Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition (Sam Simon and Robert Dwyer)

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	Date	Titre	Durée
	07 Nov 2018	Episode 2: What Amex needs to do instead of 5x Fine Hotels & Resorts, Citi bungles refer-a-friend, Absurd Stacking, and Citi Sears alternatives. Milenomics² No Annual Fee Podcast	00:11:50
Welcome back to the Milenomics² No Annual Fee Podcast. Episode 2 kicks off with news and then we dive into a listener question as well. Show Notes: Title: What Amex needs to do instead of 5x Fine Hotels & Resorts, Citi bungles refer-a-friend, Absurd Stacking, and Citi Sears alternatives Amex 5x on Fine Hotels & Resorts Bookings Citi refer-a-friend Absurd stacking opportunity $10 G-Money rebate on $100 Happy Card purchase at giftcards .com 11/2-11/8 5% cashback when shopping through RebatesMe (work with a friend’s referral for an additional 10% cashback for friend) Buy $200 MCGCs at Bed Bath Beyond for $25 Bed Bath GC rebate when buying 2 x $200 MCGCs (see DoC for promo terms, starts 11/23) Link Happy cards to airline portals to trigger holiday bonus (beware of contention with eBates in-store cashback) Liquidate MCGCs through Plastiq with FFDs from recent promo Listener question: What’s a good alternative to the Citi Sears card? Link to the calculator we discuss to compare high end cards’ earning. In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss a In store Cashback apps, Chase Pay 5x Freedom Q4 techniques, and much more: https://www.patreon.com/posts/22571208 And don’t forget, the No Annual Fee podcast is unique as well, so be sure to subscribe to it: RSS feed for the free podcast Subscribe to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	14 Nov 2018	Episode 3 — Milenomics² No Annual Fee Edition: Cringeworthy Credit Cards Also: Amex Gold Business Redesign, Citi 4th Night free changes, $0 Fee Visa Gift Cards, Stop & Shop $20 off Gift Cards.	00:17:38
Welcome to the latest episode of the Milenomics² No Annual Fee Podcast. RSS feed for the No Annual Fee podcast Today’s Topics Include: 0:45 Amex Biz Gold Revamp $295 annual fee, not waived the first year 4x in airfare, “select media”, “select technology providers”, gas, dining, shipping (link with more detail) Signup bonus is currently G Suite Basic and ZipRecruiter What signup bonus will it require for you to get this card? 2:05 Amex 1:1 Avianca US-Europe on Star Alliance 63k/87k This should help add options w/o fuel surcharges. Long Haul Coach rates are reasonable and could be a hedge against high ticket prices Intra-US ‘short haul’ 7500 points. CA to WA, TX to FL, Bos to DC. Very nice No Close in Ticketing fee (BYOE for United flights). 5:10 Citi Prestige eliminates concierge bookings in Sept ‘19 (link) This means you can’t realize status benefits/earn points at loyalty hotels But 4th night free stacking with Premier/Prestige is still possible (example) Though, you’re beholden to the sometimes bad prices in the TYP portal 7:20 Staples fee-free $200 VGCs in-store 11/11-11/17 (link) Technically limited to 1 per person, but not limited by register 7:55 Stop & Shop $20 voucher towards groceries when buying $100 3rd Party GCs (link) 8:30 Listener Question: My friends frequently use co-branded cards like Marriott, United, and AA for all their spend, including restaurants. Help me convince them that they would be significantly better off with a different credit card strategy? In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss: An attempt to Cash Out Chase Ultimate Rewards at 1.5¢ per point, and how to Reinstate Expired United (or AA) miles for “Free.” https://www.patreon.com/posts/test-cash-out-of-22694797 Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	21 Nov 2018	Episode 4: Milenomics² Podcast No Annual Fee Edition. CapitalOne-Point-Five, Barclay Arrival, Chase 5/24 Expansion & Small Banks with Big Bonuses.	00:12:03
Welcome to the latest episode of the Milenomics² No Annual Fee Podcast. RSS feed for the No Annual Fee podcast Today’s Topics Include: 0:32 CapitalOne heightened signup bonuses Points now transfer 2:1.5 to a somewhat obscure collection of foreign airlines Venture card 75,000 signup bonus $95 annual fee waived the first year $5,000 minimum spend Spark Business cards 200,000 for $50,000 signup bonus $95 annual fee waived the first year 50,000 for $5,000 in 3 months, addl 150,000 for $45,000 within 6 months 3:13 Barclay Arrival+ 70,000 signup bonus (link) $89 annual fee waived the first year $5,000 minimum spend 5% bonus on point redemptions make this a ~2.1% back towards travel card 4:45 Chase Hyatt and Avios cards now said to be restricted to 5/24 6:30 First Republic banking bonuses (HT TravelSort): $800 for $25,000 checking for 3 months + $10,000 CD for 6 months $500 for $15,000 checking for 3 months Must be in or around service area 9:00 Freedom CU 5x (link) 10:20 Chase $600 checking/savings banking bonus (link) In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss: Dosh/Pei/Bumped/Spent Interference and how to maximize your double-dip, a MCGC coding at 1% on Plastiq, plus a deeper dive into all of the above topics and much, much more. https://www.patreon.com/posts/22852176/ Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	29 Nov 2018	Ep 5: Black Friday, Gift Card Reselling, Amazon/Hilton Deals/Re-Glitch	00:18:44
Today we’re back!… 0:42 – What does Black Friday (and holiday sales in general) mean for points & miles earning? 4:00 – Gift Card Reselling Great time of the year for gift card reselling (iTunes deals all over the place was the story of the year for Black Friday) Target 10% off coming 12/2 (link) Risk associated with gift card reselling 12:10 – Amex/Citi/Chase Amazon Deals (link) 14:00 – Hilton/Amazon 0.5 cpp re-glitch (link) 2nd time this “glitch” has occurred Amex Hilton Aspire 150,000 + $250 air travel per calendar year + free weekend cert on signup/anniversary + $250 Hilton resort credit + Diamond status (link, but consider spousal referral) In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss: Lessons learned from 8 Credit Card signup stories Updates on our experiences with card-linked reward programs CNB Crystal https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-5-rules-22988292 Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	14 Dec 2018	Ep 6 & 7 – Staying in Chase’s Good Graces, ODOM & Simon Mall GC Sales, CapitalOne 2-to-1	00:23:22
Today we’re back with a double episode of the Milenomics² No Annual Fee Edition Podcast. In addition to the following news: 0:30 Office Depot/Office Max $10 off $300 MCGCs (link) 1:20 Simon Mall $1 off Visa Gift Cards (link) 2:05 Airline portal Holiday promo: 500 for $200 (link) 3:00 CapitalOne adds Emirates and Singapore at a 2:1 ratio () 3:55 BofA Cash Rewards revamp early 2019 (HT Nick at Frequent Miler link) 5:20 Some Chase cards getting an additional 1x through year end on Apple/Google Pay (link) …we tackle a detailed and real life situation in which a reader attempted to put together the Ultimate Chase Ultimate Rewards Trifecta: a Sapphire Reserve, Freedom, and Freedom Unlimited. Rather than the ideal type of stories you might hear elsewhere about all cards being approved and everything going perfectly, this story takes a turn for the worse, and does not end well for Chase or the reader. Discussion starts at 6:00 on this. A quick timeline (we cover this in the post, but might be easier for some of you to see here): March 2016 Applied for Sapphire Preferred – Approved March 2018 Decided to attempt to “Life the Chase UR Lifestyle” September 2018 Applied for Standard Freedom 5X – Approved September 2018, Downgrade Sapphire Preferred to Freedom Unlimited October 2018, Used non-expired 24-Month Sapphire Reserve App to apply. Denied, <48 months since last Sapphire card approval. Appealed, with no change in approval October 2018, Applied for Chase Ink Preferred. Denied, “Applied for too many cards” What’s your take on how this was handled, Both by Chase and by the applicant? After you take a listen to the Podcast, come back to www.milenomics.com and share your thoughts below in the comments section. Subscribe to our Full version of the Milenomics² Podcast In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss: Double Dipping on the ODOM Sale Updates on our current in-process mile and point earning techniques A deeper discussion of the ways we can seek and find real travel deals And much more https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-7-were-2332 Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	20 Dec 2018	Episode 8 – 5x Categories, Office Supply GCs, Bed Bath deal, Chase/Disney Non-News	00:06:29
On today’s show: 0:30 2019 5x/5% Categories Available for Activation Citi Dividend 5% categories announced for 2019. Drugstores in Q2. Can use all $6,000 in one quarter. Card not available for new signups, but still PC’able (though, be aware of 24 month clock resetting when you do this). 2018 was a dud of a year – good to see Drugstores back. (link) Chase Freedom 5x Q1 2019 activation open (link) Drug stores Gas stations Tolls Discover 5% – Grocery Stores Q1 (link) 2:55 Gift Card Sales at Office Supply Stores Staples $5 off a $200 VGC Reduces fee from $6.95 to $1.95 Through 12/22 In-store only. (link) $15 back on $300 VGCs at Office Depot/Max Buy 2 x $200 Through 12/22 (link) 4:00 $10 back on 3rd party GC via rebate at Bed Bath Beyond 12/15-1/1 Unlimited? Really? No, not really. T&Cs changed, limit 10. (link) 4:40 Chase Disney Non-News Disney World/Disneyland tickets coming up in a roundabout way in Chase Expedia portal (link to Miles to the Magic post) You can still book Disney with Citi (link) Subscribe to our Full version of the Milenomics² Podcast In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss: Liquidating Air Travel Credits Happy Cards Negative Card-Linked App Changes at CVS/WalMart A $500 Bank Bonus + $200 Referral GoBank Starter Kit 2018 Retrospective https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-8-air-at-23429933 Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	31 Dec 2018	Episode 9: How we did on our 2018 Points & Miles Predictions	00:41:39
On a very special year-end episode we assess how we did in our 2018 predictions. Sam’s post on how he fared in his 2018 predictions Robert’s post on same Links mentioned on the show The Plastic Merchant shutdown Has the price of airline ticket prices gone up in 2018? Amex universal referral program Post on revolving credit Earnings calculator App-o-Rama links Genesis of App-O-Rama Further discussion of AoR Blast from the past! For more, check out these two recent episodes of our paid podcast Episode 8: Year-end retrospective Episode 9: Year-end credit card approvals and Amex 5-card strategies Don’t miss the outtakes starting at 37:05! Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	09 Jan 2019	Episode 10: Why You Should [Almost] Never Apply For an Amex Card Using Someone Else’s Link	00:21:03
We’re into 2019 with our first No Annual Fee Edition podcast, covering an important topic everyone needs to hear. Why you should almost never use someone else’s link to apply for an Amex card. We go over the why and how of ensuring you receive the highest possible American Express Sign up bonuses, including a universal referral. And talk about the particulars of that new referral system as well. Links discussed in this episode: Frequent Miler’s “Best Offers” list of current CC offers. For more in-depth podcasts please consider signing up for our Subscriber only Podcast on Patreon. Subscribe to the Full version of the Milenomics² Podcast In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss: Our new Slack channel for points & miles discussion A card that’s overly generous while processing air incidentals A way to liquidate Mastercard GCs from home with fees similar to Chargesmart/TIO.com https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-10-tio-23774691 Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	13 Jan 2019	Episode 11: Bank of America Anti-Churning, Lemoney Gets Juiced, Is the CNB Crystal the Best Premium Card?	00:10:53
We’re back discussing a few bonuses this week along with some terrible news from Bank of America. Along while discussing how and why to combine CNB points across household members we get sidetracked answering the question, “Is the CNB Crystal Infinite the best premium rewards credit card? As we’ve said before, if you live outside the CNB footprint and are interested in the CNB card drop me an email, or a DM on twitter. (We receive no compensation for this referral) Links discussed in this episode: Lemoney Turns Sour, Community Cash Back Missing Why and How : Combining CNB points Chase $600 Checking/Savings account bonus. GoBank $100 Bonus Terms: Subscribe to the Full version of the Milenomics² Podcast https://www.patreon.com/milenomicshttps://www.patreon.com/milenomics Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	18 Jan 2019	Episode 12: The Lemoney Saga Continues, $100 Fidelity 2% Card Bonus, Staples $200 Fee Free Cards & Chase Southwest Card Deal/Not a Deal Discussion	00:14:43
We’ve got a jam packed No Annual Fee version of the Milenomics² Podcast this week. 0:36 Lemoney follow-up (link) Post seemed to trigger tracking of community commision for Feb-June 2018 But subsequent PayPal payments are now said to be held up for a week or two What’s with this company? 2:38 $30 off $60 at Amazon for using 1 Amex Membership Reward point (link) Works on 3rd party GCs 3:27 $100 Signup Bonus for the Fidelity 2% Cashback Card (link) 4:40 Fee-free $200 Visa GCs at Staples (link) 1/13-1/19/2019 5:10 New Chase Southwest Card Offers Easy Path to Companion Pass (link) Sign up for personal card, spend $4k, get 30,000 points + Companion Pass through 12/31/2019 Deal or Not a Deal? Subscribe to the Paid version of the Milenomics² Podcast For a deeper dive into topics like: Amex application tricks A $750 bank bonus A credit card with 20 months of 0% APR And more… Subscribe to the paid version of the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/milenomics Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	01 Feb 2019	Episode 13 & 14: A Deep Dive into American Express 5 Card Strategies	00:38:59
We’ve got a special “double episode” of the No Annual Fee version of the Milenomics² Podcast this week. In this episode we do a deep dive into our personal card strategies with Amex. For this exercise: Amex is limiting us to a total of 5 active credit cards (personal and business, charge cards don’t count) We already have/have had a lot of the best Amex cards (so we’re going deeper into the Amex portfolio than someone newer to the game otherwise would) We want to make use of Amex’s generous referral program Amex 5 Card Strategy Template Here’s a template we used if you want to play along for you own situation: Current Charge Cards • A • B • C Current Credit Cards • A • B • C • D • E Have had • A • B Credit Cards Considering • A • B Charge Cards Considering • A • B • C Cards I’m keeping an eye out for • A Final Answer • #3 A • #2 B • #1 C Spoiler alert Sam’s picks: #3 Blue Business Plus Credit Card #2 Business Platinum Charge Card #1 Plum Business Charge Card Robert’s picks: #3 Personal Green Charge Card #2 Morgan Stanley Platinum Charge Card #1 Simply Cash Plus Business Credit Card You can visit our referral page for links to these cards, but read this first before using someone else’s referral links. You’re probably better off with spousal referral, or trading referral links with a friend. Subscribe to the Paid version of the Milenomics² Podcast Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version? On this week’s Paid version of the podcast we explore: The death of a Walmart Lucrative targeted bank bonuses Amex clawback fears And more… Subscribe to the paid version of the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/milenomics Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	16 Oct 2018	Episode 0.1 “Rose Gold Plated Plastiq” No Annual Fee Edition – Milenomics²	00:04:23
Hello? Hello? Is this on. We continue our Podcast Beta testing. On this first edition of the No Annual Fee Podcast we cover: Plastiq’s Mastercard Credit Card Promotion American Express Gold Card Changes Amex Referrals no longer tied to only cards you have Happy Cards (Happy Guy, Lady, etc). Alasksa Air 40,000 mile offer Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: If you want to listen to the full 45+ minute subscriber version of this podcast head over to: https://www.patreon.com/posts/22133791 Subscribe and gain access to all full length podcasts with myself and Robert. -Sam
	23 Oct 2018	Ep 0.2: Citi Prestige, Hyatt Premium Suite Awards, Discounted Mastercards and More – Milenomics² Podcast No Annual Fee Edition	00:09:48
On today’s episode we discuss: 0:37 An upcoming Citi Prestige revamp (HT Dave & MilesTalk) 2:33 Discounted Mastercard gift cards at Staples and GiftCards.com 4:21 You can now earn airline miles for buying gift cards through shopping portals 5:25 Rumored changes to the Hyatt award chart for premium suites 6:13 Changes at the WalMart Money Center Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: For more detail on how to maximize these deals, subscribe to the premium version of the podcast where you’ll get special access to 40+ minute shows weekly within the podcast app on your phone and on your desktop: https://www.patreon.com/posts/22237335
	30 Oct 2018	Episode 1: When to Book Through Chase vs Transfer 1:1, Hyatt 40,000, Chase Expedia, Airline Portal Bonus – Milenomics² Podcast No Annual Fee Edition	00:11:43
It’s launch week here on the Milenomics² podcast! We’re out of our beta 0.X shows and into Episode 1 today. On today’s show we discuss: 0:37 Hyatt makes us cringe with rumblings about a 40,000 point/nt Category 8 hotel. Check the Small Luxury Hotels list for potential bookings moving forward. 1:45 Chase rolls out the Expedia search engine across all cards but things like Vacation Rentals are all Sold Out 3:02 Airline portal holiday shopping bonuses (and how to maximize them) 4:20 Reader Question: Net it out for me really quickly. When should I transfer URs to partners vs redeem through the Chase portal? In this week’s Premium (subscription required) version of the podcast we discuss a Crash Course in Grocery Store Manufactured Spend: https://www.patreon.com/posts/22394296 RSS feed for the free podcast Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music:
	13 Jul 2019	Episode 30: 5 Irrational Fears Around Points & Miles	00:27:09
Today we're back with what turns out to be a meaty review of core Milenomics philosophies, but first the news... 0:30 Citi Double Cash to Earn TYP? (HT DoC) Coming later this year Unclear what the conversion ratio will be 1:10 Citi Going to 48-Month Waiting Period on AA Cards (link) 2:10 BofA Alaska Personal 40,000 + $100 Statement Credit (HT DoC) Direct link Can’t get the card if you’ve had it in the preceeding 24 months 2:55 3x Fuel Rewards on VGCs at Stop & Shop/Giant 7/12-7/18 3:20 5 Things the Points & Miles Community dislikes more than they should Paying fuel surcharges See Episode 30: 10 Tips & Tricks for Premium Cabins to Europe Paying credit card annual fees See Episode 8: Liquidating Air Travel Incidentals Buying miles (especially from friends in the community) Paying cash for lodging See Milenomics Classic post on not actively collecting hotel points See The most seasonally miscategorized Hyatt properties Paying for VGC/MCGC liquidation Spread, Scale, Time, P(Malfunction): The NPV of a Deal Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version? Check out Episode 35 of our subscriber podcast: Advanced maneuvers in credit card applications Maximizing 2H2019 Amex Platinum credits A point-fueled trip report And much more... Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	02 Aug 2019	Episode 31: The Hotel Status Loyalty Trap	00:41:50
0:42 Bank of America $300 Personal Checking Bonus (HT DoC) Requires $4,000 Direct Deposit in 3 months You need to have a checking account with BofA to quality for their Preferred Rewards program (which provides up to 75% uplift for spending on certain personal BofA credit cards) 1:30 Banco Popular Avianca Vuela Visa 60,000 Offer (HT US Credit Card Guide) $149 AF not waived the first year 40,000 first use +20,000 with $1,000 spend in first 3 months with code SB4060 Deal or not a deal? 3:53 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Credit Card 50,000 (HT DoC) 30,000 after $2,000 in spend first 90 days 20,000 after additional $6,000 spend in first 6 months $95 AF not waived first year Issued by Synchrony Bank Deal or not a deal? 7:10 Stop & Shop gas rewards for groceries? Trial for now Has anyone been targeted? 100 = $1 off groceries. Not as good as gas rewards for all but the smallest tanks (10 gallons = this) If you find yourself with expiring rewards this is a way to 'cash out' at 10/(your fill up in gallons). Very similar to the Safeway rewards we've discussed. 10:02 Airline Shopping Portal Bonuses (HT Frequent Miler) United 2,500 for $600 ends 8/18 Alaska 1,500 for $600 ends 8/11 Southwest 2,000 for $550 ends 8/18 AA 2,000 for $500 ends 8/18 Smaller bonuses for lesser amounts of spend as well 10:36 Amex Adds Weekend Night Certs to $95 AF Hilton Cards + 130,000 (HT DoC) Surpass/Business 130,000 + Free Weekend Night Both available for referral Free Weekend Night cert for every $15,000 spent per calendar year, post quickly after spend threshold met A whopper of a deal I say 13:12 BofA Amtrak 40,000 + $100 (HT DoC) Some serious value he re if you’re up for Amtrak travel Amtrak points are worth 2.9 cpp towards non-Acela 2.5 cpp towards Acela 10,000 Amtrak points gets you 4 one-way upgrade certs Semi-related: You can redeem bank points for Amtrak through a roundabout method with up to 1.64 cpp of value Deal or not a deal? 16:07 Free Topic: Is Hotel Status an even bigger trap than airline status? Robert: Recent stay at Waldorf Astoria Chicago Near total bust from a status standpoint Concierge emailed ahead of time and said status entitles you to 1-level upgrade if space is available Concierge pi
	18 Feb 2020	Episode 32: How to Salvage Travel Plans After AA Account Shutdown	00:49:11
We’ve not put out a free episode of the Milenomics² podcast since last year–The success of the paid show led us to focus on the thriving community of Patreon subscribers. Over on the Patreon page, and on the heels of the Shop Talk post we did about AA Account Shutdown issues, we’ve recorded a few paid shows on the topic of AA shutdowns as well. I’m biased, but I do believe the paid podcast has hit a stride–a mix of long-form interviews between Robert and I, discussions of what we’re up to, hilarious mistakes we both make, tips and tricks that we’ve learned from each other and the Patreon Slack community. And, as you’ll see today, every once in awhile, and unexpected twist makes it onto the show. Free Preview of the Paid Show In an attempt to get this story in front of as many people as possible we’ve decided to take the unprecedented step of releasing this paid show here on the blog, and on the free podcast feed. Show Notes: While recording last week’s episode–just 2 days before Robert was scheduled to leave on AA tickets booked from his locked account we started recording this episode. Along the way Robert identified possible ways to salvage this trip should the worst happen and AA shut down his account. We’ll outline 4 such possibilities at the top of the show–and then get into a discussion of some travel Robert did a few years ago where he had some issues with positioning flights. And then, around 33:40 into the show just as we were ready to wrap up our second topic and move into a planned discussion Robert received an email from AA Corporate Security–shutting down his AAdvantage account. A few moments later Robert realized that the award seats he had booked for his Japan trip which was upcoming in less than 48 hours were also cancelled by AA. Using the contingency plans discussed at the top of the show, and not wasting any time Robert races to try to re-book himself onto the same flight as the rest of his family, booked out of a separate AA account not shutdown. Step through the agony of an AA shutdown, and stick around to see if AA is successful or not in spoiling a family vacation to Japan…. on today’s Milenomics² Podcast. Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And on Spotify:
	10 Mar 2020	Episode 33: Negotiating Coronavirus Change Waivers	00:05:34
We’re trying something different on our No Annual Fee Podcast this week with a format called Short Cuts. In Short Cuts we’ll cover the latest points & miles news, and our take on recent developments, in short digestible shows with a singular topic. This week we’re talking Coronavirus change waivers, and how to navigate them for upcoming travel. In life almost everything is negotiable, including change waivers. Want more? Become a Patron to Unlock 1+ Hour Weekly Shows Check out Episode 67 of our Paid Show where we discuss: Booking awards Mileage runs Coronavirus waivers And much more… Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	11 Mar 2020	Episode 34 Coronavirus travel deals: Where are we seeing opportunities?	00:07:50
Welcome to another episode of Short Cuts on our No Annual Fee Podcast. Today we’re talking about opportunities for travel deals surrounding Coronavirus. Not necessarily for travel in the near term, but where we see angles to book award travel further out with flexible cancellation terms. Want more? Become a Patron to Unlock 1+ Hour Weekly Shows Check out Episode 67 of our Paid Show where we discuss: Converting bad bank points into airline travel bank credits A low fee way to pay certain mortgages online with a credit card A recent trip to Japan with reviews of the Park Hyatt Tokyo and Kyoto And much more… Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	13 Mar 2020	Episode 35 The Game Continues: Where do We Go From Here?	00:08:28
Welcome to another episode of Short Cuts on our No Annual Fee Podcast. Today we talk about where the points & miles game fits in the context of a pandemic like we’re currently experiencing. We discuss the importance of demand schedules. Check this link for more on that topic. Want more? Become a Patron to Unlock 1+ Hour Weekly Shows Support Milenomics on Patreon where you’ll get: A weekly podcast episode for subscibers only Access to a robust Slack community And more… Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	30 Mar 2020	Episode 36: Is Credit Monitoring Still Important?	00:07:48
Welcome to another episode of Short Cuts on our No Annual Fee Podcast. I recently applied for a Home Equity Line of Credit and noticed that my FICO score was a bit lower than I expected. It got me wondering whether it is still important to monitor my credit report and check my credit score, and if so – how? In this episode we mention these services: Credit Karma Credit Sesame Experian.com See also: The Monetization Of Your Credit Score; Or: How Travel Is Not Free Want more? Check out Episode 70 of our paid podcast where we discuss: Advanced maneuvers in credit card applications Spring cleaning How sometimes it seems that nothing works Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	07 Apr 2020	Special Episode 37: 1-Star Reviews of 4-Star Hotel	00:38:39
This episode was originally released last July 4th for our Patreon members. We’re releasing it here for all readers and listeners of the Podcast. Maybe you’ll find it a nice 38 minute distraction from everything going on right now. Original Show notes are as follows: Today we’re taking a break from the regular show format to have a little fun. Both of us have a bit of a guilty pleasure: reading 1 star TripAdvisor reviews of hotels. Robert came up with the idea for today’s show, where we read an anonymous 1 star review of a hotel, and each try to guess the hotel. Along the way we got into a bit of a serious discussion about what should it take to make a 1-star review, and what causes higher end hotels to earn 1-star reviews. Play along by pausing the show and trying to figure out the hotel, and share your worst hotel experiences in the comments of this post! Posts referenced in this episode: Robert’s Review of the 4-Seasons Nevis Sam’s [Old] Review of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	16 Apr 2020	Episode 38: Maximizing Amex 20,000 Point Referrals	00:12:50
