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Point Me To First Class

Devon Gimbel MD

Point Me to First Class is a show for employed professionals, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with higher-than-average personal and/or business expenses who want to learn to leverage them into credit card points to spend on travel. Your expenses are your greatest untapped asset - but learning how to use them to travel the world doesn't have to be confusing or complicated.

Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points and shows you how to spend them on incredible travel experiences.

Interested in learning more about working with Devon? Visit www.pointmetofirstclass.com to learn more.

This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
How do I earn credit card points and use them for travel?
How can I make my expenses benefit me?
How can I earn as many credit card points for as little spending as possible?
How to maximize value from credit card points.
How to earn credit card points for travel.
Turn credit card points into travel.

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26 episodes
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Avg 55 min
English

Episodes 26

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Monday · 57 min
185. Which Points Get Your Family to Asia in Business Class?
Collecting a big pile of points is not the same as being able to book the flights your family wants. That gap shows up nowhere more clearly than when you're trying to get your whole family into business class to Asia. This week my guest is Maria Fung, founder of Maria Points the Way, who helps families use points and miles to reach Asia and Asia-Pacific. When Maria moved from Hong Kong to the US, she did everything the points world tells you to do, and soon found it wasn't getting her family home in the cabins she wanted. That led her to build a completely different approach, one that reverses the usual order, starting with the exact trip you want and working back to the points that get you there. Maria and I get into why this goal trips up so many families, and why the usual points playbook quietly works against you here. She walks through the destination-first approach she built, a framework she calls the ASIA Method, and the shifts that make several premium seats far more attainable than they look. Whether Asia is an occasional trip to see relatives or a business class dream that has felt out of reach, you'll come away thinking about the whole thing differently. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/family-award-travel-to-asia Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
September 7 · 39 min
184. Hotel Planner Points: How to Earn Points for Any Event
Some of the biggest points opportunities have nothing to do with your credit card at all. It turns out hotels quietly reward the person who books an event with them, a conference, a retreat, a wedding, a family reunion, and most people have no idea. They're called planner points. To unpack them, I sat down with Rachel Posada Fletcher, who spent years as an event manager negotiating exactly these kinds of hotel contracts. And the best part is you don't have to plan events for a living to earn and benefit from planner points. Tapping into this points earning potential comes down to simply knowing the opportunity is there and being willing to ask for it. Rachel gets into how these rewards work, the ways a single event can pay off on more than one front, and what she wishes more people understood before signing a hotel contract. If you run a business, help pull together events at work, or have a big celebration on the horizon, I think you'll finish this one seeing your next gathering as more than just an expense. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/hotel-planner-points Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
August 31 · 1 hr 16 min
183. Is the Bilt Palladium Card Worth It? A Six-Month Review of Bilt 2.0
Six months ago, Bilt rebuilt its entire rewards program, including releasing the new premium Palladium card with its promise of earning transferable points on rent and even mortgage payments, drawing a lot of attention in the points world. Today we are following up on what it's actually been like to carry and use the Bilt Palladium card now that the shine has worn off and real life has set in. Kelly and I have almost identical points philosophies, which is exactly why it's so much fun that Bilt is where we split. She loves this card without reservation. I have a full love-hate relationship with mine, and over the course of the conversation we get into why, where the card has delivered, where it quietly drives me up a wall, and how two people who want the same things from points can land in such different places on the same card. Whether you already carry a Bilt card, you're weighing whether the Palladium belongs in your wallet, or you just enjoy hearing two friends disagree in good faith. I think you'll come away with a much clearer sense of who this card is for, and whether that's you. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/bilt-palladium-card-review Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
August 24 · 56 min
182. Behind the Scenes of seats.aero with Keith Van
