TPG Talks episode four: A virtual walkthrough of the TPG Beginner's Guide
In episode four of TPG Talks, we went straight to one of our our largest audience segment: points and miles beginners! Joining us was TPG Lifestyle Editor Samantha Rosen, author of TPG's Beginner's Guide. This comprehensive resource gives you all the basic information you need to start your journey in the world of loyalty programs and travel rewards. There's a lot of information to digest, so make sure to watch the replay of episode four and start working toward your first award trip.
Show notes:
- 8:20 - What are points and miles?
- 14:22 - How do you earn points and miles?
- 16:40 - Why should I use a credit card?
- 21:55 - What credit card should I get?
- 26:50 - Common terms on the site
- 30:53 - Q&A
- 31:22 - Tracking credit cards and fees
- 32:37 - Should you close a card that you're not using?
- 34:14 - How do decide that annual fees are worth it?
- 36:40 - How do you decide if an airline card is worth it?
- 38:50 - Strategies for looking for award seats for more than one person
- 41:09 - Should you leverage more than one points program?
- 43:22 - What are the best strategies for finding airline award availability?
- 49:16 - Now what do I do?
- 51:30 - Application restrictions
- 53:15 - Best program to use when booking award flights
Follow on reading and important links:
TPG beginner's guide: Everything you need to know about points, miles, airlines and credit cards
TPG's monthly valuations of points and miles
Maximizing online shopping portals
How Do You Keep Track of Your Points and Miles?
The best ways to maximize Air Canada's Aeroplan program
AnnualCreditReport.com - free credit reports authorized by Federal law
Chase's 5/24 rule: Everything you need to know
Bottom Line
Be sure to catch all the future TPG Talks webinars live by registering for your spot. You can catch all of our upcoming live events across all of our online channels through our master calendar. You can also re-watch recordings of all previous TPG Talks on the TPG Learning Hub.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app