MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Shawn Coomer & Mark Ostermann
  • 4.6 (303)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

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. Surviving Scammers, Rich Timeshare Deal, Delta's Increased Offers & Uber's Foreign Exchange "Trap"

    4 DAYS AGO

    Surviving Scammers, Rich Timeshare Deal, Delta's Increased Offers & Uber's Foreign Exchange "Trap"

    Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week Uber was in the news for a couple of reasons. First off, they are adding a foreign exchange fee, but you don't want to get caught in the trap. Find out how to save yourself from the fee and to ensure you are always getting the best deal. We also follow up on the Clear/Uber deal which was a mess this week after a sudden cancelation and refunds.   In other news the Delta Amex cards all have increased offers right now, but which one is best. We also discuss: the prevalence of phone/email/text scammers, phone vs. big screen, United's closed customer service desks, Amex Platinum upgrades, Wyndham's solid timeshare offers and a beach in Florida you have to see!   Episode Guide 0:00 The great dilemma phone or big screen for booking travel 0:52 Uber’s new foreign exchange “trap” 2:48 Do US Uber credits/gift cards work overseas now? 3:30 United’s closed customer service desks - Creating a headache 5:03 Have QR codes gone too far? 6:10 Email/text scams are getting worse than ever 8:15 Increased offers on all Delta cards - Ranking them best to worst 10:04 New Amex Platinum upgrade offers sent out 11:13 Why you need to stay up on bank credit card application rules 12:27 Clear pulls Uber deal and refunds customers 14:14 Very attractive Wyndham timeshare deals released 16:48 Cool S - Fred Howard Park Beach 18:21 Why we love Florida’s West Coast   Links Uber fee - https://travel-on-points.com/uber-foreign-currency-conversion-fee/ United closed desks - https://x.com/liftblog/status/1890933239583244425?s=46&t=B9kWNUIY21TRZnc8tXrfRQ  https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1hegg97/uniteds_remote_airport_help_desks_are_a_real/  Delta card offers - https://travel-on-points.com/increased-delta-amex-welcome-offers/ Amex Plat upgrade - https://milestomemories.com/125000-points-when-you-upgrade-to-amex-platinum-card/ Uber/Clear - https://travel-on-points.com/clear-75-uber-voucher/ Wyndham timeshare - https://milestomemories.com/earn-30000-bonus-points-with-wyndham-timeshare-offer-2/ Cool S - https://familydestinationsguide.com/sugar-white-beach-florida/ https://www.tiktok.com/@funtampa/video/7374063565306662186 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!

    20 min

  2. 6 DAYS AGO

    Wild Marriott Indifference, Memories & The Dividends of Travel & Previewing Rio Carnival

    Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up, but membership will be closing soon. More info here: https://www.patreon.com/c/milestomemories Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark discuss a recent Marriott experience a friend of theirs ran into. Sometimes indifferent service can make or break a stay and sometimes hotels just don't think of the customer's perspective when fixing issues. Something small can often feel much bigger. We also discuss the idea of travel and how memories are more of a deposit for later. How can you convey this to others and how powerful are your travel memories in the future? We also follow up on Shawn's Rivian lease issues, NYC $1 pizza and preview Mark's Rio carnival trip.. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:25 The power of travel memories & their compounding value 7:00 Resisting FOMO & the reality of travel costs 10:35 Quirks of traveling with others 14:56 Previewing Mark’s Rio Carnival trip 18:57 Staying safe while traveling & in Rio specifically 25:19 Wild Marriott story - Indifference to the max 36:17 Bad service or indifference - Which is worse? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! Youtube Podcast 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! Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that. 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

    38 min
  3. Chase's Big Bank Error, Hyatt Expands Again, BA Rug Pull, Disappointing Lounges & Whirlyball!

    FEB 12

    Chase's Big Bank Error, Hyatt Expands Again, BA Rug Pull, Disappointing Lounges & Whirlyball!

    Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week a lot of credit card news is happening as Chase is currently running increased welcome offers for the United Business and IHG personal cards. We break down the offers including which you should probably avoid. We also discuss the details of JetBlue's new premium credit card which is confusing, not very valuable and probably not for most people.   In other news we go over some of the best practices to avoid credit card application mistakes including why you should avoid using a VPN. We also discuss the tragedy at DCA, a scary hotel food poisoning lawsuit, sidewalks that generate electricity and where you can stay in a 737 hotel room.   Episode Guide 0:00 The disappointing lounge reality for travelers 0:55 Spirit rejects Frontier bid…stays in bankruptcy 2:26 Hyatt buys Playa Resorts - All inclusive heaven with a downside 4:53 New round of Amex authorized user bonus offers 6:33 Bank error not in your favor - Chase messes up 1099s 8:34 British Airways rug pulls their transfer bonus offer 10:22 Cool S - The fun of Whirlyball   Links Spirit merger - https://milestomemories.com/spirit-rejects-new-merger-offer-from-frontier/ Hyatt Playa - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-playa-hotels-resorts/ Amex AU bonuses - https://travel-on-points.com/amex-authorized-user-bonus-offers/ Chase bank error - https://travel-on-points.com/chase-is-sending-out-erroneous-1099s/ BA backtracks - https://travel-on-points.com/current-point-transfer-bonuses/ Whirlyball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNfKDMDVK1M 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!

