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Get $200 back after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Mark made nearly $6,000 from bank bonuses in 2025, American is giving away 100,000 miles, and Alaska is making a big move with Hawaiian's credit cards. We also break down a sneaky-good Hilton Amex offer, how annual fee refunds actually work, and whether Chase's new Edit Hotels redemption bump is worth your points. What we cover:  Mark's 2025 bank bonus haul and whether it was worth the hassle  -American Airlines' 100,000-mile centennial sweepstakes -Alaska keeping the Hawaiian brand while moving cards to Bank of America -A targeted Hilton Amex offer that can stack into strong return  -How annual fee refunds and downgrades work by bank  -Chase Sapphire Reserve redemptions at Edit Hotels for 2.5 cents per point Links: Free newsletter Track your travel credit cards for free with Travel Freely Miles to Memories Facebook group Diamond Patreon and Gold Membership MTM Travel podcast Miles to Memories website Bank bonus results - https://milestomemories.com/bank-account-bonus-results/ 2.5X Chase Edit - https://milestomemories.com/new-2-5x-points-boost-at-select-the-edit-hotels/ Annual fee refund rules - https://milestomemories.com/credit-card-issuer-annual-fee-rules/ Hilton Amex offer - https://milestomemories.com/amex-offers-for-bonus-hilton-points/ Alaska cards - https://news.alaskaair.com/company/alaska-air-group-and-bank-of-america-expand-partnership/ AA giveaway - https://aa100sweeps.com/ Episode Guide 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 4:10 - Mark's $6,000 in bank bonuses 10:00 - American Airlines 100,000-mile sweepstakes 13:06 - Alaska keeps Hawaiian and shifts cards to Bank of America 17:01 - Targeted Hilton Amex offer math 19:37 - Annual fee refund rules by bank 21:53 - Chase Edit Hotels at 2.5 cents per point 26:15 - Best bank bonus ever? Let us know Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Get $200 back after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Higher award fees, less lounge access, and one pretty wild new way to sleep on a plane. In this episode of MTM Travel, Shawn and Mark talk through Air New Zealand's new SkyNest bunk beds, Virgin Atlantic's uglier award surcharges, American cutting more basic economy benefits, Spirit's possible liquidation, and United tightening access to Polaris lounges. What we cover: Shawn's Minneapolis meetup recap and Hyatt Centric stay The Fairmont Bermuda / Accor points reimbursement follow-up Air New Zealand's SkyNest bunk beds and whether they beat business class for sleep Virgin Atlantic's higher award fees and why the value keeps slipping American removing more elite perks from basic economy Spirit's possible liquidation and what it could mean for fares United restricting Polaris lounge access for many Star Alliance partners Links: Free newsletter Track your travel credit cards for free with Travel Freely Miles to Memories Facebook group Diamond Patreon and Gold Membership MTM Travel podcast Miles to Memories website Fairmont follow up - https://milestomemories.com/fairmont-hamilton-princess-billing-error/ Skynest - https://milestomemories.com/air-new-zealand-skynest-economy-beds/ Virgin hikes - https://milestomemories.com/virgin-atlantic-just-hiked-award-fees-again/ AA basic economy changes - https://milestomemories.com/american-removes-elite-benefits-in-basic-economy/ United Polaris access changes - https://milestomemories.com/united-restricts-polaris-lounge-access-for-star-alliance-partners/ Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 4:54 Fairmont Bermuda and the Accor points refund mess 8:47 Air New Zealand's SkyNest bunk beds 13:30 Virgin Atlantic award fees jump again 16:59 Using Virgin points for AMC popcorn and drinks 18:46 American removes more basic economy elite perks 20:04 Spirit may liquidate and fares could get worse 23:04 United restricts Polaris lounge access for partner flyers What do you think about Air New Zealand's bunk-bed idea? Would you pay extra for four hours of real sleep, or would you still rather have a traditional business class seat? Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Get $200 back after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Chase Pay Yourself Back hasn't gotten better, but the transfer options around it may have gotten worse, which suddenly makes it worth a fresh look. In this episode, Shawn and Mark also break down Wells Fargo's new Wyndham transfer partner, Mark's $8,120 annual fee strategy, Bilt Cash redemption issues, and JetBlue's refreshed premium card. In This Episode: Why Chase Pay Yourself Back may now compete with transfer partners How Wells Fargo's new 2:1 Wyndham transfer can create outsized value Why Mark still pays more than $8,000 a year in annual fees Bilt Cash Walgreens gift card problems and a possible workaround Whether JetBlue's premium card refresh finally makes the card compelling Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:52 Why Chase Pay Yourself Back matters again 6:41 Wells Fargo adds Wyndham at 2:1 10:16 Melio $200 cashback offer 11:15 Why Mark pays $8,120 in annual fees 19:23 Built Cash Walgreens redemption issues 22:01 JetBlue premium card refresh Links: Track your travel credit cards for free Patreon (bonus shows + Slack community) Newsletter Free Facebook group Watch on YouTube Apple Podcasts milestomemories.com Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

This week on MTM Travel, Shawn and Mark get into one of the most annoying travel debates imaginable: phone calls on airplanes. They also dig into American Airlines' bus route oddities, what hotel loyalty liabilities really mean, and whether a United-American merger would solve anything or just make the mess bigger. In This Episode: Why phone calls on planes feel like a terrible idea The strange case of American Airlines bus routes A quick detour into the Spruce $100 offer and Condor trip planning Why hotel loyalty programs are carrying giant IOUs Whether a United-American merger is smart or a complete circus Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:17 Phone calls on airplanes and why this could get ugly 4:14 American Airlines' bus route confusion 6:30 Spruce $100 offer ending April 15 7:29 Shawn's Condor booking and Europe trip planning 12:15 Hotel loyalty programs and their giant IOUs 15:29 Why hotel loyalty is now the real hotel business 17:18 The United-American merger idea 20:24 Why JetBlue or Alaska makes more sense Links: Track your travel credit cards for free Patreon (bonus shows + Slack community) Newsletter Free Facebook group (16K members) Watch on YouTube Apple Podcasts milestomemories.com Hotel IOU - https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/7-billion-loyalty-iou-marriott-130000589.html United-American - https://onemileatatime.com/news/united-ceo-scott-kirby-merger-american/ BA calls - https://onemileatatime.com/news/british-airways-video-voice-calls-starlink-wi-fi/ AA bus - https://www.fox13news.com/news/american-airlines-customers-say-flights-turned-bus-trips-without-warning Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Amex had a busy week, and not in a calm way. The new referral rules are actually better for a lot of people, the Delta incidental-credit workaround looks shakier by the day, and there are a couple easy cash offers worth grabbing if you move fast. Shawn and Mark also dig into the rumor that Amex may be loosening its five-card limit, which would be a bigger shift than it sounds. In This Episode: Quick Bermuda follow-up and why the island still feels overlooked Amex referral changes, reset rules, and why many people come out ahead Delta Amex incidental credit loopholes possibly shutting down Spruce $100 signup bonus and how the referral stacking works Melio $200 business-payment offer and where it can make sense Rumor that Amex may be moving beyond the hard five-card credit-card limit Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:20 Bermuda Follow-Up and Why It Still Matters 3:17 Amex Referral Rules Reset 6:57 Delta Amex Incidental Credit Loopholes 12:17 Spruce $100 Signup Bonus 14:54 Melio $200 Business Offer 19:28 Amex 5 Card Limit Rumor 24:37 Wrap-Up and Viewer Questions Key Links: Amex refer - https://milestomemories.com/amex-refer-a-friend-limits/ Delta credit - https://milestomemories.com/delayed-amex-airline-incidental-credits/ Spruce Money - https://milestomemories.com/spruce-money-offering-100-signup-bonus/ Melio explained - https://milestomemories.com/200-melio-new-member-offer/ Amex 5 rule - https://dannydealguru.com/american-express-5-card-limit/ 📧 Free newsletter: Subscribe ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free: Travel Freely 💳 Join our free Facebook group: Facebook group 🏆 Patreon: patreon.com/milestomemories 🎧 Podcast: MTM Travel podcast 📖 Website: milestomemories.com Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Get $200 back after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Mark's spring break Bermuda trip had it all: JFK security chaos at 4am, a flight that had to turn around twice in high winds before making it to the island, a $850-a-night Fairmont room that looked like it hadn't been touched since the '70s, and then — finally — the Rosewood Bermuda, which might be one of the best hotels either of them has ever stayed at. Full trip debrief with honest hotel reviews, flight booking strategy, and a seriously useful FHR credit tip. What we cover: Spirit Airlines boarding group 2 bag theory — are they skipping the size check? Hyatt Regency Resorts World JFK as a free night cert stopover JFK security chaos at 4am — ICE agents running lanes, only 3 lanes for thousands of people Flight to nowhere: two go-arounds in high winds, back to JFK for 9 hours Fairmont Hamilton Princess: $850/night, room looks like 1978, sawdust falling from the bed posts Royal Naval Dockyards — Frog and Onion, ferry tips, what to do for a day Rosewood Bermuda: top 3 hotel ever, beach club, pink sand, Crystal Caves, complimentary gin tasting FHR tip: two rooms in different names = double $100 credits + double free breakfasts New Fairmont at Horseshoe Bay — $400M renovation, Accor points, watch this one Flight home: DCA lounge agent rebooking saves the family from an overnight stranding Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:22 - Mark's Bermuda trip intro and Spirit Airlines boarding theory 1:08 - Hyatt Regency Resorts World JFK overnight 4:31 - JFK security chaos at 4am 8:56 - Flight to nowhere — two go-arounds, back to JFK 16:04 - Fairmont Hamilton Princess check-in and room review 19:38 - Royal Naval Dockyards and Frog and Onion 20:22 - Rosewood Bermuda — arrival and rooms 23:06 - Beach club, Crystal Caves, Horseshoe Bay 30:22 - FHR tips: two rooms, double credits, double breakfast 32:33 - Flight home and DCA lounge rebooking ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

Go to https://surfshark.com/mtm or use code MTM at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Description In this episode, Shawn and Mark break down a string of Amex Platinum changes — Saks credit going away, Centurion Lounge guest access tightening, Uber VIP disappearing — plus an honest look at the Citi Strata Premier revamp survey and the best offer ever on a no-fee Amex card. Mark is also freshly back from Bermuda and gives a teaser on what happened before the full recap next week. What we cover: Saks Fifth Avenue Amex Platinum credit ending July 1st and what might replace it Amex Business Platinum ChatGPT $300 credit — and whether it's actually useful Centurion Lounge same-flight guest rule starting July 8th Uber VIP ending May 7th and the broader Lyft vs Uber rideshare debate Citi Strata Premier revamp survey — two versions, which is better, and what they shouldn't touch Uber acquiring Black Lane and what it means for Citi credits Blue Business Plus 75K offer with no lifetime language — best ever Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:22 - Mark's Bermuda trip preview and Saks credit ending 5:11 - Amex Business Platinum ChatGPT credit 7:58 - Centurion Lounge same-flight guest rule change 11:19 - Uber VIP going away and the Lyft vs Uber debate 15:10 - Citi Strata Premier revamp survey — what to keep and what not to touch 19:56 - Uber buying Black Lane and Citi credit implications 23:15 - Blue Business Plus 75K — best ever offer with no lifetime language ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

Hyatt may be ending free parking and resort fee waivers for Globalists — and there's a new elite tier above Globalist potentially on the way. Meanwhile, Citi is cutting the ThankYou to Choice Hotels transfer rate by 25% on April 19th. And Mark is trying to figure out if he's even making it to Bermuda with JFK TSA chaos threatening the whole spring break trip. What we cover: Hyatt survey: new elite tier above Globalist — plus possible end to free parking and resort fee waivers Is Hyatt becoming the next Marriott? Shawn weighs in Citi ThankYou to Choice Hotels: 25% devaluation hitting April 19 Bilt Red Day (April 1): Wyndham added as transfer partner with a 100–125% bonus Wyndham program: all-inclusives, Choice Hotels overlap and real value Wells Fargo Autograph still transfers 1:2 to Choice Points currency rankings: Bilt #1, Chase falling to #4 Mark's Bermuda spring break and the stress of TSA chaos at JFK Updated: complete guide to credit card application rules by bank Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:20 - Mark's Bermuda Spring Break + TSA Chaos at JFK 5:42 - Hyatt Survey: New Elite Tier Above Globalist? 7:00 - Could Hyatt End Free Parking & Resort Fee Waivers? 12:17 - Bilt Rent Day: Wyndham Added as Transfer Partner 15:07 - Wyndham, Choice Hotels & Citi ThankYou 25% Devaluation 18:54 - Wells Fargo Autograph & Points Currency Rankings 22:37 - Complete Credit Card Application Rules Guide ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free with Travel Freely 💋 Free newsletter 👥 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏅 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

