Milenomics ² Podcast - No Annual Fee Edition

Note: Video of this episode can be found on Youtube and Spotify! Coming soon to Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, hosts Tom Kim and Trevor Mountcastle recount Trevor’s recent New Years trip to Australia that included visits to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. They discuss the challenges of booking flights using points and miles, the varying experiences with American Airlines and Qantas business class, and the highlights of their stay in Brisbane, including the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The conversation also covers their New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, exploring local attractions like the Opera House and The Rocks, and the unique culinary experiences they encountered. The hosts also discuss Melbourne and her beautiful markets and the Australian Open. They discuss the challenges of booking travel during peak times, the logistics of traveling with family, including limited mobility considerations, and how we chose specific flight experiences to mitigate those logistical challenges, such as the importance of non-stop flights.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00 Introduction to the Australian Adventure
00:47 Planning the Trip: Points and Miles Challenges
04:55 Flight Experience: Comfort and Crew Dynamics
11:27 Arrival in Australia: First Impressions
17:55 Hotel Experience: Hyatt Regency Brisbane
21:21 Wildlife Encounters: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
26:37 Exploring Brisbane: Markets and Local Culture
27:47 Traveling to Gold Coast: A Budget-Friendly Choice
31:04 Accessibility Challenges in Air Travel
31:22 Packing Light for a Long Trip
34:56 Choosing Accommodations: From Hyatt to Apartments
36:28 New Year's Eve in Manly: A Family Celebration
44:11 Transitioning to Hyatt Regency: A Familiar Stay
48:10 Exploring Sydney: New Experiences and Local Markets
50:49 Cultural Experiences: A Visit to the Opera House
51:40 Experiencing the Sydney Opera House
52:46 Traveling to Melbourne: A New Adventure
53:52 Hotel Experiences and Upgrades
55:32 Booking Strategies for Travel
59:07 Exploring Melbourne: Markets and Local Culture
01:00:38 Weather Challenges in Melbourne
01:04:34 Dining Experiences and Service Culture
01:11:07 Unexpected Adventures at the Australian Open
01:16:56 Experiencing Sporting Events with Low Friction
01:19:07 Navigating Travel Logistics and Flight Changes
01:22:33 Dining Experiences in Airports
01:26:31 First Class Lounge Experience at Qantas
01:27:30 Reflections on Long-Haul Flights
01:34:15 Desire to Return to Australia and Future Travel Plans
01:36:51 The Value of Nonstop Flights

A Guys Trip to Malta Centered Around Lounge Hopping

Episode 72: Show Notes

Summary

In this episode, hosts Tom Kim and Trevor Mountcastle share their travel experiences centered around an impromptu trip to Malta, highlighting their lounge hopping adventures. They discuss their flight itinerary, the luxurious Polaris Lounge in Chicago, and the Frankfurt First Class Lounge, emphasizing the importance of these experiences in enhancing their travel. The conversation also touches on their arrival in Malta, exploring the historical city of Valletta, and the unique aspects of their journey, including unexpected encounters and the cultural richness of Malta. In this episode, the hosts discuss their recent trip to Malta, including their experiences exploring the Old Town, the beaches, and their flight with British Airways to Gatwick. They share insights on navigating Gatwick to Heathrow, hotel booking strategies, and their extensive lounge hopping at Heathrow Terminal 3, highlighting the pros and cons of various lounges including the Centurion, British Airways, Qantas, and Cathay Pacific. The conversation wraps up with reflections on the trip's focus on lounges and the missed opportunities for outdoor exploration in Malta.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00 Lounge Hopping: The Trip's Driving Force

