My Top 5 Mistakes with Points & Miles
#258: The 5 biggest mistakes Chris has made in his points & miles journey. He dives into the hidden cost of status, the math behind point values, the power of opportunity cost, and why hoarding points quietly destroys value.
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Resources Mentioned
Credit Cards
- US Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
- Robinhood Gold Card
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- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
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Award Search Tools
- Gondola (Get $50 here)
- Points Path Chrome Extension
ATH Podcast
- Ep #245: How Much Are Points and Miles Worth in 2025?
- Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
- Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:28) Mistake #1: Not Valuing My Time
(02:09) Setting a Personal Minimum Hourly Rate
(03:51) Step Back and Ask “Is This Worth It?”
(04:23) The Hidden Cost of Mental Overhead
(05:48) Using Daily and Weekly Priorities to Stay Focused
(07:00) Mistake #2: Not Considering the Opportunity Cost
(11:34) Mistake #3: Chasing Status
(16:56) Airline by Airline: The Value of Status in Real Life
(20:52) Reframing the Cost of Status
(24:09) When Milestone Benefits Change the Math
(28:33) Chris’s Status Plan Going Forward
(31:52) How to Decide Whether Status Is Worth Chasing
(32:50) Mistake #4: Overvaluing Points
(34:20) What the Data Actually Shows
(35:43) Why “Retail Value” Is Misleading
(41:22) When Paying Cash Can Be the Better Value
(46:03) Mistake #5: Not Cashing Out Points
(49:27) Chris's Plan for 2026
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