Miles to Go - Travel Tips, News & Reviews You Can't Afford to Miss!

Richard and Ed are both dealing with some travel fails as the summer winds down. Thunderstorms are part of the issue but the lack of ability for some airlines to recover makes matters much worse. Southwest has made it much easier to earn the Companion Pass, arguably the best benefit of an airline loyalty program. Richard and Ed discuss this is detail and Richard contemplates a change in strategy. Lastly, Ed gets a chance to visit the Capital One Lounge shortly after it opened. He had a mixed experience. This week's epsiode is sponsored by NordVPN. Both Ed and Richard use NordVPN. Download NordVPN now and enjoy a 50% discount on an annual mobile subscription. Here's why Ed and Richard use NordVPN: Protects your privacy and blocks malicious websites. Helps you stream your favorite content (live sports, movies, etc) when you're traveling. Fastest VPN out there, connect in one click on desktop and mobile devices! If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Gary Leff joins us this week to talk about the new Capital One Lounge opening at Washington Dulles International Airport. Richard and Ed have plenty of questions for Gary, he has the full scoop. After that, Richard has all sorts of probing questions for Gary. This week's epsiode is sponsored by NordVPN. Both Ed and Richard use NordVPN. Download NordVPN now and enjoy a 50% discount on an annual mobile subscription. Here's why Ed and Richard use NordVPN: Protects your privacy and blocks malicious websites. Helps you stream your favorite content (live sports, movies, etc) when you're traveling. Fastest VPN out there, connect in one click on desktop and mobile devices! If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Ed is back from the Faroe Islands. After visiting 5 countries in one day he ended up with 2 incredible days in the Faroe Islands. He and Richard are recapping the entire trip. Hyatt is rebranding their timeshare properties to Hyatt Vacation Club and celebrating it with a 3X earning promotion on bookings now through the end of November. Lastly, an airline has added an "adults-only" section on certain planes. Will this work? If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Ed checks into the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas and gets treated like a king. Big upgrade as a result of his Marriott status! Richard and Ed talk about American Airlines' new international route announcements. Does this mean more opportunites to use your miles? Hyatt has rolled out new ways to combine free nights with award reservations. Ed and Richard are breaking down the changes and how they can help you on your next award booking. This week's epsiode is sponsored by NordVPN. Both Ed and Richard use NordVPN. Download NordVPN now and enjoy a 50% discount on an annual mobile subscription. Here's why Ed and Richard use NordVPN: Protects your privacy and blocks malicious websites. Helps you stream your favorite content (live sports, movies, etc) when you're traveling. Fastest VPN out there, connect in one click on desktop and mobile devices! Richard and Ed are also breaking down a listener follow-up question about Marriott versus Hyatt and how credit cards affect the award pricing for both chains. And, they also discuss a scary story about a United flight that almost ended up in the ocean. If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Ed is back from Billund, Denmark and has the details on Lego House. TLDR: it's not just for kids! This week's epsiode is sponsored by NordVPN. Both Ed and Richard use NordVPN. Download NordVPN now and enjoy a 50% discount on an annual mobile subscription. Here's why Ed and Richard use NordVPN: Protects your privacy and blocks malicious websites. Helps you stream your favorite content (live sports, movies, etc) when you're traveling. Fastest VPN out there, connect in one click on desktop and mobile devices! Richard and Ed are also breaking down a listener follow-up question about Marriott versus Hyatt and how credit cards affect the award pricing for both chains. And, they also discuss a scary story about a United flight that almost ended up in the ocean. If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