Check your Business Platinum and Personal Gold cards for 20,000 referrals We’ve been seeing [targeted] heightened 20,000 Membership Reward “Blue Star” referrals come and go on Amex Business Platinum and Personal Gold cards. Right now they seem to be “in season” with a high percentage of these cards showing heightened referral bonuses. Update: Others are reporting seeing this one Personal Platinum* and Business Gold as well.* In this write-up and Milenomics Short Cut podcast episode, we’ll cover how how to maximize this referral opportunity. If you’re new to Amex referrals, have a look this post: Generating and Using an Amex Referral To check whether you’re targeted, go here and click through each of your cards especially the Business Platinum and Personal Gold cards: americanexpress.com/refer Here are the topics we went over: You can refer a wide variety of Amex cards from either of these cards Don’t think you’re limited to referring for just these two cards. With Amex universal referral, your friend can sign up for a wide variety of Amex Membership Reward cards, plus co-branded cards like Hilton and Delta. With Amex the referral bonus is based on the card you refer from Regardless of which card your friend signs up for, the referral bonus is based on the card you refer from. That’s pretty unusual if you think about it. Amex has high signup bonuses for their flagship cards with high annual fees. But referrals are based on which card you refer from. This means your friend can sign up for a lowly no annual fee card, and you can still get 20,000 Membership Rewards if the card you’re referring from has been targeted. These 20,000 Membership Reward Referrals are Targeted Some people are targeted and some are not. Some cards are targeted and some are not. You can have two of the exact same card and you may see one targeted with 20,000 point referral capacity and the other card remains at 10,000 points. It even varies from day to day. If you see this offer, you may want to pounce on it. But you don’t necessarily need to use it immediately. More on that below. They can be “squirreled away.” We’ve heard that some people are temporarily blocked from generating Amex referrals. We call this a “penalty box” which is usually a timeout that heals itself after time, but it’s unclear what causes it and how to get out of it. The welcome bonuses are often better (on some cards) if you go incognito “Going incognito” to see better offers (or at least different offers) is definitely a thing. Amex is notorious for displaying different welcome bonuses depending on how “come at them.” Take for example the 40,000 point welcome bonus associated with the Amex Personal Gold card in the image at the top of this post. When I click through that referral link I sometimes see 40,000 and other times I see 50,000. First, compare notes with others on what the best current bonus is for a given card. Then try to get that offer to come up. You can check desktop or mobile. Chrome or Firefox. Try going incognito/private. Try connecting to a VPN in another part of the country. Any of these can cause the welcome bonus to change. Crazy, right? In some cases, referral welcome bonuses are worse than public non-referral offers It stinks when a bank makes a referral offer worse than a public offer. It happens from time to time, but I don’t think it’s necessarily malice on their part. Offers through various channels just vary, or in some cases lag one another. For example, we recentl
	02 Jun 2020	Episode 39: Emirates Fuel Surcharges/Instagram Live	00:08:26
Update: Here's link to the Instagram Live video Last week Emirates greatly reduced taxes + fees on awards on their metal using their Skywards miles. That's great for those who want to fly Emirates metal, especially since we can transfer bank points to Skywards 1:1 across so many programs. But the place a lot of us immediately went with this was to wonder... Did Emirates also reduce fuel surcharges on partner awards? That curiosity led to more questions... Can partner awards (like Japan Airlines) be booked online? (looks like "no") Can taxes + fees be accurately estimated online? (also "no") The Emirates chart for travel on JAL from North America to Japan is pretty favorable. 125,000 pp roundtrip in Business, 185,000 pp roundtrip in First. Can partner awards be booked as a one-way for half the miles of a roundtrip? ("no") Partners like JAL open their schedule at 360 days. How far out can you book an Emirates partner award? (330 days) How good is Emirates call center? I called Emirates a couple times last week and got conflicting answers. The first rep said their systems were down and she couldn't estimate taxes + fees for partner awards. Call back tomorrow. I called right back a moment later and a second rep said he could estimate taxes + fees on JAL parner awards, but said it wasn't possible to use Emirates miles on North America to Japan routes. I pointed out that their site has a table for the route and he came back and agreed it was possible after all. And that the cost of a roundtrip flight from Boston to Tokyo on JAL in Business Class would be 125,000 pp roundtrip + just $60 in taxes and fees. That's pretty tremendous, if true, because when Spencer Howard checked it in September 2019 it was $360 in taxes + fees. What happened? Did JAL decrease the fuel surcharges? Did Emirates reduce the amount of fuel surcharges they collect on partner awards? Was the rep I spoke to mistaken? I frequently come across articles Spencer has written when researching foreign carrier frequent flyer program awards so I thought it would be informative and interesting to discuss this and more. Instagram Live I'm planning to appear on Instagram Live with Spencer to discuss this, award travel, and more. Where: Instagram Live https://www.instagram.com/straighttothepoints/ When: Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020, 7:30p eastern In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this snippet from our paid show here on the No Annual Fee version of our podcast. The Emirates topic is just 5 minutes out of an hour and twenty minute show this week. The breaking news we discuss is a Chase 1.5 cent per point cashout opportunity, along with a dozen other topics. If you'd like to hear more of the show head over to Patron and subscribe... Listen: Milenomics² Episode 79 on Patreon
	30 Jun 2020	Episode 41: Milenomics Second Podcast Preview – Wine Deals	00:42:16
A couple months ago we launched the Milenomics Podcast Network which now includes three shows: Milenomics² Podcast with Sam Simon and Robert Dwyer Milenomics Second Podcast hosted by Garth Grawburg The Manifesto with Gideon The Free-quent Flyer Subscribers gain access to these shows as well as a thriving Slack community, the ability to attend meetups, and more. Today we're releasing a free preview of recent episode of the Milenomics Second Podcast where Garth and I talk about wine. Pursuing points & miles tends to coincide with being a bit of a deal hound, and here we'll apply that to navigating online wine deals... 0:00 Intro with Sam and Robert 4:15 Where/how do you buy wine? 6:45 The importance of wine storage 11:00 Determining which wines to buy 12:55 Tools Delectable App CellarTracker 15:15 Deals Amex Offers Wine.com Cashback portal (Ex: Wine.com on Cashback Monitor) Promo codes Wine Access First Bottle Benchmark Wine 27:30 Flash Sale Sites WTSO.com Last Bottle Wine Spectator Wine-searcher.com 31:00 Winery direct opportunities Cakebread Cellars restaurant/retail mix Winery direct offer 36:45 Wine travel Napa (Cabernet) Sonoma (Pinot Noir) Italy Robert’s Wine Blog Wellesley Wine Press Want more podcast content? Head over to our Patreon page. There, you can subscribe and get a special link to listen to our podcasts in your preferred mobile podcast app. We're up to Episode 83 where we discuss: Terrible ideas Banging on Bank of America Cruising after Covid
	26 Jun 2020	Episode 40: Summer Travel, AirBnB / VRBO Vacation Rentals	00:35:49
We're back with a bit of a stretch for our 'short cut' topic. Robert and I sat down to have a quick chat about our upcoming summer travel plans, both of which revolve around vacation rentals. Along the way, as we tend to do, we took a bit of a deep dive into price variances between booking channels, how does the current Chase 1.5 cpp cash out method play into paying for vacation rentals, and the importance of flexible cancellation policies. 0:15 Summer Travel Plans: Robert: Newport, RI road trip Sam: Lake Tahoe (almost certainly flying) 2:59 Preference for private homes vs hotels with Covid 6:52 Chase 1.5 cashout as an enabler (Ep 79) 8:56 Price fluctuation depending on dates, fees, duration of stay. 16:10 Puzzler of staying longer costing less per night, but how long do you really want to stay, and how many really nice properties are available for say month-long rentals in peak season at this point? 17:17 Comparing prices on same/similar unit across multiple platforms Lack of granularity in viable options Internet sleuthing for precise location, comparable units in same building/area (often same host), even Zillow estimate as an arbiter of relative value 20: 17Any angles to reduce prices? Portals? BofA Offers? British Airways / Delta https://www.deltaairbnb.com/ https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/executive-club/collecting-avios/hotels/airbnb Split payments either by guests or over time to double dip on BofA/Chase offers. 23:52 Importance of cancellation terms 28:09 Mental block/puzzler over laying out cash vs funny-money-points 31:30 Is a point and miles lifestyle compatible with owning a vacation home? (Ep 82) Want more podcast content? Check out our Patreon Page where we discuss topics more fully: Earning From Home Failures and Successes in this space The Above Mentioned Vacation Home Discussion Subscribe to the No Annual Fee Edition Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts: Or on Google Play Music: And NOW also on Spotify:
	10 Jul 2020	Episode 42: Manufactured Spend Setbacks and Opportunities, and Limited-time Promotions	00:19:10
Today we're back with a standard No Annual Fee episode. We do the news, and then talk Personal Finance and Amex Small Business Credits. 0:30 GiftCards.com joins giftcardmall with $2k monthly portal cap Rakuten lasted until 7/7 at $60k/mo Showing $2k cap as of 7/8 1:50 [Targeted?] Chase Marriott/Ritz cards: 10x on Gas + Dining (DoC) 7/15-9/15 $3,500 cap Must register: Link 3:15 Discover 20% off Amazon when Using 1 point (DoC) Just wanted to mention it’s smart to keep some Discover rewards clanging around rather than draining the rewards to be able to take advantage of these promos Discover is 5x on PayPal Q3 2020 so a good time to use Discover cards in general 5:00 Stop & Shop/Giant: 3X Fuel Rewards for VGCs 7/10-7/16 5:30 Hyatt 15-25% Point Rebate on Award Stays + Free Parking (Direct Link) Register by 9/1/2020 Stay from 7/8/2020 - 10/8/2020 15% back for all, 25% back for Chase Hyatt cardholders Stacks with a promo for 2,500 for those with elite status + Chase card (Dans Deals) Example: 30k Hyatt is 22.5k after 25% back, potential 20k after 2,500 back promo 8:55 Chase Sapphire Reserve Only Earned 5x at Restaurants 7/1-7/5 (DoC) Still, 3x + Pay Yourself Back is pretty great Still getting 5x on Gas through the end of September So Random 11:25 Flexible Spending Account Covid Changes (Wirecutter) FSA Healthcare You can increase, decrease, or stop your health-care FSA contributions altogether. You have more time to spend your health-care savings from 2019. In the past, you had a two-and-a-half-month grace period after your plan period ended in which to spend your remaining balance, but your employer can now opt to extend the grace period through December 31, 2020. You can roll over up to $550 into your 2021 health-care FSA, a $50 increase over the previous $500 limit. FSA Dependant Care You can increase, decrease, or stop your dependent-care FSA contributions altogether. You now have until December 31, 2020, to spend your dependent-care savings from 2019 (rather than the usual two-and-a-half-month grace period). The same weird scenario from above applies. If you think you’ve lost your unused DCFSA contributions from 2019, contact your
	07 Aug 2020	Episode 43: Compelling Amex Offers, Grocery Rewards, and a Deflagged Hyatt	00:21:11
0:25 Stop & Shop Rewards can now be used for Groceries (Milenomics Slack) 1 point per dollar earned Redeem 100 points for $1 (1 cpp value) 2,000 max per transaction (ie, max $20 off) Fuel Rewards is 100 points for $0.10/gallon up to 20 gallons (Up to 2 cpp of value if you can fill a 20 gallon tank) But how much gas can you realistically use? You need to log in to your account (on desktop or app) and opt in to GO Rewards. You can’t opt to go back into the old program, but the new program still allows you to redeem for gas so I don’t see a downside in opting in. Also check out Saverocity Observation Deck Ep 141 for more about Fuel Rewards And MSP Ep 7 on Kroger’s program specifically 4:10 Amex Offer: 10% Off Staples up to $40 Back (Milenomics Slack) Only on my account (business card) 5:20 iTunes GCs Can Now Be Used to Buy Apple Products (MacRumors) What effect does this have on resale prices? 7:40 Targeted Amex Personal Platinum $100 Back on $100 at Dell Great way to capture this is a buyers group 9:50 Park Hyatt Mallorca De-flagged (Milenomics Slack) Hotel isn’t set to re-open due to Covid until 2021 The build quality is really incredible here, such a shame to see it wasn’t a financial success (perhaps even before Covid). Would you still seek this property out, once it’s an independent hotel? Less loyalty leverage, concerns about food & beverage quality (was so high before), and overall experience. Could rates and packages make this even more compelling as an independent hotel? Sweet Spots: The Most Seasonally Miscategorized Hyatt Hotels 16:30 7-Eleven to Acquire Speedway Stations (CNN) Sam: My bad! MSP Ep 6 on Speedway 19:50 Fee-free VGCs at Staples 8/2-8/8 (FM) Limit 5 YMMV Want more podcast content? Head over to our Patreon page. There, you can subscribe and get a special link to listen to all three shows in the Milenomics Podcast Network in your preferred mobile podcast app. In Episode 87 of the Milenomics² Podcast we discuss: Heightened credit card welcome offers Tightening approval standards The utility of Amex authorized users
	09 Oct 2020	Episode 44: All About Amex (in 10 minutes)	00:12:04
Today we're doing 10 minutes on the podcast All About Amex. This post is a companion piece to that audio. The goal here is to describe the "quirks and features" (as Doug DeMuro would say) of American Express credit cards and their Membership Rewards program. Amex may not be as straightforward to interact with as Chase but if you take time to familiarize yourself with Amex it can prove to be a very valuable relationship. Card Limits Amex limits the number of active cards we can have with them. The number has changed over the years, but the current limits are: 4 credit 10 charge Charge cards are the green, gold, platinum and plum cards (of which there are many varieties) that need to be paid off each month and have "no pre-set spending limit." Everything else is a credit card. This includes personal and business cards, but does not include authorized user cards. It's possible to have more than these limits if the cards were opened when limits were higher. Universal Referral Amex has the most generous referral program in the credit card space. See: All About Amex Referrals If you have an active Amex card you can refer friends and family for Amex cards. You'll earn a bonus for the referral if your friend is approved, and your friend can also get a welcome bonus for the card. To start the process visit: americanexpress.com/refer You can even refer friends for Amex cards you yourself don't have. The referral bonus depends on the card you're referring from. The welcome bonus your friend gets depends on the card they apply for. This creates some interesting opportunities since you can get a lucrative referral credit even if your friend applies for a lowly no annual fee card. Referral offers can sometimes be inferior to public or affiliate offers so be sure to verify you're referring for the best possible option. Through 10/28/2020 Amex is running an amazing promotion whereby qualifying referrals will get not only the referral bonus, but will earn an additional 3 points for spend on the card they refer from for three months: Three For All Promo Offers Vary Amex is known to display different welcome offers depending on location, cookies, whether you're on mobile or desktop, or whether you're browsing incognito. We call this the Amex Random Number Generator. As with referral offers, you'll want to make sure you're catching a welcome bonus that's the best currently available so if you don't see what others are reporting - keep trying until you do. Transfer Partners Amex Membership Rewards transfer 1:1 to a variety of airlines and hotel partners, most notably: Aeroplan Delta SkyMiles ANA Asia Miles Aviaca LifeMiles Singapore KrisFlyer Qantas British Airways Avios Etihad Virgin Atlantic Hilton Chase's Ultimate Rewards program is perhaps more user-friendly with familiar US transfer partners like Southwest, United, and Hyatt. But Amex's partners can be quite valuable both for domestic travel and international premium cabins. Notable Redemptions Unlike Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards can not be cashed out directly for a penny a piece. You can use points to "Cover Your Card Charges" for 0.6 cents a piece (a very bad value). You can redeem
	23 Oct 2020	The Manifesto Episode 13: Deep Dive into Galveston, TX with Kelly de Schaun	00:55:56
Earlier this year we launched a podcast network, adding the Manifesto hosted by Gideon the Free-quent Flyer to the Patreon Feed. In this episode Gideon sits down with Kelly de Schaun, Chief Executive Officer of the Galveston Park Board. Enjoy this special episode, and if you're interested in even more great podcast content, check us out on Patreon. -- [0:00] Intro Original Galveston post: https://freequentflyerbook.com/blog/2015/6/14/galveston-tx-is-a-weird-place-to-take-a-vacation Galveston Park Board: https://www.galvestonparkboard.org/ Beach and Park Operations: https://www.galvestonparkboard.org/157/Beach-and-Park-Operations Galveston Island Convention Center: https://www.galvestonislandconventioncenter.com/ [2:37] Beach nourishment and replenishment Galveston Island geography Beach recreational opportunities and economics Relationship with Army Corps of Engineers Dredging of Galveston Channel Hurricanes! [8:07] VisitGalveston.com [9:07] Galveston’s history Indigenous population Pirates! Pelican Island Immigration Station (https://www.texascooppower.com/texas-stories/history/galvestons-immigration-station) African American history (https://www.galvestonhistorycenter.org/research/african-american-history) The 1900 Storm (https://www.1900storm.com/) Natural and economic history Bootlegging and bordellos Cruise port [18:37] Tourism breakdown Summer is high season Second homes Extended stays (work from home, remote schooling) Dune bashing and tailgating Public alcohol consumption (no glass!) Special events Lone Star Rally: https://lonestarrally.com/ Mardi Gras: https://www.galveston.com/calendarofevents/mardi-gras-2021/ [23:37] Status of AirBNB/VRBO Registration requirements Local contact (noise complaints) Compliance program [26:37] Seasons Make summer reservations early Haunted Mayfield Manor: https://www.galveston.com/whattodo/attractions/thrill/mayfieldmanor/ Pier 21:				12 Nov 2020	Episode 45: Heightened Credit Card Offers, an Air Transfer Bonus, and a Juicy Grocery Promo	00:13:58
On this week's "No Annual Fee" podcast we discuss... 0:25 Amex Personal Gold/Platinum Offers through Resy (HT DDG) Direct Link to offers Personal Gold has standard characteristics (60k welcome bonus, $4k min spend, $250 fee) plus 20% back at restaurants first year up to $250 back Personal Platinum has standard characteristics (75k welcome bonus, $5k min spend, $550 fee) plus 20% back at restaurants first year up to $300 back 10x on Gas and Supermarkets up to $15,000 spend for 6 months Offers do contain lifetime language Platinum offer is even better than even a 25k referral, right? But maybe not as good as a +3x referral Worth a shot to see if you get the pop-up? See also: Episode 44 All About Amex 4:25 Chase Ink 75,000 Ultimate Reward Offers Ink Cash 5x at office supply capped at $25k/yr (HT DoC) Ink Unlimited 1.5x everywhere (HT DoC) $7,500 min spend in 4 months $0 AF cards 6:10 Chase United MileagePlus Explorer 70,000 Offer Direct Link 60,000 for $3,000 in first 3 months +10,000 for for additional $6,000 within first 6 months $95 AF waived first year 7:45 Chase UR: 30% Transfer Bonus to Avios Expires 12/9/2020 HT MilesTalk Is this enough to give you pause over cashing out at 1.5 cpp? 9:45 Stop & Shop: $25 Grocery Voucher for $150+ 3rd Party GC Purchase Works for Best Buy, probably anything that’s not a VGC/MCGC Purchase 11/6-11/26/2020 Coupons expire 12/2/2020 Limit 1 $25 voucher per transaction (both on the purchase and the redemption) Sometimes these are capped at 10 uses per S&S account, other times not capped At sister store Giant, it’s 5x on 3rd party GCs (which I think I’d actually like more since the rewards are easier to use) 12:10 New Annual Subscription Option 10% off for a new yearly subscription Good option for those currently subscribed at $14.95 Visit patreon.com/milenomics and select the "or save 10% if you pay annually" option If you like these free shows, we think you'll love the paid shows. They're longer and much more in-depth. We recently released Episode 100 where we discuss the origin story of Milenomics the blog, our Shop Talk series, and the Milenomics Podcast Network. This week on the paid show we'll be discussing: Good news/bad news for gener
	17 Nov 2020	Episode 46: Making Money by Investing in Mutual Savings Banks	00:16:32
On today's podcast I chat with Bram Berkowitz to discuss investing in mutual savings banks. I first became familiar with the topic from an excellent article he wrote: See: How The Average Person Can Make A Lot Of Money Investing In Mutual Savings Banks 0:00 Background and intro 2:10 The basic pattern of mutual banks offering pre-IPO shares to account holders, a potential run up and second bump 3 years later Recent example: $EBC 10:10 How to identify future candidate banks? 12:45 Is this opportunity nationwide? Or more prevalent in MA? Links mentioned: FDIC Mutual Institutions America's Mutual Banks BankInvestor.com The Zen of Thrift Conversions: How To Turn Hidden Bank Stocks Into Big Gains You can find Bram's work on The Motley Fool and follow Bram on Twitter @BramBerko My thanks to Bram for appearing on the show
	06 Jan 2021	Episode 47: Amex Enhances, Virgin Atlantic Devalues, and New Year Opportunities	00:31:53
We're back with a packed No Annual Fee episode of the podcast. Let's get right into it... 0:22 2021 Amex Perks/Offers (Summary from Amex) Personal $30 PayPal Credit Per Month (no activation required) [Targeted] $50 back on $50 at Best Buy (use twice, activation required) [Targeted] $50 back on $50 at Home Depot (use twice, activation required) Business Additional 4x on Gas, Office Supply, Wireless, Advertising, Shipping (capped at $20,000 in spend through 6/31/2021, activation required) Other Hints of 20% discount on airfare through May Hints of co-branded card enhancements Never has so much thought been put into limited time enhancements to credit cards. They’re keeping busy over there. All About Amex in 10 Minutes 14:22 Virgin Atlantic Devalues for Delta Award Redemptions (Thrifty Traveler) Used to be a nice way to pay for Delta First on domestic routes Ex: Was 22,500 now 40,000 Similarly negative for Delta international premium cabins 18:45 Things to do in the New Year Q1 2020 5x Categories Chase Freedom Wholesale Clubs Internet, Cable, & Phone Services Select Streaming Services Citi Dividend Amazon Streaming Discover Grocery Walgreens, CVS Don't Compare Your Earn Rate to Others Get to work on 5x categories and BofA Cash Rewards Air Incidentals Amex Credits If you like the No Annual Fee show you'll love a subsiption to the Milenomics Podcast Network. Patreon accepts PayPal so you can use the $30/mo Amex Personal Platinum PayPal benefit discussed in this show towards a subscription to the full Milenomics Podcast Network (including Slack access and more): patreon.com/milenomics
	16 Jan 2021	Episode 48: Booking Travel in 2021	00:32:02
We're back today with a show we've talked about recording for some time now. The topic of booking travel in 2021 is a unique one because this is a very unique time in travel, miles and points. Spurred on by cancellations last year by both of us, large travel bank balances, and plenty of want for travel we talk about our best practices for booking in 2021. Feel free to comment below with your best practices, and thanks for listening. For more great podcast content check our Patreon page out. 0:28 Amex Business Platinum 110,000 Available Through Referral Long-time credit card enthusiasts have likely had this already but if you’re newer to the game this is a pretty terrific offer $15,000 spend in 3 months Contains lifetime language Amex hinting at enhancements to the business cards still to come 4:00 Staples: Fee-Free $200 VGCs Sunday 1/17 - Saturday 1/23/2021 (HT GC Galore) 4:51 AA/JetBlue Partnership (Press Release) “book a single itinerary on either website” “American will upgauge aircraft and by the end of 2021 will operate all service out of New York with first class.” “JetBlue plans to significantly expand its service at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA), as well as further expand in other NYC airports and in Boston.” “Flights touching New York or Boston from either JetBlue, American or connecting combinations of both will be bookable on jetblue.com and aa.com in the coming weeks.” Reciprocal loyalty benefits Later this year, customers of both JetBlue’s TrueBlue and American’s AAdvantage® programs will be able to enjoy reciprocal benefits, including the ability to earn and/or redeem points or miles on either carrier making both loyalty program even more valuable. The airlines are also exploring opportunities to recognize JetBlue Mosaic customers and American’s AAdvantage elite members across both airlines. More details will be announced to loyalty program members later this year. 8:56 Main Topic: Booking Flights in 2021 Seeing some really affordable airfare in 1H2021 Airlines always price empty planes lower as the date draws nearer, and with business travel still largely suspended routes are still being jockeyed around to cater to the only travel still occurring. Airline pricing models seem to be stressed by this. You’ll see $19 one day, $900 the next for the same flight. Tempting to book on the off chance it might be advisable to travel, but cancellation fatigue is setting in That said, cancellation terms have never been more favorable Avoid booking with difficult to cancel currencies Be familiar with the restrictions of various airline travel banks, and be mindful of tying too much in a program with narrow utility to you Prioritize currencies. Use ones prone to spoiling first. Then most specific utility to most flexible. Travel bank/expiring certific
	20 Jan 2021	Episode 49: Grand Reserve World Mastercard	00:37:29
I received an offer via email the other day for a wine-focused rewards credit card I've been monitoring for a while, the Grand Reserve World Mastercard. They've temporarily bumped the welcome bonus on the card to 75,000 points (worth around $450 towards wine and accesories) so I reached out to Grand Reserve Founder and CEO Matthew Goldman for a chat on the podcast. Besides the points & miles stuff we talk about here on Milenomics, I've written a wine blog since 2008. So it feels like this program is right in my wheelhouse. Grand Reserve World Mastercard Heightened Welcome Offer: 75,000 points for spending $3,000 in 90 days [expires at midnight 1/27/2021, not an affiliate link] Standard Welcome Offer: 50,000 points for spending $3,000 in 90 days Annual Fee: $0 for the first year, then $149 5x at more than 400 wineries, wine clubs, and other Grand Reserve Partners 3x at any winery, wine club, wine or liquor store 3x at any restaurant or bar, take-out & delivery included 2x points per dollar everywhere else Points are worth about 0.6 cents each through their Rewards Catalog or when redeemed for wine The card is issued by Utah-chartered Celtic Bank. They pull Experian. For what it's worth, I lobbed in an application this morning and was instantly approved. 0:30 Grand Reserve Overview Tell us about your background, the program, the credit card and the idea behind Grand Reserve What does it take to launch a credit card? 9:55 Psychology of Rewards Travel seems to have an irrationally strong appeal to [some] people Even if some would be better off with cash back the idea of rewards being “free” seems to absolve some people of the guilt associated with splurging on themselves Additionally we talk a lot about the “co-branded paradox” whereby people think “I like <brand>, I should get their co-branded credit card!” Are similar forces in play here? People like to splurge on wine but don’t want to feel guilty about it? So it has a similar draw as travel? 20:30 Point Valuation So many credit card rewards programs have points, and it’s hard to discern what they’re worth until after you’ve signed up for the card What considerations went into determining the value of rewards on the redemption side? What are points actually worth and how do redemptions work? Thanks to Matthew for coming on the show. The #wine channel on Milenomics Slack is surprisingly active sharing deals and recommendations. Check it out if you're not already subscribed...
