The Journey Is The Reward (dot) ORG

Brian T. Coleman
  • 4.7 (20)
  • AVIATION

The Journey is the Reward started out to be a show about obtaining 3 Million Mile status with United Airlines in less than 18 months. It was about the journey in achieving these miles and United 1K status for life. However, now that Brian has achieved the 3 Million Mile goal, in 13 months, the show has morphed a bit into a travel show. Sure, he is still documenting his quest for 4 Million Miles and lifetime Global Services status but he and Micah cover so much more. So come travel the world with Brian as he attempts to reach yet another milestone and talkes with travel subject matter experts.

  1. APR 27

    Episode 132: Singapore Airshow 2026, Part 5

    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.

    45 min

  2. APR 13

    Episode 131: Singapore Airshow 2026, Part 4

    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.

    53 min

  3. MAR 30

    Episode 130: Singapore Airshow 2026, Part 3

    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

    1h 11m

  4. MAR 16

    Episode 129: Singapore Airshow 2026, Part 2

    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

    1 hr

  5. MAR 2

    Episode 128: Brian Returns to Singapore.

    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

    1h 4m

  6. FEB 16

    Episode 127: Plane Talking UK With Carlos

    Welcome to episode 127 of The Journey Is the Reward! On this episode, Brian and Micah are joined by Carlos, the founder of Plane Talking UK, for a deep dive into the world of aviation podcasting from a UK perspective.  Before the guys get to the main event, they start with some essential ground handling from listener Marc. He checks in to discuss the legendary durability of Kirkland Signature luggage and gives us the lowdown on the new location for Geno’s Steaks in Hampton, Virginia—a destination definitely worth the detour. The conversation then moves to the airport lounge, as listener Tonya writes in about the perks of buying an annual Priority Pass membership. It’s a savvy move for anyone who wants the VIP treatment without being forced to carry a credit card with a "heavy-lift" annual fee.  We also tackle a question from listener Lu regarding the ever-expanding world of Basic Economy. Lu wants to know if Micah and Brian would ever actually book one of those "no-frills" seats, and Carlos chimes in with his two pounds of thought, noting how the fare wars look a bit different across the pond. In the spirit of the season, Brian celebrates a successful delivery of Dubai chocolate for Christmas, while another listener proposes a massive trip to India for 2027. We want to know if you’re ready to join the crew, so please write in and let us know if you’d be interested in a listener trip to the subcontinent!  Brian@TheJourneyIsTheReward.ORG. Finally, the boys sit down with Carlos to celebrate a milestone that’s definitely cleared for departure: the 600th episode of PTUK. Micah and Brian reminisce about attending the 200th and 400th shows, but sadly, Brian has a "maintenance day" for this particular milestone. Because of Momma Coleman’s 91st birthday party, Brian will be staying local—after all, family always gets priority boarding. 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 Livingston Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

    1h 6m

  7. FEB 2

    Episode 126: Happy New Year... And A Confession

    Welcome to episode 126 of The Journey Is the Reward! On this show, Micah has an interview with Eric The Mapmaker. We are kicking off this week’s podcast by celebrating the heartbeat of the show—our listeners.  We first hear from Mark in Largo, FL, who shares his recent biking adventures. Mark was also one of our winners of Brian Kelly’s book, How to Win at Travel, and it’s inspiring to see him putting those strategies to use on his own local trails.  We also welcome back Listener Lu, who asks a timely question about holiday travel. Micah and Brian weigh in with their personal experiences navigating the busy season, proving that while the crowds can be a challenge, the perspective gained from a change of scenery is always worth the effort. The centerpiece of today’s episode is an interview Micah conducted with Eric the Mapmaker. Though this conversation was recorded back in July, some things are truly worth the wait. In the world of travel and podcasting, schedules don’t always follow a straight line and "ground delays" are part of the process, but the wisdom Eric shares about how we chart our paths is timeless.  Because our recording schedule has been a bit of a scenic route lately, Brian and Micah also finally take the time to recap their 2025 travel highlights and look toward the horizon at what 2026 has in store. We’re looking forward to a year of clear skies for Micah—specifically, trading in time at surgery centers for more time at the boarding gate! 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 Livingston Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

    55 min

  8. JAN 19

    Episode 125: The Planes Of Black Sheep Squadron

    Welcome to episode 125 of The Journey Is the Reward! On this show, Micah and Brian get to talk about one of our most favorite aviation TV shows... well, the planes of our move favorite TV show. But first, we heard from one of our listeners—truly, the best part of the show! No Listener Lu question this week. Hopefully, she is on vacation to someplace warm and that’s preventing her from sending in a question. On today’s show Brian and Micah get to talk about dramatic fiction, but dramatic fiction that’s historical. They have a guest that has documented all the history around and iconic TV show that many of us have watched over and over again.   The guest this week is Stephen Chapis, a highly respected aviation historian and photographer with a deep passion for military aircraft. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, including Warbird Digest, and he is the author of the book, Allied Jet Killers of World War 2. For over 15 years, he has been meticulously researching the specific aircraft that starred in the classic television series, Baa Baa Black Sheep. All that work has culminated in his new book, Poor Little Lambs: The Baa Baa Black Sheep Story, which details the fascinating, untold stories of these iconic planes.  The book is being published by Key Publishing Ltd. and is now available for sale. 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 Livingston Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

    43 min
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4.7
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

The Journey is the Reward started out to be a show about obtaining 3 Million Mile status with United Airlines in less than 18 months. It was about the journey in achieving these miles and United 1K status for life. However, now that Brian has achieved the 3 Million Mile goal, in 13 months, the show has morphed a bit into a travel show. Sure, he is still documenting his quest for 4 Million Miles and lifetime Global Services status but he and Micah cover so much more. So come travel the world with Brian as he attempts to reach yet another milestone and talkes with travel subject matter experts.

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