Travel, Points + Miles Podcast

#163: Chris shares a new daily habit he's adopted and his experience with a timeshare pitch during a recent trip to Mexico. He also shares some results from the podcast survey and some plans for the podcast in 2024. Partner Deals Copilot: Free 2 months access to my favorite personal finance app with code HACKS2 NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance DeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the web For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our pa...

#157: Costa Rica expert Javier Echecopar shares the amazing experiences the country has to offer. He provides insider tips for the ideal times to visit, where to find the best beaches, mountains and wildlife, and different adventurous activities like visiting the Arenal volcano. He also offers recommendations for food, unique lodging, the best ways to get around the country, and much more. Javier Echecopar is a co-founder of Journey Costa Rica, a travel company dedicated to creating high-end ...

#156: Flight deals expert Zach Resnick and Chris share every way they know to save money booking flights, including hidden city ticketing, VPN arbitrage, travel agents, buddy passes, and more. They also cover their favorite award search tools and share insights into the secret world of buying and selling points and miles. Zach Resnick is the founder of FlyFlat, a luxury concierge platform that offers great deals on long-haul, international, business and first class tickets. Partner Deal...

#152: Chris reviews his credit card lineup, sharing insights on what he currently uses, what's on the back burner, and some new additions for 2024. He also shares the best card strategies to optimize points across major spending categories such as dining, groceries, travel, and more. Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) Copilot: Free 2 months access to my favorite personal finance app with code HACKS2 Netsuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance Shopify: $1/month t...

#149: Disney expert Leslie Harvey shares insider tips for a magical Disney vacation with strategies designed to save time, money, and stress. She offers insights on the best times to visit the Disney parks, top accommodation, best dining spots, and must-see attractions. Leslie also shares tactics to optimize the in-park experience through services like Genie+ and Skyliner, and so much more. Leslie Harvey is the co-host of the Disney Deciphered Podcast and the founder of Trips With Tykes, a fa...

#146: Cruise expert Emma Le Teace shares insider tips to optimize your cruising experience. She shares an overview of cruise operators, must-visit regions, practical advice on booking, packing, and making the most of the onboard facilities. She also offers tips on how to book the best deals and avoid hidden costs in cruise travel. Emma Le Teace is an award-winning cruise blogger, YouTuber and the founder of Emma Cruises. She's been on 60+ cruises, ranging from luxury yachts to mega-ships, and...

#143: In this episode, I'll share 50+ of my favorite products, gifts, past purchases and more. Hopefully some of them might make good ideas for gifts this holiday season. Hope you enjoy! For all the products, links, deals and more, check out the full version of the 2023 Gift Guide here: https://chrishutchins.com/gifts Resources Mentioned 2023 Holiday Gift Guide ATH Podcast Listener Survey Full Show Notes (2:32) Home & Food (6:25) Tech & Gear (10:25) Clothing & Bags (12:22) Heal...

#142: Discover essential tips for handling travel mishaps, like flight delays and cancellations, lost luggage, or sold-out hotels and rental cars. This episode covers a range of preventative measures and compensation strategies to use when travel goes awry. Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned ATH Annual Listener Survey Podcast Episodes Mentioned 122: Cooking at Hom...

#136: Credit card expert Sebastian Fung joins Chris to discuss the current state of credit cards including recent changes to reward programs, and predictions for 2024. They also dive into topics such as misconceptions about opening multiple cards, whether its still worth chasing status, how to approach sign-up bonuses versus multipliers, credit cards with the most bonuses and more! Sebastian Fung is a personal finance expert who runs AskSebby, one of the largest YouTube channels focused on cr...

#134: Mexico travel pro, Zach Rabinor shares all the secrets to planning incredible trips to Mexico and seeing the country like you’ve never done before, including top cities/regions for different experiences, local insider tips for activities and restaurants and so much more. Chris wraps it up by sharing tips and tricks to best utilize your miles and points when booking your trip to Mexico. Zach Rabinor founded the award-winning travel company, Journey Mexico, with a vision to share his deep...

#129: Today Chris shares the latest tips, news, stories and deals related to travel, points and miles. He also shares a few kid related tips for parents, answers questions from listeners and shares an incredible story of how episode 104 saved a listener over $15,000. Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned ATH Membership Newsletter Card Optimization Spreadsheet Leave a...

#125: Travel journalist, Lindsey Tramuta shares insider tips to help you discover the magic of the world’s most popular tourist destination: France. She discusses how to navigate Paris like a pro and reveals the country's must-visit regions. Chris also covers the best ways to utilize your miles and points to get there. Lindsey Tramuta (@lindseytramuta) is a journalist who's lived in Paris since 2006. She's written for The New York Times, Eater, Food & Wine and Conde Nast Traveler and is the a...

