Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition

A Quick Cairo Trip Episode 32: Show Notes. After a two-plus year-long wait, Tom finally used his Qatar booking credit from the pandemic (just in time before the booking expired!). Even though he wasn’t excited about the trip before departure, his wonderful experience of Cairo made him question his initial reservations. Tom details his airport experience in Canada, why he chose to fly out from there instead of America, and whether buying a cheaper ticket to fly from Canada is worth the hassle. He also shares his thoughts on the new Chase Sapphire Lounge in LaGuardia, his inflight experience of Qatar’s Qsuite, what he did during his Doha layover, and everything he loved about being in Cairo for the very first time. In addition, we discuss the convenience of using tour services to expedite airport arrivals and departures in certain countries, the sights that Tom visited in Cairo, whether he’d go back with a nested itinerary, and a quick look at the trips that Tom and Trevor have coming up. Key Points Fr

Episode 31: Show Notes. When you talk to folks in the community, people have strong opinions about Hyatt’s Baha Mar property, and its not just in one direction. Luckily, today’s guest, Joey Redmond – who has been on the show twice before – is here to tell us all about Baha Mar, a resort in the Bahamas that he has found himself returning to year after year as an ideal vacation spot for him and his family. Tuning in you’ll hear all of Joey’s top tips, from navigating your flights to making sure you do all your restaurant bookings in advance – and what to do if you don’t have a reservation! He tells us about his favorite activities at Baha Mar, including the water park, Baha Bay, and why it’s such a big highlight for him and his family every year. We also discuss how best to use their loyalty program, what you can do to maximize the Hyatt Globalist experience, and what to expect from the Baha Mar casino. For a full account of Joey’s tips and insights on Baha Mar, be sure to tune in for this fun and informativ

A First Time Istanbul Visit with Han Episode 30: Show Notes The Turkish Airlines Devaluation was a big deal. We covered our trip to Istanbul, Turkey, but the reality of the matter is, so many people booked trips to Turkey because of this devaluation and we just felt obligated to bring a second perspective. In this case, Han Chicago joins us to share his first time to Istanbul. In this episode, we sit down with Han Chicago to discuss his first-time experience of Turkey and what it has to offer. We cover everything from planning the trip to his in-flight and in-country experiences, discussing the quality of seats on the 787-9 aircraft, why he chose to hire a guide, the benefits of having a guide to get around the city, and Turkey's rich history. Han talks about what he enjoyed most about the city, visiting a spice market, intriguing aspects of the country, his experience of eating a "wet burger" for the first time, and how Turkey captured his wanderlust. He also shares why he was adamant about flying on t

Episode 29: Show Notes This episode on Travel Stories, we dive deeper into sharing our cruise line experiences, and if you have any of your own, we’d love to hear from you! Today, Tom walks us through his recent 10-day journey on Enchanted Princess, starting with his overall evaluation of the experience before assessing tendering and the embarkation process of the ship. We learn about the size of Enchanted Princess, the demographic it caters to, and its onboard dining, as well as its entertainment, housekeeping, and casino offerings, and we compare everything we’ve learned about Enchanted Princess with its other cruise line competitors. As Tom details the ports he visited during his trip, we discover the magic of Dominica and Champagne Beach, the beauty of Martinique, the genius of St. Lucia’s marketing team, and the wonder of the forgotten volcanic activity that occurs all along the Eastern Seaboard. Thank you for taking this journey with us!      Key Points From This Episode:

Planning a Disney World vacation can be an overwhelming experience. With four theme parks, over twenty resort hotels, and dozens of restaurants - there's a lot to consider. In this episode I chat with Disney travel agent Joe Cheung and my sister-in-law Kelly to plan her family's Disney World vacation. We discuss hotel options, differences between Disneyland and Disney World, dining options, and more. Having a real conversation with a travel agent, as opposed to wandering around websites and conversing via email, enabled Kelly to confidently select hotels that will be a great fit. But the planning doesn't stop there. Now that they've got dates, lodging, and park tickets pinned down, Joe will continue to assist. He'll monitor their dates for hotel pricing for discounts, assist in snagging dining reservations, and be available to answer questions about how to minimize time in line at the parks. I hope you enjoy the conversation as a "fly on the wall" listening in on the process, and that it gets you thi

