20 Minute Travel

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

The miles & points space is vast, confusing and has so many directions that it is easy to get overwhelmed and lost. Thankfully it is possible to get started in the simplest of ways without overcomplicating your life. This is supposed to be fun after all!

In this video we discuss Shawn & Mark discuss 5 basic tips for getting started in miles & points and why that is all you need to figure out how to take that next vacation. From dispelling myths to showing you what to focus on, our simple advice can help you on your way to traveling for "free" with miles & points. (Of course it's never really free, but they sure do provide a huge discount. )

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 5 Important tips for getting started using miles & points
• 1:44 Focus on transferable points currencies
• 4:22 Why you should probably start your journey with Chase
• 5:16 How the Chase 5/24 rule works & tracking it
• 6:50 Why welcome offers are the best ways to earn points
• 8:06 Welcome offers return much more than regular spend
• 9:25 Learn THE TRUTH about how credit scores work
• 10:34 Why your credit utilization is so important
• 11:36 Credit score is an asset and your ego shouldn’t play into it
• 13:36 Get comfortable paying credit card annual fees
• 15:22 Credit cards are not a lifelong commitment
• 17:11 The simple approach to getting started with miles & points

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week the huge news revolved around Crowdstrike and the insane effect the software had on airlines around the world. Thousands of canceled flights left travelers stranded, but some airlines survived the ordeal better than others thanks to vintage technology. Which airlines are still suffering?

In other news JetBlue is getting ready to make some big changes by adding Mini Mint first class to all of their planes. This will be good for some but will come at the cost of legroom for most customers. We also discuss the new Capital One Venture 75K offer, a really cool Tequila Train in Mexico, TSA breaking records, new Citi transfer bonuses and how to check for your targeted United offer.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Southwest’s old technology saves the day!
• 1:00 Crowdstrike outage causes huge issues for travelers
• 2:30 How miles & points can save you from a meltdown
• 4:18 TSA sets huge records in 2024 - 10 busiest days ever
• 5:52 JetBlue’s HUGE changes - “First class” coming at a huge cost
• 7:41 The maturation of Jetblue & Southwest
• 9:09 Capital One Venture 75K welcome offer
• 10:05 How we use our Capital One Miles
• 11:41 Chase matching 120K Ink offer
• 13:09 New FlyingBlue and Wyndham transfer bonuses
• 14:44 Hyatt Suite Upgrade overcharging
• 17:03 United’s new Mile Play promos - Great targeted deals
• 18:44 Jose Cuervo Express - Very cool train ride in Mexico

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week several new credit card offers came onto the scene with some good ones among them. Chase Ink Preferred launched a best ever 120K offer which has a huge amount of value. We also saw some interesting deals from Aeroplan and IHG, both of which brought offers we have never seen before. Good stuff!

In other news we discuss how the Paris Olympics are disappointing for many including Delta who will lose $100M on the games. But low demand has opened up opportunities for last minute awards. Are you going to live your Olympic dreams thanks to miles & points? We also discuss baggage anxiety, some changes for old Bilt cardholders, AA's "free hotels" for stranded passengers and why you might want to relocate for your next big flight.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Baggage carousel anxiety
• 1:19 Chase Ink Preferred best ever 120K welcome offer
• 2:35 Are you eligible for a business credit card?
• 3:38 Bilt’s legacy credit card is going away
• 6:56 Terrible AA hotel voucher situation
• 8:01 How you can ensure good travel even when things go wrong
• 9:59 Flexibility and credit card/travel insurance are key
• 11:05 Aeroplan’s very unique new offer - 40% bonus on spend!
• 13:08 Relocating to another city for cheaper flights?
• 14:45 Time or money more valuable?
• 15:48 IHG’s huge 5 free night offer - Better than points?
• 17:48 Closing out the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas
• 18:44 Paris Olympics struggling? Delta losing $100M on the games
• 20:15 How you can score last minute awards for the Paris Olympics

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week we got hit with a ton of devaluations making this game more "fun" than ever! It started with American Express limiting cash outs on Schwab Platinum cards to 1 million points per year. You can redeem more than that, but you won't want to. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic also hopped in with negative changes of their own. Goodbye Avios sweet spots and cheap Delta redemptions!

In other news Hyatt added yet another brand as they integrate more European hotels into their portfolio. We also discuss getting stranded by Frontier Airlines, how to save 40% or more off of Amazon and why the Japanese 7-Eleven experience will soon be coming to the United States!

