The Chartered Letter
One original points and premium travel analysis each week, written by an engineer who runs the numbers the source blogs do not. A new issue publishes every Tuesday morning.
The Cash-Out Ceiling
Cashing out points feels like the safe move. The current rates say it is a release valve, not a strategy. What every Chase, Amex, and US Bank cash-out path actually pays in July 2026, why the 1.5-cent trick at the top of the range died last December, and the four cents you hand back to the bank every time you use the penny door.
Read the issue →The Month Everything Repriced Quietly
In ten days: Marriott award prices up across much of the portfolio, Hyatt's best elite perk trimmed again, an Amex transfer-ratio cut taking effect, and LifeMiles partner prices moving yet again without notice. Barely an announcement among them. Why the silence is the operating model, and the triage order for points balances when every layer of the stack can move.
Read the issue →A Cancelled Flight Is a Set of Rights
Virgin Atlantic cancelled our family's five business-class seats six to seven days before departure. The recovery returned all 175,000 miles, every dollar of taxes and fees, and roughly $3,500 in statutory compensation on top. The exact playbook, from the two stacked remedies to the escalation clock.
Read the issue →Want this run against your own card stack?
The analysis in each issue is the kind of engineered redemption math the Chartered Strategist annual retainer runs every quarter, specific to your spend and your goals.
Apply for Chartered Strategist →