The Upgraded Points Podcast

Some of our favorite travel experiences didn’t come from flights… they came from the hotels.In this episode, Chris and Katie share their favorite hotels they’ve ever booked with points, from luxury stays to family-friendly favorites and underrated hidden gems.They break down exactly:- Why each hotel stood out- How many points it cost- What it would have cost in cash- How you can book the same stays using pointsIf you’ve ever wondered whether luxury hotels are actually worth it with points, or how to get real value from your rewards, this episode will give you a clear roadmap.Whether you’re planning a big trip or just getting started with points and miles, these real-world redemptions will show you exactly how it's done. Hosts: ‪Chris Hassan & Katie Corrigan Seemann Chapters:00:00 The Upgraded Points Podcast Episode 5101:00 Chase Freedom Unlimited® Bonus02:12 Capital One Travel Mobile App04:27 Hotel du Louvre 07:00 Conrad Orlando at Evermore09:41 Andaz Amsterdam12:20 Waldorf Astoria Osaka15:27 Kimpton Seafire19:12 Hyatt Regency Maui22:31 Le Meridien Maldives26:55 Park Hyatt Tokyo28:56 Listener question: Chase WHOOP benefitChase Freedom Unlimited Now Boasts Elevated $250 Welcome Offerhttps://upgradedpoints.com/news/chase-freedom-unlimited-250-sign-up-bonus/Capital One Travel Launches Standalone Mobile App — and It’s Worth a Downloadhttps://upgradedpoints.com/news/capital-one-travel-app-launches/Hotel du Louvre Reviewhttps://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/hotel-du-louvre-best-paris-hyatt/Inside Conrad Orlando: A Comprehensive Review of the Luxury Hotelhttps://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/conrad-orlando-reviewAndaz Amsterdam Reviewhttps://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/andaz-amsterdam-prinsengracht-review/Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa [In-depth Review]https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/hyatt-regency-maui-resort-spa-review/4 Things I Didn’t Like About the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spahttps://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/hyatt-regency-maui-resort-spa-review/Le Meridien Maldives Reviewhttps://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/le-meridien-maldives-resort-and-spa-review/Kimpton Seafire Reviewhttps://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/kimpton-seafire-resort-spa-in-grand-cayman-review/5 Things You Need To Know About the Newly Renovated Park Hyatt Tokyo [Review]https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/park-hyatt-tokyo-review/✈️ Learn more at UpgradedPoints.com📧 Questions? Email us at [email protected]📲 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@upgradedpointspod📲 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upgradedpoints/📲 Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/upgradedpoints📲 Follow us  on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@upgradedpoints✉️ Upgraded Points Newsletter https://upgradedpoints.com/join-newsletter/

Did you know you can book all-inclusive resorts with hotel points?Many travelers assume these resorts must be paid for with cash, but major hotel loyalty programs now offer all-inclusive properties that can be booked with points.In this episode, Chris and Katie explain how to use Hyatt, Hilton, IHG, Marriott, and more points to book all-inclusive resorts across Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond. They cover how award pricing works, which resorts are the best values, and how to maximize your points for an all-inclusive vacation.Whether you’re planning a couples getaway, a family beach vacation, or a luxury resort stay, this guide will help you understand how to use points for an all-inclusive experience.00:00 The Upgraded Points Podcast Episode 50 🎉00:58 Marriott Improves Top-off Limits02:04 Citi Ends Points Sharing 03:10 Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa in Mexico10:20 All-inclusive Resorts Evolving 12:04 Hyatt All-inclusive Resorts13:57 Marriott All-inclusive Resorts14:43 IHG All-inclusive Resorts15:48 Hilton All-inclusive Resorts17:09 Wyndham All-inclusive Resorts18:00 Choice All-inclusive Resorts18:32 Preferred Hotels All-inclusive Resorts18:54 Accor All-inclusive Resorts20:05 Tips for Booking All-inclusive Vacations23:30 Reader questionTips for All-Inclusive Vacations: https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/all-inclusive-tips/Should you book all-inclusive resorts through The Edit by Chase? https://upgradedpoints.com/news/chase-edit-all-inclusives/Marriott Bonvoy Raises Free Night Award Top-Off Limit to 25,000 Points: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/marriott-bonvoy-free-night-award-top-off-increase/✈️ Learn more at https://upgradedpoints.com/📧 Questions? Email us at [email protected]

