Award Travel 101

In Episode 140 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosts Mike Zaccheo and Cameron Laufer cover a range of topics from heartwarming uses of points to travel industry updates and destination planning. They open with a moving story from a community member who used 18,000 AA miles to fly an old friend across the country for emotional support—highlighting how miles can offer more than just luxury travel. Mike and Cameron then discuss notable credit card updates, including new Capital One transfer partners like Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines (with a 30% bonus), and question whether the $895 Amex Platinum fee is worth it given the long list of credits offered. Transfer bonuses from Citi and Amex are also covered, and they touch on current promotions like Chase Freedom’s Q4 5x categories.The main segment dives into Cameron’s recent trip to the Dolomites in Italy. He provides a detailed rundown on how to get there using points and miles from various programs—highlighting Emirates’ fifth-freedom JFK–Milan route, and Sta