Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition

From the spectacular cockpit views to gaining status at hotels, a pilot’s travel experience is quite different from ours as a commercial traveler. Today, we’re shifting gears and gaining valuable travel insight from a pilot’s perspective. Brandr is a Navy Reservist and commercial pilot, as well as an avid miles and points nerd. We discuss Brandr’s benefits as a pilot, what his typical international trip looks like, how the weather and turbulence affect his flight plans, and the wonderful innovation of modern aircraft technology. Then, our guest explains how his experience as a pilot influences his travel decisions, how to become a commercial pilot, the wonderful things he’s seen from the cockpit window, and the ins and outs of both Navy and commercial pilot processes. We also speak about the importance of raising awareness around the mental health of pilots, how the 757 compares to the 767, the travel adventures that Brandr is looking forward to the most, and why he insists that hoarding points and miles will do more damage than good.  Key Points From This Episode: [00:16] A warm welcome to fellow points-and-miles nerd, Navy Reservist, and pilot, Brandr. [01:13] Brandr’s professional background and how he developed his passion for miles and points. [05:45] Whether he gets any status or benefits from traveling as a pilot. [07:40] How he chooses to bid routes and how his international trips typically play out. [13:20] Weather, turbulence, and other occurrences that affect his flight plans. [17:30] The evolution of aircraft technology. [19:16] How Brandr’s knowledge as a pilot has influenced the way he travels. [19:45] The travel benefits that are available to active duty military and reservists. [22:30] Discussing what it takes to become a commercial pilot and how Brandr did it differently. [27:00] Weird and incredible things that he has seen from the window of his cockpit. [29:07] What he likes and dislikes about being a Navy and commercial pilot. [32:50] Deeper insight into Brandr’s status and how they change as a non-rev passenger. [35:02] Using Horizon Air’s recent incident as an example of why pilot mental health matters. [37:46] The Island Hopper and other adventures our guest is looking forward to. [41:02] Unique travel stories from his Navy flying missions. [44:03] Comparing the flying experience of the Boeing 757 versus the 767. [49:40] Brandr’s advice for other miles and points nerds. Quotes: “I have a job as a pilot but I’m still very much in the points and miles community.” — Brandr [01:40] “My goal is to try to keep the crew and the rest of the passengers safe, and hopefully have the seatbelt sign mean something. But I don’t fear that turbulence [will] damage the aircraft.” — Brandr  [17:00] “The military is still very much a viable way to get to the legacy airlines, but it’s certainly not going to be the quickest. If military service is not something that you feel deeply called to, it’s probably not the best way; there are quicker ways to do it.” — Brandr  [24:14] “Pilots are human, and what I think we really need to do is get serious about pilot mental health.” — Brandr  [35:45] “Just use your miles – I see how all the programs just continue to devalue; there’s so much points inflation. Just find a great redemption that works for you and do it. Don’t wait for the perfect redemption because that may never come.” — Brandr  [49:57] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Planning a trip to New Zealand and Australia? Are you wanting to craft the perfect blend of flights, hotels, and attractions and create an unforgettable journey? Then don’t miss out on today’s valuable insights from our special guest, Joe Cheung! Joe shares his recent family adventure, covering everything from Air New Zealand flights, the Skycouch, and hotel bookings in Auckland to experiencing the FIFA Women's World Cup. He also delves into the logistics of renting a car, exploring the Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves, A380 seats and flights, and provides an in-depth look at their stay in Sydney. Tune in to discover Joe's strategies for finding New Zealand and Australia travel awards, why not all Koala encounters are made equal, and so much more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:20] Introduction to today’s topic and special guest. [02:40] A quick recap of Joe’s trip to New Zealand, Australia, and California.  [03:35] A travel story about Air New Zealand: why Joe decided to fly with them. [07:20] Joe expands on his experience with the Air New Zealand Skycouch. [10:40] Leveraging his occupation as a travel agent. [12:50] Joe talks about a different aspect of being a travel agent that he doesn't handle. [15:10] Auckland: booking the hotel and the technicalities of the family rate. [18:45] Thoughts on the Park Hyatt Auckland. [20:00] Making use of the concierge (and whether it’s necessary) to book the family rate. [21:14] How they got the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup tickets. [23:38] His final thoughts on the World Cup. [26:15] Joe shares what his experience was like driving in New Zealand. [27:30] Logistics surrounding the car rental process. [28:30] More on the Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves Glow Worm Tours they took in Auckland. [31:00] Driving on the other side of the road. [33:15] Other day trips and attractions and why they went to Sydney. [35:00] Economy is good for the soul. [37:15] Finding 3+ seats in business is a challenge! [38:20] The nice thing about the A380. [40:25] More about the seats on the A380 (premium economy). [41:20] Getting the Business Class Pajamas.  [42:10] Joe takes us back to their stay in Sydney. [44:00] His take on the choice between the Park Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency (Sydney). [45:30] The Asian food experience in Sydney. [47:30] What stood out about their time at the Taronga Zoo Sydney. [49:55] Why the koala experience is not worth it, according to Tim. [51:04] Trevor shares about the Healesville Sanctuary in Zoo in Badger Creek, Australia. [52:12] Joe’s final notes on Sydney, and surrounding attractions. [55:40] Thoughts on taking an extended driving trip through Australia. [56:40] Joe’s strategy and the timeframe for finding awards to get to NZ and Australia. [1:01:48] Why high balances do help. [1:05:20] A quick revisit on the premium economy window seats for the A380. [1:09:58] How to find Joe. Quotes: “The [Air New Zealand] Skycouch, for those who don’t know, is you can pay extra and the seats have footrests that can come all the way up so that you basically have a couch — they give you bedding and exclusive use of the couch.” — @asthejoeflies [0:07:20] “Economy is good for the soul sometimes.” — @TktweetsKim [0:35:05] “For our listeners who are doing their Australia planning, just be aware, that not all Koala encounters are created equal. Do your research!

We're back with a great talk between Robert and I on the following: 0:22 Follow Up: Alaska Status Match (last discussed Ep 68) 06:13 Amex Churnability and Employee Offers Cards used to be much more churnable Popups abound now. Wish there was a way to get rid of them by force 15k for $4k is the new thing Business Platinum (link) Business Gold (link) Blue Business Plus (link) Be sure to use the correct link for the card you're adding it to, data points say using a mismatch won't work. 9:39 Main Topic: Partner Awards JetBlue/Qatar/Hawaiian ITA/Virgin Atlantic/FlyingBlue Alaska Partner Award Consolidated Charts Discuss: The lottery element in these, the lack of “wide open” availability, and the eternally evolving complexity of it all 22:54 Tip of the Week: Book JAL Premium Economy w/Alaska Miles Reasonable in miles and only $20-$55 in fees (no fuel!) If you'd love to hear over 200 more episodes consider subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/milenomics

Travel Stories Episode 21: Travel Banter We’re trying something different today a different format for Travel Stories that we like to call Travel Banter. We start by exploring aviation-themed films and series that have impacted us over the years. From the beloved cult classic The Terminal to Up In the Air, we cover a wide range of air travel themes and tropes. Trevor shares his unique Southeast Asian travel itinerary, why he hasn’t visited Vietnam yet, and Tom shares his experience with pricing in Abu Dhabi. We also speak about our experiences with kid-friendly and kid-prohibitive rules at Hyatt and Marriott hotels around the world, sharing our opinions on their convenience and comfort levels for everyone involved. Finally, we explore the impact of deregulation on international airlines and the period in history where Southwest Airlines was the number one distributor of liquor in Texas. Join us for a casual conversation about all things travel. Thanks for listening!  Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] Famous films about aviation and how good they may or may not be.  [03:15] The comedic retelling of View From the Top available on Audible.  [05:51] Why The Flight Attendant is misleading in its content, which is not really aviation-related. [06:38] The French film, Jet Lag, and why it’s fun to watch.  [09:33] Airport disaster movies of the 1970s.  [12:10] An unconventional travel itinerary from Singapore to Malaysia, and then to Bangkok. [17:48] Why Vietnam is not included in this particular travel itinerary.  [19:13] Selecting a hotel based on credit and previous experiences.  [21:41] Returning to Abu Dhabi and a comment on its pricing.  [24:19] Thomas’s biggest problem with the Middle East’s luxury hotels. [26:36] Trevor’s experience at the JW Marriott in Cairo.  [28:24] Why no kids are allowed at the Marriott in Jordan.  [28:37] Singapore Grand Hyatt’s rules around children and adults.  [32:06] Singapore’s relationship with rules and how it differs from the USA. [35:27] The time when hijackings were extra common pre-9/11. [37:15] When Southwest airlines was the number one distributor of liquor.  [38:10] How deregulation affected international airlines including KLM.  Quotes: “Chinese food is expensive and luxury hotels are cheap; both are true in Abu Dhabi.” — @TktweetsKim [22:37] “In the Middle East, families traveling is so much more common. Not that people don’t travel as families in the US, but I just think it’s even more common than it is here in the US.” — @TktweetsKim [27:50] “I would gladly accept the occasional ruler on my hand in the event that I made a mistake with my phone on speaker in an airline lounge, if I knew that everyone else had to succumb to the same fate.” — @tmount [33:41] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Up in the Air  The Terminal Airplane! Passenger 57 Plane  Air Force 1

Halloween Episode – Travel Horror Stories Episode 20: Show Notes While it may not be horror like Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers, today’s episode will definitely send chills down the spines of travelers as we share our experiences of when travel went horribly wrong. It’s easy to fall victim to scams in foreign countries as your unfamiliarity with the region makes you stick out as a prime target. So, we begin our conversation by assessing some scams to be wary of during your travels, including transportation disasters that could’ve been avoided with the right knowledge. Then, we discuss how theft is more common at airports than we may think, how to travel with money in a safe way,, and all the debacles we’ve experienced with layovers and missed flights. Finally, we’re given a quick lesson in devaluation and why you should always book first and ask questions later, before ending with a shoutout to the SkyMiles frenzy of September 2023.  Key Points From This Episode: [01:01] Travel scams to be wary of. [03:36] How Thomas was duped by a taxi driver in Shanghai.  [05:49] Avoiding disaster in Doha. [07:00] How to evade being scammed by transportation services. [10:35] Daylight robbery in Europe. [15:35] What to look out for regarding theft in foreign airports, and some travel money tips. [20:30] Problems we’ve encountered just before takeoff, and the trouble of MCTs. [27:51] The TAM Lounge in Rio de Janeiro, and the layover debacle that followed. [32:20] Why you should always be flexible and provide booking agents with multiple options. [33:15] More layover horror stories.  [42:38] How Tom missed his first-ever transatlantic flight. [45:18] A lesson in devaluation. [48:18] An honorable mention of the SkyMiles craziness from earlier this year. Quotes: “These are some of the things where hopefully people can learn from some of our mistakes. It’s not all perfect; you don’t get to be an experienced travel person [without] encountering some travails.” — @TktweetsKim [0:47] “I think the problem with us in particular is that airport’s are our second home. For some of us, this is the area where we thrive and we enjoy it. So sometimes, you have to calibrate a little – you can still enjoy the place, just have your eyes and ears open.” — @TktweetsKim [20:13] “Be flexible; learn from your mistakes; learn from all these bad experiences and hopefully you don’t repeat them.” — @TktweetsKim [45:10] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Delta  Alaska Airlines  LATAM Airlines Air Canada  Air France  Episode 27 - Alaska breaks Trevor's heart  Emirates  SkyMiles  The Milenomics Podcast Network Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mountcastle on X

