Schedule
Friday November 8, 2024
- First Class Check-in (speakers and first class ticket holders only)
- Opening Party at Sidecar Social 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm includes dinner!
Saturday November 9, 2024
- Conference sessions 9 am to 5 pm
- First Class Lounge 8:30 am to 5:30 pm (First Class ticket holders only!)
- Saturday night themed party 8:30 pm to Midnight (Theme TBD)
Sunday November 10, 2024
- Conference sessions 9 am to 5 pm
See below for our 2023 Schedule
9:00 AM Opening Ceremony
Join us for a fun opening ceremony with your MC, Emily Cooper from Emily Eats and Explores, and your host Ashley Peterson from Ashley Gets Around.
10:00 AM You Don’t Need 20 cards to earn Enough Points to Travel in Style. Speaker: Julia Menez
Whether you're looking to supplement the points you're earning through Credit cards or looking to earn more points using the cards you already have, this session will go over different methods for how to earn more points without opening 20 cards, and how to decide which methods make sense for you.
11:00 AM Best Tools for Finding Award Flights. Speaker: Allison Tackette
Have you ever struggled to find flight and hotel availability? Searching for flights can make you feel lost as you bounce between Air Canada to Virgin Atlantic. During this session, you'll hear about the top tools for searching for award availability. These tools will help reduce the time you search for awards and make them more successful.
12:00 PM Family Award Travel
Feeling overwhelmed by that airfare cost multiplied for 3, 4, 5 or more people, or the prospect of paying for two rooms to accommodate your family? Join Lauren, Lindsay and Nicole to learn about award travel strategies that have allowed our families to see the world without breaking the bank. We will cover everything from 2-player points earning strategies and whether chasing elite status is worth it for family travelers, to finding flight award availability for multiple passengers.
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Join us for a lunch at the hotel
2:00 PM Travel Hacking Disney
Join our Disney experts and learn how to make your most magical day ever, not your most expensive day ever. They’ve been to every Disney park in the world and will cover everything from Disney Vacation Club to Disability Access Service (DAS pass)
You will learn cash saving tips, ways to redeem your points and miles for free tickets, and learn how to buy Disney vacation club points to stay on property for hundreds less per night.
3:00 PM Southwest: Tips, Tricks, and Companion Pass Speaker: Beth Vermillion
Join us for an all-encompassing Southwest session, where we talk about one of the most loved budget airlines. Learn how to earn and maximize Southwest companion pass. Also, how to find low cost points, award flights, how to earn and utilize LUV vouchers in this session.
4:00 PM How to Earn Hyatt Globalist without Staying 60 Nights. Speaker: Jess Field
Think you need to stay 60 nights at Hyatts to earn Globalist status? Think again! Jess has managed to achieve Globalist status for 3 years in a row without spending two months in a hotel. That means huge savings for her family with free breakfast, suite upgrades, free parking, and more! In this session she'll show you how you can do it, too!
4:45 PM SURPRISE ACTIVITY
We'd love to tell you what we have planned yet, but let's just say come to play.
Conference Schedule Saturday
Sessions are 45 minutes. Each session includes time for Q&A from the audience. We have two sessions running concurrently.
10:00 AM How to devise a credit card strategy: Tips from a traveler with 35 cards. Speaker: Senitra Horbrook
When it comes to credit cards is “the more, the merrier”? If you want to earn millions of points and miles to travel for nearly free, the answer is “yes.” In this session, Senitra will share how she’s come to have three dozen credit cards and still maintain an excellent credit score with the goal of helping you devise your own credit card sign-up strategy. We’ll discuss which cards to apply for, whether paying those pesky annual fees is worth it, how long to keep credit cards, which ones you can reapply for again after closing, and why it’s nearly impossible to run out of new cards to get.
11:00 AM Cash vs Points Speaker: Miguel Rueda
When should you pay for travel with points and when should you use cash? What is a point actually worth? In this session you will learn about how to calculate the value of your points and miles, and when to opt for cash over points.