Most points and miles content focuses on huge balances and luxury redemptions. But what should you do when you only have a few thousand points sitting in an account?In this episode, Chris and Katie break down smart ways to use small amounts of points and miles so they don’t go to waste. Whether you have leftover airline miles after booking a trip or random points scattered across multiple accounts, there are plenty of ways to still get real value.You’ll learn how to use small balances to top off award flights, book short hotel stays, upgrade seats, combine points with family members, and prevent your rewards from expiring.If you’ve ever wondered what to do with those last few points sitting in your account, this episode will help you turn them into something useful.Chapters: 00:00 The Upgraded Points Podcast Episode 4901:00 Sidecar by Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas02:09 How to Combine Small Amounts of Points?03:30 Pooling Points and Miles07:27 Cash + Points Bookings11:07 Cheap Hotel and Airline Rates12:11 Donate Points and Miles13:36 Top Off Your Account with Transferable Points14:59 How to Use Small Amounts of Chase points17:13 How to Use Small Amounts of American Express points19:33 How to Use Small Amounts of Citi points21:50 How to Use Small Amounts of Capital One miles23:34 Listener Question⚠️ ANNOUNCED AFTER RECORDING ⚠️ Citi To End Points Sharing Feature Next Month — What It Means for You:https://upgradedpoints.com/news/citi-points-sharing-end-2026/New Sidecar by Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/amex-sidecar-lounge-las-first-look/How to redeem small amounts of points and miles: https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines/redeem-small-amount-points-miles/Hotels and Airlines that let you pool points for free: https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines-hotels-pool-points-miles/✈️ Learn more at https://upgradedpoints.com/📧 Questions? Email us at [email protected]

Airline credit cards might be more important than ever — especially after United’s recent MileagePlus changes that shift outsized benefits toward co-branded cardholders.In this episode, we break down the updates to United’s program that reward airline cardholders with perks many non-cardholders won’t get. We also dive into the broader question this raises: once flexible transferable points were king, but with moves like this, are co-branded airline cards reclaiming the top spot for frequent flyers?If you collect points or miles, this breakdown will show you how these changes could affect your strategy and where the real value might be in 2026 and beyond.Chapters:00:00 The Upgraded Points Podcast Episode 4800:58 Chase Adds Wyndham 02:26 Hyatt Award Chart Changes07:24 United MileagePlus Changes11:51 Worth Getting a United Credit Card?14:54 Other Airline Co-branded Cards20:33 Listener QuestionChase adds Wyndham as a new transfer partner: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/chase-adds-transfers-wyndham-rewards/New 30% Transfer Bonus From Chase to Wyndham Rewards: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/chase-transfer-bonus-wyndham-rewards/United makes changes that favor credit cardholders: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/united-mileageplus-program-changes-credit-cardholders/Hyatt Changes in May 2026: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/world-of-hyatt-2026-program-changes/✈️ Learn more at https://upgradedpoints.com/📧 Questions? Email us at [email protected]📲 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@upgradedpointspod📲 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upgradedpoints/📲 Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/upgradedpoints📲 Follow us  on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@upgradedpoints✉️ Upgraded Points Newsletter https://upgradedpoints.com/newsletter/

Credit card rewards are shifting in 2026, and if you collect points and miles, these changes matter.In this episode, we break down the biggest credit card trends affecting travel rewards this year, including rising annual fees, tightening airport lounge access, shifting transfer ratios, and potential legislation that could impact how rewards programs operate.We explain what these changes mean for everyday travelers, how to evaluate whether your premium credit cards are still worth it, and why mid-tier cards may become more valuable than ever. If you want to maximize points and miles in 2026 without overpaying for perks you don’t use, this episode will help you build a smarter strategy.Chapters:00:00 The Upgraded Points Podcast Episode 4701:00 United MileagePlus Changes02:20 American Airlines Inaugural Flight to Bimini05:09 Resorts World Bimini14:08 Increasing Annual Fees15:41 Transfer Ratios are Changing17:00 New Lounges and Access Rules20:30 Mid-tier Cards23:55 Credit Card Legislation24:47 2026 Travel Credit Card Playbook25:46 Listener Question: Hotel Room Capacity in Japan6 Credit Card Trends I’m Watching in 2026: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/credit-card-trends-2026/American Just Launched the Only Direct Flight to Bimini, Bahamas, From the U.S.: https://upgradedpoints.com/news/american-airlines-bimini-inaugural-flight/✈️ Learn more at https://upgradedpoints.com/📧 Questions? Email us at [email protected]