MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

The fun side of miles, points and travel! Hosted by Shawn Coomer and Mark Ostermann, MTM Travel dives into the points hobby & the lifestyle of travel with topical conversations and plenty of laughs along the way. Mark & Shawn have a combined 18 years of experience covering these topics on Miles to Memories and Travel on Points and are cohosts of the popular MtM Vegas Youtube Show on the Miles to Memories Vegas channel. They also host the 20 Minute Travel news show on this same feed where you can keep up with the latest deals, news and happenings.

Cap One's Giant 400K Bonus, Misleading Travel Ads, MGM Goes Iconic & Insane Food Presentations! 04/23/2025

Last Minute "Free" Trip to Europe, Economy vs. Business, Having 6 Hilton Cards & An Epic Detour 04/21/2025

Last Minute "Free" Trip to Europe, Economy vs. Business, Having 6 Hilton Cards & An Epic Detour 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 and Mark discuss last minute plans including Shawn's "free" cruise and his upcoming trip to Europe. Economy vs. business, flying into other airports, repositioning and calculating fuel surcharges are all factors, but what is the best option? We also discuss why you may want tons of Hilton credit cards and the headache they bring, Shawn's upcoming visit to Epic Universe, picking Orlando hotels and why Frontier status continues to pay off. Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/36252340

250K Bonus + Kicker, Hilton's Best U.S. Redemption, Safety of Helicopters & "Free" Money from Wells! 04/16/2025

AA Does Good, Madness of Apps, Chinese Social Media Response & Universal's Epic Expansion! 04/14/2025

AA Does Good, Madness of Apps, Chinese Social Media Response & Universal's Epic Expansion! 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 and Mark follow up on Mark's AA status match "battle" including a great resolution and some tips if you are in the same position. They also discuss the prevalence of service apps and how they just aren't working out, Universal's crazy expansions including their brand new Epic Universe theme park and Universal Studios Great Britain plus how Chinese manufacturers are taking to social media to fight back in a unique way. Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/36134110

Big Amex Downgrades, Airline Status Matches Galore, Chase's HUGE Deal & Travel Treasure Hunting! 04/09/2025

Big Amex Downgrades, Airline Status Matches Galore, Chase's HUGE Deal & Travel Treasure Hunting! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week we learned of some expected changes coming to the American Express Business Platinum card. With the addition of Hilton credits last year, we have now seen a downgrade to other popular benefits including the Dell credit. Is it worth getting and keeping after all of this? In other news Chase has released an increased value offer for some cardholders using Chase Travel. This is good and you'll want to see if you are targeted. We also discuss: matching welcome offers, Citi's product change downgrades, essential travel items, 5% categories and how to get a $13K prize with a travel treasure hunt. Episode Guide 0:00 Travel hacker’s lounge time 0:50 Essential traveler items 3:23 Mark’s essential items for flights 5:10 Status matches galore to steal Southwest flyers 6:35 Amex Business Platinum 120K upgrade offer 7:27 Citi backtracks on generous product change rules 9:47 Amex Business Platinum downgrades 12:34 Why the Business Platinum probably isn’t worth it anymore 13:48 2nd Quarter 5X bonus categories 15:29 Chase Travel portal incredible redemption rates 17:35 Chase is matching some increased offers if you applied recently 19:13 Cool S - Xavier Marx travel treasure hunt with a real cash prize Links Lounge drinking - Essential items - Status matches - Biz Plat upgrade - Citi product change rules - Negative biz plat changes - 5% categories - Chase redemption deal - Xavier Marx - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/36072110

Battling with AA, Easy $200 Offer + Mark & Shawn Do Vegas! 04/07/2025

Hyatt's Casino Bonanza, United's New Hotness, Chase Sapphire 100K Online & More Bad Southwest News! 04/02/2025

