Episode 44: Show Notes.

Lufthansa’s First Class is revered as one of the more aspirational airline products to flight; Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal (FCT) is among the top 3 airline lounge experiences, and Trevor and Thomas both agree. Miles and Points expert and writer JT Genter joins us to share about himself, and to discuss his first Lufthansa First Class experience. JT and his wife, Katie, are digital nomads, and our conversation begins with a brief look at their recent jam-packed travel schedule. After JT details his approach to living as a digital nomad, he offers some advice, recommendations, and strategies for life on the road. JT's retelling of his LH F experience begins with how he met Trevor at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, before moving on to his arrival and overall impressions of the Lufthansa FCT. He then describes how he felt about the food, drinks, and service aboard Lufthansa’s Retro livery, and why he can’t wait for his next LH F experience. Somewhere in between, we discuss the degradation of travel apps like ExpertFlyer and why this loss of value is a common industry trend, and to end, JT describes his roles and responsibilities as a travel blogger and as the Editor-In-Chief at AwardWallet, and how he would fix common industry pain points to give miles and points a better future. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• [01:20] JT Genter details his professional history and how he entered travel. 
• [04:03] A quick look at his recent (and extensive!) travel log.  
• [05:26] JT’s approach to living as a digital nomad. 
• [10:03] His experience of traveling to Calala Island, and where Hyatt and Hilton fit in. 
• [11:05] JT’s advice and recommendations for life as a digital nomad. 
• [14:42] How Trevor and JT ran into each other in Germany.   
• [17:02] JT’s first-ever Lufthansa First Class (drinking game trigger word!) experience.
• [20:50] Why many flight apps like ExpertFlyer are rapidly decreasing in value.  
• [25:18] Getting back to JT’s first-class experience as he walks us through his airport arrival.  
• [26:57] His thoughts on the lounge in Frankfurt.
• [33:25] Lufthansa’s unique first-class terminal adventure. 
• [36:30] Unpacking JT’s in-flight experience aboard Lufthansa’s Retro livery.  
• [39:40] How he felt about the food, drinks, and onboard service.  
• [43:18] His final thoughts on flying Lufthansa First Class for the first time. 
• [44:33] Shifting gears as JT explains his role and responsibilities at AwardWallet. 
• [45:42] Our guest shares his perspective on the future of miles and points, with some suggestions for fixing common industry pain points. 
• [53:02] How to connect with JT. 

Quotes:

“It’s now been seven years [that] we’ve been full-time digital nomads. – We want to slow down, but we’re not anywhere close to settling down.” — @JTGenter [03:51]

“The crew was very welcoming once we got on board. We had an incredible crew, probably some of the nicest flight attendants we’ve ever had, which seems to be par for the course with Lufthansa.” — @JTGenter [37:25]

“The whole Park Hyatt motto of ‘luxury is personal’ is so true. Not one size fits all.” — @JTGenter [39:04]

“I can’t wait to [fly Lufthansa First Class] again!” — @JTGenter [43:27]

Longer Quotes:

“The people who are writing about points and miles choose not to write about [the best travel hacks] because they don’t want to kill it off, or they don’t go through the experience themselves. There are a lot of people in the miles and points community who write about it but don’t really live it.” — @JTGenter [47:32]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

JT Genter

JT Genter on X

JT Genter on LinkedIn

JT Genter on Instagram 

JT Genter on Threads 

Katie Genter on X 

Adventures of JT and Katie 

JT and Katie's Travel Schedule

AwardWallet 

Lufthansa 

ZorkFest 

Calala Island

Hyatt

Hilton

ExpertFlyer 

SeatGuru

AeroLOPA 

Chicago Seminars 

AwardHacker 

ITA Matrix 

Seats.aero 

EasyPASS 

Park Hyatt

Thomas Kim on X

Trevor Mountcastle on X

Episode 43: Show Notes.

As we wave goodbye to summer, Thomas and Trevor walk us through their most recent end-of-season trips: A Carnival cruise and a forgettable Cap Cana experience. We begin with Thomas and his trip aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras, where he explains why he chose Carnival over his trusted Royal Caribbean. Thomas details his itinerary and vacation experience, why the casual dining options were better than expected, how the floating casino and overall entertainment could be improved, and the perils of getting sick on the open sea. Next, Trevor picks up the baton and explains why his most recent Cap Cana trip may be his last. We discover how his previous visits to the resort influenced his most recent one and the stress of traveling out of Punta Cana. To end, Thomas unpacks his experience at the 14th Annual Chicago Seminars for miles and points. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• [00:00] How Thomas cheated on Royal Caribbean with Carnival Cruise Lines.
• [04:30] Diving deeper into his itinerary and vacation experience aboard Carnival Mardi Gras. 
• [07:45] Exploring the food, cabin layout, and onboard entertainment on Carnival Mardi Gras.
• [13:55] The value of having great casual dining options on a cruise ship.
• [15:43] Floating gambling on Labor Day and some tips for a better experience.
• [21:32] Getting sick on the open sea.
• [22:50] What Thomas thinks about Carnival overall after his experience.
• [23:59] Why Trevor’s Cap Cana days may be coming to an end.
• [29:08] Dining gems that give Cap Cana a lifeline and make it a destination worth returning to. 
• [32:04] How Trevor’s previous trips to Cap Cana influenced his most recent experience.
• [34:18] Why it’s rare to find high-quality all-inclusive land packages.
• [35:45] Trevor details the challenges of traveling from Punta Cana.  
• [38:10] The ins and outs of the 14th Annual Chicago Seminars attended by Thomas.
• [43:04] Why big travel events are on the decline to make room for smaller ones.

Quotes:

“If I were doing my fun-match again, I would definitely recommend that you pick one of these newer ships, because I think that’s going to give you your best foot forward for Carnival.” — @TktweetsKim [06:02]

“This was the only cruise I’ve ever been on where I’ve been woken up at 1:30 in the morning with an abandon ship alarm. — We did actually have a false alarm go off in the middle of the night, people were quite distressed.” — @TktweetsKim [19:58]

“It’s hard to go on vacation and have it be so frictionless on your way home. You do your best in planning to make that happen, but I think the reality is you’re always going to have some grating experience trying to get from the resort back to your home.” — @TktweetsKim [37:42]

“There’s always something nice about being able to get up in front of a bunch of people and talk about something that you love.” — @tmount [39:52]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Carnival Cruise Line 

