Planning your next vacation? Before you budget, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars with Smart Travel.
NerdWallet’s trusted travel experts, Sally French and Meghan Coyle, are here to help your travel dollars work even harder.
But the travel Nerds don’t just make recommendations; they break down the latest travel details, exploring the pros and cons of specific strategies, practical tools, and tactics. Dive deep with the experts as they lay out all the options so you can finally plan that dream vacation.
So put your seat in its full upright position, buckle up, and let’s help that travel budget take you places you’ve only dreamed about.
Join hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle, two of NerdWallet’s expert travel Nerds, as they lay out tips, tools, and strategies for your next travel getaway, including:
Travel budgeting: What’s the best way to budget for a vacation? How can you save money planning travel? The Nerds compare the best travel budgeting tools.
Travel Strategies: Should you use travel points or travel miles? Should you Airbnb or get a hotel? The Nerds have your how-to travel guide for your next trip.
Family vacation planning: Thinking of a Disney trip or something more tropical? Should you fly or rent a car? The Nerds lay out your options so you can decide the best way to book your next family vacation.
Travel Agents: Can travel agents save you money? Are there better alternatives? The Nerds dive into the actual cost of financial traveling and lay out your best options.
Seasonal timing: When’s the right time to book travel for next summer? How far out should you plan a holiday getaway? The Nerds got you covered from Spring to Winter with smart travel strategies.
Fee and policy changes: How do the latest TSA rules affect you? The Nerds break down recent regulations and how it impacts your next travel budget.
Travel Planning Tools: Not sure about a new travel app? Does that website actually give you the best deals? The Nerds have reviewed all the major platforms and share their pros, cons, and insights.
Destination-Specific Booking Strategies: Dreaming of Hawaiian or European getaways? The Nerds can help you and your travel budget when booking popular travel destinations.
If you’re planning on traveling within the next 12 months and ready to start researching and booking your next great adventure, then follow Smart Travel to upgrade your getaways.
You’ll love Smart Travel if you like podcasts like: Far From Home, Zero to Travel, Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad, Amateur Traveler, Point Me To First Class, Takeoff A Points And Miles Podcast, Frequent Miler On The Air, Women Who Travel, and many other travel related podcasts.
NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http:// www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
All content for Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways is the property of NerdWallet Travel and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Planning your next vacation? Before you budget, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars with Smart Travel.
NerdWallet’s trusted travel experts, Sally French and Meghan Coyle, are here to help your travel dollars work even harder.
But the travel Nerds don’t just make recommendations; they break down the latest travel details, exploring the pros and cons of specific strategies, practical tools, and tactics. Dive deep with the experts as they lay out all the options so you can finally plan that dream vacation.
So put your seat in its full upright position, buckle up, and let’s help that travel budget take you places you’ve only dreamed about.
Join hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle, two of NerdWallet’s expert travel Nerds, as they lay out tips, tools, and strategies for your next travel getaway, including:
Travel budgeting: What’s the best way to budget for a vacation? How can you save money planning travel? The Nerds compare the best travel budgeting tools.
Travel Strategies: Should you use travel points or travel miles? Should you Airbnb or get a hotel? The Nerds have your how-to travel guide for your next trip.
Family vacation planning: Thinking of a Disney trip or something more tropical? Should you fly or rent a car? The Nerds lay out your options so you can decide the best way to book your next family vacation.
Travel Agents: Can travel agents save you money? Are there better alternatives? The Nerds dive into the actual cost of financial traveling and lay out your best options.
Seasonal timing: When’s the right time to book travel for next summer? How far out should you plan a holiday getaway? The Nerds got you covered from Spring to Winter with smart travel strategies.
Fee and policy changes: How do the latest TSA rules affect you? The Nerds break down recent regulations and how it impacts your next travel budget.
Travel Planning Tools: Not sure about a new travel app? Does that website actually give you the best deals? The Nerds have reviewed all the major platforms and share their pros, cons, and insights.
Destination-Specific Booking Strategies: Dreaming of Hawaiian or European getaways? The Nerds can help you and your travel budget when booking popular travel destinations.
If you’re planning on traveling within the next 12 months and ready to start researching and booking your next great adventure, then follow Smart Travel to upgrade your getaways.
You’ll love Smart Travel if you like podcasts like: Far From Home, Zero to Travel, Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad, Amateur Traveler, Point Me To First Class, Takeoff A Points And Miles Podcast, Frequent Miler On The Air, Women Who Travel, and many other travel related podcasts.
NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http:// www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
Where 100,000 Points Can Take You: First Class Seats, Five-Star Suites and VIP Upgrades
Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
31 minutes
2 months ago
Where 100,000 Points Can Take You: First Class Seats, Five-Star Suites and VIP Upgrades
Explore your options for spending 100,000 credit card points, with tips on redemptions for luxury flights, hotels, and hidden travel perks.
