The BoldlyGo Podcast: Revolutionizing Your Journey

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This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

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This week’s Quick Hits covers a relatively quiet week in points and miles news that was interrupted by one major loyalty shakeup. DeAndre starts with an elevated Capital One Venture Rewards offer featuring 75,000 miles plus a $300 hotel credit, followed by a new Bask Bank promotion offering 20,000 bonus AAdvantage miles for eligible new Miles...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Erin Lynch to break down one of the easiest ways to earn more points and miles without opening another credit card or spending more money: shopping portals. Erin shares how she incorporates portals like Rakuten and American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping into her...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke takes viewers inside the Park Hyatt Auckland and breaks down how he and Taryn booked a four-night luxury stay that would have cost more than $6,000 for zero cash out of pocket.

Located directly on Waitematā Harbor in Auckland's Viaduct Quarter, the h...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

This week’s Quick Hits opens with a recap of DeAndre and Taryn’s trip through Cappadocia, Malta, and Zurich, including finally getting to experience Cappadocia’s famous hot air balloons before flying out to Malta. DeAndre also follows up on the recent Aeroplan episode with an important listener clarification about schedule changes, including...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Stefan Krasowski, an experienced points-and-miles traveler who has visited every country in the world, lived in China for more than a decade, and traveled to every Chinese province. Stefan shares how studying Mandarin from a young age eventually led him to Chin...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

This week’s Quick Hits comes from DeAndre’s suite at the Hyatt Regency in Malta after three unforgettable days in Cappadocia, Turkey. Before jumping into the news, DeAndre shares a quick update from the trip, including why the hot air balloon experience in Cappadocia ranks among the top moments of his life and a le...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Aeroplan expert Moli to take a deep dive into one of the most powerful and flexible airline loyalty programs in the points and miles world. After hearing Moli's presentation at the Points Travel Festival in Toronto, DeAndre realized there were still laye...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke and Taryn spend four days exploring Queenstown, New Zealand, to find out why the destination gets so much attention and quickly discover that the hype is well deserved.

After arriving from Auckland, Queenstown immediately delivers with dramatic mountain scenery, the brig...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

This week’s Quick Hits starts with a preview of DeAndre and Taryn’s upcoming trip through Turkey, Malta, and Switzerland, a journey that actually began with Turkish Airlines miles that had been stuck in DeAndre’s account after a phantom award booking. He shares how they built a trip around those miles, including...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke gets an exclusive first look at MileProtection, a new company preparing to launch a product designed to protect the value of airline miles, hotel points, and credit card transfer relationships. Founder Sebastian Bigatti joins the show to explain where the idea came from after expe...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

This week's Quick Hits covers a packed lineup of points, miles, and travel updates, starting with new tools and improvements that make award travel easier to search and book. DeAndre highlights Roame adding EVA Air award availability, Chase Travel making it easier to find The Edit properties, a new way for Qatar Airways card...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Patrick Sugarman to explore two advanced areas of the points and miles world: buying and reselling gold to generate massive credit card spend, and understanding the travel insurance protections that can save a trip when things go wrong. Patrick shares how he u...

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.

Smart Travel Podcast

In this YouTube bonus episode of BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke takes us inside Namale Resort & Spa, an adults only luxury retreat in Fiji that completely changed the standard he and Taryn now have for all inclusive resorts.

After researching luxury properties across Fiji for their honeymoon, they chose Namale for its priv...

This week's Quick Hits is packed with practical updates for points and miles enthusiasts, beginning with a follow up to last week's Symphony interview. DeAndre answers one of the biggest listener questions about combining points between spouses, shares the current limitations of Symphony's platform, and explains why this is a feature the company is actively exploring. He also highlights a new MaxMyPoint feature that allows eligible subscribers to monitor discounted Hyatt and IHG corporate rates alongside award availability, making it easier to maximize both cash and points bookings.

The episode also covers several important travel updates, including...