    13 min

  4. FEB 10

    The Art of Complaining, Hyatt vs. Marriott, MTM Diamond Slots Open, Creepy Hotel Software & JW Marriott Las Vegas Review

    Join MTM Diamond before the price goes up. Limited slots have opened up. More info here: https://www.patreon.com/c/milestomemories Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark discuss their recent weekend trips including more Hilton payment headaches for Mark and a last minute cert redemption at the JW Marriott Las Vegas for Shawn. How do these hotels measure up and is the JW Marriott in Vegas worth staying at even though it isn't on the Strip? We also dive more into the decline in front desk customer service and the art of complaining. Specifically when is it not worth pursuing a complaint and how can you maximize the system within the rules. We also discuss British Airways pulling a promo without any communication and the software hotels use to track you. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:21 Burning a last minute Marriott cert 1:35 JW Marriott Las Vegas review - One of the best Vegas resorts? 6:47 The death of front desk hospitality 8:40 The downside of Marriott vs. Hyatt and vice-versa 14:19 Mark’s Hilton payment follies continue 21:39 The art of complaining, pushing limits & enjoying your life 27:52 British Airways pulls a popular promo without communication 32:05 Taking advantage of the rules they set & hotel software quirks Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! Youtube Podcast 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! Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that. 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

    36 min
  5. JetBlue's Weird Premium Card, United/IHG Offers, DCA Tragedy, Bank Bonus Challenge & 737 Hotel Room!

    FEB 5

    JetBlue's Weird Premium Card, United/IHG Offers, DCA Tragedy, Bank Bonus Challenge & 737 Hotel Room!

    Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week a lot of credit card news is happening as Chase is currently running increased welcome offers for the United Business and IHG personal cards. We break down the offers including which you should probably avoid. We also discuss the details of JetBlue's new premium credit card which is confusing, not very valuable and probably not for most people.   In other news we go over some of the best practices to avoid credit card application mistakes including why you should avoid using a VPN. We also discuss the tragedy at DCA, a scary hotel food poisoning lawsuit, sidewalks that generate electricity and where you can stay in a 737 hotel room.   Episode Guide 0:00 A 737 airplane in a hotel room! 1:04 Horrifying Dominican Republic food poisoning story 3:08 Fancy hotels vs. street food when it comes to food poisoning 4:08 DCA airplane tragedy 6:30 United’s 100K Business card offer 8:57 IHG credit cards both have increased offers 10:48 Why you should avoid VPNs when applying for credit cards 12:33 Best practices for credit card apps & mistakes to avoid 14:18 Funding a Roth IRA with bank bonuses in 2025 16:19 JetBlue’s confusing new Premier credit card 18:20 Why you probably want to pass on JetBlue’s new card 19:55 Cool S - Sidewalks that generate electricity in Japan Links 737 Hotel room - https://www.corendonhotels.com/corendon-amsterdam-new-west/nl/room/737-suite/ https://x.com/somakazima/status/1884464176094929220?s=46 Food poisoning DR - https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/mans-wife-son-die-by-food-poisoning-during-vacation-abroad/ VPNs and credit apps - https://travel-on-points.com/credit-card-applications-using-a-vpn/ Mark’s Bank bonus challenge - https://travel-on-points.com/fund-roth-ira-with-bank-bonuses/ JetBlue premium card launch - https://milestomemories.com/jetblue-and-barclays-launch-new-premier-credit-card/ Japan’s cool sidewalks - https://www.facebook.com/reel/3891368217857166 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXvH5-KhbO8   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!

    23 min

  6. FEB 3

    Jetblue's Terrible New Card, Winning on Spirit Again + Minneapolis (Mall of America, Hyatt & More!

    Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel Shawn and Mark are joined by Joe Cheung to discuss what is going on this week. They start with a discussion of the recently released JetBlue Premier card which has to be one of the most underwhelming new premium cards to come along ever. They also discuss Mark's trip to Minneapolis which included visits to the Ice Carnival and Mall of America plus why Joe is continuing to love slumming it with Spirit Airlines. Episode Guide 0:00 Trashing JetBlue’s confusing new premium credit card 5:10 The golden age of lounges & why JetBlue’s offerings are catching up 10:30 Why we continue to fly Spirit Airlines when it makes sense 14:10 A crazy airplane story - Passengers suddenly deplaning for no reason 16:47 Mark’s Minneapolis Adventure - MOA, Hyatt Regency, Ice Carnival and more 19:40 Hyatt Regency Bloomington review & Ice Carnival 25:12 Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America - Is the mall dying? 33:03 Downtown Minnesota and other takeaways 37:30 No service on short flights - A modern conspiracy? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! Youtube Podcast 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! Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that. 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

    41 min
  7. Southwest Is A Real Airline, New Marriott Bonvoy Offers, Alaska Partner Headaches & Flying 800+ MPH!

    JAN 29

    Southwest Is A Real Airline, New Marriott Bonvoy Offers, Alaska Partner Headaches & Flying 800+ MPH!

    Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week Southwest announced a huge milestone as part of their huge recent transformation. For the first time they have added an international interline partner with the addition of Iceland Air. Soon you'll be able to connect on to Iceland and Europe, but the airline isn't done yet with another partner coming soon. Are they turning into a "real" airline?   In other news Alaska continues to have problems showing phantom award availability on some of their partners. This is a huge issue with points transfers, but is there anything you can do about it? We also discuss: Chinese nail houses, the quirks of Japanese trains, increased Marriott Bonvoy offers, a new Hilton timeshare deal and how to score 75K points on a very good no annual fee card. Episode Guide 0:00 China’s crazy “Nail Houses” 0:53 Southwest adds Iceland Air as interline partner 2:12 How Southwest’s new partner is a huge change to the airline’s business model 2:52 Flying over 800MPH with the jetstream 4:00 Increased welcome offers on Marriott Bonvoy credit cards 5:27 Why the Bonvoy Bold no annual fee offer is probably the best 6:08 Amex Blue Business Plus 75K no lifetime language & how to check 7:50 Why you probably shouldn’t be afraid of bank issues 1099s 9:30 Hilton’s new timeshare offers - How to score an even better deal 10:45 Why do people still buy timeshares in 2025? 12:20 Alaska’s frustrating phantom award availability 14:08 Why Alaska’s tech issues with partners are a big problem for points transfers 16:19 Cool S - Japanese trains and quirky features 18:00 Japan train tips & what you should know Links House inside highway - https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1882906853690204271 Southwest/Iceland Air - https://milestomemories.com/southwest-airlines-and-icelandair-expand-interline-partnership/ Jetstream flight - https://x.com/bbcweather/status/1882013275132477779?s=46 Blue Business Plus 75K - https://travel-on-points.com/targeted-75k-blue-business-plus-cash-offer/ Thoughts on 1099s - https://travel-on-points.com/what-to-do-with-referral-1099s/ Hilton Timeshare deal - https://milestomemories.com/new-hilton-timeshare-offer-6/ Alaska Phantom - https://travel-on-points.com/alaska-partner-booking-error/ Japan trains - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgJBJa3whEc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ArK5grG7ZY 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!

    21 min

  8. JAN 27

    Hawaii for "Free"! - Disney's Aulani, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Issues, North Shore, Pearl Harbor & More

    Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description On this episode of the podcast we dive into Shawn's recent trip to Oahu which included stays at Disney's Aulani in a 2 bedroom villa and the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. We'll go over the hotels including who should and shouldn't stay at Aulani plus some of the issues Shawn ran into at the Hyatt Regency. We also discuss visiting the North Shore, Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, plenty of snorkeling and everything else we did on this one week trip. All paid for with a little bartering and miles & points. Episode Guide 0:00 Oahu trip review - Aulani, Hyatt Regency Waikiki, North Shore, Pearl Harbor and more 2:28 Flying United to Honolulu - TravelBank redemption 3:57 Bartering for our “free” trip to Aulani 6:10 Aulani room review - 2 bedroom villa - Is it dated? 8:25 Kids everywhere - Is that a dealbreaker for visiting Aulani? 11:44 The Disney of Aulani - Planning in advance 15:41 Bottom line on Aulani - Is it worth the price or should you go elsewhere? 19:56 Heading up to Oahu’s North Shore - Snorkeling, Turtle Bay, Surfing & Famous Filming locations 26:12 Visiting the Dole Plantation - Gardens, trains and more 27:40 Hyatt Regency Waikiki problems on arrival 32:18 Shawn’s terrible room at the Hyatt Regency & how they fixed it 34:57 Hyatt Regency Waikiki Ocean Front Suite 39:21 Visiting Pearl Harbor and bringing history to life for children 44:32 Final takeaways from this Oahu trip - What’s next? Subscribe to MTM Travel & 20 Minute Travel in the same feed! Youtube Podcast 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! Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $2000+ in payments via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $60 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that. 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

    47 min
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4.6
out of 5
303 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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