I Make Steel Look Like Memory Foam

Stack Your Point(s)

Date: 04/21/2025 Intro 

Who we are

Viewer Questions

• I got three questions mostly for Lani but anyone can answer, I wonder how often you get upgraded with 1k status? 
  • Also with 1k status or with the united infinite card, do you get discounts on business class award flights and if you do what kind of discounts do you get on average? 
  • Have you booked with last minute hotels in the Mileageplus X app because I was looking at hotels in Las Vegas and was amazed to see 10x to 15x  on some hotels? LordTorr23 
• You may have talked about this already, but wondering if any of you have personal minimum limits on how low you let your transferable points drop to? - DDAF
  • I.e., Do you always use points if you have them to avoid paying cash (assuming acceptable value) or will you pay cash to maintain some arbitrary minimum points balance in case you need them in the future?
• Have you made any CC mistakes that you initially regretted but ended up working out well? - Double Double Animal Fries
• In reverse, are there any cards that started well but as time passed you started to regret? - JettinwitJan
• What's your current favorite shopping portal for maximizing points and miles? - Dad Hacks Travel

News Round-Up 

• Bilt has added JAL as a 1:1 transfer partner; and added the ability to earn 1x Bilt points for ALL cards used for rent in addition to any other points on that card…

Topics 

• Matt
  • When your “normal” friends post about Credit cards on social media, how fast do you go 0-60 now with card knowledge, or do you keep things in reserve and say “I can help, just let me know”
• Lani
  • Is there such a thing as “too much travel?” I’ve recently stated I hit travel burnout. Too much flying, too much planning. To the point where I get to my destination and I just want to watch old movies on T in the room. Have you been there, or felt the pressure from travel, planning, or ensuring you get the best/highest redemption value?
• Tariq
  • Based on their recent news, do you think that Bilt is feeling threatened by the emergence of the Mesa Homeowners card? These are the first “positive” changes announced in a while, so I think they’re starting to feel the heat.
• RJ 
  • The longer that I’m into credit cards the less I care so much about max point generation and SUB hunting and the more I care about the perks, natural point accumulation with less friction and the like. 
    • Are you a points person, a perks person or a hybrid? What drives you in your current game and has it changed over your journey? 

Outro - 

• Where to find us 

Future Viewer Questions

• You can choose up to 5 statuses to parlay the most expensive trip possible for the least amount of money. How would you plan it and which statuses would you pick ? No points. All cash - K1d_Cat37
• What are the most useful overlapping transfer partners? For example, Aeroplan is a transfer partner for Amex / Capital One and is Star Alliance. Perhaps break it down into domestic and international travel? - Trucker X 
• What are the plans for the channel moving forward? Are you looking at memberships in the future? What ideas are you guys kicking around? - AP
• Now that we find ourselves living in even more uncertainty economic times, do you find yourselves using your credit cards less often?  And do you think Americans will prefer cash, debt, electronic payments before using credit as they once did? Will there be any secondary effects with less miles and points generated because the banks pull back on the credit that they are willing to lend to card holders and issue to new applicants? I find myself using my cards much less often than I did at this time last year. - Keith 
• The Thanos Snap happens and instead of wiping out half of the population, one bank that issues credit cards is no longer. Each of you pick one bank between AMEX, Chase, Citi, and C1 and figure out how the remaining banks respond to fill the void created by the bank that is snapped out of existence - Jason
• There are some interesting long-term plays in this game - examples might be getting one of the Chase Marriott cards to product change to the Ritz after a year, or timing Southwest card applications to secure the Companion Pass, or at the extreme running 7 figures of spend through a Platinum card to fish for a Centurion invite. Which long-term credit card play is the most interesting to you? - SpaethCo
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Future Topic Ideas

• On the question of Churning vs. Maximizing/stacking…what is best for who (beginner, pro, credit enthusiast) (MC)
• Pooling points to Amex/Chase/whatever vs dedicated hotel or airlines currency - RJ 
• Effective Annual Fees - Lani
• What’s up with trifectas? - RJ 
• Do credit cards have too many features nowadays? The more card you have the more overlap there is from bonus categories and benefits, which means that eventually something is useless. What’s your useless benefit and what would you get rid of? - Lani
• Points Vs. Perks: Which is more valuable to you? Are you sub hunting or just using the card(s) that provide the highest earning or are you chasing specific benefits/perks to use at specific properties (i.e. United free checked bag, hotel status for food credits/upgrades, maybe if lounge access if you’re into that, etc.)