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Credit Card BS Podcast
A Stanford student and a UC Berkeley graduate share everything you need to know about the world of Credit Card Points and Luxury Travel. UC Berkeley graduate Shaun Lane created and taught the world's first and only univeristy level for-credit course on Credit Card Rewards. Stanford Student Sherwin Lai has amassed millions of credit card points and has taken vacations all over the world nearly for free. If you listen to this podcast, you will find yourself traveling to the world's best destinations for cheaper than you could possibly imagine.
Episodes
176 episodes
US Bank Finally Launched Transfer Partners: Are they good?
At long last, US Bank has released the transfer partners they had promised for the Altitude Reserve. We give you our honest take on whether they are good.
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SECRET CARD: Wells Fargo Premier Autograph
Did you know Wells Fargo has a secret flavor of the Autograph Journey card, the Premier Autograph Infinite? We walk through the special perks of this card, why you might want to get it, and how to get it.
NEW AA Executive Card Refresh
Citi is refreshing the high-end American Airlines Executive Card. Are the improvements worth the increased annual fee?
Marriott Devaluation After Hotel Owners Rebel Against Corporate
Hotel owners want better reimbursements from Marriott corporate for points stays in light of the credit card revenue of the loyalty program. We discuss how this might be connected to devaluations for Bonvoy members.
Amex Hilton Business Card Refresh Coming?
Amex recently sent out a survey of potential changes to the Hilton Business credit card. We walk through the confusing matrices of strange fee and benefit combinations and make our predictions. We also share our thoughts on what changes would a...
Airport Lounge Waitlist Tricks (Amex, Chase, and Capital One)
As airport lounges have become overcrowded, they have started putting guests on waitlists. But what if there was a way to enter the waitlist before even getting to the lounge so you don't need to go and return? We break down how the waitlist sy...
Cathay Pacific Devaluation: Sweet Spot Business to Asia Gone?
Exactly as transpacific premium award space dries up, the programs that unlock it (Cathay Asia Miles, Aeroplan) are devaluing the precise Asia sweet spots, a double squeeze on the premium-cabin Asia routes we know and love.
A Silver Lining of the Emirates Devaluation
Emirates' May 20, 2026 Skywards devaluation raised most premium awards ~15%, but the new one-way business Saver tier is a win, especially on fifth-freedom routes nobody talks about.
BREAKING: Chase DECIMATES Hyatt Transfers
Chase has just announced that points transfers to World of Hyatt will be devalued to a 4:3 ratio on the Sapphire Preferred. We break down what you need to do about it now, and analyze why this is such a shocking change and what it means for the...
American Is Killing Close-In Partner Award Space
American is cracking down on points brokers by limiting its close-in award space to partners, but it quietly kills one of the best AAdvantage hacks for regular people.
Stop Paying for Authorized Users
One common way to allow family members to access airport lounges and other premium credit card benefits is to add them as an authorized user. But this usually comes with a fee, and as we argue, is not the optimal strategy. We discuss what you s...
The Future of Chase Points (After the Hyatt Devaluation)
Chase points were considered so valuable by many people because of its hotel transfer partner Hyatt. Now that Hyatt has significantly devalued its award chart, how should we reassess the value and best use cases for Chase points?
Hyatt Hotels to Book Before the Devaluation
Hyatt is devaluing its award chart next week. We discuss the properties you should prioritize locking in at the current pricing before the changes take effect.
Amex Graphite Card: What's the Point?
American Express has launched a new confusing card: the Amex Graphite Card. What's the point of this card, and why might someone want to pay its $295 annual fee? We discuss the narrow circumstances under which it might make sense and go ...
Rakuten Credit Card: Secret Way to Earn More Amex Points
What if we told you there was a way to earn 4x Amex points on almost all your online shopping? We explore the potential lucrative returns you can get from the not-often-discussed Rakuten Credit Card and who it might work well for.
Hyatt Devaluapocalypse is Here (2026)
Hyatt award chart and award category changes are taking effect next month. We analyze the effect and significance of these changes. Learn about what actions you need to take now to preserve the value of your points and how it affects our strate...
Citi Strata Premier Refresh
Citi recently sent out a survey to possible changes to the Citi Strata Premier card. We run through the details and how it changes the math for cardholders.
Robinhood Platinum Card: Deep Dive
We give our brutally honest review of the Robinhood Platinum Card, a new premium $695 card that is launching soon.
Hyatt Program Changes? (Watered Down Globalist)
Hyatt sent out a recent survey that foreshadows possible changes to its loyalty program. We discuss what this means for the future of World of Hyatt.
Citi Hotel Partner Devaluations & New Chase Partner
Citi is changing the transfer ratio to Choice and I Prefer hotels. Chase and BILT are adding Wyndham. We discuss the significance of these changes.
FAKE 5-Star Hotels?! ("Points Farms")
"Points farms" are hotel properties that charge way higher prices than can be justified by their service and quality but are able to get away with it because of how many people stay there on points. We discuss this phenomenon, how the economics...
Guide to Confirmable Suite Upgrades (Hyatt vs. Marriott vs. IHG vs. Hilton)
We break down how hotel Confirmable Suite Upgrade awards work at each of the major chain programs: Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, and Hilton. We discuss key similarities and differences among as well as the relative pros and cons of the programs. And so...
Should You Get the Amex Business Gold?
We discuss the details and benefits of the Amex Business Gold card and whether it's worth getting. It turns out its value proposition is geared toward a very specific type of customer.