Have you ever wondered what your award search tool can see that you can't? My guest this week is Keith Van, who leads community at seats.aero, one of the award search platforms I reach for most. What made this so fun for me is that his team sees something the rest of us never do. They can watch how travelers everywhere are searching for award space all at once, which means they notice patterns in demand and in availability that none of us could piece together alone, and a few of the ones Keith shared upended assumptions I didn't know I was holding. We also get into the part of these tools that trips people up the most, the gap between what a search shows you and what you can book right now, and how to protect yourself before you move your points. And Keith pulls back the curtain on how a platform like this works, from why it can see some airlines and not others to the features longtime users walk right past. Whether you've never opened an award search tool or you consider yourself a power user, I think you'll finish this one seeing these platforms, and the data underneath them, differently. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/seats-aero-award-search-data Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
August 17 · 33 min
181. The Two Ways to Search for Award Flights, and Why You Need Both
Have you ever run an award search, come up empty, and quietly wondered whether the flights you want are even out there? That frustration usually comes down to one thing, and it isn't that the flights don't exist. It's that most of us were never taught how to search for them well. In this episode I break down two ways to search for award flights outside your credit card travel portal, where transferring points to airline partners can turn a one to one-and-a-half cent point into two, five, even ten cents of value, and why knowing how to search is the skill that unlocks all of it. I get into both, the method most people lean on without realizing what it quietly misses, and the older, more hands-on approach that still turns up availability those tools can't see. Each one has real strengths and a few blind spots, and learning when to reach for which is what separates the searches that come up empty from the ones that end with a trip booked. Whether you've leaned entirely on search tools and keep coming up short, or you're a confident manual searcher who has written those tools off, my hope is you walk away seeing why the best award searches use both, and where the flights you've been missing have been hiding all along. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/how-to-search-for-award-flights Enrollment for Points Made Easy is open! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the course here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
August 10 · 18 min
180. Estimating Your Points Earning Potential: What Your Expenses Are Worth
Have you ever wondered whether there's still travel value hiding inside the expenses you already have, points you could be earning but aren't, with no real way to know for sure? That's one of the few questions in this hobby I've never been able to answer for you, and it's probably one you've quietly wondered about yourself. We have a rough way to gauge how well we redeem points, our cents per point at least gives us a benchmark, but there has never been a clean way to know whether the expenses you already have are earning a fraction of the points they could. So in this episode I get into why earning potential is so hard to pin down, why two people who spend the same amount can have completely different potential, and the difference between an optimized card portfolio and a maximized one. Listen as I introduce the first version of a tool I built to take a crack at it, the Hidden Travel Budget Calculator. You give it your annual spend across a handful of categories, and it shows you how many points your expenses could earn, what those points could be worth in travel, and how much of that potential you're capturing right now. Whether you're newer to points and wondering if it's even worth it for the expenses you have, or you've been at this a while and just want to know how much room you have left, my hope is you come away seeing the opportunity that might still be sitting inside the spending you already do. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/points-earning-potential Want to see how much spending could be hiding in your own expenses? Try the Hidden Travel Budget Calculator here: https://points.pointmetofirstclass.com/discover-your-hidden-travel-budget Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
August 3 · 1 hr 9 min
179. Listener Q&A: Real Points Decisions, The Case for Chase, and New Award Sweet Spot
Have you ever had a points question where every source online seems to contradict the last, and what you really want is for someone to walk you through how to actually decide? In this listener Q&A episode, I'm answering the questions you have sent in on everything from choosing your next credit card and where to credit your cash-paid flights to which Hyatt award is worth using, when. But the biggest topic I dig into is the Chase change to how its points transfer to Hyatt, and what that should, and shouldn't, change about the cards you already hold. Listen in as I compare the Bilt Palladium and the Capital One Venture X, work through whether it's worth moving Chase points to Hyatt before the transfer ratio drops in October. And I talk about a brand-new Philippine Airlines award option, now bookable through Qatar, that opens up direct routes to Manila that used to be almost impossible on points. Whether you're deciding on your next card or sitting on a pile of points you're not sure what to do with, this episode gives you both the specific answers and a clearer way to think through your own decisions. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/credit-card-points-qa Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Points Made Easy is opening for enrollment soon, from August 15 - August 23, 2026. Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist now to have first dibs on enrollment: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
