MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Shawn Coomer & Mark Ostermann

The fun side of miles, points and travel! Hosted by Shawn Coomer and Mark Ostermann, MTM Travel dives into the points hobby & the lifestyle of travel with topical conversations and plenty of laughs along the way. Mark & Shawn have a combined 18 years of experience covering these topics on Miles to Memories and Travel on Points and are cohosts of the popular MtM Vegas Youtube Show on the Miles to Memories Vegas channel. They also host the 20 Minute Travel news show on this same feed where you can keep up with the latest deals, news and happenings.

  1. 2d ago

    Hyatt's Category Chaos, Wyndham's NEW $395 Card & Chase Nickel and Dimes Again!

    Get a $200 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com  Chase quietly cut Pay Yourself Back on the Sapphire Reserve again, dropping the bonus from 25 percent more to 20 percent, and we get into why they keep chipping away at it. Wyndham refreshed its entire card lineup, now four cards deep, headlined by a new $395 premium card with a 120,000 point welcome offer, a never expire points perk, and enough credits to offset the fee for the right person. We break down the new Q3 Chase bonus spending offers worth checking, Wyndham's award chart shakeup adding a new 45,000 point top tier on September 15th, and the real world fallout from Hyatt's category changes, including a category 3 hotel in New Orleans pricing higher than a category 4 one block away. It all adds up to why free night certificates might be more valuable than ever. Let us know in the comments what you are doing for the 4th and whether Chase is getting too nickel and dime. Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:24 July 4th, Gas Prices & The EV Debate 3:52 Chase Q3 Bonus Offers Are Live 6:15 Chase Cuts Pay Yourself Back 10:15 Wyndham's New Card Lineup 14:22 Wyndham Award Chart Changes (New 45K Tier) 18:17 Hyatt Chaos: Cat 3 Costs More Than Cat 4 21:30 Is Hyatt Pricing by Demand Now? 24:47 Final Thoughts Links Chase spending offers - https://milestomemories.com/chase-my-bonus-quarterly-spending-offers/ Pay Yourself Back cuts - https://milestomemories.com/pay-yourself-back-devaluation/ Wyndham new card - https://milestomemories.com/refreshed-wyndham-card-portfolio-plus-new-premium-card/ Wyndham new tier - https://milestomemories.com/wyndham-rewards-will-add-new-redemption-tier/ Hyatt category chaos - https://milestomemories.com/hyatt-categories-no-longer-matter/ ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

    26 min
  2. Jun 25

    Chase Is Now Clawing Back Credits! Plus Prime Day & Bilt's Weak Rent Day

    SHOP AMAZON PRIME DAY & BEYOND! http://milestomemories.com/go/amazon FULL PRIME DAY COVERAGE! https://milestomemories.com/prime-day-2026-day-3/ Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Prime Day is in full swing, Chase is suddenly clawing back hotel credits when you cancel, Bilt's latest Rent Day is underwhelming, and Qatar Airways just locked down award bookings. We break down all of it and what it means for your points and miles. In this episode we cover Amazon Prime Day deals and the credit card promos worth stacking, why buyers' groups have cooled off, the death of the gift card glory days, Bilt Rent Day's lackluster Hilton transfer bonus, the new Chase Sapphire Preferred $100 hotel credit and the clawback you need to know about, and Qatar Airways adding friends and family restrictions to award bookings. Last call for our Detroit event October 23rd and 24th. A full weekend of seminars, a Saturday night meetup at Barcade, and a chance to meet us and our partners in person. Grab one of the last tickets here: https://mtm.zohobackstage.com/MTMTravelDetroit2026#/   Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:18 Amazon Prime Day Overload 3:49 Buyers' Groups Explained 6:48 Gift Cards, Meijer Bucks & Gold 9:05 Last Call: Detroit Event 11:00 Bilt Rent Day: Hilton Transfer Bonus 13:44 Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Clawback 16:48 Qatar Airways Award Booking Restrictions 20:21 Final Thoughts Links Prime Day Stacking - https://milestomemories.com/dell-bose-quiet-comfort-deal-stack/ Detroit Seminar last call - https://milestomemories.com/mtm-seminar-detroit/ Chase clawbacks - https://milestomemories.com/chase-clawing-back-100-sapphire-preferred-hotel-credit-for-canceled-bookings/ Qatar changes - https://milestomemories.com/qatar-airways-adds-restrictions-on-award-bookings-for-friends-and-family/   ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

