601 | Travel Rewards 101 | Devon Gimbel from Point Me to First Class
About this episode
Devon Gimbel discusses the evolution and strategies of travel rewards, emphasizing the importance of credit card selection and spending habits.
Devon Gimbel just booked over $250,000 in travel last year using credit card points—but she's the first to tell you award travel isn't "free." It's a strategy for 10x-ing your existing travel budget by strategically matching your routine spending to the right credit cards. Since ChooseFI's original Travel Rewards 101 in 2017, the landscape has matured: annual fees are higher, issuer rules are stricter, and new players like Bilt have revolutionized the game by letting you earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Yet the fundamentals remain: with deliberate card selection and an understanding of transferable points currencies, it's still entirely possible to unlock one to two meaningful trips per year—whether that's economy flights to national parks or first-class seats to Tokyo. Key Topics Discussed 00:00:00 - Introduction and State of Travel Rewards in 2026 Brad introduces Devon Gimbel and discusses how travel rewards have evolved since ChooseFI's first Travel Rewards 101 episode in 2017. They address whether earning significant travel value is still possible despite higher annual fees and stricter rules. 00:05:30 - The Evolution of Award Travel Community Devon reflects on how…
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