#124: Host Chris Hutchins shares insights from optimizing different aspects of his life, including a tool to find the best credit card combinations, thoughts on last minute trip planning, a story of optimization gone too far, a fun use of AI to automate bedtime stories for his daughter, tips for ensuring you don't get stuck with unplanned medical bills and a way to preserve fresh berries for longer. Finally, he makes an exciting announcement about the newest addition to the ATH team. Partn...

#120: Host Chris Hutchins shares a ton of amazing tips, questions and wins from listeners. He covers a range of topics including the best two credit card combos, United Airlines’s recent points devaluation, ways to maximize travel points and monitor hotel price drops. Chris also draws from his personal experiences to share travel tactics learned from recent trips to New York and Cabo, along with other valuable tactics related to health, personal finance, cell phones, and more. Partner Deal...

#115: Award-winning travel writer, Brandon Presser joins Chris to share the beauty and wonder of Iceland. They discuss everything you need to know to plan the ideal trip, including when to visit, suggested itineraries, cultural norms and social etiquette, top hot springs, waterfalls and hiking destinations, the perfect season to chase the Northern Lights and novelty Icelandic cuisine. Finally, Chris offers tips on how to maximize your points and miles to make your Iceland trip more affordable an...

#113: Chris takes listeners on a journey into the world of credit card perks, revealing little-known benefits that can save you thousands of dollars. From travel insurance and purchase protection to rental car discounts and concierge services, Chris unveils a wealth of insider tips to help you get the most out of your credit card. Whether you're a seasoned cardholder or just starting out, you won't want to miss this eye-opening exploration of the hidden gems hiding in your wallet. Partner ...

#111: Host Chris Hutchins covers top tips from listeners, paying taxes with your credit card, tactics for earning more points, monitoring flights for fare drops, hotel discounts, southwest companion pass and more. This episode is packed with so many great tips and tricks! Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals ATH Links ATH Membership Chris' Card Optimizer Tool Ep104: Optimizing Your Insuran...

#110: Travel expert and author Nomadic Matt (Matt Kepnes), joins Chris to reflect on their most unforgettable travel experiences and discuss the importance of staying flexible, embracing a slow travel philosophy, and living in the moment. Matt also offers insights on travel insurance, and shares his top picks for off-the-beaten-path travel destinations, must-have travel gear, and effective strategies for planning a budget-friendly trip. Matthew Kepnes (@nomadicmatt) is a bestselling author an...

#108: Travel expert Leigh Rowan joins Chris to discuss his most recent trip to the interior of the ice-capped continent of Antarctica. Leigh describes the luxurious dwellings and unique expeditions available to tourists and breaks down the cost of a breathtaking journey to one of the world's coldest, windiest, and most desolate continents. Leigh Rowan (@leighrowan) is the founder and CEO of Savanti Travel, a travel management company for executives, and the former COO of The Points Guy. ...

#107: Italy travel expert Leigh Rowan joins Chris for a third time to discuss all things Italy. Leigh talks about why he feels most at home in the country with the most spectacular cuisine, gorgeous coastlines, ancient ruins, and rich history. He provides money-saving tips, gives suggestions on where to stay, reveals his favorite off-the-beaten-path locations for an authentically local experience, and explains why life is better in Italy. They also discuss the best ways to use your points and mi...

#102: Host Chris Hutchins (@hutchins) breaks down the different ways you can use your points and miles for free flights to Japan. He also discusses how to use your points for free hotel/resort stays in Japan, and shares some of the best credit card bonuses right now for quickly rack up points for your next trip. Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to our Partner Deals Selected Links From The Episode Fifth Freedom Fl...

#101: Travel writer Brandon Presser joins Chris to discuss all things Japan. They cover why they both love the country so much, what makes it worth a visit, where you should go, what you should see and do, and all the incredible foods you should be trying (including their favorite spots to eat at). Brandon Presser (@brandpress) is a freelance travel writer who has lived in Japan twice, written 3 books on the country and has traveled there in all but one of the last 20 years. Aside from Japan,...

#96: Host Chris Hutchins tackles questions about earning points with your spouse, where to put cash savings, investing vs. paying down a mortgage, when to book hotels in the travel portal, saving money on data while traveling and much more. This episode is packed with many of the incredible insights that Chris has earned from his years optimizing his life! Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to our Partner Deals Sel...

#95: Chris shares his top 10 learnings and takeaways from the past year of the Podcast, which covers time management, personal finance, happiness, regret, negotiating, marriage, communication and more. He also recaps some of the top tricks he's learned this year and his top credit cards, based on real spending data. Partner Deals (Advertiser Disclosure) Pacaso: Free early access to listings and $2,500+ in closing credits Daffy: Free $25 to give to the charity of your choice Selected ...

#94: Founder of Love and London, Jessica Dante, joins Chris to discuss all things London. They cover what to eat, see, do, and where to stay. Jessica also shares her favorite hidden gems, offers alternatives to overhyped tourist sites, and provides tips to experience the city like a true local. Then Chris provides a recap of his recent trip to London and walks through how to use use your points/miles for your next trip. Jessica Dante (@loveandlondon) founded the digital media company Love and...