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Katie’s Travel Tricks
United States
Registrace 14. 07. 2020
My mission is to help families afford more travel by teaching them easy strategies to use points to save big on trips.
Hello! I’m Katie! Eleven years ago, I wanted to find a way to stretch our family's travel budget and decided to go all in with travel hacking. Since then, our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe - and more - all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too.
I'm so glad you're here! I love teaching other families the simple tricks we use to travel with credit card points.
Hello! I’m Katie! Eleven years ago, I wanted to find a way to stretch our family's travel budget and decided to go all in with travel hacking. Since then, our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe - and more - all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too.
I'm so glad you're here! I love teaching other families the simple tricks we use to travel with credit card points.
S1E15: Sweet Spots for Booking Flights with Points
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures
Welcome to Points for Normal People!
In this episode, I am going to walk you through each airline partner that is available for you to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to. I’ll explain the benefits of each one, point out any downsides, and tell you about a few sweet spots so that you can get the most out of your points.
If you’re worried that it will be too overwhelming, don’t worry. After you’re finished with the episode, I have a guide that includes a chart where you can easily see the breakdown of each Chase Ultimate Rewards airline partner.
ACTION STEPS:
Download the Ultimate Rewards Guide: katiestraveltricks.com/chase-ultimate-rewards-guide/
Download the Travel Points 201 Guide (a guide to transfer partners): katiestraveltricks.com/travel-points-201-all-about-transfer-partners/
MORE RESOURCES:
Regional Guides to Book Flights: katiestraveltricks.com/category/redeeming-points/flightswithpoints/
Notification for Transfer Bonuses: yourbestcreditcards.com/current-transfer-bonuses/?ccid=katiestravel
New Here?
Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year.
Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe - and more - all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too.
More from Katie’s Travel Tricks
🔗 Website (katiestraveltricks.com/)
Instagram ( katiestraveltricks)
💻 Free Course (learn.katiestraveltricks.com/)
💳 Best Current Card Offers (katiestraveltricks.com/bestoffers/)
🎒 Favorite Travel Gear (amazon.com/shop/katiestraveltricks)
Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.
Welcome to Points for Normal People!
In this episode, I am going to walk you through each airline partner that is available for you to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to. I’ll explain the benefits of each one, point out any downsides, and tell you about a few sweet spots so that you can get the most out of your points.
If you’re worried that it will be too overwhelming, don’t worry. After you’re finished with the episode, I have a guide that includes a chart where you can easily see the breakdown of each Chase Ultimate Rewards airline partner.
ACTION STEPS:
Download the Ultimate Rewards Guide: katiestraveltricks.com/chase-ultimate-rewards-guide/
Download the Travel Points 201 Guide (a guide to transfer partners): katiestraveltricks.com/travel-points-201-all-about-transfer-partners/
MORE RESOURCES:
Regional Guides to Book Flights: katiestraveltricks.com/category/redeeming-points/flightswithpoints/
Notification for Transfer Bonuses: yourbestcreditcards.com/current-transfer-bonuses/?ccid=katiestravel
New Here?
Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year.
Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe - and more - all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too.
More from Katie’s Travel Tricks
🔗 Website (katiestraveltricks.com/)
Instagram ( katiestraveltricks)
💻 Free Course (learn.katiestraveltricks.com/)
💳 Best Current Card Offers (katiestraveltricks.com/bestoffers/)
🎒 Favorite Travel Gear (amazon.com/shop/katiestraveltricks)
Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.
zhlédnutí: 358
Video
S1E14: Avoid These Mistakes Booking Flights with Points
zhlédnutí 411Před dnem
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today I’m going to take the complicated topic of booking flights with points and give you ways to keep it simple, save you time, and help you use your points for the things you value most. In addition to helping you understand the world of booking flights with points, I also have lots of free resources to tell you about that ...
S1E13: Best (and most underrated) Ways to Use Ultimate Rewards to book any Flight, Hotel, or Cruise
zhlédnutí 461Před 14 dny
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today I’m going to cover some of the best and most underrated ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The exciting news is that there is a lot of flexibility, allowing you to book all kinds of travel options including, flights, hotels, cruises, Disney tickets, or Airbnb. If trying to get the most cents per point and naviga...
S1 E12: Strategy Tips to Keep Earning Chase Points Forever
zhlédnutí 697Před 28 dny
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today I’m going to introduce you to the three different families of cards within the Chase Ultimate Rewards universe. I’ll show you how to earn the most points over the long run and how to do this in single player or two player households. There are a lot of Chase cards available, but don’t worry, I’m going to give you though...
