MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Episode Description

On this episode episode of the Miles to Memories podcast Shawn is joined by Mark Ostermann from MtM Vegas, 20 Minute Travel & Travel on Points to talk some of the big news of this week. To start, Southwest dropped a bomb by announcing the end of their "cattle call" boarding policy in favor of assigned seats. They also dropped a few other tidbits which will either have you excited or concerned. We also discuss the announced changes coming to the Amex Gold card which include more credits and a higher annual fee. Finally we debate Hawaii as Mark recaps his recent trip to Maui and why it wasn't as good as he expected.

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Podcast

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Episode Description

On this episode Joe joins Shawn to discuss his recent adventures to some of the most popular national parks. They discuss logistics, where he stayed, some of the cool nature along the way and why sometimes road trips can be fun. They also discuss a trio of brutal "devaluations" that dropped in the past week.

Episode Notes

Subscribe to 20 Minute Travel! 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].

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

Episode Description

On this episode Shawn is joined by Leslie Harvey from Trips with Tykes and Disney Deciphered. The two discuss family travel and how it evolves over time plus some of the tricks Leslie uses to ensure her family trips go as smoothly as possible. The two also discuss Leslie's first time in Japan, why she is exploring more budget airlines, some interesting takeaways from her recent European trip and Leslie closes out with a few Disneyland tips. 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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Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

Episode Description

On this episode Shawn is joined by MtM Senior Editor and Moderator for our Diamond Lounge Benjy Harmon. Benjy is well known as being one of the most prolific members of the miles & points hobby, but today he is bringing three important lessons he thinks you should know. They might just change the game for you or at least help you enjoy miles & points even more. We also dive into our favorite times of year to travel and what we think about the recent Wells Fargo/Bilt news. Episode Notes

• 00:00 Introduction and Overview

• 07:58 Breaking down the best times to travel
• 12:58 Bilt/Wells Fargo Hot Takes
• 20:30 3 important lessons from an expert travel hacker
• 29:44 Embrace barriers to entry
• 33:18 Focus on the fun!

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

Episode Description

On this episode Shawn is joined by Joe Cheung to recap his recent trip to Hawaii, Japan and Taiwan. The trip was booked mostly last minute, built around a Starlux business class redemption home. Shawn discusses his time in Hawaii including why the Grand Hyatt Kauai has lost some luster, his last minute ANA A380 Flying Honu business class redemption, why Japan has become such an amazing family travel destination, being haunted at the Grand Hyatt Taipei and why last minute travel continues to work for him. Another amazing trip mostly paid for by miles & points! Episode Notes

• 00:00 Introduction and Overview
• 08:50 Review of the Grand Hyatt Kauai & Using Hawaii for Japan travel
• 15:31 Using Points for last minute flights and accommodations
• 21:37 Pet cafes, cool Japanese culture & why Japan might be the best family friendly travel destination for Americans
• 27:45 Stay at the Hyatt Centric Ginza
• 31:38 Budget-Friendly Option: Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay (For Disney but also Tokyo too?)
• 35:16 Unforgettable Experience at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea
• 39:38 Haunted Grand Hyatt Taipei & Flying in Style with Starlux Airlines
• 45:44 The Thrill of Last-Minute Trips

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

Episode Description

Learn about the MtM origin story plus get a preview of Shawn's new Youtube show/podcast 20 Minute Travel. We'll be back with a normal episode next week! Links

• 20 Minute Travel YouTube
• 20 Minute Travel Apple Podcasts
• 20 Minute Travel Spotify
• 20 Minute Travel Podcast Page

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!

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

Episode Description

On this episode Shawn is joined by long time creator and Senior Editor at Fortune Recommends Dia Adams. Dia has long been one of the people who thinks outside the box in this hobby. From which hotel programs are a sleeper to why FOMO is something to be avoided, she brings opinions that aren't always the mainstream and that's a good thing. On this show we discuss why meetups are key, how the demographics of the space have changed, lessons learned the hard way, how status can be overrated and much more! Episode Notes

• 1:45 - Dia's journey as a miles & points creator
• 4:03 - Family Travel for Real Life
• 13:05 - How great redemptions can solidify you in the hobby
• 17:28 - Thinking outside of the box
• 24:05 - Lessons learned the hard way
• 30:15 - Points are not an asset
• 32:11 - Vendoming
• 35:36 - Curated content and social media FOMO
• 41:34 - Why credits are meant to go to waste
• 44:56 - How status can be wildly overrated

Links

• Dia at Fortune Recommends

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!

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

Episode Description

In this episode of the Miles to Memories podcast, Shawn Coomer is joined by PDX Deals Guy to discuss his recent first ever trip to Japan. How it was flying JAL, making last minute changes, hotels, food and how hard is it for a first time traveler? Plus bullet trains and whether it makes sense to day trip to Kyoto. Shawn also provides an update on his upcoming trip which is both crazy and changing rapidly but should be fun. Get ready for some inspiration as we bring you the virtual sights, smells and tastes of Japan to inspire your travels!

Episode Notes

• 02:31 - Why Shawn's upcoming trip is crazy
• 08:33 - Flexibility and last minute flight changes
• 15:57 - Tokyo hotels including Hilton Shinjuku & Hyatt Regency
• 23:12 - Bullet training to Kyoto
• 28:30 - Priorities & What to do - first time in Japan
• 34:26 - Tackling Japanese food
• 40:33 - How tech is making it easier than ever to travel to Japan

Links

• PDX Deals Guy Twitter

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!

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

Episode Description

In this episode of the Miles to Memories podcast, Shawn Coomer and Mark Jackson discuss various topics related to travel, including alternate content, cruising, and hotels in Orlando. They talk about the shift from reading blogs to watching videos, the popularity of cruising, and how to score deals while generating spend on cruises. They also review the Conrad hotel in Orlando and compare it to other Hilton properties in the area. Additionally, they discuss the Brightline train service in Florida before diving into the evolution of earning miles and points, AI and the changing landscape of shopping portals.

Episode Notes

• 04:21 - Creating a different kind of travel content
• 05:55 - Strategies for saving and spending on cruises
• 11:30 - Is Virgin Voyages worth booking with the latest offer?
• 14:52 - Being blown away by Conrad Orlando - Does it live up to the brand?
• 20:55 - Which Hilton for Disney World?
• 23:38 - Future of high speed trains and Brightline Florida
• 27:34 - How Mark is earning his miles & points
• 31:10 - Suckered into AA Loyalty Points?
• 34:08 - Checking our shopping portal strategy & how the game has changed

Links

• Jackson Jetsetting YouTube
• Conrad Orlando Tour

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!

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

Episode Description

On this episode Shawn and Joe recap the Denver MtM Diamond meetup including some tips for your next Denver trip and how the Grand Hyatt is holding up. They also announce some exciting changes and are joined by a special guest for one more thing.

Episode Notes

Subscribe to 20 Minute Travel!

• 20 Minute Travel on Youtube
• Apple Podcasts - Spotify - TMT Podcast 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 Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

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