    21 min
  3. Jun 23

    Casablanca, Beating Jet Lag HACK and Why the World Is Obsessed with Ranch Dressing!

    SHOP AMAZON PRIME DAY & BEYOND! http://milestomemories.com/go/amazon   Shawn is back from Morocco with the full Casablanca recap, from the Hassan II Mosque and the wild stained glass inside Notre Dame to a faded five-star Hyatt, Africa's biggest mall, and a horse race inside a country club. Plus the jet lag hack that actually worked: skip the food, sleep the whole flight, and land feeling brand new. We also get into why the world is suddenly obsessed with ranch dressing and American quirks, the new Global Entry machines, and whether business class is even worth it if you sleep right through it. Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:21 - Why the World Is Discovering Ranch Dressing & US Quirks 3:25 - Father's Day, the Cottage & the Great E-Bike Debate 6:23 - Casablanca: The Name, the History & First Impressions 8:53 - The Corniche, Sindibad Park & Africa's Biggest Mall 10:55 - Horseback on the Beach (Booked with Chase Travel) 11:49 - The Sights: Notre Dame, the French Quarter & Hassan II Mosque 13:04 - Is Casablanca Worth It? A Melting Pot of Religions 14:29 - Hyatt Regency Casablanca, World Cup Fever & the Markets 17:34 - The Flight Home & the Dana White Jet Lag Hack 20:24 - Brutal Service, Bad Food & 55K AA Miles 22:15 - Sleep vs the Full Experience: Is Skipping the Meal Worth It? 26:08 - New Global Entry Machines & Faster Passport Renewals ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

    29 min
  4. Jun 18

    Why Hotel Owners Are Fighting To Cost You More and Is Points Even Fun Anymore?

    Get 50% off Cardpointers+ - Track cards, automatically load Chase & Amex Offers + a lot more. Lock-in lifetime membership at half off. (affiliate) https://milestomemories.com/go/cardpointers/  Shawn's Capital One Shopping referral - https://capitaloneshopping.com/r/424785a3-c3f2-4b84-a077-f724abcd89ff It was a wild week in the points world. An email to Chase Ink Plus cardholders made it look like 5X on office supplies was getting axed, the internet panicked, and we called it as a likely mistake before Chase confirmed it was just human error. We also break down the Paze spend 10 dollars get 10 dollars promo that people abused so hard with New Egg gift cards that Chase started shutting down options in a single day, and the new Amex Resy credit changes coming August 1 that may or may not be a big deal. Then we get into the meatier stuff: a great One Mile at a Time piece on hotel owners pushing Marriott for a bigger cut, why that means points will likely cost all of us more, and Ben's editorial on whether miles and points is even fun anymore. Plus a Capital One Shopping shout out and why those targeted offers are worth a look.  Episode Guide: 0:00 - Intro: The Great Office Supply 5X Scare of 2026 1:37 - Chase Ink Plus 5X Email: Mistake or Devaluation? 3:55 - The Paze Promo That Got Abused (and Nerfed) 6:54 - Amex Resy Credit Changes Coming August 1 10:14 - Capital One Shopping: Don't Sleep on the Offers 12:09 - Hotel Owners vs Marriott: Why Points Will Cost More 17:01 - Is Miles and Points Even Fun Anymore? 20:08 - Better Earning vs Worse Availability 22:20 - Going Mainstream Killed the Simplicity 24:55 - Social Media Killed the Loophole 26:52 - A Tip of the Cap to Lucky and Wrap-Up ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website Cardpointers Sale - https://milestomemories.com/go/cardpointers/ OMAAT points editorial - https://onemileatatime.com/insights/miles-points-worth-it/ Marriott owners fighting back - https://onemileatatime.com/news/marriott-hotel-owners-demand-more-money-bonvoy-award-stays/ Paze deal - https://milestomemories.com/100-in-free-spend-with-new-paze-promo/ Resy changes - https://milestomemories.com/bad-news-for-amex-cardholders-with-resy-credits/

