MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Join MTM Diamond our private community! Slack, meetups, tons of bonus content and more. More info - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories

American and United are still charging solo travelers more on some flights, and the differences can be ridiculous. We dig into Thrifty Traveler's follow-up on solo-passenger pricing, why comparing airfare keeps getting more complicated and where American miles still come in handy. Shawn also shares his first impressions of using Seats.aero inside ChatGPT, and we look at United's huge new Houston lounge. Will 800 seats help, or are we just going to end up with another crowded lounge? Before all that, Shawn explains why he postponed his Asia trip and gave up a hard-to-find STARLUX award. Mark has an emergency hotel stay and a San Diego birthday trip that's turning into a lot of back-and-forth. Plus, scam loan calls that won't stop, iPhone call screening, Epic Universe and the frustrations of planning points trips for friends who aren't into miles and points.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:21 Mark's emergency hotel night
• 2:07 Why Shawn postponed his Asia trip
• 5:48 Giving up a hard-to-find STARLUX award
• 6:45 Universal Orlando and Epic Universe
• 7:55 Scam loan calls that won't stop
• 9:33 iPhone call screening and avoiding scam links
• 11:48 Planning points trips for friends
• 15:28 Award availability won't wait forever
• 17:26 Seats.aero award searches in ChatGPT
• 18:55 What AI gets right and wrong about trip planning
• 21:03 United's huge new Houston lounge
• 22:42 Will bigger lounges fix overcrowding?
• 24:20 More airport lounge choices
• 26:11 When airport food beats lounge food
• 27:16 Why solo travelers are paying more
• 28:40 Fare buckets and comparing flight prices
• 29:27 Should airlines be allowed to charge solo travelers more?
• 32:34 Where American miles still deliver
• 34:55 Final thoughts

Links

• Largest lounge - https://x.com/_zachgriff/status/2112954490294849975?s=46
• Solo penalty - https://thriftytraveler.com/news/airlines/solo-passenger-penalties-2026/
• Seats.aero (affiliate) - http://milestomemories.com/go/seats-aero
• Thrifty Traveler Premium (affiliate) - http://milestomemories.com/go/thrifty-traveler
• 💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Join MTM Diamond our private community! Slack, meetups, tons of bonus content and more. More info - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories

Bilt is changing again for 2027, and figuring out what to do shouldn't be this complicated. This week we break down the decision to keep Bilt's current benefits, why we're leaning toward keeping Bilt Cash and how the options could affect your rent, mortgage and hotel rewards. We also discuss the coming Amex Platinum hotel-credit changes and why we're getting more frustrated with the work it takes to use these benefits.

Mark is also switching his family to Mint Mobile, which means untangling all those streaming subscriptions that came with his old phone plan. We talk through his new setup, making better use of credits and why Black Friday might be worth waiting for. Plus, Airbnb checkout chores, how we would simplify Bilt and an update on Mark's missing $400 Speedway gift-card balance. A replacement has been approved, but there are still plenty of unanswered questions.

Episode Guide:

• 00:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 00:40 Amex Platinum hotel-credit frustrations
• 03:19 Airbnb cleaning fees and checkout chores 06:13 Bilt's 2027 program changes
• 07:13 Bilt Cash changes and keeping current benefits
• 09:34 Which Bilt benefits would we choose?
• 12:06 Why Bilt is so complicated and how we'd fix it
• 15:41 Bilt redemptions and ideas for better spending rewards
• 18:23 Switching phone plans and saving money
• 20:40 Reworking streaming subscriptions and credits
• 22:32 Are all these streaming services worth it?
• 25:46 Black Friday streaming deals and Walmart+
• 26:43 Mark's $400 Speedway gift-card update
• 27:59 Gift-card security and holding unused balances
• 31:01 Final thoughts

Links

• Bilt's 2027 changes: https://milestomemories.com/bilt-2027-changes/
• How Mark would change Bilt: https://milestomemories.com/bilt-program-changes-i-would-make/

• 💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Join MTM Diamond our private community! Slack, meetups, tons of bonus content and more. More info - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories

United just changed how you earn Premier status for 2027, and flying more won't get you there the way it used to. Hilton is also rolling out a way to pay your hotel bill with points right in the app, but there's one big unanswered question that decides whether it's any good. Before the news, we recap our Detroit meetup, from getting Bonvoyed twice in one weekend to the points hotel that charged Choice $700 a night, plus a Packers and Lions game we're still arguing about. And is the 5 a.m. flight really the pro move? Are you still chasing airline status in 2027? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:27 Recapping Our Detroit Meetup
• 2:08 Bonvoyed Twice in One Weekend
• 3:56 The Atheneum Suite Hotel on Choice Points
• 6:00 Detroit's Hotel Comeback & Greektown
• 7:46 Michigan Central Station & Corktown
• 8:43 Packers vs. Lions at Ford Field
• 10:38 Why Our Meetups Are About Community
• 12:46 Pedal Pubs, Barcade & New Meetup Lore
• 15:35 Don't Skip the Motown Museum
• 16:41 Is the 5 a.m. Flight the Best Flight?
• 18:15 CLEAR's New Gates at DTW
• 19:08 The Westin DTW Security Checkpoint Tip
• 20:02 United Makes Premier Status Harder to Earn
• 22:28 The Head Start for United Cardholders
• 23:16 Hilton Launches Pay With Points for Hotel Charges
• 24:44 What Should Hilton Points Be Worth?
• 27:19 Final Thoughts

