Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition

This week I chatted with Milenomics community member CF Frost about his recent stay at the new Hilton LXR Mango House Seychelles and we do a deep dive into the Hilton program. You may remember CF from this post he wrote about a now-expired opportunity to get Amex Hilton Aspire cards without an annual fee. Those Aspire cards kick off free night certificates and resort credits that are now enabling trips like the one we discuss in this episode. Subscribers may also enjoy a trip report to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives discussed in Episode 6 of Checking In. Hyatt gets a lot of love from the points & miles community but as we discuss on the show, Hilton deserves some consideration as well. In the second half of the show we cover 10 Ways Hilton is Better than Hyatt. 3:10 CF’s Recent Trip to the LXR Mango House Seychelles Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts (website)95,000/nt Standard Room RewardBookable with Amex Hilton Free Night Certificates (what are those?)Nearest Airport: SEZ 34:50 10 Ways Hilton is Better Than Hyatt Footprint: Number and LocationDecent Meaningful Status with No SpendFour Credit Cards vs. TwoCan Get Credit Cards Even if Ineligible for Welcome BonusFifth Night Free on Award StaysEasy Point TransfersFree Night Certificates at Top Hotels Attainable through Reasonable Amount of Bonused SpendFree Weekend Night Certificates Usable Any Night LatelyGenerous Automatic Extensions of Status, Certificates, Points ExpiryFavorable Cash Upgrades to Award Stays We could surely do a follow-up show on "10 Great Things about Hyatt" - and we probably will. But it's worth paying attention to other hotel chains like Hilton because there's a lot of value to be had. This week on the paid Milenomics Podcast Network feed, we just released Episode 150 of our flagship show. If you enjoyed this free epsisode head on over there for more points & miles podcast content, a thriving Slack community, and more. Thanks for listening, and thanks for your support.

"Checking In" is a show on the Milenomics Podcast Network where I usually chat with members of the community about some specific trip, loyalty program, or method they've been using to generate points & miles. Today's show is a little different because my guest is Milenomics founder Sam Simon. And since it's a Disneyland trip report and totally "above board" we're releasing it here on the No Annual Fee feed. I once read a post on a forum somewhere questioning whether, in times when our country and the world can seem so divided, is there anyhting we can all agree on? The first answer that popped up was Disney. Which quickly and definitively led to follow-on posts where it became clear that Disney [as a travel destination] is just as devisive a topic as anything else we might discuss. Sam lives in Southern California about 20 minutes from Disneyland. He's been there in the past, has some familiarity with the attractions, and casually keeps up with the latest developments in the Disney fan base. With two young kids, their family is somewhat interested in visiting the park but they are by no means Disney enthusiasts. So this trip report is a story about what it's like for a casual guest to engage with a travel and entertainment destination with a built-in community of fanatics that see Disneyland as their park. A place where familiarity with operating procedures, desirable dining options, and experience with their own group's preferences are all leveraged to maximize the experience. The trip report is in two parts, before and after. We discuss... Lodging Even when living close to the parks it can pay to book a nearby hotel for naps and relaxation. The Disney hotels are famously overpriced, and in Anaheim third party hotels are very close to the park. For a one-day park visit, does it make sense to book a hotel the night before, or after? What about early check-in/late check-out availability? Sam found a unique option in The Westin Anaheim Resort just south of the park that happens to be an Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts property. We discuss the pros and cons of the property. Lines With young children especially lines are consistently one of the most annoying parts of any theme park experience. We discuss how Genie+ worked in terms of suggestions and wait time reduction. Dining We've heard reports of long wait times for mobile ordering, supply chain issues, and labor shortages. Dining is a big part of most Disney trips, and planning ahead is generally recommended. But with only a day to plan, are any of the better options be available? Related Listening Checking In w/Robin from Luxe Recess on New England Resorts, Blackberry Farm, Luxury Disney and OrlandoSeeptember 2021 Disney World Trip Report w/Joe Cheung These free episodes are just a sample of what's discuss more fully with a paid subscription: Hundreds of hours of additional content discussing creative ways to earn and redeem points & milesAccess to a vibrant Slack communityIn-person meetups Thanks for listening, and thanks for your