12:00 PM Booking an ANA Round the World Ticket. Speakers: Devan and Kelsi Sullivan
Want to fly around the world in business class for as little as 105K AMEX points and $400? The ANA Around the World ticket allows you to add up to 12 different stops on your journey and it is considered one of the best redemptions in the points and miles space! In this session you will learn tips and tricks on how to navigate this complex booking. We will go over the best way to search for award space, how to verify that it is not a phantom award space, and last but not least, how to finally book it with ANA.
2:00 PM Travel Hacking while on Active Duty Speaker: Devan Sullivan
Want a free trip to the Bahamas EVERY single year...for the rest of your life? Want to learn the in's and out's of traveling "bougie on a military budget"? Travel hacking while on active duty in the US military, or being the spouse of an active duty member, will save you thousands!! In this session we will go over the keys to travel hacking while on active duty and how to maximize your military benefits while you serve our country.
3:00 PM Travel Hacking with Student loans or Debt Panel
It is not wrong to travel with debt. In this session you will learn how to optimize your points and miles while paying back student loans and/or getting out of debt. Learn what goes into your credit score and how to increase your score while travel hacking. Learn how to earn points and miles while paying for school for you or your kids.
4:00 PM Living At The Marriott For $50/Night: Everything You Need To Know To Maximize Your Spend With Marriott Bonvoy. Speaker: Ashley McCurdy
In this session Ashley will share techniques on how she finds deals at Marriott properties around the world for less than $50/night, free upgrades to suites along with free dinner & cocktails every night of her stay.
Ashley will also share how to earn Titanium Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy for less than $2K without using any points. And she will also be sharing some of her favorite point redemptions.
Sunday Session Schedule
Sessions are 45 minutes including time for Q&A from the audience
9:00 AM Stacking to Maximize your Rewards. Speaker: Ginny Grady
Wish there was a way to earn more points with your everyday expenses without opening another credit card? You can, thanks to stacking! During this session, you will learn my step-by-step process for building stacks. You will discover how to combine credit card offers, shopping portals, and more to earn extra points while saving money.
10:00 AM Navigating the Seas of Frugal Cruising. Speaker: Ryan Horn
In this session, we will reveal the secret to saving money while cruising. Discover how to navigate through the vast ocean of cruises while unlocking hidden savings that will have you sailing in style without breaking the bank. In this session, we will explore a myriad of strategies including taking advantage of cruise stock purchase programs, capitalizing on “wave season", harnessing the power of the American Express Cruise Privileges program, earning free cruises through status match promotions, and so much more. Prepare to embark on a thrilling voyage as we unveil clever tips and hacks to make your dream cruise an affordable reality.
11:00 AM Your Rights When Things go Wrong. Speaker: Janelle
Canceled flights, delayed baggage, and other travel woes occasionally happen. In this session will learn what your rights are as a consumer, what credit card benefits you can use to get reimbursed for these issues, and how to earn points from airlines and hotels when things go wrong.
12:00 PM Hotel and Car Rental Secrets. Speaker: Ben Komenkul
I found ways around corporate hotels and car rental budgets. You can still find great value and luxury when living on the road. I will take you through my hotel booking process and how to use the discounts that make sense when you pay cash. Also using credit card perks and status matching will improve your rental car experience. Imagine always booking a compact and driving off the lot with a new Audi SUV for no extra charge. Let’s save your $$$$ on your next vacation when you pay cash. No points needed.
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Lunch Break
2:00 PM 2 Player Mode. Speaker: Sierra Smith
Discover the power of 2-Player mode. What is a Player 2? Does your Tinder date count? And what about authorized users? In this session you will learn what it means to activate Player 2 mode and how it can catapult your rewards earning potential. You will leave with the game-changing strategies to optimize points/miles earned from intro offers and referral bonuses when two players join forces. You'll learn how to tap into airline companion passes, unlock little-known travel perks, and learn exactly which credit cards will help you get there. You and your P2 will be sipping champagne from lie-flat seats in no time. Play on, Playa 2!
