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Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad

Podcast Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad
Travel Mom Squad: Travel on Credit Card Points
Are you tired of not being able to travel because it's just so expensive? Do finances keep you from your dream destinations and making memories with your famil...

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5 of 115
  • 115. Our Honeymoons—Then vs. Now! Get Your Honeymoon for Nearly Free Using Points and Miles
    For Valentine’s Day, we’re taking a trip down memory lane! In this episode, we’re sharing all the details about our honeymoons—how we booked them before we knew about points and miles, what we spent back then, and what we'd do today now that we’re points-savvy. Spoiler alert: our original honeymoons were not nearly as luxurious (or strategic!) as what we could plan today. Pam’s “Not-So-Luxurious” Road Trip Honeymoon Pam kicks things off by sharing her 1974 honeymoon—let’s just say, points and miles were not a thing, and neither was luxury travel. If she could redo it today, Pam would plan a dreamy trip to Greece, flying Emirates business class, stopping in NYC on the way, and relaxing at stunning hotels in Santorini and Crete—all on points. Alex’s Two-Part Honeymoon: Park City & Mexico  Since Alex’s husband played college football, their wedding date was dictated by the sports schedule, leaving them with a tight honeymoon window.  Flights and accommodations came from family gifts. Today, she would book an easy, stress-free honeymoon at the Andaz Maui using points and a travel credit for a rental car—keeping the travel cost to just $22! Jess’s First Trip to Europe: Budget Paris & London Jess technically did use miles for her honeymoon—but in the least efficient way possible. Jess's economy flights to Europe came from years of earning miles on a single airline card. Looking back, she would book Emirates first class to Italy, stay at the Grand Hotel Victoria in Lake Como, and enjoy luxury Hyatt stays in Florence—all for far less out of pocket than she originally spent! Why We’d Do Things Differently Today Weddings are expensive, but newlyweds can use their wedding expenses to earn credit card welcome offers. That means luxurious hotels, business-class flights, and less out of pocket than budget honeymoons!  And the best part is taking “honeymoon-level” trips every single year—because why limit luxury travel to just one trip? If you're planning a honeymoon or dreaming about a do-over, this episode is a must-listen! Tune in now and start planning your dream trip for less!     Links: How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free: How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free -https://travelmomsquad.lpages.co/freevacation   Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad   Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Walking down memory lane: How we booked our honeymoons pre-points & miles 01:40 – Pam’s honeymoon: A road trip, Disneyland on Christmas, and a car breakdown 07:00 – What Pam would do differently today: A dream Greece trip on points 13:00 – Alex’s honeymoon: A football schedule, Park City, and a timeshare in Cabo 17:00 – How Alex would redo her honeymoon for $22 with points 22:00 – Jess’s honeymoon: Economy flights to Europe and a budget hotel in Paris 26:30 – Jess’s dream honeymoon today: Emirates first class and Italian luxury hotels 31:00 – The best honeymoon strategy: Use wedding expenses to earn free travel 33:00 – Why every year can feel like a honeymoon with points and miles
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  • 114. All About Transfer Bonuses: What They Are and How to Use Them To Get Even More Points
    Transfer bonuses are one of the best ways to stretch your points further, and in this episode we’re breaking down everything you need to know about them. From understanding how they work to sharing the bonuses we’ve taken advantage of, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you maximize your rewards and travel more for less. What Are Transfer Bonuses? Pam explains that what transfer bonuses are and how big a difference they can make in your redemptions.  For example, a recent American Express bonus to Virgin Atlantic offered a 40% increase, turning 100,000 Membership Rewards into 140,000 Virgin Atlantic miles.  When to Use Them While transfer bonuses can be tempting, Alex emphasizes the importance of having a plan. Speculative transfers (moving points without a specific booking in mind) can leave you stuck with miles you don’t need if your plans change. The takeaway? If you’re new to points, only use transfer bonuses when you know you’ll use the miles. Stacking Bonuses for Maximum Value Jess shares how stacking transfer bonuses with existing airline or hotel promotions can unlock even more value. And Alex highlights Flying Blue’s monthly promo awards and child discount, which allow you to save even more by pairing discounted flights with transfer bonuses. Hotel Transfer Bonuses Jess dives into the hotel side of transfer bonuses, highlighting the best options and the ones that might not be a good deal. Our Favorite Transfer Bonus Wins Each of us shares a recent win: Pam: Transferred 100,000 Amex points to Virgin Atlantic with a 40% bonus, booking a round-trip business class flight to London for just 58,000 miles and $600 in fees. Alex: Used a 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue to book business class flights to Morocco with her mom and sisters for just 55,000 points each way. Jess: Took advantage of a Capital One transfer bonus to Virgin Red, then Virgin Atlantic, to book a KLM flight for nearly 50% fewer points. Transfer bonuses are an incredible way to maximize your points and miles, but timing and planning are everything. Whether you’re saving for a luxury business-class flight or looking to reduce the cost of a family vacation, these promotions can make a big difference. Check out our blog for monthly updates on the latest transfer bonuses, and start planning your next big adventure!   