Tom and Trevor’s annual guys’ trip for 2024 led them to Istanbul, Turkey, and their experience was an absolute Turkish delight! They booked their tickets via Turkish Airlines just before the award chart’s devaluation, and they were relieved to still be able to use their points. In today’s episode, we take a look at Tom and Trevor’s Middle Eastern adventure, starting with their first experience of successfully transferring and redeeming thank-you points. The journey continues as we discuss the fleet at Turkish Airlines, some interesting events at Newark, Tom and Trevor’s in-flight experience, and everything that happened after they landed in Istanbul. We also learn about how Instagram deceived Trevor, the hotels that feel like home, their day out at the Grand Bazaar, multimodal travel, and the joys of being fully cleansed at the hammam. The trip home came with a silly customs mistake by Trevor, an underwhelming lounge, a Super Bowl cliffhanger, and everything you need to consider when looking for the right car

A Pilot’s Perspective: Finding the Right Approach from Cargo to Commercial Episode 27: Show Notes. We welcome Steven Kriese, a traveler, a commercial airline pilot and friend. In today’s episode, Steve takes us back in time to his first flying experience and how airline technology has steadily evolved since. He walks us through his personal preferences including his most desired routes, how his job as a pilot affects his leisure travel, what he learned from his time in the Air Force, and what he loves most about his job. We also learn about various approach styles and in particular, the RNP approach, a close examination of how air operations work, the ins and outs of miles, points, and rewards from Steve’s perspective, and why he still holds high standards of safety for the 737, which he himself flies.         Key Points From This Episode: [00:56] Some background on today’s guest, former U.S. Air Force cargo pilot, Steven Kriese.  [03:56] His first

Usually I lock up a summer trip as far ahead of time as possible. But due to the current award travel patterns and my need for 4 seats I found myself without a summer booking and a family wanting to travel. Today Robert and I chat about the ups and downs of the search for a summer trip, award space scarcity, alliance and search engine fragmentation and more. - Enjoy! 01:55 Let’s talk about the Constraints of this trip: We didn't have a single destination on our list but rather a short list of places to go 2 Adults 2 children. 3:00 Summer, during Summer Break (June/July) Prices and awards rise dramatically in Jun/Jul and award space dries up even worse than it is during other parts of the year 4:24 No flexibility in cabin (I couldn’t even pitch premium economy) As we’ve gotten older we’ve taken less trips, but put more into them.  Last year we spent 36 years on vacation, but we’re trending into longer trips 6:45 Don’t want to reposition Saw some options through I

During this episode, we discuss Malaysia, with a focus on Langkawi. Trevor shares the highlights and disappointments from his recent trip with his wife and young daughter, from Etihad First Class to first-class lounges, luxury amenities, and more. Tune in for a first-hand account of South East Asian travel packed with handy insights of the highs and lows to help you plan your next trip. We discuss amenities and food, and experiences both inside hotels and beyond the property borders. Trevor shares an honest account of what he would do again, including paying another visit to a Waldorf hotel and avoiding accommodation where renovations are taking place. Join us today to hear all this and more!  Key Points From This Episode: [00:00] Introducing this episode’s conversation which centers on Langkawi, Malaysia.  [00:58] Trevor’s trip to Langkawi which was his daughter’s final trip as a lap infant.  [04:26] How Etihad addressed an issue with Trevor’s daughter’s boarding pass.  [0

Episode 25: Show Notes In today’s episode of Travel Stories, we talk about the highs and lows of booking Tom’s recent trip to Australia, the cruise that followed, and his trip home. Thomas recounts his exploits in the land “Down Under,” from exploring Sydney's hidden gems to a firsthand encounter with the lavish comforts of the A380 first-class experience. He also shares his insights on British Airways’ lounges, the value of premium lounges, and the hits and misses of airline amenities. We discuss the best cabin types for transcontinental flights and learn about the secret gift that made Tom a sensation among the cabin crew. Tuning in, you’ll also hear about his pre-cruise adventures, the allure of New Caledonia's attractions, his W Sydney Hotel glitches, the best lounges at Melbourne Airport, whether Tom’s Australian trip is worth trying out for yourself, and much more! You won’t want to miss out on this captivating episode, where luxury meets adventure and missteps turn into opportunities. Key Points