Links

• MTM Diamond - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories
• United changes - https://milestomemories.com/united-changing-mileageplus-elite-status-qualification/
• Hilton pay with points - https://milestomemories.com/hilton-launches-new-pay-with-points-feature/
• 💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Join MTM Diamond our private community! Slack, meetups, tons of bonus content and more. More info - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories

Mark loaded $400 onto a Speedway gift card, went to fill up, and found a $0 balance, and four months later he's still waiting on 7-Eleven. He's not alone, and we break down why you should check any Speedway cards in your drawer right now. Mark also did everything right on a Chase business checking bonus that never posted, and the answer he got from the branch is maddening. Plus Lululemon may be shutting down another Amex credit workaround, and Capital One drops a 300,000 mile Venture X Business offer that comes with a very big catch. Have you had a gift card drained? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:18 Heading to the Detroit Meetup
• 1:33 Why the Diamond Meetups Are the Best Part
• 2:34 Lululemon Starts Blocking Returns to Store Credit
• 4:09 Is the Quarterly Lululemon Credit Worth the Hassle?
• 5:41 Gift Receipts & Missing the Saks Credit
• 6:22 Mark's Chase Business Checking Bonus Never Posted
• 8:01 Why the Branch Couldn't Fix It
• 10:52 Is It Worth Fighting the Bank?
• 12:45 Capital One's 300,000 Mile Venture X Business Offer
• 14:48 Is the $40K First Tier Too Steep?
• 15:57 Speedway Gift Cards Are Getting Drained
• 17:35 Mark's $400 Claim, Four Months Later
• 18:38 7-Eleven Owns This Problem Now
• 20:54 Chargebacks, the CFPB & What You Can Do
• 22:30 The Best Way to Use Speedway Points
• 24:24 Final Thoughts

Links

• MTM Diamond - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories
• Capital One Venture 75K - https://milestomemories.com/capital-one-venture-rewards-credit-card/
• Capital One Venture X Business 300K - https://milestomemories.com/capital-one-venture-x-business/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Join MTM Diamond our private community! Slack, meetups, tons of bonus content and more. More info - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories

Shawn let 125,000 Accor points expire, and what happened when he asked for them back surprised both of us. We also break down the new Hyatt and Aeroplan partnership and why Canadians walked away with all the good stuff, plus Thrifty Traveler's new free tool that watches your airfare after you book. Then we dig into what really happened to the Southwest Companion Pass, the new path to earn it, and the 2026 deadline everyone is racing. Plus JetBlue finally rolls out a domestic first class cabin. Are you chasing the Companion Pass before the rules change? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:22 Michigan Weekends & Our Detroit Meetup
• 1:50 What's New in MTM Diamond
• 3:41 Is Diamond Only for Big Spenders?
• 5:35 Hyatt & Aeroplan's Partnership Is a Dud for Americans
• 7:10 The Aeroplan Hyatt Free Night Certificates
• 8:58 Hyatt & Delta: The Partnership That Matters
• 9:20 Thrifty Traveler's Free FareTracker
• 11:01 How Shawn Lost 125,000 Accor Points
• 12:33 Getting Expired Points Back as a Courtesy
• 14:42 Why We Still Like Accor
• 16:16 What Really Happened to the Companion Pass
• 17:51 The Companion Pass Now Comes With Platinum Status
• 18:43 The 95,000 TQP Companion Pass Trips
• 19:46 The 2027 Bump & Our TQP Card Bonus Prediction
• 21:19 Southwest vs. Alaska: What Your Spend Gets You
• 22:30 JetBlue Launches BlueFirst Domestic First Class
• 24:09 Every Airline Is Becoming the Same
• 24:58 Final Thoughts

Links

• MTM Diamond - https://www.patreon.com/milestomemories
• Aeroplan Hyatt - https://milestomemories.com/world-of-hyatt-and-air-canada-aeroplan-launch-new-partnership/
• Thrifty Free tracker - https://milestomemories.com/thrifty-traveler-launches-free-faretracker-tool/
• Southwest - https://www.jetblue.com/flying-with-us/bluefirst
• Companion Pass in 2027 - https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027/companion-pass-changes/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Rakuten sign-up link (referral) Get $50 when you spend $50 - http://milestomemories.com/go/rakuten