Royal Caribbean 

Princess Cruises

Virgin Voyages 

Cap Cana 

Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana 

Episode 38: Show Notes

Have you ever wondered what it's like to travel the stunning coastlines and towns of the French and Italian Rivieras? In this episode, we dive into Trevor’s recent adventure to these iconic Mediterranean destinations. From the highs and lows of traveling with family to insightful travel recommendations, Trevor provides his takeaways from his trip. In our conversation, we discuss his reasons for the trip, the logistics and planning aspects behind it, and what he thought of the hotels and Apartment rentals. Explore why multi-generational travel complicates logistics and learn why cruise ships are the best option for older travel partners. Hear about what Europe gets right about children's play parks, Zurich airport’s sky deck, dining in a French vineyard, making an authentic pizza with his family, and a memorable cheese tour. Trevor also shares his thoughts on why one hotel made his list of the worst places to stay, what he enjoyed most about flying home on Swiss Airlines, and much more. Join us and get inspired to plan your own Riviera family adventure! Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:00:36] A catch-up with Thomas and Trevor and an overview of today’s topic.
• [0:03:50] Reasons for the trip, details about his itinerary, and what the trip entailed.
• [0:10:12] Break down of the miles used for flights, hotel stays, and overall cost.
• [0:13:14] The apartments he booked and why they tested his tolerance.
• [0:21:40] Complications of traveling with family and his British Airways lounge experience.
• [0:29:50] Multi-generational travel, finding play parks for your kids, and plane spotting.
• [0:37:35] Hear about the trip's fun and interesting dining experiences.
• [0:48:17] Highlights of the French and Italian Rivieras and what he would do differently.
• [0:58:41] How one hotel on the trip made Trevor’s list of the worst hotels to stay at.
• [1:04:12] Funny and unexpected moments from the trip and driving in France and Italy.
• [1:13:52] Flying home on Swiss Airlines and what he enjoyed most about it.

Quotes:

“I would say don’t split up [at the airport] because you just end up giving yourself more anxiety than you really need.” — @TktweetsKim [25:12]

“[My family and I] tend to do multi-generational travel a lot, but it is usually cruise ship related, and that has a lot of things that help buffer those restriction points.” — @TktweetsKim [30:03]

“When you have to deal with the old, the young, and the in-between, it does complicate the logistics quite a bit.” — @TktweetsKim [30:24]

“My focus of late has been really trying to get more unique [travel] experiences.” — @Tmount [40:45]

“The trip was incredible, everybody was very happy, and everyone was really happy with their seats on the way home too.” — @Tmount [1:16:58]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Château des Demoiselles

List for Travel Play Areas / Parks

Obicà Duomo | A tip from Pat and Mike  @PatMikeL – Go during happy hour (I think 5-8) for Aperativo’sst

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

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

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• Advanced maneuvers in credit card applications
• Maximizing 2H2019 Amex Platinum credits
• A point-fueled trip report
• And much more...

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On this week’s No Annual Fee Edition of the podcast we discuss:

0:30 Q3 5x Categories Announced

• Chase Freedom: Gas and streaming services
• Discover: PayPal and restaurants
• Citi Dividend: Airline and car rentals

1:20 Office Depot $10 off $100 in Select Happy Cards (link)

• Repeat of last promo
• Unfortunately looks to be excluding Happy Guy (Home Depot)

2:25 Stop & Shop 8x Fuel Rewards Happy Cards

• 6/21-6/27/2019

2:40 Safeway J4U $10 off of $100 or more Visa GC

• This is a repeat of the promo from a month or so ago
• $10 erases $5.95 purchase fee
• Does work on Variable $500’s
• Makes sure you have liquidation in place

 3:30 Amex Qantas Transfer Bonus and Targeted Qantas Transfer Bonus: Do they stack?

• Amex is running an untargeted 20% bonus
• People on DansDeals say they’re getting 20% on top of 20% for no apparent reason
• (Additionally?) My wife was targeted for a 15% transfer bonus on the Qantas side
• Do these stack?
• I transferred 1,000 Qantas miles from Amex
• This earned 1,200 upon arrival
• 4 days later a 20% bonus of 240 points posted
• If this sticks, it works out to a 1.44 transfer ratio
• If the additional 15% posts it would be a 1.62 transfer ratio
• Crazy one, but if all the bonuses posted it would be huge
• Devaluation coming? (LoyaltyLobby link)
• Yes, devaluation occurred (PointMeToThePlane link)

15:25 80,000 Signup Bonus Southwest Business Credit Card (FM link)

• $199 annual fee
• Expected to be subject to 5/24
• Southwest Companion Pass: Deal or not a deal? (link)

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version?

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• $150 promo from a Plastiq clone
• Maximizing a 50,000 point Amex upgrade offer
• A quick discussion about playing the timeshare game
• And much more…

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Today we’re answering questions posed by ‘future’ listeners of this very podcast.  These are questions from those of you new to points & miles, and maybe you haven’t yet found this site.  Along with these 4 questions we tackle the news and of course an entertaining look at the world of points & miles.

News

0:30 [Targeted] Amex Business Platinum 50,000 Upgrade Offer (link DoC)

• Need to have existing Green or Gold Business Amex MR charge card
• Log in to Amex account then Direct link
• $10,000 spend requirement in 5 months
• “Offer is available for first-time upgrades to the new Business Platinum Card® only and for one Card account only.Offer is available for first-time upgrades to the new Business Platinum Card® only and for one Card account only.”

03:55 “Public” 150,000 Upgrade Offer *from* No-Fee/Ascend *to* Aspire (link)

• Direct link
• Have to currently have an No-Fee -or- Ascend card
• How to play it?

05:15 [Targeted] Amex MR Transfer Bonuses 40-50% for British Airways, JetBlue or Marriott

• Check your accounts
• British Airways in particular is a spectacular offer

07:12 Airline Portal Shopping Bonuses (link FrequentMiler)

• 1,000 for $300 UA through 6/23
• 500 for $200 AA through 6/16

07:37 Safeway stores: $15 off of $100×2 MCGC

• $15 off of $100×2
• Runs through June 18th. 

7:50 Stop & Shop Buy $100 in 3rd Party GCs get $15 off Next Grocery Order (link)

• Ad says “these pictured and more” (Best Buy/Lowe’s/Happy Lady)
• Milenomics intern did an experiment: Purchased a $100 Amazon GC. What do you think: Did it trigger the $15 voucher?
• 6/7-6/16

08:40 Free Topic: We Tackle Travel Miles 101 Facebook Group Questions (link) 

Q: Ok – so my son, now 12 –

We’re back with news, and a discussion around credit cards you should never close.  Share your ‘must keep’ cards in the comments below, and enjoy!

0:33 25% Transfer Bonus from Citi (others, but not Amex) (link MilesTalk)

• One of those wonky ones where they bump the points on the receiving end
• Strange, and a bit of a bummer, that Amex wasn’t included

2:12  Qantas 20% Transfer Bonus from Amex (link DansDeals)

• Great way to get to Tel Aviv on El Al

3:19 Heightened Amex Incognito Referral Offers Found Working on Business Cards

• Previously this only worked when referring from *personal* cards
• This is good news because Business Gold earns a hefty 20,000 point referral bonus and the Business Platinum earns a 15,000 point referral bonus
• HT r/cowsareeverywhere on reddit
• Generating And Using An Amex Referral

4:35 Free Topic: 6 Credit Cards you should NEVER cancel

• [Robert] Old Blue Cash 5% Gas/Grocery/Drug Store
• [Sam] Ink 5x Cards (Especially Ink Plus) 5x Office Supply/Telecom
• [Robert] AT&T Access More 3x Online Retail, crazy good retention bonuses
• [Sam] CNB Crystal
• [Robert] Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa Infinite ($395-$450 annual fee but you get a $300 air incidental each year, Ritz Club Lounge access on paid stays, 50,000 night certificate each year
• [Sam] Hilton Aspire

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On this week’s subscriber podcast:

Premium Cabin Award Travel to Europe Tips & Trends

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News

0:35 [Sam] AA Showing More Award Space on Mobile? (link)

• Seems to be that there’s a new search interface and a legacy one
• They sometimes show different results
• TPG post

2:33 [Robert] Speedway: $15 voucher for Speedway gas GC when purchasing $100 3rd party GC

• Slickdeals
• DoC
• Lowe’s, Home Depot and others (Texas Roadhouse, Netflix, Cabellas, Dominos, Bass Pro Shops and Google Play)
• Through 6/30

4:43 [Sam] Rakuten closing accounts buying GC in-store(link)

• Bed Bath Beyond likely the issue now
• Was also a problem with office Max for some commenters
• Better play? 3pgc online?

6:30 [Robert] Amex Membership Rewards now transfer to Qantas (link)

• Citi also a transfer partner
• Good for El Al, potentially Aer Lingus (depending on distance) and…China Eastern First (strange I know)

8:29 [Sam] Amex Priority Pass No Longer Work at Airport Restaurants (link)

• Effective August 1, 2019
• Doesn’t affect Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige, CNB Crystal [yet]

10:17 [Robert] Amex Delta Sign Up Bonuses at All-Time Highs

• Referral links not yet updated, but will likely follow
• Guidance here is to wait and position for spousal referral
• Breaking: I got a targeted offer in the mail for the Delta Reserve card with no lifetime language across all Amex Delta cards
• Check: http://delta.com/75reserve to see if you’re targeted (if it malfunctions out after entering your Delta account number, you’re not targeted)
• Affiliate (DansDeals), public, referral, targeted w/no lifetime…inflationary trend?

14:19 [Sam] Barclays Asking for Proof of Business After Credit Card Approval (link)

• Unheard of.
• Has Anyone been affected?

15:53 [Robert] Hertz Devalues Award Chart (

A fun week here on the No Annual Fee Podcast, where we’re discussing the following:

News

0:32 Italian-issued Tickets for Fun and Profit (link)

• Probably best to keep this as an academic idea, but a fun read by God Save the Points.

1:46 Citi ThankYou Points 30% Bonus to Virgin Atlantic (link)

• Matches the Membership Rewards promo from a few weeks ago.
• The Program is either outstanding or completely terrible depending on the use of the miles.
• Do not transfer if you don’t know what to do with the miles.

Main Topic

2:26 5 Best: Credit cards to put in your spouse’s wallet

• Amex Personal Gold 4x MRs grocery and dining
• CNB Crystal Infinite 3x on groceries, dining, travel, gas
• Amex Blue Business Plus 2x everywhere
• Bank of America Premium Rewards with Platinum Honors ($100k) for 2.625% everywhere
• No Fee Chase Freedom Unlimited 1.5x URs everywhere
• Honorable mention (not available any more): Citi AT&T Access More 3x for online retail (leave it near your home computer)

Counterpoint:

• Citi double cash 2% everywhere with Price Protection
• CNB Crystal infinite 3x Just about anywhere
• Blue Business Plus 2MR everywhere (2.5% CB, 3% towards flights)
• BofA Premium Rewards 2.625 – Tough to beat
• DO NOT Put a card you’re working the minimum spend on:
  • Enticing to overspend
  • Hard to tell if the MSR has been met

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version? This is just the tip of the iceberg.

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On this week’s subscriber podcast:

• Long Haul Business Class to Europe (with Miles)
• Demand Schedule Troubles

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Some lucrative promos and heightened offers this week…

0:33 [Widely Targeted, check email associated with existing account] Plastiq 1% Mastercard CC Payments on Plastiq

• Schedule up to 3 x $2,000 payments
• By May 31, 2019
• 1% fee (rather than 2.5%)

1:52 BofA Alaska Personal 40,000 + $100 Statement Credit

• Direct link
• Source
• $75 annual fee (not waived the first year)
• $2,000 min spend
• “This card will not be available to you if you currently have or have had the card in the preceding 24 month period. This does not apply to the business credit card product.”

2:53 Hilton/Lyft Partnership

• Earn 3x Hilton for Lyft rides after linking accounts
• Direct Link to register
• Stack with Delta/Lyft: https://www.deltalyft.com
• And JetBlue/Lyft: https://www.lyft.com/jetblue/first
• Mastercard World Elite: https://www.lyft.com/world-elite-mastercard
• Plus Pei and Freebird

4:02 AA/Hyatt Reciprocal Earning/Status Fast Track now ready for linking (source)

• Reciprocal point earning
• AA Concierge Key gets Hyatt Globalist
• Hyatt elites get AA fast track status challenges
• As a Hyatt Globalist [with no AA status] I got “free” Platinum for 3 months + status challenge
• Direct link to link
• After linking go here in your AA account to see what you got

5:56 New Discover 5% Categories Added

• Q3 PayPal Added (in addition to Restaurants)
• Q4 Target & WalMart.com added (in additional to Amazon)

6:57 3x Fuel Rewards on Visa Gift Cards at Stop & Shop

• 5/17-5/23/2019

7:30 Movie Puzzler

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version? This is just the tip of the iceberg.

