Revolutionizing Your Journey: Travel With Points & Miles

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke and Taryn Gisbert wrap up their 33-day honeymoon with a deep dive into their two-week adventure across New Zealand.They start with a key lesson learned early: booking ahead is critical, especially during peak travel months from November through February. Their journey begins in Auckland, where they stayed at the Park Hyatt Auckland and enjoyed a walkable city, standout food, and waterfront views. From there, they head to Queenstown, a destination known for dramatic landscapes and adventure. Highlights include a stay at The Spire Hotel Queenstown, the thrilling...

In this YouTube bonus episode, DeAndre reviews his and Taryn’s stay at Secrets Tulum Resort & Beach Club, an adults only all inclusive resort set inside the jungle just outside downtown Tulum. The property stands out for its cenote inspired architecture, circular buildings, and winding pools that create a unique design rarely seen at traditional beachfront resorts.They walk through the overall experience, from their Preferred Club upgrade and swim out suite to the layout of the pools, restaurants, and rooftop party scene. The resort leans heavily into a jungle aesthetic, which creates beautiful views and privacy bu...

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke shares several updates from the points-and-miles world, along with practical travel strategies. He starts with a reminder that tax season can be a strong opportunity to earn points by paying taxes with a credit card, especially when working toward welcome bonuses or using high-earning cards.He also highlights the Thrifty Traveler Premium price increase and explains why locking in the lower rate before the change can offer long-term value. Community updates include plans for a Boldly Go WhatsApp meetup and a new guest blog review of the Waldorf Astoria Costa...

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke breaks down one of the most talked about strategies in the points and miles community: running payroll through a credit card using platforms like Zil Money.DeAndre explains how payroll by credit card works, why it became popular among business owners, and what has changed in 2025. He walks through the mechanics of the process, including how payments are processed, how fees are charged, and how those fees factor into the overall points earning strategy.The episode focuses heavily on the math behind the strategy. DeAndre explains...

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre shares several timely strategies across the points and miles world, starting with his own plan to use Bilt points for a future business class trip to Japan. After building a balance of roughly 95,000 Bilt points, he explains how transferring them to Japan Airlines could unlock premium cabin redemptions and potentially open the door for a multi-country trip in Asia.The episode highlights a number of valuable transfer opportunities, including a 50 percent transfer bonus from RovMiles to Japan Airlines. DeAndre explains how this bonus can help boost JAL balances, while also reminding...

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke sits down with Southwest expert Max Craig to break down one of the most powerful benefits in domestic travel: the Southwest Companion Pass.Max explains exactly how the Companion Pass works and why it remains one of the most valuable tools in the points-and-miles world. The benefit allows one designated companion to fly with you for only the cost of taxes and fees, creating massive savings for couples, families, and frequent travelers within the Southwest network.The conversation dives into strategy. They cover timing applications to...

In this YouTube bonus episode, DeAndre and Taryn take you behind the scenes of their destination wedding at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, sharing why it felt less like a resort wedding and more like renting a private mini city in the CaribbeanAfter being turned down by dozens of properties for a New Year’s Eve celebration, they pivoted to Casa de Campo for its scale, flexibility, and distinct venues all within one gated estate. From the tiny La Romana airport just minutes away to the sprawling 7,000 acre property complete with golf carts for every guest, th...

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre breaks down several important updates affecting points and miles travelers, starting with major changes to Hyatt award pricing. Hyatt is expanding from three award tiers to five, a move that could increase the cost of premium redemptions and shift how travelers think about free night certificates. The change has sparked strong reactions across the travel community as members evaluate long term impact on value.He also covers a major update from Points Path, the Google Flights plugin many award travelers rely on. The new Points Path Wallet feature allows Founders Club...

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke sits down with Azdean, founder of Destinations Morocco and host of the Destinations Morocco podcast, to uncover what most travelers miss about Morocco.Rather than focusing only on famous landmarks, the conversation explores the deeper cultural experiences that define the country. Azdean shares how dining in local homes, visiting Berber families, staying in traditional riads, and exploring lesser-known regions create a far richer journey than a checklist of tourist stops.They address common misconceptions around safety and cultural norms, especially for female travelers, and explain how...

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke shares a packed update covering credit card developments, community wins, and smart strategies for maximizing points and miles. He opens by highlighting upcoming opportunities for listeners to connect in person, including the Toronto Points Festival and the Pediatric CEO Intensive, where he will be speaking and offering a special discount code.DeAndre provides a candid update on his ongoing experience with the Bilt card, including promotional hiccups and transaction declines that have complicated his early strategy. Despite the frustrations, he outlines why the long-term potential remains promising, especially for large...

