Episode 12: Show Notes Mileage runs used to be fun and exciting travel bursts that allowed you to visit many destinations in a short space of time while racking up tons of miles. Today, however, things are a bit different and mileage runs are no longer prevalent. Trevor and TK take a trip down memory lane to the good old days when mileage runs were common practice. Our hosts begin by sharing their first joint mileage run and the nested itinerary that came with it. We explore what a trip in vain is, and other mileage run examples from our hosts. Finally, we learn about how airlines can be separated by the little things, whether elite status still matters, why mileage runs are uncommon but still possible to do today, and so much more. We thank you for tuning in.   Key Points From This Episode: [00:18] Today, we will be covering a mishmash of random airline mileage run topics.  [00:40] What Thomas remembers from the mileage run days.  [01:22] Trevor and Thomas’ first planned mileage run and their nested itinerary. [04:36] Late check-ins, last-minute boarding, and secondary security screening selection.  [09:30] The contract of carriage, and a trip in vain.  [12:54] Why Trevor got more miles than Thomas even though he traveled less.   [13:58] Exploring differences between various programs when making travel changes.  [15:52] The rest of Thomas’ nested itinerary experience after Trevor dropped out of the trip. [18:10] In-flight equipment, amenities, travel comfort, and magic menus.  [20:55] Why Alaska Airlines can afford to have riskier menus.  [22:14] Thomas’ solo Mexico-Easter Island mileage run.  [27:33] Trevor’s fun Brazilian mileage run.   [30:30] Geeking out on airline seats.  [32:15] How mileage runs are still possible today, and Thomas’ favorite runs of the past. [34:00] The validity and benefits of obtaining elite status in today’s world.  [35:56] How to get the most out of flying a 737 to build miles.  [37:01] Why today’s airfares and mileage costs make mileage runs difficult.    Tweetables: “The age of the revenue-based mileage system pretty much killed mileage runs.” — @TktweetsKim [01:02] “Brazil was an interesting place because they don’t allow fuel surcharges.” — @tmount [27:56] “It’s fun running into like-minded people who honestly care as much about elite status as you do.” — @TktweetsKim [34:11] “The golden age of mileage runs seems to be behind us...where the action is these days is buying revenue tickets in business classes, where the subsequent miles are still a bit more advantageous.” — @TktweetsKim [38:58] “I think now, for us, we’re much more vacation-run focused. If we’re going to do something and pay for it, we’re generally looking to spend a night or a couple of nights.” — @tmount [39:48] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: American Airlines  Le Chic Geek  Delta  The Points Guy  Pizza in Motion 

The Changing Landscape of Cruising Episode 11: Show Notes The landscape of cruising has changed drastically since the last time we spoke about it on the podcast, just four months ago. In this episode, we fill you in on the changes, both positive and negative, and discuss the maintained value of cruises, despite the changes. We also give you a detailed trip report of our recent Royal Caribbean cruise on the impressive Wonder of the Seas, from the entertainment and casino experience to the cabins and dining opportunities. Tune in to hear the greatest takeaways from our most recent cruise experience, as well as some tips for optimizing your next cruise. Key Points From This Episode: [00:16] Today’s topic: how the cruising landscape has changed. [00:38] The maintained value of cruises, despite the changes. [03:06] Challenges of getting to the South Pacific. [04:50] A list of the positive aspects of the shifting cruise landscape. [06:40] New limitations and negative changes. [13:29] Additional changes to the casino offers and the predicted repercussions. [18:27] A trip report of the Wonder of the Seas cruise with Royal Caribbean. [28:31] Entertainment aboard Wonder of the Seas. [36:39] The Wonder of the Seas’ unique onboard casino experience. [38:36] Our criticism of Royal Caribbean. [38:55] A review of the rooms on the cruise. [40:05] How we booked this particular cruise. [42:03] Our takeaways from CocoCay Island. [44:23] Tips for optimizing your cruise experience. Tweetables: “I have more cruise opportunities than I have vacation time at this point, which I guess is a good problem to have.” — @TktweetsKim [0:05:06] “Cruise prices, just like everything else, look high on the surface of it but if you can figure out a way to bypass that barrier to entry, you can build off that.” — @tmount [0:06:15] “Your core seven-night Caribbean cruises have been incredibly expensive.” — @TktweetsKim [0:10:40]  “[Royal Caribbean Cruises] invest a lot of money in these aqua shows; it’s a differentiator.” — @TktweetsKim [30:25]  “Even though you have five different Oasis-class ships, they all have a unique aqua show.” — @TktweetsKim [30:46] “The golden room was perhaps my favorite place to be because it was a smoke-free version of a casino.” — @TktweetsKim [36:52] “As we always say, free isn’t free.” — @tmount [41:20] “Specialty dining is extraordinarily expensive these days [so] our tip is [to] do specialty dining for lunch.” — @TktweetsKim [44:34] “Book an appointment with NextCruise for the last evening if you think you’re going to gamble.” — @tmount [46:20] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Royal Caribbean Cruises Wonder of the Seas Thomas Kim on Twitter

