Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 34: SkyMiles Devaluation & Managing Pre-Trip Chaos Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 34: SkyMiles Devaluation & Managing Pre-Trip Chaos

Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 34: SkyMiles Devaluation & Managing Pre-Trip Chaos

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Welcome back to the Award Travel 101 Podcast — from the original Facebook community created for miles and points enthusiasts. What happens when you're too loyal to a program — are they loyal back? Angie and Joe discuss many of the most interesting stories this week, along with what bonuses they've earned, trips they're taking, and how to prep.

Award Travel 101 Podcast Show Format

We break each show into six sections:

  • Question/win of the week — asked or shared by members of the Award Travel 101 community
  • News and enhanced offers
  • What bonuses did we get — which will tell you what credit cards we're working on and why
  • Trip updates
  • Highlight feature
  • What you didn't know — a feature dedicated to a big or small tip that will help you better maximize the value you receive from your rewards.

How To Listen to the Award Travel 101 Podcast

You can find us anywhere you listen to other fine podcasts including:

Previous episode show notes

Episode Number and Title
Episode 1 — Meet Award Travel 101 Community Administrators Angie & Joe
Episode 2 — Booking a Dream (African Safari) Trip
Episode 3 — Creating Memories Through Big And Small Trips
Episode 4 — 8 Steps to Better Award Travel
Episode 5 — Cruise (on Points), Racking and Stacking, and Keep or Kick it to the Curb
Episode 6 — Transfer Bonuses, Hyatt Bonus Journeys, and Benefits of AwardWallet
Episode 7 — So Many Program Changes with AwardWallet’s JT Genter
Episode 8 — Hyatt Changes, AA Domestic First Class Routes, and Meet the Mods (Jackie Wisniewski)
Episode 9 — Freedom Bonus Categories, Award Travel Wins, and Meet Jerod Morales
Episode 10 — When to Part with Points and Angie's Safari Trip
Episode 11 — AvGeeks, Spreadsheets, & Cheatsheets – Meet the Mods (Mike Zaccheo)
Episode 12 — Status Matching for More Value
Episode 13 — How Often Do You Get a New Card?
Episode 14 — Incredible Trip to New Zealand on Points, Plus a Trip to the Freddie Awards
Episode 15 — Best Card for Groceries & Award Travel Community Meetup
Episode 16 — Citi Product Change Rules and Meet the Team: Allison Caraway
Episode 17 — Husband Cashes in All Their Points and Programs To Book Round The World Flights
Episode 18 — Gorgeous Pictures from Iran and Cards That Earn Status
Episode 19 — The Tools We Use
Episode 20 — Mistakes We've Made
Episode 21 — Crafty Way to See Taylor Swift and Ways to Earn Hotel Free Night Certificates
Episode 22 — First Class Trip to Croatia and Should You Speculatively Transfer Points
Episode 23 — Our Favorite Award Programs
Episode 24 — LIVE From a Lounge & Is American Airlines Status Worth Chasing
Episode 25 — What Are Points Worth
Episode 26 — All the Upgrades & Traveling With Kids on the Spectrum
Episode 27 — Which Card Offers the Best Travel Protections
Episode 28 — Pancakes and Points
Episode 29 — Favorite Card Perks and Putting Them All Together
Episode 30 — What's In Our Wallet?
Episode 31 — Next Meetup Announcement & Let's Go Crazy with AT in the TC
Episode 32 — 40 Cards – Is it Necessary? Will it Ruin You?
Episode 33 — The Power of Business Cards
Episode 34 — SkyMiles Devaluation & Managing Pre-Trip Chaos
Episode 35 — I Quit Work...To Travel
Episode 36 — Meet the Mods: Sophie Keller
Episode 37 — Under-Appreciated Award Currencies
Episode 38 — Qsuite, Longest Flight in the World, and Bali
Episode 39 — Chicago Seminars and Zorkfest Recap
Episode 40 — Unique and Aspirational Flights
Episode 41 — Let's Get Thrifty

Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 34 Show Notes

Post of the week

Justin Walter had a post about EU261. We spoke about credit card travel protections in (in Episode 27), but EU261 is totally different.

News

Trip updates

  • Angie: Booked flights and hotels for “Player 2” conference and visiting the kid, plus booked flights for our Spring meetup in San Antonio
  • Joe: Anniversary / father–son trip

What bonuses did we get?

Highlight feature: Managing the pre-trip chaos and what has to be done before heading out of town

  • Angie:
    • Make a list!
    • Update “in case of death file”
    • Clean the house, do laundry, get medicine refills
    • Pre-pack (only for long trips)
    • Girly maintenance stuff
    • Pay all bills that aren’t on autopay (utilities)
    • If “Player 2” is going, there’s a whole other list of things

Tip of the week

Make sure you’re paying attention to your wallet when leaving. Pack the right cards (lounge access, too), passport, etc.

Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community

For questions, you can join us in the free 99,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community.

  1. If you want to jump into more intermediate and advanced strategies, our Award Travel 201 community ($89.99 annually) is filled with those who want to dig into the weeds, looking for more outsized value.
  2. To book time with our team to discuss how to better your earning and burning strategies, check out Award Travel one-on-one.
  3. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com.
  4. Our next meetup is located in San Antonio, TX on April 26–28, 2024. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit our Taco ‘Bout A Fiesta! Eventbrite.
5 / 5 - (1 vote)
AwardWallet Tip of The Day
Did you know that when you delete a travel segment from your Trips timeline, we simply hide it, so that it doesn't automatically import again. If you ever wish to recover that segment, click Show Deleted Segments.
Show me how

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