239 episodes

We celebrate the fun side of miles, points & travel including the memories we make along the way. Get inspired to travel, hear about the latest deals and learn how to maximize travel rewards to save money, accomplish your goals and to form memories that will last a lifetime!

Shawn Coomer has spent the last 15 years circling the globe with his family and has shared his passion for award travel on the Miles to Memories blog since 2013. He is currently a semi-nomad, using miles & points to fund almost all of his travel. Shawn is joined each week by semi-regular cohost Joe Cheung and a variety of points experts to discuss how miles & points can enrich your life in so many ways.

http://www.milestomemories.com
http://www.milestomemories.com/diamond

Miles to Memories - Fun Side of Miles, Points & Travel Miles to Memories | Shawn Coomer and Friends

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.6 • 266 Ratings

We celebrate the fun side of miles, points & travel including the memories we make along the way. Get inspired to travel, hear about the latest deals and learn how to maximize travel rewards to save money, accomplish your goals and to form memories that will last a lifetime!

Shawn Coomer has spent the last 15 years circling the globe with his family and has shared his passion for award travel on the Miles to Memories blog since 2013. He is currently a semi-nomad, using miles & points to fund almost all of his travel. Shawn is joined each week by semi-regular cohost Joe Cheung and a variety of points experts to discuss how miles & points can enrich your life in so many ways.

http://www.milestomemories.com
http://www.milestomemories.com/diamond

    Rethinking Your Hotel Loyalty & Elite Status Game with Benjy Harmon

    Rethinking Your Hotel Loyalty & Elite Status Game with Benjy Harmon

    Episode Description
    On this episode of the podcast Shawn is joined by MtM Contributor and MtM Diamond moderator Benjy Harmon. Shawn & Benjy dive deep into why you may want to rethink your hotel elite strategy, why Hyatt may be overrated and a cool little place you can visit on your next stop into DFW.

    • 42 min
    Peak Summer Road Trips, Best Ever Marriott Bonuses & Hyatt Devaluation?

    Peak Summer Road Trips, Best Ever Marriott Bonuses & Hyatt Devaluation?

    Episode Description
    On this episode of the podcast Shawn & Joe discuss trip planning including national parks, the insanity of summer demand and why you might want to visit during off-peak seasons. They also follow up on their jetlag discussion including a cool app to help you out, go into the details of two new “best ever” Marriott card offers plus discuss the recent category changes for Hyatt which saw many hotels increase in cost.
     

    • 45 min
    Recycled Soup, a Haunted Hotel and Red Envelopes - Taiwan Trip Report

    Recycled Soup, a Haunted Hotel and Red Envelopes - Taiwan Trip Report

    Episode Description
    Joe recounts his trip to Taiwan, including Grand Hyatt Taipei, flying E-V-A Airlines in business class, highlights in Taipei, and eating at random bathroom tiled floor restaurants. How much money did the kids get in their red envelopes? Listen and find out!
    Episode Notes
    0:00 - Joe just got home and is jet lagged
    9:30 - Grand Hyatt Taipei (haunted?)
    15:32 - EVA business class
    28:05 - Exploring Taiwan
    31:13 - Aloft Tainan
    33:27 - Taipei highlights
    Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com. 
    You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!
    Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

    • 57 min
    Epic Trip - Back to Back Asia in First Class, New JAL, DMZ, Angkor Wat & More with Han Chicago

    Epic Trip - Back to Back Asia in First Class, New JAL, DMZ, Angkor Wat & More with Han Chicago

    Episode Description
    On this episode Han Chicago joins Shawn to discuss his recent epic back to back First Class trips to Asia. Products discussed include the new Japan Airlines First Class, Korean Air First Class, Etihad's customer service, Singapore's foot well, a lofty Holiday Inn plus the redemptions along the way.
    Han also discusses avoiding the Park Hyatt Siem Reap plus his favorite parts of Angkor Wat and why you should visit now. He also discusses why Seoul is so underrated, visiting the DMZ, his favorite place to eat in Singapore, where you want to stay when in Bangkok and more.  A jam packed episode. Enjoy!
    Episode Notes
    01:56 - Solo trips & how they have changed over the years 05:12 - Korean Air First Class & Seoul 11:36 - Underrated Seoul & DMZ Tour 19:04 - Japan Airlines new First Class 25:28 - Park Hyatt Tokyo Before It Closes 29:45 Singapore Quirky Rooms & Hawker Fun 33:54 Visiting Cambodia & Angkor Wat 41:01 - Bangkok Takeaways - Best Area? 44:12 - Flying Etihad - Disappointing Service 48:24 - Homesickness During Travel? 53:38 - Importance of Networking in the Hobby Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com. 
    You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!
    Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

