Welcome to Episode 137 of The Journey Is The Reward!

On this episode, Brian and Micah are back in the studio and catching up with everyone's favorite culinary traveler, Chef Kathy.

Before bringing the Chef into the cabin, Micah gives us an honest status update on his Chase Sapphire Reserve card now that he’s hit the six-month mark. With the premium card market getting more expensive by the day, Micah breaks down exactly which features, lounge perks, and travel credits he’s used to justify that hefty annual fee.

With zero ground delays on the schedule, no listener mail, and a rare night off from Listener Lu, the guys take advantage of the completely clear skies and head straight into the main itinerary.

Chef Kathy recently joined Momma Coleman and Brian’s brother Shawn on the adventure of a lifetime to Ireland. Because you absolutely cannot have Momma Coleman flying in the back of the bus, Brian worked his frequent flyer magic to upgrade the family into United Polaris business class.

While exploring the spectacular Irish countryside, Chef Kathy didn't just sightsee—she also embedded herself in a local culinary school to sharpen her professional skills. And despite some chaotic driving logistics on the local roads, the crew made it back to Dublin in time to clear US Preclearance and immigration without a hitch.

The adventure didn't stop across the pond. Upon returning to the US, the Chef met right back up with the family to celebrate Momma Coleman’s legendary 91st birthday bash in Toms River, New Jersey. From there, she jetted out to Los Angeles to link up with Brian for an immediate road trip out to Las Vegas.

In the City of Blinding Lights, Brian and Chef Kathy took over The Sphere, catching the mind-bending production of The Wizard of Oz before returning to the venue for a high-energy No Doubt concert. Kathy breaks down the incredible visuals of the venue and contrasts the show with the venue's original residents, U2, for two completely different premium entertainment experiences.

Up next for the Chef? A solo expedition to Iceland—this time, safely out of range of the Coleman clan!

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the stories. Because around here, the journey is the reward.

As always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at www.thejourneyisthereward.org.

Welcome to episode 136 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Micah and Brian are catching up with Julian Kheel from Points Path—one of their absolute favorite browser extensions (even if Brian still wants to call it an "application").

Before the deep dive into point values, Brian is checking his gear for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh!  If you're heading to the show this summer, let Brian know so you can connect in person.

And because it wouldn’t be an complete episode without her, we dive back into the mailbag to answer yet another question from our most frequent of flyers, Listener Lu.

The guys wanted to have Julian back on the show because Points Path has been busy adding some serious "thrust" to its feature set. If you’re tired of guessing if you're getting a good deal, you’ll want to hear about:

• Hotel Point Values: You can now see the real-world value of your points on hotel stays right in your browser.
• Smart Alerts: Points Path is now acting like your personal air traffic controller, monitoring price drops on flights you’ve booked—or are even just considering—so you can rebook and save without the manual labor.

To wrap things up, the guys put Julian in the hot seat. They ask what he would do with a 100,000-point windfall, and his strategy might just surprise you. Plus, Julian gets honest about his own biggest "points turbulence"—the mistakes and regrets he's had while navigating the world of miles.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the stories. Because around here, the journey is the reward.

As always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at www.thejourneyisthereward.org.

Welcome to episode 135 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Micah and Brian are back together to recap an incredible milestone celebration—Momma Coleman’s spectacular 91st birthday party—along with a fantastic combined aviation meetup in Toms River, New Jersey.

Because the airspace is completely packed, the guys are temporarily skipping the listener feedback segment. However, they did hear from their favorite frequent flyer, Listener Lu. Micah thinks she might be stuck in a bit of a holding pattern, though, because her question sounded suspiciously similar to a previous one!

Before we get into the weekend's festivities, a quick reminder that Brian is packing his bags for EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI this summer. If you are planning to head out to the big event, please drop him a line—he would love to connect with listeners face-to-face.

To get out east for Momma Coleman’s big celebration, Brian suffered the ultimate frequent flyer tragedy: his United Airlines PlusPoints upgrades failed to clear, leaving him stuck in the back of the bus. But a little economy-class turbulence was a small price to pay to celebrate with Mom, family and friends.

The trip got even better on Sunday with a combined aviation meetup. It was wonderful to catch up with old friends and welcome some new faces to the group. The travel and aviation community truly is full of the best people.

And finally, while the catering on the plane and the spread in the United Club left a lot to be desired, Brian found culinary redemption on the ground with a classic New Jersey pork roll sandwich… NOT Taylor Ham!

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the stories. Because around here, the journey is the reward.

As always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at ⁠⁠⁠www.thejourneyisthereward.org⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to episode 134 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Micah and Brian are back with a packed show featuring international adventures, listener mail, and the ultimate puzzle of frequent flyer routing.

Before getting to the main interview, the guys dive into Listener Lu’s fascinating question about Delta sponsoring a premium lounge inside The Sphere in Las Vegas. Should you expect incredible visuals, immersive entertainment, and knowing Vegas, a very long line to get in, or will this be a boring airport lounge?

