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

As we look to the future of travel both in the pandemic and beyond, there are positive and negative developments. We've seen some pretty good deals being offered by airlines and hotel chains. 20% discounts on hotel gift cards were some of the best I've seen so far. Alas, that deal is gone. But, there is an easy path to decent hotel elite status just by applying for a credit card. On the bad side of the coin, Delta quietly rolled out some changes to partner awards that are hard to swallow. You're looking at a minimum of a 25% increase, with some increases being over 100%! Kyle Potter from Thrifty Traveler is here to walk us through those changes. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Business travel evaporated when the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in March. Since then, some business travel has slowly started to ramp up. Wondering what it's like to travel for business right now? Seth Miller from PaxEx.Aero has a first-hand account of life on the road. He also has some really interesting statistics on how people are earning and redeeming miles for travel. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Las Vegas is such a unique destination. It's transitioned from being a gambling mecca, though there's still plenty of this. Great food, great clubs and great concerts all have something in common with gambling. They're all incredibly difficult to pull off in a pandemic. I'm joined this week by Shawn Coomer from Miles to Memories (both the blog and podcast) who's a native of Las Vegas for decades. He shares a ton of information about what Vegas is like right now to help you decide if it's time to plan a trip. And, in The Final Two Pennies, I'm discussing a recent report of COVID-19 transmission on a plane amongst passengers who were wearing masks and were spaced out. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Summer Hull and Richard Kerr join me for a second straight week, this time to talk the future of travel. After we had Gary Leff on a few weeks ago to discuss the world of travel post-COVID, I thought it would be great to get some other perspectives from well-known folks in the travel space. I already had Summer and Richard mic'ed up for our segment on our joint camping trip. So, why not just keep them talking? If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

What happens when three friends decide to bring their families to a campsite in Florida during an October heatwave? Well, you get a bit of rough audio quality, which I'm truly sorry for. But, you also get jokes, laughter, sand flea bites and fearful stories about black water tanks leaking. Summer Hull and Richard Kerr make this episode a hilarious inside view into the world of camping for 3 people who are most definitely not experienced RVers. Richard and I bought new trailers, but Summer went the rental route, where RV Share and Outdoorsy are both solid options. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Gary Leff of View From The Wing joins me this week for a wide-ranging discussion on travel during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Gary shares his views on business travel, leisure travel, how the airline and hotel industry are coping with all the changes and more. He also answers listener questions submitted via social media. Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

We're talking fast COVID testing, New England road trips and more this week! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Clint Henderson joins me for travel news this week, including: Airlines introduce COVID-19 testing at the airport to avoid Hawaii quarantine United Airlines launching new fare search tools Chase expanding Pay Yourself Back program 5 extra points per dollar on Amazon purchases Tamara Gruber is back on the show to talk about New England. You might remember her joining us last year to talk about Iceland, an awesome destination she knows plenty about. Tamara has lived in New England for almost 20 year. She outlines 7 great New England road trips that cover some of the best places to visit. Now is a great time to see the fall foliage! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

It's been an interesting few months, but I'm now officially an RV owner. Richard Kerr joins me again to compare notes on all the things we've done wrong so far. It's a long list. We've also got Jon Nickel d'Andrea from No Mas Coach back with me to cover travel news as well as his recent trip to Europe. Hear what his travel experience was like. Links: KLM will let you fly without a mask, but there's a catch. Should this be allowed? Is an unlimited flight pass worth it right now? Hawaii will allow visitors without a quarantine requirement in October If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Airlines wiped out change fees in a hurry! United went first, which we discussed on a recent episode. Then, American, Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian followed. They used words like "forever", which is a nebulous term in the airline world. Seth Miller from PaxEx.Aero and the Dots, Lines and Destinations podcast joins us to break it all down. Joe from Your Mileage May Vary also joins me to bring you travel news (also check out their FB group). Links: Renting an Airbnb During The Pandemic Hyatt Crushes The Other Hotel Promos Park MGM Reopens As a Smoke-Free Casino The Cayman Islands Are Reopening, But Do You Really Want to Go? If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

A new credit card in a quarantine? And one with some pretty awesome bonus categories. We're talking about the Chase Freedom Flex, a brand new credit card coming out this month. It can either turbo charge your cash back strategy OR your miles and points strategy. We'll break it all down for you. What you need to know about Chase Freedom Flex If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

