MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Latest Episodes:

Which IHG Card Wins, Amex's Point Pooling Mess, 50% Off Super Stack & Another Canceled Flight? Nov 12, 2026

Show notes

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

Which IHG card actually makes more sense for your spending? We compare the Premier and Premier Select at $15,000, $25,000 and $40,000, looking at points, elite nights, Diamond status and the extra free-night certificate. The more expensive card isn't automatically the better earner, and your spending categories make a big difference. Mark also finds a replacement business-class award after Lufthansa cancels his flight, while Shawn explains how he stacked an AliExpress sale with a shopping-portal offer on a new camera. Plus, our experience ordering Uber Eats through Amazon Prime and why Amex's points changes in India have us asking questions about the future of Membership Rewards.

UPDATE: Amex India has announced it will restore the points deducted in the clawback discussed in this episode. The separate card-level balance changes are still planned. This is an India story, not an announced U.S. clawback. Updated reporting is linked below.

Episode Guide:

0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
0:30 Universal Orlando plans and next week's schedule
2:12 Lufthansa cancels Mark's flight
4:39 IHG Premier vs. Premier Select: The spending math
6:54 Why do premium cards have weaker earning categories?
8:33 What changes at $40K of IHG spending?
10:00 Amazon Prime and Uber Eats: Our experience
12:40 Stacking a camera deal with shopping-portal rewards
15:35 Amex India's points clawback and the pooling problem
18:35 Citi's cancellation warning and the U.S. comparison
20:59 What comes next for Membership Rewards?
23:25 Next week's schedule and wrap-up

Links

Amex India woes - https://livefromalounge.com/on-demonitisation-anniversary-american-express-india-wipes-out-membership-rewards-points-from-customer-accounts/
Amex India update - https://livefromalounge.com/american-express-reverses-course-on-membership-rewards-points-clawback/
Which IHG - https://milestomemories.com/?p=166882
Amazon Uber Eats - https://milestomemories.com/amazon-prime-partners-with-uber-eats/
Amex MR pooling changes - https://milestomemories.com/amex-membership-rewards-change/
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🏆 Diamond Patreon — bonus shows + Slack community 🥇 Gold Membership ($10/mo) 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 📖 Miles to Memories website

Hyatt's 4 Free Nights, Hotels Banning Locals & When Points Bookings Go Wrong Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

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

Four free nights sounds good, but where would you use them? We discuss the new World of Hyatt credit card offer, the changing value of Category 1–4 certificates and why we try to use them before chasing a better redemption. Mark also shares a San Diego booking headache involving an Atmos companion certificate, Virgin Atlantic errors and a misspelled ticket. Plus, Asheville-area hotels turning away local guests, the tragic Learjet crash and how it affects the way we think about flying. The crash investigation is ongoing. And Mark's attempt to teach a new driver leads to a parking-lot argument and a familiar dad moment.

Episode Guide:

0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
0:43 Teaching a new driver
2:58 Mark's parking-lot confrontation
5:35 Getting back behind the wheel after a rough start
7:27 Learning to drive and turning into your dad
9:09 San Diego bookings and an Atmos companion-certificate snag
11:39 Virgin Atlantic errors and a misspelled ticket
14:06 Are points bookings worth the hassle?
16:17 Asheville hotels that turn away locals
18:38 Is there a better way to handle hotel parties?
20:27 The Learjet crash and flying private
23:23 Aircraft design and private-jet safety concerns
25:32 Flight anxiety and seeing crash footage online
27:26 Hyatt's four-free-night credit card offer
29:13 What are Hyatt free-night certificates worth now?
31:05 Use your Hyatt certificates before they expire

Links

Learjet analysis - https://x.com/hangrydbowman/status/2117336657095508069?s=46&t=B9kWNUIY21TRZnc8tXrfRQ
Hyatt 4 free nights - https://milestomemories.com/world-of-hyatt-credit-card-launches-new-bonus-of-5-free-nights/
💳 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

Amex Is Tightening Up, Points "Junkies" & Stacking Discover for Big Cashback! Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

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

Amex retention offers and bonus points aren't coming as easily as they used to, at least in our accounts. We discuss the changes we're seeing, the Pay Over Time changes coming in February 2027 and why the banks keep making their credits harder to use. Plus, a Wall Street Journal story about points "junkies" has us asking why maximizing credit card rewards gets lumped in with dishonest behavior. We also look at Silo's investment rewards and whether earning extra points is a good enough reason to move your portfolio. Amazon's targeted Membership Rewards offers are reaching more accounts, Audible has another deal and Discover's first-year cash back could add up nicely with the right timing. We talk through the math, the catches and when chasing more points just isn't worth the trouble.

Episode Guide:

0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
1:18 Silo: Earning points on your investments
4:12 When chasing more points isn't worth it
7:25 Amazon's targeted Amex offers return
9:50 Audible's latest deal
11:04 Why the WSJ's points "junkies" story misses the mark
14:21 Amex, AI and the rewards cat-and-mouse game
17:12 Amex Pay Over Time changes coming in 2027
19:03 Where did the Amex retention offers go?
21:26 Business cards and bigger welcome bonuses
23:39 Why deals die faster and benefits should be simpler
25:14 Discover's first-year cash back strategy
27:18 Final thoughts

Links

Silo - https://frequentmiler.com/silo/
Amazon MR discount - https://milestomemories.com/40-off-amazon-order-with-amex-membership-rewards-points/
Audible deal - https://milestomemories.com/audible-subscription-offer-2/
WSJ article - https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/the-cat-and-mouse-game-between-premium-credit-card-firms-and-points-junkies-8ce2e30a?st=Ajqypp&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Discover stacking - https://milestomemories.com/200-discover-card-bonus/
Amex changes - https://milestomemories.com/changes-coming-to-amex-pay-over-time-feature/
https://milestomemories.com/honeymoons-over-considering-those-amex-platinum-benefit-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

Solo Travelers Pay More, ChatGPT Award Searches & United's Giant New Lounge Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

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

Bilt's 2027 Changes: Keep Bilt Cash? Plus More Amex Frustration & Streaming Credit Strategies! Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

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

Bonvoyed Twice in One Weekend, Hilton's Exciting New Feature & MTM Takes Over Detroit! Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

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

Chase Wouldn't Fix the Bonus, Speedway Gift Cards Are Getting Drained & Capital One's Big 300K Offer Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

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

Getting 125K Expired Points Back, New Southwest Companion Pass Truth & JetBlue Launches First Class! Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

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/

Southwest Just Nuked the Companion Pass & Amex Platinum's Hotel Credit May Be Next Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

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

American Airlines Mistake Fare & Cancelation Anger, Best Lounge Tool & KLM's Quirky Blue Houses! Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

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/

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