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On this week’s subscriber podcast:

• A streetwear reselling experiment
• Rehabbing a bad Citicard portfolio
• A crash course in gift card reselling

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Today we do a quick rundown of the news. Including the following:

0:33 Simon Mall Purchases No Longer Earning Rewards on Amex Cards? (link)

• Stopped earning for Sign up Bonus sometime last year. 
• Not completely unexpected, but hopefully this does not spread
• Could be in reaction to the bump up to $25,000 in daily purchase limits

1:29 United Shopping Portal Promo

• Spend $300 online earn 1,000
• Spend $150 in-store earn 500
• Through 5/19

2:05 [Targeted] Chase Sapphire Preferred 5x Bill Pay

• 5x on Utilities, Insurance, Phone Service, Cable
• Up to $2,000 in payments
• 5/13-7/31/2019
• Check email for “<first_name>, don’t miss out on 5X bonus points”

3:40 Amex Hilton Offers w/o Lifetime Language

• 75,000 No Annual Fee card link Direct Link source
• 125,000 Ascend link Direct Link source
• Great deals if you’ve had these cards before
• Also probably possible to get the card through referral for 100,000/150,000 and then get it again shortly thereafter through this offer
• Though it’s possible Amex might claw these back as they’re likely targeted and leaked into the wild
• Keep in mind that Amex generally limits to 5 active credit cards per person which includes personal and business, but not charge cards and not cards you’re an authorized user on

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On this week’s subscriber podcast:

We talk about 3x UR from home, Apply for new credit cards live on the show and dig deep into Demand Schedules.

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Last week we had our first ever cliffhanger episode–this week we’re back to finish the story of Robert’s European Vacation.  We also cover some great news on the redemption side, as well as options to earn miles without flying on Today’s No Annual Fee Edition of the podcast.

News

0:32 Etihad Awards Booking on AA.com (link)

• Still not seeing JFK-AUH Apartment show up even though there is space
• Have to call New Zealand for that one still (link)

3:24 British Airways Avios Partner Award Devaluation Coming (link)

• 0-650 miles: 6,000 Avios (was 4,500, unclear whether this range will become bookable on North America routes)
• 651-1,150 miles: 9,000 Avios (was 7,500)
• 1,151 miles-2,000 miles: 11,000 Avios (was 10,000)
• 2,001 miles-3,000 miles: 13,000 Avios (was 12,500)
• Goes into effect May 30th, 2019

4:06 [Targeted] Amex Membership Rewards to Virgin Atlantic 30% Transfer Bonus (link)

• Good for awards on Delta metal, ANA roundtrip…
• …and Necker Island

4:46 Fee-Free Visa GCs at Staples (link)

• 5/5/19-5/11/19
• Said to be limit one $200 VGC pp

5:11 Stop & Shop $15 Off Groceries with $100 GC Purchase (link)

• Purchase $100 3rd party GC, get $15 voucher towards future grocery purchase
• 5/3/19 to 5/23/19

7:14 $15 off two $100 MCGC & 8X Happy cards at Safeway Branded stores

• Need to add to J4U app

7:30 [Targeted] 5,000 MRs for Adding Authorized User to Amex Personal Gold

• Add up to 4 users, 5,000 MRs each
• Each AU must spend $500 to receive the bonus
• AUs are free on Personal Gold
• Received via email, subject “Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points by adding an Additional Card Member”
  • Amex clearly listens to the show
• Link to check whether you’re eligible
• (will say “We are sorry, you are not able to apply for an Additional Card online.” if ineligible)

8:59 Part II–Family Travel to Venice and Rome. 

Be sure to listen to Episode 21 if you haven’t already. 

9:05 Rome

• Hotel dei Mellini
  • Boutique hotel just west of the Tiber
  • 10-20 minute walk from most major sites
  • Booked family room
  • Upgraded to 2 BR/2BA Suite
  • Co

Episode 37: Show Notes

In today’s organic, stream-of-consciousness episode, we take a look at some of our recent travel experiences, explore current industry trends, and share our take on what we think may happen in the not-so-distant future. Our menagerie of travel stories begins with Thomas’s experience of the Rio Las Vegas before diving into the mileage run that took him to Nevada. Then, we explore the current state of the airline industry, possible mergers to look forward to (or be worried about), the lifestyle choices that influence our travel choices, and the implausible airline merger that would be a match made in heaven. We also discuss the evolution of standard airport lounges, asses how they weigh up against membership and rewards lounges, and examine how Trevor’s trip to Charlotte reminds us of the real cost of inflation. For a laid-back, conversational episode that is both fun and thought-provoking, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [00:00] Thomas’s experience of the Rio Las Vegas.
• [08:12] How Thomas made his way to Vegas: an OG mileage run.  
• [10:22] The current state of the airline industry, and possible acquisitions and mergers. 
• [14:35] Exploring the finer details of Thomas’s Vegas mileage run.  
• [19:35] Ways that travel styles vary and how lifestyle changes influence travel choices.
• [23:20] What Thomas thinks about the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Dallas. 
• [28:55] The pros and cons of standard airport lounges versus membership lounges. 
• [34:18] Why Alaska Airlines and Jet Blue would be the perfect pairing. 
• [36:10] What we think about the future of Hawaiian Airlines.
• [38:00] Trevor’s quick overnight to Charlotte, North Carolina. 
• [42:55] The true cost of inflation.  

Quotes:

“The biggest deterrent for me in any environment for me is tobacco smoke.” — @tmount [04:40]

“Ultimately, when we travel, we want to have options. That’s number one.” — @tmount [28:48]

“Either Jet Blue will have a lounge within the decade or they won’t exist in a decade.” — @TktweetsKim [33:37]

“I don’t know of an airline merger that has happened in less than 24 months.” — @TktweetsKim [37:45]

“That’s only 4,500 Alaska miles, I mean, why not? Honestly, some of these trips that we take, it’s more expensive to pay for the Uber.” — @TktweetsKim [42:42]

“With what it costs to dine out now, it definitely feels like more of a luxury item than it used to.” — @TktweetsKim [44:16]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Rio Las Vegas 

But I’m a Diamond Guest

Hyatt Hotels 

Alaska Airline

United Airlines 

American Airlines 

Delta 

Asiana Airlines

Korean Airlines 

Cranky Flier 

Brett Snyder on LinkedIn 

And….We’re Back! Spring break is over and we’re here with a jam packed episode. Today we cover: 

News:

0:30 Chase 30% Transfer Bonus to British Airways (link)

• Through June 16, 2019
• You don’t see the 30% bonus on the UR portal, BA processes the bonus on its end
• Deal or not a deal? Enough to encourage speculative transfer?

