Award Travel 101

Episode 150 of the Award Travel 101 Podcast focuses heavily on year-end strategy, with Mike Zaccheo and moderator Cameron Laufer walking through news, bonuses, trip updates, and the annual housekeeping travelers should tackle before December 31. They open by highlighting a community post about someone just 500 MQDs short of Delta Diamond and discuss creative last-minute options—same-day turn flights, buying MQDs, or leveraging Delta credit card boosts. News items include Royal Air Maroc’s new status match (valid through 2026), a significant Turkish Miles&Smiles partner award devaluation, and Capital One’s upcoming transfer-ratio cut to Emirates. Mike and Cameron also share their own card bonus pursuits and recent travel planning, including Mike’s NYC trip and Cameron’s Singapore Airlines business-class redemption and new Hyatt Globalist status.The main segment dives into year-end planning across credits, spending, and elite status. Mike reviews the long list of expiring statement credits—hotel credits fro