Shortcuts to Elite Travel Status with Greg the Frequent Miler

Shortcuts to Elite Travel Status with Greg the Frequent Miler

Author: Chris Hutchins July 3, 2024 Duration: 53:44
#182: We share 10+ insider secrets and shortcuts to earning elite status with airlines and hotels. We cover the basics of elite status and how to leverage credit cards, points and miles, and status matches to maximize travel perks. We also explore non-traditional methods like gifting and buying, vacation homes and corporate partnerships to earn and maintain status. Greg Davis-Kean is the founder of Frequent Miler, a blog dedicated to helping people maximize their travel rewards and loyalty programs, mostly without flying. He is also the host of the Frequent Miler on the Air podcast. Link to Full Show Notes: https://allthehacks.com/shortcuts-to-elite-status Partner Deals Mint Mobile: $15/mo for unlimited wireless on the nation's largest 5G network Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn Superhuman: Free month of the fastest and best email with code ALLTHEHACKS For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: allthehacks.com/deals Resources Mentioned Greg Davis-Kean: Frequent Miler | Frequent Miler on the Air | Twitter Southwest Companion Pass Complete Guide Episode #221: Roll your own airline elite status Episode #222: Roll your own hotel elite status Flying by the Seat of our Points: Last Minute Travel Challenge All the Hacks Luxury Hotel Upgrade Program Episode #86: The Best Deals for a Vacation Rentals, Exchanges, Fractionals, Timeshares and More! Invitation-Only Statuses Delta 360° United Global Services® ConciergeKey Other Resources Exclusive Resorts FoundersCard StatusMatcher StatusMatch AirlineStatus Credit Cards: American Express Centurion Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card For other cards mentioned visit our Best Credit Cards Page Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:21) The Basics of Elite Status (05:13) Can You Earn Status With Flights Booked With Points & Miles? (06:39) Elite Status Perks on Different Levels (08:32) How Airline Alliances Fit Into Status (10:34) Earning Airline Status via Credit Cards (15:27) Airlines That Make It Easy to Earn Status (21:24) Perks of Hotel Status (23:45) Ways to Earn Hyatt Status (29:17) Can You Spend Money Outside of Credit Cards to Earn Status? (30:42) How Status Matches Work (35:08) Airline Status Offers (40:28) Getting “Walked” From a Hotel (41:32) Gifting an Elite Status (42:09) Lifetime Status (45:21) Buying Elite Status (46:31) Leveraging Corporate Partnerships for Status Perks (48:38) Vacation Home Memberships (49:24) Is Chasing Elite Status Worth It? (52:47) Rolling Your Own Airline and Hotel Elite Status (54:27) Car Rental Status Connect with All the Hacks All the Hacks: Newsletter | Website | Membership | Email Chris Hutchins: X | Instagram | Website | LinkedIn 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: 100

All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Podcast Episodes
I Built an AI Assistant That Works While I Sleep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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#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…
How to Earn Millions of Points and More Listener Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:43
#263: Chris breaks down exactly how he’s earned millions of points and miles, and why simplicity matters more than optimization. He covers signup bonuses, spending strategies, credit score impacts, business cards, cash-b…
Goals, Tools, and Mindset Shifts for a Better 2026 with Kevin Rose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:45
#261: Chris and Kevin reflect on 2025’s biggest wins and lessons, then dive into how they're planning 2026. They share their goals, the tools they're using, and why they're designing a year that’s easier, not just more o…
Top 10 Takeaways from 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:24
#260: Chris distills the most powerful lessons from over 50 episodes in 2025 into 10 actionable takeaways that changed how he thinks about money, time, health, relationships, purpose, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: h…
Choosing the Problems Worth Struggling For with Mark Manson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:44
#259: Learn how to pick the challenges in life that actually matter. We break down how to stop optimizing for the wrong things, why values trump goals in decision-making, practical strategies for building real friendship…
My Top 5 Mistakes with Points & Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:54
#258: The 5 biggest mistakes Chris has made in his points & miles journey. He dives into the hidden cost of status, the math behind point values, the power of opportunity cost, and why hoarding points quietly destroys va…
End of Year Checklist for Your Taxes, Points and Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:17
#257: We break down essential tax and financial decisions to make before year-end. Learn how to maximize deductions, optimize charitable giving, manage investment gains and losses, and take advantage of retirement and ho…