Miles to Go - Travel Tips, News & Reviews You Can't Afford to Miss!

Aruba is a strip of simple paradise surrounded by beautiful oceans. The island is peaceful and safe; a Jeep is all you need to make your own private beach. And, low-cost carriers like Southwest Airlines fly there. Combine that with IHG, Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott properties where you can use points, and this island can provide a very affordable Caribbean vacation. In travel news, we're talking changes to the CDC quarantine guidelines and an incredible award sale for flight to Europe if you hold any of the Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards credit cards. Links: Video tour of Aruba Awesome award sale to Europe! Hilton makes it easier to earn Diamond status CDC gets rid of 14-day quarantine requirement for people arriving in the US Are Uber and Lyft disappearing from California? Aruba Marriott Stellaris Review Hilton Aruba Review If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

If you're stuck at home and trying to figure out a road trip, Marriott Homes and Villas may be an option for you. The opportunity to earn or redeem Marriott points and earn elite status will be pretty appealing for some folks. We've also got deal-related travel news today, including an intriguing new offer on the Chase Freedom card, some great Amazon deals for back-to-school shopping and more! Links: Marriott Homes and Villas Rental Converting Southwest travel vouchers to points New Chase Freedom Offer SoFi Bonus Sign-Up Offers Amazon Chase Offer If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

It isn't often that we see a completely new travel loyalty program, especially from one of the largest airlines in North America. With Air Canada's global network and long history, the launch of the new loyalty program (with a familiar name) was met with much anticipation. I wrote about many details of the new program yesterday. Today, we've got a special opportunity to hear from two of the architects of the new Aeroplan. We're getting deep in the weeds with Raymond Ludwin, Senior Director, Marketing, Air Canada and Derek Whitworth, Senior Director, Loyalty Products. From family plans to 50% discounts on awards, Raymond and Derek dig in to all the great parts of the new Aeroplan as well as answering some listener questions along the way. And, just in case you thought these guys weren't serious, they share with us that part of the program was actually conceived while airline execs were on a mileage run to earn elite status! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

We're back with the latest travel news and how to plan the perfect Cape Cod vacation. News links: MGM Resorts lost $1 Billion last quarter United Airlines offering the craziest 10% discount we've seen Most Marriott credit cards offering 10 miles per dollar on dining and gas station charges American Express Platinum customers are getting a $200 travel credit And, AMEX Platinum folks can get $100 in free gear from Dell. Then, Jen from Deals We Like joins us to help plan the perfect Cape Cod vacation, including how to use points for some pretty nice getaway spots! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

We're all dreaming of where to travel right now! Gilbert from God Save The Points is back this week to talk about Madrid. From Tapas (T-A-P-A-S, Gilbert will explain) to wonderful coffee, he walks us through why this city needs to be on your list. And, since I'm back in one place, we lead the show off with some travel news. First-time guest host and long-time friend Clint Henderson joins me to break down these topics: American and Southwest Airlines tighten mask restrictions further for passengers. Can Americans actually go to the Bahamas? Why not live abroad for a year? Some countries are offering 1-year visas right now. Shopping portal bonuses can earn you 8,000 points right now. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Thinking about where to travel this summer with international travel pretty much shut down? Yellowstone actually has availability! Usually you have to book a year in advance. We're joined by Kimberly from Stuffed Suitcase to talk about her time at Yellowstone. The park is massive. With so much to explore, Kim can help you get started planning a dream trip to Yellowstone. I also break down a recent listener question on the best credit cards for his travel plans. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Yes, you read the title right. As we're still knee deep in the COVID-19 crisis and international travel for US citizens is pretty much off the menu, it's time to start getting creative. I've been researching RV (recreational vehicle) travel for the past few months. Don't worry, I promise we'll get back to "normal" travel soon. But, judging by the number of questions I've gotten on social media, RV rentals are a relevant topic right now. Joining me this week is Richard Kerr, who just bought his own travel trailer and pickup truck to hit the road with his family. I'm taking a slightly more conservative approach. We've already rented one RV and have another one scheduled soon. I've done a ton of research and will likely buy an RV soon. Richard and I get together this week to share what we've learned (and laugh at ourselves). If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Wondering what to expect when it comes to elite benefits for your hotel status during the COVID-19 crisis? I am, too. I'm joined this week by Kevin Carter, who oversees a portfolio of full-service, limited service and select service hotels from popular brands like Hilton and IHG. Before that, we've got 2 new bits this week: I need your help with a quick survey to help us make the podcast better. And, I'm giving away a couple of $50 gift cards to two random folks who take 2 minutes to fill out the survey. Here's the link. As I mentioned last week, we're bringing news into the show at the front to lead off as often as possible. I've got Joe from Your Mileage May Vary to ride shotgun today on our news segments. Links to the news bits we discussed: Does the Chase Sapphire Reserve have a new, temporary 5X category? Travel bookings and searches are both down. Are people scared to travel? Spirit Airlines will sell you just about everything you need to fly, including your COVID-19 protection??? The most elegant lady in the air, the Queen of the Skies Boeing 747, will be halting production in the near future. My guest this week is Kevin Carter, a 40-year veteran of the hospitality industry. I've spent plenty of time wondering what to expect when I do finally start traveling again. What does a free breakfast look like in the world of COVID-19 (early reports aren't good)? Kevin shares some insights from a hotel owner's perspective on what we should expect in the future. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Brett Snyder of Cranky Flier is back with us this week to share what it's like trying to book flights, cancel flights and fight with the airlines when things don't go the way you want, which will happen frequently. Before that, we've got 2 new bits this week: I need your help with a quick survey to help us make the podcast better. And, I'm giving away a couple of $50 gift cards to two random folks who take 2 minutes to fill out the survey. Here's the link. We're bringing news into the show at the front to lead off. I've got one of old NowBoarding buddies, Jon Nickel D'Andrea to ride shotgun today on our news segments. Links to the news bits we discussed: American Airlines removing capacity controls (No Mas Coach) Hypocrisy by American Airlines in their seat blocking strategy? Italy bans overhead bins A new low-cost carrier coming to Iceland? If you do have problems traveling right now, take advantage of Cranky Concierge. They've got some services that won't cost you much at all to have his team protecting and fighting for you with the airlines. And, if you need a further does of Cranky, check out Cranky Daily. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

As people are starting to think about travel again, there's a question on many people's minds. How safe is it to travel? If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Las Vegas is a popular tourist destination. Is a crowded casino the place to be right now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic? Are casinos crowded. We answer those questions and more with Vegas expert Michael Trager of Travel Zork. He recently traveled to Las Vegas and stayed at Caesars and Wynn to get the lay of the land. He flew to Vegas from his home in the UK, and also shared what it's like to be in an airport and on a plane right now. Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!