Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition

Episode 15: Show Notes. Today we have a great summer catch-up, rounding up all the flights we have taken and destinations we have visited recently! We talk flights, hotels, cruise ships, river boat cruises, penguins, and more! Trevor unpacks his Greek Isles cruise, and the highs and lows, to include far, far more than normal travel gaffs! We touch on Mykonos' iconic color palette, and when he would like to return in the future. We then get to hear from Tom about his time in South Africa, where he visited Cape Town and then Zimbabwe, where he visited Victoria Falls, the great food he ate, and the majesty of the impressive feats of nature! From the wildlife to the weather, the trip was mostly a really memorable one. Perhaps more humorously, both Trevor and Tom’s way home was overly long, so make sure to stick around to hear all about the unnecessary layovers and over-packed lounges! Key Points From This Episode: [02:40] Trevor's recent trip and reflections on connecting airports, customs, hotel bookings, and more. [08:36] The different levels of service available on cruise liners and their biggest signifiers. [12:08] More gaffs and faux pas in Piraeus, Athens, and the stereotypical beauty of Mykonos. [17:39] The last stop in Greece, wandering around an island and enjoying its gelato. [24:35] Tom talks about his departure from Dulles Airport and his disappointment with the lounges. [28:00] Why you should never compare first class and business class! [32:10] Tom's stop in Cape Town, South Africa, penguins, and affordable fine dining. [34:22] A little about the history of Robben Island and Tom's experience taking the ferry. [37:50] Flying to Victoria Falls and the perfect weather in Zimbabwe at this time of year. [43:18] New Visa requirements and reasons to always carry one of the major currencies. [47:15] Tom's return journey and why it took so long. [55:04] Delicious Ethiopian flavors and the food that was served in the lounges and flights. [1:03:18] This week's round of 'Guess the Fare!’ Tweetables: “We'll go back to Athens, but I think we'll wait until our daughter is old enough to enjoy it.” — @tmount [14:31] “Some people make their own serendipity, I guess.” — @TktweetsKim [17:34] “South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, has a very Mediterranean, almost California-esque climate.” — @tmount [33:49] “I would say that Victoria Falls impresses quite a bit more than Niagara.” — @TktweetsKim [38:37] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Qatar Airways Lufthansa  Nelson Mandela South African Airways  Ethiopian Airlines Milenomics Thomas Kim on Twitter Trevor Mountcastle on Twitter

We're back with a chat about Sam's 2023 summer trip to Japan.   0:34 Overview: 14 days, spent as follows: 5 nights in Kyoto at Mimaru Apartment hotel. 430 square foot. Not spacious but good for a family of 4. 2 nights in Hiroshima at the Hilton Hiroshima: One bedroom suite booked with points (90k per night). Very new hotel, opened in 2022. 5 Nights Ishigaki island near Yonehara beach. Car rental 2 nights in Tokyo at another Mimaru in their pokemon room Robert's previous trip report (required listening) 04:37 Travel: JL from LAX nonstop to Kyoto Pickup from the airport (Booked on Klook.com) worked really well Used the "Visit Japan Web" site to generate QR codes before landing. Be sure to make a QR code for each person (for immigration) and one per family for customs. 08:09 Kyoto: Transit was difficult Not easy for us. Lack of numbers and signage really chewed us up. BUSY stations with people who definitely knew what they were doing. Helpful staff–but still difficult to execute train to train transfers Local vs. Express was not well signed. Got easier when we limited ourselves to busses + a single train. Busses in general were easier and better in Kyoto (can see the city as they Drive). Would take a cab directly to the bus stop. 15:51 Universal Studios: Brutal to get to. Issues with kids and trains. But once there, small size and express pass made the day a complete success. Conflicting information about swapping rides–but we were able to swap for different rides than those listed on our express passes (but not different times) Lines are crazy long, express pass is a must.  We bought a 4 ride pass due to height restrictions limiting possible rides, but 7 ride passes were not much more. The Mario Water party parade was fantastic and over the top. Japanese to the max and loved by my kids. Super Mario World is incredible. The kids had a blast, we spent about 6 hours at the park, just enough time in my opinion. Getting home to Kyoto was equally brutal. The train line leaving Universal encountered a full stop due to a train on the loop hitting a passenger. 30:10 Cabs: We took so Many and They Saved Us Combination of lots of walking and young kids meant we needed to use cabs. We were 'close' to multiple train stations and bus stops. But the walking before, during and after sightseeing meant cabs were the way we extended days. Uber app worked well in Kyoto/Hiroshima to call cabs. In Tokyo we had to be careful--there was a 300-500 yen pickup fee plus the meter -- lots of times the uber black fare was less. Uber black cars are the nicest possible car I've ever been in. Loved these in Tokyo. 38:40 Kyoto to Hiroshima with Luggage: Train travel Gion Matsuri in Kyoto made the train station packed. Train runs nearly every 20 minutes. Amazing. Kiosk did not work with CC and I couldn't get 3 seats together (with luggage access). Pivoted to a desk agent who

