POINT ME TO FIRST CLASS
PODCAST

Point Me to First Class is the show for professionals and business owners with higher-than-average personal or business expenses, who want to learn to leverage these expenses into credit card points they can spend on travel.

Each week, I share valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points, so you can expand your travel and expand your experiences.

Start having first-class travel experiences without the first-class price tag.

Points earning strategies

Points redeeming

TRAVEL TIPS

London Award Travel Guide: Strategy Guide for Flights, Hotels & Tax Avoidance with Hunter Threadgill

London is one of the most accessible award travel destinations in the world, but most travelers don’t optimize their bookings. Learn the strategies that minimize UK APD taxes, the airline programs that offer the best value, which hotels deliver actual savings, and the hidden hacks that experienced award travelers use to book London for significantly less out-of-pocket.

Points Earning Strategies

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Autopilot Flight Repricing: Save Money on Flights After Booking with Sam Hollander

Discover why booking your flight is just the beginning. Sam Hollander’s Autopilot platform automatically tracks your reservations after booking and alerts you when prices drop so you can claim lower fares without the hassle of constant monitoring. Learn how airlines’ permanent policy change created a massive savings opportunity most travelers never capitalize on.

Travel Tips

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Capital One Business Venture Card Approvals: Data-Driven Approval Patterns Explained

Ever felt like Capital One’s approval process is completely random? Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks collected real approval data from 150+ applicants for the Capital One Business Venture card and discovered there are actually predictable patterns. Learn what her survey revealed about the factors that matter most, the 6-month waiting myth, and how to think strategically about Capital One cards.

Points Earning Strategies, Points Redeeming

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Chase Paze Promotion Explained: How to Earn 10x-14x Chase Points

Discover how a quiet Chase promotion could become one of the biggest points-earning opportunities of the year. Dr. Michelle Walther and I break down the Paze digital payment platform, explain which cards qualify, and reveal the merchant strategies (especially Newegg) that could generate thousands of Chase Ultimate Rewards points by year-end through 10-14x earning rates.

Points Earning Strategies

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Japan Family Trip Part 2: Kyoto Hotels, Activities & Complete Points Cost Breakdown

In part two of our Japan family trip recap, Brandon and I cover our five nights at the Park Hyatt Kyoto, every activity we did in Kyoto (from TeamLab to the Nintendo Museum), the travel home connection that almost went terribly wrong, and the complete points and cash breakdown showing exactly what nine days in Japan cost our family of four.

Travel Tips

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Family Travel to Japan with Points: Flight Booking, Hotels & Real Itinerary Details

Hear the unfiltered reality of planning and taking a family award trip to Japan. In part one of this two-part series, my husband Brandon and I recap our spring break adventure – from booking Japan Airlines first class after an unexpected award dump to staying at the Park Hyatt Tokyo to traveling with two kids through Tokyo and Kyoto. Complete with points breakdown, what worked, and what we’d change next time.

Travel Tips

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Wellness Adventure Travel: Reconnecting with Yourself Through Transformative Trips with Dr. Stacey Funt

Discover why wellness adventure travel creates such powerful transformation for women. Dr. Stacey Funt, founder of LH Adventure Travel, shares her philosophy on curating intentional group trips that combine nature immersion, cultural connection, movement, and community—and why giving yourself permission to prioritize these experiences is often the biggest barrier to overcome.

Uncategorized

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Payroll Points Strategy for Business Owners: Cards, Costs & ROI Explained

Learn how business owners are earning hundreds of thousands of credit card points annually on payroll expenses. DeAndre Coke returns to share what’s changed with the Zil Money platform since our last conversation, which cards work best now, and the real math behind the costs and ROI so you can decide if this strategy makes sense for your business.

Points Earning Strategies

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See You in Austin: Point Me to First Class Conference 2027 Details

Registration is now open for the 2027 Point Me to First Class Conference in Austin, Texas (April 29-May 2). Dr. Andrea Mabry and I share why we’re hosting another live event, what makes in-person learning irreplaceable, and all the details about the venue, speakers, format, and how to register for in-person or digital attendance.

Points Earning Strategies, Points Redeeming, Travel Tips

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Strategic Guide to Credit Card Product Changes: Tactics for Rewards Optimization

Discover how credit card product changes can help you lower annual fees, hold multiple copies of high-value cards, and access rewards cards that are closed to new applicants. This deep-dive covers the five strategic ways to use product changes to build a stronger, more rewarding credit card portfolio without opening new accounts.

Points Earning Strategies, Points Redeeming

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