Festivus: The non-commercial holiday's celebration, as depicted on Seinfeld, occurs on December 23 and includes a Festivus dinner, an unadorned aluminum Festivus pole, practices such as the "airing of grievances" and "feats of strength", and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles"  0:15 Intro, some history about Festivus as we held it on the Observation Deck. 03:27 Airing of Grievances:  Everyone gets two each. ONE towards an airline or loyalty program, ONE towards a bank. Sam: No Knock Devaluations in general.  Trevor shared one of these happening in real time.   Bank: Bank of America. Fraud happy, and full of themselves.  Tom: Alaska Airlines end of 50K to asia MGM stays get bonvoyed Trevor: Loyalty program: Another Alaska no notice devaluation, making JAL awards even more expensive, from 70k to 100k for JAL F to Japan, one way. US Bank: I have a history of being unimpressed, such that I stayed away for a while, however I went

From the spectacular cockpit views to gaining status at hotels, a pilot’s travel experience is quite different from ours as a commercial traveler. Today, we’re shifting gears and gaining valuable travel insight from a pilot’s perspective. Brandr is a Navy Reservist and commercial pilot, as well as an avid miles and points nerd. We discuss Brandr’s benefits as a pilot, what his typical international trip looks like, how the weather and turbulence affect his flight plans, and the wonderful innovation of modern aircraft technology. Then, our guest explains how his experience as a pilot influences his travel decisions, how to become a commercial pilot, the wonderful things he’s seen from the cockpit window, and the ins and outs of both Navy and commercial pilot processes. We also speak about the importance of raising awareness around the mental health of pilots, how the 757 compares to the 767, the travel adventures that Brandr is looking forward to the most, and why he insists that hoarding points and miles will

Planning a trip to New Zealand and Australia? Are you wanting to craft the perfect blend of flights, hotels, and attractions and create an unforgettable journey? Then don’t miss out on today’s valuable insights from our special guest, Joe Cheung! Joe shares his recent family adventure, covering everything from Air New Zealand flights, the Skycouch, and hotel bookings in Auckland to experiencing the FIFA Women's World Cup. He also delves into the logistics of renting a car, exploring the Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves, A380 seats and flights, and provides an in-depth look at their stay in Sydney. Tune in to discover Joe's strategies for finding New Zealand and Australia travel awards, why not all Koala encounters are made equal, and so much more! Key Points From This Episode: [00:20] Introduction to today’s topic and special guest. [02:40] A quick recap of Joe’s trip to New Zealand, Australia, and California.  [03:35] A travel story about Air New Zealand: why Joe decided to fly with them. [07:

We're back with a great talk between Robert and I on the following: 0:22 Follow Up: Alaska Status Match (last discussed Ep 68) 06:13 Amex Churnability and Employee Offers Cards used to be much more churnable Popups abound now. Wish there was a way to get rid of them by force 15k for $4k is the new thing Business Platinum (link) Business Gold (link) Blue Business Plus (link) Be sure to use the correct link for the card you're adding it to, data points say using a mismatch won't work. 9:39 Main Topic: Partner Awards JetBlue/Qatar/Hawaiian ITA/Virgin Atlantic/FlyingBlue Alaska Partner Award Consolidated Charts Discuss: The lottery element in these, the lack of “wide open” availability, and the eternally evolving complexity of it all 22:54 Tip of the Week: Book JAL Premium Economy w/Alaska Miles Reasonable in miles and only $20-$55 in fees (no fuel!) If you'd love to hear over 200 more episodes consider subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com

Travel Stories Episode 21: Travel Banter We’re trying something different today a different format for Travel Stories that we like to call Travel Banter. We start by exploring aviation-themed films and series that have impacted us over the years. From the beloved cult classic The Terminal to Up In the Air, we cover a wide range of air travel themes and tropes. Trevor shares his unique Southeast Asian travel itinerary, why he hasn’t visited Vietnam yet, and Tom shares his experience with pricing in Abu Dhabi. We also speak about our experiences with kid-friendly and kid-prohibitive rules at Hyatt and Marriott hotels around the world, sharing our opinions on their convenience and comfort levels for everyone involved. Finally, we explore the impact of deregulation on international airlines and the period in history where Southwest Airlines was the number one distributor of liquor in Texas. Join us for a casual conversation about all things travel. Thanks for listening!  Key Points From This Episode: [0