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Top 3 places to visit if you don’t have any money
• 0:48 Amex makes big changes to popular cash out option
• 2:47 Best options and strategies for cashing out Amex points
• 4:20 How to save big money on Amazon with your credit card points
• 6:31 Virgin Atlantic devalues Delta One redemptions - Huge fuel surcharges!
• 8:38 What you should do now with your Virgin Atlantic miles
• 9:23 7-Eleven Japan experience coming to the United States
• 12:19 British Airways devalues many popular awards
• 13:53 Losing all of the Avios sweet spots
• 15:00 Hyatt adds yet another new brand
• 15:50 Why this new brand is great for Brand Explorer rewards
• 17:11 How Hyatt has really expanded their presence in Europe
• 18:01 Getting stranded by Frontier
• 20:04 How miles & points can help you when you are stranded while traveling

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week a few interesting topics made the news including a new trend that is sweeping social media. People are foregoing entertainment and just about everything on long flights. Does this make the flight experience better or does it just sound like hell?

In other news Chase was making noise with a rumor about a possible Amex Centurion competitor the bank will launch. We also saw new spending offers for Chase cardholders and a glitch affecting recent applicants and their welcome offers. Other topics discussed include: sledding down sand dunes, Etihad's interesting new redemption, more about 5X rotating cards and how Amex changed the terms of a popular offer.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Sand sledding adventures
• 0:50 Stunning new Delta One lounge in New York
• 2:14 Do these new premium lounges offer the expected experience?
• 4:03 Chase is having IT issues with welcome offers
• 5:43 Raw dogging on flights - A new strategy?
• 7:41 Does it make sense to be a little more disconnected & mindful in the air?
• 8:39 Amex has changed the terms of a popular recurring offer
• 10:58 The world’s dumbest airline redemption
• 12:50 Chase 3rd quarter spending offers - 5-7X!
• 13:47 3rd quarter bonus categories for 5X rotating cards
• 15:37 Are the 5X rotating cards an important earning strategy
• 16:35 Rumor - Chase launching Amex Centurion competitor?
• 17:59 Do ultra premium cards have value for normal people

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week the first half of the year draws down which means it is time to redeem all of your expiring credits! On this episode we dive a bit into the Dell ecosystem, how to maximize offers, get huge cashback and take advantage of Amex Business Platinum credits. But what should you buy?

In other news Shawn recaps part of his recent trip including a haunted hotel experience in Taiwan and visiting Disney's newest expansion in Tokyo which is the most expensive ever. Other topics discussed include: allergies on a plane, our favorite Amex redemption partners, when airlines release award space and how "The Beach" inspired both of us to travel.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Inspired by “The Beach” and overtourism
• 1:34 What to buy with those elusive Dell credits
• 3:12 Tips for stacking offers & deals to save more with Dell
• 4:17 Wyndham’s Ultimate Hotel Pass - A good deal?
• 5:54 Diving into Amex Membership Rewards transfer partners
• 6:41 Why we don’t love to transfer Amex points to domestic partners
• 7:36 Waiting for transfer bonuses & do not transfer speculatively
• 9:27 Should you cash out Amex Membership Rewards?
• 10:25 Nuts on a plane - A near death experience on Emirates
• 12:46 Tokyo DisneySea’s Fantasy Springs - Most expensive theme park expansion ever
• 14:53 Shawn’s haunted hotel experience in Taipei
• 17:04 When do airlines release award space & why you want to stay on top of it
• 19:24 The worst “crime” on an airplane
• 20:39 Flying with a spouse/family - Do you split up?

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week the Wall Street Journal released an eye opening article about Wells Fargo and their relationship with Bilt. The Bilt Mastercard has become popular with certain groups of people, but it is seemingly costing Wells Fargo millions. Is this a good or a bad thing?

In other news you may soon see a popup when applying for a Chase card and this might not be a bad thing. We also discuss more about Shawn's trip to Japan, why Tokyo is amazing for family travel, how airport lounges are simply overrated, a viral Simpsons like video from Six Flags and why dumb cruise hacking could get you banned.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Cruise passenger banned for “bottle water hack”
• 1:28 A new deal for getting Clear better than free
• 3:40 Are airport lounges overrated?
• 5:35 How some people plan their travels around the airport lounge experience
• 6:46 Chase’s new popup is actually good news?
• 9:21 Hyatt Centric Tokyo - Expensive but best Centric anywhere?
• 10:49 Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay - A budget alternative outside Tokyo
• 11:53 Why Japan might be the best family travel destination for Americans
• 14:00 Bilt/Wells Fargo drama - Is this partnership in trouble?
• 15:50 How Wells Fargo is changing their overall credit card strategy
• 17:35 Chase Freedom 3Q Categories and where to maximize them
• 19:04 Six Flags Simpsons Monorail parody - Brilliant social media?