Hyatt's Casino Bonanza, United's New Hotness, Chase Sapphire 100K Online & More Bad Southwest News! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Chase & United launched all new revamped credit cards top to bottom. In addition to increased welcome offers they raised the prices on their annual fees and added a bunch of other perks. Should you pick up one of the new Chase United cards and which offer is best? Plus how should you deal with the new "coupons" they offer. In other news Southwest's new pricing is coming online and the news isn't good. With fare buckets and lower overall values it isn't the best move but there are some sweet spots you should know about. Other topics discussed include: crazy $89 NYC hotel room, the longest walking airports, Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K online, Hyatt's new casino promo, why high annual fees aren't all bad and how you can drive on part of the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix circuit. Episode Guide 0:00 Swanky NYC $89 hotel room 0:50 The longest and shortest walking airports 3:03 Diving into Southwest’s new award pricing - New fare buckets? 4:40 What is the value of Rapid Rewards now & best award redemptions? 7:14 United and Chase’s huge relaunch - New cards, bonuses and coupons! 9:53 Which new United card offer is the best to pickup? 11:44 Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K going online soon? 13:21 Hilton gift card mess continues & “hack” to cash them out 15:15 Hyatt’s new casino promo - Earn bonus points on every night 17:11 $10K in credit card annual fees & why that might not be a bad thing 20:57 Cool S - LV Grand Prix Plaza - Drive on the F1 course Links NYC hotel - Long/short airport walks - Southwest pricing - CSP online - https://www.reddit.com/r/ChaseSapphire/comments/1jm6spa/100k_sub_will_be_online_43_per_chase_customer/ $10K annual fees - Vegas Grand Prix go karts - Hyatt casino 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35979250

Baha Mar Paradise or Overpriced - Staying for "Free" in Nassau, Water Park, Room Review & More! 03/31/2025

Crazy Spring Break Audible, Last Minute DFW Flights, Hotels & Activities + Getting Chase Aeroplan 03/24/2025

Crazy Spring Break Audible, Last Minute DFW Flights, Hotels & Activities + Getting Chase Aeroplan Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn is joined by Joe Cheung to discuss his recent application for the Aeroplan card and how Joe is planning on taking his family to the European Christmas markets. The bulk of the show focuses on Shawn's Spring Break trip which included a same day audible from a road trip to a Dallas Fort Worth adventure. We discuss all of the bookings for the trip, how Shawn pulled it off on the same day, what the new Capital One lounge in Vegas looks like, things to do with kids in DFW and why traveling like this can be so much fun. Plus the BBQ. Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35843280

Hyatt Elite Carveouts, US Bank's 4% Mistake, Hotel Ice Hack, Up to 185K Bonvoy & Debit Rewards Cards 03/19/2025

Hyatt's Chicago Problem, Destroying Southwest's Brand, Reevaluating Lounge Certs & Bahamas Preview! 03/17/2025

Hyatt's Chicago Problem, Destroying Southwest's Brand, Reevaluating Lounge Certs & Bahamas Preview! Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark dive into some of the changes Southwest announced after our previous show. It's far worse than anyone imagined including cuts in benefits, no free bags, basic economy and more. Are they destroying the brand or will it grow from this bigger and better than ever? We also discuss Mark's upcoming trip to Baha Mar and what options are left for points on the island. Other topics discussed include: Hyatt's Chicago hotel problem, why 2025 is the time to reevaluate some perks and why you should probably just fly the cheapest/most convenient airline for you. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 1:50 The Alaska/Hawaii card rush and why Alaska miles can be good for American flights 5:47 Southwest gets even worse - No free bags, basic economy and more 12:25 How Southwest is using everyone else’s playbook 18:55 The status hamster wheel & reevaluating loyalty in today’s corporate world 24:25 Hyatt’s big Chicago problem & increasing travel costs 32:25 Reevaluating Hyatt perks in 2025 with all of the changes 36:45 Nassau points options & previewing Mark’s trip Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35734810

Southwest's Devaluation & Betrayal, Nintendo Livery, Mileage Broker Warning & Cap One Fine Dining? 03/11/2025

Southwest Airlines Huge Devaluation, Ending Daylight Savings & Universal's Epic Year 03/10/2025

Southwest Airlines Huge Devaluation, Ending Daylight Savings & Universal's Epic Year Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up, but membership will be closing soon. More info here: Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark are joined by Joe Cheung to discuss the recent Southwest Airlines devaluation that was a shock to everyone. What has Southwest changed and what does it mean for loyal Southwest fliers? Is this the death of uniqueness in corporate America and will Southwest be worth flying after these changes? We also discuss Daylight Saving Time and its effect on everyone as we debate eliminating it. Finally we finish with a preview of Epic Universe in Orlando, why you might want to visit and why Universal is making big moves at a time when Disney is cutting back. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 2:34 Daylight Saving debate & urban myths 8:05 Southwest’s massive no-notice devaluation 18:37 Is Wall Street killing unique brands like Southwest? 27:30 Epic Universe is coming - Will Universal finally beat Disney? 31:40 Universal strategy with new park, free Express Passes & staying on property 41:17 Baymax Happy Ride Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35613080

