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PODCAST

Point Me To First Class

Devon Gimbel MD

Point Me to First Class is a show for employed professionals, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with higher-than-average personal and/or business expenses who want to learn to leverage them into credit card points to spend on travel. Your expenses are your greatest untapped asset - but learning how to use them to travel the world doesn"t have to be confusing or complicated. Each week, Devon Gimbel shares valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

01:41:23

150. 2025 Points Year in Review: How We Used Our...

Point Me To First Class ·

2026/01/12

Today we're picking up where we left off last week in our 2025 points recap. In this second part of our year-in-review series, Dr. Andrea Mabry and I continue to break down the travel we actually booked with all those points we earned in 2025. We're sharing the total value of travel we booked, our average redemption values, and the specific trips we planned—from family vacations to aspirational first class products. We also reveal what we've already booked for 2026, including trips worth over

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01:17:44

149. 2025 Points Year in Review: A Look Back at...

Point Me To First Class ·

2026/01/05

Do you ever wonder what cards other people have, how they use them, and exactly how many points they're earning each year? I'll be honest—I'm nosy when it comes to other people's points, and I love getting a peek inside someone else's points earning strategies. In this first part of a two-part year-in-review series, I've invited Dr. Andrea Mabry back to the show to break down everything that shaped our points earning in 2025. This has become one of my favorite Point Me to First Class traditions, and

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20:48

148. Your Year in Points Review: How to Audit, Learn,...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/12/29

Have you ever taken a step back and actually evaluated what your points did for you over an entire year? In this episode, I'm inviting you to do your own Year in Points Review—a way to look at how you earned points, how you used them, and whether your approach to earning and redeeming rewards helped you reach your travel goals. I walk through why a year-end points review is worth doing, including how it helps you evaluate what you did well, what you could do better, and how having clear data makes

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47:31

147. 2025 in Points and Miles In Review (Part 2): Key...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/12/22

What really changed in the points and miles world this year—and how should that shape your strategy going forward? In part two of our 2025 Year in Review, Kelly and I continue breaking down one of the most transformative years we've seen in award travel. Beyond rising annual fees and tightening loyalty programs, this year revealed deeper structural shifts in how airlines price awards, who gets access to the best redemptions, and what flexibility actually looks like going forward. We dig into the

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01:07:09

146. 2025 in Points and Miles In Review: The Biggest...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/12/15

In this episode, we bid farewell to 2025 with a year-in-review analysis of the biggest news, changes, and trends in rewards, credit cards, and award travel over the last 12 months. This episode is part one of a two-part year-in-review series, and I'm joined by Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc, to break down the biggest changes, surprises, and shakeups in the points and award travel world over the last year. In this first half of the conversation, we focus on the biggest wins and disappointments of

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49:14

145. Behind the Scenes at World of Hyatt: Loyalty,...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/12/08

Have you ever wondered what exactly goes on behind the scenes in loyalty programs—and what drives executive decisions about what to offer, add, or take away from their members' experience? In this episode, I get to do exactly that. I'm joined by Laurie Blair, Hyatt's Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Loyalty, for a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Hyatt designs a program that travelers actually feel loyal to. We talk about what truly sets the World of Hyatt program apart, how they make

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49:45

144. Inside Rove: The Loyalty Program Reshaping...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/12/01

There's a new player in the rewards space, and it's changing what's possible for earning points even if you never open another credit card. In this episode, I'm joined by Carissa Rawson, Director of Travel and Marketing for Rove, a fast-growing loyalty platform that combines a travel booking portal with an online shopping portal so you can earn transferable miles on hotel stays, flights, and everyday purchases. Whether you're new to points or you've been in the hobby for years, Rove offers earning

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11:58

143. Your Holiday Points Prep Checklist: 5 Steps to...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/11/24

This week marks the biggest points-earning opportunity of the entire year—especially if you're planning to shop online. While everyone else is focused on Thanksgiving prep, points and miles travelers know this is the week to turn everyday purchases into tens of thousands (or more) of bonus points. In this short and focused episode, I'm sharing my 5-step points-earning prep checklist for holiday spend—the exact steps I complete before, during, and after the holiday shopping surge to stay organized,

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48:03

142. How Points Become a Tool for Freedom, Joy & the...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/11/17

Travel is never just about the destination — it's about what the journey makes possible. In today's episode, we explore how learning to earn and use credit card points isn't just a smart financial decision. It's a pathway to freedom, abundance, and experiences that reflect the life you actually want to live. From upgraded flights to dream hotels, points can turn everyday expenses into extraordinary opportunities. No one embodies that transformation quite like Dielle Charon. A former social worker

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01:05:39

141. Listener Q&A: Canceling Cards, Transfer Partner...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/11/10

This episode is all about your questions—and real answers. I'm back with another listener Q&A, tackling the points and miles decisions you're actually making right now. From whether it's possible to move points between airline partners to deciding if that old United card still deserves a spot in your wallet, we're covering it all. We'll walk through when to hold or cancel airline cards, how to decide between co-branded and transferable points programs based on your travel goals, and how to decide