	26 Jan 2021	Episode 50: Luxury Family Travel, Points & Miles, and Disney w/Robin from Luxe Recess	00:47:20
Robert chats with Robin Hutson from Luxe Recess about luxury family travel trends, blending points & miles with a trip booked through a full-service travel agency, and where families are going in Florida in addition to Disney. 0:30 Travel Planning Picking Up 1:15 Luxe Recess LuxeRecess.com Origin story What Luxe Recess is/isn't Robert's articles on Luxe Recess What are the defining characteristics of “Luxe” to you? And how does that play out in travel as we [hopefully] emerge from Covid? See: 12 Luxury Berkshire Vacation Rentals To Escape It All 16:50 Points & Miles I know you’re familiar with the points & miles/credit cards game. What’s the view from “outside” the space on this game we play? I’d be interested in any insights you have personally and/or working with clients. What’s in your wallet? Blending points & miles usage with a trip planned through a full-service travel agency Flat-fee destination planning 24:40 Disney and Florida I’m assuming Disney is the No 1 destination for your readers? Not anymore. Florida in general. What are the next most popular destinations/activities? See: The Best Luxury Florida Resorts For Families See: The Best All Inclusive Family Resorts in the USA Favorite Disney World resort hotel? See: The Cabins at Copper Creek, Disney Wilderness Lodge Favorite Disney World restaurants? Wine Bar George at Disney Springs Other Disney parks/cruises/activities you’ve enjoyed or are interested in exploring? Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Disney World See: Luxury Disney World on Luxe Recess 38:30 Discuss: The points & miles crowd seems to be a lot more men than women. But it’s the opposite in the family travel space. I wonder why that is when the goals are similarly aligned. What are your thoughts on that? Where can listeners find Luxe Recess? LuxeRecess.com Luxury Family Travel Facebook Group LuxeRecess on Twitter LuxeRecess on Instagram Flusterclux: For Parents Who Worry Podcast Our thanks to Robin for coming on the show. Looking for more points & miles discussion? Visit us at patreon.com/milenomics to subscribe to the entire Milenomics Podcast Network with hours of new content each week. L'età non è l'unico fattore che influisce sulla virilità. Non si può discutere con il tempo, è più forte di noi, ma ci sono regole che si possono				06 Apr 2021	Wrapping up the Milenomics Second Podcast (MSP) Season 1	00:52:13
Many of you reading this might not even know there is a podcast called The Milenomics Second Podcast (MSP). We're celebrating on the blog today the ending of season 1 of the Milenomics Second Podcast, hosted by our very own Garth Grawburg. Feats of Strength On the Saverocity Observation deck Festivus Episodes Joe and Trevor often cover of feats of strength. Garth's first season on MSP is, in fact, a true feat of strength. Garth is well known to many Milenomics slack members, and has always added so much to the discussion on slack. When Robert and I were first talking about launching a second podcast, expanding the idea of the Pateron into a full network, Garth was the first person we thought of for this task. Had he ever podcast before? I don't think so. But we invited him on a show, our first guest ever actually, and realized his personality on Slack and on the mic were nearly identical. Garth is witty, funny, and with a booming laugh that makes me want to laugh more, Garth is a natural at what many of us struggle with: Content Creation. Over 18 episodes he explored the space, introducing us to beloved radio ideas like "Defend the Indefensible," and taking deep dives into cards, products and airlines. Garth brought a feeling to that first season of the podcast that two weathered battle axes like Robert and myself couldn't bring. He's not jaded by a game that's changed 6 ways in the last decade. The show has been incredibly informative. Two plays Garth dedicated entire episodes to I hadn't even considered before. And I'm better off because of those shows, and I know other patrons are as well. Thank you And so the audience for this post is really just one person: Garth himself. Garth: Thank you for jumping in feet first when we asked you to start a travel, points and miles podcast during a worldwide pandemic. For sharing parts of your travel, your love of all things Shop Your Way, Target, Southwest, and more. I know you'll keep playing the game, and can't wait to hear more about it. In celebration of the end of season one we're releasing podcast here on the No Annual Fee feed. Note: This episode was originally released Jan 22, 2021.
	08 Mar 2021	Episode 51: All This Amex Stuff (Credits and More)	00:27:48
Robert: Amex has been ratcheting up the complexity on their offers and benefits. Partially due to covid, wanting to retain customers, and wanting to maintain and build engagement. The gamification of Amex is in full swing. Sam: These credits are *not* free money, and they’re definitely not always easy as we’ll discuss today... For each of these let’s discuss: The Promise The Problems Possible solutions 1:39 Amex Offers: Slow Posting Early February credits, across the board/on a number of fronts, were very slow to post TPG: “Here’s why you shouldn’t worry” (link) Response: Here’s why slow posting credits are worrisome… The T&Cs are convoluted, lengthy and full of gotchas. Ex: Home Depot off that was only online (who normally shops at Home Depot online?) and GCs are processed through a 3rd party When credits don’t post quickly (when they otherwise have tended to historically) it creates confusion whether fine print was missed. All this said: Things seem to have improved more recently across the board after a miserable early Feb stretch. 8:40 PayPal $30/mo on Amex Personal Platinum Through June 2021 T&Cs Early Feb Hiccup-- What to do when credits don’t post? P2P vs merchants GC reselling angle? Potential Clawbacks for returns Seems stackable with things like Saks 13:00 Uber Credits T&Cs $15/mo for Personal Platinum $10/mo credit for Personal Gold Combining credits from multiple cards (spousal/friends as well) Velocity limits when adding cards Moving cards from one Uber account to another 18:31 [Targeted] $200 Amex Travel Platinum Offer Exploration We’ve been talking about this a lot lately Robert posted the T&C last week (Which don’t show anywhere online) The pages describing this online make it sound like it is offered to all--and not targeted. I set out to test that this week. So I booked a $210 ticket on Amex Travel with my recently renewed Platinum. Nothing happened. (Smoke) So I chatted and pointed Amex to the TPG article (link which points to a DoC article that refers back to a rumor article from DoC) The missing T&Cs (only visible to those targeted) 24:29 Ongoing Credits Keep in mind this all is on top of… Dell Credits on Biz Plat Saks Credits on Personal Plat Airline Travel Credits Dining credits on co-branded personal cards Wireless credits on co-branded business cards Discuss: Do we work for Amex? *Robert: “Thanks for joining us for this week. For a more in-depth discussion about points miles visit us at patreon.com/milenomics. There you’ll get a specia*
	17 Mar 2021	The Manifesto Episode 20: With Charlie Barkowski from Running With Miles	00:49:04
Last year year we launched a podcast network, adding the Manifesto hosted by Gideon the Free-quent Flyer to the Patreon Feed. In this episode Gideon sits down with Kelly de Schaun, Chief Executive Officer of the Galveston Park Board. Enjoy this special episode, and if you're interested in even more great podcast content, check us out on Patreon. Hello, and welcome to The Manifesto with Gideon, the Free-quent Flyer, on the Milenomics Podcast Network. I’m Gideon, the Free-quent Flyer, and I’m joined today from the Running with Miles blog, Charlie Barkowski. Charlie, welcome to the Manifesto. Plugs Blog: https://runningwithmiles.boardingarea.com/ Twitter: @runwithmiles Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningwithmiles/ [1:14] Background Were you a runner or a travel hacker first? Did one lead into the other? “6 solo marathons on 6 continents in under 5 days.” How is that physically/temporally/geographically/mentally possible? How’d you do it? [10:14] Running with Miles Blog When did the blog start? Has it always been on Boarding Area? What was the process of joining Boarding Area like? Did the blog start as a passion project, a side hustle, a full-time job? How long did it take before you earned enough to take it seriously? Did you ever get discouraged or was it a rocket ship from the start? Has the absence of running events affected your traffic/content/kind of visitors? [16:59] Living/Working in Greece When did you end up in Greece? Where in Greece? Was it always meant to be a permanent move? What has most surprised you about living abroad/living in Greece/living in the EU? What should people know if they want to move permanently/temporarily to the EU? Visas, health insurance (IM Global), retirement savings, schools? What kinds of pandemic restrictions has Greece gone through? How has the vaccine rollout been handled? How are you staying in shape, training, conditioning? Do you have a sense of when the first marathons will resume? Will you be ready? Any sense of whether your times will improve, get worse, stay roughly the same? [33:44] Travel hacking abroad You cover all the usual credit card deals — are you able to participate? Will credit card companies mail new cards internationally? Do you have a US address to receive new cards? Easier or harder to meet minimum spend requirements internationally? Do you take advantage of online MS opportunities (Serve loads, etc.)? Are there travel hacking opportunities that are only available internationally? Sweet spots for mileage runs, unusual award availability, etc? Bank accounts or credit cards only available overseas? Loyalty programs that require residency? [47:19] Quar Question of the Week When you’re outside the United States for a long time, what craving is absolutely impossible to satisfy, or, what’s the first thing you d
	23 Mar 2021	Episode 52: Q2 5x Categories, Transfer Bonuses, and Heightened Welcome Offers	00:21:14
We've got a full show today. Let's get right into it... 0:25 Q2 2021 5x Categories Chase Freedom Gas Stations Home Improvement Stores Discover Gas Stations Wholesale Clubs Select Streaming Services Citi Dividend Supermarkets Drugstores 3:15 Amex 40% Transfer Bonuses to Hilton/Marriott 1,000 MRs become 2,800 Hilton 1,000 MRs become 1,400 Marriott One use model: Marriott to “high value” foreign carrier programs More on that in the paid show 7:10 Amex Bonvoy Heightened Offers Amex Bonvoy Business 100k $5,000 min spend in 3 months $125 AF $150 statement credit Available through referral 35k cert on renewal Amex Bonvoy Brilliant 125k $5,000 in 3 months $450 AF $200 back at restaurants $300 Marriott credit Not seeing it available through referral as of yet (affiliate and public only) 50k cert on renewal 21:10 Amex Delta Gold 90,000 Offer (HT Brian at FM) Seen while making a booking on Delta.com Referral a better option if you have 30k + 70,000 + $200 credit But… (see next item) 11:45 Amex Removing Referral Capability for Some (DoC) Seems to be some new kind of penalty box Used to be that certain cards were unable to refer from, but other cards (especially new ones) were able to Now it seems to apply to all cards if affected Even squirreled away links don’t work any more saying: Sorry this referral link is no longer valid and you will not receive the referral bonus. Thought to be related to self-referral but I really don’t think that’s the case Same household referral for sure, but I really don’t think I self-referred A troubling shot over the bow for sure... 15:30 Buy Aeroplan Miles for as Little as 1.2 cpp (Direct Link) Through April 2, 2021 A good example of how cashing out bank points isn’t giving up on travel If you want to hear more, subscribe at patreon.com/milenomics. This week we go deeper into a few of the topics we discussed here as well as: Waiting on Amex Citi Shenanigans Retention Offers and more...
	08 Apr 2021	Episode 53: Status Through Spend, New Routes, Devaluations & Singular Use Programs	00:28:19
0:23 Earn Singapore Status Through Bank Point Transfer (link) Get 1 elite qualifying mile for every 5 bank points transferred Transfer 250,000 bank points between April 7, 2021 and February 28, 2022 Get Star Alliance Gold for 12 months Gets you UA lounge access when travelling domestically and other Star Alliance Gold benefits Singapore miles expire 3 years after they’re earned even with activity I do like the potential of status through spend, hope to see other airlines/hotels follow this 06:42 Jetblue Announces BOS-LHR and JFK-LHR Service (Link) Sounds good but hard to get excited about at the moment (can’t travel there, launch date unclear) Longer term how useful is this development? 13:52 IHG Devaluation (Loyalty Lobby) Evidently they’re going to a scheme where the number of points required is more tied to the cash price What does it mean to you when [arguably] the 4th most important loyalty hotel chain does something with their award chart? 17:47 Alaska Officially Joins OneWorld (Link) 21:40 ANA One-Way Awards Bookable with Virgin Atlantic Miles (OMAAT) And that's the news this week! For more shows join the Milenomics Patreon community.
	21 May 2021	Episode 54: New Routes, New Airlines, New Welcome Bonuses	00:19:00
0:30 JetBlue New York - London Now Bookable Direct Link Website was down when they released these (classic JetBlue) Starts August 12, 2021 Economy “from” $595 roundtrip Mint “from” $1,979 roundtrip 4:55 New Airlines: Avelo and Breeze Avelo is a new West coast airline that has set up from BUR (Link for more details ) Routes are somewhat unique, to about a dozen western destinations. In most cases using much more off the beaten path airports than mainline carriers. Ogden Utah, Pasco WA, Grand Junction, CO. Flights seem very aggressively priced. One example to Santa Rosa is interesting me. $60 round trip versus $244 on the only other carrier who flies it nonstop from the LA area. BUR is far for me (50 minutes with no traffic) and I don’t like that. But I’d do the drive if one of these destinations really was on my demand schedule (versus a stop at an airport for example) Breeze seems to be moving closer to launching--livery was posted and they’re setting up their network. Route network now posted on their site That makes quite a few ‘regional’ players by my count: Suncountry Frontier Avelo Spirit Allegiant Breeze While these are not ideal for many reasons--they’re here and they exist. Reminds me of a really short hop flight I took on Spanish LCC Vueling in Italy--it was like $20 per person, we paid for a couple of bags, and it was the only point-to-point option. It was fine. 12:40 Amex Offer: +1x at Lowe’s (HT Garth on Slack) Stack with a card that has +4x Spring 4ward promo for a total of 6x at Lowe’s 6x MRs + 3x JetBlue card linked 14:00 $750 Chase Business Checking (DoC) Deposit $10,000 in new money within 30 days of coupon enrollment & maintain that balance for 60 days + 25 transactions Early account termination fee: Six months, bonus forfeit “You can receive only one new business checking account opening related bonus every two years from the last enrollment date and only one bonus per account.” 16:45 US Bank Altitude Connect Visa (DoC) 50,000 points (worth $500) after spending $3,000 in first 120 days $95 Annual Fee waived first year 4x on Travel and Gas Stations 2x on Dining, Takeout, Groceries, and Streaming Services 1x everywhere else That's the news for this week. For more content subscribe to the Milenomics Podcast Network where we've been discussing: The highs and lows of Amex Booking travel coming out of Covid And more...
	05 Jun 2021	Episode 55: Heightened CSP Bonus, Schwab Cashout Rumors & A New Airport Lounge	00:20:04
A Hot news week has us sitting down to discuss the following: 0:29 Chase Sapphire Preferred 100,000 Direct Link Subject to 5/24 $95 AF (not waived first year) Try generating a referral if you/your spouse have one (chase.com/referafriend) “Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.* That's $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months. 100,000 bonus points is the best offer that Sapphire Preferred has ever had.” 5:54 Rumor: 1.25 cpp Amex Schwab Cashout Going Away (TheFinanceHobbyist on Reddit) Cashout option still mentioned on application but not on landing page Who knows, but… How big of a hit would this be? How would it affect your perception of the Amex MR value proposition? If you knew for certain it was going away tomorrow would you clean house today? Does the rumor cause you to cash out some MRs? 10:59 Chase Sapphire Lounges Coming (TPG) First location: Boston? Location: Terminal B to C Connector Anticipated opening: Q1 2022 Out-maneuvered Amex Centurion and CapOne for the space 15:40 Amex 25% Transfer Bonus to Hawaiian In the spirit of always considering a deal... 130,000 Boston to Honolulu becomes 108,000 MRs pp one-way in lie-flat Flight is very expensive: They’re asking $7,000 pp roundtrip Expires 6/30/2021 Last call for 40% bonus to Marriott, ends 6/15/2021 18:32 Stop & Shop/Giant: 3x VGCs Friday 6/4 - Thursday 6/10/2021 If you enjoyed this show consider joining our Patreon where you'll find hundreds of hours of unique, in-depth content and a thriving slack community. Enjoy!
	16 Jun 2021	Episode 56: 5x Categories and Opportunities and a 67,000 Mile Offer	00:15:13
On today's No Annual Fee show we discuss: 0:30 Q3 2021 5x Categories Chase Freedom Grocery Stores Select Streaming Services Discover Restaurants PayPal Citi Dividend Gas Stations Home Improvement 3:50 New Citi Custom Cash Card (HT DoC) Direct Link 20,000 TYP for spending $750 in first 3 months No AF 5x TYP on up to $500 spend each month in biggest category, 1x after that Don’t have to activate (that’s nice) Low cap, but that’s the same as Freedom/Discover/Dividend 5x cards Would be a great card to product change a bunch of cards into but: “Our policy is to offer only one Citi Custom Cash℠ Card account per customer.” Worth getting one? Citi IT being what it is, will they actually allow multiple cards per customer? 9:30 Staples Fee-Free $200 VGCs Sunday 6/13 - Saturday 6/19/2021 10:10 BofA Alaska 67,000 Mile Offer (DoC) Direct Link 42,000 after $2,000 in first 3 months Additional 25,000 after total of $8,000 in spend in 6 months $75 AF not waived first year Can’t have had a Personal Alaska card in the prior 24 months Discuss Better targeted offer “Famous” Companion Fares Whether Alaska miles are what they once were, especially with travel to Asia still not open If you enjoyed this free show considering subscribing to the Milenomics Podcast Network where you'll gain access to lengthier and more in depth shows. You'll then also be able to join a lively Slack community where points & miles ideas are discussed real-time. Thanks for listening and thank you to our existing Patrons. We've recently hit a record number of subscribers, which is amazing for a travel podcast during a global pandemic. More great content to come as we return to traveling.