    28 min
  5. Jun 16

    The Hyatt All-Inclusive Mistake That Cost $650 + 50% Off CardPointers & AA Trading Cards!

    Get 50% off Cardpointers+ - Track cards, automatically load Chase & Amex Offers + a lot more. Lock-in lifetime membership at half off. (affiliate) https://milestomemories.com/go/cardpointers/ Mark is back from Colombia, and this one's a full Cartagena trip report. He breaks down two nights at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena (a Category 3 gem on points) and three nights at the Dreams Karibana all-inclusive — including the food wins, the brutal heat, the black-sand "beachfront," island day clubs, a killer rooftop bar with a live saxophonist, and the $650 check-in mistake that has one Globalist swearing off Hyatt for good. Plus Shawn answers the Grand Hyatt Athens critics, American Airlines finally drops aircraft trading cards, and Choice Privileges quietly guts its Japan award chart (Tokyo and Osaka properties jumping from 8K to 20K+ points). Is Cartagena worth it? Watch and let us know in the comments. Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 0:25 - Grand Hyatt Athens: The Fallout 3:47 - American Airlines Trading Cards 5:30 - Choice Privileges Guts Japan 8:14 - CardPointers: 50% Off (Sponsor) 9:26 - Hyatt Regency Cartagena: Check-In & Rooms 11:06 - The Beach Reality & Island Day Trips 12:42 - Exploring the Walled City 13:44 - Umbrella Alleys & a Rooftop Bar with Live Sax 15:41 - Pools, Cheap Eats & Is Cartagena Worth It? 17:16 - Dreams Karibana All-Inclusive: The Food 18:31 - Friendly Staff & Entertainment 20:05 - A $650 Check-In Surprise 22:28 - Hyatt's Antiquated System & Did They Make It Right? 26:21 - Pro Tip: The Cancellation-Window Trick 27:57 - The VIP Lounge: Premium Booze & AC Escape 29:49 - Sharing Lounge Access + Italian Dress Code Drama 33:01 - Resort Condition: A Faded Old Conrad 35:31 - Final Verdict & Wrap-Up ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website Cardpointers Sale - https://milestomemories.com/go/cardpointers/ AA trading cards - https://onemileatatime.com/news/american-airlines-trading-cards/ Choice Japan - http://loyaltylobby.com/2026/06/06/choice-privileges-increases-point-requirements-at-select-japan-hotels-by-up-to-200/

    38 min
  6. Jun 11

    Chase Sapphire Preferred Got Better… But the HYATT BOMBSHELL Hurts!

    Get your free travel insurance quote with Faye! https://milestomemories.com/go/faye-travel-insurance/ Chase just refreshed the Sapphire Preferred and buried a bombshell in the fine print. On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark break down everything Chase changed: the $95 fee stays, you get new 3X categories on gas, EV charging and vacation rentals, plus a doubled $100 hotel credit. The catch? The Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred lose 1:1 Hyatt transfers and drop to 4:3 on October 1. We cover whether the refresh is still worth it, why the $795 Reserve is now the only way to keep 1:1 Hyatt, why Bilt just won, and what you should actually do before the changes hit Monday. Mark's full breakdown is linked below. Let us know where Chase ranks in your points lineup now. Episode Guide: 0:00 – Chase drops a Hyatt bombshell 0:22 – Shawn in Casablanca + airport travel tips 3:33 – Inside the new Sapphire Preferred (and the 4:3 Hyatt cut) 6:35 – Bonus categories & why Chase is devaluing points 8:40 – The $795 Reserve push, Mark's article & the Oct 1 timeline 12:27 – Will this finally hurt Hyatt? 16:18 – Chase's fault or Hyatt's? Plus why Bilt won 19:44 – Shawn's points strategy going forward 22:48 – Mourning the old Hyatt & should you apply before Monday? ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