The TSA funding crisis has airports in chaos — agents are working without pay, some airports have massive lines, and others are totally fine. Mark recaps his multi-country Europe trip: Turkish Airlines business class to Istanbul for 70K miles, a last-minute pivot to Warsaw, Ryanair's bus-terminal airport, honest reviews of the Hyatt Centric Dublin and Aer Lingus narrow-body business class, and whether St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is actually worth the trip. In This Episode: TSA funding crisis — agents unpaid, long lines, privatization debate Turkish Airlines business class Detroit to Istanbul (70K miles, A350, on-board chef) Istanbul Airport transit and Priority Pass lounges Warsaw on a budget — Sheraton via Bilt $200 credit, Old Town, Chopin benches Ryanair Warsaw to Dublin — the bus-terminal experience Hyatt Centric Dublin review — skip it, book the DoubleTree Morrison St. Patrick's Day in Dublin vs Carnival vs Mardi Gras Aer Lingus A321neo business class for 57,500 AA miles — throne seat or bust Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:21 - TSA funding crisis and the privatization debate 8:10 - Turkish Airlines business class to Istanbul for 70K miles - They broke my tooth! 13:22 - Istanbul Airport and Priority Pass lounges 15:38 - Warsaw on a budget — Sheraton via Bilt, Old Town, nightlife  19:44 - Ryanair's bus-terminal airport to Dublin 22:25 - Dublin hotels — Hyatt Centric vs DoubleTree Morrison 24:26 - St. Patrick's Day in Dublin — the honest verdict 28:30 - Aer Lingus A321neo business class for 57,500 AA miles - Is it comfy? ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free — Travel Freely 🏆 Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Free Facebook group (16K+ members) ▶️ Watch on YouTube 🎧 Apple Podcasts 🌐 milestomemories.com Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Capital One's switch to the Discover payment network is getting cards declined at ATMs and payment terminals overseas — Mark found out the hard way in Poland and Dublin. Chase made things worse by quietly killing fraud alerts for international charges, leaving one of Mark's travel buddies $1,000 in the hole at a bar in Poland with zero notification. Plus: a leaked Amex card nobody asked for, Yotel joining Hilton's portfolio, and why tap-to-pay overseas might actually work against you in a dispute. What we cover: Capital One Dulles lounge: hot, cramped, and the worst they've visited Amex Graphite Business Cash Unlimited: $250 fee for a 2% card nobody needed Capital One's Discover network switch: why cards are failing overseas Mark's Capital One debit declined in Poland and Dublin — what happened Best international debit cards in 2026: Charles Schwab, SoFi, Fidelity Is Venture X still worth taking overseas? Yotel joins Hilton as "Select by Hilton" — bookable with points by year end Chase ends fraud alerts for international and non-physical charges Mark's buddy loses $1,000+ at a bar in Poland — no fraud alert sent Apple Pay overseas: biometric authorization makes disputes harder Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:43 - Capital One Dulles lounge: the worst they've visited 2:23 - Amex Graphite Business Cash Unlimited: $250 for a 2% card? 7:17 - Capital One's Discover network switch explained 8:00 - Mark's Capital One debit declined in Poland and Dublin 8:20 - Best international debit cards: Schwab, SoFi, Fidelity 14:50 - Is Venture X still worth taking overseas? 15:42 - Yotel joins Hilton as "Select by Hilton" 19:33 - Chase ends international fraud alerts 20:50 - Mark's buddy loses $1,000+ at a bar in Poland — no fraud alert 23:27 - Apple Pay overseas: why disputes are harder to win 28:22 - Wrap + subscribe 📧 Free newsletter ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Hyatt just dropped five new pricing tiers on their award chart — and it's got Shawn and Mark rethinking their entire hotel strategy. Plus: Mark had to scrap his Istanbul trip, rebook his whole Europe itinerary using Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles, and Bilt credits, and lived to tell the tale. And yes — the LifeMiles call center almost broke him. **What we cover:** - Hyatt's award chart devaluation: five new