It was 36 hours of ups and downs.....well, pretty much downs for Ed on United this week. Richard and Ed discuss some interesting Marriott offers that expire today. If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Watch the podcast on YouTube! We start out catching up on Richard's quick trip to London which involved the old A330 business class product on Virgin Atlantic and Richard's first time experiencing Polaris Class on United. Is Richard committed to United Airlines now? Many of you wrote into the show asking for more details on Ed's recent trip to Nova Scotia, so we're digging into that as well. Check out this post from a few years ago about Peggy's Cove. Bilt had another incredible Rent Day promo, proving that their elite status is something you really want to consider. If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Watch the podcast on YouTube! We start the show digging in to a listener review about how Ed and Richard feel about Marriott's loyalty program. The big news of the week is Marriott swooping in to take over Hyatt's relationship with MGM Resorts. Ed and Richard are sharing their thoughts on what we know so far. If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Watch the video version of the podcast! Hyatt and MGM are breaking up. The TSA has made announcements that may spell the end of Clear in its current format. Ed is recapping his family vacation and Richard is recapping his latest Dream hotel stay. If you're looking for a way to support the show, consider joining our Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Is this the best Marriott award redemption we've ever seen? Ed and Richard are discussing a deal for an all-inclusive safari that you can redeem Marriott points for. Chase has a new Aeroplan offer that's an interesting way to earn 100K Aeroplan points. At the same time there are also offers for certain Chase Ink cards for 100K Ultimate Rewards points. We're discussing all of that this week. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Watch this week's episode on YouTube! Ed is still in Hawaii. Richard is getting his opinion on the first part of his trip including recaps of Aulani, Kauai, The Lodge at Kukui'ula and more. There's also an interesting Hilton status challenge right now. Aggressive, but rewarding. Rirchard and Ed are breaking it down. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Our next guest chat is Wednesday, July 5th with Leslie and Joe from Disney Deciphered! Live at 9pm ET and available via video replay to Slack members. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Watch this week's episode on YouTube! Ed is still in Hawaii. Richard is getting his opinion on the first part of his trip including recaps of Aulani, Kauai, The Lodge at Kukui'ula and more. There's also an interesting Hilton status challenge right now. Aggressive, but rewarding. Rirchard and Ed are breaking it down. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Our next guest chat is Wednesday, July 5th with Leslie and Joe from Disney Deciphered! Live at 9pm ET and available via video replay to Slack members. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Watch this week's episode on YouTube! Summer Hull is joining us to talk about her recent Alaska cruise on Disney Cruise Lines. We're also talking about recent Marriott news that seems to indicate they'll be making their suite upgrade process better for elite members. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard is out of town this week so Howie is stepping in to his seat. Howie is a kick-ass travel agent who understands the points and miles world. Drop him a line at [email protected] if you need help with travel! A listener writes in to ask our opinion about Bask Bank AA mileage earning. American Airlines has announced that elite members will be eligible for complimentary upgrades on award tickets. What does that mean for you? And, Marriott has rolled out some interesting offers to sign up for one of their credit cards. Are you interested? If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

We start out this episode hearing about Ed's recent trip to Newport, Rhode Island where he stayed at a new (to Hyatt) property, The Pell. Is this property ready for prime time. Next up we're discussing the spread of United's award price increases worldwide. The price of "free" travel has definitely gone up. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

QUICK! Before the day (June 1st) runs out, make sure you claim your free points from Bilt Rent Day. Richard has been busy applying for a new AMEX Biz Plat card. We discuss the news that government ruled that American and JetBlue need to break up. For real? And, we explore whether Richard is going to stay a United elite member or not. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard is back from his trip to Punta Cana. He survived, but just barely. He'll fill us in on (most of) the gory details. There are plenty of reports that United's award pricing has noticeably increased. We don't quibble with that assertion, we just don't think it was an overnight thing. "Saver" inventory has been very tough to find on United for quite some time. Meanwhile, Ed is wading deeper into the world of Global Services benefits and the water is awful murky. What are the unpublished benefits of Global Services? Lastly, has Ed lost his mind in regards to Disney World's Halycon Starcruiser? Richard thinks so. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard is on his way to Punta Cana. We start off with a look at the Dream Hotel, a hotel in NYC that is newly affiliated with Hyatt. Richard stayed there last week and has the details. Spoiler alert: you might need Ed's white noise machine to survive. Ed visits the Capital One Lounge in DFW for the first time and shares his impressions. American Airlines has started offering reduced pricing on round-trip international award flights. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? JetBlue has kicked off their new TrueBlue program. What are early opinions on the program? The first Chase Sapphire Lounge has opened at Boston Logan International Airport. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

