Picking up a hidden gem card, looking on the upside of shutdowns, a Hyatt safety tip and more (Week in Review)

After recording this week’s podcast episode, I got online to see if I could chat with a representative and product change my US Bank Altitude Go Card (which was originally a Club Carlson Visa back in the day) to a US Bank Altitude Connect Card. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time finding the ability to access live chat on the desktop version of the site. However, after clicking around for a while in the app, I eventually found the ability to chat with a live agent there.

This week on the Frequent Miler blog…

Hidden Gem Credit Cards | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep368 | 7-24-26

If you’re interested in the Altitude Connect card and other hidden gems that you might be missing, you’ll want to listen to this week’s Frequent Miler on the Air. An email from reader Elliot led to an entire main event discussion of some of the less-discussed and potentially still valuable gems to consider adding to your wallet long-term. Also on this week’s episode, hear about my crazy Bilt booking situation, Seats.aero enhancements, Green card intrigue, and more.

My shutdown updates: Citi, Capital One, Wells Fargo

From the outside looking in, it seems Greg has hit a rough spot in terms of bank shutdowns. Long-time readers of the blog will know that Capital One shut down Greg’s account years ago. In this post, he provides some additional context as to the honest mistake that has kept him locked out there. He also shares his optimism regarding his Wells Fargo accounts, since it seems likely that his Wells Fargo checking account was only closed due to logging in from abroad. The Citi shutdown is the one that clearly really hurts, both because of how much Greg loved a couple of his Citi cards and because he recognizes it was entirely preventable. However, despite what initially sounds like a post full of bad news, Greg looks on the bright side and points out that it isn’t as bad as it might initially sound.

When do Hyatt certs expire? Perhaps a day earlier than you think.

The title question might seem very simple, since a free night cert shows a clear expiration date in your World of Hyatt account. As it turns out, it is not quite as simple as it seems. Stephen very nearly lost out on not just one, but two free night certificates. Learn along with him, lest you find yourself in a similar pickle one day without his highly responsive concierge.

Greg’s choice: saving points from a Wells Fargo shutdown | Coffee Break Ep115 | 7-21-26

After Greg’s Wells Fargo Premier checking account was recently shut down due to suspected identity theft, he (initially) became nervous about the future of his Wells Fargo credit cards. As a result, Greg wanted to decide how to use his points in short order. On this week’s Coffee Break, we discuss his options, and I recommend which program I think would be wisest for his transfer. We also hear from a reader who suggests that the shutdown might be or have been reversible if Greg could get in touch with someone at Wells Fargo to explain logins from abroad.

Anne of Green Gables, the Montreal Jazz Festival and Stranger Things on points (and credits)

I would bet that in any given year, Tim probably travels more than any other two Frequent Miler team members combined.

I always love when we get a chance to hear from him about his trips and how he booked everything. He recently planned a trip to the Northeast that combined a couple of days in New York City with the chance to visit Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Read all about what he did and how he booked everything in this post.

I particularly enjoyed his tips for New York City show tapings and Broadway tickets. I have gone to a couple of show tapings over the years, but hadn’t looked into getting tickets online in advance. Years ago, my wife and I saw quite a few Broadway shows by physically going to the theaters for same-day rush/lottery tickets — I distinctly remember a particularly frigid winter morning when my wife and I stood outside of the theater waiting for one of our names to be called for Wicked — but the ability to do that online has a lot of appeal.

Southwest bits: Another drawback of Basic fares, extra time for extra legroom, and more

While 2025 saw my family spend a lot more time on JetBlue than usual, we have been back to our old ways with Southwest Airlines in 2026. The increase in the frequency with which we fly Southwest has brought to the forefront several small nuggets of wisdom that I thought were worth sharing for the benefit of those readers who fly Southwest or will at some point pursue a companion pass or two.

Guide to booking Preferred Hotels with points (Updated Map & Table)

Greg has made substantial updates to this guide to booking Preferred Hotels with points, whether by booking through the Preferred Hotels program or booking through Choice Privileges. His new process provides significantly more data, so this post is definitely worth a look if you are seeking out opportunities to get great value at Preferred Hotels properties.

I had an August stay booked at a Preferred hotel that I found through the map tool here. I was pretty excited to visit, but I have unfortunately had to cancel that reservation. As a result, I now have a lot of Choice Privileges points, so I’ll be referencing this post looking for places to use my points in the future.

Destinations that cost more (or less) than expected (A Carrie Commentary)

As soon as I saw the headline of the most recent Carrie commentary, the first country that came to mind was Norway. Years ago, a volcanic eruption in Iceland closed all of the airports in Europe for about two weeks. My wife and I had landed in Berlin mere hours before the airports closed. When they reopened two weeks later, Ryanair offered flights for three euros each way to destinations across Europe. We booked flights to Oslo with absolutely no idea how much it would cost to visit Norway for a weekend. Talk about sticker shock! At the same time, there are so many destinations that are so reasonably priced, and every now and then we are surprised by the value that can be had in perennially popular destinations like Greece and Portugal. Carrie’s list provided me with a few tips for places to toss on my own list for future bargains.

Award ticket change and cancellation fees

If you participate in this hobby for more than a year or two, you’re likely to run into at least a few situations where you have to change or cancel an award ticket after booking it. The rules for doing so vary tremendously from one airline program to another, so it pays to know the program through which you choose to book even before you book your ticket. Many programs offer very inexpensive or sometimes even free changes and cancellations, while others can charge hundreds of dollars per ticket and still others make awards completely non-refundable. Be sure to reference this post before you book your ticket.

Does being an authorized user affect your eligibility for a new credit card offer? | Question of the Week Ep9 | 7-19-26

One of the most common questions we get from relative newcomers to the hobby is whether being an authorized user on someone else’s account will prevent them from getting the introductory bonus as a primary cardholder of that particular card type. The short answer is no. It won’t affect your eligibility to earn the bonus as a primary cardholder, but there are some nuances to be aware of when it comes to automatic approvals. On this week’s question of the week, Greg and I discuss what you need to know about being an authorized user and why neither of us regularly adds our own spouses as authorized users on our cards.

That’s it for this week at Frequent Miler. Keep an eye on this week’s last chance deals to be sure you get them before they’re gone.

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