MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Episode Description On this episode Shawn and Joe discuss the headaches that can be associated with booking awards. Joe's recent booking included misinformation, strange phone numbers hangups and a lot of patience. Was it worth it? Other topics discussed include: the true value of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Hyatt's tricky new Bonus Journeys promotion and Alaska's sudden devaluation that adds to a list of recent painful announcements. Episode Notes 1:24 - Shawn's upcoming Virgin cruise 7:27 - Revenge travel and prices 11:44 - Booking headaches for Australia 27:17 - Another Japan devaluation? 34:15 - Chase Sapphire Reserve value 38:20 - Hyatt bonus journeys 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description In this episode Shawn & Joe discuss the recent death of a few award sweet spots. Is the rise of virality on social media platforms like Tik Tok causing deals to die sooner and does this mean casual travelers really shouldn't invest time and energy into learning the miles & points hobby? In other news Amazon has brought back their popular Amex Membership Rewards Pay with Points deal. You can save up to 50% off if you are targeted and this works on gift cards. Chase also is releasing a massive welcome offer on the Sapphire Preferred that should get people looking at this card and the Ultimate Rewards program if they aren't already. Episode Notes 3:41 - Nostalgia travel 9:46 - Award sweet spots ending and thoughts on the state of the miles and points "hobby" Chris tweet Spencer tweet 20:59 - Big Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus 30:08 - Amazon + Membership Rewards deal is back 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description On this episode Shawn discusses his return to the Waldorf Cabo and why he isn't in Japan instead. Miles and points present the ultimate in flexibility and thankfully they came in handy here. How is the Waldorf Cabo on a second visit? In other news Shawn and Joe discuss the big Hyatt changes and how they are just plain ugly. Plus what is the first thing you do in a hotel room, why you might want the apply for the Chase Ink 90K offers before they disappear soon and how Southwest is trying out new tweaks to their boarding process. Will it help? Episode Notes 0:10 - Why's Shawn in Cabo? 7:07 - Chase Ink bonuses ending 10:30 - Southwest boarding changes 13:57 - Massive Hyatt devaluation 24:26 - You do what when you enter a hotel room? 29:36 - Hyatt Regency Miami impressions 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description On this episode Joe returns from his trip to talk about Disney Cruise line concierge level, the costs and whether it's worth booking over standard rooms. Is it possible to score an upgrade for cheaper than the full cost? Shawn and Joe also talk Genting Highlands, the Alila Kuala Lumpur, pains with Chase Travel, award alerts and what exactly the Amex Business Platinum is worth. Episode Notes 2:28 - Shawn Reece round the world trip updates 7:40 - Award alerts and using Spencer's newsletters to snag great seats 11:35 - A low category luxury Alila property bookable on points? 17:09 - Avoid booking experiences via Chase portal 19:38 - How much are the AMEX Business Platinum benefits worth? 33:52 - Joe's epic Disney trip 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description In this episode Shawn talks with Amy & Tim Rutherford from GoWithLess. Amy & Tim are nomads who retired early and now spend their days traveling full time. They have started an amazing community of travel hackers and nomads and meet up with people all over the world. This episode touches on a lot including the challenges of living on the road, the ultimate travel hack, earning miles & points while moving and how you may want to reign in your spending now so that you can have all of the freedom you want later. Their story is an inspiring one and I hope you enjoy! GoWithLess YouTube GoWithLess Facebook Group Trusted Housesitters Referral Episode Notes 3:49 How Tim & Amy retired in their late 40s and became nomads. 7:58 Bougie for cheap in Bali 10:29 The challenges of a nomadic lifestyle 19:40 Building a community of travelers 27:27 Housesitting & why it can be an amazing way to travel 35:36 Earning miles & points while on the road 40:18 Earn & burn or save & spend slow 43:08 Best advice for people looking at the Nomadic lifestyle and/or FIRE. 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description In this episode Shawn and long time MtM contributor PDX Deals Guy discuss the earning side of the miles & points hobby and how people are juicing up there earnings via reselling of various types. Gift card, merchandise and ticket reselling can lead to great returns, but there are potential headaches along the way. Buyers Clubs can also be a good way to earn points, but what are some of the pitfalls you will run into? If you're ready to take your earning to the next level then you don't want to miss this episode! Episode Notes 1:57 - The man, the myth, the legend: PDX Deals Guy 7:17 - Avoiding the time suck in the hobby and reselling 10:41 - Ticket reselling 21:20 - Gift card reselling 30:30 - Merchandise reselling 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description On this episode Shawn and Joe discuss the new Southwest card welcome offers that include a year+ of the Companion Pass. They also discuss new airline mileage portal bonuses, Shawn's interesting run in with Uber at the airport, a new rewarding perk of Delta cards and an update on Joe's controversial booking. Episode Notes 0:30 - Updating Joe's Delta redemption plus thoughts on award bookings now that airlines have given us added flexibility 16:38 - Uber almost gets Shawn paying double 20:38 - New Southwest Companion Pass offer 25:12 - New shopping portal bonuses 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description On this episode Shawn and Joe discuss how we redeem points and why it doesn't always mesh with what others would do. Redemption shaming can be a problem in the hobby, but how can we all do better? We also discuss miles & points for budget travel and how they can be incredible to get more travel when not focusing on premium redemptions, IHG's best ever 175K welcome offer and how MSC stacks up to other cruise lines. Are they as bad as their reputation? Genie+ guide on Trips with Tykes Episode Notes 2:25 - Joe "wastes" a bunch of Skymiles (also: new 15% off for Skymiles credit card owners) 15:48 - Shawn's son backpacking through Asia 24:07 - Starting your 18 year old in miles and points 27:05 - MSC cruise review 35:04 - Shawn at Disney 47:16 - IHG 175,000 point bonus 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description On this episode MtM Contributor and miles and points phenom John Ryan joins Shawn to discuss some of the challenges of being so young in the miles & points hobby and how he learned to travel for "free" at such a young age. Learn his favorite award sweet spots, how the phone can be an incredible tool and some of the cool places the hobby has taken him. Follow John @vegasteenager on Twitter! Episode Notes 3:22 - How John became the family's travel planner 14:22 - Favorite hotel loyalty programs 16:29 - Favorite airlines and frequent flyer programs 22:51 - The benefits of traveling young 27:48 - Earning points as a teenager 28:58 - Trip searching tips and tools 31:28 - Using social media effectively 38:04 - Favorite hotel and destination 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, Sticher, 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

Episode Description On today's episode of Miles to Memories Shawn and Joe chat about their early spending plans for the year and new credit cards they're working on. They also discuss Hyatt's botched IT on their latest promo, a new Hilton brand and a short theme park update. Plus, unlimited pay yourself back on Aeroplan? Episode Notes 1:48 - Quick theme park updates 12:04 - Hilton Spark 16:25 - Hyatt IT biffs their latest targeted promo 24:20 - Aeroplan unlimited(?) pay yourself back 28:52 - Kicking off 2023 in credit card spending 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, Sticher, 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