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Award Travel 101Author: Award Travel 101 Team
Welcome to the Award Travel 101 Podcast! Founded in 2013 with just 20 members, the Award Travel 101 Facebook group teaches members how to travel the world using points and miles. Today, a community of over 100,000 people from around the world share, teach and learn how to travel anywhere on any budget. Where are you going with Award Travel? Language: en-us Genres: Education, Places & Travel, Self-Improvement, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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IHG Credit Card Refresh
Episode 193
Friday, 9 October, 2026
Episode 193 of the Award Travel 101 podcast covers a busy week of points-and-miles news before diving deep into the major revamp of the IHG One Rewards credit card lineup. Cameron and Angie discuss October Flying Blue Promo Rewards, several transfer bonuses from Amex, Capital One, Citi, and Rove, the new Air France/KLM card offer, the United Explorer bonus, and Bilt’s upcoming devaluation of transfers to Hyatt. They also share personal updates, including Angie’s successful Brilliant welcome bonus and ongoing search for Ireland and Australia award flights, while Cameron discusses using Bilt and Strat Elite credits for airport transportation in Bangkok. The episode also touches on the growing challenge of using monthly credits, with the hosts discussing whether some card credits are becoming more trouble than they’re worth.The main topic is Chase and IHG’s sweeping overhaul of the IHG card portfolio, which introduces the $350 IHG One Rewards Premier Select card while significantly changing the existing Premier, no-annual-fee, and Business cards. The new premium card offers a 200,000-point welcome bonus, substantial food-and-beverage and airline credits, 20 elite-night credits, a 60,000-point anniversary certificate, stronger earning potential, and a path toward Diamond status through spending. Meanwhile, the existing cards receive higher annual fees, new credits, additional elite-night benefits, higher Free Night Award caps, and larger welcome offers—but also some meaningful downgrades, including reduced status levels and changes to earning categories. The hosts weigh whether the new benefits justify the increased fees and discuss the uncertain future of the legacy $49 IHG Select card. Angie closes with a timely reminder to start using quarterly credits at the beginning of each quarter rather than waiting until the last minute.Episode Links:Flying Blue Promo AwardsAir France KLM card offerAmex to Flying Blue bonusRove transfer bonusesCapital One transfer bonusesBilt to devalue HyattUnited Explorer cardIHG card refreshWhere 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 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027Our 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.
