Award Travel 101

Episode 138 of the Award Travel 101 podcast opens with Angie Sparks and Mike Zaccheo discussing a highlight post from member Luis, who was abruptly shut down by Amex with over two million points at stake. The community debated the best redemption strategy—ranging from Delta (discouraged) to BA, Aeroplan, or spreading across multiple programs including Hilton. News updates included Capital One removing Priority Pass restaurant benefits from Venture X Biz cards, a Chase 20% Flying Blue transfer bonus, and Southwest rolling out free Wi-Fi for Rapid Rewards members. They also highlighted multiple transfer bonuses across Hilton, Marriott, and Virgin and reminded listeners of tools like the Transfer Bonus Calculator.The main topic centered on Hilton Honors, with Angie pointing out positives like Hilton’s large global footprint, easy paths to status via co-branded Amex cards, and its uncapped free night certificates (FNCs)—which remain among the most flexible in the industry. Mike countered with drawbacks, noting si