Incredible Trip to New Zealand on Points, Plus a Trip to the Freddie Awards

In this podcast episode, Joe and Mike discuss various topics related to award travel and recent promotions. They feature a trip report by Award Travel 101 member Nicole, who shares how she creatively used expiring Marriott Free Night Awards along with other points and miles for a trip to trip to New Zealand.They also cover news such as Hyatt's acquisition of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a recent United Polaris booking frenzy which prompted trips to Australia.Additionally, the hosts recap their recent travels, including Mike's family trip to the Grand Canyon, and preview future trips. Lastly Joe details his experience at the results of the Freddie Awards, celebrating standout performers in travel loyalty programs, with Marriott and Aeroplan receiving top honors across several categories. See more in the Award Travel 101 Community. Awards UsedMarriott Free Night Award certificate.55K Alaska miles +$51 per person 65K AA miles + $47.27 per person (one card bonus could net those miles)Links to news and offersMarriott Free Night Award certificate.Hyatt Acquisition of Mr. & Mrs. SmithHyatt Bonus Journeys - 3K points every 2 nights Where to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at [email protected] your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Late Summer 2026 Meetup in Milwaukee now. award.travel/mke2026Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.