Today's special episode is hosted by Gideon the Free-quent Flyer. [Cold open] Harraseeket Inn holiday buffets: https://www.harraseeketinn.com/dine-1 Hello, and welcome to The Manifesto with Gideon, the Free-quent Flyer, on the Milenomics Podcast Network. I’m Gideon, the Free-quent Flyer, and I’m joined today by Ted Fleischaker, board member of Portland, Maine’s Etz Chaim Synagogue and publisher of the Up Portland newspaper. Ted, welcome to the Manifesto. [0:20] Plugs Etz Chaim: https://etzchaim-portland.org/Up Portland: http://www.upportland.com/Micucci’s Grocery Store: https://www.facebook.com/MicucciGrocery/Anywhere else people can find you online/in Maine/conferences, etc? [1:30] Jewish Community in Maine Etz Chaim: India and Congress ST, Portland, ME.Services, Torah Study, Museum.Fire during COVIDWhat kind of renovations were required? Discovered original (1921) wiring.How was the community served while the synagogue was closed?History of the buildingLocation of a boarding house for Irish and Italian immigrants that burned down in the fire of 1866History of the Jewish community in MaineNearby 1904 Synagogue split in 1920’s over whether to use Yiddish or English during services.English speakers spent $50k remodeling present Etz Chaim building.Mid-1970’s, only 15 members left in congregation. Sell the building, hang on, or merge with another congregation?Museum foundation took over the building, congregation rents sanctuary back for servicesEtz Chaim changes from orthodox to egalitarian. 3 services per week: Monday Orthodox minyan, Friday night reform service, Saturday morning Orthodox service.What do Jewish traditions look like today in Portland: how can people find seders, sukkahs, etc if they’re in Portland or Maine for the Holidays?Four working synagogues in Portland: Chabad House, Bet Ha’am, Temple Beth El, Etz ChaimSurrounding areas: Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford-Saco, BathCenter for Small Town Jewish Life: https://jewishlife.colby.edu/ [20:10] Publishing a local newspaper Washington Post Magazine on local journalism: https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/interactive/2021/local-news-deserts-expanding/How does Maine support so many local newspapers?Up PortlandIsland papersLobster boat papersWhat goes into publishing a daily/weekly/monthly paper? How many printers remain, do papers get shipped in from out of town, USPS, “paper boxes” on the streets? What does it take to manage a dead-tree media distribution company these days? [36:40] Visiting Portland/Visiting Maine For first-time visitors to Portland or to Maine, what recommendations do you have?Where to stay?Eastland Hotel (The Westin Portland Harborview)Where/what to eat?Dock’s Seafood - lobster roll: https://www.docksseafood.com/Street and company - lobster dinner: https://www.streetandcompany.net/What to see?Por

We discuss the addition of Wyndham/Vacasa as a Citi ThankYou Point transfer partner, ZIPAIR from LAX to Tokyo, Frontier leaving Newark, and a $500 brokerage bonus from "Tastyworks." Let's get right into it. Citi TYP Shakeup: AA Out (for now?) Wyndham In Wyndham 1:1 from Premier/Prestige, 5:4 from lower level cardsWyndham opens up Vacasa rentals--and really is a wonderful option for family travelEarlier this year I attempted to open a Wyndham Business card but was unsuccessfulNow, 3x on Fluz or 2x on WU purchases are really nice vehicles for Vacasa rentals Because of Cash out options, TYP transferred over should ideally have a 1cpp or higher value (1.25 for a DC or lower card) to even just break even  Vacasa prices by the bedrooms (15k per)--which gives outsize value opportunities (2-3cpp)  ZIPAIR Announced LAX-Tokyo Route (link) Very affordable, especially for kidsWhat’s this mean for flights to Japan for tourism?It’s amazing how investment continues to pour into the travel space despite trying timesDiscuss where this sort of thing fits in compared to using mileshttps://www.zipair.net/en3x weekly service6 and below fly for 13,000 YEN each way ($115)  Frontier Leaving EWR, 16 slots up for grabs (Link: WA) Is this a loss for EWR? What would it take for us to fly Frontier? (nonstop, good times)JetBlue, Spirit United seen as winners?Fun Fact: Slots were to remain unused, saving 1.2 minutes per day of delays The added competition is seen to allow fares to drop $15-$36.   “Tastyworks” $500 Brokerage Bonus Direct link$500 bonus for funding w/$10,000 and holding for 3 monthsDoesn’t seem that trading is a requirement?Make sure GIVE_ME_FIVE_2021 is applied as the referral codeBonus posted for us 24 hours after funding (is that a world record?) We pushed a couple news items for the paid show this week. Join us at patreon.com/milenomics for further discussion on these and more, plus access to a thriving Slack community.