July 27 · 53 min
178. How to Earn Points on Your Savings, Not Just Your Spending
If you've ever looked at the cash sitting in an emergency fund, a business account, or your tax reserves and wished it could earn travel points the way your spending does, this conversation is for you. For as long as I've been earning points and miles, one piece has been missing. We've gotten very good at earning points on the money we spend, but almost no one has offered a way to earn transferable points on the money we save. That's what made Symphony worth a close look, and I sat down with co-founder James Berry to understand how it works. Upfront: this isn't a recommendation and it isn't sponsored. I opened an account myself to see it firsthand, I do have an affiliate relationship with Symphony, and my goal is the same as always, to give you enough to decide for yourself. We get into how the platform actually works, the fixed rate you earn and whether you take it as cash, as points, or a split of both. We also spend real time on the questions worth asking before putting money anywhere new, why it isn't FDIC insured, how the risks weigh against the rewards, and who it fits versus who should stay away. And we close on the bigger question underneath it all, whether saving could become a new way to earn points alongside spending. Whether you decide it's for you or you'd rather watch from the sidelines for now, the approach is the same, understand it first, then make the call that fits your own goals and risk tolerance. Earn up to 5,000 bonus points for opening and funding a new Symphony account: join.symphony.io/devon Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/earn-points-on-savings-symphony Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy Some links in these show notes are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
July 20 · 1 hr 26 min
177. Mid-Year Points & Miles Review 2026: The 6 Changes That Matter Most
If you've been paying attention to points and miles this year and something has felt off, like the ground keeps shifting under the rules you thought you understood, you are not imagining it. I'm joined again by my good friend and points expert, Kevin Zanes, to make sense of it all. We are hitting pause at the halfway mark of the year to ask what the biggest stories in points, miles, and award travel have really been so far, and more importantly, what those changes tell us about where this whole hobby is headed. This year hasn't just brought the usual devaluations we all expect. It has brought step changes big enough to make both of us reconsider strategies we've relied on for years. Kevin and I each picked our top three stories and compared notes. We get into the Hyatt award chart overhaul and whether chasing Globalist status still makes sense, the new Qatar restrictions on booking award flights for family and friends, the three new Bilt cards and how they reshuffled where our everyday spend goes, and the way United is now tying its best award space and discounts to holding a co-branded card. I also walk through the Chase change I'm most worried about, a differential transfer ratio to Hyatt that depends on which card you hold, and why I think it could open a floodgate. Listen in as we spend just as much time looking forward as back, on super currencies, newer players like Symphony and Rove, and the rise of the co-branded airline card as a value multiplier. Whether you've been collecting points for a decade or you just opened your first card, this one is less about the headlines and more about reading the trends underneath them, so you can decide where your own time and attention are actually worth spending for the rest of the year. Earn up to 5,000 bonus points for opening and funding a new Symphony account here. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/2026-points-miles-mid-year-review Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy *Some links in these show notes are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
July 13 · 1 hr 11 min
176. Two Points Experts, Two Takes on Park Hyatt Cabo and Alila Mayakoba
