No such thing as a free upgrade

On this week’s episode of Frequent Miler on the Air, Greg and I discuss the impending challenge(s) I face thanks to him Passing the GUC. This will either turn out to be an amazing guys trip / vacation or a great lesson in being careful what you wish for; either way, I look forward to the wins that come via discoveries along the way. This week we also discuss what’s up with the fee on IHG downgrades, mattress running Wyndham, the new Spirit Airlines Free Spirit program, and more. Watch, listen, or read on for more of this week at Frequent Miler.

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This week at Frequent Miler

Passing the GUC: Greg gives global upgrades to Nick… with a catch

During a recent Frequent Miler on the Air, I made the mistake of lightly roasting Greg for his plan to take Delta SkyMiles as a Delta Diamond choice benefit over Global Upgrade Certificates, suggesting that he could give the certificates to me someone who would put them to good use. Let this be a reminder to be careful what you wish for. I’m getting the upgrade certificates, but clearly I should have done my homework before roasting Greg because now it looks like he may get the last laugh.

Marriott mattress running: Valuable elite status for nearly 2 years

Does it make sense to mattress run Marriott? Last year, I argued that it didn’t. This year, Greg makes a convincing argument with this post as to why many members should definitely consider it given a much abbreviated path to meaningful Marriott elite status. Given that many members will receive credit for 43 elite nights without setting foot in a hotel, it could be well worth using your free night certificate(s) and paying for 2 or 3 nights to qualify for Platinum. Not sure whether to use points or cash for your nights? See this post for an FM tool designed to eliminate the guesswork.

The 100K Referral Theory | Ask Us Anything | Ep 24

Every other week on Tuesdays, Greg and I take your questions live in Youtube. This week, that Q&A led to a 100K referral theory — that is to say that Greg came to a theory about what you may need to do in order to get the special referral link that sends people to the 100K Amex Platinum offer. We don’t yet know if his theory is correct, but hear more about it as well as our answers to questions about Hyatt elite status and more by watching the replay on Youtube.

Bank account bonus goals for 2021

During 2020, I racked up nearly $5K in bank account bonuses in my household. So far in 2021, I’ve collected $900 in bonuses. Here’s the roadmap to how I plan to get my household up to nearly $4K in bank account bonuses this year, which sure beats the pennies in interest currently offered by most banks.

Now live: Spirit goes revenue-based, makes elite status easier with new Free Spirit program

This post just has a quick update at the top to note that the new Spirit Airlines Free Spirit went live this week. Things have mostly turned out the way we expected: the value of points is highly variable and the credit cards are tough to recommend for most people given the unpredictable nature of the points. That said, I continue to think that the Free Spirit program is worth considering for those who are primarily leisure travelers living near an airport that is well-served by Spirit. This program isn’t going to draw Delta Diamond and AA Executive Platinum members to switch, but it may create space for an elite status among those who don’t fly weekly for work and/or provide the joy of free more quickly than traditional airline programs. I don’t think the new Free Spirit is a game-changer, but it’s better than you’d probably expect if your only impression of Spirit is the occasional TV brawl.

The perfect Hyatt mattress run

If you enjoy a week-long work-action while racking up valuable double elite credit and quadruple points, is it a mattress run? Maybe we don’t need to split hairs over a great deal after all. Greg found an awesome opportunity to escape the winter while taking advantage of all that Hyatt has to offer – and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a bunch of readers scooping up reservations at this place before the end of February.

Searching for value in Hyatt Night In awards

After publishing last week’s Frequent Miler on the Air, a reader commented to note surprise at the fact that they hadn’t seen coverage of Hyatt’s “Night In” promotion. When I looked into what this promotion had to offer, I was initially intrigued – particularly at the possibility of redeeming points for these nights with additional perks. Unfortunately, it’s just not a particularly good use of points. Still, some of the including experiences might be worth a small cash premium if you’re planning a staycation and have a participating property nearby.

That’s it for this week at Frequent Miler. Don’t forget to check out this week’s Last Chance Deals, updated every Sunday morning.

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