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49:23

140. Points Path: The Tool That Shows You the Best...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/11/03

Ever look at Google Flights and wonder, "Should I use points for this or just pay cash?" If you've ever felt unsure about which option gives you the best value, this episode is for you. In the final episode of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, I'm joined by Julian Kheel, former editorial director at The Points Guy and senior editor at CNN, now founder of Points Path — a browser extension that works seamlessly within your browser when you're searching flights to show you whether points or

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56:10

139. Stack Shopping Portals and Card Offers for...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/10/27

Do you ever find yourself opening multiple tabs, comparing shopping portal payouts, and trying to figure out which site is going to give you the most rewards for your online shopping — only to give up before you actually earn the points? If that sounds familiar, today's episode is for you. In this Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series episode, I'm joined by Avneesh Kohli, founder of Savewise, a powerful tool that shows you exactly how to combine the best shopping portal payouts with card-linked

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01:02:05

138. How to Track, Manage, and Maximize Your Credit...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/10/20

Have you ever opened a new credit card for the welcome bonus, only to forget how much you’ve spent or when the deadline hits? Or maybe you’re juggling multiple cards and can’t remember which one to use next. In this next episode of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, I’m joined by Zac Hood, founder of Travel Freely, an app that helps you track your credit cards, sign-up bonuses, and annual fees — so you can stay organized, hit your goals, and never miss a reward. Zac built Travel Freely

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42:20

137. Stop Guessing, Start Earning: How CardPointers...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/10/13

Do you ever forget which credit card to use for a purchase — or worry you’re missing out on bonus points and statement credits? It’s easy to lose track when every card has different categories, offers, and perks. This episode is part of our Streamline, Stack, and Save mini-series, where we’re exploring tools and strategies that simplify how you earn and redeem your points and miles. I’m joined by Emmanuel Crouvisier, creator of CardPointers, an app that helps you track your cards, bonus categories,

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59:17

136. Mini Retirements: Redefining How You Work, Rest,...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/10/06

Do you think you have to wait until your sixties before you can retire? Maybe not. At least not the way we’ve been taught. In this episode, I’m joined by Jillian Johnsrud — author, podcast host, and coach — who challenges the idea of a traditional retirement in favor of taking mini retirements throughout your life and career. Jillian never expected to retire early, so she hatched a plan to retire often. Inspired by the idea of sabbatical years, she began sprinkling mini retirements throughout her

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01:00:44

135. Amex Platinum Cards Refresh: What’s New, What’s...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/09/29

Back in June, Chase refreshed its personal Sapphire Reserve card and introduced the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, complete with highest ever annual fees for rewards cards. Not to be outdone, American Express quickly followed with its own updates to the personal and business Platinum Cards. Now that the details are here, it’s time to look at what’s changed and what it means for cardholders. In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc to walk through the Amex Platinum cards

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29:00

134. The New Era of Award Travel: What’s Changing and...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/09/22

If you’ve been in the points game for years, you’ve probably noticed how much has changed recently. And if you’re newer, you might be wondering if you’re already too late. In this episode, I share why I don’t believe we’re in the “golden age” of award travel right now — but also why points are still incredibly valuable if you know how to adapt. Over the last couple of years, the rules around earning and redeeming points have shifted faster than ever. Credit card issuers are tightening welcome bonus

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25:04

[BONUS EPISODE] Real Student Stories: Points Made...

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/09/20

Whether you’re brand new to points, sitting on years of unused balances, or simply overwhelmed by redemption options—this bonus episode proves that travel transformations are possible for anyone. In this special compilation, you’ll hear from three Points Made Easy students who each started at very different points in their journey but all ended up unlocking unforgettable travel through points: ✔️ Going from never having used a single points card → to booking five business class seats ✔️ Holding

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48:51

133. 7 Keys to Better Award Flight Bookings

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/09/15

You’ve built up a stash of transferable credit card points. Maybe you’ve been working hard to optimize your cards, your categories, and your spending. But when it comes time to actually book the flights you’ve been dreaming about, you hit a wall. You’re not alone. For most points travelers, the hardest part isn’t earning points — it’s redeeming them for the best value. That’s why in this episode, I’m sharing the seven keys that make the difference between endlessly searching without results, and

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01:03:57

132. From Frustration to $150K in Points Redemptions

Point Me To First Class ·

2025/09/08

What does it really look like to transform your travel with credit card points? In this special episode, you’ll hear directly from Dr. Faryal Michaud, a past Points Made Easy student who went from feeling confused and frustrated by points to booking over $150,000 worth of award travel. From Qsuites to the Maldives, South Africa, Tahiti, and beyond, she shares the exact turning points that changed how she approached earning and redeeming points. You’ll hear how she overcame the frustrations so many

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161 results

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