If you've been eyeing one of Hyatt's newer Mexico resorts and wondering whether it's actually worth your points, you're not alone. I'm joined this week by Michele from Fancy Travel Pointers, and the two of us have both separately stayed at Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo del Sol and Alila Mayakoba within the last six months. Instead of each doing a solo review, we decided to sit down and compare notes, since we booked, stayed, and experienced both properties independently and didn't come away agreeing on everything. We walk through exactly how we each booked these stays in points, what room categories and upgrades we landed, and how the two resorts stack up on rooms, pools, dining, and service. I talk about the exceptional pool service and an unexpected ear-piercing emergency at Park Hyatt Cabo, and Michele shares why the lagoon side sold her on Alila Mayakoba over the beach. We also get into the dining misses at both properties, whether either one has a kids' club, and how Hyatt's newly changed award chart is reshaping whether a category 8 redemption like Park Hyatt Cabo still makes sense going forward. Michele also weighs in on how both properties compare to the neighboring Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, long considered the pinnacle points redemption in the area. Whether you've got one of these resorts on your wish list or you're just trying to figure out where your Hyatt points go furthest right now, this conversation should help you decide. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/park-hyatt-cabo-vs-alila-mayakoba Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
July 6 · 1 hr 8 min
175. Why Aeroplan Belongs in Every Traveler's Award Strategy
Have you ever transferred miles into a program and then realized you only ever use it to book the same handful of flights everyone else does? Air Canada Aeroplan might be the most useful airline program that US travelers consistently overlook, and after this conversation I think you'll see why so many experienced points and miles enthusiasts treat it as a core part of their strategy. Today I'm talking with Anshul Singh of Points, Miles, and Bling, who has spent years inside the Aeroplan ecosystem and has used it to book everything from business class to Europe to trips most people never imagine points can unlock. Anshul and I get into why Aeroplan hits a rare balance between being easy to use and deep enough to reward the people who dig in, and why its network of close to 50 airline partners is where the real opportunity lives. Listen as we talk about the overlooked partner bookings most travelers walk right past, like Brussels Airlines business class out of Washington Dulles and Emirates and Air Mauritius routes you would never expect through a Star Alliance program, how Aeroplan's stopover rules let you build a single ticket that visits more than one place, and the Hotel Savers chart that points airline miles at high-end hotels like Six Senses and Fairmont. We also cover the smart way to think about buying Aeroplan points around a promotion, and my favorite part of the whole conversation, how the same program that flies you to Europe can take you to see polar bears in Churchill, the northern lights over the Canadian Arctic, and whale pods up and down both coasts. Whether you're brand new to Aeroplan or you've transferred miles into it before and never looked past the obvious flights, this episode will change how you see the whole program. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/air-canada-aeroplan-strategy Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
June 29 · 42 min
174. United MileagePlus Upgrade Awards: How to Book Polaris for Less Cash and Miles
If you've ever looked at United Polaris business class prices and thought they were completely out of reach, you're not alone. They can be outrageously expensive to book whether you're eyeing paying cash or points. But what if there was a third path - something between paying full cash for a premium ticket and redeeming a massive amount of miles outright? Miguel Rueda, from the Let's Get to the Points podcast, shares about a strategy within the United loyalty program that most travelers either don't know about or completely overlook. It's called a Mileage Plus Upgrade Award, and understanding how it works fundamentally changes what's possible when you're flexible with dates and routes. Miguel and I discuss what these awards actually are, how they differ from traditional award bookings, what PZ space means and why it matters for this strategy, and how to search for and confirm these upgrades. We walk through the specific mechanics of how this works, the tools you'll need, how to enable expert mode on United's platform, and the step-by-step booking process. We also explore when this strategy offers exceptional value and which routes and regions consistently show the strongest availability for premium cabin seats. Whether you have United miles, transferable points you can move into United, or just a willingness to mix a little cash with your miles, this episode reveals how multiple Polaris seats can be available on a single flight—a game-changer for families and groups that have struggled to find premium cabin availability elsewhere. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/united-mileageplus-upgrade-awards Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
June 22 · 1 hr
173. London on Points: Awards, Taxes & Insider Tips
