
157. Shifting My Strategy: Why I'm Pursuing Status in Multiple Programs This Year
From Point Me To First Class by Devon Gimbel MD
March 2, 2026 · 43 min
About this episode
Devon Gimbel MD discusses his new strategy of pursuing status in multiple loyalty programs and the considerations behind it.
For the first time in over a decade, I'm actively chasing status in multiple loyalty programs—and it's a major shift from my usual points strategy. Historically, status hasn't been a focus for me beyond Hyatt Globalist. But this year, I'm pursuing top-tier or near top-tier status in four programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bilt Platinum, Air France Flying Blue Platinum, and American Airlines Platinum Pro. Listen in as I walk through why these specific statuses suddenly jumped to the top of my priority list, what benefits justify the effort required to earn them, and my exact plan for qualifying for each one. I also share the four key questions to ask yourself before chasing any status, because the reality is that you don't need status to have a successful award travel experience. From understanding opportunity costs to accessing status benefits through credit cards instead, this episode covers how to evaluate whether pursuing status actually makes sense for your travel style and goals. Whether you're considering your own status strategy for the year or feeling confident about not chasing status at all, this episode will help you think strategically about how loyalty program status fits…
People in this episode
Host: Devon Gimbel MD
Topics covered
- loyalty programs
- travel strategy
- status chasing
- award travel
- points strategy
Keywords
- loyalty status
- Hyatt Globalist
- Bilt Platinum
- Air France Flying Blue Platinum
- American Airlines Platinum Pro
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Hyatt, Bilt, Air France, American Airlines, Point Me To First Class
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