Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast

Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast

Travel the world at next to no cost with credit card rewards!

Episodes

November 14, 2025 53 mins
Earn the Southwest Companion Pass in 2026 In this Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast episode, Justin sits down with Max Craig from Points to the Max to break down exactly how to earn and maximize the Southwest Companion Pass for 2026. We cover the best timing for points, which cards to open (and when), stacking strategies, and what recent program tweaks mean for your plan. Whether you’re brand-new to points or already flying regularly,...
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Miles, Points, Casino Loyalty, Travel, and ZorkFest 2025 - Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Join host Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he discusses how to travel at low cost using points & miles and credit cards. Special guest Joseph Petrovic shares his experience with miles & points and the upcoming event ZorkFest 2025. Justin and Joe also delve into topics like credit card rewards, casino loyalty programs, travel, ...
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November 3, 2025 30 mins
Justin Vacula welcomes back Carissa Rawson from Rove Miles to break down Rove’s newest transfer partner, Miles & More, and the sweet spots you should know. We cover smart redemptions, credit credit card strategy, stacking tips, and what’s new in points and miles. Save money on travel and travel better with Rove and credit card miles and points! Chapters 00:00 Intro to Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast 00:44 Guest intro: Carissa Rawson...
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October 30, 2025 49 mins
Earning MGM Gold and Platinum Status in 2026 - Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Ready to earn comped cruises, waived resort fees, dining credits, and more? Justin Vacula and returning co-host Darren break down practical paths to MGM Gold and Platinum for 2026, how the MGM credit cards fits in, and smart stacking with myVEGAS and other casino loyalty programs. Chapters 00:00 Intro to low-cost travel with points and miles 00:32 Meet the...
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October 23, 2025 48 mins
Maximize Travel Rewards with JetBlue’s 25 for 25 Promotion with James He How do you turn one wild promo into 25 years of Mosaic status and 350,000 TrueBlue points? In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, Justin Vacula chats with James He to unpack JetBlue’s 25 for 25 promo from planning to execution. We chat: Real Mosaic benefits that matter in practice Smart routing, rebooking, and other tips that save time and poi...
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October 16, 2025 51 mins
The New York Times says people like us open lots of credit cards, pocket big bonuses, and somehow still have high credit scores. They call it ‘taking advantage of loopholes’ and ‘exploiting,’ but I call it using credit intelligently and responsibly within the system the banks established. Play your cards right, and you win the miles and points game. My co-host Darren and I respond to the article and the comments. Timestamps 00:00 ...
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Unlock Double Rewards + Hotel Points with Rove’s New Loyalty Eligible feature Host Justin Vacula dives into Rove’s biggest update yet with guest Carissa Rawson from Rove. Learn how Loyalty Eligible hotel bookings let you earn hotel points, elite night credits, status perks, and Rove Miles on the same stay. What you’ll learn How Loyalty Eligible bookings earn hotel points and elite credits while also earning Rove Miles Stacking ...
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October 9, 2025 47 mins
Professor of Points: Unlocking Low-Cost Travel with Credit Card Rewards Host Justin Vacula sits down with Hunter Threadgill (aka the Professor of Points) to unpack practical strategies for turning credit card points and miles into real trips. We cover earning frameworks, smart redemptions, recent travel wins, and how to answer the arguments against credit card use. Hunter also previews Frequent Traveler University events and share...
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October 4, 2025 52 mins
Maximizing Credit Card Rewards with CardPointers: An Interview with Brooke In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses maximizing credit card rewards with guest Brooke, a representative from CardPointers. They delve into the benefits of the CardPointers app and browser extension, which help users automatically activate offers and identify the best cards for specific purchases to maximize point...
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September 28, 2025 54 mins
Justin Vacula explores smart travel hacks and credit-card reward strategies that keep trips affordable—then dives into ZorkFest 2025 (Dec 5–7, Las Vegas). Guest Michael Trager shares the conference’s origin story, what’s new for 2025, and how casino loyalty stacks with airline/hotel programs. We also tackle Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts in Vegas, cashback vs. travel cards, and why gamblers should be interested in miles & points. 🎟 T...
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Welcome to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast! 🎻 Justin and co-host Darren explain the sudden Comenity/Bread Financial shutdowns—what likely triggered them, how to de-risk, and smart pivots to keep earning points & miles. Breaking news: a War on Happiness report: sudden account shutdowns, why they maybe happened, and why it was absolutely worth it. Accounts closed, no email, no warning, just mass confusion and zeroed credit limits. ...
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September 12, 2025 46 mins
Common Mistakes in Points and Miles by Justin Vacula
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Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: Rove Miles Dream Job Promotion - One Million Miles! with Carissa Rawson Join host Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he speaks with Carissa Rawson, Director of Travel and Marketing at Rove Miles. They discuss the exciting 'Global Adventure Officer' dream job promotion, offering a million miles as salary and a travel stipend to a lucky traveler. Find the link here: https://dreamjob.rove...
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September 6, 2025 48 mins
Matthew Yglesias Misses the Point: Maximizing Credit Card Rewards with Minimal 'Mental Load' In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses how to make money, save money, and travel with minimal cost using credit card points, miles, benefits, and loyalty programs. The discussion centers on writer Matthew Yglesias's recent tweet criticizing the 'mental load' of optimizing credit card reward catego...
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September 1, 2025 44 mins
Rove Miles with Carissa Rawson by Justin Vacula
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Unlocking Travel Rewards: Beginner's Guide to Points & Miles with ChatGPT Voice! Join Justin Vacula, host of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, as he introduces you to the exciting world of travel with points and miles. This episode, featuring AI co-host ChatGPT Voice, is perfect for beginners looking to save money on travel through credit card rewards, miles, and loyalty programs. Discover how to turn everyday spending into amaz...
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August 18, 2025 56 mins
Discover the Upcoming Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card! | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren dive deep into the highly anticipated Alaska Airlines Premium Credit Card. This card is expected to launch with a strong welcome bonus, valuable ongoing benefits, and powerful travel perks. Whether you’re a frequent flyer with Alaska Airlines or a travel h...
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Breaking News: New Caesars Rewards Prestige Visa Signature Credit Card! Join host Justin Vacula on the latest episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast where he shares breaking news about the newly released Caesars Rewards Prestige Visa Signature Credit Card. With guest Darren, Justin dives deep into the benefits, drawbacks, and considerations of this exciting new offering. Learn about its benefits, Tier Credit earning potential...
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Love on the Spectrum Stars Tina Caruso and Pari Kim | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Join Justin Vacula of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he chats with Tina and Pari, stars of Netflix's 'Love on the Spectrum' Season 3. Recorded at the Hyatt Place Medford near Boston, this episode dives into a candid and heartfelt conversation about Tina's and Pari's journey, the joys of public transit, and the impact of finding love. Pari, a pu...
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June 24, 2025 57 mins
Chase Sapphire Reserve Changes and New Credit Card Strategies In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsberg discuss major upcoming changes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. They cover the new signup bonuses, travel credits, dining credits, and other benefits such as lounge access and IHG Platinum status. The hosts delve into strategies for maximizing these benefits, ...
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