Next, we head across the Atlantic to the Emerald Isle. We tune in to a fantastic, on-the-ground interview that Chef Kathy recorded while traveling around Ireland with the one and only Momma Coleman.

Before we get to the main topic, in major domestic travel news, Brian is packing his bags for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh! If you are planning to head out there for the big event, please let Brian know—he’d love to meet up face-to-face.

Of course, getting there is where the real story begins. Brian managed to sniff out a first-class award ticket to Wisconsin for just 27,000 points, but the layout of the trip seems to have been designed by a computer making things unnecessarily complicated. He breaks down the bizarre choices he has to make to actually claim that first-class seat.

Our main guest today is Eric the Mapmaker, who recently returned from a grand tour of Italy with his lovely wife, Bella. Eric gives us the full trip report on:

• The experience flying across the pond with Delta.
• Navigating local Airbnb stays and finding the best spots.
• The logistics of actually getting around Italy (and surviving the local driving).
• And because it’s Italy, a deep dive into the incredible food that made the trip unforgettable.

But as any seasoned traveler knows, even the best-planned trips can throw you a curveball. When plans went sideways, Micah stepped in to save the day, finding Eric a creative way home… albeit with a very "scenic" detour.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the stories. Because around here, the journey is always the reward.

As always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at ⁠⁠www.thejourneyisthereward.org⁠⁠.

Welcome to episode 133 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Micah and Brian have a fascinating conversation with Retired Captain Mukhedkar, a former Indian Air Force instructor and Captain for Air India. "Capt. Mookie," as we were lucky enough to call him, joined us from India. He is currently recovering from heart surgery, so while his voice is a bit weathered, the wealth of history he shares is more than worth the listen.

Captain Mookie brings over 45 years of aviation experience to the table, spanning both military and commercial operations. With more than two decades in the Indian Armed Forces—much of it spent as a flight instructor—he eventually transitioned his skills to Air India. Over his career, he logged an incredible 15,000+ flight hours across 14 different aircraft types. The guys dive into his experiences with an impressive tail-number roster, including:

• Trainers & Props: Lycoming-5, Harvard T6G, HT-2 (the Indian-made trainer), Dakota, HS748, and the Pushpak.

• Military Jets: The L29 and L39 (flown in the Iraqi Air Force) and the HJT 16 Jet Trainer.

• Commercial Heavies: The Boeing 707, Airbus 310, and the legendary Boeing 747-200, 300, and 400 series.

As a special treat, we are joined by his daughter, Priya, who shares an adventurous family story about driving all the way from Iraq to England for a vacation. It’s truly the definition of a journey of a lifetime!

Join us for a Meetup! If you are in the New Jersey area on May 17th, we would love to see you:

·       When: Sunday, May 17, at 4:00 PM

·       Where: Charlie’s Pizza, Restaurant and Pub

·       Address: 1980 Rt. 37, Manchester Township, NJ 08759

And as always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at www.thejourneyisthereward.org.

Welcome to episode 132 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Micah and Brian bring the epic storytelling of Brian’s trip to Singapore to a close. You might be wondering, "Will it ever end???" and the answer is finally yes—this is the final installment covering the Singapore Airshow 2026.

To make sure we reached our destination in under an hour, the guys skipped the standard listener feedback mailbag this week. However, we did have to address a trending story brought to us by listener Lu regarding pets on planes. We share our thoughts on the recent incident in Las Vegas where a passenger abandoned her dog at the airport after failing to pass it off as a service animal to avoid fees. (This version of the show has the correct Listener Lu audio file.)

We also have several important community updates to share. We get the latest on Cousin Mitchell’s situation in Thailand, and we hear that listener Tanya, who unfortunately won't make it to our New Jersey meetup as she’ll be heading across the pond for the 600th recording of Plane Talking UK. Additionally, Grant checks in to provide some "course corrections" on a few details Brian might have missed during previous segments on the airshow.

For the main event, Micah has Brian break down his final post-trade show adventures and the long trek back across the Pacific. Despite some heavy turbulence on the flight home, Brian touched down safely at LAX and managed the drive back to Pasadena in record time.

Join us for a Meetup! If you are in the New Jersey area on May 17th, we would love to see you:

·       When: Sunday, May 17, at 4:00 PM

·       Where: Charlie’s Pizza, Restaurant and Pub

·       Address: 1980 Rt. 37, Manchester Township, NJ 08759

And as always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at ⁠www.thejourneyisthereward.org⁠.

Welcome to episode 131 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Micah and Brian continue the epic storytelling of Brian’s trip to Singapore. You might be wondering, "Will it ever end???" but the journey is progressing.

Before the guys reach the main event, they dive into some essential listener feedback. Listener Peter shares some fantastic tips and tricks regarding Kosher meals—information so good that Brian plans to implement these strategies the next time he’s at 30,000 feet. 

Then, listener Lu checks in to get the guys' thoughts on the recent changes to the United MileagePlus program. It seems the "earning and burning" game is shifting, with a United credit card becoming more of a requirement than a suggestion to get the best rates.

