You've spent years collecting frequent flyer points. Then you finally go to book a flight, and somehow the seats you want are never available. Or the points required seem ridiculous. Or you give up and pay cash anyway. 

As it turns out, collecting points is only half the game. Knowing which airlines to book with, where to look for reward seats, and when to use your points can make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars. 

In this episode, I sit down with Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally from the Flights Club (also known as iFlyFlat) to find out how people who really understand frequent flyer points actually use them. We get into why two airlines can charge wildly different amounts of points for the same journey, how to find business class reward seats that seem impossible to book, and how everyday expenses like rent and tax bills could be earning you points towards your next trip. 

If you've got a growing pile of points but haven't quite figured out what to do with them, this episode could be worth a lot more than you think. 

** Free your team from time-consuming procurement tasks. Discover smart business buying, where unmatched selection meets AI-driven tools to simplify complex processes so you can focus on what matters most. Learn more at Amazon.com.au/howiwork ** 

The Steves and I discuss: 

• Why business and first class flights can offer far better value for your points than other rewards 

• How the same journey can cost dramatically different amounts of points depending on which airline program you use 

• Why finding reward seats is a bit like fishing, and how having more than one airline program gives you more chances to find a good one 

• How to earn points on expenses like rent, ATO bills and payroll using payment services such as pay.com.au and Sniip, and when the fees are worth paying 

• What's changing with credit card surcharges and points earning, and why one of the Steves has started using a debit card for some purchases 

• The bank accounts that reward you with frequent flyer points instead of interest, and other less obvious ways to build your balance 

• How alternative points currencies and airline partners can open up reward flights you might otherwise miss 

• Why booking a reward seat doesn't always have to mean committing to a trip, and how cancellation rules can give you more flexibility 

Key quotes 

"Points are the ultimate travel insurance for business owners." 

"The trip is where you get the value back." 

Connect with Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally and learn more about The Flights Club at iFLYflat. 

More from How I Work  

And speaking of getting more value out of things, if this episode has changed the way you think about your money, my conversation with Sabri Suby might change the way you think about your time. We get into his subtraction method and how doing less can actually help you get more done. Listen to my conversation with Sabri Suby here.  

Part 1: https://www.amantha.com/podcasts/the-subtraction-method%3A-how-sabri-suby-protects-his-time-and-focus-(part-1) 

Part 2:  https://www.amantha.com/podcasts/sabri-suby-on-video-sales-letters%2C-and-the-negotiation-mistakes-almost-everyone-makes-(part-2) 

My latest book The Energy Game is out now. You can order a copy here: https://amzn.to/48ID29M  

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If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha.substack.com/  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler