Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition

Sam Simon and Robert Dwyer

A Milenomics Production-- News related to Points and Miles. Tips & Tricks on how to Earn More miles, Maximize Credit Card Rewards, and Travel more than ever before.

  1. TravelStories Episode 78: Nostaliga of Airline Times Past

    6D AGO

    TravelStories Episode 78: Nostaliga of Airline Times Past

    Summary Join Trevor Mountcastle and Tom Kim as they reminisce about the golden age of airlines, sharing personal travel stories, airline history, and insights into how service standards and loyalty programs have evolved over the years. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 Nostalgia for Continental Airlines 04:21 Gordon Bethune's Impact on Continental 08:27 Memorable Travel Stories with Continental 12:10 Experiences of Upgrades and Amenities 16:00 Comparing Past and Present Airline Experiences 22:15 The In-Flight Experience: A Journey Through Airline Catering 27:44 Nostalgia in Air Travel: The Comfort of Cookies and Warm Nuts 32:21 The Evolution of Airline Culture: From First Class to Economy 38:55 The Changing Landscape of Air Travel: A Reflection on Experiences 43:50 Finding Value in Air Travel: Deals and Discounts in Today's Market 48:48 Exploring Accommodation Options in the Maldives 51:53 Maximizing Resort Time and Transfers 54:09 Flight Connections and Layover Strategies 56:48 Navigating Flight Cancellations and Rebooking 01:00:12 Future Travel Plans and Destinations 01:07:20 Finding Value in Business Class Flights 01:08:44 Planning Efficient Travel Itineraries Resources Continental Airlines - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Airlines Gordon Bethune - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Bethune United Airlines - https://www.united.com Delta Air Lines - https://www.delta.com Qatar Airways - https://www.qatarairways.com Cathay Pacific - https://www.cathaypacific.com Avianca - https://www.avianca.com Star Alliance - https://www.staralliance.com SkyTeam - https://skyteam.com —---------------- Key Topics for Episode Discussion Post:  History of Continental Airlines Impact of airline mergers Evolution of in-flight service and amenities Keywords airline history, travel stories, airline service, loyalty programs, Continental Airlines, United Airlines, travel tips

    1h 13m
  2. TravelStories Episode 77: Freddie Awards and so much more with Ed Pizzarello

    APR 19

    TravelStories Episode 77: Freddie Awards and so much more with Ed Pizzarello

    Talking Freddie Awards and so much more with Ed Pizzarello Episode 77: Show Notes Note: Video versions are on Youtube and Spotify In this episode, we sit down with Ed Pizzarello to dive deep into the evolving landscape of loyalty programs, Freddie awards (don’t forget to go to vote.freddieawards.com to make sure your voice is heard!), and the latest shifts in Las Vegas. From maximizing your miles to uncovering affordable Sin City gems, we offer a comprehensive look at the travel industry. This is a wide ranging discussion that even includes navigating the streets of Hong Kong and Taipei, airline fleet innovations, and the inevitable tangents of gold that we love to take.. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to the Freddie Awards 01:47 The History and Importance of the Freddie Awards 04:04 Voter Dynamics and Brand Loyalty in the Freddie Awards 06:14 Regional Voting Trends and Airline Perceptions 08:31 The Value of Loyalty Programs Across Regions 09:57 The Legacy of Sir Freddie Laker 12:17 The Impact of Points and Miles on Travel 13:52 Redemption Ability and Airline Value Changes 15:55 The Evolution of Miles and Points Programs 18:03 The Shift in Airline Preferences 19:30 The Best Loyalty Credit Cards Today 21:39 Maximizing Value from Loyalty Programs 23:43 Expectations in Family Travel 24:14 Trends in the Freddie Awards and Loyalty Programs 28:22 The Evolution of Loyalty Programs 31:53 The K-Shaped Economy and Its Impact on Travel 37:43 Vegas Trends: The Changing Landscape 57:46 Reinventing Vegas: Affordability and Culinary Delights 58:43 Exploring Culinary Delights in Vegas 01:02:39 Reflections on Hong Kong's Changing Atmosphere 01:24:49 United Airlines Innovations and Fleet Improvements 01:27:50 Premium Economy Experience and Customer Comfort 01:31:18 Demand for Premium Seats and Catering Quality 01:38:17 Customer Loyalty and Airline Business Strategies —---------------- Key Topics for Episode Discussion Post:  The History and Importance of the Freddie Awards The Evolution of Airline and Hotel Loyalty Programs Vegas Trends: The Changing Landscape, Affordability, and Hong Kong’s Shifting Atmosphere Cultural Insights and Comparative Travel: Taipei vs. Hong Kong United Airlines Innovations, Fleet Improvements, and the Passenger Experience Airline Business Strategies: Loyalty Programs and Credit Card Value Keywords: Pizza in Motion, Miles to Go Podcast, Freddie Awards, loyalty programs, Vegas trends, miles and points, Freddie Awards, airline loyalty, hotel programs, Vegas affordability, travel hacking, loyalty industry insights Travel, Airlines, Hong Kong, Taipei, Vegas, Airline Fleet, Loyalty Programs, Cultural Insights