We also have a couple of important community updates. First, we get a cousin Mitchell update from Thailand; it is truly incredible to hear about the level of planning required to navigate a route back home to Florida during a time of conflict. 

Closer to our hearts in Zambia, we have an update on Baby Chipego, our newest listener. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our audience, Brian was able to make an additional $100 contribution to support Connie and her new arrival.

For the main event, Micah has Brian break down his post-trade show adventures and gives us a detailed look into the public days of the Singapore Airshow. Brian managed to capture some great recordings with Grant and Nigel, and even sat down for a departure day chat with listener Matt.

The guys actually ran out of flight time before they could finish the trip back to the States, so you'll have to tune in next time to hear the final leg of the journey home!

Join us for a Meetup! If you are in the New Jersey area on May 17th, we would love to see you:

·       When: Sunday, May 17, at 4:00 PM

·       Where: Charlie’s Pizza, Restaurant and Pub

·       Address: 1980 Rt. 37, Manchester Township, NJ 08759

And as always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

You can always find the audio recording at www.thejourneyisthereward.org.

Welcome to episode 130 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Brian and Micah continue their discussion of the Singapore Airshow 2026, Sadly, again, there is no listener feedback.  However, Listener Lu still wants to know stuff.  This time it’s about picture taking and filing etiquette on an airplane.

Then, Micah gives us a new update on his cousins Thailand adventures. Yes, the questions keep coming.  Brian also gives an update on the delayed departure of Momma Coleman who was flying on Spirit.  Seems like someone is telling a story or there really was weather casing the delay in her return to New Jersey.  

For the main event, Brian and Micah continue their discussion of the Singapore Airshow 2026.  Brian was able to record some interviews with Jimmy Beeson, VP Product Development at Textron, Patrick Botter, Manager, Brand, Content and Creative Services at CAE, Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, CEO of ATR and David Bradshaw, Director of Business Development at Top Aces.

And no airshow would be complete without a static display and Brian was able to get some private tours of some incredible aircraft.

As always, our ears are blessed by the soul-stirring sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir. Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded at the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are the perfect way to bring this flight to a close.

You can always find the audio recording at ⁠⁠⁠www.thejourneyisthereward.org⁠

Welcome to episode 129 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Brian and Micah continue their discussion of the Singapore Airshow 2026, Sadly, there is no listener feedback.  However, Listener Lu didn’t let us down and she wants to know about the WiFi wars. Then, Micah gives us an update about his cousins Thailand adventures, an update on Chase cash back cards and Brian corrects himself on business class layouts.  

For the main event, Brian and Micah continue to discuss the Singapore Airshow 2026.  Brian was impressed with the static displays and chalets offered by some of the major companies in attendance.

With the help of YanLin of Bell Helicopter, Brian was also able to record an interview with Dan McQuestin, Country Manager, Australia.  It’s a great conversation about the MV 75 and the rest of the Bell product line. 

And no airshow would be complete without an aerial display. Brian was impressed by some displays and let down by some others.

As always, our ears are blessed by the soul-stirring sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir. Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded at the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are the perfect way to bring this flight to a close.

You can always find the audio recording at ⁠⁠www.thejourneyisthereward.org⁠

Welcome to episode 128 of The Journey Is the Reward!

On this episode, Brian and Micah discuss the trek to the Singapore Airshow 2026, but first, the guys have some listener feedback to clear from the runway. Listener Eric writes in about his luggage choices and why "Team Carry-On" sometimes hits maximum capacity for his lifestyle, while Listener Mark issues a "correction notice" to Brian regarding the Auto Train. We also hear from Listener Tanya, who gives us a nice climb in altitude with a compliment on our last episode featuring Carlos of Plane Talking UK.

As we reach cruising altitude, the guys dive into the industry radar. Listener Lu wants to know about the potential mergers of Sun Country and Allegiant, along with the rumored "hookup" between United and JetBlue. As usual, Brian and Micah have a different flight path than the rest of the pundits. Then, Micah shares a cautionary tale about his cousin who decided to ignore "Air Traffic Control" (Micah’s advice) for a long-haul flight to Thailand—proving that sometimes, ignoring the pre-flight briefing leads to a bumpy ride. In much happier news, Connie’s baby finally has a name! We are officially cleared to welcome Chepego as our newest (and youngest) listener.

For the main event, listen in as Brian and Micah discuss the potential turbulence of booking through Chase Travel and the pitfalls of third-party manifests. While United didn't disappoint on the long haul to Singapore, the flight was so empty that Brian discovered the "Poor Man’s First Class"—where a full row of coach seats might have actually been a better value than a premium pod. Regardless, Brian made a safe landing in Singapore just in time for the airshow.

As always, our ears are blessed by the soul-stirring sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir. Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded at the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia, are the perfect way to bring this flight to a close.

You can always find the audio recording at www.thejourneyisthereward.org