tiers and what it actually means for redemptions - Why Hyatt's value proposition was always about consistency and Chase earning (not footprint) - Mark's current hotel rankings: Hilton free night certs, IHG's underrated card refresh, and Accor's flexible points - Choice Hotels and why Benjy's going to be thrilled - The Hilton Surpass card: still the best mid-tier hotel card and why - Hyatt free night certs — are they actually worth more now post-devaluation? - Why Mark abandoned Istanbul and pivoted to Warsaw two weeks before the trip - Rebuilding the whole itinerary: 70K Aeroplan on Turkish, 8K United miles Istanbul-Warsaw, 25K Delta SkyMiles on Air France business, and Bilt credits for the Sheraton - Turkish Airlines IT nightmare: can't check in, ticket number mismatch, and the LifeMiles call center hangup saga - RyanAir reality check: what Americans need to know about weight limits and bag rules - The case for travel flexibility and why points make last-minute pivots actually possible 📧 Free newsletter: https://milestomemories.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=39c6737d725a04fea73324680&id=1e73edd8c8 ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free: https://milestomemories.boardingarea.com/go/travel-freely-eop/ 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1164408426942519 🏆 Diamond Patreon (bonus shows + Slack community): https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo): https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories 🎧 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/is/podcast/mtm-travel-the-fun-side-of-points-travel/id1476287601 📖 Miles to Memories website: http://milestomemories.com 👍 Help us reach 10,000 subscribers — subscribe if you haven't already! Are you sticking with Hyatt after the devaluation, or have you already moved on? Let us know what hotel program is your go-to right now! #MilesToMemories #MilesAndPoints #CreditCards #Hyatt #HotelPoints #TravelHacking Episode Description: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:22 - Shawn's MGM Grand stay via Chase Edit 1:54 - Hyatt devaluation breakdown 3:06 - What Hyatt got right (and wrong) — Mark's take 3:51 - Mark's hotel program rankings today 4:44 - Hilton free night certs vs. Marriott vs. Hyatt 5:08 - Breaking down hotel point values the right way 5:52 - Hilton credit card strategy + IHG's underrated refresh 7:49 - Accor: the most flexible points redemption nobody talks about 8:36 - IHG value vs. Hilton, Wyndham, and Choice Hotels 9:02 - Why Choice is underrated (Benjy was right) 9:24 - Elite status: who does it best and worst 10:27 - The Radisson/Club Carlson BOGO nostalgia lesson 10:49 - Hyatt guest of honor and the 60-night question 11:22 - Hilton Surpass: best mid-tier card and why 11:51 - Hyatt free night certs — still worth it? 12:14 - Don't sleep on Wyndham or Choice via Citi ThankYou points 12:53 - Hilton Las Vegas credits — Shawn finally got the memo 13:54 - Mark's Istanbul pivot: why he bailed on the original plan 14:33 - Turkish Airlines IT nightmare: can't check in, ticket number chaos 16:50 - LifeMiles call center: the hangup heard 'round the world 19:26 - The full rebooked itinerary: Warsaw, RyanAir, Air France business, Bilt Sheraton 23:10 - Rebuilding home leg: Aer Lingus business + LifeMiles to Detroit 24:35 - The real lesson: points make travel flexibility possible 25:25 - What are you doing with Hyatt? Let us know Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Thrifty Traveler Premium (affiliate — supports the show): https://milestomemories.com/go/thrifty-traveler/ Episode Description Elon Musk wants your money in the X app — and he's offering 6% APY plus 3% cash back on debit to get it. Meanwhile Bilt is having a rough week: mortgage payment failures, a hidden foreign transaction fee on their "no fee" Palladium card, and a PR mess that Forbes and the Wall Street Journal are now covering. Plus Robinhood Platinum advertises $3,000 in credits that most people will never fully use, and Marriott finally did something nice — raising the certificate top-off cap from 15K to 25K points. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:26 Intro 0:40 Thrifty Traveler Premium 2:18 Robinhood Platinum breakdown 6:28 X Money debit card 10:31 Bilt 2.0 mortgage issues 12:56 Bilt Palladium hidden foreign fee 15:25 Marriott certificate top-off 17:27 Hyatt vs Marriott + hotel program strategy 19:35 Loyalty program illusions 22:14 Amazon pay with points promo Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  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!

