In Episode 124 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, host Angie Sparks is joined by organizers of the renowned Chicago Seminars, the oldest and largest in-person gathering for the points and miles community. The event, taking place November 7–9, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, will feature over 50 sessions, nearly 50 expert speakers, and aims to build on last year’s success, which raised over $30,000 for charity. With over 500 attendees expected, the seminar is a packed, sleep-deprived, info-filled weekend designed for everyone from beginners to advanced users of travel rewards. Early room availability was snapped up quickly, but nearby hotel options and tips for award alerts were shared. The $329 ticket includes meals, receptions, and upgraded app features, plus enhanced community-building events and labeled experience-level sessions.

The episode also dives into key travel news, including significant devaluations from Capital One Venture X and Hilton. Capital One announced that authorized users will lose lounge access benefits in 2026 unless cardholders pay extra fees or hit high spending thresholds. Meanwhile, Hilton has increased award pricing at several high-end properties to as much as 200,000 points per night, making free night certificates even more valuable. Additionally, Flying Blue released its June promo fares, and several programs are offering point purchase bonuses and transfer incentives. The hosts share personal travel updates—from Anguilla and Asia to booking award redemptions—and tease the next meetup in Miami, happening September 19–21 at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables.

Show Links:

- Hilton up to 200K per night

- Flying Blue Promo Awards

- Capital One Venture Lounge changes

- Sign up for Chicago Seminars

Where to Find Us

1. The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community.
2. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
3. You can also email us at 101@award.travel
4. Tickets are now ON SALE for our next meetup in Miami September 19-21. Secure your spot today at https://award.travel/miami2025

Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions!

Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Episode 123 of the Award Travel 101 podcast covers a variety of travel rewards topics, including a debate over using Ultimate Rewards vs. Capital One points for the same flight. The hosts, Angie Sparks and Mike Zaccheo, also discuss major updates in the travel industry, such as United and JetBlue’s Blue Sky partnership, Chase’s new welcome bonuses on IHG credit cards, and the finalization of Capital One’s acquisition of Discover Bank. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines implements new policies that bring checked bag fees, Basic fares, and expiration dates on flight credits.

The episode’s main topic, Angie and Mike anders some travel questions from the community that might had been overlooked. The hosts weigh in on credit card strategies, airline booking tips, and award redemptions while preparing for their own upcoming travels—Mike is gearing up for a family trip to Alaska, and Angie has multiple destinations in mind, including Anguilla and a potential golf trip to Ireland.

They also preview the next Award Travel 101 meetup in Miami, set for September 19–21, featuring a brewery reception, travel seminars, and an immersive art experience. Their tip of the week: don’t procrastinate on confirming travel plans.

Links to Topics Discussed

• United and JetBlue form Blue Sky partnership
• IHG Cards Enhanced Offers
• Capital One- Discover Merger Finalizes
• Southwest Bag Fees
• Southwest Same Day Change Policy Change

Where to Find Us

1. The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community.
2. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
3. You can also email us at 101@award.travel
4. Tickets are now ON SALE for our next meetup in Miami September 19-21. Secure your spot today at https://award.travel/miami2025

Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions!

Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

In Episode 122 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Cameron Laufer is joined by Emmanuel Crouvisier from CardPointers to discuss the latest news in travel rewards, new credit card offers, and tips for maximizing points. A standout feature of the episode is the deep dive into CardPointers, a tool designed to help users optimize their credit card rewards. Emmanuel explains how CardPointers was born and offers a detailed walk-through of its features, including the “For You,” “Pointers,” and “Offers” tabs, as well as how users can stack rewards and integrate with shopping portals for even more value. The episode also covers security concerns, multiuser features, and how the app’s iOS widgets and desktop browser extension can help users keep track of their points.

The podcast also highlights several important updates in the travel rewards world. This includes devaluations by Citi, where the redemption rate for cashback on the Strata Premier and Prestige cards dropped from 1 cent per point to 0.75 cents, and changes from United Airlines, which have removed instant upgrades for elites on certain fare classes and eliminated the Excursionist perk.

Listeners are also encouraged to take advantage of new credit card offers, such as the 75K Aeroplan card for a $95 annual fee and the 100K American Executive card, both with specific spending requirements. The episode wraps up with some personal travel updates, including Cameron’s upcoming trips to Chicago and Patagonia, and Emmanuel’s recent trip to Jamaica. Lastly, Cameron shares a tip of the week about stacking rewards using Capital One shopping and CardPointers to maximize savings.

Episode Links:

• Citi Cash Back Devaluation
• Aeroplan Offer
• Citi AAdvantage Executive Record High Offer
• United Program Changes

Where to Find Us

1. The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community.
2. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
3. You can also email us at 101@award.travel
4. Tickets are now ON SALE for our next meetup in Miami September 19-21. Secure your spot today at https://award.travel/miami2025

Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions!

Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.