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with James Berry, co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Symphony, to explore a platform that blends high-yield savings with transferable travel rewards. James explains how Symphony was built to help people grow their savings while simultaneously earning flexible points, creating a new way for travelers and points enthusiasts to generate rewards without relying solely on credit card spending. Throughout the conversation, they break down the platform's investment model, its guaranteed 5% APY for the initial launch period, and the safeguards designed to protect customer assets.

James also...

This week's Quick Hits is packed with valuable updates for travelers looking to stretch their points even further. DeAndre covers Emirates' new partner award sale, Chase Offers that can save money on Hyatt and Marriott stays, and Bilt's latest Rent Day promotion featuring Accor Live Limitless. He also explains why this month's Rent Day may not be the flashiest, but could still provide meaningful value for travelers who stay at Accor properties.

The episode also highlights several opportunities that are ending soon, including multiple transfer bonuses from Capital One, American Express, Citi, and Rove Miles. DeAndre wraps...

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre and Taryn take you inside their entire Belgium and Tomorrowland adventure, from the complicated process of actually getting festival tickets to the moment they finally walked into one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world. They break down how they booked the trip, used points and miles for business class flights, stacked Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits across their Brussels stay, and turned what started as a trip for a music festival into a much bigger European travel experience.

Before Tomorrowland even begins, the trip delivers plenty...

This week’s Quick Hits starts with DeAndre and Taryn returning home from an unforgettable trip to Belgium and Tomorrowland, along with a reminder that even the best planned trips can run into major disruptions. Every flight they took experienced some type of delay, including an 11-hour delay on the way to Europe and another lengthy delay returning home. DeAndre also highlights how the Boldly Go community helped another family navigate major travel disruptions in real time, showing the value of having experienced travelers to turn to when plans fall apart.

On the points and miles side, De...

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with BoldlyGo community member Gretchen Navy to unpack how her family of five pulled off an ambitious three-week adventure through Singapore and Thailand using points, miles, certificates, and travel credits. With three kids, seven flights, six hotels, and roughly one million points involved, Gretchen shares how nearly two years of planning helped them secure five business class award seats in both directions while building an itinerary that gave their family enough time to experience each destination without exhausting everyone along the way.

Gretchen walks through the...

This week's Quick Hits comes straight from Brussels as DeAndre records from the Steigenberger Wiltcher's ahead of an action-packed weekend at Tomorrowland. Before diving into the latest points and miles news, he shares an important reminder about positioning flights after weather disruptions nearly derailed their journey to Belgium. Their experience reinforces why arriving a day early can save an entire international trip, especially when unexpected delays hit.

On the news front, DeAndre covers a lucrative American Airlines AAdvantage Business promotion that can earn eligible households up to 50,000 bonus miles, explains a clever way to consolidate AAdvantage Business...

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre and Taryn pull back the curtain on exactly what their points and miles strategy has looked like so far this year. They share the credit cards they've opened, the massive welcome bonuses they've earned, and the transfer opportunities they jumped on before valuable promotions disappeared. From Bilt's 100% transfer bonus to Japan Airlines and Citi's Preferred Hotels transfer ratio before devaluation, to Hilton free night certificate strategies and American Airlines loyalty planning, they explain the thought process behind every decision instead of simply listing card recommendations.

The episode also shifts...

In this YouTube bonus episode of BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke takes viewers beneath the surface of Beqa Lagoon for one of the most unforgettable experiences of the honeymoon: diving in open water with more than 30 bull sharks and no cage.

The episode begins by explaining why Beqa Lagoon has become the world's premier destination for bull shark diving. DeAndre shares the unique geography, shark behavior, and conservation efforts that make encounters incredibly consistent while also highlighting the operator that made him feel comfortable enough to take the plunge despite his initial hesitation.

The review then...

This week’s Quick Hits is packed with practical travel tools, useful updates, and a look ahead at one of the biggest trips of the year. DeAndre introduces a new partnership with AirAdvisor, a service that helps travelers claim compensation directly from airlines after delays, cancellations, baggage issues, and denied boarding, making it easier to recover money many passengers never realize they're entitled to. He also shares a new interactive map that helps Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders locate Sapphire Reserve Tables restaurants, Resy dining options, and airport lounges based on where they're actually staying.

The episode also co...