    1h 54m
  3. TravelStories Episode 76: Tom Returns to the High Seas

    APR 6

    TravelStories Episode 76: Tom Returns to the High Seas

    This Episode with video can be found on Youtube and Spotify. Join Trevor Mountcastle and Tom Kim as they explore two contrasting cruises, delving into ship design, ports of call, dining experiences, and onboard entertainment. Discover insights into cruise ship architecture, port highlights like Grand Turk, and tips for maximizing onboard casino and dining value. Join us as we explore the latest in cruise ship amenities, ports of call, and insider tips for maximizing your cruise experience on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas. From dining highlights to port adventures, discover how this ship sets a new standard in cruising luxury. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 Introduction 02:05 Exploring the Star Princess 10:01 Dining Experiences on the Star Princess 18:04 Entertainment and Casino Insights 25:56 Ports of Call: Grand Turk and Beyond 31:42 Exploring Grand Turk: Beaches and Local Cuisine 34:59 Reflections on Star Princess: A Relaxing Cruise Experience 35:45 Introduction to Icon of the Seas: A New Era of Cruising 36:46 Neighborhoods and Amenities: Icon's Unique Features 39:21 Entertainment Highlights: Aqua Shows and Ice Rinks 43:32 Dining Delights: Specialty Restaurants and Buffets 50:31 Main Dining Room Experience: Lobster Nights and Quality 53:50 Casino Adventures: Gambling on the Icon 57:37 Ports of Call: Costa Maya and Cozumel Insights 01:00:18 Exploring Honduras: Authentic Experiences vs. Cruise Ports 01:04:03 Cozumel Adventures: Snorkeling and Local Delights 01:08:23 Coco Cay: The Ultimate Private Island Experience 01:19:29 Managing a Large Group: The Cruise Director Role 01:30:44 Final Thoughts on Icon of the Seas: A Memorable Journey —---------------- Key Topics for Episode Discussion Post:  Ship design and architecture of Star Princess and Icon of the Seas Ports of call including Nassau, Grand Turk, and Amber Cove Onboard dining experiences, specialty restaurants, and buffet insights Icon of the Seas amenities and dining options Cruise ports: Costa Maya, Cozumel, Honduras, Coco Cay Cruise planning and port excursions Ship design and passenger distribution Dining tips and onboard experiences

    1h 31m
  4. TravelStories Episode 75: Catching Up With Nick Reyes of FrequentMiler

