Point Me To First Class
Episodes
67. An Analytic Approach to Points Travel with Kevin Zanes
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Zanes has a background in data science and analytics that he now uses to scour award programs for the best points deals. So on today's show, we'...
66. You Don't Need to Use Points for Every Trip with Dr. Laura Jana
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Laura Jana is an Omaha-based pediatrician, social entrepreneur, and award-winning children/parenting book author. From early literacy advocate and...
65. Earning Points for Paying Student Loans or 529 Plans with Dr. Andrea Mabry
27 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I'm joined by my friend, points-earning expert Dr. Andrea Mabry. She's here to show you exactly how to earn points by paying off your student l...
64. Choosing a Miraval Resort for Your Next Getaway with Arpita Gupta DePalma and Mindy Stimell-Rauch
20 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Miraval Resort is an all-inclusive, adults-only health and wellness resort that started in Tucson, Arizona, and has expanded to Austin, Texas, and The...
63. From the UK to Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar on Points with Lindsay Bradley
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lindsay Bradley started her points and miles journey in 2011 but didn't get into extensive points travel until meeting her P2. After marrying in 2018,...
62. Money Mindset and Owning Your Financial Life with Kara Loewentheil
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For this conversation about how we think about ourselves in relation to money, I'm joined by one of the most brilliant women that I know, Kara Loewent...
61. Earn Points for Paying Your Rent and More: Everything Bilt with Dr. Suzanne Manzi
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Earning transferable points is key to unlocking some of the best possible deals on flights and hotel stays. But which of the points currency ecosystem...
60. 5 Questions You Can't Ignore When Applying for a New Rewards Credit Card
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The points hobby has changed massively over the years. We have more points-earning cards, higher sign-up bonus offers, and rewards programs themselves...
59. Miles Ahead: Strategies for Smart Mileage Purchases
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Right now in April 2024, there's a unique points opportunity that I've taken advantage of every year for the past few years, but nobody seems to be ta...
58. From Zero Points to South Africa in Business in Just 12 Months with Dr. Lisha Taylor
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Lisha Taylor is a wealth strategist, "doctorpreneur," professional writer, and podcaster, advocating for physician wellness through financial lite...
57. The Chase Points Ecosystem: What You Need to Know with Dr. Sujatha Murali
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're serious about points, you should have access to at least one of the major transferable points currencies. But how do you know which of the t...
56. Making Taxes Part of Your Points Strategy
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in to today's update on paying taxes with a credit card to hear how this annual expense can play a crucial role in your points strategy. If you'r...
55. Travel That Matches Your Values with Dr. Erika Moseson
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Erika Moseson is a Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Physician in Portland, Oregon. She's also the host of the Air Health Our Health podcast, a...
54. Award-Travel Tips for Big Families with Dr. Susan Zink
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Points travel is possible for everyone, even a family of five or more. To discuss the ways families can maximize their points, I'm joined by Dr. Susan...
53. Deal or No Deal: How to Evaluate Points Redemption Value
04 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt like you were doing points "wrong" because you aren't booking the same kinds of high-value redemptions that you see other people po...
52. Strategy, Transferable Points, and Card-Canceling Mistakes: Listener Q&A
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do with cards once you've had them for a while and you've already earned the welcome bonus? How many cards is too many for you? What strat...
51. Is Points Travel Still Worth It? With Traci Siegel
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week is points expert Traci Siegel, a non-practicing attorney who has been using miles and points to travel around the US and the world ...
50. A Head-to-Head Comparison of 3 Tropical Hyatt Properties You Can Book Using Points
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Looking to plan your next warm weather vacation? Tune in today to hear a comparison of three tropical Hyatt hotel properties where you can use points ...
49. A New Way to Work and Travel with Dr. Kristine Goins, The Nomad MD
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what it would look like to take your career on the road and live location independent as a digital nomad? Did you know that you...
48. How Traveling with Kids Changes the Points Game with Dr. Chandani DeZure
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Chandani DeZure is a Board Certified Physician living in California who's been maximizing points for travel since 2014. She started out on a resid...
47. Umrah Travel and Booking Using Points with Amena Bakali
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Amena Bakali is an award travel educator, travel blogger, and family travel enthusiast. While many of us use our points for leisure travel, points can...
46. 2023 Points Spending Review with the Points and Miles Doc (Part 2)
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back with part two of my episode with Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc. In this episode, we're divulging how we decided to spend the treasure trove...
45. 2023 Points Earning Review with the Points and Miles Doc (Part 1)
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I'm joined by my points friend Kelly (The Points and Miles Doc) and we're taking a look back at 2023, breaking down all the points we earned la...
44. What's Coming in 2024 on the Point Me To First Class Podcast
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What can you expect from the Point Me to First Class Podcast in 2024? Instead of taking a deep dive into a points earning topic, I'm just bringing you...