What are the best ways to use 100,000 credit card points for travel? How do you transfer points to airlines or hotels to get the most value? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss top redemptions across Chase, AmEx, and Capital One to help you stretch your points for luxury flights, high-end hotels, and memorable experiences. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Bilt Rewards adding Southwest as a transfer partner, Citi devaluing transfer ratios for Emirates Skywards, JetBlue allowing point redemptions for Japan Airlines, Chase Travel now listing cruise itineraries online, and a new Disney World dining deal that lets kids eat free when bundled with resort stays.
Then, Benjamin Din, lead travel writer at NerdWallet, joins Sally and Meghan to discuss how to make the most of 100,000 credit card points. They share tips for booking premium cabins on airlines like Lufthansa, ANA, and Virgin Atlantic, scoring great hotel stays with Hyatt and Choice Privileges, and stacking perks like complimentary breakfast, resort credits, and early park access through AmEx’s Fine Hotels & Resorts collection. Whether you’re planning a European getaway, a theme park weekend, or an all-inclusive escape, this episode explores flexible, high-value ways to use your points strategically.
Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:
Citi Strata Premier Review
Chase Sapphire Preferred Review
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card Review
American Express Platinum Review
Resources discussed in this episode:
Cruises Now Searchable on Chase’s Travel Portal
11 Things to Do with 100K Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Loews Portofino Bay at Universal Studios: The Best Way To Use The Amex $200 Hotel Credit
5 Best Ways to Use Delta SkyMiles
5 Best Credit Card Points Programs and Who They Partner With
In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: best travel credit card redemptions, Chase Ultimate Rewards Hyatt transfer, Capital One transfer partners, American Express fine hotels and resorts, best hotel redemptions with points, using AmEx points for Universal hotels, Lufthansa first class on points, ANA first class with points, best transfer partners for credit card points, Hyatt award chart, Virgin Atlantic upper class points, flying blue promo rewards, Air Canada Aeroplan redemptions, Iberia Avios business class, Choice Privileges points value, hotel points vs flight points, Bilt rewards southwest transfer, Citi Emirates transfer ratio, JetBlue Japan Airlines points, cruises with Chase points, AmEx Platinum hotel perks, vacation rentals with points, Virgin Red vs Virgin Atlantic, British Airways Avios redemptions, Delta SkyMiles deals, redeem points for Europe flights, stackable Disney deals 2026, Universal Studios hotel rewards, Marriott vs Hyatt redemptions, award travel sweet spots, short haul Avios flights, and theme park travel rewards.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
Planning your next vacation? Before you budget, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars with Smart Travel.
NerdWallet’s trusted travel experts, Sally French and Meghan Coyle, are here to help your travel dollars work even harder.
But the travel Nerds don’t just make recommendations; they break down the latest travel details, exploring the pros and cons of specific strategies, practical tools, and tactics. Dive deep with the experts as they lay out all the options so you can finally plan that dream vacation.
So put your seat in its full upright position, buckle up, and let’s help that travel budget take you places you’ve only dreamed about.
Join hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle, two of NerdWallet’s expert travel Nerds, as they lay out tips, tools, and strategies for your next travel getaway, including:
Travel budgeting: What’s the best way to budget for a vacation? How can you save money planning travel? The Nerds compare the best travel budgeting tools.
Travel Strategies: Should you use travel points or travel miles? Should you Airbnb or get a hotel? The Nerds have your how-to travel guide for your next trip.
Family vacation planning: Thinking of a Disney trip or something more tropical? Should you fly or rent a car? The Nerds lay out your options so you can decide the best way to book your next family vacation.
Travel Agents: Can travel agents save you money? Are there better alternatives? The Nerds dive into the actual cost of financial traveling and lay out your best options.
Seasonal timing: When’s the right time to book travel for next summer? How far out should you plan a holiday getaway? The Nerds got you covered from Spring to Winter with smart travel strategies.
Fee and policy changes: How do the latest TSA rules affect you? The Nerds break down recent regulations and how it impacts your next travel budget.
Travel Planning Tools: Not sure about a new travel app? Does that website actually give you the best deals? The Nerds have reviewed all the major platforms and share their pros, cons, and insights.
Destination-Specific Booking Strategies: Dreaming of Hawaiian or European getaways? The Nerds can help you and your travel budget when booking popular travel destinations.
If you’re planning on traveling within the next 12 months and ready to start researching and booking your next great adventure, then follow Smart Travel to upgrade your getaways.
You’ll love Smart Travel if you like podcasts like: Far From Home, Zero to Travel, Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad, Amateur Traveler, Point Me To First Class, Takeoff A Points And Miles Podcast, Frequent Miler On The Air, Women Who Travel, and many other travel related podcasts.
NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http:// www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