    MAR 23

    TravelStories Episode 75: Catching Up With Nick Reyes of FrequentMiler

    Note: This episode can be viewed with video on Youtube/Spotify. Summary In this episode, Tom Kim and Trevor Mountcastle welcome back Nick from The Frequent Miler to discuss the latest strategies in the award travel world. Nick breaks down his family’s massive undertaking of the JetBlue 25-for-25 promotion, his nuanced take on the Hyatt award chart changes, and his favorite tools for finding the best flight redemptions, including a surprising hack for Southwest Airlines. Key Points From This Episode: 0:00 – Introduction Tom and Trevor welcome back Nick. Brief catch-up on Nick’s recent travel adventures since his last appearance. 0:43 – The JetBlue 25-for-25 Family Challenge How Nick completed the challenge for his entire family of four. The logic behind securing 25 years of airline status for his young children. Strategy: Using Amex Membership Rewards points and the Business Platinum 35% rebate to fund the flights. Leveraging partner bookings like Etihad Guest for high-value JetBlue redemptions. 7:16 – Hyatt Award Chart Changes: To Panic or Not? Nick’s take on the recent devaluation: Why Hyatt remains the strongest hotel currency despite the hit to top-tier redemptions. The strategy of speculative bookings for "bucket list" properties like Park Hyatt Kyoto before price hikes. Comparing the rising cash rates of luxury hotels to the increasing point requirements. 18:25 – Aeroplan and the Current State of Flight Awards The pros and cons of Air Canada’s Aeroplan, including their massive partner network. The frustration of dynamic pricing with partners like United. The difficulty of finding award space to Asia in the current travel climate. 23:14 – Advanced Award Searching & The "Condor Hack" Using Alaska Airlines to book Condor with a stopover in Frankfurt en route to Bangkok. Nick’s favorite tools: AwardTool, Seats.Aero, and the Points Path Chrome extension. Autopilot: A new tool for automatically repricing paid flights for credits. 29:16 – Southwest Airlines Strategies & IT Glitches The shift to assigned seating and the impact on Southwest's value proposition. A bizarre IT glitch: Why Nick’s 8-year-old son could see award seats that Nick (a premium cardholder) could not. The benefits of the Southwest Priority and Performance Business cards. 36:00 – Family Travel: World-Schooling & The Librea Tar Pits Nick’s experience homeschooling his kids for a quarter while traveling to the Bahamas, Los Angeles, and French Polynesia. The educational value of travel: From the aquariums in Atlantis to prehistoric history in LA. 41:40 – The Casino Status Match & Free Cruises How Nick turned casino status matches into 14 free cruises. Reviewing Margaritaville at Sea: Why it’s surprisingly great for families despite its budget reputation. Pro Tip: Using the casino "cage" for organic spend/cash advances on cruises. 51:00 – Lifemiles & Flying Blue Subscriptions Is the LifeMiles+ subscription worth $20/month? (Hint: The 10% discount and free cancellations might be). The new Flying Blue subscription model and whether it’s worth it for promo awards. Keywords Hyatt award chart, travel hacking, JetBlue 25 for 25, Family travel, Aeroplan, Southwest Airlines

    1h 37m
  5. FEB 27

    Milenomics² Podcast [NOAF] Episode 80: Bilt Rent Day, Whoop, Chase and BofA changes

    0:21 Bilt JAL Transfer Bonus Normally 1:1, heightened for March 1 “rent day” Staying on-brand-complicated the amount of bonus varies depending on your Bilt status and use of Bilt Cash to further heighten the bonus So it’s 25-125% on March 1 JAL 1:1 BILT transfer partner is great, long term Need to have space aligned in both directions Miles expire 3 years (HARD expiry, no way to extend) Speculative…. Probably not for me.  $135 Bilt cash to unlock 25% additional uplift 05:38 Chase Sapphire WHOOP Offer This is an Offer, not a recurring benefit of the card (as of now, one-time) Offer must be activated first on Chase Direct Link from Whoop for more info $359 back on $359 on Sapphire Reserve, $100 back on $149 on Sapphire Preferred Ends 5/12/2026 10:07 Hyatt Award Chart Changes Direct Link to new award chart New award chart still tops out at Category 8, but now has 5 levels of demand within each category (previously 3) Means a standard room can be as cheap as 3,000/nt OR as much as 75,000/nt (Cat 8, Top demand) OR 110,000 (Cat 8 Premium Suite Top demand) Digital point sharing! What’s the upshot here? For me, as long as the program continues to offer solid value (2+ cpp most of the time, occasionally 3+ cpp) I’m still happy. 17:17 Chase Adds Wyndham as 1:1 Transfer Partner Citi also transfers to Wyndham, has a 25% bonus through March 21, 2026 Reason to even mention this is curiosity about whether Wyndham   is at all compelling anymore with the demise of Vacasa? Wyndham has hotels! (did you know?) And plenty of vacation rentals 15k - 30k per night, can make sense.  Again, speculatively doesn’t likely make sense.  21:04 BofA Preferred Rewards Press Release / Direct Link $1M is the new $100k: Now need $1M for 75% uplift on credit card earning Preferred: $30k - $100k 25% uplift on qualifying credit card rewards Preferred Plus: $100k - $1M 50% uplift (was 75%) Premier: $1M+ 75% uplift (was also 75%) Subscription credit for debit charges: $8/mo for Preferred Plus, $15/mo for Premier Expanded Access to Lifestyle Benefits Preferred Honors tier: Automotive savings on brands like BMW, Lexus, Audi, Volvo; access to arts and entertainments moments, including major league sports, concerts, Broadway shows, and opera; and premium travel experiences with partners including Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Virgin Hotels, and Sixt. Premier tier: Tier-exclusive luxury offers with Backroads, The Eden Residence Club, Mercedes, Sollis Health, and Blacklane, as well as curated private events, such as the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Lamborghini, and CULTURED magazine. Starts May 2026, but uplift may stick around for existing customers: “Some benefits, like the credit card rewards bonus and no-fee safe deposit boxes, may be subject to change. If this applies to you, you'll keep your Preferred Rewards benefits for at least 6 months (after May 2026) 26:25 BOS-HNL Non-Stop Returns Direct Link On Delta, in “Winter” Also MSP-OGG Better to have an option than not! I’m hopeful they’ll have good uptake and expand this to more of the year. I think there’s demand for one non-stop BOS-Hawaii year-round (not two). If that’s Delta rather than Hawaiian, so be it? Robert: “Thanks for joining us for this week. For a more in-depth discussion about points miles visit us at patreon.com/milenomics. There you’ll get a special link to listen to additional content, right in your mobile podcast app or on your computer, where we speak more freely about topics like these. Sam: “As always you can catch us on social media. I’m @milenomics and Robert is @robertdwyer. Until then we’ll see you on the site.”

