MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description In this episode of MTM Travel, Mark shares his recent trip to Asia, detailing the chaos of his travel plans, the vibrant nightlife of Bangkok, and the unique culinary experiences he encountered. From disastrous flight cancelations and changes to exploring local culture, Mark's journey is filled with insights and tips for travelers. During the trip Mark visited Bangkok and Singapore and stayed in the Conrad Centennial and Hyatt Regency Bangkok. He reviews the hotels, his experiences, the food and his unique takeaways from his quick trip. He also discusses his Cathay Pacific business class journey, the scramble to fix a crazy last minute canceled flight and why he really didn't enjoy the Singapore Business Class seat. Buckle up and enjoy!Episode Guide Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! Youtube Podcast Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that. Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License  

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel, Shawn is joined by Joe Cheung as Mark is traveling around Asia. The two discuss various timely topics including Disney's free dining offer, Joe's travel experiences in New Jersey, skiing with family, and their New Year's Eve adventures in New York City. They also share insights about Park Hyatt New York and shopping at the insane American Dream mall, highlighting the differences in shopping experiences and the challenges of traveling during busy times. Other topics discussed include: Disney's new free dining offer, traveling to open our minds, Rio's new Hyatt Globalist breakfast and New Year's Eve bucket list destinations. We'll be back to our normal schedule next week with the main podcast on Monday and the news on Wednesday! Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! Youtube Podcast Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that. Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License  

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week the government began cracking down on a few things in the travel/finance space. First, they are targeting resort and other junk fees with new rules that will help consumers a lot. The government is also suing many of the big banks and Zelle over the service. Will this end up with better consumer protections?   In other news Chase Freedom turns 15 this year, but is their celebration worth actually pursuing? We also discuss our favorite flights, hotels and trips of 2024, Southwest's new elite perks and seating scheme, 5% bonus categories for 2025, Hilton's sudden devaluation and a crazy video of an AA flight flooding in midair. Episode Guide 0:00 Crazy flooded AA plane 1:06 New junk fee rules for resort fees and more 3:45 Why resort fees aren’t always bad in the miles & points hobby 4:24 CFPB sues big banks over Zelle fraud issues 6:48 Southwest announces how new seating policy works 8:39 All of the credit card 5% bonus categories for Q1 10:00 Chase Freedom’s “big” 15th birthday celebration 12:00 Chase cuts Ink referral amounts and limits 13:46 Credit card “triple dip” opportunities 15:58 Hilton’s big devaluation & new variable pricing 17:42 Cool S - Our favorite travel from 2024 18:38 Our favorite flight from 2024 20:08 Favorite hotel(s) from 2024 21:38 Our favorite trips of 2024 Links AA flood - https://x.com/hustlebitch_/status/1869410368176771159?s=46 FTC Rules - https://milestomemories.com/ftc-bans-hidden-fees/ CFPB Zelle - https://dannydealguru.com/cfpb-sues-chase-bank-of-america-and-wells-fargo/ Southwest Seating - https://travel-on-points.com/southwest-seating-policy/ 5% Cats - https://travel-on-points.com/5-categories-for-first-quarter/ Chase referral cap - https://travel-on-points.com/chase-ink-referral-offers/ Triple dips - https://travel-on-points.com/bank-of-america-increased-offers/ https://travel-on-points.com/why-december-is-the-best-time-to-open-new-amex-cards/ Hilton Deval - https://travel-on-points.com/hilton-no-notice-devaluation/ Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

This discussion dives into the challenging pitfalls of the miles and points hobby, highlighting Shawn's struggles with reselling and the evolving landscape ahead. Illness during travel gets a spotlight, illustrating the emotional toll and choices faced by travelers. The talk also covers Hilton's significant devaluation, introducing new pricing tiers and complexities. Plus, they vent about the frustrations of Amazon reselling, including restrictive policies and seller challenges, while navigating the engaging and sometimes chaotic world of travel rewards.

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week American Express released a new surprise perk for Business Platinum cardholders that is quite interesting. Starting now you can get a $200 annual credit for Hilton (broken up quarterly), so what is the best way to maximize this new perk. And does the new Amex Business Platinum Hilton credit mean something else will be going away?   In other news Alaska Airlines is getting ready to launch a premium card but is it really worth pursuing? We also discuss a new hotel travel trend, the longest train journey in the world, Hyatt's upcoming luxury hotels, how to save every month on YouTube TV and why spending $900 on a hotel is actually saving money.   Episode Guide 0:00 “Naked Flying” - The new viral travel trend 0:58 Waldorf NYC is more expensive than we thought 3:00 Another Boeing whistleblower - Using defective parts? 5:48 Hyatt opening 50 new luxury hotels in next few years 8:26 Amex Business Platinum adds surprising Hilton credit 10:50 Alaska Airlines premium credit card is coming 13:04 How booking a $900 hotel actually saved Mark money 15:44 How to save money every month on YouTube TV 18:00 Streaming deals, ad supported tiers and expensive programming 19:46 The longest train journey in the world Links Travel trend - https://www.timesnownews.com/travel/news/naked-flying-is-the-latest-travel-trend-going-viral-and-it-is-helping-people-save-a-lot-of-money-article-116366033 Boeing whistleblower - https://fortune.com/2024/12/09/boeing-whistleblower-sam-mohawk-broken-parts-airplane-safety-culture-737-max/ Hyatt luxury - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-luxury-hotel-expansion/ Amex Hilton credit - https://milestomemories.com/amex-business-platinum-new-200-hilton-credit/ Premium Alaska - https://milestomemories.com/alaska-airlines-launching-new-premium-card-in-2025/ Universal FHR - https://travel-on-points.com/universal-orlando-hotels-with-express-pass/ Save on YouTube TV - https://travel-on-points.com/save-money-on-youtube-tv/ Longest train - https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/rbycyb/the_new_longest_possible_train_journey_in_the/ Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