Episode 19: Show Notes. This week we talk all about the Maldives. Join the conversation as we take a deep dive into Trevor’s recent family trip to the Maldives, including a detailed look at his flights to and from, his thoughts on Virgin Atlantic food, and hear him tell about the worst mistake (of the entire trip!) he made. With a bit of strategic thinking, we dive into the primary topic of the episode with all things about the Maldivian experience. Trevor chronicles their experience with the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, from the butler at the airport to the welcome at the hotel, and more! He highlights why the overwater villa was the best redemption (of points) he’s ever made, recounts the champagne sabering tradition, and shares other uniquely Maldivian experiences. In essence, the Maldives offers a foolproof recipe of unparalleled natural beauty, luxurious accommodations, exceptional service, and serene tranquility that makes it an extraordinary destination for an unforgettable vacation! Tune in now to find out more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:00:17] Our topic for this week’s episode: The Maldives! [00:00:50] The structure of week’s episode. [00:01:20] We jump right in and discuss the flight (and travel) options.  [00:03:15] Trevor highlights his experience flying from Newark to Singapore. [00:04:00] Bulkhead or bust: the difference a bulkhead makes in when flying most Singapore aircraft. [00:06:30] The food, flight attendants, and IFE. [00:07:00] Thoughts on non-stop or stopovers, if they had to do it again. [00:08:55] The next leg: Singapore to Maldives. [00:09:15] The flight options back home and what they ended up doing. [00:11:11] Using some Travel Hacker cred.  [00:12:40] The cost of an upgrade (which they did at the terminal). [00:14:10] He talks about their overnight in Mumbai and the flight with Virgin Atlantic. [00:17:35] Dealing with unruly passengers. [00:18:30] The food on Virgin Atlantic from India (‘Virgin Atlantic: In-Flight Food’)! [00:20:00] The worst mistake of his entire trip: skipping a meal. [00:21:15] A quick note on cabin crew on Virgin Atlantic. [00:22:00] Moving on to the main event! The Maldives. [00:22:59] The reason Trevor decided to do the Maldives, now. [00:23:20] Why the Sheraton is not the Maldives experience. [00:24:30] Trevor chronicles their experience with the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. [00:27:14] He equates the experience to the first season of The White Lotus. [00:27:22] More about their arrival and Welcome at the hotel (and the kids club offerings!) [00:27:40] The “Stuffed Animal” and why it makes the best kind of advertising. [00:29:30] The overwater villa: the best redemption Trevor has ever made.  [00:31:30] A compliment to the staff in Maldives and the charm it adds. [00:33:00] More about the amenities and activities on the island. [00:34:15] The recipe that makes for an amazing Maldives vacation (according to Tim!) [00:35:23] The St. Regis tradition: a champagne sabering ceremony. [00:36:59] His overall experience: a feeling of overwhelm. [00:37:15] Other special, and uniquely Maldives, experiences. [00:41:00] The Maldives as a Mecca for Miles and Points people. [00:42:35] Realizing that a vacation to the Maldives will be expensive. [00:45:55] Guess the fare! Quotes: “[The Maldives] is one of those places where you don’t kno

We're doing things a little different with today's episode. You'll notice that at the top of this episode we call out episode 206 (not Episode 68). This conversation took place as the first 20 or so minutes of our subscriber podcast episode 206. Robert and I discussed it after we released that full episode and we're cutting just this conversation into a mini episode here today. Enjoy! 0:21 Status Match Opportunities JetBlue (Direct Link) Capped at 30,000 applicants with Delta Medallion status Matched status last [only] through end of 2023 *unless* you have Barclays JetBlue card -or- accrue enough pro-rated Tiles to requalify Detailed info on Mosaic nuances are hard to discern from JetBlue (Mosaic info page) and the latest iteration of the program is so new it seems not many people have really kicked the tires on it. So I asked them some questions on Twitter. Companions: Up to 8 people on an itinerary can get free same day changes and complimentary Even More Space seats at check-in (Mosaic Level 2) or booking (Mosaic Level 3). 