Carnival in Rio De Janeiro! Flights, Hotels, Points Redemptions & Tips + Is It Safe? 03/07/2025

Carnival in Rio De Janeiro! Flights, Hotels, Points Redemptions & Tips + Is It Safe? Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up, but membership will be closing soon. More info here: Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Mark debriefs his recent trip to Rio for Carnival. We go over the logistics of the trip including hotel and flight redemptions to discuss where to stay and where to avoid. Plus what are the best things to do in Rio, how is it to experience Carnival, is it safe and should you put Rio on your places to visit? Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:20 Last minute changes, bad Canadian pizza & our altered schedule next week 12:56 Afraid to fly - Should we be apprehensive about flying with all of these crashes? 21:55 The buddy battle - Traveling with friends & our “advanced” techniques 25:15 Fake travel influencer happiness? 27:10 Self upgrading to First Class - A success story?! 30:45 Shutdowns galore - AA and Amex give the axe 37:15 Is all of it worth it? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35580195

Hilton Free Nights Are Back, Capital One Discover Strategy, AA's Free WiFi & Credit Card "Art"? 03/05/2025

Hyatt's Brutal Award Changes, Shutdowns Galore, Best New Airport Lounge & White Lotus Holidome? 02/26/2025

Hyatt's Brutal Award Changes, Shutdowns Galore, Best New Airport Lounge & White Lotus Holidome? Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Hyatt released their annual hotel category changes and they are about as brutal as we have seen in years. While no new categories are being introduced, many of the most popular properties are increasing in price including a ton to category 8. A lot of lower category hotels are moving up as well. Is there any good news? In other news lounges were the talk this week with the Amex Centurion Charlotte having a horid health inspection and two new lounges opening in Philadelphia and Vegas. Is the new Chase Sapphire Philadelphia lounge the best in the country? We also discuss: Delta's recent crash and payment, Capital One Venture's increased offer, a new no lifetime Amex Business Gold offer, shutdowns from AA and Amex plus Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion National Park. Episode Guide 0:00 White Lotus Holidome? 1:02 Delta pays $30K/passenger for recent crash 2:33 Why you shouldn’t film an evacuation 3:07 Amex Centurion Charlotte’s terrible health inspection 5:09 Chase Sapphire Philadelphia opens - Best lounge in the US? 7:08 Capital One Lounge LAS opens - Does it measure up? 8:38 LAS lounges have come a long way! 9:27 Increased offer on Capital One Venture card 11:07 Amex Business Gold 125 “no lifetime language” offer 12:45 The week of shutdowns - Amex and AA give the axe 15:33 Amex shutdowns and avoiding FOMO 19:07 Hyatt’s brutal award category changes & strategy 22:13 Cool S - Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion National Park Links Amex Centurion Charlotte - Sapphire PHL - Capital One LAS - Amex 125K - Canyon Overlook Trail - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35443120

Shutdowns Galore, Newly Unlocked Fear of Flying, Self Upgrading to First Class & Sad Influencers! 02/24/2025

Shutdowns Galore, Newly Unlocked Fear of Flying, Self Upgrading to First Class & Sad Influencers! Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up, but membership will be closing soon. More info here: Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark discuss the recent aviation disasters and the wider conversation about the safety of air travel. Is flying more dangerous than before, are there more crashes and is the FAA being cutback. Plus what else are we considering when deciding whether to fly or not? In other news tons of people received shutdowns from American Airlines and American Express this week for separate issues. We discuss exactly what happened, what we believe caused it and what you should know when pushing things hard. Other topics discussed include: self upgrading to First Class, influencer sadness, bad Canadian pizza, dill McDonald's fries and last minute trip changes. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:20 Last minute changes, bad Canadian pizza & our altered schedule next week 12:56 Afraid to fly - Should we be apprehensive about flying with all of these crashes? 21:55 The buddy battle - Traveling with friends & our “advanced” techniques 25:15 Fake travel influencer happiness? 27:10 Self upgrading to First Class - A success story?! 30:45 Shutdowns galore - AA and Amex give the axe 37:15 Is all of it worth it? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35412580

