I Quit...to Travel

Award Travel 101

Angie and Joe are off traveling this week, so Mike takes over the podcast with community member Erin Kilpatrick to discuss her “mid-life renaissance” this year which would not have been possible without award travel.
Thrifty Traveler Premium
Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code "AT101" for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Again, you can find them at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium

All about Erin

• Start in award travel
• First rewards card
• First personal award trip
• Joined AT 101 in 2018 and 201 in 2020.
• This Year- Mid-life renaissance!

Countries Visited

• Ecuador (Galapagos), Uruguay, England/Wales, Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Sweden

Upcoming

• Portugal, Turkiye, Brazil, Germany, Tunisia

Save with CardPointers

Preparation

• Normal card applications, ~3-4/year, no particular plan
• Last minute decision to quit and take this journey
  • Opened Hilton Surpass and Hilton Business
  • Opened Barclays AA Aviator Red - 60k miles
  • Bought some Choice points (US Travel Association promo)
• Started the journey with ~ 2 million points/miles

By the Numbers Thus Far

• 4.5 months
• 50 hotel award nights: 50
• 58 paid nights: (cheap in S. America)
• 40 other nights free w/ friends/family, volunteer work
• 12 award flights
• 9 cash flights ($2000)

Solo Travel Summary

• Full social calendar
• Met fellow travelers
• Visit friends around the world
• Met up with friends/family when paths cross
• The more you travel, the more people you meet from around the world to network and socialize with in the future

Money Savings Tips

• Pick low cost of living countries
• Stay in one place longer
• Grocery store
• Stay flexible- refundable fare on discount airlines
• Negotiate directly with locals vs third party

What Erin Has Learned

• Diversification! Variety of points and mile currencies.
• Focus on the more important things in life
• Hilton program- 5th night free
• Choice Hotels - secret of Europe
• Amex uber credits work in Ecuador (USD)
• Capital One Points- Redeem through Capital One statement credits vs Travel portal.
• Fringe benefits of the award travel credit cards/status
• Priority Pass - Most lounges are great outside the US, even in tiny airports.
• Delta status- free bags on partner airli

Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community
For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community.

1. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community
2. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
3. You can also email us at [e-mail].
4. Our next meetup is located in SEATTLE on AUGUST 16–18, 2024. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit "Out to SEA" on the award.travel website.

Support the AT101 Podcast/Community