43. Unlocking Double Rewards: A Deep Dive into Chase Freedom Unlimited's Latest Offer
25 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you love earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, you're in the right place. Chase has a promotional offer right now that just might be the best poin...
42. High-Yield Strategies for Solo Points Earners with Dr. Erin Casey
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I'm joined by Dr. Erin Casey, a retired hematologist-oncologist turned hospitalist. As a solo points earner without high expenses, Erin wasn't ...
41. Use It or Lose It - Your Year-End Checklist
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you end 2023 strong and ensure you aren't missing out on any valuable benefits from your rewards credit cards? We're fast approaching the end o...
40. My Credit Card Journey: How It Started & What I'd Do Differently Now
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A LOT has changed in the rewards card world since I got my first points earning credit card in 2012. Join me today to discover the first five rewards ...
39. Rewards Travel Planning with Dr. Amita Kumar
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I'm joined by another physician-entrepreneur who is taking her travel experiences to the next level by leveraging her business expenses: Dr. Am...
38. Travel, Adaptability, and Building Confidence on the Analyze Scripts Podcast
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm sharing a recent conversation I had on the Analyze Scripts podcast. Analyze Scripts is hosted by Yale-trained psychiatrist Katrina Furey, MD, and ...
37. Unlimited Free Flights with the Southwest Companion Pass with Lyn Mettler (Part 2)
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, Lyn shared how to earn your Southwest Companion Pass and how the pass works. We're picking up right where we left off, discussing the speci...
36. Unlimited Free Flights with the Southwest Companion Pass with Lyn Mettler (Part 1)
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by Southwest expert Lyn Mettler, and she's breaking down everything you need to know about the coveted Southwest Companion Pass. In 2015, s...
35. Advanced Points Strategies: PayPal Bill Pay with Dr. Sujatha Murali
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm an advocate for putting as many of your expenses as possible on rewards credit cards in order to maximize your points potential. But as we all kno...
34. Breaking Chase's 5/24 Rule: Pros and Cons with Dr. Azra Khan Salahuddin
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While there are mistakes to be made, there is no one right way of doing points. My guest this week knows this from firsthand experience. After she'd f...
The Points Made Easy Difference - in Their Words
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you brand new to points, without a bunch of rewards credit cards or points stocked up? Or do you have your points earning down but are not yet con...
The Doors to Points Made Easy Are Open Now!
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Doors are open to enroll in my 6 months, hands on points master course, Points Made Easy - but not for long. You have until this Saturday, October 21 ...
33. Top 5 Points Redemption Mistakes to Avoid
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The key to leveraging your expenses to earn incredible travel experiences is knowing what to do with those beautiful points once you've earned them, a...
Free Masterclass: 4 Secrets to Doubling Your Travel Budget on Oct. 14
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How would your travel plans next year change if your travel budget doubled? Whether you're points curious, a points beginner still getting your leg...
32. It's Raining Amex Points: How to Explode Your Q4 Points Earning with Rakuten
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know you can earn boatloads of American Express Membership Rewards Points through the online shopping platform Rakuten? There are points to be...
31. Enhancing Points Travel for Couples with Kathy & Jake
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by two guests, Dr. Kathy Zhang and her husband Jake Jansen, this week and this is the first time I've had a points travel partnership on th...
30. The Psychology Behind Points Travel Competency
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I'm covering something that never gets talked about in the points travel world but is really one of the secrets to becoming more proficient whe...
29. Lessons from a Year-Long Worldwide Family Sabbatical with Dr. Latifat Akintade
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Latifat Akintade is a gastroenterologist, money coach, and mother of three beautiful children. She's also the author of the Amazon Bestseller Done...
28. Chase Freedom Flex Vs Chase Freedom Unlimited: Which Will Earn You More Points?
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Two popular rewards cards on the market are the Chase Freedom Flex and the Chase Freedom Unlimited cards. This week, I'm pitting these two cards again...
27. Travel Mishaps & the Value of Insurance with Dr. Suzy Spadafora
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Suzy Spadafora is a world wanderer with her husband and 2 teenage boys, except for when she's playing tennis or practicing dermatology. She has be...
26. The Most Important Rule in Points Travel: Chase's 5/24 Rule with Dr. Disha Spath
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joining me today is Dr. Disha Spath, a practicing Primary Care physician and Hospitalist, and the founder and CEO of The Frugal Physician: an award-no...
25. Points Earning in Disguise: How Cash-Back Cards Earn Transferable Points
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Once you're sold on the value of earning points for your expenses, you might be overlooking cash-back rewards credit cards and focusing only on points...