As the COVID-19 pandemic started to gain steam, credit card companies were quick to add bonus categories to keep customers using their cards. As the pandemic has stretched on, some of those limited-time offers have expired. There are new bonus categories and other benefits to consider. Sarah Silbert joins us from Business Insider to break it all down. And, we've also got travel news: The Big 3 airlines quickly eliminated change fees this week. Delta is adding hand sanitizer dispensers to their entire fleet. Hyatt's new "Work From Hyatt" program, discounted room rates and free perks! IHG losing a number of really nice hotels. Credit card strategies as quarantine stretches on If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Aruba is a strip of simple paradise surrounded by beautiful oceans. The island is peaceful and safe; a Jeep is all you need to make your own private beach. And, low-cost carriers like Southwest Airlines fly there. Combine that with IHG, Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott properties where you can use points, and this island can provide a very affordable Caribbean vacation. In travel news, we're talking changes to the CDC quarantine guidelines and an incredible award sale for flight to Europe if you hold any of the Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards credit cards. Links: Video tour of Aruba Awesome award sale to Europe! Hilton makes it easier to earn Diamond status CDC gets rid of 14-day quarantine requirement for people arriving in the US Are Uber and Lyft disappearing from California? Aruba Marriott Stellaris Review Hilton Aruba Review If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

If you're stuck at home and trying to figure out a road trip, Marriott Homes and Villas may be an option for you. The opportunity to earn or redeem Marriott points and earn elite status will be pretty appealing for some folks. We've also got deal-related travel news today, including an intriguing new offer on the Chase Freedom card, some great Amazon deals for back-to-school shopping and more! Links: Marriott Homes and Villas Rental Converting Southwest travel vouchers to points New Chase Freedom Offer SoFi Bonus Sign-Up Offers Amazon Chase Offer If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

It isn't often that we see a completely new travel loyalty program, especially from one of the largest airlines in North America. With Air Canada's global network and long history, the launch of the new loyalty program (with a familiar name) was met with much anticipation. I wrote about many details of the new program yesterday. Today, we've got a special opportunity to hear from two of the architects of the new Aeroplan. We're getting deep in the weeds with Raymond Ludwin, Senior Director, Marketing, Air Canada and Derek Whitworth, Senior Director, Loyalty Products. From family plans to 50% discounts on awards, Raymond and Derek dig in to all the great parts of the new Aeroplan as well as answering some listener questions along the way. And, just in case you thought these guys weren't serious, they share with us that part of the program was actually conceived while airline execs were on a mileage run to earn elite status! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

We're back with the latest travel news and how to plan the perfect Cape Cod vacation. News links: MGM Resorts lost $1 Billion last quarter United Airlines offering the craziest 10% discount we've seen Most Marriott credit cards offering 10 miles per dollar on dining and gas station charges American Express Platinum customers are getting a $200 travel credit And, AMEX Platinum folks can get $100 in free gear from Dell. Then, Jen from Deals We Like joins us to help plan the perfect Cape Cod vacation, including how to use points for some pretty nice getaway spots! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

We're all dreaming of where to travel right now! Gilbert from God Save The Points is back this week to talk about Madrid. From Tapas (T-A-P-A-S, Gilbert will explain) to wonderful coffee, he walks us through why this city needs to be on your list. And, since I'm back in one place, we lead the show off with some travel news. First-time guest host and long-time friend Clint Henderson joins me to break down these topics: American and Southwest Airlines tighten mask restrictions further for passengers. Can Americans actually go to the Bahamas? Why not live abroad for a year? Some countries are offering 1-year visas right now. Shopping portal bonuses can earn you 8,000 points right now. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!

Thinking about where to travel this summer with international travel pretty much shut down? Yellowstone actually has availability! Usually you have to book a year in advance. We're joined by Kimberly from Stuffed Suitcase to talk about her time at Yellowstone. The park is massive. With so much to explore, Kim can help you get started planning a dream trip to Yellowstone. I also break down a recent listener question on the best credit cards for his travel plans. If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us attract more listeners! Hope you enjoy the show! If you have a suggestion for a future show find me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you'd like to hear about!