4:45 Zero fee MCGC at Staples 4/21-4/27 (link)

• Stack with Dosh 3% capped at $5 per day (link)
• Payce too?
• Am I banned by Dosh? 
• Chase Offers
• Amex Staples 10% back Offer

7:50 11-Day Stop & Shop Strike Over (link)

• Had effects on sales of prepaid cards

10:25 Parameters

• Family of 4 out of Boston (boys 14 and 11)
• Saturday to Saturday during April school vacation
• London, Venice, and Rome

11:20 Flights

• Blog post on this
• BOS-LHR//FCO-LHR-BOS
• Virgin Atlantic Upper Class both ways + Alitalia Economy
• Paid 150,000 Delta SkyMiles pp + $100 taxes + fees roundtrip
• Added LHR-Venice (cheap, paid with Wells Fargo GoFar Rewards)
• Day-time flight on the way there, which is rare

All lodging and tours booked through Chase Expedia portal with 1.5 cpp uplift

23:10 London

• Hotel: Rosewood London
  • Hotel is fantastic. Absolutely gorgeous with great service.
  • Family Room (2 double beds)
  • Public spaces, restaurants, and bars are so well done.
• Tour: Photography Tour

29:20 Venice

• London City Airport-Venice flight on BA was a fine 2 hour flight in Economy
• But getting through Passport Control in Venice took 1.5 hours
• Really makes me want to avoid short hop intra-Europe flights because they’re such momentum killers
• Took a Alilaguna shared water taxi from airport to central Venice 15 euro pp
• There were transport options in Chase UR portal but the options were confusing to me/poorly reviewed so I made a game out of finding our way there
• The water taxi stopped at a bunch of places on the Grand Canal before reaching out hotel but it was a fun experience
• Hotel: Hotel Flora
  • Highly recommend staying right in central Venice overnight (crowds are low in morning/late at night)
  • Felt like a very Rick Steves kind of plac

Welcome to Episode 20 of the No Annual Fee Milenomics² Podcast.

On Today’s show we discuss:

0:36 Fee-free Mastercard GCs at Staples (link)

• 3/24-3/30 2019

2:31 8x Fuel Rewards on Happy Cards at Stop & Shop (link)

• 3/22 – 3/28 2019

3:55 Chase Freedom Unlimited 3x the first year up to $20,000 spend (link)

• No signup bonus when you get the 3x (vs standard offer of 15,000 + referral)
• Card regularly earns 1.5x URs everywhere
• New signups only
• In-branch
• Still subject to 5/24
• Deal or not a deal?

5:38 Wells Fargo Propel 50,000 (link)

• 30,000 after $3,000 the first 3 months
• Additional 20,000 after a total of $15,000 the first year
• Card earns 3x and “dining and travel” roughly speaking
• Deal or not a deal?
• Post on Best Tier 2 Banks.

10:15 Chase Sapphire Preferred 60,000 Offer ($95 Annual Fee *not* waived) (link)

11:01 Citi Rewards+ 10% Point Rebate on Redemptions (link)

• This is the card where rewards are rounded up to the nearest 10 points
• Also rebates TYP redemptions 10% (capped at a 10,000 point rebate per year)
• Need to combine ThankYou accounts for this to work
• Makes Premier uplift 1.38 instead of 1.25
• Even better if you stack Premier + Prestige for 4th night free hotel redemption

14:05 Q2 2019 5x Categories

• Chase Freedom: Grocery & Home Improvement
• Discover: Gas, Uber, Lyft
• Citi Dividend: Drugstores (and you can do all $6,000 in spend for the year in 1 quarter)

14:41 Payce Card-Linked Program (link)

• 5% back, capped at $5 single-use (per account) at retailers like CVS and Staples
• Links cards based on card number (as opposed to login)
• Said to run on Empyr network

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version?

On this week’s Paid version we explore:

• Bypassing Chase 5/24
• Churning American Express Cards
• An 89 point Credit Score Rebound
• And Much, Much More.

Subscribe to the paid version of the podcast here:

https://www.patreon.com/milenomics

Subscribe below to t

0:37 Chase Hyatt Offer: 2 Free Nights + $50 Statement Credit (link)

• Unclear whether this is limited to Category 1-7 (30,000 category) -or- 1-8 (40,000 category)
• Alternate offer of 50,000 points remains available (an eligible for 10,000 point referral)
• Card is subject to 5/24

1:48 3x Fuel Rewards on VCGs at Stop & Shop/Giant/Martin (link)

• 3/15-3/21

2:22 Amex Acquires Lounge Buddy (link)

• Google Map of Lounges posted on Award Travel 101 Facebook group (link)

3:52 Hawaiian Airlines 75k Offer. (link)

• $6,000 minimum spend requirement
• Miles have use beyond Hawaii
• Barclays is involved.

5:10 $10 Off $300 Visa Gift Cards at OfficeMax/Depot (link)

• 3/10-3/16
• Visa often are followed by MCGC deals

5:37 Bound: New ride-share service Boston-NYC from $99 pp one-way (link)

• Tesla SUVs
• Scheduled pick-up point & time
• Up to 4 people + driver in the car
• What do you think of this conceptually?
• Reminds me of Tesloop out here, started by a kid 4-5 years back, bought out and killed. Famously put 400,000+ miles on a Model S
• Teslas come with unlimited mileage warranties? This is a brilliant way to take advantage of that policy.

7:26 Update on Chase shutdown story we discussed in Episode 17 (link)

• Recap: Friend shutdown after applying for personal (approved) + business card (pending)
• Filed CFPB complaint
• Chase called and re-opened her personal account!
• Business card was not approved, citing lack of a business relationship with Chase (?)
• Caution about filing CFPB complaints–can result in broader examination of your relationship with a company.

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version?

On this week’s Paid version we explore:

• Finding New Avenues for Liquidation
• Heightened American Express Sign up Offers
• Freebird & Uber
• And Much more

Subscribe to the paid version of the podcast here:

https://www.patreon.com/milenomics

Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

We’re back this week with another extended episode where we cover:

News:

0:45 Southwest announces flights to Hawaii (link)

• Flying as soon as March 17th (wow, that’s quick)
  • When I’m wrong I’m wrong, Sam said, “no way Southwest flies to Hawaii This year”
• Inter-island flights starting in April
• Cheap fares to kick things off

2:35 AA/Hyatt Partnership Announced (link)

• Similar to old Delta/SPG program where AA flights earn Hyatt points and vice versa (if you have any kind of status with either)
• Top AA (“Concierge Key”) elites get Hyatt Globalist
• Hyatt Globalists get a status challenge to be announced later
• Nothing to do for now, updates to follow

6:09 AA 10% point rebate for redemption going away for Citi/Barclays cards (link)

• Rebates ends for redemptions on or before April 30, 2019
• Prior discussion on the Co-Branded Paradox in Episode 3 of this Podcast. 