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week a horror story related to Airbnb surfaced which reminded us of some of the pitfalls of these types of rentals. As Airbnb and similar services become more popular do hosts have a bit too much power and is it better just to stay in hotels?

We also discuss Shawn's recent last minute booking on ANA's A380 Flying Honu business class and why it was such an amazing deal. Other topics include: 17 forbidden places you can't visit, a great Hilton timeshare deal, how normal people can earn miles & points for "free" travel, the end date for a popular credit card offer and why you might want to buy your next airline ticket at the airport.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Crazy “fake” waterfall in China
• 1:18 Miles and points for normies - How to earn
• 2:45 Is getting a lot of credit cards bad for your credit score?
• 3:32 The keys for keeping your credit score up & what factors into it
• 5:13 Chase Sapphire increased offer end date announced
• 5:56 Airbnb vs. hotels
• 7:36 Airbnb customer service improvements & horror stories
• 8:53 Why we like the hotel experience & how points make a difference
• 9:58 Saving money on airline tickets by purchasing at the airport
• 11:24 Best practices for purchasing at the airport
• 12:23 Scoring ANA A380 Business class with an amazing deal
• 13:20 Why ANA’s A380 is a special plane and product
• 14:38 Last minute bookings to Japan are good right now
• 15:44 Japanese airline food - Western vs. Japanese meal
• 17:03 17 Forbidden places you can’t visit
• 18:46 Great Hilton timeshare deal - Cheap nights & points
• 20:45 How to score an even better timeshare deal!

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week a video surfaced of a new way to enter hotel rooms that is concerning. Should you worry about it and how can you secure your room and your valuables? We also discuss the end of the Chase Sapphire increased welcome offers, how Hilton's gift card experience kind of stinks, Mark's favorite Hilton in the U.S., why the Tommie Hollywood is a pass and how Mark scored "free" Universal VIP tickets & why there are absolutely worth it.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Insane crazy passenger incident - Streaking?
• 1:46 Chase’s increased offers ending soon - Time to pick them up?
• 3:56 Insane hotel vulnerability - New room hack?
• 5:28 Don’t rely on surveillance & how to protect your room
• 7:01 Hilton gift card warning & redemption issues
• 8:32 Best practices for using Hilton gift cards - Do they work?
• 10:22 How travel hackers are constantly getting judged
• 11:00 Mark’s father/son Los Angeles trip
• 12:01 Getting Universal Hollywood VIP experience for “free”
• 14:11 The coolest parts of the Universal Hollywood VIP tour - Back to the Future!
• 16:03 Comparing Universal east vs. west coast
• 17:32 Super Nintendo World & cutting all of the lines
• 20:00 Is the VIP experience worth it at Universal
• 22:17 Why the Tommie Hollywood is NOT recommended
• 23:28 Oceania Santa Monica - Mark’s new favorite Hilton

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].

Episode Description:

As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel

This week we saw quite a few crazy stories including an AA flight attendant filming people in the bathroom and the company's response. How will AA make it right? We also talk about a Hyatt hotel being very sneaky and how one flight attendant overstepped when it came to a purchased extra seat. Plus should you buy an extra seat for yourself.

We also discuss increased offers for Hilton, Marriott and Aeroplan cards. Tons of free night certs up for grabs right now! Other topics include: another Amex annual fee increase, rough Delta baggage handlers and how to score an easy 70K with a checking account.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Insane Delta baggage handlers
• 1:07 Last minute trip update - Hawaii & Japan!
• 3:23 Increased Marriott Business Card Bonus - 5 free nights!
• 4:59 Big Hilton card offers including valuable free night cert
• 7:37 Chase Aeroplan 100K “better than public” offer
• 8:59 Eliza Jane Hyatt hotel - Sneaky surcharges
• 10:32 Shortsighted customer service in NOLA
• 11:20 Get 70K Membership Rewards with Amex Business Checking
• 13:09 AA’s PR nightmare and shocking lawsuit response
• 15:20 Amex leak! Gold card fee increase?
• 16:35 Getting sick of Amex coupon book credits
• 17:59 Is it illegal to buy an extra airplane seat for yourself?
• 19:41 Do flight attendants need more accountability when escalating?

About the Show:

We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. 

Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs.

Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty.

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out!

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].