• Get a $200 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Get 3 free months of Audible - https://milestomemories.com/audible-subscription-offer-2/ Mark is taking his son to Japan on points, so we walk through exactly how he booked it, sn…• Get a $200 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/
• Get 3 free months of Audible - https://milestomemories.com/audible-subscription-offer-2/ Mark is taking his son to Japan on points, so we walk through exactly how he booked it, snagging American Airlines business class from Detroit through Dallas to Tokyo for 100,000 miles a person, why he locked it in even though it is not the rock bottom price, and his plan to fly Delta One home from Seoul nonstop for 140,000 SkyMiles. It turns into a bigger conversation about how the burn side of miles and points has gotten harder and less fun, and why getting the trip you want now can beat holding out for the perfect saver award. On the news side, there is an excellent Audible deal with three free months plus a $20 credit for Prime members, another two Hyatt hotels dropping suite upgrade awards, and Hyatt dressing up an old 13 month booking window as a shiny new elite benefit. Then we react to a great Benji article full of points assumptions worth rethinking, from not needing to be a credit card travel protection expert, to skipping mediocre free breakfast, to whether tracking every tiny bonus is actually worth your time, and the classic debate of booking flights first versus hotels first. Let us know in the comments whether you are team flights or team hotels, and drop any Japan tips for Mark.
Episode Guide:
• 0:00 What's Coming Up
• 1:35 Why Japan? A 16th Birthday Bucket List Trip
• 2:59 How We Booked 100K Business Class to Tokyo
• 6:02 Flying Delta One Home From Seoul
• 8:58 A Great Audible Deal (3 Free Months + $20)
• 9:59 Hyatt Drops More Suite Upgrade Hotels
• 11:41 Hyatt's "New" 13-Month Booking Benefit
• 14:07 Do You Need to Master Card Travel Protections?
• 16:53 Skip the Free Breakfast?
• 19:27 Are You Wasting Time Tracking Points?
• 23:41 Book Flights First or Hotels First?
• 29:30 Final Thoughts Links
• Sign-up for Rakuten! (referral) - http://milestomemories.com/go/rakuten
• Hyatt upgrade certs - https://milestomemories.com/hyatt-expands-list-of-hotels-that-dont-accept-suite-upgrade-awards/
• Hyatt 13 month benefit - https://milestomemories.com/hyatt-early-award-access-for-elites-and-cardholders/
• Points assumptions - https://milestomemories.com/travel-and-points-assumptions/ ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free
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Erin and Kattie recap a milestone trip to Japan, from Kattie's food obsession and the days where everything goes right, to confronting our own romanticization of the places we visit.
POSTCARD episodes come out mid-month, between each regular episode of Curious Tourism. Catch candid discussions on t…Erin and Kattie recap a milestone trip to Japan, from Kattie's food obsession and the days where everything goes right, to confronting our own romanticization of the places we visit.
POSTCARD episodes come out mid-month, between each regular episode of Curious Tourism. Catch candid discussions on the latest in travel-related media and hot-button topics.
Send your questions or commentary to the show on Instagram @curioustourismpod or email [email protected]
If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast.
• Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.
• Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.
CREDITS
• Written and Hosted by Erin Hynes
• Produced by Kattie Laur
Mentioned in this episode:
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Hyatt's 2026 award changes are live, and Shawn and Mark look at what happened after the switch. Some stays barely moved, some got cheaper, Japan got hit hard, and a few members appear to have been charged rates that do not match what Hyatt showed during booking.
They also talk …Episode Description
Hyatt's 2026 award changes are live, and Shawn and Mark look at what happened after the switch. Some stays barely moved, some got cheaper, Japan got hit hard, and a few members appear to have been charged rates that do not match what Hyatt showed during booking.
They also talk through the points hoarding debate after Benjy's "case for zero" article. A big transferable points balance can feel like an emergency fund, but it can also lose value while cash could earn interest or get invested. Then they close with Chase's new 10X Paze offer, the limited but useful merchant list, and how it can stack with Rove shopping bonuses.