Three major loyalty programs updated their schemes this week. We discuss this and more in this week's No Annual Fee podcast... Marriott Bonvoy Changes (Direct Link) Doing away with award chart March 2022, points required will track cash priceFree Night Certificate Top Off limited to 15k, starts “early 2022”Certificates/status extended again (FM) Hyatt Peak/Off-Peak Goes Live Gave a cursory look at booking some things last minute but...didn’t find award availability on the dates and destinations I checkedSeems like they’re one step behind Marriott in going to a scheme where the number of points required is tied to cash rateOpinion: Overall the chart is still very favorable paired with UR 1:1 transfer AA Makes Some Changes Mostly affects how status is attained (can earn through cc spend now)Award charts, especially partner, are thankfully unaffected Citi to Choice Hotels 1:2 for Preferred Hotels (FM) Link to check which Preferred Hotels are potentially bookable as an awardSome very high value properties listed but…Awards can only be booked over the phone and it sounds downright painfulThe award availability shown online is said to be unreliable (shows open, but you discover it can’t be booked until after a lengthy call)Only standard double occupancy rooms can be booked (unclear whether families can finagle more spacious rooms)Other than that...great deal! ;) Chase Freedom Flex “Top Spend” for Additional Q4 2021 5x (Direct Link) Only on the Freedom Flex 5x card (not the old Freedom 5x card, not the Freedom Unlimited)Spend from the top amount among these (capped at $1,500) for the quarter gets +4xTravel (including Transit), Dining, Home Improvement Stores, Grocery Stores (not including Target and Walmart purchases), Drugstores, Gas Stations, Select Live Entertainment, Select Streaming Services, Fitness Clubs.The “normal” Q4 categories are WalMart and PayPalFreedom Flex earns 3x on dining and drugstores every daySo if you already spent $1,500 at PayPal you wouldn’t have triggered the top spend +4x unless the merchant was one of the top spend categories, so you could have more work to doBut if you haven’t started it would seem optimal to either try to find a PayPal + top spend bonus category -or- do the PayPal separately then do the top spend in a category like drugstores or dining for 3x + 4xMaybe I should be using Freedom Flex at drugstores more in general, for 3x URs uncapped. It’s about the same as Old Blue Cash if you value URs at 1.5 cpp and consider the $6,500 at 1% on that card to get to 5% cashback.Whew, what a mind boggler. A shame the cap is so low on Freedom. Thanks for listening. For more points & miles podcast content, a thriving Slack community, meetups and more join us at: patreon.com/milenomics

Robert chats with Robin Hutson from Luxe Recess about trends she's seeing in the luxury travel market. They compare notes on recent travels with an eye towards planning for the coming year. Last Chatted in January, 2021 (listen) Vaccines were just becoming availableThings looked like they were getting better, then Delta variantWhat are you seeing in terms of travel hesitancy right now?And how are future bookings impacted? More short term trips planned opportunistically? 3:20 Spring/Summer Travels Mansion at Ocean EdgeNewport rentalQ: If I liked both of these, what options should I consider in the Northeast? Especially interested in Maine personally but what other options should everyone consider?Some New England resorts to consider:The Inn at Hasting Park in Lexington, MACliff House in Cape Neddick, MEInn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, MEMigis Lodge in South Casco, MELiked Ventana Big Sur for its boutique outdoor rustic all-inclusive luxuryQ: What else might I like?A: Perhaps Blackberry Farm 22:00 Disney Dining What are you hearing/experiencing at Disney World dining venues post-Covid?Some (though not all) seemed to be sputtering a bit on our Labor Day weekend trip (show notes from chat w/Joe Cheung)Roll into high expectations and how to identify places that are doing well these days to avoid disappointment? Especially when paying luxury prices. I feel like most pre-Covid reviews are out the window and I need to hear from someone that’s stayed there recently and has good discernment.Are you looking forward to Space 220? (menus) 37:20 Orlando Luxury Options Four Seasons Orlando: Best of the best, close to Disney but quite expensiveRitz-Carlton Orlando: Kind of far from Disney, basic rooms, Club Level good - but is it open/still good since Covid?Waldorf Astoria Orlando Want to talk about this from an excellent recent stay in Waldorf Corner Suite w/Disney View Fantastic stay, totally bounced back after a lackluster first experience a few years ago in an entry-level roomJW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes in the conversation? New JW Marriott Orlando, Bonnet Creek?Swan Reserve coming soon