Southwest just dropped its biggest Rapid Rewards overhaul yet, and the credit card shortcut to the Companion Pass is officially on its way out, along with the A-List names. We react to what it means for anyone still chasing the pass, plus a rumored Amex Platinum change that could make the hotel credit a lot harder to use. Hyatt finally lets you transfer points online, Lululemon appears to be blocking gift cards from triggering the Platinum credit, and Citi now tells you before you apply for a Strata card whether you will get the bonus. Plus early data points suggest new Discover cardholders may be getting their Capital One Offers doubled. Did Southwest just break your heart? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:25 Southwest Drops Big Changes (Preview)
• 0:55 Hyatt Points Transfers Finally Go Online
• 4:40 Lululemon Shuts Down the Gift Card Play
• 7:13 Citi's New Bonus Eligibility Pop-Up
• 9:14 Bank of America's 1,000 Contractors & $1.2B Fine
• 11:11 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment
• 11:49 Discover Could Double Your Capital One Offers
• 14:19 Amex Platinum's Rumored Hotel Credit Downgrade
• 16:20 Is the $895 Platinum Still Worth It?
• 19:04 Southwest's 2027 Rapid Rewards Overhaul
• 21:27 Why Rename A-List to Silver, Gold & Platinum?
• 23:57 The Dark Side of the Companion Pass
• 26:03 Final Thoughts

Links

• Hyatt transfers - https://storefront.points.com/world-of-hyatt/sso/mv-delegate/free-transfer?
• Lululemon Amex - https://milestomemories.com/75-lululemon-amex-platinum-credit/
• Citi pop-up - https://milestomemories.com/citi-adds-welcome-bonus-eligibility-pop-up-for-strata-applications/
• Discover Capital One Offers - https://milestomemories.com/discover-cashback-match-includes-capital-one-offers/
• Amex FHR rumors - https://milestomemories.com/amex-platinum-may-add-2-night-minimum-for-fhr-credit/
• Southwest overhaul - https://www.swamedia.com/news-and-stories/news-release/more-to-love-from-rapid-rewards-southwest-airlines-expands-rewards-redemption-an-MCKCBGY5Z2SNF7DJLTVF253RMDIU

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Rakuten sign-up link (referral) Get $50 when you spend $50 - http://milestomemories.com/go/rakuten

A pricing glitch let a lot of people book American Airlines award tickets for a fraction of the usual miles, including us, and almost two weeks later American started canceling them, calling people instead of emailing them first. We get into why the way they handled it may break their own rules, and whether we should file DOT complaints over it. Then luxury goes all-inclusive, with Hilton converting the Waldorf Astoria and Conrad in Riviera Maya and Park Hyatt opening its first all-inclusive near Cancun. Plus a free lounge tool from a friend of the show that we cannot stop using, why we have mostly stopped chasing transfer bonuses, and the surprisingly sneaky history behind KLM's Delft Blue houses. Should we file DOT complaints, or did we know what we were getting into? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:24 Mark Learns What "HoCo" Means
• 2:43 American Airlines Cancels Our Award Tickets
• 4:26 American's Own 72-Hour Rule
• 7:16 Should We File DOT Complaints?
• 11:37 ThisLounge.com: The Free Lounge Tool We Love
• 14:44 Waldorf Astoria & Conrad Go All-Inclusive
• 16:23 Park Hyatt's First All-Inclusive
• 19:53 Can Luxury All-Inclusives Fix the Food?
• 21:20 Do We Still Chase Transfer Bonuses?
• 23:54 The History Behind KLM's Blue Houses
• 25:36 Shawn's KLM Houses Left Behind in Düsseldorf
• 28:49 Amenity Kits, Conrad Ducks & Freebies We Hoard
• 30:00 Final Thoughts

Links

• This Lounge - http://thislounge.com/
• Hilton all-inclusives - https://milestomemories.com/waldorf-astoria-riviera-maya-and-conrad-tulum-going-all-inclusive/
• Park Hyatt Riviera Maya - https://thepointsguy.com/news/park-hyatt-riviera-maya-all-inclusive-details/
• KLM history - https://onemileatatime.com/guides/klm-airlines-dutch-house/
• Transfer bonuses - https://milestomemories.com/current-transfer-bonuses/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Rakuten sign-up link (referral) Get $50 when you spend $50 - http://milestomemories.com/go/rakuten