Surviving Scammers, Rich Timeshare Deal, Delta's Increased Offers & Uber's Foreign Exchange "Trap" 02/19/2025

Surviving Scammers, Rich Timeshare Deal, Delta's Increased Offers & Uber's Foreign Exchange "Trap" Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Uber was in the news for a couple of reasons. First off, they are adding a foreign exchange fee, but you don't want to get caught in the trap. Find out how to save yourself from the fee and to ensure you are always getting the best deal. We also follow up on the Clear/Uber deal which was a mess this week after a sudden cancelation and refunds. In other news the Delta Amex cards all have increased offers right now, but which one is best. We also discuss: the prevalence of phone/email/text scammers, phone vs. big screen, United's closed customer service desks, Amex Platinum upgrades, Wyndham's solid timeshare offers and a beach in Florida you have to see! Episode Guide 0:00 The great dilemma phone or big screen for booking travel 0:52 Uber’s new foreign exchange “trap” 2:48 Do US Uber credits/gift cards work overseas now? 3:30 United’s closed customer service desks - Creating a headache 5:03 Have QR codes gone too far? 6:10 Email/text scams are getting worse than ever 8:15 Increased offers on all Delta cards - Ranking them best to worst 10:04 New Amex Platinum upgrade offers sent out 11:13 Why you need to stay up on bank credit card application rules 12:27 Clear pulls Uber deal and refunds customers 14:14 Very attractive Wyndham timeshare deals released 16:48 Cool S - Fred Howard Park Beach 18:21 Why we love Florida’s West Coast Links Uber fee - United closed desks - Delta card offers - Amex Plat upgrade - Uber/Clear - Wyndham timeshare - Cool S - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35353505

Wild Marriott Indifference, Memories & The Dividends of Travel & Previewing Rio Carnival 02/17/2025

Wild Marriott Indifference, Memories & The Dividends of Travel & Previewing Rio Carnival Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up, but membership will be closing soon. More info here: Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark discuss a recent Marriott experience a friend of theirs ran into. Sometimes indifferent service can make or break a stay and sometimes hotels just don't think of the customer's perspective when fixing issues. Something small can often feel much bigger. We also discuss the idea of travel and how memories are more of a deposit for later. How can you convey this to others and how powerful are your travel memories in the future? We also follow up on Shawn's Rivian lease issues, NYC $1 pizza and preview Mark's Rio carnival trip.. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:25 The power of travel memories & their compounding value 7:00 Resisting FOMO & the reality of travel costs 10:35 Quirks of traveling with others 14:56 Previewing Mark’s Rio Carnival trip 18:57 Staying safe while traveling & in Rio specifically 25:19 Wild Marriott story - Indifference to the max 36:17 Bad service or indifference - Which is worse? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35318355

Chase's Big Bank Error, Hyatt Expands Again, BA Rug Pull, Disappointing Lounges & Whirlyball! 02/12/2025

The Art of Complaining, Hyatt vs. Marriott, MTM Diamond Slots Open, Creepy Hotel Software & JW Marriott Las Vegas Review 02/10/2025

The Art of Complaining, Hyatt vs. Marriott, MTM Diamond Slots Open, Creepy Hotel Software & JW Marriott Las Vegas Review Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up. More info here: Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark discuss their recent weekend trips including more Hilton payment headaches for Mark and a last minute cert redemption at the JW Marriott Las Vegas for Shawn. How do these hotels measure up and is the JW Marriott in Vegas worth staying at even though it isn't on the Strip? We also dive more into the decline in front desk customer service and the art of complaining. Specifically when is it not worth pursuing a complaint and how can you maximize the system within the rules. We also discuss British Airways pulling a promo without any communication and the software hotels use to track you. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:21 Burning a last minute Marriott cert 1:35 JW Marriott Las Vegas review - One of the best Vegas resorts? 6:47 The death of front desk hospitality 8:40 The downside of Marriott vs. Hyatt and vice-versa 14:19 Mark’s Hilton payment follies continue 21:39 The art of complaining, pushing limits & enjoying your life 27:52 British Airways pulls a popular promo without communication 32:05 Taking advantage of the rules they set & hotel software quirks Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35228315