Today's Podcast comes to you from Gideon The Freequent Flyer who has a companion piece to this podcast on his site. Hello and welcome to The Manifesto with Gideon the Free-quent Flyer on the Milenomics Podcast Network. I am Gideon the Free-quent Flyer and I’m joined today by the Director of Travel Rewards at Bilt Rewards, Richard Kerr. Richard, welcome to the Manifesto. [0:30] Plugs Social: @KerrPoints everywhere Bilt Rewards: https://www.biltrewards.com/ [2:35] Background What was your path into the rewards industry? Did you start as a travel hacker, as a writer, or on the business side? What was your biggest score/favorite play, on the earnings or redemption side? What do you like most these days in terms of rewards programs? [8:25] Bilt Rewards - overview 3 legged stool: partner rewards, landlords, credit cardLoyalty programs: 1:1 transfer to American Airlines AAdvantage, Air Canada’s Aeroplan, Emirates Skywards, FlyingBlue, Turkish Miles & Smiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, HawaiianMiles, World of Hyatt, IHG RewardsCredit card: white label MasterCard issued by Evolve Bank & Trust, earns 2x on rent payments, 1x everywhere elseLandlords: “Bilt Rewards Alliance,” 24 large residential real estate holding companies, plus option to mail check to any landlord. [12:10] Bilt Rewards - news Annual cap of 50k rent points instead of monthly 4k cap0-1-2-3$0 annual fee1x on rent (up to 50k annually)1x on everyday spend2x on travel3x on diningUncapped earning on all non-rent spendIHG added 9/21 [18:07] Bilt Rewards - partner rewards My understanding was that loyalty programs had pretty exclusive relationships, i.e. Chase will bail out United by buying a billion United miles, American Express will buy a billion Delta miles, Citi and Barclay a billion American miles, then they dribble them out to customers. As a young company, how do you come in and make them an offer that even gets their attention?How much do you pay for points? During promotions you can buy Hyatt points for 1.8 cents, maybe a little less using a shopping portal, is that the right order of magnitude for what Bilt is paying? Do you pay more for the first member of an alliance to set a ceiling, or have alliance members bid each other down to participate?What do you think your highest value transfer partner is? Hyatt seems the most obvious but do you have a favorite redemption buried in the other award charts?AA: business travel to Europe, South America, web specialsEmirates: JFK-Milan, 50k roundtrip in businessHawaiian: west coast to Hawaii / upgrade from economy to first for 25kAeroplan: stopoversFlying Blue: 11.5k domestic Delta (21+ days out)Turkish: 33,800 business class to Istanbul, 7,500/15,000 to Hawaii on United Virgin: Delta/ANA/upgrading paid Virgin ticketsHyatt: great value everywhereIHG: Holiday Inn ExpressDo you have any favorite non-travel redemptions, anything Bilt got a killer deal on that you can pass on to members?Bilt Rewards AppChampagne Sabre [32:21] Bilt Rewards - landlords What was the process like of selling large landlords on accepting Bilt payments

Today we're releasing an episode of "Checking In with Robert Dwyer" that's normally reserved for subscribers of the Milenomics Podcast Network. Robert chats with Joe Cheung about what it's like to visit Disney Parks these days, and what's coming in the near future to Disney World. 0:22 What Joe has been up to since Saverocity Observation Deck Producing Miles to Memories Podcast. Disney Deciphered Podcast. Disney Travel Agent. 1:30 What's Disney like now, what's it going to be in this "living with Covid" phase we seem to be in now.  Use my trip report to reflect of what you're hearing and experiencing with people you talk with. Planning changes (no Fastpass, but Genie+ coming). Dining reservation challenges, dining experience at this time. In-park experience. 28:40 Attractions No doubt: Masks in Orlando in 90F can be uncomfortable. But we managed. Current policy is masks indoors and on transportation. Outdoor option, but wore then when crowds were dense.No Fastpass seemed to make most wait-times shorter than posted, especially in the morning and evening.No Fastpass was also pretty relaxing.Flight of Passage was pretty great (rope dropped that w/family this time).Mickey & Minney’s Runaway Railway is surprisingly good too (seemed to debut at the worst possible time). 38:20 Dining Ohana Focus was on the return of the noodles, but the real killer is the absence of skewers. The quality of the proteins they dished out there for $55 pp is insulting. Went from being one of our favorites to “Avoid until further notice.”Skipper Canteen Best place in Magic Kingdom for lunch in my book. Cold AC, but again - menu items missing. No salads? They can improvise steak on a house salad but the meat was again really terrible. Chewy. Almost inedible. I mean - who goes to these restaurants and eats everything except for the steak? No shame in their game.Via Napoli Restaurant closing early at 7p I think (hard to get reservations) and hardly any of the employees are Italian at the moment. Thankfully the pizza is still really good.Whispering Canyon Cafe First time there: It was fun. Some gags, but seemed toned down a bit. Just right I’d say. Good food. Menu touts “all you care to enjoy” milkshakes but...the machine was broken and they couldn't get repair parts...due to Covid.California Grill Other than them initially trying to seat us in an “annex” sort of room initially this was a fantastic return to form. Still my favorite Disney restaurant.See also: Ratings of Disney World restaurants prior to Covid 54:10 Coming Soon

