Talking Points

Nomadic Matt is an American travel expert, author, founder of TravelCon, and blogger. In 2008, Kepnes started NomadicMatt.com to archive his stories and monetize his traveling. The blog offers practical travel tips — from how to score cheap flights and accommodations with frequent-flyer miles and credit card points, to how to frugally navigate more than 90 far-reaching destinations across the globe by finding cheap local eats and free activities. Kepnes has traveled to more than 100 countries. Published in 2013, his first book, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter, became a NYTimes Bestseller. In July 2019, Kepnes published his memoir, Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler's Journey Home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Airplane food is often unpalatable or even inedible, but anyone who has flown with Singapore Airlines knows there can be haute cuisine at 35,000 feet! SIA's culinary mastermind, Antony McNeil, is the director of food and beverage at the airline. He talked to us about their farm-to-flight initiative, how an "air sommelier" might help you choose a secret vintage and why you don't have to miss out on good eating in economy class. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a journalist and author of several New York Times bestsellers, finance expert Nicole Lapin is determined to help millennials learn the language of money. On this week's Talking Points, Lapin discusses how to take practical steps to manage your finances, the differences between good and bad debt and how breaking old habits might be the way to become a "rich bitch," as she titled one of her books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Talking Points shines the spotlight on one of the biggest things coming out of TPG in 2020 - something will undoubtedly help anyone who needs help with their travel strategy. Senior product manager Drew Macomber chats with Brian Kelly about what you can expect from our much-anticipated mobile app. A true points-and-miles enthusiast himself, Macomber and his team of developers are implementing tools to help you take your points further. His five years as a nomad will help inform your travel strategy, so you never miss a lucrative redemption again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re in the midst of planning your vacation, a few getaways, biz trips and hotel stays for the upcoming year, you’re going to want to listen to this episode. A few of our in-house experts are here to debate four major hotel chains — Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and IHG. They dive into some of the more technical aspects of each of these brands and how you can earn and redeem with each hotel. The team also hashes out which chain offers the best elite status benefits, and who offers the best overall experience. Get ready to take notes, and hear TPG staffers duke it out over who’s number one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, experts share what you need to know right now about traveling during the coronavirus outbreak. First, Dr. Hanh Le, the head of Healthline Media Medical Affairs, discusses the origins and concerns around the rapid and global spread of the virus, and how the medical world has responded to this global emergency. She shares sound tips you can use today to protect yourself, like how to keep your airplane seat clean and explains why health officials, like herself, are skeptical of surgical mask efficacy. After the break, Ben Mutzabaugh, TPG's senior aviation editor, shares his insights into airline suspensions, cancellation waivers and what to do if you're planning to fly in the next eight weeks. Mutzabaugh also offers his opinion on whether the airline cancellations could pose economic threats to low-cost carriers if these cancellations continue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Liersch is the global head of wealth planning and advice at J.P. Morgan. He stresses the importance of being transparent about money matters with your family, partner, or friends and how to prevent financial regrets from holding you back from your goals. He also offers advice on mitigating financial anxiety around wedding planning and how to broach conversations with loved ones around money, while suggesting ways to spend more efficiently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TPG's Richard Kerr shares what you can find in our TPG Small Biz Facebook lounge, talks about the pros and cons of business credit cards and offers valuable tips any small business owner can put to use. PS: If you're collecting revenue from a side gig, you may be eligible for a small business credit card without even realizing it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee is no stranger to turning anger into activism. She joins the show to discuss how war and destruction during her teenage years fueled her women's movement, which eventually helped end Liberia's 14-year civil war. For more information on how to support the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa or other charities to mark the 25th anniversary of the National Day of Service, please visit TPG's list of charitable organizations. And find more information on the best credit cards to use for charitable donations or how to give points and miles to those in need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we're chatting with the president of the American Airlines AAdvantage program, Bridget Blaise-Shamai, a roughly 25-year AA veteran. We discuss topics on every frequent flyer's