A Milestone Trip with Joe Petrovic Episode 14: Show Notes. We welcome Joe Petrovic from Award Travel 101 to the podcast, to talk about how he used his miles and points to take him and his father on a first-class strip to Croatia. Before speaking about his special trip, Joe explains how he got into the rewards game and what he did to become an expert and the value of meet-ups. Then, we discuss the magnanimity of loyalty programs and how it’s impossible to know and understand every single one, the importance of community and multiple perspectives, the brilliance of imperfection, and the ins and outs of Joe’s memorable trip to Croatia. He reflects on a unique Emirates experience, and he goes into detail about everything he loved from his first-class trip both in the air and on the ground. We end the show with the second edition of our new game, Guess the Fare, so tune in to see if you can guess the right price of today’s fictional trip!          Key Points From This Episode: [00:19] Introducing Award Travel 101’s Joe Petrovic, and how he got into miles and points. [02:15] How Joe became an expert in miles and points.  [10:26] Why it's impossible to know every single rewards program and/or mileage currency.  [12:10] How attending conferences helped Joe to level up, and the importance of community. [17:31] The role that Joe’s personality played in him learning the game as quickly as he did.  [20:30] How having multiple perspectives speeds up the problem-solving process.   [21:34] Joe describes his travel style.   [26:04] How striving for good enough is better than seeking perfection.   [27:01] The ins and outs of the milestone trip that he took with his dad to Croatia.  [32:17] How long in advance he tracked prospective routes before booking his trip.   [35:49] Joe's Emirates experience.   [40:32] The highlights and stand-out moments of Joe’s first-class air travel adventure.   [42:20] Exploring the perception of space on airlines, and a love for first-class amenities. [43:20] What he enjoyed the most from his time on the ground during his milestone trip. [47:58] How travel can give you a new appreciation for your home country.  [50:52] Joe’s advice for mileage seekers and prospective travelers: keep asking questions.    [52:46] We end this episode with the second edition of our little game show, Guess the Fare.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Joseph Petrovic on Twitter Award Travel 101  Award Travel 101 on Facebook Award Travel 101 on Instagram Award Travel 101 Podcast  Award Travel 101 8-Step Free Mini-Course  Award Travel 101 Milestone Trip  United Airlines  Thomas Kim on Twitter Trevor Mountcastle on Twitter

Talking All Things with Michael Trager and ZorkFest Episode 13: Show Notes. This week, on our lucky Episode 13, we welcome Michael Trager from TravelZork. We sit down and hear from Michael about his comical, but just as incredible, TWA story, and how he got into revenue luxury travel. We discuss all things related to rewards credit cards, the 5/24 rule, and what we like and dislike about loyalty points. We also include a quick game, called Guess the Fare and hear about Michael’s best-ever aggressively priced airfare. Michael then tells us, and listeners, all about what they can look forward to for the upcoming ZorkFest 2023, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It’s going to be October 13-14, and is a mix of gambling and casino topics, points and miles discussions including featured guests, and their no BS approach that combines practical and expert advice for both travel and casino loyalty, and so much more. Don’t miss out on this great episode, with our knowledgeable guest, Michael Trager.   Key Points From This Episode: [00:00:20] An introduction to our guest on this week’s episode. [00:01:08] More about Michael Trager; a self-introduction, if you will. [00:03:50] His incredible TWA story. [00:06:30] Michael tells us about doing revenue luxury travel. [00:11:00] He tells us about his new American Airlines AAdvantage credit card. [00:13:30] We discuss the 5/24 Rule. [00:17:30] The art of calculating points, rewards, and the game of it. [00:19:15] What we like about AA loyalty points. [00:20:42] A quick tangent on TSA pre-checkpoints. [00:21:45] We close the segment with a game: Guess the Fare? [00:31:00] Booking an itinerary and thinking outside the fare. [00:31:45] Michael’s best ever “aggressively priced” airfare. [00:33:28] The problem with people, according to Michael (when booking fares). [00:36:30] Why you should ‘let it sit’ for a while. [00:39:30] Michael’s spiel on airport lounges. [00:42:00] We talk about ZorkFest 2023. [00:49:58] A quick tip on flying to ZorkFest 2023. [00:50:05] Where to find Travel Zork and Michael Trager. Tweetables: “But, remember, if you get a credit card you should always start with Chase, and you should be very aware of 5/24.” — @TravelZork [0:13:12] “I think AA as a partner is very strong because you have so few paths to accumulate AA miles and I still find AA miles to be quite valuable.” — @TravelZork [0:15:50] “This is the problem with people [when buying airfare] — they’re impatient.” — @TravelZork [0:33:27] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Michael Trager on LinkedIn Michael Trager on Twitter Zorkfest 2023 TravelZork Travel - Inquire & Book - VIP SERVICE American Advantage Marriot Bonvoy La Première Air France AA Credit Cards Patreon

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.