0:41 Chase Approving Sapphire Applications Over 5/24? Both of us have been approved over 5/24 for a CSP Sam: Also approved for a CSR the next day Data points of this working for some, not working for others. No clear pattern. Worth a shot, but the priority should be the CSP over the CSR first. 04:29 Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonuses Bumped Through Referral 80,000 points $4,000 spend in 3 months, $95 annual fee not waived first year To generate a referral link: https://chase.com/referafriend 06:17 Chase Ink 90,000 Referral/Match https://chase.com/referafriend Ink referrals are getting 40,000 for the referral and 75,000 for the card Secure message to match after approval 08:16 Chase Aeroplan Mastercard (DoC) Direct Link (100k offer may still be working) Pay Yourself Back at 1.25 Cents per point (Shutdown risk?) $95 annual fee not waived first year 09:54 Air France/KLM Mastercard 70,000  (DoC) Direct Link 70,000 after $2,000 in 3 months $95 annual fee not waived first year 12:29 Wells Fargo Choice Hotels Cards (FM) 60,000 for $1,000, no AF 90,000 for $3,000, $95 AF Nice to see Wells Fargo taking over cards from Barclays! 13:45 Citi ShopYourWay Mastercard (Direct Link) $75 per $500 spent, up to $225 ($1500 spend) 5x gas, 3x Grocery/Restaurants up to $10k a year.  No longer issuing ThankYou Point version SYW points worth 1CPP for many gift cards. Easy cash out. 17:03 Never Forget: Amex Opportunities Abound

We Assess the Current State of the Six Largest US Airlines...on today’s Milenomics² (No Annual Fee Edition) Podcast 0:24 Premise of the Discussion Everyone’s situation is different. Different hometown airport(s), different common destinations, different enthusiasm for taking on points & miles complexity to defray airfare costs, etc. That being the case, there’s are no one-size-fits-all solutions in this game That said, there are tendencies and trends that are worth being familiar with as it’s useful in informing moves you might make to prepare for future travel In this spirit, we think it’s a good time to take a look at the biggest domestic carriers. We’ll analyze them both for using their miles to fly their metal, the overall state of their frequent flyer program, their co-branded credit cards, their bank point relationships, how difficult they are to earn, and their overall position in the market. 04:21 American Could be the last remaining legacy carrier where close-in you can still find saver level awards for expensive cash fares, will have to see how this plays out with a supposed move to “fully dynamic” British Airways Avios (and other OneWorld partner awards) can still be a good play, but AA doesn’t seem to release much partner award space A good program to generate miles in, but if their utility becomes mostly for partner awards it significantly diminishes the value proposition for me With no bank point transfer partners, it can be tough to generate AA miles. Bilt transfers are possible.  Unique in that they partner with both Citi and Barclays, though churnability has become difficult Bottom Line: Still a lot of great partners, favorable partner award charts, and flexible change and cancellation terms. The value proposition with AA increasingly hinges on partner awards. 14:15 Delta Booking with Delta miles provides decent everyday value with flexible cancellation terms. Not a lot of clever angles here when cash prices are high. Issues with cancellations not actually happening. Need to follow up. Wide variety of co-branded Amex cards with probably the best churnability of any carrier due to targeted offers and lenient approval standards 15% discount on award travel if holding one of their Amex Delta cards. 1:1 transfer partner from Membership Rewards which have been one of the easier bank point currencies to generate the past 5 years Booking with 35% Amex Business Platinum rebate even more valuable than transferring (but beware Amex Travel hassles and harder to cancel) SkyClub membership for everyone who carries an Amex Platinum card is a nice perk when flying, though because of this they can be crowded Bottom Line: Weak SkyTeam alliance and expensive international awards make Delta a straightforward value proposition for domestic flights. 23:54 Southwest A wide variety of fun (if complicated) instruments for booking flights. Fun? I think that when things are going well they can be more 'fun' than other airlines to fly with. “Too good to be true” Companion Pass is perhaps the longest running and evidently effective campaigns in the space. In general, connections with Southwest stress their system and make for longer travel than necessary with other carriers Not low cost. Low fee.  Antique seating policy makes for trouble for families with children older than their cutoff of 6.