A lot to cover this week. Both Richard and Ed were able to take advantage of the latest Bilt promotion to book trips to Europe. Let's see how they made out. IHG is making breakfast worse for elite members. How bad is the change? Universal Orlando has a pretty sweet ticket deal right now. Capital One has a massive sign-up bonus for the Venture X, but should you consider it? And, Richard wants you to know just how long he's believed you shouldn't plan your credit card strategy around 5/24. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard and Ed connected at the Freddies and recap all of this year's winners. They're also discussing Bilt's most recent Rent Day. But, the biggest news of the day is Hyatt's acquisition of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. There are still plenty of questions, but this could be huge for Hyatt's luxury lodging portfolio. Ed locks up lifetime Hilton Diamond status and gets a pretty nice gift in the mail to commemorate the achievement. Finally, is Richard really flying United? We think so. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

We're covering a bunch of ground this week, including following Richard to Europe. He's breakng down Virgin Atlantic's new business class product, his first stay at Hyatt Regency Churchill in London and getting a little vulnerable with the audience. We're also breaking down BILT Dining, which can earn you up to 11 miles per dollar on Rent Day if you have the Bilt Mastercard. Even without the card you can earn 5 points per dollar on some incredible restaurants. And, Ed is searching for a backpack and needs your help, If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

We're all over the board on topics today. Thanks to two helpful listeners for helping us understand Delta's standby list. In a word, it's useless. However, as they increase their overbooking strategy, you can get paid cash to take a later flight. A lot of cash. We're also digging into Ed's Hawaii planning as well, though he's nowhere near done planning the trip. And, we're both very perplexed by the story of Silver Airways potentially getting kicked out of their home airport. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

We're following Richard around the country as he tries to impersonate another passenger, almsot gets shafted by Delta, has fun at Disney and joins a travel meetup in Dallas. We're also finding out why Ed is nerding out on a recent discovery about United Airlines. And, we're still trying to figure out if American Airlines actually made any changes based on a recent announcement. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already stopped by a few times! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard grabs the yoke from Ed and runs this week's episode. We're digging into United Airlines' invite-only Global Services status. How did Ed get a Global Services invitation? Is it worth it? If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Why not start the episode with the best Hyatt status challenge I can recall? 20 nights to earn top-tier Globalist status with no other strings attached? Richard is bringing the happy to Rent Day again this month. At the same time, Capital One continues it's quest for death by a thousand cuts. They've eliminated some valuable redemption options from Capital One Shopping. Has this platform, once valuable, shifted from "cash back" to "assorted gift cards you might find valuable"? Lastly, Lufthansa has brought the A380 back! Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard applies for multiple credit cards and still appears to be in limbo. Ed is grabbing a new cash back card that may be one of the best to put in your pocket right now. Citi has a new booking platform that Thank You Points fans may life. United has some widebody planes where elites can grab "first class" (international premium economy) seats for free. And, Richard gets vulnerable with the audience. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

We start the show with Richard trying to apply for a credit card. Suspense ensues while we wait for the reply. Ed gets trapped in an elevator at Disney. And, the guys take time to discuss the recent Hyatt award category changes. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

We have a special guest this week who hasn't been on the show in quite some time. And, like most bougie former Los Angeles residents, even has a podcasting couch that he seems pretty attached to. Zach Abel from Monkey Miles joins the show to talk about some incredible award redemptions he was able to make recently. We're definitely jealous of his travel. Richard also drops a really awesome announcement on us. Bilt has a new partnership with Lyft. Folks who don't have the Bilt Rewards Mastercard can earn two points per dollar on Lyft rides just for linking their Bilt and Lyft accounts. And, if you have the Bilt card you'll earn five points per dollar on all Lyft rides. You can read more about the partnership here. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Did Richard re-qualify for Executive Platinum status? Inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile, Marriott is killing points advance bookings in March of this year. This popular benefit allowed folks to save up for their next award booking. Hyatt has rolled out their new Bonus Journeys promotion for the spring. What do Ed and Richard think of the latest promo? And, why is Richard on the wrong flight to London? If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! For the first month I'll be donating ALL of the proceeds to my daughter's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser. After that, half of the proceeds will go to support various charities we raise money on behalf of. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard is fired up today. He has a 1099 from Capital One and he can't quite figure out why the amount is so high. Is he going to waste his time calling Cap One to figure it out? Virgin Atlantic is offering 30% off award flights from certain destinations and it's a pretty solid list. And, we're digging in to Peter King's favorite and least favorite airports. Peter King, author of the incredible Football Morning in America column, has some solid (and not so solid) opinions on the best and worst airports. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! For the first month I'll be donating ALL of the proceeds to my daughter's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser. After that, half of the proceeds will go to support various charities we raise money on behalf of. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard is back on this side of the pond and we've got a lot to cover. There's a pretty amazing Virgin Voyages deal out there right now. If you're looking for a great adults-only cruise you should definitely consider this. It can be fully booked with points, including taxes and fees! There's a Delta Flash Sale that falls under a new header for mileage redemption. "Look, but don't touch!" Costco has some pretty solid travel deals right now including a really good package to Universal Orlando. And, we're recapping the final part of Richard's trip, including Disneyland Paris and our horrible pronunciation of Hyatt Regency Paris L'etoile. Oh, and the Air France business class experience that still has us scratching our heads. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! For the first month I'll be donating ALL of the proceeds to my daughter's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser. After that, half of the proceeds will go to support various charities we raise money on behalf of. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard is still overseas. We're checking in with him and the family's time in Amserdam and Innsbruck. We're also discussing Delta's new 15% discount on award travel and Ed cleaning out his Bilt Rewards account for the 100% HawaiianMiles transfer. If you're looking for a way to support the show, we've launched a new Slack Community. You can support the show and purchase access below: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! For the first month I'll be donating ALL of the proceeds to my daughter's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser. After that, half of the proceeds will go to support various charities we raise money on behalf of. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