IHG and Chase just overhauled the entire IHG card lineup, with a brand new $350 Premier Select card, higher annual fees, and status getting pulled from a card a lot of you carry. We dig into who the new card actually makes sense for, the catch hiding in its food and beverage credit, and why the old $49 IHG card is about to cost a lot more. Plus Rakuten just posted its best Bank of America offer yet, Chase may let other banks approve the co-brand applicants it turns down, and some Sapphire Preferred cardholders are getting 75,000 point upgrade offers. Then we get nostalgic about the two browser trick and the Wild West days. Which IHG card is looking better for you? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:40 Rakuten's Best Bank of America Offer Yet
• 3:04 Denied by Bank of America & Waiting on Atmos
• 4:34 IHG's Big Card Refresh & the New $350 Premier Select
• 6:00 The Food & Beverage Catch & an Easy $200 Flight Credit
• 7:20 Diamond for $25K & the Premier Card Loses Platinum
• 8:28 Stacking Elite Nights & the $40K Free Night
• 11:13 Your $49 IHG Card Is Doubling & Why to Grab the Select Now
• 13:52 Fourth Night Free Gets Harder & Why IHG Is Undervalued
• 15:42 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment 16:19 Chase May Let Other Banks Approve Its Co-Brand Cards
• 18:20 Fintech Sweep Accounts & the FDIC Fine Print
• 21:56 Chase's 75K Sapphire Upgrade & a Possible 175K Stack
• 23:41 The Two Browser Trick & the Wild West Days
• 25:33 The AA Shutdowns & Executive Card Churners
• 26:24 Final Thoughts

Links

• IHG refresh - https://frequentmiler.com/all-the-existing-ihg-credit-cards-have-been-refreshed-here-are-the-changes/
• BofA Rakuten - https://milestomemories.com/rakuten-offering-extra-bonus-for-bank-of-america-cards/
• Old IHG $49 card - https://milestomemories.com/chase-updates-legacy-ihg-select-card/
• Chase upgrades - https://milestomemories.com/75k-upgrade-offer-to-sapphire-reserve/
• Chase second look idea - https://www.doctorofcredit.com/jpmorgan-chase-looks-to-open-second-look-applications-for-cobranded-cards/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/

Bank of America cards are getting a transfer partner in 2027, and it is a big one: Alaska Atmos. We get into what it could mean for Preferred Rewards members and why you might want to start stockpiling now. Mark also ran the real math on Alaska versus American status, and the answer is not what the headline numbers suggest. But first, a travel gripe session: European airports that will not tell you your gate until five minutes before boarding, Lisbon's surprisingly giant suitcases, and the day a flight attendant almost evicted Mark's backpack from the overhead bin. Plus Alaska is launching a debit card that earns status, and X Money is making debit interesting again. Are you team carry-on or team checked bag? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:24 Back to StarLux for Asia
• 1:11 Europe's Gate Problem & Lisbon's Giant Suitcases
• 4:36 A Gate Posted 5 Minutes Before Boarding
• 6:54 Team Carry-On & Mark's Backpack Standoff
• 10:40 The Two-Bag Problem & Never Fight a Flight Attendant
• 12:06 Bin Space Wars & Deplaning Etiquette
• 15:08 Alaska vs. AA Status: Mark Runs the Numbers
• 18:06 Welcome Offers vs. Status Spend (and Why Mark Picked AA)
• 20:32 Bank of America Points to Atmos in 2027
• 22:36 Preferred Rewards & Why to Stockpile Now
• 24:13 Alaska Is Launching a Debit Card
• 25:48 X Money & the Debit Card Comeback
• 26:52 Final Thoughts

Links

• Alaska changes - https://news.alaskaair.com/loyalty/atmos-rewards-expands/
• AA vs. Alaska status - https://milestomemories.com/alaska-atmos-or-american-aadvantage-status/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/

Mark started his morning trapped in his own backyard by a skunk, and somehow that was not the worst news of the day. Bilt just announced it is cutting Hyatt transfers from 1:1 to 4:3 on January 1, the same change Chase made to the Sapphire Preferred, and it has us convinced we know who is really behind all of this. We get into why Hyatt might actually want it this way and what it says about where the program is headed. Plus Q4's 5% categories went all in on dining, Chase has new targeted spend offers worth checking, Audible is back at 99 cents a month with a bonus credit, and easy bank bonuses are back, including an E*Trade offer worth up to $800 with a 4.25% APY. Is Hyatt still worth chasing for you? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:23 Mark Gets Trapped by a Skunk
• 3:58 Q4 5% Categories: Dining Everywhere
• 5:31 Chase's New Targeted Spend Offers
• 7:09 Audible Is Back to 99 Cents a Month
• 9:58 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment
• 10:36 Getting Back Into Bank Bonuses
• 12:54 E*Trade's Up to $800 Bonus & 4.25% APY
• 15:54 Ameriprise Platinum, Mercedes Swag & the Ani Mindset
• 18:20 Bilt to Hyatt Drops to 4:3 in January
• 20:58 Is Hyatt Becoming Marriott?
• 22:52 Why Hyatt Wants Co-Brand Card Spend
• 25:43 Final Thoughts