JetBlue's Weird Premium Card, United/IHG Offers, DCA Tragedy, Bank Bonus Challenge & 737 Hotel Room! 02/05/2025

JetBlue's Weird Premium Card, United/IHG Offers, DCA Tragedy, Bank Bonus Challenge & 737 Hotel Room! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week a lot of credit card news is happening as Chase is currently running increased welcome offers for the United Business and IHG personal cards. We break down the offers including which you should probably avoid. We also discuss the details of JetBlue's new premium credit card which is confusing, not very valuable and probably not for most people. In other news we go over some of the best practices to avoid credit card application mistakes including why you should avoid using a VPN. We also discuss the tragedy at DCA, a scary hotel food poisoning lawsuit, sidewalks that generate electricity and where you can stay in a 737 hotel room. Episode Guide 0:00 A 737 airplane in a hotel room! 1:04 Horrifying Dominican Republic food poisoning story 3:08 Fancy hotels vs. street food when it comes to food poisoning 4:08 DCA airplane tragedy 6:30 United’s 100K Business card offer 8:57 IHG credit cards both have increased offers 10:48 Why you should avoid VPNs when applying for credit cards 12:33 Best practices for credit card apps & mistakes to avoid 14:18 Funding a Roth IRA with bank bonuses in 2025 16:19 JetBlue’s confusing new Premier credit card 18:20 Why you probably want to pass on JetBlue’s new card 19:55 Cool S - Sidewalks that generate electricity in Japan Links 737 Hotel room - Food poisoning DR - VPNs and credit apps - Mark’s Bank bonus challenge - JetBlue premium card launch - Japan’s cool sidewalks - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35164670

Jetblue's Terrible New Card, Winning on Spirit Again + Minneapolis (Mall of America, Hyatt & More! 02/03/2025

Jetblue's Terrible New Card, Winning on Spirit Again + Minneapolis (Mall of America, Hyatt & More! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark are joined by Joe Cheung to discuss what is going on this week. They start with a discussion of the recently released JetBlue Premier card which has to be one of the most underwhelming new premium cards to come along ever. They also discuss Mark's trip to Minneapolis which included visits to the Ice Carnival and Mall of America plus why Joe is continuing to love slumming it with Spirit Airlines. Episode Guide 0:00 Trashing JetBlue’s confusing new premium credit card 5:10 The golden age of lounges & why JetBlue’s offerings are catching up 10:30 Why we continue to fly Spirit Airlines when it makes sense 14:10 A crazy airplane story - Passengers suddenly deplaning for no reason 16:47 Mark’s Minneapolis Adventure - MOA, Hyatt Regency, Ice Carnival and more 19:40 Hyatt Regency Bloomington review & Ice Carnival 25:12 Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America - Is the mall dying? 33:03 Downtown Minnesota and other takeaways 37:30 No service on short flights - A modern conspiracy? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35135785

Southwest Is A Real Airline, New Marriott Bonvoy Offers, Alaska Partner Headaches & Flying 800+ MPH! 01/29/2025

Southwest Is A Real Airline, New Marriott Bonvoy Offers, Alaska Partner Headaches & Flying 800+ MPH! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Southwest announced a huge milestone as part of their huge recent transformation. For the first time they have added an international interline partner with the addition of Iceland Air. Soon you'll be able to connect on to Iceland and Europe, but the airline isn't done yet with another partner coming soon. Are they turning into a "real" airline? In other news Alaska continues to have problems showing phantom award availability on some of their partners. This is a huge issue with points transfers, but is there anything you can do about it? We also discuss: Chinese nail houses, the quirks of Japanese trains, increased Marriott Bonvoy offers, a new Hilton timeshare deal and how to score 75K points on a very good no annual fee card. Episode Guide 0:00 China’s crazy “Nail Houses” 0:53 Southwest adds Iceland Air as interline partner 2:12 How Southwest’s new partner is a huge change to the airline’s business model 2:52 Flying over 800MPH with the jetstream 4:00 Increased welcome offers on Marriott Bonvoy credit cards 5:27 Why the Bonvoy Bold no annual fee offer is probably the best 6:08 Amex Blue Business Plus 75K no lifetime language & how to check 7:50 Why you probably shouldn’t be afraid of bank issues 1099s 9:30 Hilton’s new timeshare offers - How to score an even better deal 10:45 Why do people still buy timeshares in 2025? 12:20 Alaska’s frustrating phantom award availability 14:08 Why Alaska’s tech issues with partners are a big problem for points transfers 16:19 Cool S - Japanese trains and quirky features 18:00 Japan train tips & what you should know Links House inside highway - Southwest/Iceland Air - Jetstream flight - Blue Business Plus 75K - Thoughts on 1099s - Hilton Timeshare deal - Alaska Phantom - Japan trains - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35068010