Have you considered London as your next award travel destination but weren't sure where to start? London is one of the most accessible and rewarding destinations for both beginner and experienced award travelers, but it comes with unique challenges that most people don't anticipate. The city's accessibility makes it ideal for your first international points trip, yet the mechanics of award pricing, taxes and fees, and hotel value require strategy to maximize your redemptions. Today I'm talking with Hunter Threadgill, known in the points and miles community as The Professor of Points. Hunter holds a PhD in psychology and applies a scientific approach to points optimization. We dive deep into why London deserves a place on your award travel radar, the surprising barriers that catch most travelers off guard, and the specific strategies that separate good bookings from great ones. We cover everything from navigating the UK's APD taxes to discovering lesser-known award programs that offer exceptional value, hotel redemption decisions for city stays, and even the psychology behind how we earn and use our points. Whether you're planning your first international points trip or you're a seasoned traveler looking to master London specifically, this conversation changes how you think about award travel strategy. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/award-travel-london-strategy-guide Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
June 15 · 41 min
172. Autopilot Flight Repricing: Save Money on Flights After Booking with Sam Hollander
Most travelers think booking a flight is the finish line. They hit purchase and consider the deal done. Sam Hollander knew something they didn't: the booking is actually just the beginning. When domestic airlines permanently removed change fees during the pandemic, they accidentally created an enormous opportunity for travelers to save money after they've already booked their flights and hotels. Sam founded Autopilot, a platform to help solve the problem most travelers face: they don't have the time or energy to manually monitor prices and rebook when fares drop, even though they legally can. Sam and I dive into how airline repricing actually works, which flights are most likely to drop in price (spoiler: premium cabins and international routes), the pricing data he's uncovered after tracking millions of travel reservations, and how the timing of your booking impacts your repricing potential. We also explore the psychology of booking early versus waiting for a better deal, the practical features Autopilot offers for different types of travelers, and why the post-booking experience is where the real travel optimization opportunity lives. When you sign up for Autopilot and upgrade to Pro, use code 'PMTFC' to get 3 months free. Click here to sign up and get started today: https://www.withautopilot.com/?partner=PMTFC Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/autopilot-flight-price-tracking Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
June 8 · 56 min
171. 143 Venture Business Applications: Surprising Predictors of Approvals & Denials with Katie's Travel Tricks
Have you ever wondered why Capital One's approval decisions feel completely random - approval for some, denial for others, with almost no rhyme or reason? Capital One has a well-earned reputation for being unpredictable with credit card approvals. When Katie from Katie's Travel Tricks saw the launch of the new Capital One Business Venture card, she decided to move beyond anecdotes and collect real data. She surveyed her audience about their approval and denial experiences, gathered nearly 150 responses, and analyzed the patterns using data to answer the questions everyone has been asking: what actually matters to Capital One? Katie and I break down what her data revealed about the three strongest approval predictors, why the conventional wisdom about waiting six months between Capital One applications might not be accurate, which metrics matter (credit score, hard inquiries, pre-approval status) and which ones surprisingly don't, and how business structure (sole proprietor versus LLC) impacts your approval chances. We also discuss what role the Capital One Business Venture Card plays in your overall rewards strategy and how to think about it within the larger Capital One ecosystem. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/capital-one-approvals-data Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
June 1 · 1 hr 10 min
170. Earn 10x Chase Points! The Paze Strategy Explained
Have you heard about the quiet Chase promotion that could be one of the biggest points-earning opportunities we've seen in years? In May 2026, Chase launched a promotion through the digital payment platform Paze that allows cardholders to earn 10 times Chase Ultimate Rewards points on eligible transactions—and up to 14 times on certain cards through the end of 2026. Dr. Michelle Walther and I discuss why we were initially skeptical of this opportunity and why we've become convinced it could be genuinely significant for points enthusiasts. Michelle and I break down how the Paze platform works, which Chase personal cards are eligible, what merchants currently accept Paze, and the surprising opportunities we've already discovered to maximize this promotion. We share the real purchases we've tested, the points we've already earned, the glitches we've encountered, and the stacking strategies that could generate enormous numbers of Chase points over the next seven months. We also discuss everything from Disney gift cards to DoorDash to gift card retailers like Newegg that make this promotion far more valuable than the merchant list initially suggests. Download your Paze Troubleshooting guide: https://points.pointmetofirstclass.com/170-paze-guide Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/chase-paze-promotion Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
May 25 · 58 min
169. Kyoto with Kids, Travel Mistakes & the Full Trip Cost: Japan Spring Break Breakdown
