Geobreeze Travel

Casino & Cruise Hacks You Need Before 2026 with Dave from MilesTalk | Ep 267

Dec 16, 2025
Dave Grossman, founder of MilesTalk and Your Best Credit Cards, has two decades of expertise in points-and-miles travel. He dives into the recent collapse of casino statuses and the limited options for recovery, like MGM's temporary tier matches. Dave explains the mutual benefits of the Venetian and Pechanga match. He discusses the evolving landscape for travel perks, predicting that cruise lines and sporadic matches will provide new opportunities in 2026. Plus, he shares tips on leveraging cancelable offers and where to find status match alerts.
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ADVICE

Use Temporary Matches As Onramps

  • If you lost casino status, monitor for temporary tier-matches and act fast when they appear.
  • Use any short-term match (e.g., MGM gold) as a stepping stone for onward matches later.
ANECDOTE

Venetian ↔ Pechanga Reciprocal Loop

  • Dave used Venetian status to match to Pechanga, then matched back to Venetian to create a cycle.
  • He highlighted this reciprocal Pechanga↔Venetian loop as a low-volume but valuable merry-go example.
ADVICE

Weigh Card Spend Against Real Value

  • Consider spending to earn casino credit-card tiers only if the net benefits (free nights, cruises) exceed costs.
  • Evaluate annual fees and required spend contra alternatives like transferable points cards.
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