Hawaii for "Free"! - Disney's Aulani, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Issues, North Shore, Pearl Harbor & More 01/27/2025

Hawaii for "Free"! - Disney's Aulani, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Issues, North Shore, Pearl Harbor & More Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description On this episode of the podcast we dive into Shawn's recent trip to Oahu which included stays at Disney's Aulani in a 2 bedroom villa and the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. We'll go over the hotels including who should and shouldn't stay at Aulani plus some of the issues Shawn ran into at the Hyatt Regency. We also discuss visiting the North Shore, Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, plenty of snorkeling and everything else we did on this one week trip. All paid for with a little bartering and miles & points. Episode Guide 0:00 Oahu trip review - Aulani, Hyatt Regency Waikiki, North Shore, Pearl Harbor and more 2:28 Flying United to Honolulu - TravelBank redemption 3:57 Bartering for our “free” trip to Aulani 6:10 Aulani room review - 2 bedroom villa - Is it dated? 8:25 Kids everywhere - Is that a dealbreaker for visiting Aulani? 11:44 The Disney of Aulani - Planning in advance 15:41 Bottom line on Aulani - Is it worth the price or should you go elsewhere? 19:56 Heading up to Oahu’s North Shore - Snorkeling, Turtle Bay, Surfing & Famous Filming locations 26:12 Visiting the Dole Plantation - Gardens, trains and more 27:40 Hyatt Regency Waikiki problems on arrival 32:18 Shawn’s terrible room at the Hyatt Regency & how they fixed it 34:57 Hyatt Regency Waikiki Ocean Front Suite 39:21 Visiting Pearl Harbor and bringing history to life for children 44:32 Final takeaways from this Oahu trip - What’s next? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35036015

Hilton's New Terms, Hyatt Disappoints, Finding the Best Amex Deals, Redwood Train & UK Backtracks! 01/25/2025

Hilton's New Terms, Hyatt Disappoints, Finding the Best Amex Deals, Redwood Train & UK Backtracks! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Hilton was in the news as they added some terms that change the way lounge access is given to elites. Specifically they excluded some hotels, but is this really new or are they just updating policies that have already existed? Plus which elite status actually gets you guaranteed lounge access? In other news the UK has backtracked a bit on their e-visa and transit passengers. Find out what you need to know if you are heading to the UK. We also discuss United's double billing problem, where to find the best Amex welcome offer deals, a cool bar in the middle of a redwood forest, Hyatt disappointing Bonus Journey promotion and why it could be cheaper to live on a cruise ship. Episode Guide 0:00 Living on a cruise ship - Cheaper than living in Manhattan? 0:51 UK’s e-visa backtrack 2:22 Tip for faster transit when in London Heathrow 3:36 Hilton makes changes to lounge access terms 6:01 Alaska Airlines 75K Business card offer + “World Famous Companion Fare” 7:18 Tricks for getting approved for Bank of America credit cards 8:05 Where to find the best American Express card offers 10:25 Hyatt Bonus Journeys promo is here 11:55 United TravelBank double billing issue 13:46 Cool S - Bar in the middle of the redwood forest 15:10 The majesty of redwood forests Links Redwood bar - World cruise cheaper than Manhattan - UK Backtrack - Hilton changes - Alaska 75K - How to find the best Amex deals/offers - Amex Gold 90-100K - Amex Gold Resy - Amex Plat 150K - Amex Plat Resy + 15X dining - Amex Biz Gold 200K - Amex BIz Plat 250K - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/35005835

2025 Trip Planning, More Award Headaches & Don't Underestimate Children 01/20/2025

Another Devaluation, Hyatt's Troubling Direction, New Card Offers, Mean Airport Trick & Chase 5-7X! 01/15/2025

