Travel Rewards Refresher 2022 | Lyn Mettler

ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc

Careers, Investing, Business

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2022

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Lynn Mettler's family has taken over 30 trips using points and miles—most costing less than $100 out of pocket. In this refresher, she walks through the 2022 landscape for travel hacking, from signup bonuses that dwarf everyday spending rewards to the Southwest Companion Pass that cuts flight costs in half. Key Topics: Smart Credit Card Habits & Signup Bonuses [00:04:45] Signup bonuses often deliver more value than months of regular spending; strategic card applications amplify rewards quickly. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card [00:08:35] 60,000-point bonus and flexible redemption options make it a top choice for beginners and veterans alike. Southwest Companion Pass [00:14:42] Earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to unlock a pass that lets a companion fly free on all Southwest flights for the rest of that year and the entire next year. 2022 Travel Landscape [00:23:48] Staffing shortages cause delays and cancellations; flexibility in booking accommodations and backup flight options matter more than ever. Rental Car Strategies [00:41:52] Turo offers an alternative to traditional rental counters, often with better availability and convenience. Book Flights First [00:42:21] When using points, secure flights before committing to accommodations—award availability changes faster than hotel inventory. Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction [00:01:34] Travel rewards overview [00:02:08] How travel rewards work for families [00:04:45] Credit card habits and signup bonuses [00:08:35] Chase Sapphire Preferred details [00:14:42] Southwest Companion Pass [00:23:48] Current state of travel in 2022 [00:41:52] Rental cars and accommodation strategies [00:49:10] Final thoughts and resources Resources: Families Fly Free Chase Sapphire Preferred Review Notable Quotes: "Financial independence is about enhancing life enjoyment, not deprivation." [00:03:33] "Leverage points with companions for doubled travel value." [00:14:52]

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Choose a Phi. I'm your host Brad Barrett and today we have a travel
0:06.1	rewards refresher for 2022 and I'm actually very fortunate to be joined by Lin Metler who runs
0:13.6	the website and podcasts Families Fly Free and she was our guest in episode 353 and I just
0:20.0	absolutely loved her take on travel rewards. It was with simplicity at its essence which is how
0:25.8	I view this. It's how can we take one or two vacations, maybe family vacations for free or close
0:32.4	to free every year by being just smart and intentional with our credit card habits. That's a win for
0:38.8	everybody and that's why we call this a killer of financial independence. Your listening to Choose
0:44.3	a Phi radio. The blueprint for financial independence lives here. If you're looking to unblocked as secrets
1:00.4	to financial independence and early retirement you're in the right place. Stay tuned and join a
1:06.2	community of like-minded people who are getting all things to do and taking control of their lives
1:12.0	in the pursuit of financial independence. Choose a Phi. Your home for financial independence online.
1:30.5	All right Lin welcome back to Choose a Phi. Thanks for being here. Sure. Glad to be here again.
1:36.0	Yeah this should be fun so I think what we're going to do today is kind of go back and let's do
1:41.6	like a just a general refresher on what are we doing with travel rewards. Why do we call this a
1:47.9	pillar of Phi? Why is it at that level of importance right? What is this strategy all about? So
1:53.5	you and I have been doing this for years and years and years but let's just break it down to its
1:58.4	absolute essence. Like someone comes to you and wants like the two-minute elevator pitch of Lin
2:04.1	what the heck what is this travel rewards thing that you're always talking about? Yeah I mean travel
2:09.1	rewards to me is a way that you can continue to travel with your family. I would wager you can
2:16.4	travel a lot more with your family while still achieving the goal working toward the goal of
2:23.2	financial independence because we can show you a way that you can do this for free or close to free
2:30.0	so that you don't have to spend the money that you're trying to save or invest or whatever on travel
	...

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