Return to Asia Episode 9: Show Notes. Welcome back to another episode of Travel Stories, where this week we talk about returning to Asia! Over the past few years, the award availability to get to Asia has been limited but we are hoping that it will start to flow back. In this episode, Trevor dives into his recent family trip to Singapore and Bali and we get to hear all about it. From the flights they selected, the equipment they flew, the experience in business class, meal service, and fifth freedom flights. He shares his first experience with a new airline and also sheds light on some recommendations regarding flights; which to pick and when! We also hear about his experience at the Andaz Hotel in Singapore and the Hyatt Regency in Bali. For all this, and much more, tune into this jam-packed episode now. Enjoy! Key Points From This Episode: [00:06] An introduction to our topic for this week’s episode. [01:30] We talk about getting flights to different places. [02:44] Trevor talks us through their Asia trip itinerary. [04:06] The Singapore business-class experience. [05:18] Trevor’s most memorable takeaway from their Singapore flight. [07:24] The downside of the flight experience: the IFE. [07:45] The amenities kit and why it just isn’t the same. [08:40] We hear about the next special, leg of the flight. [09:40] The equipment he flew on for the next leg. [10:00] Fifth freedom flights and their benefits. [11:35] Why Trevor has avoided, thus far, flying with KLM. [12:20] Some of the pluses for flying with KLM. [14:19] Trevor tells us about his return trip and what made it memorable too. [17:30] Why the 17-hour flight was not the best; a few factors. [19:28] We hear about the meal service on the flight from Singapore to JFK. [20:50] A recommendation from Trevor for those traveling from Singapore to JFK. [22:00] The two flights from JFK/Newark to Singapore and which to pick and when. [23:20] The “Family” experience; flying with a 15-month-old. [25:30] Our thoughts on the Singapore service experience. [28:15] American Airlines: their last flight home. [30:01] Trevor talks about his decisions around American miles. [31:56] We hear about Trevor’s experience in Singapore. [34:40] The walkability of Singapore. [35:45] We hear about his experience at the Andaz Singapore hotel. [40:30] More about his time in Bali at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. [41:12] The regency club at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bali. [42:25] What made Sanur beach superior to others. [44:57] More about the amenities at the hotel. [46:00] Transportation: the experience and how he arranged it. Tweetables: “I personally, would recommend [anyone flying Singapore to JFK] to hold your meal to later in the flight so that you aren’t getting off the flight hungry.” — @tmount [0:20:49] “The Singapore service is insurmountable, they have their processes so refined and they do it so well.” — @tmount [0:25:01] “It’s very hard for me to think of a time or an encounter with a Singapore Airline staff member that wasn’t top-notch.” — @TktweetsKim [0:25:31] “Bali is a wonderful destination for stretching your travel budget; it’s a place where you can have a very comfortable beach getaway and not have to dig too deep into the wallet.” — @TktweetsKim

Joe Cheung, a travel expert in Disney vacations, shares fascinating insights about exploring Japan and Disney parks. He discusses memorable experiences like climbing Mount Fuji and the logistical challenges of booking family flights. Joe reveals the unique culinary delights found in Japanese department stores and the bustling atmosphere at Tokyo DisneySea post-pandemic. He also offers valuable advice on navigating Disney travel, emphasizing the importance of personalized recommendations and strategies for clients seeking unforgettable adventures.