Another Devaluation, Hyatt's Troubling Direction, New Card Offers, Mean Airport Trick & Chase 5-7X! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Hyatt was in the news a lot as their credit cards came in window for higher offers while they added Venetian as a new partner. We go over the details of the card offers including why you may not want to jump on this round. We also go into detail of the Venetian partnership explaining the benefits and what Hyatt customers get in terms of benefits and value when booking at Venetian. Hint: it isn't much. Variable pricing is also in effect which is a troubling trend for Hyatt. Will it spread? In other news Flying Blue devalued their program overnight with awards going up as much as 25%. We also discuss: a cruel airport trick, why you shouldn't leave your balcony door open on a cruise ship, Chase's targeted 5-7X offers, Airbnb's poor fire response, how to earn 10X AA miles for donating to fire relief and travel destinations that live up to the hype. Episode Guide 0:00 The meanest of airport tricks 1:36 Why you should follow the rules on a cruise ship 3:14 Airbnb’s poor LA fire response - Reason to book hotels? 5:14 Venetian Las Vegas officially joins World of Hyatt 6:45 Who should book Venetian via Hyatt & what benefits you can expect 8:32 Rio Las Vegas vs. Venetian for Hyatt customers 9:47 Increased offers on both Hyatt credit cards 12:04 Chase sends out 5-7X targeted spending offers - How to check 13:40 How to use & extend the IHG Premier United TravelBank credit 15:57 Flying Blue’s overnight devaluation 18:21 Earn 10X AAdvantage miles when donating for LA fires 19:31 Cool S - Travel destinations that live up to the hype Links Airport walkway trick - Birds on a cruise - Airbnb fire issues - Hyatt/Venetian partnership - Hyatt card offers - Chase targeted offers - United IHG - Flying Blue deval - 10X AA for fire donation - Andy Luten Cool S - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/34869380

Leveling Up Your Award Game, Tips & Tools of the Trade, Timeshare Warnings & Airbnb Letdown 01/14/2025

Leveling Up Your Award Game, Tips & Tools of the Trade, Timeshare Warnings & Airbnb Letdown Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description In this conversation, Shawn and Mark discuss various aspects of travel planning, including their upcoming trips, the pros and cons of timeshares, the debate between using Airbnb versus hotels, and the intricacies of booking award travel. They also touch on the use of travel tools and why being cheap isn't always the best option. The episode ends with some discussion of Phuket which Shawn calls the Cancun of Thailand. Find out where to visit in Southern Thailand instead and why you might want to avoid this tourist hotspot. Links: (Shawn's referral) (Shawn's referral) Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! 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 , , , , , or via . 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 | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/34857620

Quitting Hyatt Globalist, Amex 100K + 15X, Paying Taxes with Credit Cards & Suite Trick Killed! 01/08/2025

Quitting Hyatt Globalist, Amex 100K + 15X, Paying Taxes with Credit Cards & Suite Trick Killed! Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) Episode Description This week Hyatt is in the news as they killed a long used suite trick that recently moved online. Why did they kill it and should they have? We also go in depth on our pursuits for Hyatt Globalist and why Mark is giving up on the status. The truth is maybe you should too. In other news a very lucrative Amex Platinum 100K + 15X offer is out and we'll show you how to get it. We also discuss: cool New Year's shows around the world, a possible Capital One lounge change, paying taxes with a credit card in 2025, the "best travel gift", new gift card theft protections and our favorite travel tips and hacks to make your trips better. Episode Guide 0:00 The perfect travel gift for your family 0:45 Collection of the best travel hack & tips 3:10 Capital One changing lounge guest policy? 5:08 Amex Platinum 100K + 15X offer 6:41 Updated fees and policies for paying taxes with a credit card 8:20 Using gift cards to pay your taxes 9:43 Hyatt kills suite upgrade trick 11:44 New gift card anti-theft technology rolling out 14:10 Reconsidering our Hyatt Globalist status - Is it worth it? 16:35 Why Guest of Honor makes a huge difference in your Globalist calculations 19:15 New Year’s around the world - Insane drone shows & fireworks Links Travel tips - https://travel-on-points.com/best-travel-tips/ Cap One terms - Amex 100K + 15X - Paying taxes with a credit card - https://travel-on-points.com/pay-your-taxes-with-a-credit-card/ Hyatt trick dies - Gift card anti-theft - Reconsidering Hyatt Globalist - Drones and fireworks - 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 , , , , , or via . Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License /episode/index/show/milestomemories/id/34777725

MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

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