Update January 14, 2020: If you’ve been considering getting a ticket for FTU Washington DC but hadn’t gotten around to it yet, now is a great time to get one as you can save $10 when using promo code 2020, reducing the cost to $119. This promo code expires on January 31, so you have a couple of weeks to take advantage of this offer.
One thing to note is that the pizza dinner referenced below is already full as more than 75 people have already signed up for FTU.
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One of the best ways to find out about deals that fly under the radar and to be reminded about the sweet spots you’ve forgotten is to have a network of friends in “in the game”. However, despite devoting most of my waking hours immersed in this universe of award charts and bonus categories, most of my home social circle wouldn’t know an Ultimate Reward point from the ultimate award flight. Conferences like Frequent Traveler University helped me start to build that network of miles & points enthusiasts long before I became a blogger. These events can be a way for new folks to experience immersion learning and a way for seasoned vets to network. In March, Greg and I will both be presenting at FTU Washington, DC, which will be held in conjunction with the Travel & Adventure show. FTU attendees will have access to the Travel & Adventure show both days to learn more about destinations and general travel and also to the FTU Advanced sessions on Sunday for an in-depth look at miles and points topics.
When & Where
- FTU Advanced will be held March 8, 2020 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC and your ticket includes access to the Travel & Adventure show and FTU stage both March 7th and 8th.
- Direct link to register (our affiliate link)
- Cost for both shows: $129
Your ticket includes:
- A full day of educational sessions, including Manufactured Spend on Sunday, March 8, 2020.
- Free access to the Travel & Adventure Show and FTU stage on both Saturday, March 7 (10:00am – 5:00pm) and Sunday, March 8 (11:00am – 4:00pm.)
Pizza dinner on Saturday night for the first 75 people to sign up. (Requires separate RSVP, please watch for an email closer to the event.) Dinner includes assorted pizza and soft drinks.- Coffee/tea in the morning and lunch on Sunday.
More event details
As noted, Greg and I will both be speaking at this event. Greg will be speaking on the FTU Stage at the Travel & Adventure show on Saturday, covering the following:
Travel the World with 40,000 Miles. Three Competitors, One Challenge: To Take 40,000 Points and $400 and Get as Far Away as Possible
Our authors covered a combined 50,000+ miles over the course of a week on less than a single credit card sign up bonus each. Hear how we did it, what we learned, and how you can do even better.
My presentation at the FTU Advanced seminar on Sunday will be:
Awards Worth MS-ing For
From $18 domestic flights to round-the-world in business class for less than $400, these are the top awards from each transfer program to motivate your manufactured spending.
The entire Frequent Traveler University weekend is packed full of compelling topics being presented by some of the most experienced experts in miles, points, and travel. Other confirmed speakers for the event include:
- Tiffany Funk, One Mile at a Time
- Greg Davis-Kean & Nick Reyes, Frequent Miler
- Matthew Klint, Live and Let’s Fly
- Stefan Krasowski, Rapid Travel Chai
- Dia Adams, The Deal Mommy
- Trevor Mountcastle, Tagging Miles
- Mike Graziano, Keep Travel Hacking Great
- Tess Zhao, Delicate Revolt
- Rob Pegoraro, Tech Writer
- Bethany Walsh, Bougie Miles
As a visual and auditory learner myself, I find that I absorb information more quickly and retain it longer through events like these, and to this day I walk away each time reminded of something I may have known but forgotten. What’s more, I’ve picked up some of the best tips from conversations that continued after the sessions ended — both at the event and in the weeks, months, and years to follow. My wife and I attended our first FTU in Washington DC several years ago and immediately signed up for one on the other side of the country the following year, looking forward to another chance to connect with a like-minded group. I’ve spoken at several over the past few years and I look forward to also attending the Travel & Adventure show this time around.
For those who are not interested in the FTU Advanced topics (see the schedule here), tickets can be purchased for the Travel & Adventure show only (more info about that event here). The show looks pretty interesting, though keep in mind that points & miles topics will not be the focus of that show.
So whether you’re just dipping your toes in the world of manufactured spending and award travel or you’ve been honing your skills for a while, it’s worth considering an event like this one if it fits in your schedule and budget.
In terms of hotel, the Marriott Marquis is connected to the convention center as is offering a room rate of $179/nt for FTU attendees. Find more information about the hotel and venue at the link under “The Deal” above, and here is a booking link.
If you attend FTU Washington, DC, please stop us and say hello. Both Greg and I enjoy meeting readers and hearing your success stories. We look forward to seeing you there.
