Podcasts about Hyatt

Dr. Janine Lee is an award-winning Learning and Development Leader with 20 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies. In her business life, she focuses on organizational effectiveness, strategy and operations, digital transformation, change management and Belonging. She's also known to the world as JetsetJanine, a food and travel content creator who has explored over 100 countries and eaten at over 100 Michelin-starred restaurants. As a food and travel influencer, she's partnered with top brands such as Delta Airlines, Visa, Hyatt, Marriott, Four Seasons, and Cirque Du Soleil, and many others.Janine has an MBA from UC Berkeley and a Doctorate of Education from USC. She's a certified executive coach, keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, published best-selling author, and a Lecturer at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.Learn more about Janine at janinelee.com, jetsetjanine.com, and on Instagram at @drjaninelee and @jetsetjanine.~Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, I work with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it's like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠CreditsProduced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

In this episode, Jess and Megan walk us through their recent family getaways to two standout Hyatt properties in the American Southwest: the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale in Arizona and the Hyatt Regency Tamaya in New Mexico. From flights on Southwest® using Companion Passes to family-friendly resort and cultural activities, they break down exactly how they booked, what they loved, and what they'd do differently next time. Grand Hyatt Scottsdale: Renovated Luxury with Resort Vibes Fresh off a huge renovation and rebrand, the former Hyatt Regency Scottsdale is now the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale—and Jess and Megan each had three-night family stays to check it out. The resort has ten pools, including a three-story water slide, a sandy beach area for little kids, and a separate adults-only pool. There's even a rock-climbing wall, putting green, and weekly birds of prey show. The club lounge, while small, included complimentary breakfast, drinks, appetizers, and desserts, and Jess made good use of the free happy hour drinks by taking them poolside. Their biggest warning? Avoid Thursday–Saturday stays if you're sensitive to noise—live music in the lobby those nights is extremely loud and carries to guest rooms. Jess called it the biggest damper on an otherwise enjoyable trip. Hyatt Regency Tamaya: Hidden Gem Near Albuquerque Megan also shares her family's stay at Hyatt Regency Tamaya, located on the Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico. Recently renovated and still a Category 4 Hyatt, it offered unique Native American cultural experiences, incredible mountain views, and tons of free family activities. Megan's family enjoyed nightly s'mores by the fire pit, cultural storytelling sessions, hands-on artisan demos, and a pueblo bread tasting. There are multiple pools, bike rentals, and even a horseback riding stable on-site.  This resort is just 30 minutes from Albuquerque's airport and offers easy access to Santa Fe and Petrified Forest National Park not too far away—making it perfect for road trip loops or a more relaxing extended stay. If you're dreaming of a warm-weather escape filled with adventure, learning, and luxury—without the luxury price tag—this episode is packed with inspiration and real-world tips for traveling the Southwest on points. Hit play and start planning your family's next trip!   Links: Webinar: How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free Grand Hyatt Scottsdale: https://www.hyatt.com/grand-hyatt/en-US/scott-grand-hyatt-scottsdale-resort Hyatt Regency Tamaya: https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/en-US/tamay-hyatt-regency-tamaya-resort-and-spa Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Intro + overview 01:00 – Flights on Southwest® + Companion Pass 03:00 – Costco car rental + tips for family travel 08:00 – Grand Hyatt Scottsdale: room types, points cost, parking fees 13:00 – Club lounge pros/cons 18:00 – Pool features, beach area, adult-only spaces, kids' activities 23:00 – Live music noise issues + what to know before booking 31:00 –  Hyatt Regency Tamaya 34:00 – Hotel background, cultural ties, and points cost 38:00 – Pools, spa, activities, and Guest of Honor details 41:00 – Cultural experiences 44:00 – Horseback riding + why this property is a favorite for families

