Mark Orlowski, Executive Director and Founder of the Sustainable Endowments Institute, does lots of traveling in his work in non-profits. He joined us to discuss best practices in rewards point management.

For example: Do you really have to grab that deal right as midnight strikes on the 29th of February? Not necessarily.

You don’t have to book at your tickets at a specific point in time, but be aware of the cancellation policies when you book — when a better deal comes along, you could get a refund and jump ship.

Programs tweak and adjust nearly every year, which means fiddling with certain types of flights to certain destinations. That could translate to spending more points next year.

In fact, there have been changes to popular rewards programs in 2015, including a shift in airlines rewarding their customers based on the money spent on tickets, rather than the number of miles flown. Being aware of those changes can help you maximize your points in the long run.

Click the media player above to hear Mark Orlowski, Executive Director and Founder of the Sustainable Endowments Institute, in conversation with Marketplace Morning Report Host David Brancaccio.