Links

• 5X cats - https://milestomemories.com/5-categories-for-2026-4th-quarter/
• Chase My Bonus - https://milestomemories.com/chase-my-bonus-quarterly-spending-offers/
• Bank Bonuses - https://milestomemories.com/bank-account-bonuses-2/
• Bilt 4:3 - https://milestomemories.com/bilt-to-hyatt-transfer-ratio/
• E-trade offer - https://milestomemories.com/etrade-800-signup-bonus/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/

Mark is back from the Azores after four airlines in five days, and he has thoughts. First, though, Rakuten's increased card offers are some of the best we've ever seen, including a no annual fee Bank of America card worth up to 40,000 Bilt points plus a $250 bonus, and there's one catch for Membership Rewards members you need to know. Then the trip: Royal Air Maroc business class on Alaska miles (the seat is fine, the service is another story), a night in Lisbon that started with Uber chaos and ended at a rooftop sunset, and a TAP flight with seatmates Mark will never forget. The Azores themselves might be the best value trip in the Atlantic, with Hawaii-level scenery at mainland Europe prices, smoked pineapples, thermal springs, and an Amex FHR stay in Ponta Delgada. Plus how Mark dodged the Boston storms for free, whether he should have taken $700 to wait, and why short whirlwind trips are worth it for busy parents. Have you been to the Azores? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:23 Mark's Back From the Azores
• 1:01 Rakuten's Huge Card Offers (Up to 40K Bilt Points)
• 3:08 Royal Air Maroc Business Class Review
• 5:01 Where the Service Fell Short
• 7:55 Casablanca, Bus Gates & a Surprisingly Good Lounge
• 11:30 Lisbon: Uber Chaos & a Rooftop Sunset
• 14:48 Pizza Hut's Double Stuffed Crust
• 15:44 Why Portugal Is So Underrated
• 18:48 TAP to the Azores & the Middle Seat Debate
• 22:12 The Azores: Hawaii Without the Price Tag
• 27:00 Where to Stay: The Octant via Amex FHR
• 29:30 Pineapples, Tea & Thermal Springs
• 32:09 Escaping the Boston Storms for Free
• 36:05 Is Whirlwind Travel Worth It?
• 39:01 Final Thoughts

Links

• Rakuten offers - https://milestomemories.com/rakuten-offering-extra-bonus-for-bank-of-america-cards/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after making a $500 payment with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/

Mark is headed to the Azores, so naturally we start with why Portugal has almost no air conditioning. Then it is a bank-by-bank rundown. Citi added lifetime language to the Strata cards, and nobody knows yet how hard they will enforce it. Chase may have quietly created a 3/24 rule for business cards, you have one week left to move Sapphire Preferred points to Hyatt at 1:1, and Chase's new investing redemption is the least exciting 1 cent per point you will ever see. On the good news side, Bilt reversed its terrible referral rule, now allows product changes with targeted upgrade offers, and added Amtrak as a transfer partner for the first time in years, though at a ratio that stings. Plus Citi adds Japan Airlines with a 30% launch bonus, and a 25% bonus to Avianca that we will politely beg you to think twice about. Is Citi's lifetime rule a dealbreaker for you? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:24 Mark Heads to the Azores & Europe's AC Problem
• 1:50 Lufthansa's Very German Customer Service
• 2:53 Last Call: Sapphire Preferred to Hyatt at 1:1
• 4:34 Does Chase Have a 3/24 Rule for Business Cards?
• 6:03 Chase's New 1 Cent Investing Redemption
• 9:03 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment
• 9:55 Bilt Reverses Its Bad Referral Rule
• 11:31 Bilt Allows Product Changes & Upgrade Offers
• 13:01 Bilt Adds Amtrak as a Transfer Partner
• 16:22 Citi Adds Lifetime Language to the Strata Cards
• 19:50 What Is Citi Even Doing?
• 20:51 Citi Adds Japan Airlines With a 30% Bonus
• 23:03 A 25% Bonus to Avianca (Proceed With Caution)

Links

• Chase 3/24 - https://milestomemories.com/new-3-24-rule-for-chase-business-cards/
• Citi new rules - https://milestomemories.com/citi-tightens-strata-card-bonus-rules-with-new-lifetime-language/
• Bilt product changes - https://milestomemories.com/bilt-now-allows-product-changes/
• Chase invest - https://milestomemories.com/chase-launches-invest-your-points/

💳 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

• Amazon 4 months of Audible for $.99/mo. (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/audible-subscription-offer-prime-day-2026/
• Shawn's personal inKind referral - https://milestomemories.com/go/inkind-referral/