To stay up-to-date with opportunities to connect with Frequent Miler in person, see our Frequent Miler Event Schedule page.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
[…] weekend, I presented at the Travel & Adventure Show in Washington DC and Nick presented at FTU (Frequent …. Going into the weekend I was surprised that the show and the FTU conference hadn’t been […]
Looks like the dates for DC are wrong on this page:
https://frequentmiler.com/frequent-miler-event-schedule/
Near the top, the headline says 3/8-9, which is Sunday and Monday. Should be 3/7-8, correct? Scared the crap out of me when I saw it as my plans are already booked!
Thanks. Fixed that!
The email subject line mentioned Chicago, but this post (and title) does not. Will you be doing an event in Chicago in the near future? Just wondering…
Yes I second that headline about Chicago. I got excited for a second♂️
I’m sorry. Somehow the title got erroneously changed behind the scenes here. We updated it to Washington. No plans for Chicago in the near future, but I expect that Greg and I (and hopefully Stephen, too) will once again be at the Chicago Seminars, which is an annual event in Chicago in October.
I’ve registered for FTU! I look forward to meeting lots of interesting people in Washington in March 2020!
Nick – you and Greg previously unequivocally stated that you would NOT be doing FTU events in the future. Now you are participating in another FTU event. What changed?
$$$$$$$$$$$
I don’t recall “unequivocally stating” anything specific about FTU. This past year, we decided not to do FTU events and instead traveled to meet directly with Frequent Miler readers via events organized through our Facebook group. We traveled to San Diego, Minneapolis, and the San Francisco Bay area for those events this past year (and are still aiming to do so this year). I don’t recall any sort of public statement to the strength that you’re implying about never participating in a future FTU event. We decided not to do them last year and didn’t have any plan to do them moving forward as of last year.
In terms of what changed, it was some stuff behind the scenes. One of the main event organizers had left last year. When that happened, we decided to go in a different direction also. This year, he’s back and thus so are we — sometimes, things like this are relationship-driven. Additionally, this new format is exciting in that it gives us a chance to connect with people who are interested in travel but perhaps new to miles & points through the Travel & Adventure show while also connecting with the FTU audience on Sunday.
Despite CaveDweller’s guess below, the decision is not about money. FTU has in the past offered a small stipend for travel expenses that has never completely covered my expense to travel to the event. I didn’t even ask if that stipend would be offered this time around (with the format being a single day of FTU advanced)– when Stefan returned and asked if we would be interested in speaking, I said yes.
Greg and I speak because we enjoy speaking. We did not charge anything for our FM to Go events — I think in at least one instance, organizers collected a few bucks from attendees to cover a boxed lunch, but there wasn’t an “entrance fee” so to speak. Greg and I covered our own flights and hotels for those events (we have some miles and points). As I said, FTU events have always cost me a bit more than what is reimbursed, but I’ve never complained about spending a bit more because I enjoy the events. We do these speaking events because we enjoy connecting with readers. Our decision not to do FTU this past year and then to do one again in 2020 were motivated by relationships behind the scenes. Will we do another FTU in the future? It’s hard to predict. We’ll be at this one and we will likely have an FM to Go or two throughout the year (we have been busy with the holidays, so we haven’t gotten far into planning this yet). I’m sure that Greg and I will also be back at the Chicago Seminars this year and hopefully Stephen Pepper will join us.
For the DC event, I’m excited to see what the Travel & Adventure show will be like. That show won’t be focused on miles and points — there will be an FTU Stage / area, but most of the exhibition hall will be various travel vendors and tourism boards as I understand it. That interests me some in that I’ll probably learn about a place or two I hadn’t previously considered and I’ll obviously know how to get there more cheaply than advertised. The Internet can be a great resource for finding information, but I’m a people person and look forward tom the visuals and interactions. I also look forward to the chance to help some people that are looking at that stuff learn how to get there for less than the sticker price. And then we still get a number of great sessions on Sunday that are dedicated to MS and miles and points. Seems like a win all around.
you are one of the best bloggers out there on this subject. keep up the good work. greg too.
Ironically, I would love to go, but will already be on a “free” trip to Florida. As a fellow Albany resident i’d love to have something around here someday.
Just came back from DC on sunday so it won’t work out this year. Any chance you guys come to Miami?
Nick – Do you guys have any seminars planned on the west coast at this point? I’d really like to come out, meet you guys and learn more advanced MS techniques. I’m debating if the cross country flight is worth it for a couple day conference in DC.
[…] Original Article […]
Best card to book ?
Why don’t u be nice and do a GIVEAWAY give a Newbie one . But make that person do a post on what benefit they got ..
Hmmmm $30 is nothing !!
Cheers