An Epic Guys Trip Episode 08: Show Notes. When you take a trip around the world with your friends, you are bound to come away from it with some pretty crazy stories. Today on the show, we are joined by Joey (who had the idea for this trip) and Geoff, who, along with our hosts TK and Trevor, went on an epic guys' trip around the world in June of 2018. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about our itinerary, how we booked optimal flights, and the points we earned along the way. We give a breakdown of the various hotels we stayed at, including the polarizing St. Regis in Singapore, some of the best meals we had, and the variety of planes we got to fly on during our trip. You’ll also learn how we managed to get our own private tour of an A380 Airbus and the lovely responses we got when we gifted our crew and attendants with special gifts. From Sydney to South Korea, Madrid, and Santiago, Chile, we had a whirlwind of a time and even got ourselves into a close call with one of our final flights. Tune in to hear all about our epic tales, long flights, unforgettable taxi rides, and much more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:11] Introducing today’s guests, Geoff and Joey, and our epic guys' trip in June 2018. [01:52] A shoutout to FlyerTalk and its under-credited Premium Deal Fares section. [03:49] An overview of the flight itinerary for our round-the-world trip. [05:06] The variety of planes we flew on, including the 747-400 on Qantas and the Singapore 777-300ER. [10:04] Our arrival in Sydney, the memorable meal we had, and our stay at the Park Hyatt. [11:32] Find who we saw in their airline pajamas during our breakfast at the Park Hyatt. [13:05] The special events that were happening at the Sydney Opera House during our time there and our experience of the pop-up Centurion Lounge. [15:09] The priority pass restaurants we visited in the international terminal in Sydney. [16:57] Our experience of the Qantas Lounge and what it has to recommend itself. [17:25] Giving gifts to the attendants and flight crew and the range of reactions we’ve seen. [20:09] Our arrival in Singapore and our positive opinion of St. Regis Singapore. [22:36] Some of the best meals we had in Singapore.  [25:09] One of Joey’s favorite flights on the trip and our arrival in Incheon, Korea. [26:50] The incredible chicken restaurant we were recommended by a taxi driver and our hike at the Heungryunsa Temple. [31:04] The two consecutive nights we spent flying and our experience of Dubai’s First Class Lounge. [33:39] Our day flight from Dubai to Madrid and how we got to explore the cockpit of an A380 Airbus. [36:08] The Prado Museum in Madrid, why there was such an enormous queue, and how TK got roped into taking photos for Russian influencers. [37:32] The dive bar we visited after our trip to the Prado Museum, called Taberna El Rincón de José and the best gin and tonics we’ve ever had. [39:43] Our eventful Uber trip to the airport, and how our driver accidentally took us to the pilot’s entrance. [45:21] The close call we had with catching our flight to Santiago, why our first-class tickets saved us, and how the rest of us got separated from TK. [52:08] Our stay in W in Santiago, the hike we went on, and why we’d like to return to Santiago, Chile. [53:32] Our final flights home and the miles we had accumulated throughout our trip. [56:58] What our next round-the-world trip might look like. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: FlyerTalk

Episode 07: Show Notes. We met today’s guest, Joey, in Las Vegas in 2017, so we decided to bring him onto the show for a deep dive into how to make the most of your time and your money on The Strip! Joey has been going to Vegas so long that you could actually play $1 craps, so it’s safe to say he’s an expert in the area. Money goes further in Vegas than it does in most other cities if you know what you’re doing, so tune in today for our top tips on everything from how to save on resort fees and leverage the food and beverage credits to what airlines to fly. We also discuss whether hiring a car in Vegas is a good idea, how the new operators on The Strip are going to change things for visitors, and our top restaurant and hotel recommendations!  Key Points From This Episode: [01:01] Why Vegas holds a place in Tom and Joey’s hearts.  [01:40] Joey’s Vegas claim to fame. [02:12] How gambling in Vegas has changed since Joey’s early days. [03:18] Vegas restaurant recommendations. [09:43] Pros and cons of the main hotels on the Strip in Vegas.  [18:54] Vegas’ worst kept secret.  [19:28] How to save on resort fees in Vegas.  [20:53] Benefits of visiting Vegas during the week. [21:26] Tips for leveraging the food and beverage credits.  [26:53] The best buffet option in Vegas.  [28:13] The recent increase in operators on The Strip, and what this means for Vegas tourists. [29:25] Important information to note about parking in Vegas.  [30:33] Weighing up whether or not to hire a car in Vegas.  [36:41] How MyVegas works.  [40:23] Top tips for traveling to and from Vegas.  [44:30] The story of how we all met!  Tweetables: “When I started gambling in Las Vegas, there was a thing called 50 cent roulette chips. They’re now getting rid of $1 roulette chips. Inflation is real over there in the City of Sin.” — Joey [0:02:12] “One of the things I really like about Vegas is you can really find something for your price range.” — Tom Kim [0:04:24] “I think we’re going to see more arbitrage opportunities, probably more status matching, as some of the new operators start sucking money away from Caesars and MGM.” — Tom Kim [0:28:45] “[Vegas] is a place where luxury is on sale so your 200 dollars goes a lot further than in a lot of other cities.” — Tom Kim [0:36:27] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Park MGM NoMad Library Peppermill Secret Pizza Lemongrass & Lime Gordon Ramsay Steak Carversteak Din Tai Fung Resorts World The Cosm