S1Bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred Special Offer
zhlédnutí 378Před 2 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today I have an exciting bonus episode for you, because the Chase Sapphire Preferred currently has an even better welcome offer for you, and I’ve got all the details. After you listen to make sure this is the right offer for you, you can use my affiliate link here to sign up: bit.ly/ktt-csp New Here? Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’...
S1E11: How to Use Your Points for Hyatt
zhlédnutí 557Před 2 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures. Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today I want to show you how I use my Chase Ultimate Rewards for Hyatt. I book Hyatt regularly to simplify my decision making process and to save me a lot of time! So let me introduce you to all the ways you can make the most of your points with Hyatt. If you’re worried about Hyatt reservations that don’t seem to be availabl...
S1E10: Best and Worst Ways to Use Ultimate Rewards Points for Hotels
zhlédnutí 323Před 2 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures. Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today I’ll be introducing you to the easiest way to use your Ultimate Rewards points! I’ll be talking about how to use points for hotels, how my family has used it, and how you can get the most out of your points. Remember that using points is most rewarding when you get to use it for things that you value. Be sure to subscr...
S1E9 Don't Ignore These Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits (Part 2: Travel Benefits)
zhlédnutí 733Před 2 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures. Welcome to Points for Normal People! Thanks for joining me again for Part 2 as I share about all of the great travel benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. I’ve read all of the details so that you don’t have to! Let me fill you in and help you get the most out of your card. If you missed Part 1, be sure to subscribe and then go back to hear all of the s...
S1E8 Don't Ignore These Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits! (Part 1: Shopping benefits)
zhlédnutí 641Před 2 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures. Welcome to Points for Normal People! Join me today for a conversation about the shopping and purchase benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. It offers so much more than points, and I have all the details to help you make the most of your card. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on next week’s episode, where I cover the travel bene...
S1E7: Mistake - Not staying organized (these tools help!)
zhlédnutí 356Před 2 měsíci
(Click "MORE" to see Ad Disclosure) Welcome to Points for Normal People! In this episode, I’ll share mistakes I’ve made when I didn’t have a system to track my credit cards and points. Then I’ll give you the information and resources you need to stay organized, getting the most out of your points! ACTION STEPS: - Set up a system to track your credit cards, listing every credit card you’ve opene...
S1E6: Planning Trips with Points is Different: 3 Mindset Shifts to Make it Easier
zhlédnutí 349Před 3 měsíci
(Click "MORE" to see Ad Disclosure) Welcome to Points for Normal People! Today we're diving into mindset around booking trips. We'll explore the switch from cash bookings to points and how some shifts in the way you think can help you plan your points trips with less stress. We'll also discuss how valuable tools like transfer partners and sweet spots can unlock amazing deals. ACTION STEPS: - Lo...
S1E5: Navigating the Chase 5/24 Rule - Tips and Strategies
zhlédnutí 387Před 3 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! In this episode, I’m sharing everything you need to know about the Chase 5/24 rule, and teach you all the best tips on how to navigate it. If you’re getting started, understanding the Chase 5/24 rule will help you develop the best strategy to travel more with points. ACTION STEPS: - Find your 5/24 Status: Get a copy of your c...
S1E4: How to Pick the Right Credit Cards
zhlédnutí 367Před 3 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! If you’re wondering where to begin when it comes to picking the right credit cards for travel points, I am here to be your guide. In this episode, I help show you how to choose the right cards, tune out the marketing noise, and let you know exactly where to start. Choosing the right credit cards and following a proven plan wi...
S1E3: 800+ Credit Score with 30+ Cards
zhlédnutí 438Před 3 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! This episode everything you need to know about credit scores and points. I share my credit scores, lay out key habits to keep your score high while opening cards for points, and help you understand the factors that influence your credit score. Enjoying the benefits of travel points does not have to negatively impact your cred...
S1E2: Easy 10X Points Earning
zhlédnutí 511Před 3 měsíci
Click MORE to see Ad disclosures Welcome to Points for Normal People! In today’s episode, I share the benefits of opening multiple credit cards each year. I help you understand the time investment and I’ll give you an overall strategy to earn points the easy way. Opening multiple cards doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I’m here to be your guide. Let’s unlock the secret of travel points, together...
S1E1: What is "Points for Normal People"?
zhlédnutí 350Před 3 měsíci
S1E1: What is "Points for Normal People"?