9:01 Heightened Amex Delta Personal Bonuses Available via Referral

• • Gold 60,000 + $50 statement credit for $2,000 spend ($0 AF)

• Platinum 75,000 + 5,000 MQMs + $100 statement credit for $3,000 spend ($195 AF)

• Reserve 75,000 + 5,000 MQMs + Delta lounge access (no guests) for $5,000 spend ($450 AF)
• Bonuses also heightened on business cards, not available for referral (yet)
• Why and How: Generating and Using Amex Referrals

10:39 American Express Avianca transfer bonus 1:1.15

• Transfer ratio 1 MR to 1.15 Lifemiles
• Would not speculatively transfer, but many good uses.
• Through 4/1/19

11:27 Discussion

Rumor: 1.75 Uplift with Chase Sapphire Reserve (link)

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version?

On this week’s Paid version we explore:

• The loss of 3x/5x opportunities
• Two great programs (besides Southwest) for travel from the west coast to Hawaii.
• Tricks to get historically high Amex sign up offers to show.
• And more…

Subscribe to the paid version of the podcast here:

https://www.patreon.com/milenomics

Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

Update (3/15): We update the story in this podcast about a Chase Shutdown in Episode 19. Including how the listener was able to convince Chase to reopen her personal CC account. 

We’re back with another jam-packed “free” episode this week…

0:40 $600 Citizen’s Bank Checking Bonus (link)

• Requires recurring/single (?) $2,000 Direct Deposit
• Expires May 16th, 2019

1:50 [Targeted] $500 Bank of America Banking Bonus (link)

• $300 Checking/$200 Savings
• $4,000 in Direct Deposits within 90 Days
• Probably best to go just for the checking offer (savings offer requires $20,000 in new funds)

2:55 $400 Wells Fargo Checking Bonus (link)

• Requires $3,000 in combined monthly Direct Deposit
• Eligible if haven’t gotten WF banking bonus in last 12 months
• Pairs well with needing to be a customer for Business Plat CC worth $750 towards air travel (link)

4:15 Hyatt category changes don’t go into effect until March 18 (link)

• Robert: Booked Premium Suite at Hyatt Coconut Point for 30,000 (twice the 15,000 for a standard room, going up to 20,000)
• Room goes for $859/nt in peak-ish season
• Some ideas on things to book (link)
• Hyatt allows booking 395 days out

6:00 Marriott changes go into effect March 5 (link)

• Play here is high end hotels now capped at 60,000 Marriott/nt that will go up as high as 100,000
• Marriott allows booking 50 weeks out

 7:00 Way to make Amex Bonvoy card (formerly SPG personal) earn 1 SPG point again (link)

• Card can now earn 2x Marriott rather than 3x it did previously
• With this promo you earn 1 additional point for spending in round increments of $25,000 up to 100,000 points
• Gotta love the psychology here

8:15 Chase Shutdown Story

• Shared episode about Chase Southwest Companion Pass promo with friend (link)
• Friend thought it over and saw good value in having the Companion Pass for a year because home airport is Southwest dominant and spouse could join on work trips in addition to leisure travel
• Applied for and was approved for Chase Southwest Personal card with an $8,000 limit
• Minimum spend requirement is $4,000. Charged $2,000 for an AirBnB. Charged $1,000 in cruise incidentals. Bought a $500 gift card at a grocery store. Fraud alert. Cleared. Waited a couple days. Again bought a $500 gift card at a grocery st

We’re back with a Jam Packed show this week. New Ebates/MR partnership, Negative changes from AA/Amex, and A new reader question. 

0:40 Ebates Membership Rewards partnership (link)

• Can existing customers convert to MRs? No.
• Can you spin up a new account? It’s against T&Cs to have 2 accounts, but you can try.
• Can you refer for the MR-earning account? I don’t think so?
• I signed up spouse who has never had an Ebates account (H/T JJ)
• Ebates can now earn 1 MR instead of 1 cent?
• Does Ebates pay out of MCGCs from giftcards.com?
• What about the 3x Ebates card? Does it earn 3x at giftcards.com?
• Do you have to use an Amex card? T&Cs say so (link)

04:00 Amex Bonvoy Brilliant 100,000 Available for Referral (link)

• Referral with Business Gold 20k MR + 100k Marriott
• $450 annual fee– $300 Marriott credit

05:13 Wells Fargo Business Platinum 50,000 Offer (worth $750) (link)

08:58 AA GCs not triggering Amex air incidental credits (FlyerTalk link)

• Changing your airline selection mid-year
• Podcast episode where we covered some options here

09:50 Amex Ameriprise Platinum no longer first-year fee waived (60,000 bonus instead) (link)

• Bad News: If you’ve been churning this card
• Good News: if you’ve never had the card (Another 60k Platinum card)

12:05 Hyatt Hotel Category Changes (link)

• Seasonally miscategorized Hyatts
• Andaz Papagayo: 15,000 -> 20,000
• Hyatt Coconut Point: 15,000 -> 20,000
• Park Hyatt Milan: Unchanged at 30,000
• Park Hyatt Ma

On this week’s show we discuss:

0:35 Juicy Miles Award Search Tool (link)

• Performs award searches across bank point and frequent flyer programs
• Some glitches, but tons of potential
• Key concept: Many programs show better availability on their own metal than partners
• I can’t stop using the service
• If they add alerts, get the right filters set up, fix the glitches and avoid shutdown: Look out world
• $10 for a 5-day trial, $29.99/month (Frequent Miler review)

2:15 Citi Prestige Available for 50,000 TYP Signup (link)

• $495 annual fee
• $250 easy travel credit (per calendar year, Dec statement close)
• 5x on flights and dining
• 4th night free hotel (book through Concierge through Sept 2019)
• Keep in mind Citi’s crazy 24-month policy (open or closed, maybe product changed) for signup bonuses across ThankYou cards

3:45 American Express sending out 1099 for referral credits

• Valuing them at $0.1 per piece for membership rewards points
• Hilton points at 0.67 cents (who on earth is referring from a Hilton card?)
• Possible these will be adjusted

 5:10 4x Fuel Rewards on GCs at Stop & Shop (link)

• Happy Lady
• Do fuel rewards math (around 1.5 cents per piece if you can use them)
• 2/1/2019-2/14/2019

5:40 Listener Question: Avoiding $75 Close-in Award Booking Fees

Like what you heard in the No Annual Fee version?

On this week’s Paid version of the podcast we explore:

• How to turn the Amex Business Platinum annual fee increase into a positive
• Maximizing the Plastiq 10,000 FFD promo
• Skirting credit card churning restrictions
• And more…

Subscribe to the paid version of the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/milenomics

Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

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

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

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.

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 below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

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?

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 below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

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)

Lemoney Turns Sour, Community Cash Back Missing 

Why and How : Combining CNB points

Chase $600 Checking/Savings account bonus. 