A lot to cover in this week's episode. We're diving into my Starcruiser voyage and Richard's trip to the Middle East and Europe. And...... I've been thinking about ways to recoup the costs for producing the podcast for quite some time. I'm not a big fan of razor blade ads. Patreon didn't feel like quite the right fit. So, today we're launching the Pizza Talks Travel Slack Community. There are three levels you can subscribe to that will help support the show: Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We'll have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. I'll be inviting some of the brightest minds in travel to come join me on a weekly basis. Heck, some of them may even accept the invitation. Richard has already threatened to stop by! For the first month I'll be donating ALL of the proceeds to my daughter's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser. After that, half of the proceeds will go to support various charities we raise money on behalf of. I appreciate your support! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Two big announcements in today's episode. Sorry for the delay while we honored the Hawaiian Airlines embargo. Bilt Rewards and Hawaiian Airlines teamed up for a Rent Day promo on February 1st that may be their best ever. For one day only you can get a 100% transfer bonus on all transfers from Bilt Rewards to Hawaiian Airlines. They're also giving away some free trips to Hawaii. As well, Point.me and Bilt Rewards are teaming up. Point.me is now powering Bilt Rewards award search for Bilt partners to make it easier to find the best awards. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Hey, the full episode will be out shortly! Here's a quick story from my travels this week to help satisfy your M2G fix until we drop the full episode. I got the timing wrong on an embargo so we'll be launching as soon as the embargo lifts. And, I think you're REALLY going to like what the embargoed information is. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

If you listened to my daughter and want to donate to her fundrasier, here's the link. She really appreciates it! Richard and I are recapping our 2022 status achievements and outlining our 2023 status goals. And, a new benefit of the Chase Aeroplan credit card may convince Richard to sign-up before I can, even after making fun of me for being interested in the card. Lastly, we're getting the scoop on Richard's big family European trip. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

Richard and Ed jump into the new year with a recap of their holiday travel to New York and Charleston. Both Richard and Ed give a review of the new Grayson Hotel, part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection. Marriott had some interesting developments as it pertains to credit card nights and elite night credits. Lastly, Richard and Ed catch up on the massive Southwest meltdown over the holidays. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

American Airlines rolled out a massive change to their loyalty program last year. Gone were many older elements of earning status and benefits, replaced by Loyalty Points. They've also begun tweaking the program, with some recent changes just announced. Richard and I dedicate an episode to a deep dive on the new AAdvantage program and how to earn Loyalty Points. We also share our opinions on whether you should invest your time in the program and how to get the most out of AAdvantage Loyalty Points. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions.