We're just back from Tokyo and excited to share this trip report. We're up to Episode 187 on our Patreon feed but wanted to publish this here on the No Annual Fee feed since it's been a while since we've done a free show. Enjoy! 0:30 Discuss: Lots of Interest and Pent Up Demand for Japan 1:50 Premise of the Trip 2 adults 2 kids: 18 and 15 18 is actually considered a child age in Japan for some things 3:45 Panic Moment: Did I forget to buy a couple of return tickets? I’ve booked and canceled this trip so many times I’ve lost count Managing multiple PNRs booked across several different channels Didn’t realize a couple tickets were purchased as roundtrip. Whew. Discuss: How do you manage this? 8:20 Airport Upgrades for JAL International Flights (Direct Link) We departed Boston - Tokyo today, nonstop with 3 of us in Business Class on AsiaMiles awards and 1 of us in Premium Economy booked with JAL Miles transferred from Marriott long ago. I've been monitoring award space for 1 more Business Class seat, but nothing materialized. No partner award opened up close in, and even when booking with JAL miles nothing was available at any award level. A week ago they sent an option to bid on the upgrade with cash starting at $625. I passsed. I called JAL a few days ago inquring about upgrades. The agent said I'd need to cancel and rebook and nothing was available in Business Class. My last hope was a same day airport upgrade and...it worked! When we got to the check-in counter I asked about airport upgrades with JAL miles, for my son's Premium Economy JAL Award to Business Class. The agent first said Business Class was sold out, but then went to check with her supervisor. She came back and said that since we booked with Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles that we couldn't upgrade. But when I explained to her that I booked his ticket with JAL miles that an upgrade was possible. It took 4 or 5 reps there, me recalling my JAL frequent flyer number on the spot ("write it down on this piece of paper, I'll wait"), and 30,000 JAL miles but they upgraded him. I originally booked his seat for 32,500 JAL miles + $396. I'd like to avoid those taxes + fees in the future, but booking JAL miles did indeed improve upgrade options as I hoped. If the upgrade didn't work out, we selected seats for the rest of us at the back of Business Class with him at the front of the Premium Economy cabin. That likely would have worked out quite well - it really is close with just a curtain separating. But this worked out great. A good backup if you need just 1 or 2 more seats to round out an itinerary where partner/low level space isn't behaving. 15:20 BA Lounge at Boston Logan Quite nice Not crowded for mid-day departure since not many flights 16:00 Outbound Flight: JAL Business Class Nonstop to Boston Wasn’t spectacular but the direct flight was just what we needed to get the whole group behind this return trip to Japan No matter how you cut it: 14 hours is…a long flight. 17:45 Narita Arrivals Probably the most grueling international arrival I’ve experienced Seemed like a ton of flights coming in at the same time

Full-Time Travel with Brennan Anderson Episode 06: Show Notes. Everybody needs to travel at some point in their lives, whether for vacation or business, but what about full-time travel? Is traveling full-time even possible? To help us answer these questions is our very first guest on the podcast, Brennan Anderson, who is traveling the world with his wife on a full-time basis. In our conversation, we delve into all the aspects of long-term travel, what is needed, and the overall experience. We start by learning about the required preparation, what motivated Brennan to travel long-term, and how to fund traveling the world. Hear about the incredible places he and his wife have visited, his experience with last-minute and advanced bookings, what cruise line he would recommend, his Maldives experience, joining an archeological dig site, and much more! Tune in to learn about the realities of traveling full-time with Brennan Anderson! Key Points From This Episode: [00:47] Introducing Brennan and where he is currently based. [01:41] Outline of today’s show and the topics that will be covered. [02:25] Find out why Brennan and his wife decided to pursue long-term travel. [05:21] How Brennan and his wife were able to afford full-time travel. [07:13] Whether they check-in or carry-on their luggage.  [10:04] The type of travel insurance he and his wife use.  [12:12] Overview of the cruises and travel deals they took advantage of. [17:51] He shares his overall experience using URComped. [21:11] Differences between Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International. [25:11] What the Maldives was like and other travel highlights. [32:09] He shares his amazing experience of being a part of an archeological dig. [36:48] Discover how much the archeological dig experience cost them. [38:00] His biggest surprises and the lessons learned so far while traveling.  Tweetables: “All of the entertainment was incredible on Royal Caribbean, not as much on Carnival.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:21:51] “[The Maldives] was by far the most spectacular place that we have been so far.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:25:24] “It really was a great experience to learn about not only the process of archeology but actually getting to find a few things.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:36:21] “If you are willing to put in the work, apply, and research other opportunities, it sounds like there are a lot of free opportunities through colleges and universities.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:37:03] “The most surprising thing has been just how easy it has been to transition into nomadic life.” — @MissionMediaVid [0:38:00] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Brennan Anderson Brennan Anderson on Instagram Brennan Anderson on Twitter Brennan and Megan Anderson Carnival Cruise Line Royal Caribbean International Allianz Travel