Shawn's wife has a new obsession: the endless YouTube genre of Western men moving to Thailand and getting taken for everything, and it kicks off a surprisingly thoughtful conversation about love, money, family, and why 90 Day Fiance works. Then the Marriott story that broke our brains: a guest walked from his Brooklyn hotel over broken AC, moved to a more expensive sister property, and then billed the difference, with an apology that netted out to 5,000 points. We get into what the walk guarantee actually owes him, why public shaming barely works anymore, and the story of a Hyatt Place walk that got it exactly right. Plus Too Good To Go, the app selling $20 grab bags of end-of-day food for $5, the $60 loaf of sourdough New Yorkers are lining up around the block for, and a new no lifetime language Amex Platinum offer at 175,000 points, with the quarter-end credit timing trick that makes right now the perfect moment to grab it. Have you ever been walked? Let us know how it went in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:21 The Thailand Scam Channels Shawn's Wife Loves
• 3:56 Locked Up Abroad & 90 Day Fiance
• 5:45 Cross-Cultural Marriage Is Hard
• 7:26 Marriott Walked a Guest & Charged Him More
• 10:40 Does Public Shaming Even Work Anymore?
• 14:24 How a Walk Should Actually Go
• 16:58 The TikTok-ification of Customer Service
• 19:31 Too Good To Go: $20 Grab Bags for $5
• 22:45 A 175K No Lifetime Language Amex Platinum
• 25:34 Final Thoughts

Links

• Marriott walk - https://onemileatatime.com/community-stories/marriott-walked-another-hotel-refused-honor-reservation-guarantee/
• Too Good to Go - https://milestomemories.com/too-good-to-go/
• Plat 175K - https://milestomemories.com/amex-platinum-card-link-no-lifetime-language-offer/

💳 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

• Amazon 4 months of Audible for $.99/mo. (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/audible-subscription-offer-prime-day-2026/
• Shawn's personal inKind referral - https://milestomemories.com/go/inkind-referral/

Shawn walked into a Chase branch to withdraw money and walked into every points person's nightmare: account locked, suspicious activity, and a phone tree with no humans in it. What follows is the full anatomy of a lockout, from the banker with the super secret number to the moment Shawn nearly handed him the fake World of Hyatt credit card that has been living in his wallet for years. That spirals into the security conversation we all need to have: password managers and passkeys, the scams hitting travelers abroad, why your debit card should never leave your wallet, and the shutdown anxiety that makes every declined charge feel personal. Then two deals worth your time: Audible at 99 cents a month for four months ahead of Prime Day, and the Target stack that gets inKind gift cards down near 68 percent off, beating even Costco. What is your worst locked-account story, and how do you keep yourself secure? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:30 Chase Locked Shawn's Account
• 3:39 The Fake World of Hyatt Card in Shawn's Wallet
• 6:13 Password Managers, Passkeys & the LastPass Lesson
• 9:18 Fraud Abroad: Apple Pay Scams & Missing Alerts
• 10:21 Debit Card Rules to Live By
• 12:26 When a Decline Feels Personal (Shutdown Anxiety)
• 14:01 The Mystery of the Spotless Banker Desk
• 17:35 Audible for 99 Cents a Month
• 19:10 The Target inKind Stack
• 21:18 Final Thoughts

Links

• https://milestomemories.com/inkind-gift-cards-at-target/

💳 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

• Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Capital One Venture more info on our site (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/capital-one-venture-rewards-credit-card/

Airlines are quietly punishing one-way bookings again, with Kyle Potter documenting examples across countless airports, and it comes with a mystery: Delta calendars showing the exact same "lowest" price every single day for months. We get into what booking a round trip cost Mark on his Singapore trip, whether shared pricing software deserves a closer look, and why Frontier is suddenly the only airline behaving. Then a genuinely useful how-to: adding your American number to an Alaska Atmos booking so your status perks follow you, including the one mistake that locks the wrong number in and the earning trade-off to consider first. Mark maps out his Summit card companion cert rotation, we break down the increased Capital One Venture offer and the FU points philosophy behind it, and Emirates unveils the first premium economy seat that looks designed on purpose: motorized recline, a motorized privacy divider, wireless charging, and one big retrofit catch. Would you book premium economy over saving the miles? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 1:03 Airlines Are Punishing One-Way Bookings
• 2:33 When a Round Trip Burned Mark in Bangkok
• 4:07 Delta's Suspiciously Flat Calendar Prices
• 7:10 In Defense of Delta (Sort Of)
• 8:12 The Redheaded Safety Video Celebrity
• 10:16 Add Your AA Number to an Atmos Booking
• 14:30 Replenishing Atmos: Cards & Companion Certs
• 18:39 Capital One Venture: 75K + a $300 Hotel Credit
• 22:52 Emirates Reinvents Premium Economy
• 27:32 Final Thoughts

Links

• One-way penalty - https://thriftytraveler.com/news/travel/one-way-vs-round-trip-analysis/
• Adding AA to Alaska booking - https://milestomemories.com/add-alaska-atmos-booking-to-american-airlines/
• AA to Atmos - https://milestomemories.com/atmos-rewards-loyalty-program/
• Emirates premium economy - https://onemileatatime.com/news/emirates-new-premium-economy-seat/
• 📧 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

• Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Shawn's InKind referral ($25 off $50) - https://milestomemories.com/go/inkind
• Bilt Palladium Card (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/bilt-palladium-card/
• Bilt Obsidian Card (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/bilt-obsidian-card/

Hyatt is dumping American for Delta, and while the details are months away, the possibilities (a status match, reciprocal earning) have our attention. Then it is deal season: three new inKind offers worth up to 50% off that you should activate today, the current state of the Lululemon vs Amex Platinum credit fight and the workarounds still standing, and a Costco gift card discount that ends Sunday. The Aeroplan card got its refresh and it is a mixed bag at best, with a bigger annual fee, weaker grocery earning, and a 115,000 point bonus doing the heavy lifting. And Gary Leff spelled out the Bilt authorized user play that quietly doubles the program's best perks for as little as $50, a strategy Mark is restructuring his whole household around. Are you keeping the Aeroplan card after this refresh? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:16 Delta & Hyatt Team Up (Sorry, American)
• 4:37 Three New inKind Offers (Activate Them Now)
• 7:27 Lululemon vs Your Amex Platinum Credit
• 9:45 The Workarounds Still Standing
• 12:53 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment
• 13:41 Aeroplan Card Refresh: Bigger Fee, Smaller Earning
• 17:34 The Bilt Authorized User Double Dip
• 21:12 Gary's Setup & Mark's New Household Plan
• 23:15 Final Thoughts

Links

• Hyatt/Delta - https://news.delta.com/delta-and-hyatt-introduce-new-strategic-relationship
• 3 InKind deals - https://milestomemories.com/inkind-offering-50-off-your-next-100-meal/
• What works Lululemon - https://milestomemories.com/75-lululemon-amex-platinum-credit/
• Bilt AU - https://viewfromthewing.com/bilts-authorized-user-strategy-doubles-transfer-bonus-caps-and-3x-spending-heres-how-my-wife-and-i-use-it/
• Aeroplan refresh - https://media.chase.com/news/the-chase-air-canada-aeroplan-credit-card-refresh

📧 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

• Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Shawn's InKind referral ($25 off $50) - https://milestomemories.com/go/inkind

Shawn spent the weekend refreshing seats.aero and it paid off: a single Starlux business class saver to Taipei at 75,000 Alaska miles, even if it means leaving three days early. That kicks off a very Taiwan-heavy conversation about EVA, StarLux, the free Taipei stopover tour, and the JAL phantom space that keeps breaking our hearts. Then the story everyone saw this week: a first class passenger restrained with duct tape by fellow travelers, and the surprisingly complicated questions underneath it, from the legality of stepping in to why these midair meltdowns keep happening, plus the only would-you-rather that matters: duct taped in first or free in a middle seat? We also cover Benjy's underwhelming test of Flying Blue Platinum award space and the United cardholder trick that quietly beats it, Southwest and Chase teaming up on airport lounges with a premium card to match, and American expanding Flagship dining, which sparks our real philosophy: eat on the ground, sleep in the air. What is the best first class lounge you have ever visited? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:25 A Unicorn StarLux Saver to Taipei
• 2:59 Taiwan's Three Great Airlines (and JAL Phantom Space)
• 4:47 The Duct-Taped First Class Passenger
• 7:24 Duct Taped in First or Free in a Middle Seat?
• 10:23 Airport Beers & Getting Kicked Off for Being Drunk
• 12:05 Flying Blue Platinum Award Space Disappoints
• 13:25 The United Cardholder Award Space Hack
• 15:32 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment 16:24 Southwest & Chase Are Building Lounges
• 19:59 AA Expands Flagship Dining
• 23:00 Eat on the Ground, Sleep in the Air
• 26:22 Final Thoughts

Links

• Duct taped - https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/04/us/disruptive-passenger-duct-tape
• FlyingBlue space - https://milestomemories.com/flying-blue-platinum/
• AA Dining - https://milestomemories.com/aa-flagship-dining/
• Southwest lounges - https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/lounges/

📧 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

• Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Shawn's InKind referral ($25 off $50) - https://milestomemories.com/go/inkind

