Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast
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Travel the world at next to no cost with credit card rewards!
Episodes
- New Royal Caribbean Royal ONE Plus Credit Card
Justin Vacula and co-host Darren review the Bank of America Royal Caribbean Royal ONE Plus Visa Signature credit card. They discuss the 70,000-point welcome bonus, earning rates, annual fee, and perks like TSA PreCheck credit. The episode…
- Dave Ramsey Show: Horrible Relationship and Money Advice!
Justin Vacula provides a reaction to a Dave Ramsey Show episode where a caller discusses $90,000 in student debt and her relationship. Vacula questions the advice given by Ramsey and Jade Warshaw regarding the caller's financial situation…
- Points and Miles with Jason Steele
Host Justin Vacula interviews Jason Steele, founder of CardCon, on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast about the state of miles and points in 2026. They cover award travel origins, credit card fees, redemption strategies, and responsible credit…
- Rove Report with Carissa | April 2026
The Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast episode features Carissa Rawson discussing April 2026 Rove updates, including the addition of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Red as transfer partners. The discussion covers redemption opportunities, Rove's growth…
- Bilt Bulletin April 2026
The April 2026 Bilt Bulletin episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, hosted by Justin Vacula and Darren, details updates to Bilt Rewards. Topics include the new Bilt Palladium card, Points Accelerator, Bilt Cash credits, and Wyndham Rew…
- Autopilot with Sam Hollander
Autopilot Monitors Flight Price Drops After Booking | Save Money, Cash & Points | Sam Hollander Interview Justin Vacula of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast interviews Sam Hollander from Autopilot about how travelers can track flight price dr…
- Calala Island Trip Report
Justin Vacula of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast shares a full Calala Island trip report from one of the most exclusive Hilton redemptions in the world. This private ultra all-inclusive island resort in Nicaragua was booked with four Hilton…
- Bilt Bulletin: March 2026
Bilt Palladium Card: Month 1 Results | Bilt Cash, Points Accelerator, Dining & Hotel Credits Justin Vacula and returning co-host Darren evaluate their first month with the Bilt Palladium Card, including how they used Bilt Cash redemptions,…
- Booking MGM Rewards Platinum and Gold Comp Cruises
MGM Rewards Cruises: How to Book BOTH Gold & Platinum Cruises Can MGM Rewards members book both Gold and Platinum complimentary cruises in the same earned-status year? In this episode, host Justin Vacula is joined by returning guest Marc K…
- Rove Report with Carissa Rawson | March 2026
In this March 2026 Rove Report, Justin Vacula is joined by Carissa Rawson from Rove to talk about ways to earn and use points for travel. They discuss Rove’s growing list of transfer partners, as well as two major recent developments: the…
- FTU Dallas May 1st, 2026 Conference - Guest Hunter Threadgill
FTU Dallas 2026 Preview | New Venue, Speakers, Tours, Live Podcast Studio & Earn/Burn Points Frequent Traveler University Dallas is back for 2026, and host Justin Vacula is joined by returning guest Hunter Threadgill to preview everything…
- Brisbane Trip Report & Miles and Points News
Brisbane on a Delta One Flash Deal | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Justin Vacula returns home after an exciting trip to Brisbane, Australia. Frequent co-host Darren joins this episode. Justin shares highlights from the journey, including his…
- Getting Started in Miles and Points with Erik and Bill Dickerson
Miles, Points & Creative Spending: A Tribute to Bill Dickerson (Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast) Justin of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast remasters and re-releases an episode recorded 2–3 years ago with twins Eric and Bill Dickerson as a tribut…
- Gift Card Reselling with QCGC
Supercharge Points & Miles with Gift Card Reselling - QCGC Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast | Justin Vacula Justin Vacula hosts Taylor from QCGC (qcgc.io) to show how gift card reselling can help you earn more credit card points, miles, and cash…
- GetSaveWise.com with Avneesh
Save Money on Groceries & Online Shopping with SaveWise (Portals, Auto-Clipped Coupons & Stackable Offers) | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast They also dive into SaveWise’s grocery coupon auto-clipping tool (app + browser extension), which suppo…
- Get Paid to Stay on a Private Island! (I Booked It)
Exclusive $2,510 Cash Incentive at Calala Island (Nicaragua)! | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast (ft. James of the Churn and Burn Podast) In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula is joined by James from the Churn and…
- Great Value at Rio Las Vegas
Unlock Las Vegas value with this Rio Las Vegas trip report! Join Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast with co-host Darren as we break down how Hyatt Globalist benefits, smart booking strategy, and low-variance video poker can ad…
- Miles and Points with Kate's On A Plane
Unlock affordable family travel using credit card points and miles! In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula sits down with Kate from Kate’s On A Plane to break down practical strategies for low-cost travel wit…
- Bilt 2.0: Obsidian vs Palladium (Which Credit Card is Best?)
