I'm Rosie Garan, and you're listening to The Wirecutter Show.

Hey there, it's Christine. This week on the show, we're talking about how to get the best deals on travel. Seeing new places can be incredibly fun, mind expanding, and fulfilling. It can also

be really, really expensive. So we're talking about how to do it all for less. Earlier this

week, we dropped an episode with Elaine Gloussac, who writes the New York Times column,

The Frugal Traveler, about her best tips for getting great deals on travel. To round out that

conversation, we're going to drop a bonus episode today about some of the best ways to use

credit card points to augment a travel

budget. Wirecutter does not cover credit cards anymore at least, we used to. We do cover a

variety of travel gear, and we have a ton of advice on how to shop for gear in a smart way.

But when it comes to a travel budget, the flights and hotels are what really add up. And credit card rewards

points can play a really big role in making travel more affordable. This kind of travel

hacking using credit card points for flights and hotels can seem a little complicated and

maybe even problematic if it lands you in debt. It's a financial decision with inherent

risks.

To help demystify this topic, we're inviting an expert on the show who knows a lot about it,

Brian Kelly. You may know Kelly by the moniker he shares with the popular website he founded,

the Points Guy. Kelly remains part owner of that business, though today the majority stake

belongs to media company Red Ventures. Since it started in 2010, the Points Guy website has become an authority

on how to access and leverage loyalty programs, credit card and airline miles, and of course,

points for travel. Brian published a book back in February called How to Win at Travel, with

tons of tips and tricks on navigating

the world of points. In a minute, Rosie is going to talk with Brian about how to use credit card

...