mind, including dynamic award charts, upgrades and attaining elite status. Listen for free where ever you get your podcasts, and make sure you subscribe to never miss an episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Roaring ‘20s are here! 2020 is about to be the best one yet, and to celebrate, we have another special “Talking Points” episode for you. Whether you think resolutions are bogus or need some inspiration to set your travel goals up for success, we called upon TPG’s best friends, travel influencers and collaborators to find out how they're heading into the new year. Tips from travel influencers like Lindsay Silberman and Oneika Raymond, NYT best-selling author Matt Kepnes aka Nomadic Matt, even Derek Peth from "The Bachelor" and "Bachelor in Paradise" and so many more. While you're resting up or cleaning up after that wild party last night, get ready to plan your next adventure with the help of this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Holidays from Talking Points! We have a special episode for you today. At TPG, we are proud to support so many incredible organizations and provide you with tools to help you reach your travel goals. So on today's holiday episode, we are highlighting what TPG and travel mean to our staff with tips for making the most of your travel experiences. Plus, we want to hear from you. Slide into our DMs @thepointsguy, call our hotline 1-877-TPG-TRVL or tweet us to share what travel means to you, how it connects you to others and where your points and miles took you in 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meredith Verdone, Bank of America's chief marketing officer, has been with the bank for more than 20 years. In this episode, she's joined by travel expert Lee Abbamonte to share how she conveys what BofA stands for to its 66 million customers and why combining the Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa card and the Preferred Rewards Program could help you reach your financial goals. This episode is part of a sponsorship paid for by Bank of America — one way that TPG continues to provide our readers with free news and advice about travel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TPG U.K.'s director of content, Nicky Kelvin, explains how U.S. travelers can make the most out of British Airways' Executive Club program — which was named the Best International Airline Loyalty Program at the 2019 TPG Awards. You'll learn how to avoid major taxes and fees, where to transfer your Avios, and even what makes a BA cabin crew so cheeky. Plus, Kelvin shares his tips for navigating the lounges at Heathrow and compares BA and Virgin Atlantic's first-class products. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Continuing with Cruise Week on Talking Points, hop aboard and sail more of the high seas - this time with Carnival Corporation's President and CEO Arnold Donald. TPG himself and Donald discuss Carnival's 9 cruise line brands. Riding a roller coaster on Carnival Mardi Gras or attending an Oxford lecture on the Queen Mary 2 - the only ocean liner in the world - could become your new favorite vacation activity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO explains why a cruise vacation can work for any kind of traveler — even solo travelers — how Norwegian drives loyalty and their plans to eliminate the use of 6 million plastic bottles on board per year. Tune in and you'll also learn how to curate your onboard experience, how the cruise line provides disaster relief, and which vacation to take if you're looking for something outside the Caribbean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with our second Hotline Bling episode. This time, we're answering a few of the points-and-miles questions we get all the time, like when to downgrade or upgrade a Chase Sapphire card, the best use of Capital One miles and how to get to the Bahamas during the holidays. TPG's travel team also shares their favorite travel accessories, tips on maximizing points and miles this holiday season, and hotspots for 2020. Stay tuned 'til the end to hear about TPG's own epic holiday travel adventure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of your inflight entertainment? Think it should go away completely or wish the airlines would figure out how to let you connect your Bluetooth headphones? Babar Rahman, Qatar Airways' head of global marketing and inflight entertainment and connectivity joins Talking Points this week to discuss the future of IFE and how Qatar is enhancing its onboard experience across all cabins. Subscribe to Talking Points today and listen wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TPG's Special Projects Editor-at-Large Nick Ewen catches up with Brian Kelly on the heels of our interview with Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram to discuss how to actually get the most out this carrier's loyalty program. You'll learn which partners Ewen thinks you should redeem with, when you're better off transferring your points elsewhere, and if it's worth signing up for Hawaiian's cobranded Mastercard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Ingram, President & CEO of Hawaiian Airlines joins Talking Points to celebrate the airline’s 90th - yes 90th! - anniversary. The airline started in 1929 as a small island hopper, and is now a global carrier. Brian and Peter go into detail about the airline’s history, news from Hawaiian, including new routes, and predictions for the next 90 years of Hawaiian Airlines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.