In this solo episode of the BoldlyGo podcast, DeAndre Coke pulls back the curtain on one of the most requested topics in the points and miles world: his Hyatt Globalist mattress run. He shares exactly how nearly two years of planning, strategic American Airlines status, and carefully timed Hyatt stays helped him earn Globalist through an accelerated challenge instead of the traditional 60-night route.

DeAndre breaks down every part of the journey, including the virtual hotel stays he booked but never slept in, how much the entire mattress run actually cost, and why he believed the investment...

This week's Quick Hits covers several valuable updates across the world of points, miles, and travel. DeAndre shares a useful enhancement to MaxFHR that now includes Bilt's Home Away From Home hotel benefits, making it easier to compare premium hotel programs in one place. He also highlights a new American Airlines policy that automatically issues meal vouchers during qualifying delays, along with a simple trick to save those vouchers for future use at places like Starbucks or Chick-fil-A.

The episode also covers a creative opportunity to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital while earning rewards, targeted Chase...

Finding two business class award seats can already be a challenge. Finding four, five, or even six for an entire family during school breaks is a completely different game. In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre sits down with Maria Fung, to break down her proven strategy for helping families book premium cabin travel to Asia using points and miles. From choosing the right airline programs and building the right transferable points currencies to understanding award release timing and repositioning flights, Maria shares the framework she uses to consistently unlock opportunities that many travelers never realize exist.

In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke takes listeners inside Nanuku Resort, one of Fiji's premier luxury resorts, and explains how they cut the cost of a four-night stay by more than 50% using points and travel strategies.

The episode covers everything from the resort's stunning 500-acre beachfront property and authentic Fijian hospitality to its incredible dining, cultural experiences, and family-friendly amenities. One of the biggest surprises was the complimentary one-to-one nanny program for children under eight, allowing parents to truly relax while their kids enjoy immersive cultural activities.

DeAndre also shares...

In this week's Quick Hits episode, DeAndre covers several important updates across the points and miles world, including new Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories, Hyatt's latest summer promotion, Bilt's newest hotel transfer partner, and a potentially valuable targeted spending offer. He also dives into the brief appearance and disappearance of new Amex transfer bonuses, shares his experience with delayed Chase to Virgin transfers, and explains why travelers should pay close attention before making speculative transfers to Etihad.

The episode wraps up with exciting redemption opportunities, including using Hilton Honors points for seaplane transfers in the Maldives and...

In this solo episode of the BoldlyGo podcast, DeAndre pulls back the curtain on his family's complete credit card strategy and reveals exactly what's in his wallet, card organizer, and overall points ecosystem. With more than 35 active credit cards between himself and Taryn, DeAndre explains why most of those cards rarely get used, how they decide which cards are worth keeping long term, and which ones are likely headed for cancellation. He shares the thinking behind his daily spending strategy, how he separates personal and business expenses, and why certain cards continue to earn a permanent place in his...

In this week’s Quick Hits episode, DeAndre covers several noteworthy developments across the points and miles landscape, including some of the best Delta SkyMiles redemptions seen in years. From Delta One flights to Europe starting at just 97,000 miles each way to deeply discounted economy awards to Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and the Bahamas, Delta travelers are finally seeing meaningful value from their SkyMiles balances. DeAndre breaks down why these unadvertised deals are creating excitement and why now may be a great time to revisit Delta redemptions.

The episode also covers updates to Amex Resy dining credits, a...

In this episode of the BoldlyGo podcast, DeAndre Coke sits down with Owen Beiny, better known as The Points Partner, for a masterclass on one of the most misunderstood parts of points and miles: actually redeeming your points. While earning points often gets the spotlight, Owen explains why booking award travel is where the real value is created and where most travelers leave money on the table.

Owen shares his fascinating journey from running a celebrity paparazzi business in London and Los Angeles to building one of the most recognized points and miles education brands in the...

In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre Coke reviews a business class flight on Fiji Airways from Hong Kong to Nadi and answers a simple question: does an incredibly cheap points redemption still deliver a premium experience?