	17 Aug 2021	Episode 57: Heightened Offers from Bank of America	00:12:58
Four great credit card welcome bonuses to consider from Bank of America. Let’s discuss them, how we’d prioritize them, and also navigating the complicated and ever-changing approval standards over at Bank of America. 0:54 BofA Amtrak 50,000 + $100 Statement Credit (DoC) Do a dummy booking to see offer $79 AF not waived $2,500 min spend in 90 days Amtrak points are worth 2.9 cpp towards non-Acela, 2.56 cpp towards Acela So this welcome bonus is worth $1,450 + $100 - $79 = $1,471 for non-Acela Or $1,250 + $100 - $79 = $1,271 towards Acela That’s crazy value for people who want to ride Amtrak See also: How to redeem bank points for up to 1.64 cpp towards Amtrak 03:55 BofA Alaska Business 60,000 (HT Commenter Matt on DoC) Direct Link $3,000 min spend $75 AF not waived 65,000 for the Personal Alaska card still available Not subject to BofA personal churning restrictions Don’t forget BofA Business Cash Rewards $750 (Direct Link) 06:19 Getting Approved BofA 2/3/4: 2 BofA cards per rolling 2 months, 3 per rolling 12, 4 per rolling 24 BofA is said to not approve new BofA card if you have more than 2 new credit cards on your credit report (across all banks) in the past 12 months -or- 6 in the past 12 if you’ve got a checking account with BofA HT DoC Overall exposure with BofA to consider too (lower CL before closing BofA cards) Limits to the number of active credit cards BofA will let you hold? 08:47 Discuss: Is it a mistake to ignore BofA at this point? Robert: “Thanks for joining us for this week. For a more in-depth discussion about points miles visit us at patreon.com/milenomics There you’ll get a special link to listen to additional content, right in your mobile podcast app or on your computer, where we speak more freely about topics like these. *Sam: You can reach us on Twitter @Milenomics and @RobertDwyer - we’d love to hear from you. Until then we’ll see you on the site...”*
	10 Sep 2021	Episode 5: September 2021 Disney World Trip Report w/Joe Cheung	01:03:40
Today we're releasing an episode of "Checking In with Robert Dwyer" that's normally reserved for subscribers of the Milenomics Podcast Network. Robert chats with Joe Cheung about what it's like to visit Disney Parks these days, and what's coming in the near future to Disney World. 0:22 What Joe has been up to since Saverocity Observation Deck Producing Miles to Memories Podcast. Disney Deciphered Podcast. Disney Travel Agent. 1:30 What's Disney like now, what's it going to be in this "living with Covid" phase we seem to be in now. Use my trip report to reflect of what you're hearing and experiencing with people you talk with. Planning changes (no Fastpass, but Genie+ coming). Dining reservation challenges, dining experience at this time. In-park experience. 28:40 Attractions No doubt: Masks in Orlando in 90F can be uncomfortable. But we managed. Current policy is masks indoors and on transportation. Outdoor option, but wore then when crowds were dense. No Fastpass seemed to make most wait-times shorter than posted, especially in the morning and evening. No Fastpass was also pretty relaxing. Flight of Passage was pretty great (rope dropped that w/family this time). Mickey & Minney’s Runaway Railway is surprisingly good too (seemed to debut at the worst possible time). 38:20 Dining Ohana Focus was on the return of the noodles, but the real killer is the absence of skewers. The quality of the proteins they dished out there for $55 pp is insulting. Went from being one of our favorites to “Avoid until further notice.” Skipper Canteen Best place in Magic Kingdom for lunch in my book. Cold AC, but again - menu items missing. No salads? They can improvise steak on a house salad but the meat was again really terrible. Chewy. Almost inedible. I mean - who goes to these restaurants and eats everything except for the steak? No shame in their game. Via Napoli Restaurant closing early at 7p I think (hard to get reservations) and hardly any of the employees are Italian at the moment. Thankfully the pizza is still really good. Whispering Canyon Cafe First time there: It was fun. Some gags, but seemed toned down a bit. Just right I’d say. Good food. Menu touts “all you care to enjoy” milkshakes but...the machine was broken and they couldn't get repair parts...due to Covid. California Grill Other than them initially trying to seat us in an “annex” sort of room initially this was a fantastic return to form. Still my favorite Disney restaurant. See also: Ratings of Disney World restaurants prior to Covid 54:10 Coming Soon				21 Sep 2021	Manifesto Episode 28: Bilt Rewards with Richard Kerr	00:50:23
Today's Podcast comes to you from Gideon The Freequent Flyer who has a companion piece to this podcast on his site. Hello and welcome to The Manifesto with Gideon the Free-quent Flyer on the Milenomics Podcast Network. I am Gideon the Free-quent Flyer and I’m joined today by the Director of Travel Rewards at Bilt Rewards, Richard Kerr. Richard, welcome to the Manifesto. [0:30] Plugs Social: @KerrPoints everywhere Bilt Rewards: https://www.biltrewards.com/ [2:35] Background What was your path into the rewards industry? Did you start as a travel hacker, as a writer, or on the business side? What was your biggest score/favorite play, on the earnings or redemption side? What do you like most these days in terms of rewards programs? [8:25] Bilt Rewards - overview 3 legged stool: partner rewards, landlords, credit card Loyalty programs: 1:1 transfer to American Airlines AAdvantage, Air Canada’s Aeroplan, Emirates Skywards, FlyingBlue, Turkish Miles & Smiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, HawaiianMiles, World of Hyatt, IHG Rewards Credit card: white label MasterCard issued by Evolve Bank & Trust, earns 2x on rent payments, 1x everywhere else Landlords: “Bilt Rewards Alliance,” 24 large residential real estate holding companies, plus option to mail check to any landlord. [12:10] Bilt Rewards - news Annual cap of 50k rent points instead of monthly 4k cap 0-1-2-3 $0 annual fee 1x on rent (up to 50k annually) 1x on everyday spend 2x on travel 3x on dining Uncapped earning on all non-rent spend IHG added 9/21 [18:07] Bilt Rewards - partner rewards My understanding was that loyalty programs had pretty exclusive relationships, i.e. Chase will bail out United by buying a billion United miles, American Express will buy a billion Delta miles, Citi and Barclay a billion American miles, then they dribble them out to customers. As a young company, how do you come in and make them an offer that even gets their attention? How much do you pay for points? During promotions you can buy Hyatt points for 1.8 cents, maybe a little less using a shopping portal, is that the right order of magnitude for what Bilt is paying? Do you pay more for the first member of an alliance to set a ceiling, or have alliance members bid each other down to participate? What do you think your highest value transfer partner is? Hyatt seems the most obvious but do you have a favorite redemption buried in the other award charts? AA: business travel to Europe, South America, web specials Emirates: JFK-Milan, 50k roundtrip in business Hawaiian: west coast to Hawaii / upgrade from economy to first for 25k Aeroplan: stopovers Flying Blue: 11.5k domestic Delta (21+ days out) Turkish: 33,800 business class to Istanbul, 7,500/15,000 to Hawaii on United Virgin: Delta/ANA/upgrading paid Virgin tickets Hyatt: great value everywhere IHG: Holiday Inn Express Do you have any favorite non-travel redemptions, anything Bilt got a killer deal on that you can pass on to members? Bilt Rewards App Champagne Sabre [32:21] Bilt Rewards - landlords What was the process like of selling large landlords on accepting Bilt payments
	24 Sep 2021	Episode 7: Checking In w/Robin from Luxe Recess on New England Resorts, Blackberry Farm, Luxury Disney and Orlando	01:04:44
Robert chats with Robin Hutson from Luxe Recess about trends she's seeing in the luxury travel market. They compare notes on recent travels with an eye towards planning for the coming year. Last Chatted in January, 2021 (listen) Vaccines were just becoming available Things looked like they were getting better, then Delta variant What are you seeing in terms of travel hesitancy right now? And how are future bookings impacted? More short term trips planned opportunistically? 3:20 Spring/Summer Travels Mansion at Ocean Edge Newport rental Q: If I liked both of these, what options should I consider in the Northeast? Especially interested in Maine personally but what other options should everyone consider? Some New England resorts to consider: The Inn at Hasting Park in Lexington, MA Cliff House in Cape Neddick, ME Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, ME Migis Lodge in South Casco, ME Liked Ventana Big Sur for its boutique outdoor rustic all-inclusive luxury Q: What else might I like? A: Perhaps Blackberry Farm 22:00 Disney Dining What are you hearing/experiencing at Disney World dining venues post-Covid? Some (though not all) seemed to be sputtering a bit on our Labor Day weekend trip (show notes from chat w/Joe Cheung) Roll into high expectations and how to identify places that are doing well these days to avoid disappointment? Especially when paying luxury prices. I feel like most pre-Covid reviews are out the window and I need to hear from someone that’s stayed there recently and has good discernment. Are you looking forward to Space 220? (menus) 37:20 Orlando Luxury Options Four Seasons Orlando: Best of the best, close to Disney but quite expensive Ritz-Carlton Orlando: Kind of far from Disney, basic rooms, Club Level good - but is it open/still good since Covid? Waldorf Astoria Orlando Want to talk about this from an excellent recent stay in Waldorf Corner Suite w/Disney View Fantastic stay, totally bounced back after a lackluster first experience a few years ago in an entry-level room JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes in the conversation? New JW Marriott Orlando, Bonnet Creek? Swan Reserve coming soon				28 Oct 2021	Episode 58: Loyalty Program Changes at Marriott, Hyatt, American Airlines and More	00:27:16
Three major loyalty programs updated their schemes this week. We discuss this and more in this week's No Annual Fee podcast... Marriott Bonvoy Changes (Direct Link) Doing away with award chart March 2022, points required will track cash price Free Night Certificate Top Off limited to 15k, starts “early 2022” Certificates/status extended again (FM) Hyatt Peak/Off-Peak Goes Live Gave a cursory look at booking some things last minute but...didn’t find award availability on the dates and destinations I checked Seems like they’re one step behind Marriott in going to a scheme where the number of points required is tied to cash rate Opinion: Overall the chart is still very favorable paired with UR 1:1 transfer AA Makes Some Changes Mostly affects how status is attained (can earn through cc spend now) Award charts, especially partner, are thankfully unaffected Citi to Choice Hotels 1:2 for Preferred Hotels (FM) Link to check which Preferred Hotels are potentially bookable as an award Some very high value properties listed but… Awards can only be booked over the phone and it sounds downright painful The award availability shown online is said to be unreliable (shows open, but you discover it can’t be booked until after a lengthy call) Only standard double occupancy rooms can be booked (unclear whether families can finagle more spacious rooms) Other than that...great deal! ;) Chase Freedom Flex “Top Spend” for Additional Q4 2021 5x (Direct Link) Only on the Freedom Flex 5x card (not the old Freedom 5x card, not the Freedom Unlimited) Spend from the top amount among these (capped at $1,500) for the quarter gets +4x Travel (including Transit), Dining, Home Improvement Stores, Grocery Stores (not including Target and Walmart purchases), Drugstores, Gas Stations, Select Live Entertainment, Select Streaming Services, Fitness Clubs. The “normal” Q4 categories are WalMart and PayPal Freedom Flex earns 3x on dining and drugstores every day So if you already spent $1,500 at PayPal you wouldn’t have triggered the top spend +4x unless the merchant was one of the top spend categories, so you could have more work to do But if you haven’t started it would seem optimal to either try to find a PayPal + top spend bonus category -or- do the PayPal separately then do the top spend in a category like drugstores or dining for 3x + 4x Maybe I should be using Freedom Flex at drugstores more in general, for 3x URs uncapped. It’s about the same as Old Blue Cash if you value URs at 1.5 cpp and consider the $6,500 at 1% on that card to get to 5% cashback. Whew, what a mind boggler. A shame the cap is so low on Freedom. Thanks for listening. For more points & miles podcast content, a thriving Slack community, meetups and more join us at: patreon.com/milenomics
	16 Nov 2021	Episode 59: Citi Transfer Partner Changes, New Routes, and a $500 Tip of the Week	00:23:54
We discuss the addition of Wyndham/Vacasa as a Citi ThankYou Point transfer partner, ZIPAIR from LAX to Tokyo, Frontier leaving Newark, and a $500 brokerage bonus from "Tastyworks." Let's get right into it. Citi TYP Shakeup: AA Out (for now?) Wyndham In Wyndham 1:1 from Premier/Prestige, 5:4 from lower level cards Wyndham opens up Vacasa rentals--and really is a wonderful option for family travel Earlier this year I attempted to open a Wyndham Business card but was unsuccessful Now, 3x on Fluz or 2x on WU purchases are really nice vehicles for Vacasa rentals Because of Cash out options, TYP transferred over should ideally have a 1cpp or higher value (1.25 for a DC or lower card) to even just break even Vacasa prices by the bedrooms (15k per)--which gives outsize value opportunities (2-3cpp) ZIPAIR Announced LAX-Tokyo Route (link) Very affordable, especially for kids What’s this mean for flights to Japan for tourism? It’s amazing how investment continues to pour into the travel space despite trying times Discuss where this sort of thing fits in compared to using miles https://www.zipair.net/en 3x weekly service 6 and below fly for 13,000 YEN each way ($115) Frontier Leaving EWR, 16 slots up for grabs (Link: WA) Is this a loss for EWR? What would it take for us to fly Frontier? (nonstop, good times) JetBlue, Spirit United seen as winners? Fun Fact: Slots were to remain unused, saving 1.2 minutes per day of delays The added competition is seen to allow fares to drop $15-$36. “Tastyworks” $500 Brokerage Bonus Direct link $500 bonus for funding w/$10,000 and holding for 3 months Doesn’t seem that trading is a requirement? Make sure GIVE_ME_FIVE_2021 is applied as the referral code Bonus posted for us 24 hours after funding (is that a world record?) We pushed a couple news items for the paid show this week. Join us at patreon.com/milenomics for further discussion on these and more, plus access to a thriving Slack community.
	22 Dec 2021	Portland, ME Manifesto with Ted Fleischaker	00:44:13
Today's special episode is hosted by Gideon the Free-quent Flyer. [Cold open] Harraseeket Inn holiday buffets: https://www.harraseeketinn.com/dine-1 Hello, and welcome to The Manifesto with Gideon, the Free-quent Flyer, on the Milenomics Podcast Network. I’m Gideon, the Free-quent Flyer, and I’m joined today by Ted Fleischaker, board member of Portland, Maine’s Etz Chaim Synagogue and publisher of the Up Portland newspaper. Ted, welcome to the Manifesto. [0:20] Plugs Etz Chaim: https://etzchaim-portland.org/ Up Portland: http://www.upportland.com/ Micucci’s Grocery Store: https://www.facebook.com/MicucciGrocery/ Anywhere else people can find you online/in Maine/conferences, etc? [1:30] Jewish Community in Maine Etz Chaim: India and Congress ST, Portland, ME. Services, Torah Study, Museum. Fire during COVID What kind of renovations were required? Discovered original (1921) wiring. How was the community served while the synagogue was closed? History of the building Location of a boarding house for Irish and Italian immigrants that burned down in the fire of 1866 History of the Jewish community in Maine Nearby 1904 Synagogue split in 1920’s over whether to use Yiddish or English during services. English speakers spent $50k remodeling present Etz Chaim building. Mid-1970’s, only 15 members left in congregation. Sell the building, hang on, or merge with another congregation? Museum foundation took over the building, congregation rents sanctuary back for services Etz Chaim changes from orthodox to egalitarian. 3 services per week: Monday Orthodox minyan, Friday night reform service, Saturday morning Orthodox service. What do Jewish traditions look like today in Portland: how can people find seders, sukkahs, etc if they’re in Portland or Maine for the Holidays? Four working synagogues in Portland: Chabad House, Bet Ha’am, Temple Beth El, Etz Chaim Surrounding areas: Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford-Saco, Bath Center for Small Town Jewish Life: https://jewishlife.colby.edu/ [20:10] Publishing a local newspaper Washington Post Magazine on local journalism: https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/interactive/2021/local-news-deserts-expanding/ How does Maine support so many local newspapers? Up Portland Island papers Lobster boat papers What goes into publishing a daily/weekly/monthly paper? How many printers remain, do papers get shipped in from out of town, USPS, “paper boxes” on the streets? What does it take to manage a dead-tree media distribution company these days? [36:40] Visiting Portland/Visiting Maine For first-time visitors to Portland or to Maine, what recommendations do you have? Where to stay? Eastland Hotel (The Westin Portland Harborview) Where/what to eat? Dock’s Seafood - lobster roll: https://www.docksseafood.com/ Street and company - lobster dinner: https://www.streetandcompany.net/ What to see? Por
	19 Jan 2022	Checking In Episode 11: January 2022 Disneyland Trip Report w/Sam Simon	01:05:29
"Checking In" is a show on the Milenomics Podcast Network where I usually chat with members of the community about some specific trip, loyalty program, or method they've been using to generate points & miles. Today's show is a little different because my guest is Milenomics founder Sam Simon. And since it's a Disneyland trip report and totally "above board" we're releasing it here on the No Annual Fee feed. I once read a post on a forum somewhere questioning whether, in times when our country and the world can seem so divided, is there anyhting we can all agree on? The first answer that popped up was Disney. Which quickly and definitively led to follow-on posts where it became clear that Disney [as a travel destination] is just as devisive a topic as anything else we might discuss. Sam lives in Southern California about 20 minutes from Disneyland. He's been there in the past, has some familiarity with the attractions, and casually keeps up with the latest developments in the Disney fan base. With two young kids, their family is somewhat interested in visiting the park but they are by no means Disney enthusiasts. So this trip report is a story about what it's like for a casual guest to engage with a travel and entertainment destination with a built-in community of fanatics that see Disneyland as their park. A place where familiarity with operating procedures, desirable dining options, and experience with their own group's preferences are all leveraged to maximize the experience. The trip report is in two parts, before and after. We discuss... Lodging Even when living close to the parks it can pay to book a nearby hotel for naps and relaxation. The Disney hotels are famously overpriced, and in Anaheim third party hotels are very close to the park. For a one-day park visit, does it make sense to book a hotel the night before, or after? What about early check-in/late check-out availability? Sam found a unique option in The Westin Anaheim Resort just south of the park that happens to be an Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts property. We discuss the pros and cons of the property. Lines With young children especially lines are consistently one of the most annoying parts of any theme park experience. We discuss how Genie+ worked in terms of suggestions and wait time reduction. Dining We've heard reports of long wait times for mobile ordering, supply chain issues, and labor shortages. Dining is a big part of most Disney trips, and planning ahead is generally recommended. But with only a day to plan, are any of the better options be available? Related Listening Checking In w/Robin from Luxe Recess on New England Resorts, Blackberry Farm, Luxury Disney and Orlando Seeptember 2021 Disney World Trip Report w/Joe Cheung These free episodes are just a sample of what's discuss more fully with a paid subscription: Hundreds of hours of additional content discussing creative ways to earn and redeem points & miles Access to a vibrant Slack community In-person meetups Thanks for listening, and thanks for your
	27 Jan 2022	Checking In Ep 13: All About Hilton w/CF Frost	01:06:09
This week I chatted with Milenomics community member CF Frost about his recent stay at the new Hilton LXR Mango House Seychelles and we do a deep dive into the Hilton program. You may remember CF from this post he wrote about a now-expired opportunity to get Amex Hilton Aspire cards without an annual fee. Those Aspire cards kick off free night certificates and resort credits that are now enabling trips like the one we discuss in this episode. Subscribers may also enjoy a trip report to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives discussed in Episode 6 of Checking In. Hyatt gets a lot of love from the points & miles community but as we discuss on the show, Hilton deserves some consideration as well. In the second half of the show we cover 10 Ways Hilton is Better than Hyatt. 3:10 CF’s Recent Trip to the LXR Mango House Seychelles Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts (website) 95,000/nt Standard Room Reward Bookable with Amex Hilton Free Night Certificates (what are those?) Nearest Airport: SEZ 34:50 10 Ways Hilton is Better Than Hyatt Footprint: Number and Location Decent Meaningful Status with No Spend Four Credit Cards vs. Two Can Get Credit Cards Even if Ineligible for Welcome Bonus Fifth Night Free on Award Stays Easy Point Transfers Free Night Certificates at Top Hotels Attainable through Reasonable Amount of Bonused Spend Free Weekend Night Certificates Usable Any Night Lately Generous Automatic Extensions of Status, Certificates, Points Expiry Favorable Cash Upgrades to Award Stays We could surely do a follow-up show on "10 Great Things about Hyatt" - and we probably will. But it's worth paying attention to other hotel chains like Hilton because there's a lot of value to be had. This week on the paid Milenomics Podcast Network feed, we just released Episode 150 of our flagship show. If you enjoyed this free epsisode head on over there for more points & miles podcast content, a thriving Slack community, and more. Thanks for listening, and thanks for your support.
	08 Apr 2022	Episode 60: Jetblue News, Marriott Goes Dynamic and a New Wells Fargo Mastercard	00:24:27
Too much news for our Patreon Podcast this week, so we broke the following out into this No Annual Fee Episode. Enjoy! 0:26 JetBlue News Roundup Boston to London service begins this summer (Link) Bids for Spirit (Link) Has service recovery issues (Link) 04:11 Marriott Bonvoy Dynamic Pricing Goes Live Seems to be a mixed bag Booked Ritz-Carlton Maldives for 335,000 now 385,000 (not bad) JW Marriott Bonnet Creek was 60k weekends, 50k weekdays, now < 50k each night which makes it a target for 50k certs And will be a target for up to 15k cert top-off when that starts “some time in April” 09:54 Bilt Rewards Mastercard Widely Available, Issued By Wells Fargo Now issued by Wells Fargo and open to all (no waitlist) 3x on dining, transfers to AA, Hyatt and others No AF, but no welcome bonus yet Referrals are 25,000 per 5 referrals, can refer even if you just have a Bilt Rewards account without a card (I’d wonder if you could sign up for Bilt Rewards account, refer P2 for Mastercard, and then refer back if you wanted two of the cards, but that seems like overkill for the overall value) I hear there are no such things as AUs with this card, so if you’re getting this for P2 when you’ve been shutdown by AA they’ll need to get their own in order to transfer to AA Discuss: Pretty wild to see this right on the Wells Fargo site. What’s stopping Wells Fargo from taking the Bilt Rewards relationships and rolling out a very compelling bank point card/program? 15:15 Targeted Chase 5x Promos Link to check: https://chase.com/mybonus/ Ex: 5x Travel, Gas, Grocery on United card (capped at $1,500 spend in Q2) Reminder: Other Q2 2022 5x categories Chase Freedom: Amazon.com and Streaming Service Discover: Gas Stations and Target Citi Dividend: Drugstores and Grocery 16:57 [Targeted?] Bank Point Transfer Bonuses Amex Avios 40% Amex Marriott Bonvoy 25% Chase Air France 25% Citi Avianca 25% 19:55 AA Expiring Miles Again (TPG) Louses–they’re not even giving you 18 months from the announcement–they seem to be backdating to the last activity which means miles could expire SOON. Miles for minors do not expire, thankfully. Book and cancel (can do the whole thing online). I found a 7,500 Mile Main cabin LAX-SJC and booked–canceled right after ticketing and miles and money came back without needing to do anything (took about 2 days). Write-up from 2018 on this process.(link) 21:55 Alila Maldives Open for Booking (OMAAT)<
	13 Apr 2022	Uruguay, Argentina and Tahiti w/Lillian: Checking In Episode 14	00:52:24
Milenomics community member Lillian joins me to talk about her trip to Uruguay, Argentina, Tahiti and beyond. I'd recommend taking a look at Google Maps while listening to follow along. Enjoy! 0:30 Premise and Parameters 4:50 AA Business Class 115k pp round trip AUS-MIA-MVD Accessed the Centurion lounge and AA Flagship Admirals Club in MIA 11:00 Montevideo, Uruguay SORO Montevideo, Curio Collection by Hilton for 18k a night The location is perfect for biking on La Rambla and for good dining within walking distance. Rooms were perfectly fine, modern decor. Diamond status recognition: They delivered a delicious tray of sweets. Car rental: Marino Sport, delivered car to hotel. Three hour drive to the beaches. 16:30 Punta del Este, Uruguay Casa Flor Boutique Hotel in the town of La Barra Originally booked with Chase 28k a night for 5 nights. Due to covid and rebooking, I ended up paying a cash rate at the hotel with my credit card $250/night. Amazing hotel, please stay here. 23:00 Salta, Argentina Legado Mitico Salta Boutique Hotel One night booked on Chase portal: $22k points. This is the best hotel in the city. It oozes old world charm and it’s like staying at a European guest house. Location is great, lots to see. Great breakfast. Still dreaming of the mini pear tart I had. Car rental: Hertz/ Salta downtown. We walked to the Hertz from the hotel and got to see the main square, picturesque town. Get a 4-wheel drive because it’s a grueling drive down ruta 40 not for the faint at heart but incredibly scenic. 29:50 Cafayate, Argentina Patios De Cafayate Wine Hotel Three nights for 18k points/night booked on the Chase portal It’s on the grounds of the famous Bodega El Esteco winery. We had a great stay here. I had some misgivings on the mixed reviews because this place was a bit more expensive that the second best hotel in Cafayate but if you dug deep, I felt like the bad reviews were basically misunderstandings which most definitely could occur if you come from the US and expect things to go the way they do in the US. As a guest, you get a free wine tasting at the store which is literally just a taste of three wines without explanations, not the official tasting tour which you need to book. Basic King room is beautiful and gigantic. The view was of the vineyard and the mountains in the background. Informal horseback rides available Visited Botega Yocochuga, up a crazy dirt road. Get the rose! Piatelli winery: excellent wine tasting, restaurant overlooking the valley, incredible atmosphere and food, gift shop with indigenous art to purchase. Make sure to reserve in advance. 33:45 Buenos Aires, Argentina Airbnb Palermo district. We rented a two-story loft in the Palermo Soho district. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/plus/31556390?source_impression_id=p3_1648659139_ughGq4ac3lauBYSv. Excellent location to feel like you are part of the city. It is not for smal
	09 May 2022	Checking In Ep 16: The Bahamas, Italy, and Disney w/Robin from Luxe Recess	01:00:02
Robin Hutson from Luxe Recess comes back to chat with Robert about... 0:45 Travel Trends Prices on airfare and lodging as travel comes back big time Seeing this domestically and internationally? 11:05 The Sad State of Amex Platinum Travel (Loyalty Lobby) 19:15 The Bahamas Baha Mar Atlantis 33:25 Italy Hotels mentioned: Laconda Rossa Palazzo Margherita 49:15 Disney Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser New Wish Ship 54:15 Luxe Recess Parenting Disney Weekend Finding Joy Inside & Out Thanks to Robin for coming on the show!
	30 Jul 2022	Episode 61: A Roundup of Current Amex Opportunities, Calling Reconsideration and News	00:36:55
It's been too long since we've released a No Annual Fee epsiode. This week we take stock of the many Amex offers currently available, many of which can earn welcome bonuses even if you've had - or still have - the card. There's some nuance to it through, which we cover in detail. Enjoy! 0:25 Amex Opportunity Roundup NLL 250,000 Business Platinum (link to check, may still get pop-up) $30,000 in 6 months Additional 10,000 for adding employee at time of application and spending $1,000 on the card Targeted NLL Bundles 150,000 Business Platinum (link to check) 100,000 Business Gold (link to check) Additional 10,000 for adding employee at time of application and spending $1,000 on the card If card goes to recon, it seems the ability to earn 10,000 for additional employee is lost Call-in offers 855-531-3491 (DoC, FM) 250,000 Business Platinum 180,000 Business Gold Additional 10,000 for adding employee at time of application and spending $1,000 on the card Targeted Upgrade Business Platinum 140,000 (link to check) Online business employee 20,000 for $4,000 up to 5 Business Green Business Gold Business Platinum Said to expire 3/31/2022, seems to still be working 20:25 Amex Reconsideration Calls Amex has rather lax approval standards compared to other banks There are many ways to get denied temporarily - for exceeding some limit on the total number of Amex cards you have, how recently you’ve been approved for the same card When this happens you have some time (usually around 90 days) to call Amex and ask them for clarity on why you weren’t approved, and to ask them to reconsider the application if the disqualifying disposition has been resolved This can be a very effective technique if a limited time opportunity presents itself, and you’re not eligible to be approved until some time has passed Check application status online Call them at 1-866-314-0237 (Mon-Fri 6am-8pm MST). Tell them your application number in the email they send you with their decision (or they can look it up with SSN, sometimes takes a while for them to find it if you’ve applied for a lot of cards over the years) Ask them why you were denied and if the condition has been resolved to have it put through for reconsideration If they agree you’ve resolved the condition you’ll usually get an email with approval within 24 hours 26:40 JetBlue Acquires Spirit Seems like for real this time Feels like this is going to be a mess
	29 Sep 2022	Episode 62: Japan Reopens for Tourism	00:20:07
We're back today with a discussion about finding award travel to Japan for a family from both the west coast and the east coast of the US, now that Japan is finally set to reopen for tourism. Info from US Embassy in Japan Set to reopen October 11, 2022 Finally! Let the planning begin. JAL award availability patterns far out seem mostly the same with a few notable exceptions First, I don’t see JAL reliably opening 2 in First/2 in Business at schedule open any more (as was the case before the pandemic - see this post). Now only releasing 1 seat in First, and 2 in Business on the JFK-TYO route. Second, fuel surcharges are way up when using partner miles from non-US programs -or- JAL miles head-on. Alaska and AA have no fuel surcharges but their booking window opens far later than foreign carriers. Third, weekend departures/returns seem to have less availability than weekdays. Sweep for trends w/AA calendar search. Fourth, close-in award availability release patterns are not as good than they were before the pandemic Fifth, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles have lost their appeal for this redemption even though they do see further out than British Airways. British Airways tends to have higher bank point transfer bonuses. Discuss: “Would you rather” award travel puzzlers How do you feel about splitting your family up between cabins? First/Business. Business/Premium Economy. Does 2 and 2 make a difference vs 3 and 1? How about splitting flights? 2 go through one city, 2 go through another. Favorable exchange rate (link for 5 year chart) - check cash hotel bookings now to lock in rates, and compare to hotel points We'll follow up soon with a blog post summarizing changes in award travel trends to Japan, but for now we hope this discussion is helpful. This week on Episode 173 of the paid show we'll be discussing new Amex opportunities and more. We'd love it if you joined us on Patreon to listen to those shows and gain access to our Slack community.