Lauren deVane is back (for the fifth time!) to help us make sense of the AI landscape—minus the tech bro energy. She and Michelle unpack what GPT-4o actually means for creative work, how to use AI tools with taste, and why brand builders can't afford to sit on the sidelines. From custom bots to off-label use cases, this conversation is a sharp, strategic look at where branding and AI intersect. Lauren deVane is the founder of The Bemused Studio, where she builds strategic, scroll-stopping brand identities for bold creatives. With 60+ client projects under her belt, she now teaches designers how to integrate AI into their workflows. Formerly leading creative at Ulta Beauty and Walgreens, Lauren's worked with celebs like Kim Kardashian and Tracee Ellis Ross, and designed for brands like Hyatt and Chicago Fire. ------------------------ In today's episode, we cover the following: Choosing the right AI tool Understanding AI models AI for brand designers Why using AI isn't a threat to your business Taste vs tools Creative direction with AI Postproduction AI hacks Democratizing branding Ethics and optimism Custom instructions and training Off-label use cases ----------------------- RESOURCES: Use the code ITSGONNABEMAY for $400 off BAIS CAMP Episode 117: Midjourney & AI with Lauren deVane Episode 133: Midjourney & AI Part 2 with Lauren deVane Episode 162: Leveraging AI Tools for Innovative Marketing with Lauren deVane Episode 192: Authenticity and AI with Lauren deVane Episode 215: Client Case Study: FRG Real Estate (Part 2) ----------------------- GUEST INFO: To learn more about Lauren and her distinct style, follow her on Instagram @TheBemusedStudio, or visit her websites, TheBemusedStudio.com and JoinBaisCamp.com. ----------------------- Your designs deserve the front page—literally. Searchlight Digital is the women-led SEO and Google Ads agency that helps creative businesses get seen, not just admired. Use code KMA100 at searchlightdigital.ca for $100 off a 60-minute Pick My Brain call and finally get found. ----------------------- WORK WITH MKW CREATIVE CO.   Connect on social with Michelle at: Kiss My Aesthetic Facebook Group Instagram Tik Tok ----------------------- Did you know that the fuel of the POD and the KMA Team runs on coffee? ;) If you love the content shared in the KMA podcast, you're welcome to invite us to a cup of coffee any time - Buy Me a Coffee! ----------------------- This episode is brought to you by Zencastr. Create high quality video and audio content. Get your first two weeks free at https://zencastr.com/?via=kma. ----------------------- This episode of the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast is brought to you by Audible. Get your first month free at www.audible.com/kma.   This episode was edited by Berta Wired Theme music by: Eliza Rosevera and Nathan Menard