GoBank $100 Bonus Terms: 

https://www.patreon.com/milenomicshttps://www.patreon.com/milenomics

Subscribe below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

In this episode, we dive into the adventures of Spencer Howard, the founder of Straight To The Points, as he shares his recent Asia Pacific trip experience. Straight To The Points is a service that helps travelers find and book premium airline award tickets using points and miles, helping save time and money. In our conversation, Spencer shares his incredible 6-week journey through New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, highlighting the breathtaking sights and unique experiences he and his family encountered. Hear about his flight on Air New Zealand, what makes it a family-friendly airline, and tips for traveling with a newborn. Discover why convenience is key when traveling with a newborn, the importance of planning, and how he planned the overall trip. We discuss Hyatt alternatives in Sydney, his scenic route to Tokyo, and why you should go to a baseball game in Japan. Spencer also shares his favorite hotel stays, what makes for a great hotel experience, invaluable travel hacks, and more! Join us as we unpack the ins and outs of planning your Asia Pacific trip with Spencer Howard!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [00:00] Introducing today’s guest, Spencer Howard.
• [01:41] Outline of today’s topic and what listeners can expect.
• [03:38] His motivation for the trip and traveling with a newborn.
• [06:29] Flying Air New Zealand from Texas, Houston.
• [10:00] The main difference between Queenstown and Aukland.
• [11:47] Finding a hotel, getting around, and how to use your points in New Zealand.
• [15:04] Why he chose convenience over price when making bookings.
• [17:15] Spencer’s New Zealand highlights and why he would go back.
• [22:05] Sightseeing in Sydney and his stay at the Capella Sydney.
• [27:04] His alternative route to Tokyo and changing the itinerary on a trip.
• [31:18] His Japan experience, the hotels, and going to a baseball game.
• [42:52] What inspired him to go to Japan and how he planned the trip.
• [47:28] Find out more about Spencer and his company, Straight To The Points.

Quotes:

“Air New Zealand obviously does not have first-class but they will let you buy the bigger seat. That was worth it.” — @spencerformiles [6:57]

“Convenience matters, I think, when you are traveling with a little one.” — @spencerformiles [15:46]

“[The Capella Sydney Hotel] truly is an amazing hotel that I would prefer to stay in when I go back.” — @spencerformiles [22:35]

“You can get, what I would say is a reasonably priced, nice hotel in Sydney if you are not using points.” — @spencerformiles [24:37]

“Finding the information important to your travel faster I think is important so I am just trying to save people some hours.” — @spencerformiles [50:09]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Spencer Howard on LinkedIn

Spencer Howard on X

Spencer Howard on Instagram

Straight To The Points

Points Wire

Air New Zealand

Virgin Atlantic

British Airways

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.

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.

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 below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

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

• 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

• Genesis of App-O-Rama
• Further discussion of AoR
• Blast from the past!

• 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 below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

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)

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 below to the Free, No Annual Fee Milenomics² podcast on Apple Podcasts:

Or on Google Play Music:

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.

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

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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:

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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/

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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

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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:

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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

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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

0:24 Q3 2024 5x Categories

• Chase Freedom: Gas (and other stuff)
• Discover: Grocery Stores, Walmart (For the first time in FOREVER!!!)
• Citi Dividend: Gas
• Why do banks have these cards? To move our spending onto these cards long after the quarter ends.

04:05 Transfer Bonuses

• Citi -> Cathay Pacific 15% (7/20)
• Chase -> Aeroplan 20% (7/31)
• If the space is there and these miles will be used, great to get a discount. Probably not worth speculatively transferring.

08:33 New DeltaOne Premium Lounges Coming in 2024 (OMAAT)

• JFK: June
• LAX: Late 2024
• BOS: Late 2024 (adjacent to already-open 3rd SkyClub in BOS, in International Terminal E)

13:26 Staggering Decline in Usefulness of giftcards.com Visa/MC GC

• At one point these were a fantastic way to earn miles and even hit sign up bonuses
• Recall buying Amex GC and then flipping those to GC.com. 
• Now what can we do with these?
• There's certainly a draw with 5-10% off sales. But those are usually small dollar cards 
• Scale vs spread
• None of this really matters because there's nowhere these cards even work 

19:34 Checking Account with Free ATM Withdrawals Worldwide?

• First Republic had this for $15k
• Chase requires $75k min balance Sapphire checking to avoid fees
• The louses at Chase deactivated First Republic debit cards before the Chase cards arrived. Gah! Do they have the same PIN? I think so? But I go to the ATM infrequently in the US so I’m not sure.
• Am I over-thinking it? Just pay the fees? Well, it’s not just the ATM fee, there’s a “foreign exchange rate adjustment fee” that’s a percentage (usually around 3%) of the amount withdrawn on top of the ATM fee:
• “Surcharge Fees from the ATM owner/network still apply. A Foreign Exchange Rate Adjustment Fee from Chase may apply for ATM withdrawals in a currency other than U.S. dollars.”
• When presented with the question of whether you want to be charged in foreign or USD choose the local currency if your bank here has no Foreign Transaction fees. (Say no to Dynamic Currency Conversion). Example:

• But the real scary thing is where the ATM you’re withdrawing from tacks on a dynamic currency conversion fee, they don’t disclose the percentage, the ATM interface makes it confusing to figure out what’s going on, and you end up paying what is or feels like a lot more than you should to take money out of an ATM.
• I really just like to be able to withdraw a reasonable amount of foreign currency as I go without worrying about fees adding up.
• Schwab Checking has free international ATM withdrawals with no minimum balance
• Schwab debit card was expired (never used), I don’t know what the PIN is, and their phone tree sends me in circles. Thought to go in branch but is there no such thing as a Schwab checking branch?
• Chatted, guy told me I “may have to speak with Schwab Checking. I thought I was chatting with Schwab Checking!?
• Maybe Volcker doesn’t get the credit he deserves
• Update as Robert is leaving to Japan and will be using this debit card.

36:48 International Data for Cellphones. Current Status

• Being connected is pretty much a necessity at this point
<

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:

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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

0:55 Ranking Bank Points for Domestic Airfare

• We’re talking about deeply discounted airfare, not FREE airfare. 
• Every one of these programs has a cash out path–that’s great

1:45 Overview: Highs and Lows of each Program

1:59 Chase UR

• Talked about the most online, but not as valuable as Amex to us
• Much more straightforward than Amex
• 1 Cent per Ultimate Reward point earned (easy cash out on all card)
• 5x earning on Office Supply has been around for a long time. 
• Earning at high rates, transferring to a CSR/CSP 

3:00 Earning Chase UR 

• Easy to use Domestic Partners in United and Southwest
• Travel Portal booking is not ideal but does have uplift
• Earning with high multipliers and sign up bonuses works well
• 5/24 limits the number of cards you can get
• Can co-mingle points

6:30 Southwest (W/ Chase UR)

• Points have become less useful as Ticketless Travel Funds (TTF) have become permanent
• Less transfers from UR->Southwest because TTF are so plentiful
• If transferring , the best way to earn is still NOT on the Southwest credit cards. 