	09 Nov 2022	Travelstories Episode 1: JAL First to Manila	00:38:25
Editor's Note: Today we host a new show on the network. Please welcome Travelstories with Tom (@tktweetskim) and Trevor (@tmount) who many of you already know. They'll share episodes here from time to time. Enjoy! Welcome to Travelstories, where we get into the details of traveling, flight planning, and collecting miles and points! Flying with Japan Airlines (JAL) is always a treat. And although we didn’t enter Japan, we have flown through it with JAL en route to Manila. In today’s episode, we’ll unpack our trip to Manila, what it was like traveling with JAL, and whether it lived up to our expectations. We take some time to reflect on the challenges we faced in booking our flights and how we decided to optimally spend our points, as well as why we chose JAL for our premium flight experience. Listeners will hear our thoughts on how the airports and lounges we visited have changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the special insight we got into Japanese culture during our trip. We also share a breakdown of our in-flight experience, the food and beverages we were most impressed by, and why staying at The Grand Hyatt in Manila was undoubtedly the best choice. Our primary goal with this trip was to have a premium flight experience, and while we faced some puzzling challenges along the way, we feel that it was well worth the stress and planning it took to get it done. To hear all the nerdy details of our trip, plus some smart saving tips, be sure to tune in today! Key Points From This Episode: The exciting news of Japan opening up on 11 October 2022. Why we chose to travel to Manila with Japan Airlines (JAL) for a premium flight experience. The challenges we faced when booking flights and organizing our trip to Manila. Our experience of the JAL check-in process. The special insight we got into Japanese culture when we arrived before check-in was officially open. A breakdown of our in-flight experience. Learn about JAL’s expansive menu options. Our thoughts on both the Western and Japanese menus. An overview of the drinks that were served and the exceptional whiskey we tried. A rundown of the special juices that are produced by JAL. How the Haneda JAL first class lounge has changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The incredible aviation decorations in the Red Room of the JAL lounge. The economy flight that we took and why we were pleasantly surprised. How our experience of flying out differed from flying in. Our exceptional stay at the Grand Hyatt in Manila. How Manila exceeded our expectations. The last leg of our trip home and why we chose to rent a car. Tweetables: “I'm not a seafood fan. So the Japanese menu didn't really do too much for me. I had a couple of different items over the course of the two flights from that Japanese menu, but largely, it really was very heavy on the seafood.” — Trevor [0:15:05] “The last time I had been to this lounge was well pre-pandemic. They had a nice layout, a little bit of buffet, and a little bit of a la carte that you could order. This time they seemed to have adapted to the pandemic a little bit more.” — Trevor [0:21:57] “The Red Room is still pretty cool. There are a lot of interesting artifacts there. They had lots of interesting aviation decorations and things like that. It still has a lot of charm.” — Tom [0:23:06] “I think it was worth it. [Even] with all the stress. That's why we're in this hobby. We love this stuff. We love travel planning. W
	23 Nov 2022	Travelstories Episode 2: JFK International Airport: The International Gateway Everyone Loves to Hate	00:36:16
Editor's Note: Please welcome Travelstories with Tom (@tktweetskim) and Trevor (@tmount) who many of you already know. They'll share episodes here from time to time. Enjoy! Episode 02: Show Notes. In today’s episode, Trevor and Tom broach the topic of the International Gateway that everyone loves to hate. We’re referring, of course, to JFK International Airport in New York City. From its unique features and plane-spotting opportunities to the logistical challenges it presents, this episode covers it all. Tune in to hear Trevor and Tom’s review of the airport's various lounges and nearby hotels, find out about the upcoming changes to this international gateway, and discover why everyone keeps finding themselves at JFK, despite its flaws. Key Points From This Episode: Today’s topic: JFK International Airport. The unique features of JFK. Who each terminal is owned by. The limited airside connectivity between terminals. The transport challenges and costs of getting in and out of JFK. A review of JFK’s lounges. The Virgin Clubhouses you can access with a platinum American Express card. Notable upcoming changes for Terminal 7 and Terminal 2. The hotel choices around JFK. JFK’s flaws. The plane spotting opportunity at JFK. Why people find themselves at JFK despite the fact that they love to hate it. Strategies for positioning, with regards to connecting flights through JFK. The logistical challenges JFK presents. The pros of flying to and from JFK. Tweetables: “[At] JFK there’s very limited, if not non-existent, airside connectivity between terminals.” — Tom Kim [0:03:05] “The Virgin Clubhouse is probably one of the most notable [lounges] and is definitely one to go visit if you have the opportunity.” — Tom Kim [0:09:21] “[There are] a lot of flaws in this major New York gateway to the world.” — Tom Kim [0:26:59] “[JFK] is probably the best plane spotting location on the East Coast.” — Tom Kim [0:27:14] “One of the reasons people love to hate JFK, yet still find themselves in JFK, is [that] you still find that award space.” — @tmount [0:29:32] “The incredible connectivity that you have from JFK is really where it shines.”— @tmount [0:34:23] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Trevor on Twitter JFK International Airport New York JFK Virgin Clubhouse
	20 Dec 2022	Episode 63: Year End Points & Miles Cleanup	00:27:39
Although we're up to Episode 180 on Patreon feed it's been a while since we've done a No Annual Fee show. We're back today discussing things we're doing as 2022 comes to a close: 1:08 Credit card double and triple dip opportunities 3:30 Wrapping up credit card incidental usage 11:30 Credit card Q4 5x categories 14:10 Credit card milestone bonuses 16:35 Status top-off 19:40 Hotel certificate usage (lots of Hiltons seem to expire) 23:20 Buy miles in programs where yearly caps make sense 25:10 Book Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts for $200 Personal Platinum Credit We hope this has been a great year for you in points & miles. Happy Holidays!
	09 Jan 2023	TravelStories Episode 4: Cruising	00:50:19
Editor's Note: Episode 3 of Travelstores only appeared on the Milenomics Patreon Feed. How To Get the Most Out of Your Cruise Key Points From This Episode: Today’s topic: How to get the most out of your cruise. The COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected the cruise industry. How the state of the cruise industry has changed over the past year. The most popular time to go out to sea. Why cruises can be seen as an economical travel alternative. Where most people are going on cruises right now. How the pandemic offered a unique opportunity to enjoy emptier cruise ships. The mindset shift you should make if you want to adopt cruising. Some of the most convenient benefits of cruises. The type of high-quality entertainment you can experience on cruise ships. The less enjoyable aspects of going on a full-capacity cruise. Tom and Trevor reflect on their Baltic cruise and what they appreciated about it. Why European cruises allow for a more authentic experience. Tom’s experience on his first Norwegian Cruise Line cruise and how it compares to Royal Caribbean. The differences between reserved and freestyle dining. Learn about the manufactured spending opportunities that you’ll find on a cruise ship. An overview of the variations in casino experiences on different cruise lines. The exciting benefits that you receive from casino loyalty reward programs. The opportunities for free and substantially discounted cruises if you don’t like gambling. Episode 04: Show Notes. When the COVID-19 pandemic first caused global lockdowns in early 2020, cruise lines were one of the many hard-hit industries that had to close down virtually overnight. Now, in 2022, the world has opened up considerably, and many industries have returned to pre-pandemic levels of operation (or close to it). Today on the show we discuss some of our most memorable cruise experiences and how cruise lines have recovered over the past year. Listening in, you'll hear Tom give a detailed breakdown of the loyalty programs that gave him access to free and discounted cruises and how that allowed him to spend over two months at sea in 2022. We reflect on how the pandemic created a unique opportunity to experience much emptier cruises, and what we’ll be missing now that they are back in full swing. Our conversation also covers the types of entertainment you can expect, the best ways to dine, and how to shift your mindset for the best cruise experience. If you’re curious about the world of cruises and how to make the most of your next trip, then be sure to stick around for this illuminating conversation! Tweetables: “Cruising is almost unrecognizable from the state that it was in, in December of 2021.” — Tom Kim [0:01:06] “You have to make a mindset shift when you adopt cruising as something that you want to do.” — Tom Kim [0:05:54] “I've gotten dozens of free cruise offers from the casino loyalty program. And you don't have to gamble that much for them to start offering you stuff.” — Tom Kim [0:35:43] “Now that the ships are back to 100% capacity I think the casino offers are getting a little less generous.” — Tom Kim [0:45:31] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Royal Caribbean Norwegian Cruise Line Carnival				27 Jan 2023	TravelStories Episode 5: Christmas Markets	00:45:18
Christmas Markets Episode 05: Show Notes Nothing quite rivals the European Christmas markets during the festive season. Trevor recently went on a multi-city Christmas trip with his family, spanning three generations. In this episode, we hear about his travels from Paris to Berlin and on to Vienna and Prague. Trevor shares his observations of the Christmas markets in each city, as well as his accommodation and culinary experiences in each destination. This is timely as it’s a great time to start planning for a 2023 Christmas market trip, as reward availability is just opening up. Tune in to learn about the point redemption opportunities involved in Trevor’s recent trip and how to do Christmas markets in style! Key Points From This Episode: [00:18] Introducing today’s topic: Christmas markets. [00:38] Why now is a good time to plan for a Christmas market trip. [01:08] Trevor’s past European Christmas market experiences. [02:07] How many times he traveled to Europe in 2022! [02:44] The point redemption opportunities involved in his recent Christmas market trip. [07:54] Trevor’s Christmas market food experience in France. [11:05] His Parisian hotel experience. [12:58] Trevor’s German Christmas market and hotel experience in Berlin. [17:14] The pros and cons of the hop-on-hop-off bus in Berlin. [19:28] Trevor shares his observations of each market he visited in Berlin. [25:00] A recount of his stay in Vienna. [33:21] The benefits of staying 60 nights in the higher program. [35:05] The connectability of Vienna. [35:34] The multiple Christmas markets in Vienna and their unique features. [37:18] The Viennese food that stood out to Trevor and his family. [37:57] How he traveled to Prague. [39:34] Why he chose to stay in the Hilton Old City. [43:38] Trevor’s overall feeling about his recent multi-generational, multi-city trip. Correction: When discussing the Andaz Vienna am Belvedere’s Executive Suite, Trevor stated it may have been 1,100 square meters; it was actually 108 square meters, which translates to 1,162.5 square feet. Tweetables: “Hotels can be a dime a dozen, but if you want a specific hotel, when you’re talking about the holiday season, you need to start really early.” —@tmount [0:00:53] “German Christmas markets are really the Christmas markets in Europe.” — @tmount [0:13:28] “Not every market is open every day, at least in Berlin.” — @tmount [0:23:53] “The Christmas markets in Europe are so beautiful and they’re so doable with a little bit of planning ahead.” — @tmount [0:44:34]
	17 Feb 2023	TravelStories Episode 6: Full-Time Travel with Brennan Anderson	00:41:58
Full-Time Travel with Brennan Anderson Episode 06: Show Notes. Everybody needs to travel at some point in their lives, whether for vacation or business, but what about full-time travel? Is traveling full-time even possible? To help us answer these questions is our very first guest on the podcast, Brennan Anderson, who is traveling the world with his wife on a full-time basis. In our conversation, we delve into all the aspects of long-term travel, what is needed, and the overall experience. We start by learning about the required preparation, what motivated Brennan to travel long-term, and how to fund traveling the world. Hear about the incredible places he and his wife have visited, his experience with last-minute and advanced bookings, what cruise line he would recommend, his Maldives experience, joining an archeological dig site, and much more! Tune in to learn about the realities of traveling full-time with Brennan Anderson! Key Points From This Episode: [00:47] Introducing Brennan and where he is currently based. [01:41] Outline of today’s show and the topics that will be covered. [02:25] Find out why Brennan and his wife decided to pursue long-term travel. [05:21] How Brennan and his wife were able to afford full-time travel. [07:13] Whether they check-in or carry-on their luggage. [10:04] The type of travel insurance he and his wife use. [12:12] Overview of the cruises and travel deals they took advantage of. [17:51] He shares his overall experience using URComped. [21:11] Differences between Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International. [25:11] What the Maldives was like and other travel highlights. [32:09] He shares his amazing experience of being a part of an archeological dig. [36:48] Discover how much the archeological dig experience cost them. [38:00] His biggest surprises and the lessons learned so far while traveling. Tweetables: “All of the entertainment was incredible on Royal Caribbean, not as much on Carnival.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:21:51] “[The Maldives] was by far the most spectacular place that we have been so far.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:25:24] “It really was a great experience to learn about not only the process of archeology but actually getting to find a few things.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:36:21] “If you are willing to put in the work, apply, and research other opportunities, it sounds like there are a lot of free opportunities through colleges and universities.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:37:03] “The most surprising thing has been just how easy it has been to transition into nomadic life.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:38:00] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Brennan Anderson Brennan Anderson on Instagram Brennan Anderson on Twitter Brennan and Megan Anderson Carnival Cruise Line Royal Caribbean International Allianz Travel				01 Mar 2023	Episode 64: February 2023 Japan Trip Report	00:58:44
We're just back from Tokyo and excited to share this trip report. We're up to Episode 187 on our Patreon feed but wanted to publish this here on the No Annual Fee feed since it's been a while since we've done a free show. Enjoy! 0:30 Discuss: Lots of Interest and Pent Up Demand for Japan 1:50 Premise of the Trip 2 adults 2 kids: 18 and 15 18 is actually considered a child age in Japan for some things 3:45 Panic Moment: Did I forget to buy a couple of return tickets? I’ve booked and canceled this trip so many times I’ve lost count Managing multiple PNRs booked across several different channels Didn’t realize a couple tickets were purchased as roundtrip. Whew. Discuss: How do you manage this? 8:20 Airport Upgrades for JAL International Flights (Direct Link) We departed Boston - Tokyo today, nonstop with 3 of us in Business Class on AsiaMiles awards and 1 of us in Premium Economy booked with JAL Miles transferred from Marriott long ago. I've been monitoring award space for 1 more Business Class seat, but nothing materialized. No partner award opened up close in, and even when booking with JAL miles nothing was available at any award level. A week ago they sent an option to bid on the upgrade with cash starting at $625. I passsed. I called JAL a few days ago inquring about upgrades. The agent said I'd need to cancel and rebook and nothing was available in Business Class. My last hope was a same day airport upgrade and...it worked! When we got to the check-in counter I asked about airport upgrades with JAL miles, for my son's Premium Economy JAL Award to Business Class. The agent first said Business Class was sold out, but then went to check with her supervisor. She came back and said that since we booked with Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles that we couldn't upgrade. But when I explained to her that I booked his ticket with JAL miles that an upgrade was possible. It took 4 or 5 reps there, me recalling my JAL frequent flyer number on the spot ("write it down on this piece of paper, I'll wait"), and 30,000 JAL miles but they upgraded him. I originally booked his seat for 32,500 JAL miles + $396. I'd like to avoid those taxes + fees in the future, but booking JAL miles did indeed improve upgrade options as I hoped. If the upgrade didn't work out, we selected seats for the rest of us at the back of Business Class with him at the front of the Premium Economy cabin. That likely would have worked out quite well - it really is close with just a curtain separating. But this worked out great. A good backup if you need just 1 or 2 more seats to round out an itinerary where partner/low level space isn't behaving. 15:20 BA Lounge at Boston Logan Quite nice Not crowded for mid-day departure since not many flights 16:00 Outbound Flight: JAL Business Class Nonstop to Boston Wasn’t spectacular but the direct flight was just what we needed to get the whole group behind this return trip to Japan No matter how you cut it: 14 hours is…a long flight. 17:45 Narita Arrivals Probably the most grueling international arrival I’ve experienced Seemed like a ton of flights coming in at the same time
	05 Mar 2023	TravelStories Episode 7: Top Tips for the Vegas Strip	00:52:30
Episode 07: Show Notes. We met today’s guest, Joey, in Las Vegas in 2017, so we decided to bring him onto the show for a deep dive into how to make the most of your time and your money on The Strip! Joey has been going to Vegas so long that you could actually play $1 craps, so it’s safe to say he’s an expert in the area. Money goes further in Vegas than it does in most other cities if you know what you’re doing, so tune in today for our top tips on everything from how to save on resort fees and leverage the food and beverage credits to what airlines to fly. We also discuss whether hiring a car in Vegas is a good idea, how the new operators on The Strip are going to change things for visitors, and our top restaurant and hotel recommendations! Key Points From This Episode: [01:01] Why Vegas holds a place in Tom and Joey’s hearts. [01:40] Joey’s Vegas claim to fame. [02:12] How gambling in Vegas has changed since Joey’s early days. [03:18] Vegas restaurant recommendations. [09:43] Pros and cons of the main hotels on the Strip in Vegas. [18:54] Vegas’ worst kept secret. [19:28] How to save on resort fees in Vegas. [20:53] Benefits of visiting Vegas during the week. [21:26] Tips for leveraging the food and beverage credits. [26:53] The best buffet option in Vegas. [28:13] The recent increase in operators on The Strip, and what this means for Vegas tourists. [29:25] Important information to note about parking in Vegas. [30:33] Weighing up whether or not to hire a car in Vegas. [36:41] How MyVegas works. [40:23] Top tips for traveling to and from Vegas. [44:30] The story of how we all met! Tweetables: “When I started gambling in Las Vegas, there was a thing called 50 cent roulette chips. They’re now getting rid of $1 roulette chips. Inflation is real over there in the City of Sin.” — Joey [0:02:12] “One of the things I really like about Vegas is you can really find something for your price range.” — Tom Kim [0:04:24] “I think we’re going to see more arbitrage opportunities, probably more status matching, as some of the new operators start sucking money away from Caesars and MGM.” — Tom Kim [0:28:45] “[Vegas] is a place where luxury is on sale so your 200 dollars goes a lot further than in a lot of other cities.” — Tom Kim [0:36:27] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Park MGM NoMad Library Peppermill Secret Pizza Lemongrass & Lime Gordon Ramsay Steak Carversteak Din Tai Fung Resorts World The Cosm
	20 Mar 2023	TravelStories Episode 8: Epic Guys Trip	00:58:55
An Epic Guys Trip Episode 08: Show Notes. When you take a trip around the world with your friends, you are bound to come away from it with some pretty crazy stories. Today on the show, we are joined by Joey (who had the idea for this trip) and Geoff, who, along with our hosts TK and Trevor, went on an epic guys' trip around the world in June of 2018. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about our itinerary, how we booked optimal flights, and the points we earned along the way. We give a breakdown of the various hotels we stayed at, including the polarizing St. Regis in Singapore, some of the best meals we had, and the variety of planes we got to fly on during our trip. You’ll also learn how we managed to get our own private tour of an A380 Airbus and the lovely responses we got when we gifted our crew and attendants with special gifts. From Sydney to South Korea, Madrid, and Santiago, Chile, we had a whirlwind of a time and even got ourselves into a close call with one of our final flights. Tune in to hear all about our epic tales, long flights, unforgettable taxi rides, and much more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:11] Introducing today’s guests, Geoff and Joey, and our epic guys' trip in June 2018. [01:52] A shoutout to FlyerTalk and its under-credited Premium Deal Fares section. [03:49] An overview of the flight itinerary for our round-the-world trip. [05:06] The variety of planes we flew on, including the 747-400 on Qantas and the Singapore 777-300ER. [10:04] Our arrival in Sydney, the memorable meal we had, and our stay at the Park Hyatt. [11:32] Find who we saw in their airline pajamas during our breakfast at the Park Hyatt. [13:05] The special events that were happening at the Sydney Opera House during our time there and our experience of the pop-up Centurion Lounge. [15:09] The priority pass restaurants we visited in the international terminal in Sydney. [16:57] Our experience of the Qantas Lounge and what it has to recommend itself. [17:25] Giving gifts to the attendants and flight crew and the range of reactions we’ve seen. [20:09] Our arrival in Singapore and our positive opinion of St. Regis Singapore. [22:36] Some of the best meals we had in Singapore. [25:09] One of Joey’s favorite flights on the trip and our arrival in Incheon, Korea. [26:50] The incredible chicken restaurant we were recommended by a taxi driver and our hike at the Heungryunsa Temple. [31:04] The two consecutive nights we spent flying and our experience of Dubai’s First Class Lounge. [33:39] Our day flight from Dubai to Madrid and how we got to explore the cockpit of an A380 Airbus. [36:08] The Prado Museum in Madrid, why there was such an enormous queue, and how TK got roped into taking photos for Russian influencers. [37:32] The dive bar we visited after our trip to the Prado Museum, called Taberna El Rincón de José and the best gin and tonics we’ve ever had. [39:43] Our eventful Uber trip to the airport, and how our driver accidentally took us to the pilot’s entrance. [45:21] The close call we had with catching our flight to Santiago, why our first-class tickets saved us, and how the rest of us got separated from TK. [52:08] Our stay in W in Santiago, the hike we went on, and why we’d like to return to Santiago, Chile. [53:32] Our final flights home and the miles we had accumulated throughout our trip. [56:58] What our next round-the-world trip might look like. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: FlyerTalk				23 Mar 2023	Checking In Ep 24: Japan and Disney with Joe Cheung	00:33:16
0:23 Japan Trips: Past, present, and future 13:40 Disney Parks: What we're seeing, what we're hearing, and how do you approach advising clients? 29:00 Disney Concierge Cruise: Worth it? Check out Joe's Disney Deciphered Podcast To book a Disney vacation through Joe: josephcheung@travelmation.net Subscribe to the Milenomics Podcast Network for more... Thanks to Joe for coming on the show!
	06 Apr 2023	TravelStories Episode 9: Return to Asia	00:50:33
Return to Asia Episode 9: Show Notes. Welcome back to another episode of Travel Stories, where this week we talk about returning to Asia! Over the past few years, the award availability to get to Asia has been limited but we are hoping that it will start to flow back. In this episode, Trevor dives into his recent family trip to Singapore and Bali and we get to hear all about it. From the flights they selected, the equipment they flew, the experience in business class, meal service, and fifth freedom flights. He shares his first experience with a new airline and also sheds light on some recommendations regarding flights; which to pick and when! We also hear about his experience at the Andaz Hotel in Singapore and the Hyatt Regency in Bali. For all this, and much more, tune into this jam-packed episode now. Enjoy! Key Points From This Episode: [00:06] An introduction to our topic for this week’s episode. [01:30] We talk about getting flights to different places. [02:44] Trevor talks us through their Asia trip itinerary. [04:06] The Singapore business-class experience. [05:18] Trevor’s most memorable takeaway from their Singapore flight. [07:24] The downside of the flight experience: the IFE. [07:45] The amenities kit and why it just isn’t the same. [08:40] We hear about the next special, leg of the flight. [09:40] The equipment he flew on for the next leg. [10:00] Fifth freedom flights and their benefits. [11:35] Why Trevor has avoided, thus far, flying with KLM. [12:20] Some of the pluses for flying with KLM. [14:19] Trevor tells us about his return trip and what made it memorable too. [17:30] Why the 17-hour flight was not the best; a few factors. [19:28] We hear about the meal service on the flight from Singapore to JFK. [20:50] A recommendation from Trevor for those traveling from Singapore to JFK. [22:00] The two flights from JFK/Newark to Singapore and which to pick and when. [23:20] The “Family” experience; flying with a 15-month-old. [25:30] Our thoughts on the Singapore service experience. [28:15] American Airlines: their last flight home. [30:01] Trevor talks about his decisions around American miles. [31:56] We hear about Trevor’s experience in Singapore. [34:40] The walkability of Singapore. [35:45] We hear about his experience at the Andaz Singapore hotel. [40:30] More about his time in Bali at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. [41:12] The regency club at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bali. [42:25] What made Sanur beach superior to others. [44:57] More about the amenities at the hotel. [46:00] Transportation: the experience and how he arranged it. Tweetables: “I personally, would recommend [anyone flying Singapore to JFK] to hold your meal to later in the flight so that you aren’t getting off the flight hungry.” — @tmount [0:20:49] “The Singapore service is insurmountable, they have their processes so refined and they do it so well.” — @tmount [0:25:01] “It’s very hard for me to think of a time or an encounter with a Singapore Airline staff member that wasn’t top-notch.” — @TktweetsKim [0:25:31] “Bali is a wonderful destination for stretching your travel budget; it’s a place where you can have a very comfortable beach getaway and not have to dig too deep into the wallet.” — @TktweetsKim
	15 Apr 2023	Episode 65: The Current State of US Airlines	01:08:02
*We Assess the Current State of the Six Largest US Airlines...on today’s Milenomics² (No Annual Fee Edition) Podcast* 0:24 Premise of the Discussion Everyone’s situation is different. Different hometown airport(s), different common destinations, different enthusiasm for taking on points & miles complexity to defray airfare costs, etc. That being the case, there’s are no one-size-fits-all solutions in this game That said, there are tendencies and trends that are worth being familiar with as it’s useful in informing moves you might make to prepare for future travel In this spirit, we think it’s a good time to take a look at the biggest domestic carriers. We’ll analyze them both for using their miles to fly their metal, the overall state of their frequent flyer program, their co-branded credit cards, their bank point relationships, how difficult they are to earn, and their overall position in the market. 04:21 American Could be the last remaining legacy carrier where close-in you can still find saver level awards for expensive cash fares, will have to see how this plays out with a supposed move to “fully dynamic” British Airways Avios (and other OneWorld partner awards) can still be a good play, but AA doesn’t seem to release much partner award space A good program to generate miles in, but if their utility becomes mostly for partner awards it significantly diminishes the value proposition for me With no bank point transfer partners, it can be tough to generate AA miles. Bilt transfers are possible. Unique in that they partner with both Citi and Barclays, though churnability has become difficult Bottom Line: Still a lot of great partners, favorable partner award charts, and flexible change and cancellation terms. The value proposition with AA increasingly hinges on partner awards. 14:15 Delta Booking with Delta miles provides decent everyday value with flexible cancellation terms. Not a lot of clever angles here when cash prices are high. Issues with cancellations not actually happening. Need to follow up. Wide variety of co-branded Amex cards with probably the best churnability of any carrier due to targeted offers and lenient approval standards 15% discount on award travel if holding one of their Amex Delta cards. 1:1 transfer partner from Membership Rewards which have been one of the easier bank point currencies to generate the past 5 years Booking with 35% Amex Business Platinum rebate even more valuable than transferring (but beware Amex Travel hassles and harder to cancel) SkyClub membership for everyone who carries an Amex Platinum card is a nice perk when flying, though because of this they can be crowded Bottom Line: Weak SkyTeam alliance and expensive international awards make Delta a straightforward value proposition for domestic flights. 23:54 Southwest A wide variety of fun (if complicated) instruments for booking flights. Fun? I think that when things are going well they can be more 'fun' than other airlines to fly with. “Too good to be true” Companion Pass is perhaps the longest running and evidently effective campaigns in the space. In general, connections with Southwest stress their system and make for longer travel than necessary with other carriers Not low cost. Low fee. Antique seating policy makes for trouble for families with children older than their cutoff of 6.