Southwest Credit Cards Benefits Compared {Don't miss these!}
zhlédnutí 729Před 5 měsíci
Southwest Credit Cards Benefits Compared {Don't miss these!}
Don’t fly United to Japan! Read the description for more info.
zhlédnutí 219Před 5 měsíci
Don’t fly United to Japan! Read the description for more info.
Booking with a Southwest Companion Pass {Beginners Guide}
zhlédnutí 7KPřed 6 měsíci
Booking with a Southwest Companion Pass {Beginners Guide}
3 Unconventional ways to meet a high minimum spend
zhlédnutí 347Před 6 měsíci
3 Unconventional ways to meet a high minimum spend
Perpetually earn TWO Southwest Companion Passes {here's how}
zhlédnutí 6KPřed 9 měsíci
Perpetually earn TWO Southwest Companion Passes {here's how}
More Cash Back, More Points, More Benefits
zhlédnutí 538Před rokem
More Cash Back, More Points, More Benefits
The secret to unlocking more destinations with miles: Airline alliances
zhlédnutí 240Před rokem
The secret to unlocking more destinations with miles: Airline alliances
Until you understand this, booking flights with points won't make sense
zhlédnutí 494Před rokem
Until you understand this, booking flights with points won't make sense
How to Easily Book a Vacasa Rental With Wyndham Rewards & Score an Incredible Deal
zhlédnutí 1,6KPřed rokem
How to Easily Book a Vacasa Rental With Wyndham Rewards & Score an Incredible Deal
Is it in lax ?
Very informative. I'm new to points so since 1,000 points is equivalent to ,000 choice points do you only transfer half the poins it shows?
I just used my instacart perk for the first time, did in store pickup, thanks for the other tips, will use!
Incredible help btw, thank you so much. We finally qualified and were very nervous about screwing it up 😩
your videos deserve way more views. it's my go-to for family oriented trips with kids
Yes southwest focus would be great, especially keeping it year after year😊
I'm a timeshare professional salesman, and I consider myself among the best in the business, I sell 1 of every 3 clients I take, it's just so fun to take money from people 🔥🔥
You are cheap..just don't go and don't get your free vouchers.
I am concerning either
Using chase ultimate rewards
Can you cover Alaska with domestic flights
Just checking- do you mean going to Alaska? Or flying on Alaska airlines?
This is a great video particularly for families. I too, fell into the trap with a lot of these credit card CZcamsrs overhyping the transfer partners for crazy international flights and 15CPP etc. etc. only for the actual reality is that, it might be good for single people or couples with extremely flexible schedules. It does not work well for families with 3, 4, 5 or more that also needs to travel, specific dates, times, locations etc. During my research, I found some amazing flights that wanted like 50-60K Amex points, only for me to remember I would actually need 250K+ points with my family of 5 lol. So in a huge roundabout I ended up settling on the Chase ecosystem as you mentioned, using UR with the CSR at 1.5X is kinda like getting 33% off AND best of all, no waitlists, no crazy transfer times, no getting the points stuck with an airline, go on the dates I want, the time, the locations, the airline of my choosing, and of course book for my family of 5. It really simplifies the reward process, improving the quality of my life, not the other way around.
I didn't realize that I had been a member of World of Hyatt since 2015! But I had to call customer service to get my password reset. And I was able to add this account to my AwardWallet. Thanks for all of your great info and insight.
I love that you now have a teleprompter! Episodes 1-9 had a ton of good information but watching you glance down to read was a little distracting. I love that I have discovered this feed.
I had a lot of tech issues with the first episodes but was so happy to find a good teleprompter app. Glad it is a better viewing experience, as well. Thanks for watching!
Can you elaborate? Im flying southwest with 2 kids our first time ever!! Please help
It was meant to be a joke since even if you board early with kids, you still have to sit in a middle seat. On Southwest there is no assigned seating. So you board in the order that you check in. But if you have a kid 6 or under, you get to board between the A and B groups so you will have plenty of time to get a seat together!
I appreciate your perspective so much! Thanks especially for adding that bit about extended family!
So glad it resonates with you!
Thanks Katie, one benefit of using the portal is that by cashing your points you are also buying a ticket with cash and you will be earning points. I still have my doubts about cashing my chase points since I use them for hotel stays.
Yes this is true for most airline tickets that you will earn points if you book in the portal through the airline! I had meant to include that point but apparently missed including it so thanks for pointing it out. We personally use almost all our UR for Hyatt stays but I like to share a variety of ways people can use points if they have different travel styles!
