MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

Go to https://surfshark.com/mtm or use code MTM at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Description In this episode, Shawn and Mark break down a string of Amex Platinum changes — Saks credit going away, Centurion Lounge guest access tightening, Uber VIP disappearing — plus an honest look at the Citi Strata Premier revamp survey and the best offer ever on a no-fee Amex card. Mark is als...

Hyatt may be ending free parking and resort fee waivers for Globalists — and there's a new elite tier above Globalist potentially on the way. Meanwhile, Citi is cutting the ThankYou to Choice Hotels transfer rate by 25% on April 19th. And Mark is trying to figure out if he's even making it to Bermuda with JFK TSA chaos threatening the whole spring break trip. What we cover: Hyatt survey: new elite...

The TSA funding crisis has airports in chaos — agents are working without pay, some airports have massive lines, and others are totally fine. Mark recaps his multi-country Europe trip: Turkish Airlines business class to Istanbul for 70K miles, a last-minute pivot to Warsaw, Ryanair's bus-terminal airport, honest reviews of the Hyatt Centric Dublin and Aer Lingus narrow-body business class, and whe...

Capital One's switch to the Discover payment network is getting cards declined at ATMs and payment terminals overseas — Mark found out the hard way in Poland and Dublin. Chase made things worse by quietly killing fraud alerts for international charges, leaving one of Mark's travel buddies $1,000 in the hole at a bar in Poland with zero notification. Plus: a leaked Amex card nobody asked for, Yotel...

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Hyatt just dropped five new pricing tiers on their award chart — and it's got Shawn and Mark rethinking their entire hotel strategy. Plus: Mark had to scrap his Istanbul trip, rebook his whole Europe itinerary using Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles, and Bilt credits, and lived to tell the tale. And yes — the LifeMiles call ce...

Thrifty Traveler Premium (affiliate — supports the show): https://milestomemories.com/go/thrifty-traveler/ Episode Description Elon Musk wants your money in the X app — and he's offering 6% APY plus 3% cash back on debit to get it. Meanwhile Bilt is having a rough week: mortgage payment failures, a hidden foreign transaction fee on their "no fee" Palladium card, and a PR mess that Forbes and the W...

Thrifty Traveler Premium (affiliate — supports the show): https://milestomemories.com/go/thrifty-traveler/ Episode Description US hotels are sitting at 62% occupancy and the internet is treating it like a crisis — but Shawn dug into a decade of data and found out who's actually causing the problem. Take Las Vegas out of the numbers and every other hotel in America made more money last year. Plus,...

Episode Description On this week's MTM Travel Thursday show, Shawn and Mark cover three big topics: the restaurant credit programs worth your time right now (Resy, InKind, Hilton's local bar trick), all seven active transfer bonuses including Rove's 50% Japan Airlines launch deal, and a full walkthrough of Mark's recent credit card application haul — $4K cash, 230K miles, and 112K Built points, of...

Episode Description The world changed fast — and travelers are feeling it. Shawn and Mark break down what's happening in the Middle East, why Dubai went from "safe luxury playground" to diverted flights overnight, and what experienced points travelers should know about navigating global instability. Plus: anti-American sentiment abroad is real, and Shawn shares what it was actually like traveling...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel the travel show we discuss the recent events in Mexico, how they've been sensationalized and what travelers need to consider before canceling or planning a trip. We also discuss: pure Michigan, Sapphire's free Whoop, how Southwest got duped, an insane hotel coffee maker hack and Mark's big return to MTM. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 1:28 Mark's b...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel the miles & points show Mark dives into his real world experiences with the new Bilt cards and Bilt cash. An unexpected promo came, but is it working out? We also discuss: finding cheap Hyatt mattress runs by stacking promos, the overlooked US Bank business card bonuses and how Southwest is tiering their credit card bonuses for the first time!...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel the travel show we jump all around the country as Mark details winter small town Americana and reviews the condos at Evermore Orlando resort. We also discuss the insane Hilton rebate deal at Calala and the ongoing battle for overhead bin space on planes. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:20 Small Town Americana in……winter? 3:20 Indoor hotel pools, t...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel miles & points show we dive into some of the more important news and stories from this past week. From United's TravelBank glitch to using Delta for your Amex credit we have you covered. We also discuss a cool Bilt calculator that simplifies their new cards, which hotel has the best promos and Hyatt's new Spring promo. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Trave...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel travel show Mark discusses his Spring Break bookings and trip to Bermuda. While this isn't the most popular miles/points destination it offers a ton of value and beauty. We also discuss: the debate on resort fees and costs, why you should "rake" your bookings to save even more & how Southwest has finally ended their infamous "cattle call" board...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel miles & points show we dive into some of the better deals and happenings this week. Bilt is back with Rent Day and a great transfer bonus, but there are still some frustrations. Hyatt has a somewhat new 5 free night offer, but is it worth going for over the points? Finally we show you how to grab a massive $1,200 checking bonus that you can fun...

Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel (the travel show) Mark discusses his planning and awards for his upcoming Azores trip. He also discusses Evermore and his upcoming villa booking with Hilton points plus we dive into the new NYC Mayor's policy banning resort fees. Can this new rule extend beyond NYC? 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:37 Azores award update & Morocco aspirations 9:11 Ever...

Shawn's InKind referral - https://app.inkind.com/refer/4FJZRGUZ Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel we break down everything new from BIlt Rewards. This week Bilt launched 3 new credit cards that help you earn points on paying your mortgage/rent, but things are confusing. On this show we go through all of the controversy surrounding Bilt 2.0, which cards and benefits are on offer, ho...

Shawn's InKind referral - https://app.inkind.com/refer/4FJZRGUZ Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel we discuss President Trump's new proposal to limit credit card interest rates. Is it possible to pull of this order plus what will be some of the unintended consequences of lowering and capping interest rates. Plus is the credit card system good for consumers?   In other news we also d...

Shawn's InKind referral - https://app.inkind.com/refer/4FJZRGUZ Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel we take a look back at our favorite deals from 2025 and how they apply in the new year. From AA transfers to monster bonuses, what did we love and what do we hope for in 2026. We also discuss: our New Year's Eve in Vegas, Pacman in real life and some tricks to maximizing Chase Sapphire...

Shawn's InKind referral - https://app.inkind.com/refer/4FJZRGUZ Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel we shake off the post-Christmas blues with some fun discussion about travel and credit cards. Shawn just returned from his Christmas cruise on Princess. He discusses how it was unique plus his strategy for earning free casino cruises. We also discuss: how we're maximizing all of our en...

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com 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 Mark returns to recap his Thanksgiving family adventure to London and Paris. From flights to hotels and what to do, he covers his uniqu...

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com 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 Mark returns to recap his Thanksgiving family adventure to London and Paris. From flights to hotels and what to do, he covers his uniqu...

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com 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 Joe Cheung joins Shawn to catch up on some travel happenings. During the show Joe discusses and reviews his time on the world's largest...

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com 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 Mark discusses his upcoming extended family trip to London and Paris. We discuss how all of the trip planning falls to the traveler, ho...

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com 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 we discuss a proposed credit card fee settlement that could spell huge changes to travel rewards cards, merchant fees and which cards a...