	07 May 2023	Episode 66: May 2023 Credit Card Welcome Offers	00:18:25
0:41 Chase Approving Sapphire Applications Over 5/24? Both of us have been approved over 5/24 for a CSP Sam: Also approved for a CSR the next day Data points of this working for some, not working for others. No clear pattern. Worth a shot, but the priority should be the CSP over the CSR first. 04:29 Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonuses Bumped Through Referral 80,000 points $4,000 spend in 3 months, $95 annual fee not waived first year To generate a referral link: https://chase.com/referafriend 06:17 Chase Ink 90,000 Referral/Match https://chase.com/referafriend Ink referrals are getting 40,000 for the referral and 75,000 for the card Secure message to match after approval 08:16 Chase Aeroplan Mastercard (DoC) Direct Link (100k offer may still be working) Pay Yourself Back at 1.25 Cents per point (Shutdown risk?) $95 annual fee not waived first year 09:54 Air France/KLM Mastercard 70,000 (DoC) Direct Link 70,000 after $2,000 in 3 months $95 annual fee not waived first year 12:29 Wells Fargo Choice Hotels Cards (FM) 60,000 for $1,000, no AF 90,000 for $3,000, $95 AF Nice to see Wells Fargo taking over cards from Barclays! 13:45 Citi ShopYourWay Mastercard (Direct Link) $75 per $500 spent, up to $225 ($1500 spend) 5x gas, 3x Grocery/Restaurants up to $10k a year. No longer issuing ThankYou Point version SYW points worth 1CPP for many gift cards. Easy cash out. 17:03 Never Forget: Amex Opportunities Abound
	22 May 2023	TravelStories Episode 11: The Changing Landscape of Cruising	00:47:41
The Changing Landscape of Cruising Episode 11: Show Notes The landscape of cruising has changed drastically since the last time we spoke about it on the podcast, just four months ago. In this episode, we fill you in on the changes, both positive and negative, and discuss the maintained value of cruises, despite the changes. We also give you a detailed trip report of our recent Royal Caribbean cruise on the impressive Wonder of the Seas, from the entertainment and casino experience to the cabins and dining opportunities. Tune in to hear the greatest takeaways from our most recent cruise experience, as well as some tips for optimizing your next cruise. Key Points From This Episode: [00:16] Today’s topic: how the cruising landscape has changed. [00:38] The maintained value of cruises, despite the changes. [03:06] Challenges of getting to the South Pacific. [04:50] A list of the positive aspects of the shifting cruise landscape. [06:40] New limitations and negative changes. [13:29] Additional changes to the casino offers and the predicted repercussions. [18:27] A trip report of the Wonder of the Seas cruise with Royal Caribbean. [28:31] Entertainment aboard Wonder of the Seas. [36:39] The Wonder of the Seas’ unique onboard casino experience. [38:36] Our criticism of Royal Caribbean. [38:55] A review of the rooms on the cruise. [40:05] How we booked this particular cruise. [42:03] Our takeaways from CocoCay Island. [44:23] Tips for optimizing your cruise experience. Tweetables: “I have more cruise opportunities than I have vacation time at this point, which I guess is a good problem to have.” — @TktweetsKim [0:05:06] “Cruise prices, just like everything else, look high on the surface of it but if you can figure out a way to bypass that barrier to entry, you can build off that.” — @tmount [0:06:15] “Your core seven-night Caribbean cruises have been incredibly expensive.” — @TktweetsKim [0:10:40] “[Royal Caribbean Cruises] invest a lot of money in these aqua shows; it’s a differentiator.” — @TktweetsKim [30:25] “Even though you have five different Oasis-class ships, they all have a unique aqua show.” — @TktweetsKim [30:46] “The golden room was perhaps my favorite place to be because it was a smoke-free version of a casino.” — @TktweetsKim [36:52] “As we always say, free isn’t free.” — @tmount [41:20] “Specialty dining is extraordinarily expensive these days [so] our tip is [to] do specialty dining for lunch.” — @TktweetsKim [44:34] “Book an appointment with NextCruise for the last evening if you think you’re going to gamble.” — @tmount [46:20] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Royal Caribbean Cruises Wonder of the Seas Thomas Kim on Twitter
	04 Jun 2023	TravelStories Episode 12: Looking Back on the Era of Mileage Running	00:43:14
Episode 12: Show Notes Mileage runs used to be fun and exciting travel bursts that allowed you to visit many destinations in a short space of time while racking up tons of miles. Today, however, things are a bit different and mileage runs are no longer prevalent. Trevor and TK take a trip down memory lane to the good old days when mileage runs were common practice. Our hosts begin by sharing their first joint mileage run and the nested itinerary that came with it. We explore what a trip in vain is, and other mileage run examples from our hosts. Finally, we learn about how airlines can be separated by the little things, whether elite status still matters, why mileage runs are uncommon but still possible to do today, and so much more. We thank you for tuning in. Key Points From This Episode: [00:18] Today, we will be covering a mishmash of random airline mileage run topics. [00:40] What Thomas remembers from the mileage run days. [01:22] Trevor and Thomas’ first planned mileage run and their nested itinerary. [04:36] Late check-ins, last-minute boarding, and secondary security screening selection. [09:30] The contract of carriage, and a trip in vain. [12:54] Why Trevor got more miles than Thomas even though he traveled less. [13:58] Exploring differences between various programs when making travel changes. [15:52] The rest of Thomas’ nested itinerary experience after Trevor dropped out of the trip. [18:10] In-flight equipment, amenities, travel comfort, and magic menus. [20:55] Why Alaska Airlines can afford to have riskier menus. [22:14] Thomas’ solo Mexico-Easter Island mileage run. [27:33] Trevor’s fun Brazilian mileage run. [30:30] Geeking out on airline seats. [32:15] How mileage runs are still possible today, and Thomas’ favorite runs of the past. [34:00] The validity and benefits of obtaining elite status in today’s world. [35:56] How to get the most out of flying a 737 to build miles. [37:01] Why today’s airfares and mileage costs make mileage runs difficult. Tweetables: “The age of the revenue-based mileage system pretty much killed mileage runs.” — @TktweetsKim [01:02] “Brazil was an interesting place because they don’t allow fuel surcharges.” — @tmount [27:56] “It’s fun running into like-minded people who honestly care as much about elite status as you do.” — @TktweetsKim [34:11] “The golden age of mileage runs seems to be behind us...where the action is these days is buying revenue tickets in business classes, where the subsequent miles are still a bit more advantageous.” — @TktweetsKim [38:58] “I think now, for us, we’re much more vacation-run focused. If we’re going to do something and pay for it, we’re generally looking to spend a night or a couple of nights.” — @tmount [39:48] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: American Airlines Le Chic Geek Delta The Points Guy Pizza in Motion				19 Jun 2023	TravelStories Episode 13: Talking All Things with Michael Trager and ZorkFest	00:51:48
Talking All Things with Michael Trager and ZorkFest Episode 13: Show Notes. This week, on our lucky Episode 13, we welcome Michael Trager from TravelZork. We sit down and hear from Michael about his comical, but just as incredible, TWA story, and how he got into revenue luxury travel. We discuss all things related to rewards credit cards, the 5/24 rule, and what we like and dislike about loyalty points. We also include a quick game, called Guess the Fare and hear about Michael’s best-ever aggressively priced airfare. Michael then tells us, and listeners, all about what they can look forward to for the upcoming ZorkFest 2023, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It’s going to be October 13-14, and is a mix of gambling and casino topics, points and miles discussions including featured guests, and their no BS approach that combines practical and expert advice for both travel and casino loyalty, and so much more. Don’t miss out on this great episode, with our knowledgeable guest, Michael Trager. Key Points From This Episode: [00:00:20] An introduction to our guest on this week’s episode. [00:01:08] More about Michael Trager; a self-introduction, if you will. [00:03:50] His incredible TWA story. [00:06:30] Michael tells us about doing revenue luxury travel. [00:11:00] He tells us about his new American Airlines AAdvantage credit card. [00:13:30] We discuss the 5/24 Rule. [00:17:30] The art of calculating points, rewards, and the game of it. [00:19:15] What we like about AA loyalty points. [00:20:42] A quick tangent on TSA pre-checkpoints. [00:21:45] We close the segment with a game: Guess the Fare? [00:31:00] Booking an itinerary and thinking outside the fare. [00:31:45] Michael’s best ever “aggressively priced” airfare. [00:33:28] The problem with people, according to Michael (when booking fares). [00:36:30] Why you should ‘let it sit’ for a while. [00:39:30] Michael’s spiel on airport lounges. [00:42:00] We talk about ZorkFest 2023. [00:49:58] A quick tip on flying to ZorkFest 2023. [00:50:05] Where to find Travel Zork and Michael Trager. Tweetables: “But, remember, if you get a credit card you should always start with Chase, and you should be very aware of 5/24.” — @TravelZork [0:13:12] “I think AA as a partner is very strong because you have so few paths to accumulate AA miles and I still find AA miles to be quite valuable.” — @TravelZork [0:15:50] “This is the problem with people [when buying airfare] — they’re impatient.” — @TravelZork [0:33:27] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Michael Trager on LinkedIn Michael Trager on Twitter Zorkfest 2023 TravelZork Travel - Inquire & Book - VIP SERVICE American Advantage Marriot Bonvoy La Première Air France AA Credit Cards Patreon				24 Jul 2023	TravelStories Episode 14: A Milestone Trip with Joe Petrovic	00:57:22
A Milestone Trip with Joe Petrovic Episode 14: Show Notes. We welcome Joe Petrovic from Award Travel 101 to the podcast, to talk about how he used his miles and points to take him and his father on a first-class strip to Croatia. Before speaking about his special trip, Joe explains how he got into the rewards game and what he did to become an expert and the value of meet-ups. Then, we discuss the magnanimity of loyalty programs and how it’s impossible to know and understand every single one, the importance of community and multiple perspectives, the brilliance of imperfection, and the ins and outs of Joe’s memorable trip to Croatia. He reflects on a unique Emirates experience, and he goes into detail about everything he loved from his first-class trip both in the air and on the ground. We end the show with the second edition of our new game, Guess the Fare, so tune in to see if you can guess the right price of today’s fictional trip! Key Points From This Episode: [00:19] Introducing Award Travel 101’s Joe Petrovic, and how he got into miles and points. [02:15] How Joe became an expert in miles and points. [10:26] Why it's impossible to know every single rewards program and/or mileage currency. [12:10] How attending conferences helped Joe to level up, and the importance of community. [17:31] The role that Joe’s personality played in him learning the game as quickly as he did. [20:30] How having multiple perspectives speeds up the problem-solving process. [21:34] Joe describes his travel style. [26:04] How striving for good enough is better than seeking perfection. [27:01] The ins and outs of the milestone trip that he took with his dad to Croatia. [32:17] How long in advance he tracked prospective routes before booking his trip. [35:49] Joe's Emirates experience. [40:32] The highlights and stand-out moments of Joe’s first-class air travel adventure. [42:20] Exploring the perception of space on airlines, and a love for first-class amenities. [43:20] What he enjoyed the most from his time on the ground during his milestone trip. [47:58] How travel can give you a new appreciation for your home country. [50:52] Joe’s advice for mileage seekers and prospective travelers: keep asking questions. [52:46] We end this episode with the second edition of our little game show, Guess the Fare. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Joseph Petrovic on Twitter Award Travel 101 Award Travel 101 on Facebook Award Travel 101 on Instagram Award Travel 101 Podcast Award Travel 101 8-Step Free Mini-Course Award Travel 101 Milestone Trip United Airlines Thomas Kim on Twitter Trevor Mountcastle on Twitter
	29 Jul 2023	Milenomics² No Annual Fee Edition Episode 67: Japan 2023 Trip report	01:29:41
We're back with a chat about Sam's 2023 summer trip to Japan. 0:34 Overview: 14 days, spent as follows: 5 nights in Kyoto at Mimaru Apartment hotel. 430 square foot. Not spacious but good for a family of 4. 2 nights in Hiroshima at the Hilton Hiroshima: One bedroom suite booked with points (90k per night). Very new hotel, opened in 2022. 5 Nights Ishigaki island near Yonehara beach. Car rental 2 nights in Tokyo at another Mimaru in their pokemon room Robert's previous trip report (required listening) 04:37 Travel: JL from LAX nonstop to Kyoto Pickup from the airport (Booked on Klook.com) worked really well Used the "Visit Japan Web" site to generate QR codes before landing. Be sure to make a QR code for each person (for immigration) and one per family for customs. 08:09 Kyoto: Transit was difficult Not easy for us. Lack of numbers and signage really chewed us up. BUSY stations with people who definitely knew what they were doing. Helpful staff–but still difficult to execute train to train transfers Local vs. Express was not well signed. Got easier when we limited ourselves to busses + a single train. Busses in general were easier and better in Kyoto (can see the city as they Drive). Would take a cab directly to the bus stop. 15:51 Universal Studios: Brutal to get to. Issues with kids and trains. But once there, small size and express pass made the day a complete success. Conflicting information about swapping rides–but we were able to swap for different rides than those listed on our express passes (but not different times) Lines are crazy long, express pass is a must. We bought a 4 ride pass due to height restrictions limiting possible rides, but 7 ride passes were not much more. The Mario Water party parade was fantastic and over the top. Japanese to the max and loved by my kids. Super Mario World is incredible. The kids had a blast, we spent about 6 hours at the park, just enough time in my opinion. Getting home to Kyoto was equally brutal. The train line leaving Universal encountered a full stop due to a train on the loop hitting a passenger. 30:10 Cabs: We took so Many and They Saved Us Combination of lots of walking and young kids meant we needed to use cabs. We were 'close' to multiple train stations and bus stops. But the walking before, during and after sightseeing meant cabs were the way we extended days. Uber app worked well in Kyoto/Hiroshima to call cabs. In Tokyo we had to be careful--there was a 300-500 yen pickup fee plus the meter -- lots of times the uber black fare was less. Uber black cars are the nicest possible car I've ever been in. Loved these in Tokyo. 38:40 Kyoto to Hiroshima with Luggage: Train travel Gion Matsuri in Kyoto made the train station packed. Train runs nearly every 20 minutes. Amazing. Kiosk did not work with CC and I couldn't get 3 seats together (with luggage access). Pivoted to a desk agent who
	08 Aug 2023	TravelStories Episode 15:Summer Travel and The Longest Way Home	01:08:44
Episode 15: Show Notes. Today we have a great summer catch-up, rounding up all the flights we have taken and destinations we have visited recently! We talk flights, hotels, cruise ships, river boat cruises, penguins, and more! Trevor unpacks his Greek Isles cruise, and the highs and lows, to include far, far more than normal travel gaffs! We touch on Mykonos' iconic color palette, and when he would like to return in the future. We then get to hear from Tom about his time in South Africa, where he visited Cape Town and then Zimbabwe, where he visited Victoria Falls, the great food he ate, and the majesty of the impressive feats of nature! From the wildlife to the weather, the trip was mostly a really memorable one. Perhaps more humorously, both Trevor and Tom’s way home was overly long, so make sure to stick around to hear all about the unnecessary layovers and over-packed lounges! Key Points From This Episode: [02:40] Trevor's recent trip and reflections on connecting airports, customs, hotel bookings, and more. [08:36] The different levels of service available on cruise liners and their biggest signifiers. [12:08] More gaffs and faux pas in Piraeus, Athens, and the stereotypical beauty of Mykonos. [17:39] The last stop in Greece, wandering around an island and enjoying its gelato. [24:35] Tom talks about his departure from Dulles Airport and his disappointment with the lounges. [28:00] Why you should never compare first class and business class! [32:10] Tom's stop in Cape Town, South Africa, penguins, and affordable fine dining. [34:22] A little about the history of Robben Island and Tom's experience taking the ferry. [37:50] Flying to Victoria Falls and the perfect weather in Zimbabwe at this time of year. [43:18] New Visa requirements and reasons to always carry one of the major currencies. [47:15] Tom's return journey and why it took so long. [55:04] Delicious Ethiopian flavors and the food that was served in the lounges and flights. [1:03:18] This week's round of 'Guess the Fare!’ Tweetables: “We'll go back to Athens, but I think we'll wait until our daughter is old enough to enjoy it.” — @tmount [14:31] “Some people make their own serendipity, I guess.” — @TktweetsKim [17:34] “South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, has a very Mediterranean, almost California-esque climate.” — @tmount [33:49] “I would say that Victoria Falls impresses quite a bit more than Niagara.” — @TktweetsKim [38:37] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Qatar Airways Lufthansa Nelson Mandela South African Airways Ethiopian Airlines Milenomics Thomas Kim on Twitter Trevor Mountcastle on Twitter
	28 Aug 2023	TravelStories Episode 16: Creative Booking	00:54:38
Episode 16: Show Notes. Award booking is often a combination of haphazard gyrations and creative problem-solving to find the fares that you are happy with and that makes it worth traveling! In this week’s episode, we take the time to discuss our personal experiences and share thoughts on some of the awards-booking search tools we’ve explored lately, including AwardLogic, Point.me, PointsYeah, and many more. We then jump in and talk about the recent trips we booked (to Australia and Brazil) using our miles, discussing both flights and hotels and why we made the different (and multiple) tweaks throughout the process. Join the conversation as we share our thoughts and ideas on what works for us and how we approach award booking. Start listening now! Key Points From This Episode: [00:20] What’s expected in this week’s episode. [01:00] Our thoughts on some of the new available booking tools. [02:55] Awards search tool comparison and the blindspots of these tools. [08:19] Why we don’t fully trust these tools. [08:45] What makes these tools useful. [10:30] A recap of the tools we’ve already discussed. [12:20] We continue with the tool comparison: starting with seats.aero. [12:45] How Trevor is using ChatGPT alongside some of these tools. [15:00] Our thoughts on PointsYeah and Skypesos. [17:49] Trevor’s power tool. [18:20] We talk about domestic bookings (as they relate to the search tools). [19:00] Things that have helped the most, according to Thomas. [20:20] We explore Thirfty, Straight to the Points, The Flight Deal, and more. [22:00] Looking at the Wikipedia pages for Dulles Airport and how that factored in. [22:25] We pivot and discuss our travel planning for Rio: a fun story. [24:56] Rio: our flights. [26:35] A lightbulb moment for Trevor regarding excise tax. [29:30] The final flight plan (after many tweaks). [32:20] Rio: our hotels. [36:25] Cash plus points option. [38:20] We talk about hotels in relation to airport location and our final decision on hotels. [39:17] Jumping into Thomas’ Australia trip. [41:20] Getting to Sydney, AUS with awards: The (possible) Unicorn. [49:00] This week’s Guess the Fare! Tweetables: “What I found with these tools is, you really do need to have a whole bunch of them in your arsenal.” — @tmount [0:02:10] “For me, a lot of these tools, I ultimately don’t trust them.” — @TktweetsKim [0:08:12] “The [search] tools, I find, are useful in going from scatter-shop to hand-grenades to being able to narrow in.” — @tmount [0:08:45] “We’ve mentioned again, time and time again, [that] miles and award points are a very inflationary currency.” — @TktweetsKim [0:11:19] “It’s good to know that these [search] tools exist because it’s not only about doing your own searches, it’s about getting ideas from these different newsletters and other people who are award-booking all the time, or in the community, and know or have certain tips that they can share with us.” — @TktweetsKim [0:21:30] “Sydney is definitely one of the hardest places to fly on rewards tickets to these days.” — @TktweetsKim [0:41:17] “Sometimes you find the fare you are comfort
	10 Sep 2023	TravelStories Episode 17: Annual Guys Trip to Rio	00:41:21
Annual Guys Trip to Rio Episode 17: Show Notes. We’ve recently returned from our second annual guys trip, and we’re feeling “Braziliant!” Last year, we headed to Manila, and this time we spent the weekend in Rio de Janeiro. This trip had a few “firsts” for us, including Tom’s first time flying United Polaris and both of our first times flying Air Canada. When traveling, there’s usually a trade-off between time and money, and for this vacation, we were willing to fork out a little bit of extra cash to enhance our experiences, and it was well worth it! From the pros and cons of our outward and homeward bound trips, to the night we closed all the bars in our vicinity, to the jam-packed day of sightseeing that was made all the more memorable thanks to our private tour guide, tune in today to hear why Rio is definitely a place that we will be visiting again (and again!). Key Points From This Episode: [00:55] How our recent guys trip to Rio de Janeiro came about. [02:04] Our experience of the Polaris Lounge. [04:48] The plane that flew us to Rio. [06:28] Why we refer to this trip as “A Tale of Two Flight Attendants.” [09:02] Pros and cons of São Paulo International Airport. [14:04] Money-saving hacks to use when traveling in Brazil. [16:07] Advantages of staying at the JW Marriott Copacabana Hotel in Rio. [19:36] The night where we closed down all the bars in our vicinity. [20:37] Benefits of taking a Viator tour when you are visiting a new city and the sites that our guide took us to. [26:47] Brazil’s national cocktail. [28:32] Why we opted for the premium tickets for our Sugarloaf excursion. [31:13] The atmosphere at the Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro and how it compared to our time at the JW Marriott. [33:54] An overview of our homeward-bound trip on Air Canada. [39:12] Why Rio is a perfect weekend destination. Quotes: “I called this flight, ‘The Tale of Two Flight Attendants.’” — @TktweetsKim [6:28] “We closed down the lounge, then we closed down the rooftop bar, then we closed down the lobby bar, and then we went across the street to a beach bar and closed that down.” — @TktweetsKim [19:46] “You can either trade time or money. This was definitely a trip where we really did trade money to get a better experience and to better be able to leverage our limited time in Rio.” — @tmount [21:40] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: United Polaris JW Marriott Copacabana Hotel Viator Christ the Redeemer Sugarloaf Escadaria Selarón
	25 Sep 2023	TravelStories Episode 18: End of Summer Trips	00:47:25
