Optimizing Points, Miles and More Listener Q&A

Optimizing Points, Miles and More Listener Q&A

Author: Chris Hutchins December 15, 2021 Duration: 46:27
#33: All the Hacks host Chris Hutchins answers all the recent points, miles and travel questions he's received from listeners. That includes using points, comparing cards, managing multiple cards, finding the best cards for your spending, rental car hacks and more.  Chris Hutchins (@hutchins) is the host of All the Hacks and the Head of New Product Strategy at Wealthfront. He's amassed over 12 million points/miles in his lifetime, has started/sold two companies and is a registered investment advisor. Links to the best credit cards and signup bonuses: ATH Best Cards Page Full show notes available at: https://www.allthehacks.com/listener-questions-2   Partner Deals For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: allthehacks.com/deals Full Show Notes + Resources Mentioned (1:34) Why I Now Love the Capital One Venture X Card Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (4:42) Q: Why Doesn't Capital One Get as Much Love as other Issuers? (5:13) Q: How Do You Manage So Many Cards and When Is the Annual Fee Worth It? ThePointsGuy Points Valuations (9:40) Q: How Do You Get Maximum Value on Points (and a Better Deal Than the Portal)? Point.me: $1 for your first month with this link (and using the code HACKS) PointsPros Award Booking Services List and Reviews (13:54) Q: When Does It Make Sense to Accrue Points in Different Programs? All the Hacks: Top Signup Bonuses (15:39) Q: Does It Make Sense to Book in the Portal for the Big Earning Bonuses? (17:08) Q: Do Credit Card Travel Portals Have Fair Prices? (17:42) Q: Comparing Two No Fee Cards (18:56) Q: Comparing Premium Cards (19:49) Q: Can You Have Multiple of the Same Cards? (21:04) Q: My Partner and I Got Married and Have the Same Credit Card, What Do We Do? (23:35) Q: What Are the Best Business Credit Cards? All the Hacks: Top Business Card Signup Bonuses TPG: Do you need a business to get a business card? (25:37) Q: What's the Best Card for Earning Points on Gas? (26:35) Q: What's the Best App for Finding the Best Card for Different Purchases? ThePointsGuy App CardPointers (27:30) Q: Do You Have a Template for Tracking Your Points? All the Hacks - Points Tracking Spreadsheet (28:33) Q: How Do You Manage Earning Points When You're Loyal to One Airline? (29:50) Q: Where Do You Find Deals for Business Class Flights When You're Not Using Miles? FlyerTalk Premium Fare Deals First Class Flyer MightyTravels (31:21) Q: What Are All the Best Hacks for Rental Cars? (35:33) Q: What Are the Best Tips for Traveling During COVID? Travel Approved Covid Tests from eMed and Optum   Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like there's a smarter, more efficient way to navigate your finances, your travels, and your daily routines? That's the core question driving All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life. Hosted by Chris Hutchins, this podcast is built on a simple, powerful idea: maximizing value doesn't mean sacrificing enjoyment. Instead, it's about the strategic choices that free up resources-both money and time-for what truly matters. Chris approaches life as a series of systems to be optimized, drawing from his own experience saving millions through meticulous analysis. The conversations here are practical and wide-ranging, moving seamlessly from credit card points strategies and investment philosophies to the less tangible hacks for personal fulfillment. You'll hear from a diverse roster of experts and icons, including Tim Ferriss, Tony Hawk, Codie Sanchez, and Gary Vaynerchuk, who all bring their unique perspectives on building wealth and designing a compelling life. Each episode feels like a focused workshop, offering actionable advice you can use immediately, whether it's planning a luxury vacation for a fraction of the cost or rethinking your approach to career and leisure. This isn't just about frugality; it's about unlocking freedom and excitement through smarter decisions. Tune in for a consistently insightful blend of tactical moves and deeper conversations that challenge the conventional trade-offs between spending, saving, and living well.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 274

All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Podcast Episodes
Stop Overthinking and Start Deciding with Derek Sivers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:11
#273: Learn to stop overthinking and make better decisions. Chris and Derek discuss how optimizing can go wrong, a coin flip trick for making decisions, journaling as a superpower, how your actions might reveal what you…
My Process for Booking Travel with Points & Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:29
#272: Learn how to turn your points into significantly better travel experiences by following a simple, repeatable system. We cover how to plan, find award availability, choose the right tools, and decide between portals…
How to Actually Live the Life You're Optimizing For with Sahil Bloom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:41
#271: Learn why over-optimizing your life can quietly destroy the things you actually care about. Chris and Sahil explore the doorman fallacy, why big life decisions should happen fast, how to use AI as a thinking partne…
Ski Trip Mishaps, AI Interior Design, Reflecting on Life and More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:15
#270: Chris and Amy discuss lessons from three ski trips with kids, using AI to redesign rooms on a budget, their favorite new gadgets, navigating high-deductible health plans, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: https://…
Credit Cards: What's in My Wallet for 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:45
#267: Chris reviews his credit card lineup for 2026, sharing which cards he's keeping and canceling and why. He also covers how to evaluate annual fees, the best cards across major spending categories, and the apps he us…
Why Change Is Hard and How to Make It Your Advantage with Maya Shankar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
#266: Chris and Maya break down the science-backed tools that make change easier and more intentional. They explore why most people misunderstand change, how to anchor your identity to your deeper “why,” and practical to…
I Built an AI Assistant That Works While I Sleep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:24
#265: Chris explores how modern AI tools have eliminated the barriers to building software, why planning matters more than coding skill, how anyone can turn a simple problem into a working app faster and cheaper than eve…
Deep Dive on Bilt Rewards and New Bilt 2.0 Cards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:43
#264: Learn how the Bilt ecosystem works, from earning Bilt Rewards to the new cards, transfer partners, perks, and where the real value is. Whether you’re new or already earning, this is a practical guide to using Bilt…