Discover the shocking recent changes at Southwest Airlines, from cuts in benefits to their questionable brand strategy. Delve into Hyatt's challenges in Chicago and the need for a reevaluation of loyalty perks for travelers. Explore upcoming trip plans to the Bahamas and the best ways to utilize points there. The hosts stress the importance of reassessing loyalty in today's shifting travel landscape, analyzing how rising travel costs impact choices and what it means for frequent flyers.
39:08
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Bahamas Trip Optimization
Mark describes an upcoming trip to Baha Mar in the Bahamas, optimizing travel by staying overnight in Charlotte.
This saves money and maximizes resort time, highlighting the value of even basic Hyatt redemptions.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Flight Booking Tip
Consider both American and Alaska Airlines when booking flights, as their prices and routings often vary.
Alaska miles might be easier to acquire now due to changes with Hawaiian Airlines cards.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Credit Card Application Strategy
Don't panic and apply for credit cards just because they're going away soon.
Prioritize Chase cards if under 5/24, then consider others, as they won't disappear immediately.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark dive into some of the changes Southwest announced after our previous show. It's far worse than anyone imagined including cuts in benefits, no free bags, basic economy and more. Are they destroying the brand or will it grow from this bigger and better than ever?
We also discuss Mark's upcoming trip to Baha Mar and what options are left for points on the island. Other topics discussed include: Hyatt's Chicago hotel problem, why 2025 is the time to reevaluate some perks and why you should probably just fly the cheapest/most convenient airline for you.
Episode Guide
0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
1:50 The Alaska/Hawaii card rush and why Alaska miles can be good for American flights
5:47 Southwest gets even worse - No free bags, basic economy and more
12:25 How Southwest is using everyone else’s playbook
18:55 The status hamster wheel & reevaluating loyalty in today’s corporate world
24:25 Hyatt’s big Chicago problem & increasing travel costs
32:25 Reevaluating Hyatt perks in 2025 with all of the changes
Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.
Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.
MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!