Episode 18: Show Notes Summer is drew to a close, but the adventures are far from over. Join us as we finish the summer with two very different trips. From airport lounges to ancient pyramids, from gourmet dining to high-seas adventure, this episode has it all. In our conversation, Trevor recounts his Lima trip. He also gives us the lowdown on the JW Marriott Hotel in Lima and why it's the second JW Marriott to have an excellent soft product but perhaps not the greatest hard product. Next, Tom takes us on his flight to London, describing the cabin and crew that made his journey memorable, to his pre-cruise adventure in London. Discover what makes the Anthem of the Seas cruise special as Tom shares highlights from the trip and favorite ports visited along the way. Tune in, pack your bags (mentally, at least), and get ready for a travel experience like no other in this episode of the Travel Stories Podcast! Key Points From This Episode: [01:00] Delta Sky Club offerings and why it is our first choice. [06:45] Trevor’s Lima trip, the food. [10:49] The JW Marriott Hotel in Lima. [13:48] Why Lima left Trevor underwhelmed and what he appreciated about the hotel. [19:48] Hear Trevor’s experience and opinion of Delta Sky Club. [20:40] Tom’s flight to London and what he liked about the cabin and crew. [24:45] His pre-cruise London adventure and stay at the St Giles London Hotel. [27:52] Anthem of the Seas cruise, what to do onboard, and fine dining. [31:30] How to get the most out of your points and miles on a cruise. [30:22] Disappointments regarding food choice and how cruises have changed. [32:28] Favourite ports along the cruise and Tom’s overall experience. [41:29] Lessons from Terminal 3 at Heathrow airport. [43:30] Another round of ‘Guess the Fare!’ Quotes: “You know what? Not every trip is a home run.” — @Tmount [14:15] “[Virgin Atlantic] is definitely one of those airlines where if you are light on miles but you have a little bit of extra cash to throw around it is pretty good value.” — @TktweetsKim [23:16] “Remember to have your platinum cards ready for all your guests [when at Heathrow airport], unless you want to pay extra.” — @TktweetsKim [42:19] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Delta Sky Club The Centurion Network Episode 8: Epic Guys Trip JW Marriott Hotel Lima Virgin Atlantic St Giles London Hotel Anthem of the Seas Milenomics Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mountcastle on X
	12 Oct 2023	Milenomics² No Annual Fee Edition Episode 68: Jetblue and Alaska Status Match Discussion	00:22:30
We're doing things a little different with today's episode. You'll notice that at the top of this episode we call out episode 206 (not Episode 68). This conversation took place as the first 20 or so minutes of our subscriber podcast episode 206. Robert and I discussed it after we released that full episode and we're cutting just this conversation into a mini episode here today. Enjoy! 0:21 Status Match Opportunities JetBlue (Direct Link) Capped at 30,000 applicants with Delta Medallion status Matched status last [only] through end of 2023 unless you have Barclays JetBlue card -or- accrue enough pro-rated Tiles to requalify Detailed info on Mosaic nuances are hard to discern from JetBlue (Mosaic info page) and the latest iteration of the program is so new it seems not many people have really kicked the tires on it. So I asked them some questions on Twitter. Companions: Up to 8 people on an itinerary can get free same day changes and complimentary Even More Space seats at check-in (Mosaic Level 2) or booking (Mosaic Level 3). 8 is better than 2 with Delta! Move to Mint upgrade certs: Can only use 2 per itinerary. If you have more than 2 people on the itinerary, nobody gets upgraded, even if you have adequate certs. Processes at check-in if Mint seats are open. Kinda lame if you ask me. Mosaic 3 includes…wait for it..Founders Card Blue! I thought the idea with Founders card is that it provides perks for travel programs, but this is the other way around? These programs are starting to circle back on themselves. Get this: If FoundersCard identifies you as a prior member they deny the membership and try to sell you a renewal. What an operation. Move to Mint certs expire earned through this expire Dec 2023. Can’t get Barclays credit card so I’d need 24 Tiles by the end of 2023 to requalify. That’s $2,400 spent on JetBlue flights, vacations, or Paisly (ugh). Alaska (Direct Link) Pretty generous mapping and all you have to do to keep status through 2024 is have a BofA Alaska Visa Far out upgrades, certs, reciprocal benefits with AA/OneWorld - I’m interested. “A member may only receive one status match for the lifetime of their account.” Will they enforce this? Is it time to allow them to create a new Alaska account for me when I apply for a BoA business card? Hmm…
	16 Oct 2023	TravelStories Episode 19: Converting a Maldives Skeptic	00:49:18
Episode 19: Show Notes. This week we talk all about the Maldives. Join the conversation as we take a deep dive into Trevor’s recent family trip to the Maldives, including a detailed look at his flights to and from, his thoughts on Virgin Atlantic food, and hear him tell about the worst mistake (of the entire trip!) he made. With a bit of strategic thinking, we dive into the primary topic of the episode with all things about the Maldivian experience. Trevor chronicles their experience with the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, from the butler at the airport to the welcome at the hotel, and more! He highlights why the overwater villa was the best redemption (of points) he’s ever made, recounts the champagne sabering tradition, and shares other uniquely Maldivian experiences. In essence, the Maldives offers a foolproof recipe of unparalleled natural beauty, luxurious accommodations, exceptional service, and serene tranquility that makes it an extraordinary destination for an unforgettable vacation! Tune in now to find out more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:00:17] Our topic for this week’s episode: The Maldives! [00:00:50] The structure of week’s episode. [00:01:20] We jump right in and discuss the flight (and travel) options. [00:03:15] Trevor highlights his experience flying from Newark to Singapore. [00:04:00] Bulkhead or bust: the difference a bulkhead makes in when flying most Singapore aircraft. [00:06:30] The food, flight attendants, and IFE. [00:07:00] Thoughts on non-stop or stopovers, if they had to do it again. [00:08:55] The next leg: Singapore to Maldives. [00:09:15] The flight options back home and what they ended up doing. [00:11:11] Using some Travel Hacker cred. [00:12:40] The cost of an upgrade (which they did at the terminal). [00:14:10] He talks about their overnight in Mumbai and the flight with Virgin Atlantic. [00:17:35] Dealing with unruly passengers. [00:18:30] The food on Virgin Atlantic from India (‘Virgin Atlantic: In-Flight Food’)! [00:20:00] The worst mistake of his entire trip: skipping a meal. [00:21:15] A quick note on cabin crew on Virgin Atlantic. [00:22:00] Moving on to the main event! The Maldives. [00:22:59] The reason Trevor decided to do the Maldives, now. [00:23:20] Why the Sheraton is not the Maldives experience. [00:24:30] Trevor chronicles their experience with the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. [00:27:14] He equates the experience to the first season of The White Lotus. [00:27:22] More about their arrival and Welcome at the hotel (and the kids club offerings!) [00:27:40] The “Stuffed Animal” and why it makes the best kind of advertising. [00:29:30] The overwater villa: the best redemption Trevor has ever made. [00:31:30] A compliment to the staff in Maldives and the charm it adds. [00:33:00] More about the amenities and activities on the island. [00:34:15] The recipe that makes for an amazing Maldives vacation (according to Tim!) [00:35:23] The St. Regis tradition: a champagne sabering ceremony. [00:36:59] His overall experience: a feeling of overwhelm. [00:37:15] Other special, and uniquely Maldives, experiences. [00:41:00] The Maldives as a Mecca for Miles and Points people. [00:42:35] Realizing that a vacation to the Maldives will be expensive. [00:45:55] Guess the fare! Quotes: “[The Maldives] is one of those places where you don’t kno
	29 Oct 2023	TravelStories Episode 20: Travel Horror Stories	00:49:32
Halloween Episode – Travel Horror Stories Episode 20: Show Notes While it may not be horror like Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers, today’s episode will definitely send chills down the spines of travelers as we share our experiences of when travel went horribly wrong. It’s easy to fall victim to scams in foreign countries as your unfamiliarity with the region makes you stick out as a prime target. So, we begin our conversation by assessing some scams to be wary of during your travels, including transportation disasters that could’ve been avoided with the right knowledge. Then, we discuss how theft is more common at airports than we may think, how to travel with money in a safe way,, and all the debacles we’ve experienced with layovers and missed flights. Finally, we’re given a quick lesson in devaluation and why you should always book first and ask questions later, before ending with a shoutout to the SkyMiles frenzy of September 2023. Key Points From This Episode: [01:01] Travel scams to be wary of. [03:36] How Thomas was duped by a taxi driver in Shanghai. [05:49] Avoiding disaster in Doha. [07:00] How to evade being scammed by transportation services. [10:35] Daylight robbery in Europe. [15:35] What to look out for regarding theft in foreign airports, and some travel money tips. [20:30] Problems we’ve encountered just before takeoff, and the trouble of MCTs. [27:51] The TAM Lounge in Rio de Janeiro, and the layover debacle that followed. [32:20] Why you should always be flexible and provide booking agents with multiple options. [33:15] More layover horror stories. [42:38] How Tom missed his first-ever transatlantic flight. [45:18] A lesson in devaluation. [48:18] An honorable mention of the SkyMiles craziness from earlier this year. Quotes: “These are some of the things where hopefully people can learn from some of our mistakes. It’s not all perfect; you don’t get to be an experienced travel person [without] encountering some travails.” — @TktweetsKim [0:47] “I think the problem with us in particular is that airport’s are our second home. For some of us, this is the area where we thrive and we enjoy it. So sometimes, you have to calibrate a little – you can still enjoy the place, just have your eyes and ears open.” — @TktweetsKim [20:13] “Be flexible; learn from your mistakes; learn from all these bad experiences and hopefully you don’t repeat them.” — @TktweetsKim [45:10] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Delta Alaska Airlines LATAM Airlines Air Canada Air France Episode 27 - Alaska breaks Trevor's heart Emirates SkyMiles The Milenomics Podcast Network Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mountcastle on X
	14 Nov 2023	TravelStories Episode 21: Travel Banter	00:41:33
Travel Stories Episode 21: Travel Banter We’re trying something different today a different format for Travel Stories that we like to call Travel Banter. We start by exploring aviation-themed films and series that have impacted us over the years. From the beloved cult classic The Terminal to Up In the Air, we cover a wide range of air travel themes and tropes. Trevor shares his unique Southeast Asian travel itinerary, why he hasn’t visited Vietnam yet, and Tom shares his experience with pricing in Abu Dhabi. We also speak about our experiences with kid-friendly and kid-prohibitive rules at Hyatt and Marriott hotels around the world, sharing our opinions on their convenience and comfort levels for everyone involved. Finally, we explore the impact of deregulation on international airlines and the period in history where Southwest Airlines was the number one distributor of liquor in Texas. Join us for a casual conversation about all things travel. Thanks for listening! Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] Famous films about aviation and how good they may or may not be. [03:15] The comedic retelling of View From the Top available on Audible. [05:51] Why The Flight Attendant is misleading in its content, which is not really aviation-related. [06:38] The French film, Jet Lag, and why it’s fun to watch. [09:33] Airport disaster movies of the 1970s. [12:10] An unconventional travel itinerary from Singapore to Malaysia, and then to Bangkok. [17:48] Why Vietnam is not included in this particular travel itinerary. [19:13] Selecting a hotel based on credit and previous experiences. [21:41] Returning to Abu Dhabi and a comment on its pricing. [24:19] Thomas’s biggest problem with the Middle East’s luxury hotels. [26:36] Trevor’s experience at the JW Marriott in Cairo. [28:24] Why no kids are allowed at the Marriott in Jordan. [28:37] Singapore Grand Hyatt’s rules around children and adults. [32:06] Singapore’s relationship with rules and how it differs from the USA. [35:27] The time when hijackings were extra common pre-9/11. [37:15] When Southwest airlines was the number one distributor of liquor. [38:10] How deregulation affected international airlines including KLM. Quotes: “Chinese food is expensive and luxury hotels are cheap; both are true in Abu Dhabi.” — @TktweetsKim [22:37] “In the Middle East, families traveling is so much more common. Not that people don’t travel as families in the US, but I just think it’s even more common than it is here in the US.” — @TktweetsKim [27:50] “I would gladly accept the occasional ruler on my hand in the event that I made a mistake with my phone on speaker in an airline lounge, if I knew that everyone else had to succumb to the same fate.” — @tmount [33:41] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Up in the Air The Terminal Airplane! Passenger 57 Plane Air Force 1
	24 Nov 2023	M² No Annual Fee Episode 69: Partner Awards & More	00:28:21
We're back with a great talk between Robert and I on the following: 0:22 Follow Up: Alaska Status Match (last discussed Ep 68) 06:13 Amex Churnability and Employee Offers Cards used to be much more churnable Popups abound now. Wish there was a way to get rid of them by force 15k for $4k is the new thing Business Platinum (link) Business Gold (link) Blue Business Plus (link) Be sure to use the correct link for the card you're adding it to, data points say using a mismatch won't work. 9:39 Main Topic: Partner Awards JetBlue/Qatar/Hawaiian ITA/Virgin Atlantic/FlyingBlue Alaska Partner Award Consolidated Charts Discuss: The lottery element in these, the lack of “wide open” availability, and the eternally evolving complexity of it all 22:54 Tip of the Week: Book JAL Premium Economy w/Alaska Miles Reasonable in miles and only $20-$55 in fees (no fuel!) If you'd love to hear over 200 more episodes consider subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/milenomics
	27 Nov 2023	TravelStories Episode 22: Talking New Zealand and Australia	01:11:26
Planning a trip to New Zealand and Australia? Are you wanting to craft the perfect blend of flights, hotels, and attractions and create an unforgettable journey? Then don’t miss out on today’s valuable insights from our special guest, Joe Cheung! Joe shares his recent family adventure, covering everything from Air New Zealand flights, the Skycouch, and hotel bookings in Auckland to experiencing the FIFA Women's World Cup. He also delves into the logistics of renting a car, exploring the Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves, A380 seats and flights, and provides an in-depth look at their stay in Sydney. Tune in to discover Joe's strategies for finding New Zealand and Australia travel awards, why not all Koala encounters are made equal, and so much more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:20] Introduction to today’s topic and special guest. [02:40] A quick recap of Joe’s trip to New Zealand, Australia, and California. [03:35] A travel story about Air New Zealand: why Joe decided to fly with them. [07:20] Joe expands on his experience with the Air New Zealand Skycouch. [10:40] Leveraging his occupation as a travel agent. [12:50] Joe talks about a different aspect of being a travel agent that he doesn't handle. [15:10] Auckland: booking the hotel and the technicalities of the family rate. [18:45] Thoughts on the Park Hyatt Auckland. [20:00] Making use of the concierge (and whether it’s necessary) to book the family rate. [21:14] How they got the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup tickets. [23:38] His final thoughts on the World Cup. [26:15] Joe shares what his experience was like driving in New Zealand. [27:30] Logistics surrounding the car rental process. [28:30] More on the Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves Glow Worm Tours they took in Auckland. [31:00] Driving on the other side of the road. [33:15] Other day trips and attractions and why they went to Sydney. [35:00] Economy is good for the soul. [37:15] Finding 3+ seats in business is a challenge! [38:20] The nice thing about the A380. [40:25] More about the seats on the A380 (premium economy). [41:20] Getting the Business Class Pajamas. [42:10] Joe takes us back to their stay in Sydney. [44:00] His take on the choice between the Park Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency (Sydney). [45:30] The Asian food experience in Sydney. [47:30] What stood out about their time at the Taronga Zoo Sydney. [49:55] Why the koala experience is not worth it, according to Tim. [51:04] Trevor shares about the Healesville Sanctuary in Zoo in Badger Creek, Australia. [52:12] Joe’s final notes on Sydney, and surrounding attractions. [55:40] Thoughts on taking an extended driving trip through Australia. [56:40] Joe’s strategy and the timeframe for finding awards to get to NZ and Australia. [1:01:48] Why high balances do help. [1:05:20] A quick revisit on the premium economy window seats for the A380. [1:09:58] How to find Joe. Quotes: “The [Air New Zealand] Skycouch, for those who don’t know, is you can pay extra and the seats have footrests that can come all the way up so that you basically have a couch — they give you bedding and exclusive use of the couch.” — @asthejoeflies [0:07:20] “Economy is good for the soul sometimes.” — @TktweetsKim [0:35:05] “For our listeners who are doing their Australia planning, just be aware, that not all Koala encounters are created equal. Do your research!
	13 Dec 2023	TravelStories Episode 23: A Pilot’s Perspective	00:52:34
From the spectacular cockpit views to gaining status at hotels, a pilot’s travel experience is quite different from ours as a commercial traveler. Today, we’re shifting gears and gaining valuable travel insight from a pilot’s perspective. Brandr is a Navy Reservist and commercial pilot, as well as an avid miles and points nerd. We discuss Brandr’s benefits as a pilot, what his typical international trip looks like, how the weather and turbulence affect his flight plans, and the wonderful innovation of modern aircraft technology. Then, our guest explains how his experience as a pilot influences his travel decisions, how to become a commercial pilot, the wonderful things he’s seen from the cockpit window, and the ins and outs of both Navy and commercial pilot processes. We also speak about the importance of raising awareness around the mental health of pilots, how the 757 compares to the 767, the travel adventures that Brandr is looking forward to the most, and why he insists that hoarding points and miles will do more damage than good. Key Points From This Episode: [00:16] A warm welcome to fellow points-and-miles nerd, Navy Reservist, and pilot, Brandr. [01:13] Brandr’s professional background and how he developed his passion for miles and points. [05:45] Whether he gets any status or benefits from traveling as a pilot. [07:40] How he chooses to bid routes and how his international trips typically play out. [13:20] Weather, turbulence, and other occurrences that affect his flight plans. [17:30] The evolution of aircraft technology. [19:16] How Brandr’s knowledge as a pilot has influenced the way he travels. [19:45] The travel benefits that are available to active duty military and reservists. [22:30] Discussing what it takes to become a commercial pilot and how Brandr did it differently. [27:00] Weird and incredible things that he has seen from the window of his cockpit. [29:07] What he likes and dislikes about being a Navy and commercial pilot. [32:50] Deeper insight into Brandr’s status and how they change as a non-rev passenger. [35:02] Using Horizon Air’s recent incident as an example of why pilot mental health matters. [37:46] The Island Hopper and other adventures our guest is looking forward to. [41:02] Unique travel stories from his Navy flying missions. [44:03] Comparing the flying experience of the Boeing 757 versus the 767. [49:40] Brandr’s advice for other miles and points nerds. Quotes: “I have a job as a pilot but I’m still very much in the points and miles community.” — Brandr [01:40] “My goal is to try to keep the crew and the rest of the passengers safe, and hopefully have the seatbelt sign mean something. But I don’t fear that turbulence [will] damage the aircraft.” — Brandr [17:00] “The military is still very much a viable way to get to the legacy airlines, but it’s certainly not going to be the quickest. If military service is not something that you feel deeply called to, it’s probably not the best way; there are quicker ways to do it.” — Brandr [24:14] “Pilots are human, and what I think we really need to do is get serious about pilot mental health.” — Brandr [35:45] “Just use your miles – I see how all the programs just continue to devalue; there’s so much points inflation. Just find a great redemption that works for you and do it. Don’t wait for the perfect redemption because that may never come.” — Brandr [49:57] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:				22 Dec 2023	TravelStories Episode 24: Festivus Edition	00:52:05
Festivus: The non-commercial holiday's celebration, as depicted on Seinfeld, occurs on December 23 and includes a Festivus dinner, an unadorned aluminum Festivus pole, practices such as the "airing of grievances" and "feats of strength", and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles" 0:15 Intro, some history about Festivus as we held it on the Observation Deck. 03:27 Airing of Grievances: Everyone gets two each. ONE towards an airline or loyalty program, ONE towards a bank. Sam: No Knock Devaluations in general. Trevor shared one of these happening in real time. Bank: Bank of America. Fraud happy, and full of themselves. Tom: Alaska Airlines end of 50K to asia MGM stays get bonvoyed Trevor: Loyalty program: Another Alaska no notice devaluation, making JAL awards even more expensive, from 70k to 100k for JAL F to Japan, one way. US Bank: I have a history of being unimpressed, such that I stayed away for a while, however I went back to the well, with a $500 business checking bonus. This may have been self inflicted, but US Bank is not the easiest to work with. 13:45 Alaska/Hawiian Merger Talk 20:20 Hyatt requalification and “Settle for Good Enough” 23:20 Feats of Strength Traditionally, it's "Your favorite redemptions/miles and points usage over the course of the year. But lets switch it up som: ONE towards an airline or loyalty program, and one towards a bank. Doesn't have to be the "best" or "best value", but just the one that defined your 2023 or you will remember going forward" Sam: Japan for 4 in Business class both ways. Not that this was an especially strong feat of strength but it seems like it is. I’m Bank: AA miles with a Citi Business card Tom: Award trip to Australia exact dates i needed for a Trevor: Loyalty Program: The incredibleness that has been Aeroplan with the super cheap lap infant that let us travel at a ludicrous pace. Bank: AMEX Business Gold + Employee cards (though I can of course try picking something else, but having done 80 employee cards on 1 card, and 5 on 3 other cards they moved the needle for me). 37:55 Festivus Miracles This is your deal of the year, or really anything. Whatever brought you the most miraculous joy in the miles and points game this year. Sam: Vacasa with Wyndham Rewards. 1 year ago I bought 300,000 of these for cash on points.com. This year I earned 2x that many from the comfort of my living room. Tom: Surprise Elite Status (thanks Delta) Delta Gold 2024, AS MVP, Spirit, Frontier Trevor: 68k/night Bonvoy points for St. Regis Maldives To close out we ask you to share your Festivus Grievances, Miracles and Feats of strength! Share here in the comments or on Slack!