Links: Subscribe to Points Talk Premium: https://pointstalk.supercast.com/ Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Transfer Bonuses and Sales on Points & Miles January 2025 - Travel Mom Squad   Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Introduction: What are transfer bonuses? 01:15 – Pam explains how transfer bonuses work 10:30 – When to use (and not use) transfer bonuses 15:00 – Stacking bonuses for flights and hotels 21:30 – Jess’s Hilton strategy and hotel transfer tips 27:55 – Favorite transfer bonus wins from Pam, Alex, and Jess 35:00 – Final thoughts on maximizing transfer bonuses
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  • 113. Inside Our Hawaiian Holidays – How We Spent the Holidays in Hawaii on Points and Miles
    The holidays are magical no matter where you celebrate, but spending them in Hawaii? That’s next-level. In this episode, the Travel Mom Squad shares how we used points and miles to pull off unforgettable trips to Maui and Kauai over the Christmas and New Year holidays. We’re giving you all the behind-the-scenes details so you can start planning your own Hawaiian holiday adventure.  Maui with Alex’s Crew Alex starts by sharing how she surprised her family with a Christmas gift they’ll never forget: six nights at the Hyatt Regency Maui. Planning a year ahead made all the difference, allowing her to lock in the best rates using 210,000 Hyatt points for two king rooms. Alex breaks down why booking early is crucial during peak season and how transferring points to Hyatt made this dream trip possible.  Pam’s Anniversary Upgrade Quest Pam recounts her experience booking alongside Alex and attempting to score a suite upgrade using Hyatt’s upgrade award. While she didn’t get the full upgrade she hoped for, Pam shares the hilarious story of how a mix-up led to Alex receiving flowers meant for Pam’s 50th wedding anniversary.  Kauai Adventures with Jess Over on Kauai, Jess’s family enjoyed six nights at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, covering two rooms with a whopping 420,000 Hyatt points. Jess explains how she maximized her points strategy by leveraging Hyatt’s Guest of Honor program and sharing tips for making family stays more enjoyable.  Flights and Rental Cars: Navigating the Holidays Booking flights to Hawaii during peak season can be daunting, but we share how Pam's experience was flying United and how Jess and Alex got creative with Southwest companion passes, gift cards, and points to keep costs down. Jess also shares her game-changing experience renting a car with Pineapple Express on Kauai—a rental-car service that lets you skip the lines and even includes beach gear! Hawaiian Holiday Takeaways The best part of these trips? Spending time with family and meeting some of you, our listeners, who were also in Hawaii thanks to points and miles. Whether it’s taking the grandparents along, planning a holiday surprise for your kids, or just soaking up the aloha spirit, this episode is packed with inspiration for your next adventure. Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Links For This Episode:  How to Take Your Family to Hawaii for Nearly Free: Family Guide to Hawaii on Points & Miles -https://travelmomsquad.ck.page/products/hawaii-family-guide  Shaka Guide: Kauai Tours | Audio Tour Guide - https://www.shakaguide.com/tours/kauai  Reservations for Kalalau trail: Reservations - Go Hāʻena - https://gohaena.com/ Pineapple Express car rental: https://pineappleexpresskauaicarrentals.com   Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Intro: How we each spent the holidays in Hawaii 01:30 – Alex’s Maui trip: Booking the Hyatt Regency and family surprises 07:00 – Pam’s story: Anniversary upgrades and club lounge tips 15:20 – Jess’s Kauai trip: Guest of Honor perks and family fun 23:30 – Flights: Southwest companion passes and creative savings 31:45 – Rental cars: Tips for Maui and Kauai 41:00 – Reflections: Meeting listeners and making memories  
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  • 112. You’re NOT As Bad At Points As You Think You Are! Conversation with Devon Gimbel
    Feeling overwhelmed by points and miles? You’re not alone! In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Devon Gimbel of Point Me to First Class to discuss the psychology of learning points and miles—and why you’re probably doing better than you think. Whether you’re new to the game or feeling stuck, Devon shares her expertise and encouragement to keep going. Devon’s Journey: From Skeptic to Expert Devon begins by sharing her personal journey into points and miles. Growing up in a single-parent household, travel was often limited to road trips and camping.  