    • 57 min
    Hyatt Concierge Frustration, Companion Pass Shortcut & New Vegas Status Match

    Hyatt Concierge Frustration, Companion Pass Shortcut & New Vegas Status Match

    Episode Description
    On this episode Shawn and Joe discuss the Super Bowl in Las Vegas and what the experience is like seeing U2 at the Sphere. They also discuss tons of new card offers that have dropped in the past week including a fast track to the Southwest Companion Pass. Other topics include: Hyatt concierge frustration, losing Vendome, Chinese New Year & Joe’s upcoming trip to Taiwan.
    Episode Notes
    0:00 - Las Vegas baby
    16:44 - Shawn spring break updates and pivots, Hyatt concierge frustrations
    27:25 - Joe’s going to Taiwan
    39:08 - Credit card updates
    New green restrictions: https://milestomemories.com/new-bonus-restriction-for-american-express-green-card/
    US Bank Business Altitude Power: https://milestomemories.com/us-bank-launches-new-business-altitude-power-card/
    Southwest CP + 30K offer after $4K spend in 3 months: https://milestomemories.com/southwest-cards-companion-pass-30k-3/
    Amex Delta NLL: https://milestomemories.com/amex-delta-offers-with-no-lifetime-restriction-2/
    JetBlue 70K after $1K (normally 60K): https://milestomemories.com/improved-jetblue-plus-card-offer-earn-70000-points/
    Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com. 
    You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!
    Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

    • 48 min
    Attempted Vendoming, Missing Icon, Epic Universe & Foreign Currency Return Trap

    Attempted Vendoming, Missing Icon, Epic Universe & Foreign Currency Return Trap

    Episode Description
    On this episode Shawn and Joe discuss the newly announced Epic Universe park in Orlando. This new theme park should be on everyone’s radar and we’ll tell you why. We also discuss the trap when returning things in a foreign currency, Shawn attempts to Vendome, Joe isn’t impressed with Trip It Pro and why Icon of the Seas will have to wait for next time.
    Episode Notes
    1:54 - Joe’s no good very bad weekend
    9:58 - TripIt Pro and Halfday
    16:49 - Losing money on a return??
    26:38 - Shawn’s spring break updates
    31:51 - EPIC Universe
    Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com. 
    You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Sticher, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!
    Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

    • 48 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
266 Ratings

266 Ratings

jeffmall ,

Love this show!

Thank you for what you do!

PH in DEN ,

It had to be said…

Joe, you are the GOAT of miles and points podcasts with all you did on the Observation Deck, but now it might be time to hang it up. The last 10+ episodes has been painful as you repeatedly stumble over your words and not know basic things like how Citi Premier and Prestige transfers to Choice at 1:2. It pains me, but it feels like we’re witnessing Jordan with the Wizards.

It is very clear that your focus is on Disney and your travel agency. Any time the topic of Disney comes up, you are super engaged and have a lot of perspective. After the Disney or Sports segment is over and you start to talk about miles and points, your commentary is very surface level and you never really challenge or dive one level deeper with Shawn.

I’m a huge fan of you and Shawn but since the departure of Mark, I haven’t laughed once while listening to your show. The positioning of this podcast is the “fun side of miles and points” and it hasn’t been living up to that. I think the two of you would make a great “Disney side of miles and points” podcast but the current format isn’t living up to the quality that it once had.

This feedback isn’t meant to roast you guys, but rather for you guys to capture the same energy you had early on.

Tiniwinibikini ,

Please Keep SPORTS out of my TRAVEL podcast

I wish you didn’t waste the first half of your travel podcasts chitchatting about SPORTS. If I wanted to hear about sports, I’d seek out a sports podcast. Your travel information is helpful, but I often have to fast forward quite a bit until I get ahead of the sports crap. I have limited time daily to listen to podcasts that interest me. I don’t want to waste one second of my precious life hearing about sports. Life is too short and I’ve got too many places to see.

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