Aloha Katie, Why does it seem like the overwhelming majority of your videos are about UR points and/or Hyatt? Some variety IRT to the other currencies would be great!
Season One of my podcast is ONLY about Ultimate Rewards is why! I wanted to structure in this way to help people become experts in one currency before moving on. Later seasons will have other focuses!
Considerations and strategy for those considering applying for a mortgage in the next year?
This can really depend on your lender. If you already have any cards with Amex, you could apply for business cards from them with essentially no trace on your credit reports (they typically don't even pull your credit if you're an existing customer). I generally recommend you pause for 6 months before a mortgage application. But I can also tell you that we have bought a house without pause 2x and once we had to write an explanation to our lender for all the credit inquires and new credit cards and give statements (that was with a credit union). And once we had to do nothing. My understanding is that the main thing the lender wants to know is that you are not racking up a ton of debt in other areas.
Is the companion pass a one time use??
Unlimited use for the time it is active. You can change the named companion 3x in a calendar year, too.
From what I've heard and seen peopel do on reviews often even the prize is a scam (the free vacations where they give you vouchers to a vacation company generally all and that company will then do everything in it's power to get you to upgrade to a paid vacation and if you don't they will do everything in your power to make it not worth your money and try to get you to give up before they have to give you anything which won't be good if they even do). Also some outright don't let you use your phone. Earnestly I wouldn't even play this game.
This is just for US citizens
@@katiestraveltricks I'm talking about in the US.
“You can’t start earning points until you start” 💯💯💯
Love to help people move on from analysis paralysis!
Hi Katie, thanks for a very informative video on Chase UR points. Can't wait for the detail dive into the ink cards. Thanks again.
So glad this was helpful! In the meantime, I do have some guides on my site! katiestraveltricks.com/?s=ink
Does Chase consider the Ink cards limits towards your overall extended household limit?
They do seem to from what we can tell.
What if you and your spouse plan to combine chase points to one account to transfer points out, does it matter who has their name on the Hyatt account for that?
It would need to match the person's name on the Chase Sapphire that will transfer to Hyatt.
Doesn’t freezing my credit report stop me from getting cards? I had a roommate and when we needed our credit checked before moving in, they couldn’t run his credit because it was frozen and he had to unfreeze it first. Isn’t that a pain every time you apply for cards?
It takes about 30 seconds to thaw your report now. So yes -- it is an extra step. But overall, I think it is worth it to protect yourself from identity theft.
#delayed flights
This is the kind of info we really need, thank you! Seems like a lot of content out there about Hyatt is the stuff you find on the sign up page. This is helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Great explanation!
Thanks!
Okay, I know I’m reading into this way too much but you mentioned adding your companion after purchasing early bird. Do you know if it matters if I bought early bird check-in after adding my companion?
I don't think the order would matter!
Good look
Hello Katie, can you send me your southwest airline link they are now offering 85k in points and we want to apply. Ty!
Here it is! www.referyourchasecard.com/226j/YTL28326XK
Great Video! I have Chase Sapphire Reserve and I am thinking to downgrade to CSP and apply for the Venture X .Do you think is a good idea?Can you explain the benefits of CSR? Thank You
One of the biggest differences would be the lounges you access. Specifically if you live near or frequent an airport with one of the newer Sapphire lounges, then the CSR is a better option. account.chase.com/sapphire-airport-lounge -- If you live near or frequent one of the aiports with a Capital One lounge, that is a better option.
Why aren't your video views increasing? And not reaching people? The reason is: 1. Your video is not being SEO properly 2. Your video is not reaching the right people 3. Not using video hash tags properly 4. Not sharing the video on social media Your video is awesome. Such videos are in great demand. If you do these things correctly. Hopefully, you will get a lot of visitors. Feel free to ask me any questions.
Do you and your husband book your tickets separately(each with your own rapid rewards card) so that you each might use your companion pass? If you and your husband are on the same reservation, how are you able to add two companion pass tickets? Thanks to you and your amazing video we were able to obtain two companion passes for almost 2 full years.
We typically book our tickets from the same Rapid Rewards account but make sure we both have our RR number listed. Then we each log into our own account and add our Companion from there. Sometimes when adding the 2nd companion to the same reservation, the website or app will glitch and we need to call in. When checking in the 2nd Companion, the app often gets confused too.
Thanks for the information 👍 very useful. Question: How do you deal with the annual fees to all of the new credit cards you've opened? That can really add up. Thank you in advance
Great question! Here's a longer explanation: czcams.com/video/tec0OFZbzUQ/video.htmlsi=So4t3FQrdjqxUWKi
We are going to apply for one of the southwest priority credit card but I don't see your link to use can you post on here please ty!