	15 Jan 2024	TravelStories Episode 25: An Australian Trip and Cruise	00:47:48
Episode 25: Show Notes In today’s episode of Travel Stories, we talk about the highs and lows of booking Tom’s recent trip to Australia, the cruise that followed, and his trip home. Thomas recounts his exploits in the land “Down Under,” from exploring Sydney's hidden gems to a firsthand encounter with the lavish comforts of the A380 first-class experience. He also shares his insights on British Airways’ lounges, the value of premium lounges, and the hits and misses of airline amenities. We discuss the best cabin types for transcontinental flights and learn about the secret gift that made Tom a sensation among the cabin crew. Tuning in, you’ll also hear about his pre-cruise adventures, the allure of New Caledonia's attractions, his W Sydney Hotel glitches, the best lounges at Melbourne Airport, whether Tom’s Australian trip is worth trying out for yourself, and much more! You won’t want to miss out on this captivating episode, where luxury meets adventure and missteps turn into opportunities. Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] Introduction and what listeners can expect from the episode. [00:39] Highlights from Tom’s recent trip to Australia. [02:33] An alternative airline Tom found that solved his booking woes. [03:36] The Chelsea, Soho, and Greenwich premium lounges experience. [06:15] An aspect that many premium lounges miss the mark on: the view. [06:58] How Tom’s booking blunder turned into a positive experience. [09:39] Why Trevor doesn’t often fly from Tom Bradley International Terminal. [10:22] The best type of cabin for a transcontinental flight. [11:50] A gift that made Tom a hit with the cabin crew. [12:40] Flying on the A380 first class to Sydney and the overall cabin experience. [16:56] Why first class on Qantas is the best when flying to Australia. [18:14] Catering highlights and why the ground experience will always be superior. [20:39] Tom’s adventures in Sydney before the cruise began. [21:20] Details about the cruise ship, the amazing views, and the itinerary. [24:15] Attractions of New Caledonia and Tom’s takeaways from the cruise. [28:43] What he did after the cruise and his thoughts on the W Sydney Hotel. [35:00] Final thoughts on his stay and the quality of lounges at Melbourne airport. [40:45] His trip back home and how he found the best deals on flights. [44:15] Challenges of making the trip happen and how he overcame them. [47:05] Closing comments and final takeaways. Quotes: “When [the airline] calls you it is not always bad news.” — @TktweetsKim [07:28] “The allure of [first class on Qantas] – is the exclusivity of being able to get that from miles and points.” — @TktweetsKim [16:57] “One of the downsides of having such a quality lounge product is sometimes it takes away from the in-flight experience.” — @TktweetsKim [19:05] “The ground experience is always going to be superior.” — @tmount [19:17] “You expect glitches with a new hotel, at least I do. It is just par for the course. Sometimes, there are opportunities with those sorts of things.” — @tmount [34:37] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: American Airlines American Airlines
	29 Jan 2024	TravelStories Episode 26: Malaysia, Langkawi, Bangkok, and Beyond	00:45:02
During this episode, we discuss Malaysia, with a focus on Langkawi. Trevor shares the highlights and disappointments from his recent trip with his wife and young daughter, from Etihad First Class to first-class lounges, luxury amenities, and more. Tune in for a first-hand account of South East Asian travel packed with handy insights of the highs and lows to help you plan your next trip. We discuss amenities and food, and experiences both inside hotels and beyond the property borders. Trevor shares an honest account of what he would do again, including paying another visit to a Waldorf hotel and avoiding accommodation where renovations are taking place. Join us today to hear all this and more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] Introducing this episode’s conversation which centers on Langkawi, Malaysia. [00:58] Trevor’s trip to Langkawi which was his daughter’s final trip as a lap infant. [04:26] How Etihad addressed an issue with Trevor’s daughter’s boarding pass. [05:17] Cutbacks at Etihad including less airport lounges and in-flight comforts. [10:10] Terminal 1 and 3 and Tom’s experience at the new first class lounge in Abu Dhabi. [14:04] Tom’s early experiences with Etihad and how it has changed over the years. [15:28] Returning to the Grand Hyatt in Kuala Lumpur. [17:51] Why visiting malls in Asia is such a memorable experience. [20:19] Langkawi experiences starting at the St. Regis Hotel. [24:54] How the property is structured and the renovations that are currently taking place. [30:34] The Four Seasons Beach experience. [32:38] Luxury amenities at the Four Seasons. [35:45] Trevor’s firsts on his most recent trip including traveling with Air Asia. [38:35] Traveling from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi. [41:35] Staying at the Park Hyatt in Abu Dhabi. Quotes: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned with a lap infant, every single check-in has some or other random problem.” — @tmount [02:16] “I have nostalgia for the Etihad of ten years ago when I first flew them and it was amazing. It was my first time traveling with a Middle Eastern carrier.” — @TktweetsKim [13:52] “Don’t overlook the mall when you are in a big Asian metropolis. It might be at least worth an afternoon stroll.” — @TktweetsKim [18:56] “We will stay at a Waldorf again. The care and the quality of the service was wonderful.” — @tmount [38:14] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Abu Dhabi International Airport Etihad Airways Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur St. Regis Langkawi Four Seasons Langkawi Air Asia Waldorf Astoria Bangkok Bangkok Airport The Flip Flop Traveler Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
	08 Feb 2024	Milenomics² [No Annual Fee Edition] Episode 70: Booking Summer Award Travel for Four	00:39:11
Usually I lock up a summer trip as far ahead of time as possible. But due to the current award travel patterns and my need for 4 seats I found myself without a summer booking and a family wanting to travel. Today Robert and I chat about the ups and downs of the search for a summer trip, award space scarcity, alliance and search engine fragmentation and more. - Enjoy! 01:55 Let’s talk about the Constraints of this trip: We didn't have a single destination on our list but rather a short list of places to go 2 Adults 2 children. 3:00 Summer, during Summer Break (June/July) Prices and awards rise dramatically in Jun/Jul and award space dries up even worse than it is during other parts of the year 4:24 No flexibility in cabin (I couldn’t even pitch premium economy) As we’ve gotten older we’ve taken less trips, but put more into them. Last year we spent 36 years on vacation, but we’re trending into longer trips 6:45 Don’t want to reposition Saw some options through IAH, PHL. Also saw flights through Canada I don't like clearing customs and then having another flight, with little kids that is a pressure point 9:00 Point balances: I’m a non-hoarder. I have about 250,000 Alaska, 400,000 AA and very little other miles on hand. I do have a large MR and UR balance I can draw down. Otherwise I’ll cash them out 9:53 AA out of LAX, comparing AA vs BA. points yeah served up LAX-LHR on AA with Alaska Miles: But AA wouldn't show this for a similar 'low' price But adding a leg--searching LAX-CPH showed the low price for the whole flight. This seems like a 'married logic' issue. It means pricing is end to end (LAX/CPH) vs segment by segment. This has become VERY common with dynamic pricing. This makes the old 'get over the pond' mentality dangerous. Searching between city pairs only for long-haul flights won't show you the whole picture (Not just on AA, across most airlines now). This is also a search engine fragmentation because you are relying on the search engine to do the routing logic. 15:41 Let’s talk about award space out of LAX I’ve had an eye on LAX long haul routes for more than a decade. I’ve never seen it this thin That’s on top of more capacity than ever, with better cabins than ever The 64,000 point question is: Will those seats get sold, or will they be released closer to the dates of travel Current space isn’t a great indicator. There are very different people wanting to go to Europe in the next 2 months than in Jun/July 18:00 Quick discussion about the ‘loss’ of partner award space This has made it more important than ever to hold flexible currencies like MR/UR/Cap 1 One ways with different currencies helps spread out the search net Ultimately you still need that triangle of flexibility we’ve talked about forever here: Dates, destination or class of service. You have to flex one (or more) of them. Flights Have to Exis
	12 Feb 2024	TravelStories Episode 27: A Pilot’s Perspective	00:49:54
A Pilot’s Perspective: Finding the Right Approach from Cargo to Commercial Episode 27: Show Notes. We welcome Steven Kriese, a traveler, a commercial airline pilot and friend. In today’s episode, Steve takes us back in time to his first flying experience and how airline technology has steadily evolved since. He walks us through his personal preferences including his most desired routes, how his job as a pilot affects his leisure travel, what he learned from his time in the Air Force, and what he loves most about his job. We also learn about various approach styles and in particular, the RNP approach, a close examination of how air operations work, the ins and outs of miles, points, and rewards from Steve’s perspective, and why he still holds high standards of safety for the 737, which he himself flies. Key Points From This Episode: [00:56] Some background on today’s guest, former U.S. Air Force cargo pilot, Steven Kriese. [03:56] His first flying experience and the aircrafts he’s flown since. [05:20] “What’s your route?” How Steve plans his flights every month. [07:55] Exploring various landing styles and approaches, and explaining the RNP approach. [13:00] The progression of flight technology during Steve’s career. [14:45] Interesting routes that he’d liked to fly either as a pilot or passenger. [15:58] Noteworthy moments from his time in the Air Force. [17:37] His stance on miles and points, and a deep dive into rewards. [28:25] Air operations: duty timeouts during delays, cancellations, and other scenarios. [34:34] What Steve discovered after swapping military cargo planes for commercial ones. [37:28] He explains what he loves most about his job as a pilot. [40:02] Why he’s confident in the safety of the 737 amid the AA flight 1282 debacle. [44:40] How his experience as a pilot has influenced his leisure travel. Quotes: “I may offend one or two, but pilots are generally cheap.” — Steven Kriese [24:51] “The miracle of flight in the modern age: eating a meal [and] surfing the internet in a metal tube, 30,000 feet in the air.” — @tmount [34:00] “In all honesty, flying cargo planes for the military, especially for the Air Force, is very similar to what we do in the airlines.” — Steven Kriese [34:57] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Steven Kriese on LinkedIn Steven Kriese on Instagram Alaska Airlines American Airlines United JetBlue Spirit Airlines Delta Oneworld Chase Sapphire Reserve ‘AvTalk Episode 250: Alaska Airlines Flight 1282’ DCL Podcast The Milenomics Podcast Network Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mou
	27 Feb 2024	TravelStories Episode 28: Turkey Travel	01:36:44
Tom and Trevor’s annual guys’ trip for 2024 led them to Istanbul, Turkey, and their experience was an absolute Turkish delight! They booked their tickets via Turkish Airlines just before the award chart’s devaluation, and they were relieved to still be able to use their points. In today’s episode, we take a look at Tom and Trevor’s Middle Eastern adventure, starting with their first experience of successfully transferring and redeeming thank-you points. The journey continues as we discuss the fleet at Turkish Airlines, some interesting events at Newark, Tom and Trevor’s in-flight experience, and everything that happened after they landed in Istanbul. We also learn about how Instagram deceived Trevor, the hotels that feel like home, their day out at the Grand Bazaar, multimodal travel, and the joys of being fully cleansed at the hammam. The trip home came with a silly customs mistake by Trevor, an underwhelming lounge, a Super Bowl cliffhanger, and everything you need to consider when looking for the right car rental agency. Key Points From This Episode: [0:00:40] How we were lucky to book our trip to Turkey before its airline’s devaluation. [0:01:10] What Turkish Airlines’ devaluation means for future travel on the airline. [0:04:17] Our first experience of transferring thank-you points. [0:05:50] Exploring the Turkish Airlines fleet. [0:08:43] How we made our bookings for Turkey and some interesting events from Newark Liberty International Airport. [0:24:45] Our in-flight experience. [0:30:01] Arriving in Turkey: Customs, Uber’s, Salt Bae, and the Park Hyatt. [0:36:08] How we tried to visit every restaurant and bar in the area, and what we paid. [0:40:40] What we liked about breakfast and what we think could’ve been better. [0:44:21] Indulging Trevor and being pleasantly surprised. [0:47:47] The Grand Hyatt Istanbul – a home away from home. [0:52:52] Why we loved the hammam. [0:57:10] The ins and outs of our day at the Grand Bazaar, and the benefits of meal planning. [1:00:47] Our multimodal transportation adventure. [1:03:13] Bidding adieu to Istanbul. [1:06:55] The silly mistake that Trevor made at customs when leaving Turkey. [1:08:19] Why the Turkish Airlines lounge in Istanbul is not as great as it used to be. [1:12:17] What to keep in mind when departing from Istanbul Airport. [1:15:35] The flight back, Super Bowl ads, and arriving home. [1:24:00] A smooth Budget experience, and why we choose certain car rental agencies. [1:34:21] Final thoughts on the Turkish edition of our annual guys’ trip. Quotes: “Folks talk about having to jump through hoops; if you’ve done it once, it is super easy – the reality of the matter is, you go through a little bit of pain but afterwards, it’s actually not that bad.” — @tmount [0:03:58] “Don’t print any checks you can’t cash.” — @TktweetsKim [0:07:46] “Turkey is the number one producer of hazelnuts in the world.” — @TktweetsKim [0:28:04] “[Salt Bae’s restaurant] just didn’t feel like what you see on Instagram.” — @tmount[0:58:11] “In the future, we’re going to have to plan our meals a little bit better – just waiting for th
	28 Feb 2024	Checking In Ep 26: What’s It Like to Work with a Disney Travel Agent?	00:48:26
Planning a Disney World vacation can be an overwhelming experience. With four theme parks, over twenty resort hotels, and dozens of restaurants - there's a lot to consider. In this episode I chat with Disney travel agent Joe Cheung and my sister-in-law Kelly to plan her family's Disney World vacation. We discuss hotel options, differences between Disneyland and Disney World, dining options, and more. Having a real conversation with a travel agent, as opposed to wandering around websites and conversing via email, enabled Kelly to confidently select hotels that will be a great fit. But the planning doesn't stop there. Now that they've got dates, lodging, and park tickets pinned down, Joe will continue to assist. He'll monitor their dates for hotel pricing for discounts, assist in snagging dining reservations, and be available to answer questions about how to minimize time in line at the parks. I hope you enjoy the conversation as a "fly on the wall" listening in on the process, and that it gets you thinking about planning a Disney trip -or- consulting with a travel agent for your upcoming trips wherever they might be. Check out Joe's Disney planning podcast and contact him to plan your Disney vacation: Disney Deciphered Podcast josephcheung@travelmation.net Thanks to Joe and Kelly for coming on the show!
	13 Mar 2024	TravelStories Episode 29: An Enchanted Princess Cruise Trip Report	00:45:33
Episode 29: Show Notes This episode on Travel Stories, we dive deeper into sharing our cruise line experiences, and if you have any of your own, we’d love to hear from you! Today, Tom walks us through his recent 10-day journey on Enchanted Princess, starting with his overall evaluation of the experience before assessing tendering and the embarkation process of the ship. We learn about the size of Enchanted Princess, the demographic it caters to, and its onboard dining, as well as its entertainment, housekeeping, and casino offerings, and we compare everything we’ve learned about Enchanted Princess with its other cruise line competitors. As Tom details the ports he visited during his trip, we discover the magic of Dominica and Champagne Beach, the beauty of Martinique, the genius of St. Lucia’s marketing team, and the wonder of the forgotten volcanic activity that occurs all along the Eastern Seaboard. Thank you for taking this journey with us! Key Points From This Episode: [00:44] Tom gives us a breakdown of his most recent cruise on Enchanted Princess. [01:05] His experience of tendering on Enchanted Princess versus other cruise lines. [03:41] Why he was pleased with the embarkation process. [07:56] The size of the ship and the ports he visited during his 10 days aboard. [13:18] Dominica and Champagne Beach. [15:15] An interlude on the volcanic activity that occurs along the Eastern Seaboard. [17:10] Why Tom deems St. Lucia a forgettable experience. [19:34] The beauty of Martinique. [21:12] How Antigua’s marketing is on point. [23:22] Tom’s onboard dining experience and the demographic that the ship caters to. [27:35] How Enchanted Princess weighs up against Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and others. [32:06] Why we choose to talk about cruising on this podcast and what we’re planning next. [34:34] Tom’s thoughts on the entertainment and housekeeping of Enchanted Princess. [37:50] The casino and onboard gaming opportunities. [48:27] Final thoughts from Tom on his Enchanted Princess experience. Quotes: “Having to tender to get there; it added so much more time [to] both getting there and getting off the island, and it does detract pretty severely from the experience.” — @TktweetsKim [02:39] “If you are a person with a young family, if you have younger kids or even kids that are maybe more middle-aged that need activities and fun things to do, – you might not find it on the Princess cruise because it’s much more catering to that retiree [or] classic cruiser.” — @TktweetsKim [26:15] “May God have mercy on your soul on that Carnival cruise. Having been on a few, I’m just going to say, block out the following week or two; don’t plan a trip shortly after. You’re probably going to be in bed.” — @tmount [34:02] “Kudos to Princess and their staff. The service was pretty good, [and] their people were definitely quality people, and that’s saying something.” — @TktweetsKim [36:52] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Enchanted Princess Royal Caribbean Celebrity Cruises Windstar Cruises				29 Mar 2024	TravelStories Episode 30: First Time Istanbul Visit with Han	00:50:56
A First Time Istanbul Visit with Han Episode 30: Show Notes The Turkish Airlines Devaluation was a big deal. We covered our trip to Istanbul, Turkey, but the reality of the matter is, so many people booked trips to Turkey because of this devaluation and we just felt obligated to bring a second perspective. In this case, Han Chicago joins us to share his first time to Istanbul. In this episode, we sit down with Han Chicago to discuss his first-time experience of Turkey and what it has to offer. We cover everything from planning the trip to his in-flight and in-country experiences, discussing the quality of seats on the 787-9 aircraft, why he chose to hire a guide, the benefits of having a guide to get around the city, and Turkey's rich history. Han talks about what he enjoyed most about the city, visiting a spice market, intriguing aspects of the country, his experience of eating a "wet burger" for the first time, and how Turkey captured his wanderlust. He also shares why he was adamant about flying on the A350-900 and what aspects make the aircraft unique. Perhaps the best thing, selfishly, was that Han took so different of an approach to his visit, as compared to Tom and Trevor in Episode 28! Key Points From This Episode: [00:53] Introducing today’s guest, Han Chicago, and insights into his style of travel. [03:06] Trevor and Han debate which airline has the best first-class products. [04:38] A brief background about Han and traveling during the pandemic. [07:12] Ways the pandemic has impacted how Tom, Trevor, and Han travel. [11:32] Why he chose Turkey, seats on the 787-9 Boeing, and his planning process. [16:50] Overview of his in-country package and how he got around the city. [18:43] The Grand Hyatt Hotel, exploring the city at night, and avoiding scams. [22:30] Han’s favorite parts of the city and indulging in a scoop of Turkish ice cream. [25:05] Benefits of having club access and sightseeing with a tour guide. [31:41] Eating a “wet burger” and his overall impressions of the food. [34:55] Invaluable advice for those thinking about a trip to Turkey. [37:08] What he would have done differently and his sightseeing recommendations. [39:45] Flying on the A350-900 and the quality of the food on the return trip. [45:12] Highlights of his JAL A350-900 experience and final takeaways. [49:22] Find out how to get in contact with Han. Quotes: “I am chasing [travel] products very much. It is because of, in this post-pandemic era, the new evaluations are coming strong.” — @hanchicago [9:16] “I can see myself going back to [Turkey]. I think it is a really fun destination. I didn’t really know what to expect.” — @hanchicago [18:43] “I think anybody who goes to [Turkey] will enjoy it. There is just a positive feeling there, I can’t really explain it.” — @hanchicago [24:38] “You cannot see all of [Turkey] in one trip.” — @TktweetsKim [29:05] “I don’t think I would have done the trip, to be honest, if I knew I was not getting on the [A350-900].” — @hanchicago [39:47] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Han Chicago on X Episode 28: Turkey Travel Emirates
	15 Apr 2024	TravelStories Episode 31: All About Baha Mar with Joey Redmond	00:46:38
Episode 31: Show Notes. When you talk to folks in the community, people have strong opinions about Hyatt’s Baha Mar property, and its not just in one direction. Luckily, today’s guest, Joey Redmond – who has been on the show twice before – is here to tell us all about Baha Mar, a resort in the Bahamas that he has found himself returning to year after year as an ideal vacation spot for him and his family. Tuning in you’ll hear all of Joey’s top tips, from navigating your flights to making sure you do all your restaurant bookings in advance – and what to do if you don’t have a reservation! He tells us about his favorite activities at Baha Mar, including the water park, Baha Bay, and why it’s such a big highlight for him and his family every year. We also discuss how best to use their loyalty program, what you can do to maximize the Hyatt Globalist experience, and what to expect from the Baha Mar casino. For a full account of Joey’s tips and insights on Baha Mar, be sure to tune in for this fun and informative conversation with one of our favorite guests! Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] What makes Baha Mar such a special destination. [01:39] Tips on how to navigate Nassau airport and the trip home. [05:28] Joey’s thoughts on large luxury properties and why Baha Mar doesn’t feel crowded. [07:15] Why you should book your trip to Baha Mar and the restaurants in advance. [10:11] What to expect from restaurant prices and budgeting advice. [14:54] Joey’s favorite restaurants and meals, plus tips on where to eat without a reservation. [20:33] How to maximize the Hyatt Globalist experience at Baha Mar. [25:19] Why using points is usually the best option (and when it isn’t). [28:18] An overview of the water park, Baha Bay, and why it’s such a big highlight. [32:02] Other water activities and pools you can spend time at, and what the beach is like. [34:23] What to expect from the Baha Mar casino. [36:01] One of the weirdest things about their loyalty program. [38:45] A recap of the benefits and drawbacks of Baha Mar. [39:27] Why Joey has returned to Baha Mar with his family so many times. [41:30] An overview of what it’s like flying to Baha Mar from different places in the US. [45:26] Where you can find Joey online and get in touch. Quotes: “You can always find somewhere to eat. It's just a matter of the better the restaurant, the more planning needs to go into it.” — @joeyredmond [13:17] “It's a pretty diverse buffet. We usually stay five nights [and] I don't really get sick of it.” — @joeyredmond [19:30] “Baha Bay is the name of the water park. And it's four acres right on the beachfront. It's a lot of fun. If you're a person that likes water parks or likes water activities, I think you could easily fill two, three, four days there.” — @joeyredmond [28:28] “Generally you're not going to see anyone at the casino during the day. [That] is what I found.” — @joeyredmond [35:36] “I think islands always have a lot stacked against them [when it comes to] having good foods. So the fact that [Baha Mar] was able to curate a food and beverage program with so many varied and different options. I think it's actually pretty impressive.” — @TktweetsKim [43:56] “One of the biggest selling points [seems to be] the closeness that you've got
	01 May 2024	TravelStories Episode 32: A Quick Cairo Trip	00:49:58
A Quick Cairo Trip Episode 32: Show Notes. After a two-plus year-long wait, Tom finally used his Qatar booking credit from the pandemic (just in time before the booking expired!). Even though he wasn’t excited about the trip before departure, his wonderful experience of Cairo made him question his initial reservations. Tom details his airport experience in Canada, why he chose to fly out from there instead of America, and whether buying a cheaper ticket to fly from Canada is worth the hassle. He also shares his thoughts on the new Chase Sapphire Lounge in LaGuardia, his inflight experience of Qatar’s Qsuite, what he did during his Doha layover, and everything he loved about being in Cairo for the very first time. In addition, we discuss the convenience of using tour services to expedite airport arrivals and departures in certain countries, the sights that Tom visited in Cairo, whether he’d go back with a nested itinerary, and a quick look at the trips that Tom and Trevor have coming up. Key Points From This Episode: [00:59] A high-level overview of Tom’s trip to Cairo. [03:03] Thomas explains why he hasn’t been excited prior to departure on recent trips. [06:38] Why he chose to connect from Canada. [08:43] A brief interlude on the brand-new Chase Sapphire Lounge. [11:50] His on-ground experience of Canada before departing for Egypt. [15:14] What he thinks about the Qatar Qsuite, and the rest of his inflight experience to Doha. [19:17] Everything that happened during his layover in Doha. [32:58] What Tom loved about being in Cairo for the first time. [35:54] How he used a tour guide service to expedite his arrival and domestic travel in Egypt. [40:21] His sightseeing and entertainment experiences in Cairo. [45:26] What’s on next for Tom and Trevor. [46:25] Whether Tom would go back to Cairo with a nested itinerary. [48:36] A quick yes or no: Is buying a cheaper flight out of Canada worth the hassle? Quotes: “Lately, a lot of the travel I’ve been having, I’ve been not really excited about it. I was not excited for this trip at all, strangely enough. And, that was so wrong because I realized having come back, it was a great trip. I enjoyed myself tremendously.” — @TktweetsKim [03:03] “This is not the first LaGuardia flight that I’ve taken this year. And every time I’ve been to LaGuardia this year, it has impressed me.” — @TktweetsKim [11:12] “Montreal, strangely, for a relatively major city with a lot of international connectivity, the international side of the terminals are not well-equipped, either from a lounge perspective or even from just a retail shopping perspective. It’s kind of small.” — @TktweetsKim [13:59] “The strange thing was, it rained. It rained in Doha!” — @TktweetsKim [28:42] “There’s a handful of countries that I just won’t enter without having that [tour] expediter service now. I don’t know if that’s lifestyle inflation or just being a good traveler, but I mean, it makes such a difference.” — @tmount [37:30] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Qatar Airways Qatar Qsuite				18 May 2024	TravelStories Episode 33: Cruise Loyalty with Traveling Well for Less’ Debra Schroeder	00:47:32
Are you interested in cruises, and want to capitalize on miles and points, but feel unsure of where to start? Then this episode is for you! Today we sit down with, Debra Schroeder, who first became interested in miles and points back in ’94, when she bought an excess of cereal boxes to capitalize on an American Airlines promotional campaign. Her history with cruising goes back almost as far, starting in ’98. Fast forward to today and Deb has become an expert at optimizing her travel plans. Tuning in, you’ll learn how Deb first started writing her travel blog, Traveling Well for Less, and how she began posting deals and sharing her insights with other avid travelers. We talk with Deb about her evolution as a traveler and her enduring love of cruises, before hearing her advice on how to get the most out of your trips. If you’re curious about cruising or want to take your loyalty membership to the next level, then you won’t want to miss this fascinating conversation with Deb Schroeder! Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] Debra’s involvement in the miles and points community. [04:18] What casino programs were like when she started (and how they have changed). [10:04] Trends in cruising over the past few years and the current state of cruises. [14:34] Booking in advance and how to get lower prices for your cruises. [18:49] Recurring issues with food provisions on cruises. [21:19] An overview of the traveling that Deb still wants to do. [24:18] Cruise loyalty; how Deb obtained her Pinnacle Member status with Royal Caribbean. [26:59] An overview of the divisions amongst Pinnacle Members and what caused it. [32:16] The huge success of loyalty schemes and how this has impacted cruise lines, airlines, hotel chains, and passengers. [33:17] Why Deb, and so many others, have remained loyal to Royal Caribbean. [34:21] Comparing Royal Caribbean’s casino loyalty program with other cruise lines. [38:57] Deb’s insights into Las Vegas, on-land casinos, and earning perks and points. [40:54] Recent news regarding MGM partnerships and upcoming developments. [43:41] Deb’s parting advice: don’t wait to take advantage of all the current cruise offers! Quotes: “The miles and points community, it's a large community, but it's funny how small it is, really. Everybody knows everyone.” — @TktweetsKim [01:38] “In the last couple of years, there's been leadership change over at Royal Caribbean. So they're doing a lot of cost-cutting and different financial strategies and implementing different things that they didn’t [do] in the past.” — @DebraSchroeder [12:29] “With all the different changes, they have to submit the manifests to customs, like 72 hours in advance. [So] you can’t get that last-minute deal that the Floridians are used to, where they could just stroll up to the port and book a cruise right there.” — @DebraSchroeder [15:27] “It's incredible to think how loyal and dedicated customers are. The mania, the craziness of miles and points – extends to cruisers, just as much as people who love airlines and hotels.” — @TktweetsKim [31:25] “Royal has the best loyalty program of all the cruise lines, in terms of what you get for your status. That is why so many of us have remained loyal to Royal because you get so much more.” — @DebraSchroeder [33:18] “Get those free cruises now before you miss out on the oppo
	05 Jun 2024	TravelStories Episode 34: Chatting with Nick Reyes of FrequentMiler	00:55:31
Chatting with Nick Reyes of FrequentMiler Episode 34: Show Notes. Few things are as exhilarating as a competitive travel challenge among like-minded peers! Speaking of birds of a feather, today we are joined by fellow travel enthusiast and author, Nick Reyes. Nick is a prime example of how to follow your travel dreams even when your wallet says that you can't, and today, he shares both new and old travel hacks that will help you conquer your next travel challenge! We learn about the evolution of Avianca’s lifemiles program, the flop of Nick's first redemption versus the joys of his most successful one, and how bucket-list adventures are more accessible than you may realize. We also discuss Nick's most complicated (yet worthwhile) travel hack before exploring the wonders of travel as education, the benefits of various rewards programs, the value of reviewing rewards charts, and how to properly plan for a long trip. To end, Nick Reyes shares even more helpful advice for saving time and money on your adventures around the world. Key Points From This Episode: [00:40] FTU: How Trevor and Thomas met today's guest, Nick Reyes. [04:30] How miles and points have evolved since 2013, and assessing Avianca's lifemiles program. [08:04] Nick's first redemption. [12:44] Highlights from his first (successful) miles redemption trip. [15:06] How once-in-a-lifetime trips become more accessible with miles and points. [18:23] Exploring the wonders of travel as education. [23:09] The most complicated travel hack that Nick has ever executed. [34:30] Unpacking various unassuming rewards programs that come with big payoffs. [35:20] How flying from certain regions saves points and money, and the value of reviewing reward charts. [42:22] The ins and outs of Nick's latest travel challenge and how he's planning for it. [46:20] Why it's important to thoroughly plan your travel, and how to go about it. [48:48] Time and money-saving travel tips. [53:18] How to connect with Nick Reyes. Quotes: “Before I discovered miles and points, my wife and I already had the travel itch. And so, we would work really hard, sometimes 60; 70; 80 hours a week, and then we would take a month or two off and go travel somewhere as cheaply as we could.” — @NickatFM [08:26] “When we traveled on a shoestring budget back in the day, it was always like, 'Well, we're probably never going to be here again so we've got to see and do everything that we can'. And not having that pressure because of miles and points is such an incredibly liberating feeling.” — @NickatFM [15:32] “[My kids] are learning geography not just by looking at it in a book and memorizing it for a test, but by going to places and seeing things. I think that's incredibly exciting because that's certainly not a world I grew up living in, nor one that I thought I'd be able to provide for my family someday.” — @NickatFM [19:36] “Air Canada's Aeroplan has been something that has really inspired me to be interested in trying to push the boundaries, because their reward chart was made for people like us that get excited about figuring out, 'Okay, how far can I go? What can I do?'.” — @NickatFM [23:46] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Nick Reyes on LinkedIn Nick Reyes on Instagram Améliorez votre compréhension de Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition avec My Podcast Data Chez My Podcast Data, nous nous efforçons de fournir des analyses approfondies et basées sur des données tangibles. Que vous soyez auditeur passionné, créateur de podcast ou un annonceur, les statistiques et analyses détaillées que nous proposons peuvent vous aider à mieux comprendre les performances et les tendances de Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition. De la fréquence des épisodes aux liens partagés en passant par la santé des flux RSS, notre objectif est de vous fournir les connaissances dont vous avez besoin pour vous tenir à jour. Explorez plus d'émissions et découvrez les données qui font avancer l'industrie du podcast. © My Podcast Data About us Privacy Policy

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