Program expertise and portal habits

Episode 166 of the Award Travel 101 podcast introduces new team member Laura Kofoid, who joins host Angie Sparks for a casual conversation about her background and entry into the points-and-miles hobby. Laura shares how she discovered travel rewards after retiring from a long IT career and looking for a new hobby, eventually becoming deeply engaged in maximizing loyalty programs. The episode also highlights a fun community post debating airplane seat preferences, where most travelers favored window views but often chose aisle seats for practicality—except for parents, who frequently opt for the middle seat to sit between family members.

In the news segment, Angie and Laura discuss several updates in the travel rewards world. These include a new partnership between Marriott and Ethiopian Airlines (though with a less favorable transfer ratio), changes to Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles award chart coming in May 2026, and the addition of Wyndham as a transfer partner for Bilt Rewards, further strengthening Bilt’s growing ecosystem. They also critique a newly launched Amex business cash-back card, noting its high annual fee and lack of transferable rewards. Laura shares her recent strategy of picking up United business credit cards due to her Denver hub, while Angie continues searching for valuable new card offers.

The episode wraps with a deeper “Meet the Mods” feature on Laura, where she reflects on her biggest wins—like using Hyatt points for a six-night stay in Kauai—and lessons learned, including costly booking mistakes and missed opportunities with sign-up bonuses. She explains her shift from full-price cruising to more strategic travel with upgraded flights and hotel stays. Laura emphasizes her preference for Chase and Amex ecosystems and offers a simple but valuable tip of the week: “HUCA” (Hang Up, Call Again), encouraging persistence when dealing with customer service in travel bookings.

Episode Links:

• Marriott-Ethiopian Partnership
• Cathay Devaluation
• Amex Graphite Biz
• Bilt Adds Wyndham

Where to Find Us

1. The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
2. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
3. You can also email us at 101@award.travel
4. Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
5. Reserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026

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