The episode explores both sides of the experience. On one hand, the airline’s Airbus A330 business class cabin showed its age with angled-flat seats, limited storage, no Wi-Fi, and outdated entertainment systems. On the other hand, Fiji Airways delivered exceptional hospitality, attentive service, thoughtful amenities, and some of the best inflight meals of the entire honeymoon.

In this week's Quick Hits, DeAndre breaks down one of the biggest Chase announcements in years, including major upgrades to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and a significant devaluation to Hyatt transfers that could reshape how points enthusiasts earn and redeem rewards. He also covers Delta's card refresh, Philippine Airlines joining Oneworld, an incredible Hilton points promotion shared by the BoldlyGo community, and several airline and hotel loyalty program updates.

The episode explores what these changes mean for travelers, why diversification across hotel programs matters more than ever, and how upcoming Chase welcome offers could create valuable...

Most points and miles enthusiasts would never consider transferring more than half a million Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott. Brian Barlow did exactly that, and it led to one of the most unforgettable trips of his life.

In this episode, Brian shares the story behind his five night stay at the JW Marriott Masai Mara in Kenya, a luxury safari lodge that typically costs around $12,000 for a stay. What began as a simple family travel idea quickly evolved into a bucket list adventure after a Marriott points strategy, a transfer bonus opportunity, and a family invitation...

In this week's Quick Hits episode, DeAndre covers a wide range of developments across the points and miles world, including a new investment platform that promises transferable travel rewards based on investment balances, unexpected credit limit increases for Bilt cardholders, and a potentially valuable ChatGPT Business promotion for Amex Business cardholders. He also shares reminders about expiring Amex Platinum credits and highlights reports of Chase taking a stricter approach toward account shutdowns involving aggressive points earning behavior.

The episode dives into changes affecting award travelers, including reports that American Airlines partner award space may be disappearing shortly...

DeAndre sits down with Nick Reyes from Frequent Miler to explore two fascinating topics that can completely change how families approach travel. First, Nick shares how he and his wife temporarily pulled their children out of school, homeschooled them while traveling for three months through destinations like French Polynesia and Europe, and then successfully reenrolled them when they returned home. He breaks down the logistics, educational benefits, conversations with teachers, and why the experience became one of the most impactful adventures their family has ever taken.

Nick explains how travel became a classroom, allowing his children to...

In this YouTube bonus episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, we take you inside one of Hong Kong's most famous attractions to answer a simple question: Is the Big Buddha at Ngong Ping truly worth your limited vacation time?

DeAndre shares his firsthand experience visiting the iconic Tian Tan Buddha during the first stop of his 33 day honeymoon through Asia and the South Pacific. Traveling solo while Taryn recovered from an ear infection, he breaks down the exact route from Hong Kong Island, how to avoid common tourist mistakes, and why booking a guided tour may be unnecessary...

In this week’s Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke breaks down some of the biggest developments in the world of points, miles, hotels, and travel loyalty programs. From IHG’s 100% bonus on purchased points to major updates surrounding Hyatt’s new award pricing model, this episode is packed with timely strategies and important changes travelers should know about.

DeAndre shares how he and Taryn approach points and miles through the lens of financial planning, including how they incorporate loyalty strategies into their personal “money date” conversations. He also explains why buying hotel points during the right promotions can preser...

In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast: Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke sits down with points and miles expert Jason Steele for a deep dive into the world of American Express Membership Rewards. Jason shares how he turned a passion for affordable international travel into a decades-long career writing for major travel publications, becoming the first contributor at The Points Guy, and helping travelers save thousands through award travel consulting. Together, they break down the fundamentals of transferable points, airline alliances, and why Membership Rewards remain one of the most powerful currencies in travel.

The conversation explores...

In this week’s Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke breaks down one of the biggest points and miles developments of the year: Chase quietly launching massive bonus earning opportunities through its new Paze digital wallet. The Boldly Go community quickly uncovered ways to earn up to 14x Ultimate Rewards points on United purchases and stack bonus earnings on everyday spending through merchants like Newegg and StubHub. DeAndre shares how he personally used the strategy for Instacart purchases and explains why this could become one of the most valuable short term earning opportunities in the Chase ecosystem.

The ep...