Embark on an insightful exploration of the hospitality sector, powered by data-driven analysis. Cindi Howson and Hyatt's data trailblazer, Ray Boyle (Vice President, Data and Analytics), are charting a course through Hyatt's data innovation. Witness how Hyatt's four-pillar data strategy is revolutionizing everything from employee empowerment to guest personalization and operational efficiency. Discover how Hyatt is democratizing data with self-service tools and pioneering an AI-powered frontier to redefine the very essence of hospitality!Key Moments: Data as an Asset (08:26): Ray emphasizes the importance of shifting the organizational mindset to view data not as a cost center, but as a critical asset. He discusses how data should be cared for, invested in, and stored like any other valuable asset, with the expectation of generating value for the business.  Hyatt's Data Strategy Pillars (13:00): Ray outlines the four key pillars that form the foundation of Hyatt's data strategy. These pillars include cultivating people and building a data-driven culture, personalizing the guest and customer experience in a high-trust environment, operating with excellence by ensuring operational efficiency and information consistency, and growing with intent by integrating new businesses and data flows.  Key Milestones in Hyatt's Data Transformation (16:42): Ray details the significant milestones in Hyatt's data transformation journey. These include clarifying the data strategy, establishing the data and AI operating model, building data governance capabilities, modernizing the data platform and infrastructure, expanding data assets, and releasing new services like personalization and forecasting.  Data Democratization and Data Fluency (23:00): Ray explains Hyatt's strong emphasis on self-service analytics to empower users across the organization. He discusses the importance of data accessibility, trustworthiness, and usability, as well as the potential of generative AI to further democratize data access and insights.  This includes building a data community to facilitate knowledge sharing and learning, as well as providing tooling and guidance to business organizations to effectively roll out analytics within their domains.  AI's Impact and Collaboration (31:35): Ray explores the transformative impact of AI on businesses and its role in fostering tighter collaboration between business and technology teams. He discusses how AI is driving the need for reimagined workflows and how it's changing the way data is used and delivered across the organization.Key Quotes:“ThoughtSpot has been a key partner of ours on that journey. We just roll the data into the cloud, and we're working to publish our assets, sales, finance, loyalty, revenue, search, and marketing into that infrastructure so that there's just a growing base of information that everybody can use in the self-service context.” - Raymond Boyle"Velocity is something you build over time. It's how I think about the operating model around data, ensuring everyone plays their role and develops the necessary skills. To me, velocity increases as you establish the operating model and you have the business, technology, and data organizations, along with governance and security, all participating effectively. - Raymond Boyle"When you think about the business outcomes and how people are beginning to consider AI's potential in that transformation, I believe AI is becoming a more significant factor every quarter." - Raymond BoyleMentionsThe Four V's of Big Data, Including VelocityDalva, By Jim HarrisonMinnesota Timberwolves' SuccessGuest Bio Ray Boyle (current Vice President, Data and Analytics at Hyatt) has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning several industries and roles across consulting, software, analytics, and data leadership. His notable roles include leading strategic planning, research, and analytics for Walmart's Sam's Club division; serving as Vice President of Walmart Global Customer Insights and Analytics; Vice President of Walmart's Global Data and Analytics Platform; Vice President leading FICO's global retail and CPG practice; and Executive Vice President heading IRI's Global Shopper Analytics and Services team.Since 2019, Ray has served as Vice President, Data and Analytics at Hyatt. Aligned with Hyatt's purpose — to care for people so they can be their best — his ambition is to elevate and scale that care through data-driven decisions and automation that benefit guests, customers, owners, and colleagues.Guest Bio Ray Boyle (current Vice President, Data and Analytics at Hyatt) has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning several industries and roles across consulting, software, analytics, and data leadership. His notable roles include leading strategic planning, research, and analytics for Walmart's Sam's Club division; serving as Vice President of Walmart Global Customer Insights and Analytics; Vice President of Walmart's Global Data and Analytics Platform; Vice President leading FICO's global retail and CPG practice; and Executive Vice President heading IRI's Global Shopper Analytics and Services team.Since 2019, Ray has served as Vice President, Data and Analytics at Hyatt. Aligned with Hyatt's purpose — to care for people so they can be their best — his ambition is to elevate and scale that care through data-driven decisions and automation that benefit guests, customers, owners, and colleagues. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Kelsey sits down with Katie from Katie's Travel Tricks and the Points for Normal People podcast to break down two of the most popular family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts: Hyatt Ziva Cancun vs. Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana in Punta Cana. Katie has visited both properties with her kids and gives a detailed comparison of everything from the pools and food to the beaches and waterslides. Which one reigns supreme for her family and keeps them coming back? Tune in for all the insider tips, pros and cons, and the final verdict!Mentioned in this episode:- Happy Shuttle Cancun- The Pyramid Suite at Hyatt Ziva Cancun- Habaneros at Hyatt Ziva Cancun

In Episode 120 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Mike Zaccheo and Angie Sparks cover Angie's recent trip to Slovenia and Croatia, blending personal travel highlights with timely award travel news. Big community updates include the long-awaited announcement of the 2025 Chicago Seminars (Nov 7–9 at HR ORD), changes to Emirates First Class award access for elites only, and generous summer promotions from Best Western and Marriott Homes & Villas. Hyatt also announced a cap on the number of awards a member can receive via gifting, beginning June 7, 2025. On the personal front, Angie completed spend on her ABG card and is eyeing her next one, while Mike is working up the nerve to have Player 2 call Chase before a bonus expires.Angie detailed her trip to the Balkans, booked using Turkish Miles & Smiles with a bonus from Citi ThankYou Points. Despite a few travel hiccups, she had an enjoyable experience flying Turkish Airlines and Polaris on the return. Hotels were mostly booked with cash via OTAs, with some offset using Capital One travel credits. Angie and her travel companion rented a car for their road trip, visiting Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, and iconic caves like Postojna, before crossing into Italy and heading down the Istrian coast into Croatia. Highlights included truffle tasting tours, the Roman ruins in Pula, and the stunning Plitvice Lakes. Angie strongly recommends Slovenia for its beauty, affordability, and mild summer weather. Her tip of the week? Always pack a charging brick—especially when facing airport delays.Link to Topics Discussed15th Annual Chicago SeminarsEmirates restricts First Class award redemptionsBest Western Points PromotionHyatt Restricts Award GiftsMarriott Homes & Villas PromotionEmirates Skyward Miles ExpirationWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Stay tuned for news about our next meetup! Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