Four great credit card welcome bonuses to consider from Bank of America. Let’s discuss them, how we’d prioritize them, and also navigating the complicated and ever-changing approval standards over at Bank of America. 0:54 BofA Amtrak 50,000 + $100 Statement Credit (DoC) Do a dummy booking to see offer$79 AF not waived$2,500 min spend in 90 daysAmtrak points are worth 2.9 cpp towards non-Acela, 2.56 cpp towards AcelaSo this welcome bonus is worth $1,450 + $100 - $79 = $1,471 for non-AcelaOr $1,250 + $100 - $79 = $1,271 towards AcelaThat’s crazy value for people who want to ride AmtrakSee also: How to redeem bank points for up to 1.64 cpp towards Amtrak 03:55 BofA Alaska Business 60,000 (HT Commenter Matt on DoC) Direct Link$3,000 min spend$75 AF not waived65,000 for the Personal Alaska card still availableNot subject to BofA personal churning restrictionsDon’t forget BofA Business Cash Rewards $750 (Direct Link) 06:19 Getting Approved BofA 2/3/4: 2 BofA cards per rolling 2 months, 3 per rolling 12, 4 per rolling 24BofA is said to not approve new BofA card if you have more than 2 new credit cards on your credit report (across all banks) in the past 12 months -or- 6 in the past 12 if you’ve got a checking account with BofAHT DoCOverall exposure with BofA to consider too (lower CL before closing BofA cards)Limits to the number of active credit cards BofA will let you hold? 08:47 Discuss: Is it a mistake to ignore BofA at this point? Robert: “Thanks for joining us for this week. For a more in-depth discussion about points miles visit us at patreon.com/milenomics There you’ll get a special link to listen to additional content, right in your mobile podcast app or on your computer, where we speak more freely about topics like these. Sam: You can reach us on Twitter @Milenomics and @RobertDwyer - we’d love to hear from you. Until then we’ll see you on the site...”

On today's No Annual Fee show we discuss: 0:30 Q3 2021 5x Categories Chase FreedomGrocery StoresSelect Streaming ServicesDiscoverRestaurantsPayPalCiti DividendGas StationsHome Improvement 3:50 New Citi Custom Cash Card (HT DoC) Direct Link20,000 TYP for spending $750 in first 3 monthsNo AF5x TYP on up to $500 spend each month in biggest category, 1x after thatDon’t have to activate (that’s nice)Low cap, but that’s the same as Freedom/Discover/Dividend 5x cardsWould be a great card to product change a bunch of cards into but: “Our policy is to offer only one Citi Custom Cash℠ Card account per customer.”Worth getting one?Citi IT being what it is, will they actually allow multiple cards per customer? 9:30 Staples Fee-Free $200 VGCs Sunday 6/13 - Saturday 6/19/2021 10:10 BofA Alaska 67,000 Mile Offer (DoC) Direct Link42,000 after $2,000 in first 3 monthsAdditional 25,000 after total of $8,000 in spend in 6 months$75 AF not waived first yearCan’t have had a Personal Alaska card in the prior 24 monthsDiscussBetter targeted offer“Famous” Companion FaresWhether Alaska miles are what they once were, especially with travel to Asia still not open If you enjoyed this free show considering subscribing to the Milenomics Podcast Network where you'll gain access to lengthier and more in depth shows. You'll then also be able to join a lively Slack community where points & miles ideas are discussed real-time. Thanks for listening and thank you to our existing Patrons. We've recently hit a record number of subscribers, which is amazing for a travel podcast during a global pandemic. More great content to come as we return to traveling.