Thrifty Traveler Premium (affiliate — supports the show): https://milestomemories.com/go/thrifty-traveler/ Episode Description US hotels are sitting at 62% occupancy and the internet is treating it like a crisis — but Shawn dug into a decade of data and found out who's actually causing the problem. Take Las Vegas out of the numbers and every other hotel in America made more money last year. Plus, Thrifty Traveler is raising prices Saturday (lock in $79 before it jumps to $129), the viral Disney vs. Europe cost debate is back and it's mostly dishonest, and Southwest's status match just got updated with new requirements worth knowing. 0:00 - Show Open 0:25 - Hyatt Centric Long Beach 2:25 - The $94 Hotel Breakfast 5:26 - Thrifty Traveler Premium — Lock In Before Saturday 9:13 - US Hotel Occupancy at 62% — Is It Actually Bad? 11:07 - Vegas vs. The Rest of America (RevPAR Breakdown) 14:29 - Disney vs. Europe — The Viral Cost Debate 15:44 - Tokyo Disneyland at $63 vs. Walt Disney World at $200+ 20:23 - Southwest Status Match — How It Works Now 22:56 - Southwest Becoming the New Spirit? 26:10 - Wrap Up Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  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!

Episode Description On this week's MTM Travel Thursday show, Shawn and Mark cover three big topics: the restaurant credit programs worth your time right now (Resy, InKind, Hilton's local bar trick), all seven active transfer bonuses including Rove's 50% Japan Airlines launch deal, and a full walkthrough of Mark's recent credit card application haul — $4K cash, 230K miles, and 112K Built points, offset by $2,169 in annual fees. The Spirit Airlines miles subplot also gets resolved. Great episode for anyone thinking about credit card strategy heading into spring. 0:00 - Intro 0:20 - Resy Credits & Detroit Dining 3:31 - Hilton Credits: The Local Bar Hack 10:59 - Active Transfer Bonuses 13:47 - Rove Miles & Japan Airlines 19:08 - Sticking to Programs You Know 20:31 - Mark's Credit Card Application Results 24:36 - Spirit Card Update 25:07 - Mark Writing Again at MTM Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  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!

Episode Description The world changed fast — and travelers are feeling it. Shawn and Mark break down what's happening in the Middle East, why Dubai went from "safe luxury playground" to diverted flights overnight, and what experienced points travelers should know about navigating global instability. Plus: anti-American sentiment abroad is real, and Shawn shares what it was actually like traveling during the other contentious periods.   Then — Atlantis vs. Comfort Suites Nassau, Bermuda, Hawaii, and why you should SERIOUSLY consider booking dream trips now before they get ridiculously expensive. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:40 Traveling in the current world - Is it safe? 3:40 Travelers are susceptible to instability 6:46 What is the future of Middle East tourism 10:09 Being prepared for anti-American attitudes while traveling 16:53 Reconsidering travel plans, staying safe & opening our minds 19:21 Are "dream" vacations getting out of reach even with points? 22:24 Atlantis points hack, debating Bahamas & Atlantis recovered? 28:00 Bermuda vs Bahamas come on pretty mama Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  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!