Episode Guide
• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:23 Hyatt's devaluation aftermath
• 2:47 Japan Hyatt awards get hammered
• 4:28 Category 1-4 certificates lose ground
• 6:00 Hyatt booking glitches and overcharges
• 9:30 Detroit seminar tickets and hotel warning
• 10:53 The points hoarding mistake
• 13:52 Investing cash vs. holding points
• 15:10 Shawn's Citi ThankYou redemption win
• 16:21 Cashing out, burn rates and earn rates
• 20:24 Chase Paze 10X and Rove stacking Links
• Travel Freely/CardGenie — https://travelfreely.com/cardgenie/?bref=mm
• Hyatt 2026 award chart updates — https://newsroom.hyatt.com/awardchartupdates
• Doctor of Credit: Chase Sapphire & Freedom 10X Paze Promo — https://www.doctorofcredit.com/chase-sapphire-freedom-cards-get-10x-with-paze-checkout-through-2026-united-newegg-shoprite-dunkin-etc/
• MTM: Rove promotion and stacking with Paze — https://milestomemories.com/new-rove-promotion-and-stacking-with-paze/
• Paze merchant directory — https://www.paze.com/merchant-directory
• Points mistake - https://milestomemories.com/points-and-miles-mistake/more
"Annoying Interpersonal Interactions" are what make the world go round.
Get your messages in! WE NEED YOUR INTERACTION! [email protected] - do say hello!
Abroad in Japan is the podcast devoted to the most unique country in the world. Subscribe for new podcasts twice a week, every week…"Annoying Interpersonal Interactions" are what make the world go round.
Get your messages in! WE NEED YOUR INTERACTION! [email protected] - do say hello!
Abroad in Japan is the podcast devoted to the most unique country in the world. Subscribe for new podcasts twice a week, every week.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.more
When Tom Feiling lived in Tokyo in the early 1990s, Japan was a vision of the future. A place where science fiction existed next to centuries old Shinto shrines.
He returned to the country nearly twenty-five years later to find some of the shine had worn off.
Its population is aging and shrinking.…When Tom Feiling lived in Tokyo in the early 1990s, Japan was a vision of the future. A place where science fiction existed next to centuries old Shinto shrines.
He returned to the country nearly twenty-five years later to find some of the shine had worn off.
Its population is aging and shrinking. Inflation is finally setting in after decades of economic stagnation. People are choosing solitude over companionship. And countryside villages are being abandoned as their last residents die off.
Japan still looks like the future, but it is a troubling future, and a warning for us all.
Tom is the author of Alone in Japan: A Journey to the Future.
We spoke about Japan’s culture of overwork, extreme forms of solitude, sex doll showrooms, and attempts to save village life and big city prosperity.
Personal Landscapes relies on the support of listeners like you to keep going. Please consider joining my Member's Club on Substack, where you'll find show notes for each episode, book reviews, reading-related videos, and more.
You’ll be supporting an independent ad-free podcast that publishes carefully curated conversations like this one, backed by decades of reading. Go to https://www.personallandscapespodcast.com/p/start-here
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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.personallandscapespodcast.com/subscribemore
Do you think you'll ever get the sucking noise down pat? Let us know - [email protected] on the ol' emails!
The Abroad In Japan podcast will return 30th April!
Abroad in Japan is the podcast devoted to the most unique country in the world. Subscribe for new podcasts twice a week, ever…Do you think you'll ever get the sucking noise down pat? Let us know - [email protected] on the ol' emails!
The Abroad In Japan podcast will return 30th April!
Abroad in Japan is the podcast devoted to the most unique country in the world. Subscribe for new podcasts twice a week, every week.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.more
Due to some changes in the way that Apple are putting their new video system together, starting next week we're going to be busting out the video, audio and YouTube version of the podcast all at the same time. Which will be Thursday evening UK time. Hope that works for e…Filthy, filthy Myaku-Myaku!