Have you ever fallen so in love with a city that you started seriously considering moving there? That's exactly what happened to us in Kyoto. In part two of our Japan spring break trip recap, my husband Brandon and I continue our family travel story as we settle into five nights at the Park Hyatt Kyoto, a property so beautiful that I can confidently say it's the most stunning hotel I've experienced anywhere in the world. Brandon and I share our honest take on each Kyoto activity we did as a family, from the interactive art experience at Team Labs that became our trip highlight to the Nintendo Museum visit that had Brandon rethinking our packing strategy, to discovering that the famous bamboo forest came with far more crowds than we expected. We also talk about the incredible food we ate that genuinely made us fantasize about relocating permanently, the travel decision I made for our journey home that turned into a stressful mistake, and the full accounting of what this entire nine-day trip actually cost. Listen as I break down every flight and hotel so you can see the real investment required to make this happen for a family of four. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/japan-family-trip-recap-part-2 Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
May 18 · 54 min
168. A $111k Family Trip to Japan for $1,660: How It Started
Have you ever been tempted to completely change your vacation plans because of an irresistible points deal? That's exactly what happened when Japan Airlines did a random first class award dump last April. I couldn't resist jumping on the opportunity to book our family of four in first class to Tokyo - even though it meant splitting us across two different flights and completely scrapping our original Mexico plans. For the first time in this podcast's history, my husband Brandon joins me at the mic to recap our spring break trip to Japan with our two kids. In part one of this two-part series, Brandon and I walk through how this accidental trip came together, what it was like flying Japan Airlines first class as a family, our stay at the newly renovated Park Hyatt Tokyo, and the reality of traveling with kids in Japan - from the Pokémon Cafe to nearly missing the bullet train to Kyoto. This is an honest, unfiltered look at what goes right and what goes wrong even with advanced planning, as we cover the flight drama, the Tokyo highlights, and everything that happened before we made it to Kyoto. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/japan-family-trip-recap-part-1 Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
May 11 · 36 min
167. The Woman Dancing in the Sahara Arrived Terrified - Why the Right Adventure Trip Brings You Home to Yourself
Have you ever felt like you're so caught up in your daily roles and responsibilities that you've lost touch with who you are beneath all of that? Dr. Stacey Funt, a radiologist, health coach, and founder of LH Adventure Travel, believes that travel has the power to help us reconnect: not just with the world around us, but with ourselves. She curates wellness and adventure group trips for women to some of the most transformative destinations on earth, from trekking the Inca Trail to exploring the Atlas Mountains to hiking in the Himalayas. But the real transformation doesn't come from the destinations themselves. It comes from what happens when women finally give themselves permission to step away from everything they're responsible for and into an experience that's entirely their own. Dr. Stacey Funt and I discuss why that permission is often the hardest part, what changes when you remove the mental load of planning and managing everything, and why traveling with a group of like-minded women creates such a unique space for vulnerability and connection. She also opens up about how a solo trek in Nepal during one of the darkest periods of her life became the catalyst for building a business around creating these kinds of experiences for others. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/wellness-adventure-travel-stacey-funt Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy
May 4 · 45 min
166. The Payroll Points Strategy Update: Cards, ROI & Best Practices with DeAndre Coke
If you're a business owner who pays payroll for yourself or your employees, you might be sitting on one of the biggest untapped points-earning opportunities in your business—and it doesn't require opening new cards or chasing welcome bonuses. DeAndre Coke, a financial advisor and points expert, returns to the show to give us a much-needed update on earning credit card points for payroll expenses using the Zil Money platform. We first talked about this strategy back in Episode 105 last year, but right after that conversation aired, the entire system experienced major disruptions. DeAndre and I discuss what happened over the past year, what's different and working reliably now, and how business owners can approach this strategy moving forward. DeAndre and I walk through the step-by-step process for how this works, which credit cards are currently the best options for maximizing points, and the real math behind the ROI—including the processing fees, platform costs, and how to actually evaluate whether this makes sense for your business. We also cover critical best practices to avoid disrupting your payroll and who this strategy is and isn't right for. Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/earning-points-on-payroll-update Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

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