tools like Seats.aero, and setting strategic alerts.
- Airline credit cards often unlock hidden, massive flight discounts that casual travelers frequently overlook.
#295: Chris shares the strategies he actually uses to earn, spend, and maximize millions of points and miles. He breaks down how many credit cards most people really need, his approach to booking award travel for a family, the rise of massive card-member flight discounts, when to pay cash vs. points, and some of his favorite—and most unusual—redemptions.
Meghan Coyle and Sally French are the hosts of NerdWallet's Smart Travel podcast, a weekly show on travel news, loyalty programs and travel credit cards that helps listeners travel more and pay less.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/award-flights-card-strategy-nerdwallet
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Resources Mentioned
Award Search & Points Tools
PointsPath (15% off with ALLTHEHACKS15)
Shopping Portals, Gift Cards & Offers
ATH Podcast
AMA: Submit Questions
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Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(02:06) How Chris Got Into Points & Miles
(05:01) When Chris Became a Points & Miles “Expert”
(07:25) Paying for a Wedding Video With Delta Miles
(13:38) Why Chasing an Extra Point per Dollar Doesn't Move the Needle
(15:34) The Optimal Two-Card Strategy
(16:50) Maximizing Points Without Overspending
(19:52) Should You Buy Gift Cards to Earn More Points?
(22:36) Booking Award Travel for a Family
(25:06) Chris’ Strategy for Finding Award Flights
(27:34) Leveraging Flexibility and Award Search Tools
(31:45) What to Do With Points If You Don't Want to Play the Game
(34:30) Setting Alerts and Picking One Award Search Tool
(37:01) The Huge Discounts Hidden Behind Airline Credit Cards
(39:21) The Risks of Speculative Bookings
(41:08) When Chris Breaks His Own Transfer Rule
(45:15) The Easiest Way to Redeem Points When You Don't Want the Hobby
(47:17) Are Hotel Redemptions Easier Than Flights?
(51:07) The Real Math Behind Cash vs. Points
(55:02) Chris's Rule of Thumb for Comparing Cash and Points
(56:12) A Trick for Getting Refunds on Flights You Need to Cancel
(59:03) Chris’ Take on the New Southwest
Connect with Chris
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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Connect with Chris
Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn
Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many credit cards does Chris Hutchins recommend most people have?
Chris advocates for a streamlined approach, suggesting that an optimal two-card strategy is more than enough for most people to maximize their rewards without overcomplicating their finances.
What tools does Chris Hutchins use to find award flights?
Chris uses specialized award search and points tools like Seats.aero and PointsYeah to track availability, set alerts, and streamline the process of booking travel with points.
Should you buy gift cards just to earn extra credit card points?
Chris discusses the nuances of manufactured spending, explaining why buying gift cards primarily for points often carries risks and hassle that don't always move the financial needle.
How should you decide whether to pay with cash or points?
Chris breaks down the real math behind cash versus points redemptions, providing a practical rule of thumb to help you evaluate when spending points actually makes financial sense.