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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 - https://travel-on-points.com/uber-foreign-currency-conversion-fee/
• United closed desks - https://x.com/liftblog/status/1890933239583244425?s=46&t=B9kWNUIY21TRZnc8tXrfRQ 
• https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1hegg97/uniteds_remote_airport_help_desks_are_a_real/ 
• Delta card offers - https://travel-on-points.com/increased-delta-amex-welcome-offers/
• Amex Plat upgrade - https://milestomemories.com/125000-points-when-you-upgrade-to-amex-platinum-card/
• Uber/Clear - https://travel-on-points.com/clear-75-uber-voucher/
• Wyndham timeshare - https://milestomemories.com/earn-30000-bonus-points-with-wyndham-timeshare-offer-2/
• Cool S - https://familydestinationsguide.com/sugar-white-beach-florida/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@funtampa/video/7374063565306662186

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]. 

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Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up, but membership will be closing soon. More info here: https://www.patreon.com/c/milestomemories

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?

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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]. 

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Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.

Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

 

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam

Episode Description

This week 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 The disappointing lounge reality for travelers
• 0:55 Spirit rejects Frontier bid…stays in bankruptcy
• 2:26 Hyatt buys Playa Resorts - All inclusive heaven with a downside
• 4:53 New round of Amex authorized user bonus offers
• 6:33 Bank error not in your favor - Chase messes up 1099s
• 8:34 British Airways rug pulls their transfer bonus offer
• 10:22 Cool S - The fun of Whirlyball

 

Links

• Spirit merger - https://milestomemories.com/spirit-rejects-new-merger-offer-from-frontier/
• Hyatt Playa - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-playa-hotels-resorts/
• Amex AU bonuses - https://travel-on-points.com/amex-authorized-user-bonus-offers/
• Chase bank error - https://travel-on-points.com/chase-is-sending-out-erroneous-1099s/
• BA backtracks - https://travel-on-points.com/current-point-transfer-bonuses/
• Whirlyball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNfKDMDVK1M

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]. 

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Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up. More info here: https://www.patreon.com/c/milestomemories

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!

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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!

Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.

Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

 

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam

Episode Description

This week 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 - https://www.corendonhotels.com/corendon-amsterdam-new-west/nl/room/737-suite/
• https://x.com/somakazima/status/1884464176094929220?s=46
• Food poisoning DR - https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/mans-wife-son-die-by-food-poisoning-during-vacation-abroad/
• VPNs and credit apps - https://travel-on-points.com/credit-card-applications-using-a-vpn/
• Mark’s Bank bonus challenge - https://travel-on-points.com/fund-roth-ira-with-bank-bonuses/
• JetBlue premium card launch - https://milestomemories.com/jetblue-and-barclays-launch-new-premier-credit-card/
• Japan’s cool sidewalks - https://www.facebook.com/reel/3891368217857166
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXvH5-KhbO8

 

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!

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 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!

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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!

Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.

Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

 

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam

Episode Description

This week 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 - https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1882906853690204271
• Southwest/Iceland Air - https://milestomemories.com/southwest-airlines-and-icelandair-expand-interline-partnership/
• Jetstream flight - https://x.com/bbcweather/status/1882013275132477779?s=46
• Blue Business Plus 75K - https://travel-on-points.com/targeted-75k-blue-business-plus-cash-offer/
• Thoughts on 1099s - https://travel-on-points.com/what-to-do-with-referral-1099s/
• Hilton Timeshare deal - https://milestomemories.com/new-hilton-timeshare-offer-6/
• Alaska Phantom - https://travel-on-points.com/alaska-partner-booking-error/
• Japan trains - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgJBJa3whEc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ArK5grG7ZY

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!

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 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!

• Youtube
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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!

Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.

Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

 

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam

Episode Description

This week 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 - https://www.travelandleisure.com/glen-blair-bar-redwood-forest-california-train-7971207
• World cruise cheaper than Manhattan - https://www.travelandleisure.com/holland-america-world-cruise-cheaper-than-manhattan-rent-8719395
• UK Backtrack - https://viewfromthewing.com/heathrow-travelers-celebrate-uk-scraps-eta-rule-for-transit-passengers-after-pushback/
• Hilton changes - https://loyaltylobby.com/2025/01/13/hilton-honors-terms-conditions-changes-for-club-access-eligible-stays/
• Alaska 75K - https://milestomemories.com/alaska-airlines-business-card-75k-bonus/
• How to find the best Amex deals/offers -
• Amex Gold 90-100K - https://travel-on-points.com/amex-gold-90k-welcome-offer/
• Amex Gold Resy - https://milestomemories.com/amex-gold-resy/
• Amex Plat 150K - https://travel-on-points.com/150k-amex-platinum-offer/
• Amex Plat Resy + 15X dining - https://milestomemories.com/amex-platinum-card-resy-offer-with-100k-bonus-plus-15x-on-dining/
• Amex Biz Gold 200K - https://travel-on-points.com/amex-business-gold-130k-offer/
• Amex BIz Plat 250K - https://travel-on-points.com/amex-business-platinum-150k-offer/

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!

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 the podcast we dive into our 2025 trip planning including some of the headaches we are facing booking big trips for ourselves and others. We also dive a bit more into family travel, the pains of homeschooling, not underestimating children and some of the places we are eyeing to visit in the upcoming year.

Links:

• Point.me (Shawn's referral)
• Seats.aero (Shawn's referral)

Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed!

• Youtube
• Podcast

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [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!

Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.

Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License