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre and Taryn share their unforgettable stay at Fiji’s Namale Resort and Spa, an adults-only, all-inclusive retreat that completely reshaped their view of luxury travel.From arriving on a tiny island airstrip to settling into a sprawling private villa, every detail of Namale is designed around intimacy, personalization, and authentic Fijian culture. With only a small number of guests on the property, the experience feels deeply private and intentional. The service stands out most; staff members don’t just serve guests, they form genuine connections that elevate the entire stay...

In this YouTube bonus episode, DeAndre takes you inside this unforgettable stay — and wedding week — at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, a 7,000-acre private estate in La Romana that redefines what an all-inclusive resort can be.Rather than a single walkable property, Casa de Campo operates like a self-contained luxury city. Guests navigate four distinct “worlds” by golf cart: the lively main resort hub, the serene Minitas Beach and Beach Club, the yacht-filled Marina, and the stunning European-inspired village of Altos de Chavón perched above the river. Even during a 99% occupancy wedding week, the property never felt crow...

In this week’s Quick Hits, DeAndre gives a transparent update on his ongoing frustrations with the Bilt card, including virtual card activation issues, frozen transactions, and customer service delays that disrupted his strategy to maximize the 5X in five days promotion. He walks through how these technical hiccups affected a large deposit for a home generator and what they mean for earning limited-time bonuses.From there, the episode shifts into broader industry updates. DeAndre breaks down Chase’s newly launched Disney Inspire Visa and who it actually makes sense for, along with recent changes to the Amer...

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke and Taryn Gisbert kick off their 33-day honeymoon with an unforgettable first chapter through Hong Kong and Fiji, blending luxury travel, smart points strategy, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.They start in Hong Kong, breaking down how they redeemed nearly 1.5 million points for a trip valued at over $37,000, while paying just $570 in taxes and fees. Their stay at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong set the tone, complete with a suite upgrade, panoramic harbor views, and an expansive club lounge that easily covered multiple meals each day. DeAndre shares practical tips...

In this week’s Quick Hits, DeAndre breaks down the latest developments in points, miles, and travel strategy, with a strong focus on maximizing short-term opportunities before they disappear. He starts with updates on the Bilt Palladium card, including how some cardholders unlocked a powerful 5X points opportunity on up to $10,000 of spend within the first five days by stacking timing, offers, and community-shared insights.DeAndre walks through the math behind using that elevated earn rate for strategic purchases, such as buying hotel points during 100% bonus promotions, explaining how this approach can preserve flexible, transferable points while st...

Lane’s story proves that you don’t need years of travel experience to succeed with points and miles — just curiosity, community, and a willingness to learn. In this episode, Lane shares how he went from barely understanding credit card rewards to confidently building a thoughtful points strategy that aligns with his life, finances, and travel goals.As a nonprofit CEO with limited international travel history, Lane explains what initially held him back and how a late-night podcast binge flipped the switch. Within weeks, he was learning the basics of transfer partners, portals, and redemptions, applying for his fi...

Everyone dreams of the Maldives, but very few travelers understand the real costs that show up after they book. In this YouTube bonus episode, DeAndre breaks down the five biggest hidden expenses that can quietly turn a “bucket list” trip into a budget shock—and shares firsthand lessons from multiple extended stays across resorts, islands, and liveaboards.You’ll learn why landing in Malé is only the beginning, how mandatory resort transfers like seaplanes and speedboats can add hundreds or thousands to your total, and why food and drinks on private islands are often far more expensive than trav...

In this week’s Quick Hits, DeAndre returns with a packed update after wrapping up a 33-day honeymoon and dives straight into the most relevant developments in points, miles, and travel. He opens by spotlighting the strength of the Boldly Go community, sharing how members helped unlock one of the most valuable short-term earning opportunities tied to the new Bilt Palladium card, specifically the limited-time 5x points offer in the first five days.From there, the episode breaks down key Bilt updates that matter right now, including waived transaction requirements for February rent payments, the upcoming Rent Da...

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre and Taryn break down their stay at Secrets Tulum, a resort that quietly rewrites what an adults-only all-inclusive experience can look like in Tulum. Far from the beachfront mega-resort mold, Secrets Tulum leans into jungle immersion, cenote-inspired architecture, rooftop pools, and a layout that feels more like a hidden compound than a traditional resort.They unpack what makes this property genuinely different: a maze-like design that prioritizes privacy, elevated Preferred Club suites that unlock quieter spaces and premium service, and an atmosphere that unexpectedly shifts from serene to energetic...

In this Quick Hits episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre returns after a 33-day honeymoon across Hong Kong, Fiji, and New Zealand to break down one of the most chaotic news cycles in recent points and miles history. The episode focuses on real-world implications of Bilt’s rapidly evolving 2.x updates, including the new Palladium card, surprise promos tied to The Points Guy, expanded Bilt Cash use cases, and newly added earning exclusions that caught many by surprise.DeAndre shares his personal decision-making process around applying for the Palladium card, navigating the limited-time 5x promo, and evaluating wh...