Want to get elite treatment at hotels without investing the time and effort in enough nights for elite status? Instead of spending fifty or sixty nights a year in hotels with one brand, you can simulate status with some simple tricks. 

00:00 Intro

01:52 Giant Mailbag

06:08 Card Talk: Bank of America Alaska Airlines credit cards

https://frequentmiler.com/as/

https://frequentmiler.com/asbiz/

https://frequentmiler.com/alaska-airlines-companion-fare-guide/

20:10 What crazy thing....did Delta do this week?

https://frequentmiler.com/delta-may-walk-back-some-of-their-recently-announced-changes/

26:09 Award Talk: Alaska and JetBlue status matches for Delta elites

https://frequentmiler.com/alaska-airlines-offering-status-match-to-draw-disappointed-delta-frequent-flyers/

https://frequentmiler.com/jetblue-offering-very-generous-status-match-to-delta-elite-members/

33:56 Award Talk: PointsYeah improvements

38:23 Main Event: Roll your own hotel elite status

41:02 Preferred Partner Hotel Booking programs

https://frequentmiler.com/getting-the-elite-experience-without-elite-status-via-luxury-partner-programs/

45:18 Hyatt / SLH partnership

49:04 Earning more points for paid stays

55:21 Room upgrades

https://frequentmiler.com/how-best-to-book-hyatt-luxury-suites/

1:11:38 Free Breakfast

1:13:28 Is elite status worth it?

1:18:43 Question of the Week: What kind of manufactured spending is safe?

Music credit: Annie Yoder