What Points Did We Earn & Burn in 2025?

Episode 152 of the Award Travel 101 podcast covers a wide range of timely award travel news, recent booking challenges, and a deep dive into how Angie and Cameron are thinking about points earning as they look ahead to 2026. The hosts open with a community highlight about delayed Amex-to-Delta transfers, reminding listeners that transfers may still be usable even if balances don’t immediately update, and that transfer times vary by program. In the news segment, they discuss several changes affecting travelers, including airlines rolling out free in-flight internet, American Airlines eliminating mileage earning on Basic Economy tickets booked after December 17, Chase reducing Points Boost values for The Edit hotels, and Bilt adding Spirit Airlines as a transfer partner.Both hosts then share recent bonuses, trips, and booking experiences—good and bad. Angie notes difficulties using Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts credits due to pricing and availability, as well as a frustrating phantom award space issue on United. Cameron details multiple upcoming trips, including booking LATAM business class to Chile via Virgin, taking advantage of a limited Amex-to-Virgin transfer bonus, and finding strong premium economy value on Air France, even if logistics made it less appealing. These examples highlight how flexible points strategies and constant monitoring are often required to secure good redemptions.The main topic focuses on how many points were earned and spent this year and what that means for 2026. Angie describes a relatively slow year for new card openings but significant spending on major trips, leaving her overall points-positive while planning to cancel or downgrade several cards and target a few specific additions next year. Cameron reports earning 1.8 million points, realizing how heavily he relied on American Airlines miles, and deciding to prioritize earning more of them going forward. The episode wraps with a reminder that calendar-year credits—especially Amex credits—are about to expire, urging listeners to use them before the deadline.Episode Links:Atmos Free StarlinkAmerican No earning on basic economyChase reduces Points Boost on the EditBilt adds SpiritWhere 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.