In this flavorful episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Executive Chef Leandro “Leo” Minelli of Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa. Chef Leo shares his culinary journey from Mendoza, Argentina to the kitchens of South America, The Bahamas, New Zealand, and now Key West. We dive into what brought him to the island, his passion for local seafood and sustainability, and how he leads the kitchen at the stunning Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen. We also touch on: His vision for Four Flamingos and Blue Mojito What makes Florida-fresh cuisine so unique Why the culinary scene in Key West inspires him daily Come for the food talk, stay for the island vibes. More on Four Flamingos: Welcome to Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen, where Florida-Fresh meets oceanfront elegance. With sunset views and a menu crafted by Chef Blais, this is a must-visit culinary destination in Key West.

00:00 Nate and Andy are at Ball Arena.06:00 Dave Pasch joins the show to preview Nuggets-Thunder.28:50 Dan Hyatt hops on.

Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, joins John Williams to talk about the market performance this week, the tariff fears being overblown, good economic data being released, why he’s bullish long-term, what sector he’s most interested in, why you need to diversify your portfolio, and what he expects from Fed policy […]

Send us a textNach Lufthansa und Air France-KLM zeigt nun auch Turkish Airlines Interesse an einem Einstieg bei Air Europa. Die spanische Airline will bis Sommer einen Partner finden – doch Globalia will die Mehrheit behalten. Damit steht ein harter Poker um Einfluss, Minderheitsbeteiligungen und Südamerika-Strategien bevor. Entscheidend wird auch sein, ob IAG ihren 20%-Anteil freigibt.#AirEuropa, #TurkishAirlines, #Lufthansa, #AirFranceKLM, #Globalia, #AviationNews, #Südamerika, #IAG, #AirlineDeals, #Spanien, #Fluggesellschaften, #Investorensuche, #CovidHilfen, #Kapitalerhöhung00:00 Willkommen zu Frequent Traveller TV00:47 Frankfurter Flughafen im Aufschwung03:13 Qatar Airways und der große Deal05:54 Türkische Airlines und Air Europa08:44 Hyatt und Marriott Promotions10:00 Fragen des TagesTake-OFF 14.05.2025 – Folge 099-2025Stammtisch Termine: https://FQTWorld.as.me/meetupKanalmitglied werden und exklusive Vorteile erhalten:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQyWcZxP3MpuQ54foJ_IsgQ/joinHier geht es zu eurem kostenlosen Consulting Link - https://FTCircle.as.me/Damit Du von unserem Wissen profitieren kannst, kannst du ein mindestens 60 minütiges und vor allem auf dich zugeschnittenes Punkte, Meilen, Status Coaching buchen. Nach dem Call bekommst du ein Jahr Zugang zu dieser Gruppe und zahlst so nur 10 Euro pro Monat und kannst sofort profitieren. Hier ist nun der Link zu deinem neuen Punkte, Meilen und Status Deals.MY SOCIALSWhatsApp - https://wa.me/message/54V7X7VO3WOVF1FACEBOOK | Lars F Corsten - https://www.facebook.com/LFCorsten/FACEBOOK | FQT.TV - https://www.facebook.com/FQTTVFACEBOOK | FTCircle - https://www.facebook.com/FTCircleTWITTER | Lars F Corsten - https://twitter.com/LFCorstenINSTAGRAM | Lars F Corsten - https://www.instagram.com/lfcorsten/LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lfcorsten/Clubhouse - @LFCorsten