Halloween Episode – Travel Horror Stories Episode 20: Show Notes While it may not be horror like Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers, today’s episode will definitely send chills down the spines of travelers as we share our experiences of when travel went horribly wrong. It’s easy to fall victim to scams in foreign countries as your unfamiliarity with the region makes you stick out as a prime target. So, we begin our conversation by assessing some scams to be wary of during your travels, including transportation disasters that could’ve been avoided with the right knowledge. Then, we discuss how theft is more common at airports than we may think, how to travel with money in a safe way,, and all the debacles we’ve experienced with layovers and missed flights. Finally, we’re given a quick lesson in devaluation and why you should always book first and ask questions later, before ending with a shoutout to the SkyMiles frenzy of September 2023.  Key Points From This Episode: [01:01] Travel scams to be wa

Episode 19: Show Notes. This week we talk all about the Maldives. Join the conversation as we take a deep dive into Trevor’s recent family trip to the Maldives, including a detailed look at his flights to and from, his thoughts on Virgin Atlantic food, and hear him tell about the worst mistake (of the entire trip!) he made. With a bit of strategic thinking, we dive into the primary topic of the episode with all things about the Maldivian experience. Trevor chronicles their experience with the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, from the butler at the airport to the welcome at the hotel, and more! He highlights why the overwater villa was the best redemption (of points) he’s ever made, recounts the champagne sabering tradition, and shares other uniquely Maldivian experiences. In essence, the Maldives offers a foolproof recipe of unparalleled natural beauty, luxurious accommodations, exceptional service, and serene tranquility that makes it an extraordinary destination for an unforgettable vacation! Tune in n

We're doing things a little different with today's episode. You'll notice that at the top of this episode we call out episode 206 (not Episode 68). This conversation took place as the first 20 or so minutes of our subscriber podcast episode 206. Robert and I discussed it after we released that full episode and we're cutting just this conversation into a mini episode here today. Enjoy! 0:21 Status Match Opportunities JetBlue (Direct Link) Capped at 30,000 applicants with Delta Medallion status Matched status last [only] through end of 2023 *unless* you have Barclays JetBlue card -or- accrue enough pro-rated Tiles to requalify Detailed info on Mosaic nuances are hard to discern from JetBlue (Mosaic info page) and the latest iteration of the program is so new it seems not many people have really kicked the tires on it. So I asked them some questions on Twitter. Companions: Up to 8 people on an itinerary can get free same day changes and complimentary Even More Space seats at check-in (Mo

Episode 18: Show Notes Summer is drew to a close, but the adventures are far from over. Join us as we finish the summer with two very different trips. From airport lounges to ancient pyramids, from gourmet dining to high-seas adventure, this episode has it all. In our conversation, Trevor recounts his Lima trip. He also gives us the lowdown on the JW Marriott Hotel in Lima and why it's the second JW Marriott to have an excellent soft product but perhaps not the greatest hard product. Next, Tom takes us on his flight to London, describing the cabin and crew that made his journey memorable, to his pre-cruise adventure in London. Discover what makes the Anthem of the Seas cruise special as Tom shares highlights from the trip and favorite ports visited along the way. Tune in, pack your bags (mentally, at least), and get ready for a travel experience like no other in this episode of the Travel Stories Podcast! Key Points From This Episode: [01:00] Delta Sky Club offerings and why it is our first choice.

Annual Guys Trip to Rio Episode 17: Show Notes. We’ve recently returned from our second annual guys trip, and we’re feeling “Braziliant!” Last year, we headed to Manila, and this time we spent the weekend in Rio de Janeiro. This trip had a few “firsts” for us, including Tom’s first time flying United Polaris and both of our first times flying Air Canada. When traveling, there’s usually a trade-off between time and money, and for this vacation, we were willing to fork out a little bit of extra cash to enhance our experiences, and it was well worth it! From the pros and cons of our outward and homeward bound trips, to the night we closed all the bars in our vicinity, to the jam-packed day of sightseeing that was made all the more memorable thanks to our private tour guide, tune in today to hear why Rio is definitely a place that we will be visiting again (and again!).  Key Points From This Episode: [00:55] How our recent guys trip to Rio de Janeiro came about.  [02:04] Our experience o