Due to some changes in the way that Apple are putting their new video system together, starting next week we're going to be busting out the video, audio and YouTube version of the podcast all at the same time. Which will be Thursday evening UK time. Hope that works for everyone! Pete xx
Abroad in Japan is the podcast devoted to the most unique country in the world. Subscribe for new podcasts twice a week, every week.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.more
Michael Mazzara, CEO of Rogue Expeditions, breaks down one of the most overlooked trends in travel: running tourism. What started as a personal challenge turned into a global opportunity—multi-day running experiences that combine movement, culture, and community across destinations like Japan, Slove…Michael Mazzara, CEO of Rogue Expeditions, breaks down one of the most overlooked trends in travel: running tourism. What started as a personal challenge turned into a global opportunity—multi-day running experiences that combine movement, culture, and community across destinations like Japan, Slovenia, and the Dolomites. In this episode, we get into why traditional race travel often falls short, who these trips are actually designed for (hint: not elite runners), and how shared physical experiences create deeper, more meaningful connections than typical group travel. If you’ve ever laced up your shoes in a new city or wondered what travel could look like beyond sightseeing, this one’s for you.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/globetrotters-podcast--5023679/support.more
Ever wondered what it’s like to fly 17+ hours straight? Matt Drinkwater comes to share his experience with Qantas on the near-Kangaroo route to Perth (we talk the past and present of that route), and more, onto Brisbane.
Matt and Paul share a deep bond with Japan, and discuss the beauty, and quirkin…Ever wondered what it’s like to fly 17+ hours straight? Matt Drinkwater comes to share his experience with Qantas on the near-Kangaroo route to Perth (we talk the past and present of that route), and more, onto Brisbane.
Matt and Paul share a deep bond with Japan, and discuss the beauty, and quirkiness, of flying within Japan, from small airports, to the smell of Kansai International (yes, airports have a smell!).
Qsuite to Bali, it doesn't get much better than this (especially with that chocolate ganache).
There's a certain allure in epic journeys, a remnant of our forefathers' explorations, this also requires you to get lost, something that Japan or China still offer (don't resist, do let go).
Do you research the food you'll have on-board? Matt does (that salt and pepper squid at the Heathrow Qantas lounge!).
Can one love British Airways in 2026? Matt does, and makes a great case why it stays relevant, in spite of its IT woes (but, do you smash into people at Heathrow?!).
When technology meets emotion (Star Wars, anyone?), and when it doesn't (that gimmicky hologram… IYKYK).
The same goes with crew uniforms, and Matt works in fashion (also, American Airlines, please watch Forks, the episode of The Bear).
The global tensions, jet fuel woes, and the inflation of air travel fares in the very near future (a sensitive topic …and book that trip now!).
Follow Matt on his instagram: @matthewdrinkwater
Learn more about his work
(Matt, let go, and learn to love The Last Jedi!)
_____
A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedIn
The show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the website
Video and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts.more
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 walkth…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, offset by $2,169 in annual fees. The Spirit Airlines miles subplot also gets resolved. Great episode for anyone thinking about credit card strategy heading into spring.
• 0:00 - Intro
• 0:20 - Resy Credits & Detroit Dining
• 3:31 - Hilton Credits: The Local Bar Hack
• 10:59 - Active Transfer Bonuses
• 13:47 - Rove Miles & Japan Airlines
• 19:08 - Sticking to Programs You Know
• 20:31 - Mark's Credit Card Application Results
• 24:36 - Spirit Card Update
• 25:07 - Mark Writing Again at MTM Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].
You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!more
Lauren Shannon has been living in Japan for over 25 years and is a partner at Arigato Tours. Lauren shares Kyoto’s unique take on sushi, creative Matcha dishes, and the massive Nishiki market. Plus, a deep dive into sake. [Ep 378]
Show Notes:
Destination Eat Drink food and travel guides
Destinati…Lauren Shannon has been living in Japan for over 25 years and is a partner at Arigato Tours. Lauren shares Kyoto’s unique take on sushi, creative Matcha dishes, and the massive Nishiki market. Plus, a deep dive into sake. [Ep 378]