Thank you for your support! www.referyourchasecard.com/226m/DYM8R7IIA7
great video! for my companion, does s/he have to check in separately for boarding position 24 hours before?
They are supposed to get automatically assigned to an adjacent position to you. This works for us 99% of the time but we randomly had a flight last year where it didn't happen. But then they do need to check in at some point.
#delayed dlight
Awesome content as always ❤
Thank you!
Have a safe trip and I truly appreciate your videos. We have one Chase Sapphire card and I have shared the information that I am learning with my family. We are paying our card down to zero so that we aren't paying high interest rates. How can I receive your news letter?
You can sign up here! katiestraveltricks.ck.page/newsletter
Thanks to your newsletter I was able to request the extra 15k points! Thank you soooooooo much for all the great info!
So glad you had success!
Is this in Terminal 3?
Terminal 4 is where I took these videos
Hi Katie! I have an Ink Business Premier with 210,000 points, how do I transfer them to Hyatt?
Unfortunately the Ink Premier is the one exception -- it is the only Ink card that the points CANNOT be transferred to another card (like Ink Preferred or Sapphire Preferred) to then transfer to Hyatt. Those can only be redeemed for cash back.
After earning companion pass every other January, over those next 23 months at what time do you cancel your business and personal card before applying again every other fall?
There are a few factors -- I discussed them in this newsletter last year: katiestraveltricks.ck.page/posts/cp-bootcamp-when-to-close-a-sw-card-for-max-value
Before I came across your videos I applied for a personal southwest card in Feb 2024 which gave me a companion pass through Feb of 2025. After watching your videos I would like to apply for the business card in fall but how long do I need to wait before canceling my current personal SW card to reapply again late fall after getting a business card? Is this something I could do fall of 2024 or should I wait until 2025? I have a pet sitting business and an Etsy shop.
You have a few options. You could get the business card now and use it to top off your account -- it should be almost enough to give you 135k and that would extend your companion pass till Dec 2025 assuming you get all those 135k points earned in 2024. You could also in late 2024 apply for both business cards and not complete the spending until 2025 so that your passes would go through 2026. Or if you're in a 2 player household you could refer that person to a personal + business card in late 2024.
Hi Katie, thanks so much for the insight. So what is the benefit of applying for a business and a personal just to get points or get a companion pass from both credit cards?
You need 135k points earned to get the Companion Pass -- so it is easiest to do with a business plus personal bonus
Thank you! Do you think Hyatt will devalue their points substantially in the future?
I think that every points currency is subject to inflation just like dollars. So overtime, I do expect things to cost more -- but I also suspect points may become easier to earn. This is what has happened over the 15 years I've been in the points world. I think there will always be deals to be had!
Wow. You just explained why you tubers love using Hyatt points more than Marriott points. I'm fairly new to the credit card game and couldn't figure it out. Thanks.
so glad it was helpful! It's hard at first to understand all the different point systems!
I just got my chase app With the 75,000 elevated bonus. I have several airline and hotel credit cards. Here is my question. If I purchase a flight ticket with my Chase Sapphire, reserve is there a way to avoid baggage fees? I’m not sure how to maneuver this. I’d like to take advantage of my airline cards, which come with free bags. Any thoughts? Thank you so much for your video! ✈️
This depends on the airline. Many airline credit cards give you that benefit even if you haven't paid for the ticket with that credit card -- it's a benefit that becomes attached to your frequent flier number so any reservation you are on would qualify.
Wow…so thankful for running into your blog. I was actually looking for more information on time share deals and whether they are worth it or not and your video showed up. We have for years wanting to go to Hawaii but we could not afford it. Wd did get a Chase Sapphire card to get points but really don’t know how to use them or whether we have the right Chase card. I just watched this video and I will go through all of them as make notes and start learning about how to be able to go to more places with my family. I am in agreement with you that it isn’t how much money we save but how we make memories with my family and spend time with them. I am a mother who with my husband has taken our kids on cruises because they are more in our budget but I always disliked the fact of being rushed to get back on the boat. Thank you for being here to teach us. I just subscribed and if we decided on another card I will use your link, ty!! Look forward to completing your videos and everything else you offer.
Welcome! So glad you found this info :) Hawaii is so doable with points! I even have a free Hawaii guide! katiestraveltricks.com/hawaii-with-points-free-guide/ that might help!