BILT 2.0 Credit Cards Showdown: Palladium vs. Obsidian | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Join Justin Vacula and frequent co-host Darren for a detailed breakdown of the new BILT 2.0 premium credit cards—the Palladium vs Obsidian—and what they me…
- BILT Cash Redemptions Revealed (Pros and Cons) with James of Churn and Burn
Points accelerators, helicopter rides, dining credits, and much more with BILT atop the fantastic 2x everywhere with the BILT Palladium card! In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula is joined by James from the…
- BILT 2.0: New Credit Cards Explained (Pros and Cons)
BILT just rolled out BILT 2.0 with the card issuer Cardless, and the program looks very different compared to the past Wells Fargo version. In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, Justin Vacula and frequent co-host Darren break…
- Life is Too Short for Frequent Flier Miles? (Wall Street Journal Response)
Life is Too Short for Frequent Flyer Miles? Response to WSJ | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Is the points and miles game too complicated to be worthwhile? In this solo episode, Justin Vacula responds to a recent Wall Street Journal column, “L…
- Miles and Points with Ronnie Dunston
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula chats with travel & miles and points enthusiast Ronnie Dunston. Ronnie, a visitor of 108 countries, explains real-world strategies for traveling more (and spending less)…
- Travel in 2025 and 2026
2025 and 2026: Points, Miles & Future Adventures | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Welcome to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast with Justin Vacula, where we share practical ways to make and save money on travel using credit card points, airline mi…
- Margaritaville At Sea Trip Report
Comp cruise with Margaritaville at Sea with special guest Marc | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast How did I score a free (or nearly free) balcony suite cruise using a mix of credit card points and casino loyalty perks? In this episode of the Hur…
- Dave Ramsey vs Business Credit Cards | Response
Responding to Dave Ramsey's Credit Card Arguments | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Dave Ramsey says, “No credit cards.” I say, “It depends.” In this episode, Justin Vacula reacts to a recent Dave Ramsey clip and explains how credit cards can b…
- Comp Cruises in 2026
Comp Cruises in 2026: Earn Free Cruises with Credit Card Rewards | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Join host Justin Vacula and returning guest Marc Konchinsky on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as they explain practical strategies to earn compli…
- Earning Caesars Rewards Status in 2026
Earning Caesars Rewards Status in 2026 – Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Join host Justin Vacula and returning co-host Darren Remsburg for a deep dive into earning and maximizing Caesars Rewards status in 2026. In this episode, they break down…
- Getting Started in Miles and Points with Frank and Trey
Getting Started in Points and Miles | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula breaks down the art of using credit card points, miles, and casino loyalty programs to save money on tra…
- Rove Miles Travel Tuesday with Carissa Rawson
Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: Maximizing Points & Miles with Carissa Rawson of Rove In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula chats with Carissa Rawson from Rove to dive into the latest Rove promos, tools, and fea…
- Keep the Chase Sapphire Reserve in 2026 with Hunter Threadgill
Chase Sapphire Reserve in 2026: Keep or Downgrade? | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast with Justin Vacula & Hunter Threadgill Join host Justin Vacula and special guest Hunter Threadgill of Professor of Points as they take a deep dive into whether…
- Keep or Downgrade the Chase Sapphire Reserve in 2026?
Chase Sapphire Reserve 2026: Keep or Downgrade? | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth keeping in 2026 – or is it time to downgrade? Join host Justin Vacula and guest Beth on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as they…
- Southwest Companion Pass in 2026 with Max Craig
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…
- Miles and Points with Joseph Petrovic
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…
- Rove Adds Miles & More with Carissa Rawson
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…
- Earning MGM Rewards Status in 2026
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 Pla…
- JetBlue 25 for 25 Promotion with James He
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…
- Responding to The New York Times
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 re…
- Rove Launches Loyalty Eligible Hotel Bookings
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,…
- Miles and Points with Hunter Threadgill
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 tri…
- CardPointers Version 7 with Brooke
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…
- ZorkFest 2025 with Michael Trager
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…
- Comenity/Bread Financial Suddenly Closing Accounts
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…
- Common Mistakes in Points and Miles
Common Mistakes in Points and Miles by Justin Vacula
- Rove Miles Dream Job Promotion - One Million Miles!
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.…
- Matthew Yglesias Misses The Point
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…
- Rove Miles with Carissa Rawson
Rove Miles with Carissa Rawson by Justin Vacula
- Getting Started with Miles and Points Featuring ChatGPT Real-Time Voice Mode Co-Host
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, featurin…
- Alaska Airlines Upcoming Credit Card
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…
- Caesars Rewards New Credit Card (Caesars Rewards Prestige)
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 Si…