7:43 Booking with the Chase Travel Portal: 

• Price inflation is real (American, others) Be sure to check google flights
• Can see inflated prices on flights, issues when canceling
• 1.25 cents per point / 1.5 cents per point (20% - 33% discount on travel)
• Sometimes just taking cash back at 1 cent per point is the way to pay for travel
• These points are not ‘free’

10:53 Amex MR Overview

• Amex is so generous that they have changed subscribers’ lives
• THE most generous bank with respect to SUB, earning bonuses and referrals
• The default cash back amount for a MR is 0.6 Cents ($.006) per MR with a few exceptions
• Difficult to get rid of these points. 

12:41 Booking Travel with Amex MR

• With such easy earning there isn’t a fast enough release valve sometimes
• Their travel portal is horrible, but is mandatory for the 35% rebate
• Insider fares are lower fares than anywhere else. 
• Extremely high annual fee cards needed to release points at high value
• To get good redemption rates with points you have to graduate to high annual fee cards
• Either churn the card or pay the high annual fee (carrying costs) to get good value
• Delta transfers are a great option – 1.1 cents in value per point, transfer 1:1
• Holding a Delta card gives a 15% discount as well, works out to around 1.25 cents per point. 

16:26 Earning Membership Rewards

• “They’ve gone crazy with the Sign up Bonuses” 
• Easier to earn at a moderate level than Chase (or any other bank) 
• Many high annual Fee cards, which come with many coupons/credits
• Nonstarter for someone just starting out. 

18:55 Difficulties transacting with AMEX

• Need High annual Fee Business Platinum for 35% rebate (approx 1.5 cents per point) 
• Need High Annaul Fee Morgan stanley (1cpp) or Schwab (1.1 cpp) to cash out MR. 
• Cannot co-mingle points across spouses, which means you need 2 of each of these cards!
• 35% rebate only on airline of choice or business/fir

While today is all about a long weekend in Madrid, Thomas and Trevor go on their usual tangents to bring you yet another information-drenched and fun-filled episode! We begin with our love for gin and tonic ice cubes and by explaining how today’s episode relates to many of our other Travel Stories. Then, Trevor walks us through his recent airport lounge experiences, how food and drinks compare, how to maximize your points redemptions, and taking short trips in first class versus longer trips in economy. Trevor then explains why he had to drop Mumbai from his Madrid trip itinerary, what you need to be cautious of when walking the streets of Madrid, and the entertainment options that are available in Spain’s capital for both kids and adults. To end, we discuss the evolution of Lufthansa’s first-class (cheers!) and what we like and dislike about recent amenity additions and removals, and we take a closer look at the now-unretired Airbus A340-600. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• [00:30] Gin & tonic ice cubes, and how today’s Travel Story links to many previous episodes. 
• [01:52] Why taking cheaper flights from the Maldives is not as common as it used to be. 
• [03:30] Trevor’s interesting and most recent airport lounge experiences. 
• [06:12] Comparing the food and drink quality of the various lounges that Trevor visited.  
• [07:40] Virgin Atlantic’s common flight times and standard fleet make up, and some advice on how to maximize points redemption.  
• [10:32] Short trips in first class and transatlantic flights in economy. 
• [12:07] Understanding Trevor’s Dallas-London-Mumbai-Madrid itinerary. 
• [20:44] Madrid: Spain’s lovely capital. 
• [26:50] A cautionary pickpocketing tale from Madrid’s 5th Avenue equivalent. 
• [32:20] Activities for kids, Museo Nacional del Prado, and exploring food and drinks in Madrid. 
• [37:28] Today’s if “you say it, you sip it” phrase is “Lufthansa first-class”.
• [37:45] Trevor’s time in Munich, and the ins and outs of the now unretired Airbus A340-600. 
• [45:56] The evolution of Lufthansa’s first-class amenities, and where it stands today. 

Quotes:

“I have to say that I’m becoming more and more impressed with this [Chase Sapphire] lounge.” — @tmount [04:04]

“One potential area of friction [was] reduced; removed completely because the [Virgin Atlantic] crew was just absolutely amazing.” — @tmount [09:53]

“Choice Hotels are like the unsung heroes of Europe.” — @tmount [23:33]

“If you’re in that situation; if you’re in an area where you’re going to have no personal space and [be] shoulder-to-shoulder with a lot of people you don’t know, it’s probably a good idea to secure your stuff.” — @TktweetsKim [30:26]

“If we can find those local places, we’re always happier for it.” — @tmount [34:51]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

‘Travel Stories Episode 8: Epic Guys Trip’ 

‘Travel Stories Episode 19: Converting a Maldives Skeptic’

Virgin Atlantic 

Chase Sapphire Lounge 

Capital One Loung

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

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

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

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

0:22 Q4 5x Bonus Categories

• Chase Freedom: PayPal, Pet Stores, McDonalds
• Discover: Amazon, Target
• Don’t Forget: BofA Cash Rewards, US Bank Cash+

03:19 JetBlue News

• Lounges coming to JFK and BOS late 2025
• Premium credit card (from Barclays, ha!) coming “soon” that enables lounge access
• Markets themselves as having “The East Coast’s Best Leisure Network”

07:34 Southwest News (link)

• New seating options. 
• Assigned seats (80% want then)
• More space seats (why?)
• Less space seats
• Free bags to continue
• Cattle call to continue 
• International partners. Iceland air first up
• Vacation packages

11:36 Alaska/Hawaiian News

• Direct Link
• These guys are moving swiftly
• Hawaiian <-> Alaska point transfers now live
• Link accounts/status matching between programs in 2024
• Combined single loyalty program in 2025
• Hawaiian set to join OneWorld some time 2026

15:06 Chase UR 30% Transfer Bonus to Avios

• British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus
• Expires 10/31/2024

19:34 Delta: More Routes to Europe in Summer 2025

• OMAAT
• Boston to Milan
• Minneapolis to Rome
• Atlanta to Naples
• Detroit to Dublin
• Boston to Barcelona
• Atlanta to Brussels
• New York to Catania
• Also: Delta cancels JFK-Munich route after one season

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

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

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!

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

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

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