I have a bunch of United PlusPoints that are due to expire, so I'm upgrading a few lucky listeners. If you have a United flight in January or February and there's upgrade inventory, shoot me a note via e-mail or DM. But first, make sure you have United Expert Mode enabled and then check to see what upgrade inventory looks like on your flight. If an upgrade is available or looks likely, let me know and I'll try to upgrade you. Richard and I are answering a listener question about year-end status challenges and we're also discussing a really bad take on CLEAR, the service that helps you bypass the line at the airport. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

I'm fairly certain my co-host has lost his mind. A French farm? There's a new bonus for linking your Marriott and Uber accounts. It may be targeted but seems widely available. Hyatt has another list of new properties in Europe in some amazing destinations. Delta broke Richard's suitcase and for reasons I can't fathom, he wants to spend time on a French farm. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

Richard's primary commute just went from tolerable to terrible. What is he going to do? Listeners who are new to the Hyatt elite family have questions about club access awards and suite upgrade awards. We're answering those questions on today's show! Finally, Richard wants to know why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is still in Ed's wallet. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

Capital One has already eliminated a valuable benefit from the Venture X card, less than two years after launch. Delta is trying to solve their SkyClub crowding problem by rolling out changes customers won't like. Richard and Ed are answering a listener question about the best way to earn points on a large purchase. And, Ed is hosting a Toys for Tots fundraiser/meet-up this week. Love to have you attend and/or donate a toy! Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

Delta was the first to raise their status requirements. United followed, though technically this is just them reinstating the requirements they announced in 2019. Still, the price to earn elite status is going up. Way up. Delta SkyClubs have been overcrowded for quite some time. Now, Delta is rolling out a "solution" that has Ed so fired up he needs to borrow Richard's soapbox. They're also answering listener questions about the right credit card to use and whether they have a target balance in various award programs. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

It's Black Friday, which means Jen from Deals We Like is back to give us the scoop. Here are some of the latest Black Friday deals from Jen: Gearing Up For Black Friday Spin to Win Amazon cash $40 Bonus For Online Shopping We're also answering a listener question about Marriott credit cards. What's the right decision for folks who hold Marriott credit cards right now? Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

Richard is back with a broken wing. That doesn't stop him from taking his co-pilot seat back for a recap of our crazy Disney fundraising adventure. We're also answering listener questions on Marriott and Amtrak this week. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

Richard is running around Disney World so Joe Petrovic from Award Travel 101 is our guest co-host today. We're talking about the AT101 community, a fabulous resource. And, Joe goes into detail on how his family manages travel while making sure their son with ASD is comfortable and safe. Lastly, we answer a listener question on the Caribbean and an interesting new route. Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! Hope you enjoy the show!

Summer and Julian are back on the pod talking about the credit cards they're using right now. We also find out what elite status they're chasing (and what they're walking away from ) as the year comes to a close. There's only one catch. Where's Richard? Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! Hope you enjoy the show!

A listener asked a few weeks ago what Ed actually does for a living. We loved exploring the idea for an episode but we wanted to make sure it was travel-oriented. So, we're covering a bit about what Ed does for a living and digging through Richard and Ed's wallets. We both carry a surprisingly high number of cards with us on the road, besides all the cards that stay at home in a drawer. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! Hope you enjoy the show!

Richard is literally flying blind for this week's episode. Delta has raised their elite status qualificaiton requirements for earning status in 2023 (towards travel in 2024). The new numbers are pretty painful. We're discussing those changes as well as Hilton's return to the pre-pandemic levels for elite qualification. We also discuss an issue with Cap One transfers as reported by Award Wallet. This issue does appear to have been resolved, but something to watch out for. Lastly, a listener has an interesting question. They'll probably be disappointed by our answer. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! Hope you enjoy the show!

Why not start out an episode learning why Richard has sausage fingers? We take some time to do a deep dive into my Amsterdam and London trip. Flight reviews, hotel reviews and some touristy stuff is all thrown in there. We heard from a couple dozen listeners about problems they're having with the Capital One Venture X card. Richard and Ed detail what folks are experiencing right now. Ed also shares a problem he's having with Chase Ultimate Rewards. Lastly, Ed is happy Hilton is putting Peloton bikes in all of their hotels. Richard rains on his parade to finish things off. Don't forget that you can leave us a voicemail or text us at (571) 293-6659‬. Listen for your question on a future show! Shoot us an e-mail ([email protected]) or you can tweet me and Richard if you have questions. And, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and ask your question there. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! Hope you enjoy the show!