A lively discussion unfolds around procrastination styles as the hosts share their humorous shopping frustrations. They delve into travel planning for Spring Break, weighing the joys of familiar versus new destinations. The Bahamas comes under scrutiny, balancing luxury with cost challenges. Tips for using credit card rewards effectively and maximizing travel benefits are shared, particularly for upcoming trips to Singapore and Thailand. The excitement of water park adventures and strategic booking insights round out this engaging travel conversation.

Citi has landed a major deal with American Airlines, raising questions for current Barclays cardholders. The reopening of the iconic Waldorf Astoria NYC is generating buzz with its luxury upgrades. Virgin Voyages brings enticing cruise deals, yet travelers face quirky booking challenges. Exciting innovations from Hyatt include new tech for suite upgrades. Plus, learn about valuable point transfer bonuses to enhance your travel game, while also exploring why Hilton is excelling in the luxury space.

Discover the thrill of dueling road trips as the hosts share their adventures from Long Beach to festive Chicago. Unpack the shocking reality of rising airline baggage fees and the pressure of snagging lucrative credit card offers. Explore the charm of Chicago's holiday markets and the bittersweet experience of a disappointment at a boutique hotel. Tune in for lively anecdotes about community connections and the joyful spirit of travel, especially during the holiday season!

Twenty Minute Travel News has now joined the MtM Podcast feed! You can catch this show each week right here in addition to the regular MtM Travel podcast or watch both shows on Youtube!  Episode Description This week there are a couple of new Amex "no lifetime language" offers floating around including a huge 200K Business Gold version. We go over the details and explain exactly how these offers work and why you probably want to take advantage of them. We also explain Amex's application rules, the popup and your best overall strategy for dealing with the bank.   In other news an ongoing fraud has been going on with Amex Business Gold cards and small charges. What should you do if you fall victim? We also discuss Etihad's 10 new routes, the new British Airways first class seat, sketchy travel hacks, United's $16 million training center, the return of Target's most popular deal and where you can find the North America Holiday Train.   Episode Guide 0:00 Sketchy travel hacks 0:51 United’s new $16 million training facility 2:18 Etihad announces 10 new routes including big US city 3:41 Longer trip for flight experience vs. shorter flight 4:36 British Airways unveils new first class seat 5:20 Explaining Amex “no lifetime language” offers 7:45 Amex Business Gold 200K targeted offer 8:39 Blue Business Plus 75K targeted offers - 0% APR? 9:57 Target 10% off gift card deal returns for 2024 11:55 Target Circle program value and shutdowns 13:16 Amex Business Gold fraudulent charges - What you need to know 16:16 Cool “S” - North America Holiday Train Links Sketchy hacks - https://www.reddit.com/r/TravelHacks/comments/1g3rr4y/sketchiest_travel_tips_that_you_know/ United training - https://apigateway.agilitypr.com/distributions/history/b2fc48a4-0b2b-4f50-b08d-8a5b173666ca?recipientId=f59514db-7cc4-4966-8178-a569b271d584 Etihad 10 new routes - https://milestomemories.com/etihad-adds-direct-route-to-atlanta/ BA First Class seat - https://milestomemories.com/british-airways-unveils-brand-new-first-class-seat/ 200K Amex NLL - https://milestomemories.com/200k-amex-business-gold-offer/ Blue Business Plus NLL - https://travel-on-points.com/targeted-75k-blue-business-plus-cash-offer/ Amex fraud problems - https://travel-on-points.com/amex-business-gold-facebook-advertising-fraud/ Target 10% - https://travel-on-points.com/10-off-target-gift-cards/ North America Holiday Train - https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/HolidayTrain Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

Shawn and Mark dive into the evolving world of credit card rewards, discussing Chase's customer gifts and the fallout from Citibank's controversial account closure. They compare Hawaiian travel experiences, debating the merits of Oahu versus Maui. The duo also explores how banks are stepping into the role of travel agents, affecting redemption rates and travel perks. Finally, they share their festive adventures at Chicago's Christmas markets, reminiscing about holiday shopping highlights and the allure of European markets.