8 is better than 2 with Delta! Move to Mint upgrade certs: Can only use 2 per itinerary. If you have more than 2 people on the itinerary, nobody gets upgraded, even if you have adequate certs. Processes at check-in if Mint seats are open. Kinda lame if you ask me. Mosaic 3 includes…wait for it..Founders Card Blue! I thought the idea with Founders card is that it provides perks for travel programs, but this is the other way around? These programs are starting to circle back on themselves. Get this: If FoundersCard identifies you as a prior member they deny the membership and try to sell you a renewal. What an operation. Move to Mint certs expire earned through this expire Dec 2023. Can’t get Barclays credit card so I’d need 24 Tiles by the end of 2023 to requalify. That’s $2,400 spent on JetBlue flights, vacations, or Paisly (ugh). Alaska (Direct Link) Pretty generous mapping and all you have to do to keep status through 2024 is have a BofA Alaska Visa Far out upgrades, certs, reciprocal benefits with AA/OneWorld - I’m interested. “A member may only receive one status match for the lifetime of their account.” Will they enforce this? Is it time to allow them to create a new Alaska account for me when I apply for a BoA business card? Hmm…

Episode 18: Show Notes Summer is drew to a close, but the adventures are far from over. Join us as we finish the summer with two very different trips. From airport lounges to ancient pyramids, from gourmet dining to high-seas adventure, this episode has it all. In our conversation, Trevor recounts his Lima trip. He also gives us the lowdown on the JW Marriott Hotel in Lima and why it's the second JW Marriott to have an excellent soft product but perhaps not the greatest hard product. Next, Tom takes us on his flight to London, describing the cabin and crew that made his journey memorable, to his pre-cruise adventure in London. Discover what makes the Anthem of the Seas cruise special as Tom shares highlights from the trip and favorite ports visited along the way. Tune in, pack your bags (mentally, at least), and get ready for a travel experience like no other in this episode of the Travel Stories Podcast! Key Points From This Episode: [01:00] Delta Sky Club offerings and why it is our first choice. [06:45] Trevor’s Lima trip, the food. [10:49] The JW Marriott Hotel in Lima. [13:48] Why Lima left Trevor underwhelmed and what he appreciated about the hotel. [19:48] Hear Trevor’s experience and opinion of Delta Sky Club. [20:40] Tom’s flight to London and what he liked about the cabin and crew. [24:45] His pre-cruise London adventure and stay at the St Giles London Hotel. [27:52] Anthem of the Seas cruise, what to do onboard, and fine dining. [31:30] How to get the most out of your points and miles on a cruise. [30:22] Disappointments regarding food choice and how cruises have changed. [32:28] Favourite ports along the cruise and Tom’s overall experience. [41:29] Lessons from Terminal 3 at Heathrow airport. [43:30] Another round of ‘Guess the Fare!’ Quotes: “You know what? Not every trip is a home run.” — @Tmount [14:15] “[Virgin Atlantic] is definitely one of those airlines where if you are light on miles but you have a little bit of extra cash to throw around it is pretty good value.” — @TktweetsKim [23:16] “Remember to have your platinum cards ready for all your guests [when at Heathrow airport], unless you want to pay extra.” — @TktweetsKim [42:19] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Delta Sky Club The Centurion Network  Episode 8: Epic Guys Trip JW Marriott Hotel Lima Virgin Atlantic St Giles London Hotel Anthem of the Seas  Milenomics Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mountcastle on X

Annual Guys Trip to Rio Episode 17: Show Notes. We’ve recently returned from our second annual guys trip, and we’re feeling “Braziliant!” Last year, we headed to Manila, and this time we spent the weekend in Rio de Janeiro. This trip had a few “firsts” for us, including Tom’s first time flying United Polaris and both of our first times flying Air Canada. When traveling, there’s usually a trade-off between time and money, and for this vacation, we were willing to fork out a little bit of extra cash to enhance our experiences, and it was well worth it! From the pros and cons of our outward and homeward bound trips, to the night we closed all the bars in our vicinity, to the jam-packed day of sightseeing that was made all the more memorable thanks to our private tour guide, tune in today to hear why Rio is definitely a place that we will be visiting again (and again!).  Key Points From This Episode: [00:55] How our recent guys trip to Rio de Janeiro came about.  [02:04] Our experience of the Polaris Lounge. [04:48] The plane that flew us to Rio.   [06:28] Why we refer to this trip as “A Tale of Two Flight Attendants.” [09:02] Pros and cons of São Paulo International Airport.  [14:04] Money-saving hacks to use when traveling in Brazil. [16:07] Advantages of staying at the JW Marriott Copacabana Hotel in Rio.  [19:36] The night where we closed down all the bars in our vicinity. [20:37] Benefits of taking a Viator tour when you are visiting a new city and the sites that our guide took us to.  [26:47] Brazil’s national cocktail.  [28:32] Why we opted for the premium tickets for our Sugarloaf excursion.  [31:13] The atmosphere at the Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro and how it compared to our time at the JW Marriott. [33:54] An overview of our homeward-bound trip on Air Canada. [39:12] Why Rio is a perfect weekend destination.  Quotes: “I called this flight, ‘The Tale of Two Flight Attendants.’” — @TktweetsKim [6:28] “We closed down the lounge, then we closed down the rooftop bar, then we closed down the lobby bar, and then we went across the street to a beach bar and closed that down.” — @TktweetsKim [19:46] “You can either trade time or money. This was definitely a trip where we really did trade money to get a better experience and to better be able to leverage our limited time in Rio.” — @tmount [21:40] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: United Polaris JW Marriott Copacabana Hotel Viator Christ the Redeemer Sugarloaf Escadaria Selarón

Episode 16: Show Notes. Award booking is often a combination of haphazard gyrations and creative problem-solving to find the fares that you are happy with and that makes it worth traveling! In this week’s episode, we take the time to discuss our personal experiences and share thoughts on some of the awards-booking search tools we’ve explored lately, including AwardLogic, Point.me, PointsYeah, and many more. We then jump in and talk about the recent trips we booked (to Australia and Brazil) using our miles, discussing both flights and hotels and why we made the different (and multiple) tweaks throughout the process. Join the conversation as we share our thoughts and ideas on what works for us and how we approach award booking. Start listening now!   Key Points From This Episode: [00:20] What’s expected in this week’s episode. [01:00] Our thoughts on some of the new available booking tools. [02:55] Awards search tool comparison and the blindspots of these tools. [08:19] Why we don’t fully trust these tools. [08:45] What makes these tools useful. [10:30] A recap of the tools we’ve already discussed. [12:20] We continue with the tool comparison: starting with seats.aero. [12:45] How Trevor is using ChatGPT alongside some of these tools. [15:00] Our thoughts on PointsYeah and Skypesos. [17:49] Trevor’s power tool. [18:20] We talk about domestic bookings (as they relate to the search tools). [19:00] Things that have helped the most, according to Thomas. [20:20] We explore Thirfty, Straight to the Points, The Flight Deal, and more. [22:00] Looking at the Wikipedia pages for Dulles Airport and how that factored in. [22:25] We pivot and discuss our travel planning for Rio: a fun story. [24:56] Rio: our flights. [26:35] A lightbulb moment for Trevor regarding excise tax. [29:30] The final flight plan (after many tweaks). [32:20] Rio: our hotels. [36:25] Cash plus points option. [38:20] We talk about hotels in relation to airport location and our final decision on hotels. [39:17] Jumping into Thomas’ Australia trip. [41:20] Getting to Sydney, AUS with awards: The (possible) Unicorn. [49:00] This week’s Guess the Fare! Tweetables: “What I found with these tools is, you really do need to have a whole bunch of them in your arsenal.” — @tmount [0:02:10] “For me, a lot of these tools, I ultimately don’t trust them.” — @TktweetsKim [0:08:12] “The [search] tools, I find, are useful in going from scatter-shop to hand-grenades to being able to narrow in.” — @tmount [0:08:45] “We’ve mentioned again, time and time again, [that] miles and award points are a very inflationary currency.” — @TktweetsKim [0:11:19] “It’s good to know that these [search] tools exist because it’s not only about doing your own searches, it’s about getting ideas from these different newsletters and other people who are award-booking all the time, or in the community, and know or have certain tips that they can share with us.” — @TktweetsKim [0:21:30] “Sydney is definitely one of the hardest places to fly on rewards tickets to these days.” — @TktweetsKim [0:41:17] “Sometimes you find the fare you are comfort