Mark went on an application spree and the final tally is absurd: 690,000 points across Amex, American, Atmos and Bilt, plus $500 in dining money, against $1,719 in fees, and we break down why the math still works. Along the way, a bank that denied him for nearly a decade finally said yes, and nobody knows why. Then a new LendingTree study has us worried: most Gen Z cardholders pay just the minimum, nearly half of all cardholders do not know their own APR, and a quarter treat their credit card as their emergency fund, so we get into what actually moves your credit score and the class schools should be teaching everyone. Plus the Muggle vs Wizard Meta glasses showdown, how Mark stacked Ray-Ban, a shopping portal and an Amex offer into a much cheaper second pair, and the unclaimed property treasure chest, including the $600 that found its way back to Mark years later. What is your biggest unclaimed property score? Let us know in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:28 Mark's App-O-Rama: Rakuten & Bank of America
• 2:12 Double Dipping American & Atmos (and a Barclays Miracle)
• 4:24 500K From Amex & the Final Haul vs the Fees
• 7:25 MTM Diamond
• 8:15 Gen Z & Credit Cards: The LendingTree Numbers
• 10:26 Does Carrying a Balance Help Your Score?
• 13:27 The Math Class They Only Taught the Flunking Kids
• 15:11 Missed Bonuses, Buyer's Remorse & Lost Rewards
• 17:22 Meta Glasses: Muggle vs Wizard Edition
• 19:32 Stacking Ray-Ban, Rakuten & Amex Offers
• 24:46 Unclaimed Property Is a Treasure Chest
• 27:00 Final Thoughts

Links

• App-o-rama - https://milestomemories.com/my-midway-point-credit-card-applications/
• LendingTree survey - https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/study/habits-misconceptions-mistakes/
• Claim lost funds - https://milestomemories.com/claim-lost-funds/

📧 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

• Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Shawn's InKind referral ($25 off $50) - https://milestomemories.com/go/inkind

Shawn has to get to Hong Kong and the choice is uglier than it should be: premium economy nonstop or Philippine Airlines through Manila on an angled seat, because the last minute Cathay Pacific first class trick that worked for years is gone. We also get into why renewing a Chinese visa is still a pain, the intra-Asia award secret everyone planning a trip should know, and the one Seoul airport you want to fly into. Then Benji has us rethinking IHG Diamond, the top tier almost nobody has and hotels actually honor. Plus T-Mobile is giving away ten prizes of one million Atmos miles each and you do not need to be a customer, which leads to the full story of the time Mark won Arby's in Hawaii, surprise tax bill and all. And McDonald's just closed a loophole that says a lot about how rewards programs really work. Premium economy or Manila? Vote in the comments.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:27 The Accidental Golf Podcast
• 4:33 Renewing a Chinese Visa Is Still a Pain
• 5:35 Premium Economy or Philippine Airlines to Hong Kong?
• 8:01 Cathay Pacific, the One That Got Away
• 11:10 Intra-Asia Awards Are Wide Open
• 12:13 The $500 Tokyo to Seoul Problem (and the Gimpo Tip)
• 14:57 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment
• 15:39 Why IHG Diamond Is Underrated
• 20:38 Shutdowns, Status Matches & Looking Over Your Shoulder
• 22:46 Win 1 Million Atmos Miles From T-Mobile
• 24:09 The Arby's in Hawaii Story (and the Surprise Tax Bill)
• 27:58 A Free 25K Companion Cert on the Summit Card
• 29:02 McDonald's Closes a Loophole
• 32:09 Final Thoughts

Links

• IHG undervalued - https://milestomemories.com/ihg-one-rewards-diamond/
• 1M Atmos - https://milestomemories.com/enter-to-win1-million-atmos-rewards-points/
• ✈️ 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

• Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/

Tiffany Funk now runs Flying Blue, and the first big change on her watch makes the cheapest business class awards look a lot like basic economy. We get into what got stripped out, why the fix conveniently runs through their status program, and why that status ladder makes Mark want to lie down. It is not just airlines either, and Caesars and Carnival both proved it this same week. Plus PenFed kills the free version of a card people were milking, Citi's AAdvantage Executive is at 125,000 miles with a family lounge perk nobody else offers anymore, inKind has another $50 off $100 in the links below, and Rakuten's card offers are back. Let us know in the comments if decoupling lounge access from awards is fair or just another devaluation.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:23 Our Tiffany Funk Problem
• 2:28 Flying Blue Makes Business Class Awards Basic Economy
• 5:35 Status Is the Fix (and Flying Blue's Status Ladder Is a Mess)
• 8:00 Loyalty Programs Reward Spenders, Not Flyers
• 10:06 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment
• 11:33 PenFed Phases Out the Free Pathfinder
• 14:01 Citi AAdvantage Executive at 125K
• 17:12 inKind: $50 Off $100 Is Back
• 19:15 Rakuten Card Offers Return
• 21:43 Final Thoughts

Links

• InKind - https://www.milestomemories.com/go/inkind
• Penfed - https://milestomemories.com/penfed-credit-card/
• Flying Blue status/changes - https://milestomemories.com/flying-blue-changes/
• https://liveandletsfly.com/flying-blue-business-light-awards/
• Rakuten offers - https://milestomemories.com/rakuten-credit-card-offers/ $50 off $100
• InKind promo - https://milestomemories.com/inkind-offering-50-off-your-next-100-meal/
• AA 125K - https://milestomemories.com/citi-aadvantage-executive-card-new-125k-bonus/

✈️ 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