Airline Bag Fee Commissions, Dueling Road Trips, Chicago Holidays Done Right & Thompson Disappoints!
Dec 9, 2024
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Discover the thrill of dueling road trips as the hosts share their adventures from Long Beach to festive Chicago. Unpack the shocking reality of rising airline baggage fees and the pressure of snagging lucrative credit card offers. Explore the charm of Chicago's holiday markets and the bittersweet experience of a disappointment at a boutique hotel. Tune in for lively anecdotes about community connections and the joyful spirit of travel, especially during the holiday season!
Travel meetups foster valuable connections among enthusiasts, enhancing their travel experiences and providing a supportive community for sharing ideas.
Chicago's festive offerings, while appealing, are marred by overcrowding and high prices, detracting from the enjoyment of holiday markets.
Deep dives
Traveling for Meetups and Connections
Traveling for meetups can create lasting connections and friendships among enthusiasts. Participants often find a supportive community that shares similar interests in travel and points accumulation, which enhances their overall experience in the hobby. The speakers express that meeting like-minded individuals allows them to bounce ideas off each other and create new friendships, which is a rewarding aspect of their journeys. These meetups foster camaraderie and discussions about destinations, points earning, and personal travel experiences that one might not typically have with their immediate social circle.
The Allure and Disappointment of Chicago's Christmas Markets
Visiting Chicago's Christmas markets offers a glimpse into festive European traditions, but the experience falls short of expectations. While the markets feature familiar huts and are held in a scenic environment, their cramped nature and high prices detract from the enjoyment. Unlike authentic European markets where space allows for leisurely exploration, the Chicago iteration requires navigating through dense crowds, making it difficult to appreciate the atmosphere. Despite the charm, the inflated costs of food and drinks compared to Europe suggest a tourist trap, leading to a less-than-satisfactory outing.
Unique Chicago Christmas Bar Experience
Chicago's Christmas bars offer an engaging and festive atmosphere that transforms the drinking experience during the holiday season. Popular venues are decorated so extensively that patrons feel as if they're entering a holiday wonderland, making each bar a unique destination worth visiting. Reservations are recommended due to high demand, but those who secure them skip long entry lines, allowing for a more enjoyable experience. Families can partake in the festivities together, with themed drinks and a cheerful atmosphere that makes it a memorable outing for all ages.
Hotel Experience in Chicago
The hotel experience can greatly impact a trip, and in Chicago, the recent changes to the Thompson hotel introduced a mix of positives and negatives. While the location is favorable and features spacious accommodations, the renovation has taken a toll on the ambiance, reducing some of its former charm. Issues with slow elevators and overcrowding during busy periods exacerbated the disappointment, along with a poorly managed restaurant experience that emphasized the disconnect between the hotel and the dining establishment. These elements highlight how even simple logistical challenges and restaurant management can shape overall satisfaction during a travel experience.
On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn & Mark discuss their dueling weekend road trips. Shawn headed down to Long Beach for an MTM Diamond meetup while Mark checked out all of the holiday celebrations happening in Chicago. The two discuss the importance of meetups, how low cost carriers are enticing higher bag fees, getting 200K offer FOMO, why the Thompson Chicago is ruined and all of the cool holiday themed stuff you can do in Chicago.
Episode Guide
0:00 Dueling weekend roadtrips
1:08 MTM Diamond Long Beach meetup & why they are so important
5:09 FOMO and grabbing the 200K Amex Business Gold offer 8:42 Low cost carriers fleecing customers - Commissions on baggage fees
15:37 Chicago road trip - Disappointment with the Thompson
31:19 Chicago Christmas markets & incredible holiday themed bars
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