    29 min
  6. TravelStories Episode 73: Bucket List Australia Trip

    FEB 24

    TravelStories Episode 73: Bucket List Australia Trip

    Note: Video of this episode can be found on Youtube and Spotify! Coming soon to Apple Podcasts. In this episode, hosts Tom Kim and Trevor Mountcastle recount Trevor’s recent New Years trip to Australia that included visits to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. They discuss the challenges of booking flights using points and miles, the varying experiences with American Airlines and Qantas business class, and the highlights of their stay in Brisbane, including the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The conversation also covers their New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, exploring local attractions like the Opera House and The Rocks, and the unique culinary experiences they encountered. The hosts also discuss Melbourne and her beautiful markets and the Australian Open. They discuss the challenges of booking travel during peak times, the logistics of traveling with family, including limited mobility considerations, and how we chose specific flight experiences to mitigate those logistical challenges, such as the importance of non-stop flights. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to the Australian Adventure 00:47 Planning the Trip: Points and Miles Challenges 04:55 Flight Experience: Comfort and Crew Dynamics 11:27 Arrival in Australia: First Impressions 17:55 Hotel Experience: Hyatt Regency Brisbane 21:21 Wildlife Encounters: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary 26:37 Exploring Brisbane: Markets and Local Culture 27:47 Traveling to Gold Coast: A Budget-Friendly Choice 31:04 Accessibility Challenges in Air Travel 31:22 Packing Light for a Long Trip 34:56 Choosing Accommodations: From Hyatt to Apartments 36:28 New Year's Eve in Manly: A Family Celebration 44:11 Transitioning to Hyatt Regency: A Familiar Stay 48:10 Exploring Sydney: New Experiences and Local Markets 50:49 Cultural Experiences: A Visit to the Opera House 51:40 Experiencing the Sydney Opera House 52:46 Traveling to Melbourne: A New Adventure 53:52 Hotel Experiences and Upgrades 55:32 Booking Strategies for Travel 59:07 Exploring Melbourne: Markets and Local Culture 01:00:38 Weather Challenges in Melbourne 01:04:34 Dining Experiences and Service Culture 01:11:07 Unexpected Adventures at the Australian Open 01:16:56 Experiencing Sporting Events with Low Friction 01:19:07 Navigating Travel Logistics and Flight Changes 01:22:33 Dining Experiences in Airports 01:26:31 First Class Lounge Experience at Qantas 01:27:30 Reflections on Long-Haul Flights 01:34:15 Desire to Return to Australia and Future Travel Plans 01:36:51 The Value of Nonstop Flights

    1h 40m
4.4
out of 5
50 Ratings

About

A Milenomics Production-- News related to Points and Miles. Tips & Tricks on how to Earn More miles, Maximize Credit Card Rewards, and Travel more than ever before.

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