And Devon didn’t dive in immediately—she was skeptical of credit cards and their potential for debt. Slowly but surely, she learned how to responsibly leverage points and miles, and her first intentional redemption? Flying Lufthansa First Class to Paris! The Four Phases of Learning Points and Miles Devon introduces the “four phases of learning” and how they apply to mastering points and miles: Ignorance is Bliss: At the start, you don’t know what you don’t know, and every little win feels huge. The Valley of Despair: Confidence takes a hit as you realize how much more there is to learn, but this phase is key to growth. Conscious Competence: Skills and knowledge improve, though it still requires effort to apply them. Unconscious Competence: With time and practice, navigating points and miles becomes second nature. The takeaway? Feeling frustrated doesn’t mean you’re failing—it’s a natural part of the learning curve! Mistakes Are Part of the Process Devon, Alex, and Jess share their own cringe-worthy redemption stories to remind listeners that no one starts as an expert. From redeeming points for DVDs on Amazon to cashing in for economy flights when premium options were available, everyone has made choices they’d change now. But as Devon points out, mistakes are how you learn—and each one gets you closer to becoming a points pro. Practical Tips for Staying Motivated Devon also offers practical advice for listeners feeling stuck. Her key tips: Focus on progress, not perfection. Use tools like Travel Freely and Seats.Aero to streamline the process. Set realistic goals based on your travel priorities. And most importantly, don’t compare your journey to someone else’s. Whether you’re road-tripping with kids or planning a dream solo trip, success looks different for everyone. Keep Going—You’re Doing Better Than You Think If you’re feeling overwhelmed, tune in for a dose of encouragement and actionable steps to move forward. Devon’s insights will leave you inspired to keep learning, keep trying, and keep traveling.   Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Where You Can Find Devon: Website: https://pointmetofirstclass.com Podcast: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/podcast   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pointmeto_firstclass   Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Meet Devon and learn about her inspiring travel journey 07:00 – Breaking down the four phases of learning points and miles 16:00 – Personal stories: Mistakes, lessons, and growth 30:00 – Tools and strategies to simplify the learning process 42:00 – Final thoughts: Why you’re better at points than you think
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  • 111. Looking Ahead to 2025—Our Cards, Trips, and Goals!
    It’s never too early to plan for your next adventure! In this episode, the Travel Mom Squad team looks ahead to 2025, sharing the trips we’ve already booked, the credit cards we’re eyeing, and our goals for the year. From Bora Bora to Spain, and everything in between, we’re setting the stage for another year of nearly free travel—powered by points and miles! The Cards We’re Excited About for 2025 Jess kicks things off with a breakdown of the credit cards she’s targeting, starting with the Capital One Spark Cash Plus and a high-value 80,000-mile Alaska Airlines personal card offer. Pam and Alex are also planning to go for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, while Alex shares how she’s strategizing with Citi AAdvantage business cards to maximize welcome offers. The key takeaway? Timing matters when it comes to opening new cards and meeting bonus requirements. Trips We’ve Already Booked Between the three of us, we’ve got a packed itinerary for 2025! Highlights include: Jess: Birthday celebrations in San Miguel de Allende, spring break in Japan, and summer escapes to Iceland and Ireland. Alex: A Costa Rica adventure with her family, a Maui getaway, and a bucket-list trip to Bora Bora with her husband. Pam: A whirlwind journey through India, Nepal, and Bhutan, along with visits to Spain, Maui, and Bora Bora. We talk about how planning trips far in advance ensures award availability and allows us to secure premium travel experiences. Points and Miles Strategies for the Year Ahead One thing is clear: flexibility is crucial for success in the points and miles world. Alex shares how she’s keeping her plans open for potential limited-time offers, while Jess talks about balancing her earn-and-burn strategy to maximize the value of her points. Pam reflects on how having a solid points balance gives her the freedom to take spontaneous trips or splurge on luxury experiences. Make 2025 Your Best Travel Year Yet! If you’re ready to make 2025 the year of nearly free travel, tune in to this episode for inspiration and actionable tips. We also share a free masterclass on how to get your next vacation for nearly free, so be sure to check the show notes for the link. Let’s make this your best travel year yet!   Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free: https://travelmomsquad.lpages.co/freevacation How I Got Approved for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus: https://travelmomsquad.com/how-i-got-approved-for-the-capital-one-spark-cash-plus/   Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Introduction: Looking ahead to 2025 01:00 – The credit cards we’re eyeing for 2025 11:00 – Our travel plans: Highlights from our booked trips 28:00 – Points strategies and staying flexible 31:00 – Points and miles goals for the year ahead 33:00 – How to make 2025 your best travel year yet
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About Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad

Are you tired of not being able to travel because it's just so expensive? Do finances keep you from your dream destinations and making memories with your family? In this podcast, we show you how you can fulfill that dream of traveling without spending more money. We've earned millions of credit card points to travel all over the world and take our families on amazing vacations. Vacations to Hawaii, Europe, and Disneyland are all possible for nearly free with credit card points and miles. By using credit cards strategically for your everyday expenses, you too can travel for nearly free! We can't wait to help you get that first, nearly-free vacation! Tired of not traveling due to the expense? We can teach you how to travel for pennies on the dollar by using credit card points and miles!
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