24. Getting Started with Points Travel: Making It Easy with Dr. Stephanie Jones
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Stephanie Jones is a physician and a mother of two girls. She has a lifelong love of travel and has always been the trip planner of the family. Howeve...
23. Points Sharing for Co-Owners and Business Partners with Dr. Andrea Mabry
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When multiple people own a business, creating a rewards credit card plan becomes a little more complex. However, there are ways to navigate this situa...
22. When You and Your Partner Disagree About Points with Relationship Coach Maggie Reyes
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you get your partner or spouse on board with joining you in earning and using points for travel? Maggie Reyes is a Master Certified Life Coach ...
21. Transfer Bonuses and Speculative Points Transfers
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is it a good idea to speculatively transfer points from a credit card account to an airline account? This is a particularly relevant question this wee...
20. How to Leverage Hyatt Points with Dr. Bonnie Koo
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by my client and good friend, Dr. Bonnie Koo, a points-travel convert. We're discussing one of our shared loves: the World of Hyatt Loyalty...
19. Tips for Rewards Travel to Europe in Summer 2024
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the Olympics taking place in Paris next summer, there will be a significant impact on travel to Europe in 2024, and you can expect some unique ch...
18. Charge Cards Vs Credit Cards: What You Need to Know
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know the difference between a charge card versus a credit card when it comes to accumulating points? It's possible that you have one, or even a...
17. P2 Strategies to Maximize Your Points with The Points and Miles Doc
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm welcoming back Kelly, The Points and Miles Doc, to the podcast. We're talking about points strategies when you have a points partner, commonly ref...
16. How One Purchase Can Earn You 1 Million+ Points with Leslie and Demma
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by two guests who are here to discuss a points-earning opportunity that could potentially earn you one million or more American Express Mem...
15. The Value of Transferable Points Currencies
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this month, United Airlines increased its award prices across the board for economy and business class flights on United and partner-operated ...
14. Luxury Travel Strategies, Obstacles, and Mistakes with Julia Menez
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Julia Menez is a points strategy coach, speaker, and host of the Geobreeze Travel Podcast. Having traveled to more than 30 countries before the age o...
13. Everything Rewards Travel: Listener Q&A
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You guys have a lot of questions. So, we're doing something a little bit different this week. Instead of me teaching you about a specific topic within...
12. You Don't Need to Be a Points Expert to Fly First Class with Dr. Priyanka Venugopal
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week is Dr. Priyanka Venugopal, a physician-turned-coach for high-achieving working moms. Priyanka and I have been working together for ...
[BONUS] Making Points Travel Easy with Points Made Easy
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's a big difference between loving the idea of using points to save thousands of dollars on travel and actually knowing how to earn and redeem po...
11. Redeeming $20,000 in Travel with the Points Made Easy Course
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week, Cherie, is a client in my Points Made Easy program who recently sent me a message saying that she had redeemed points worth $20,00...
10. Sign-up Bonus Snafus and How to Avoid Them
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are some amazing sign-up bonus offer on the market right now. Even if you utilize several different methods of earning points for your expenses,...
9. Earning Points and Miles as a Physician with The Points and Miles Doc
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by Kelly, a surgeon and points enthusiast based in Los Angeles, California. At work, she serves as a division director for her surgical fie...
8. Taking the Overwhelm Out of Points Travel with Dr. Payal Patel Ghayal
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by Dr. Payal Patel Ghayal, an amazing physician who's here to share her story of points travel with all of us today. Discover the mindset s...
7. Paying Your Taxes by Credit Card (Part 2)
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of the Paying Your Taxes by Credit Card series, I'm sharing everything you need to know about which credit cards are best for payin...
6. Paying Your Taxes by Credit Card (Part 1)
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a high-earning professional or a self-employed business owner, your tax expenses represent an enormous points-earning opportunity that you m...
5. Rewards Vs Cash-Back Credit Cards (Part 2)
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is hanging on to these store-specific credit cards and using them despite not earning points and miles from these purchases a good idea? In part tw...
4. Rewards vs Cash-Back Credit Cards (Part 1)
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Discover a framework that will help you evaluate your own personal situation to accurately determine whether cash-back credit cards or rewards credit ...
3. The Truth About Rewards Cards and Your Credit Score
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Understand what contributes to your credit score, the short-term and long-term impact that applying for new credit cards has on your score, and how to...
2. 5 Beginner Credit Card Points Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the five most common mistakes people make when they enter the world of credit card points and reward travel, and how you can avoid all of the...
1. A New Way to Think About Expenses
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Discover how you can start having first-class travel experiences without the first-class price tag. I share why I'm so passionate about the opportunit...
Start Here: Introducing the Point Me to First Class Podcast!
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you a business owner, entrepreneur, or employed professional with higher-than-average expenses? Do you ever feel like you have to choose between p...