02:00 Flight Itinerary and Booking Process

03:25 Experiencing the Polaris Lounge

11:44 Lufthansa First Class Experience

21:17 Frankfurt Lounge Experience

27:37 Arrival in Malta and Hotel Lounge Review

29:38 Navigating the Airport Experience

31:57 Dining in the Skies: European Airlines

34:52 Hotel Comparisons: Regency vs. Centric

35:43 Exploring Malta: A Densely Populated Gem

36:46 Valletta: The Old Town Experience

40:45 Cruise and Maintenance: Malta's Unique Position

42:50 Gatwick to Heathrow: A Smooth Transition

46:42 Dining at Hyatt Place: A Pleasant Surprise

51:43 Lounge Hopping at Heathrow Terminal 3

53:36 The Changing Landscape of Airport Lounges

54:48 Lounge Hopping Experience

01:01:09 The Qantas Lounge Highlights

01:06:13 Cathay Pacific Lounge Experience

01:09:43 Flight Experience and Upgrades

01:22:13 Reflections on the Trip

01:23:33 NEWCHAPTER

Note: The video of this episode can be found on Youtube or Spotify

Summary

In this episode of Travel Stories, hosts Tom Kim and Trevor Mountcastle welcome Gary Leff, of View From the Wing and the Freddie Awards to the show. We discuss memorable experiences in travel, the evolution of airline loyalty programs, the changing landscape of airline upgrades, and the impact of status on travel experiences. The conversation also delves into family travel, personal travel stories, and the value of travel experiences. Gary shares his insights on the future of airline loyalty programs and emphasizes the importance of enjoying the journey rather than cramming everything into one trip.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00 Introduction to Travel Stories and Guest Background

03:07 Memorable Experiences at Frequent Traveler University

05:46 The Evolution of Airline Loyalty Programs

09:01 The Changing Landscape of Upgrades and Entitlement

11:54 The Shift in Value Proposition for Frequent Flyers

14:29 The Future of Loyalty Programs and Personalization

17:30 Recognition and Emotional Connections in Loyalty Programs

20:23 Gamification and Customer Engagement Strategies

29:51 Navigating Credit Card Value and Offers

37:49 The Future of Co-Branded Credit Cards

54:31 Traveling with Family: A New Perspective

01:00:24 Shifting Travel Preferences and Experiences

01:03:14 Traveling with Kids: Strategies and Challenges

01:09:58 Memorable Travel Experiences: Stories from the Road

01:15:02 The Value of Travel: Understanding Different Cultures

01:21:08 Reflections on Travel: The Good and the Bad

01:25:33 Favorite Travel Deals: A Look Back at Opportunities

Festivus 2025

Episode 70: Show Notes

Keywords

Festivus, travel, airlines, loyalty programs, grievances, travel stories, miles, points, travel achievements, travel miracles

Summary

Our Annual Festivus Tradition continues! In this episode, we celebrate Festivus with special guest JT Genter, discussing our travel experiences. We air our grievances with airlines and loyalty programs, we share our feats of strength and celebrate our Festivus miracles. Break out your festivus pole and join us as we reflect on the past year.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00 Intros

03:53 Airing of Grievances

28:18 Feats of Strength

56:42 Festivus Miracles

01:11:44 Wrapping Up

Episode 69: Show Notes

Trevor and Thomas are the ultimate travel friends, and part of what makes their trips so memorable is that they both maximize the journey as much as the destination! Today on Travel Stories, we are doing something a little bit different; we are breaking down the ins and outs of planning a guy’s trip so that you, too, can make your next trip about the journey, not just the destination! In this episode, you’ll hear all about how Thomas and Trevor decided where to go on this trip, some of their award searching strategies, the breakthrough that led to their location decision, and so much more! We delve into their lounge experiences before Thomas tells us about his disappointing trip home and the obstacles they faced with regard to hotel availability. They even talk about the three different award tickets they ended up with on this trip. Finally, our hosts tell us why so many of their trips are planned ‘at the last minute’ and how they each use their miles differently. Thanks for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:04] Today’s topic: what planning a guy’s trip looks like and why we’re talking about this.

[04:24] Deciding where to go on this trip and how wide our aperture was for it.

[08:19] The power of using multi-city codes on Seats.aero and how we do award searching.

[12:35] The breakthrough that came from a Seats.aero alert and ultimately choosing Malta.

[17:42] Their lounge crawl at London Terminal Three and their other lounge experiences.

[19:19] An overview of the heartbreak they experienced when booking their trip home. 

[23:45] The importance of looking at different currencies when booking trips. 

[28:12] The obstacles that Trevor and Thomas ran into when booking hotels. 

[36:51] How they ended up with three different award tickets on this trip. 

[40:22] Some of the other trips we are planning and why there is always so much uncertainty.

[43:00] Why the value of miles is so unique to the person and how we use them differently.