Redeeming Amex Membership Rewards with Brian Cohen

Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast

Justin Vacula and special guest Brian Cohen of Award Magic discuss optimizing American Express membership rewards for flights, hotel stays, and cashback. Justin and Brian address listener questions about speculative transfers and the ANA round-the-world sweet spot. Justin and Brian provide strategies for earning and redeeming points, managing credit cards effectively, and navigating the world of miles and points. 00:00 Introduction to Low-Cost Travel with Points and Miles 01:08 Announcements and Upcoming Events 02:57 Interview with Brian Cohen: Redeeming Membership Rewards 03:03 Travel Experiences and Booking Strategies 06:14 American Express Redemptions and Strategies 14:12 Maximizing Credit Card Rewards 27:12 Client's Last-Minute Travel Dilemma 27:45 Positioning Flights: Tips and Tricks 31:11 Hotel Points and Transfers 34:39 Cashing Out Membership Rewards 36:49 Speculative Transfers and Airline Miles 38:32 Listener Questions and ANA Round the World Ticket 39:43 Amex Goals and Strategies for 2024 40:39 Cheesecake Factory and Gift Card Hacks 43:44 United Travel Bank and Future Plans 47:29 Community and Events 48:57 Final Thoughts and Recommendations 53:34 Closing Remarks and Upcoming Events -- Main website, including episode transcripts: https://hurdygurdytravelpodcast.com Referral links: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ Join me for in-person meetups I host in Willow Grove, PA: https://www.meetup.com/phillymilesandpoints/ SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdy-gurdy-travel SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8EcIcoNU1HK4KKhQtTkAWw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast Google Play: https://www.play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/l5bmuntd4wpvtklvg42ejg42ejg4apiu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/HGTravelPodcast Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/justinvacula Copy and paste the podcast RSS feed -- http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss -- to listen on your favorite podcast-playing platform!