    26 min
  7. Jun 9

    Has Hyatt Lost It? A Shocking "Five-Star" Stay (Plus Big American & Alaska Changes)

    Get your free travel insurance quote with Faye! https://milestomemories.com/go/faye-travel-insurance/ American Airlines is quietly blocking last-minute partner award space, Alaska is raising its partner and phone booking fees on July 1, and Shawn just had a really bad "five-star" stay at the Grand Hyatt Athens. On this episode of MTM Travel, Shawn and Mark break down the AA award change and who it actually hurts, the Alaska fee increases and how the Summit card can offset them, and a brutal play-by-play of a Hyatt stay gone wrong — slow undersized elevators, road-noise "motel" rooms, burned eggs, no elite recognition, and a manager who hid in the back — all against a flawless stay at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona. Plus why lounges are cracking down on taking food and drinks, the role of private-equity cost-cutting, and how Hyatt only displays its good TripAdvisor reviews. Let us know your own Hyatt experiences down below, and we'll be back Thursday with more travel news. Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:19 – Welcome back: Barcelona vs. Colombia (and the "Barthelona" debate) 1:33 – American Airlines blocks last-minute partner award space 5:30 – Alaska raises partner & phone booking fees (July 1) 8:40 – The decline of Hyatt 9:17 – Grand Hyatt Athens: a "five-star" disaster 15:21 – Hyatt Regency Barcelona done right 18:46 – Hyatt's rapid expansion & all-inclusive slide 21:00 – Every problem is a chance to win (or lose) a customer 25:35 – Why can't you take food and drinks from the lounge anymore? 28:18 – Hyatt only shows its good TripAdvisor reviews 30:09 – Final thoughts & what's coming Thursday ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

    32 min
  8. May 28

    Spirit Credit Card Refunds, Choice Hotels Outsmarted Mark & Discover's Best Ever Offer?!

    Bank of America is refunding annual fees for every Spirit credit cardholder and product-changing them into no-fee cards. Mark thought he found a hack in Choice Hotels' gas promo — until Choice's IT outsmarted him. Discover dropped the best welcome offer in its history: $200 after $500 spend, plus double cash back the first year. Then there's the Sapphire Reserve debate — when does pay-yourself-back make the annual fee worth it? What we cover: Spirit credit cardholders get annual fee refunds from Bank of America Choice Hotels gas promo: 8,000 points for a $50 card? Not so fast Discover's best-ever offer: $200 bonus + double cash back = five quarters of 5% Capital One acquiring Discover — could cash back become miles? Rethinking the Sapphire Reserve: when couponing actually works Pay Yourself Back at 1.25 cents and who should keep the card Schwab cashout strategy: turning Membership Rewards into cash Episode Guide: 0:00 - Welcome to MTM Travel 1:01 - Spirit Credit Card Update 5:47 - Choice Hotels Gas Promo 11:17 - Why Discover Card Right Now 16:13 - Rethinking the Sapphire Reserve 22:08 - Spouse Points & Wrap-Up ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free 📧 Free newsletter 💳 Join our free Facebook group (16,000+ members) 🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

    24 min
4.6
out of 5
336 Ratings

About

The fun side of miles, points and travel! Hosted by Shawn Coomer and Mark Ostermann, MTM Travel dives into the points hobby & the lifestyle of travel with topical conversations and plenty of laughs along the way. Mark & Shawn have a combined 18 years of experience covering these topics on Miles to Memories and Travel on Points and are cohosts of the popular MtM Vegas Youtube Show on the Miles to Memories Vegas channel. They also host the 20 Minute Travel news show on this same feed where you can keep up with the latest deals, news and happenings.

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