3:00 PM How to Earn 1 Million Amex Points or More! Speaker: Kamree Price
Ready to break into American Express?! This session is spilling the tea on how I've earned over a million Amex points in the last year without spending a million dollars and how you can too! We'll begin with an intro to Membership Rewards, then we'll get into the nitty gritty and start diving deep. We'll cover some of the Amex hidden benefits and how you can set yourself up for targeted offers WITHOUT the "once in a lifetime language" - this means you can get recurring welcome bonuses (which is a unicorn in the world of Amex). If you're ready to start earning or maximizing Amex Membership Rewards then this session should not be missed!
4:00 PM How to be a Luxury Housesitter to Travel More, Stay Longer, and Spend Less. Speakers: Chris and Ellen
Chris and Ellen invite you to explore the hidden gem of house sitting as a travel strategy. Drawing from their personal experiences and successful house sitting journey, they'll guide you through the practical steps to transform your travel experiences. Learn the intricacies of creating a compelling house sitter profile, navigating responsibilities, and successfully securing luxury house sits. This engaging session combines valuable tips and real-life anecdotes, equipping you to experience more of the world for less.
9:00 AM How to Book the Most Aspirational First Class Products; Solo & Family Travel. Panel: Tommy, Traci. Moderator: Mariah
In this discussion section we are going to discuss everything you need to know about booking the world's most aspirational first class products! We are going to cover everything from the best products, where to find them, when they’ll release seats, upgrade strategies. Traci will be sharing her expert advice, tips and tricks on doing all of the luxury travel things while traveling with a group/family.
10:00 AM How to Get Status without Staying. Speakers: Connie Wang and Angel Trinh
Want to get treated like you’re a frequent traveler but you don’t travel enough to get status? There are lots of ways to get free status and in this session Connie and Angel will teach you how! You’ll learn lots of free or cheap ways to get treated like you have status without actually having status.
11:00 AM Traveling with a Disability
Curious about what it's like to travel with a disability? In this session you'll learn about your rights while traveling, things to make your trip better, and more.
12:00 PM How to Hack your Honeymoon (and wedding) with Points and Miles. Speaker: Mackenize Alameda
Your wedding and honeymoon are two of the most expensive events you will ever pay for. In this session, you will learn how to take an epic honeymoon with points and miles. How to maximize your wedding expenses to earn more points, including wedding stacks. You will also learn how to leverage weddings even if you're not the one getting married, like how to maximize points earnings as a bridesmaid or if you are planning bachelor parties.
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Lunch Break
2:00 PM Why Airline Status Matters Panel
Join experts from American, United, Delta and Alaska on why they think their program is the best. In this session you will learn how to maximize your airline status benefits, maximize your upgrades and how to earn status for less. Bring your airline status questions to have the experts answer.
3:00 PM How to Make Work-ations Happen with Kids. Speaker: Amena Bakali
We often hear about the perks of remote work - being able to travel with limited PTO definitely takes some skill and strategy. But what happens when you have the flexibility, and kids in tow? Learn how to have amazing travel experiences with your family, while working remotely and juggling everyday childcare responsibilities. How to plan, what to expect, and the do's and don'ts - hear how we have made work-ations work for us, including a bucket-list item of spending a month in Europe!
4:00 PM Stay at 5-Star Resorts for Less than $100/night
How timeshares are an underutilized resource for cheap hotel rooms in the points and miles world. In this session you will learn how to leverage timeshare opportunities for cheap hotel nights at 5-star resorts. Tips include how to afford 1 and 2 bedroom properties so your family can stay in luxury for less.
4:45 PM Closing Ceremony
Join us for an epic closing ceremony!
Take a sneak peek at some sessions
- Discover how to attain Hyatt Globalist status without staying 60 nights
- Learn about commonly missed points and miles opportunities for cruises
- Understand your rights and how to earn points when things go wrong
- Explore how to earn 1 million Amex points with everyday spending
- Gain insights on booking complex award flights
- Learn tips and tricks for travel hacking at Disney
- How to stay in Marriott hotels for $500 a week
- Join a panel discussion on traveling with a disability
- Learn everything about transferable points from A to Z
- Discover the secrets of staying in French Chateaus for free through housesitting
- Get an introduction to stacking for optimal rewards
- Gain insights into airline status and how to maximize it
- Learn how to travel hack with kids
- And much more!