In this episode, Pam shares her full itinerary from her recent return to Thailand—a dream trip she's been wanting to repeat since her very first adventure on points and miles years ago. From business-class flights on Singapore Airlines, to luxury stays at the Conrad, Ritz-Carlton, and Banyan Tree—and of course, daily massages for $12—Pam takes us through every high (and low!) of the trip. How Pam Booked Her Flights The trip started with a Thrifty Traveler Premium alert: saver award space on Singapore Airlines from San Francisco to Bangkok. Pam positioned to SFO from Denver and visited the Polaris Lounge before the long-haul flight—cookie skillets included!  Stop #1: Koh Samui – The Conrad vs. The Ritz-Carlton Pam's first two nights were spent at the Conrad Koh Samui, booked with Hilton free-night certificates.  Next, she moved to the Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui, using two Marriott free-night certificates.  So which luxury resort won Pam over? Listen to find out what Pam loved about the Conrad that made it the winner over the Ritz-Carlton. Stop #2: Krabi – Luxury, Views, and Boat Tours Next up was Krabi, where Pam and her crew splurged on a paid stay at the Banyan Tree Krabi. This peaceful resort had amazing views, but the food was disappointing. It provided a great base for day trips to Hong Island, Railay Beach, and the Phi Phi Islands.  And with massages available nearby from $12 to $30/hour, Pam was in heaven! Final Nights: Park Hyatt Bangkok & Grand Hyatt SFO Before flying home, Pam spent one night at the Park Hyatt Bangkok, booked for 25,000 Hyatt points. She raved about the architecture, location, outstanding food, and luxurious vibe—and she can't wait to go back. Then Pam stayed one night at the Grand Hyatt SFO, an airport hotel she loves for its breakfast and convenience—even though it's now in the same category as the Park Hyatt Bangkok! Pam's take? Thailand is one of the most affordable and rewarding destinations you can book with points and miles. Use airline miles to get there, pay cash or use points for luxury stays, and save room in your budget for daily massages!

On this special offseason edition of Bleav in Giants, with minicamp entering Phase 2, Bob Papa and Carl Banks take a closer look at the film. After Carl sat down with Head Coach Brian Daboll to review the Colts vs. Giants game, they focus on Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Jalin Hyatt. The conversation highlights areas for improvement this offseason, including route running, discipline, and execution on back shoulder fades. Carl also shares insights into the offensive approach led by Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka.

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week Mark and Shawn discuss a number of interesting topics in the travel realm including the rumored upcoming changes to Chase's premium flagship card Sapphire Reserve. As part of the rumors the fee is going way up and some benefits are being cut, but they are adding a lot. If this rumor proves true will this card be worth pursuing?   We also discuss the overall rejection of airport lounges in the travel space. Are weary travelers just too picky or have lounges jumped the shark? Shawn shares his real world "lounge skipping" experience along with how it was to fly on day one of Real ID. To close it out we discuss the fallout from a viral Frontier agent video and why Maho Beach in St. Martin is one of the cooler places to visit.   Episode Guide   0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:22 Hyatt implements new rules on award transfers 4:46 Huge Chase Sapphire Reserve rumor - Higher fee & tons of “coupons” 13:19 REAL ID doomsday didn't happen - Shawn's experience 17:43 The airport lounge backlash 25:36 Viral Frontier video - Reinforces their reputation? 31:10 AA flight experience - 2 different ends of the spectrum 35:52 Maho Beach in St. Martin - Why its so cool for aviation enthusiasts and beyond Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  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!

00:00 Dan Hyatt hops on to give us Nuggets stats.19:15 Jeff Legwold joins the show.31:00 More on Nuggets-Thunder.

Most consumers are a lot more hesitant to book vacations these days. At least that's what travel companies are telling us — Marriot, Hilton, Hyatt and a slew of airlines all cut revenue expectations for 2025. But one segment of the market is expected to remain strong: luxury travel. We'll hear more. But first: the details of the U.S.-U.K. trade deal and the impact of Bill Gates giving away $200 billion by 2045.

Most consumers are a lot more hesitant to book vacations these days. At least that's what travel companies are telling us — Marriot, Hilton, Hyatt and a slew of airlines all cut revenue expectations for 2025. But one segment of the market is expected to remain strong: luxury travel. We'll hear more. But first: the details of the U.S.-U.K. trade deal and the impact of Bill Gates giving away $200 billion by 2045.

In today's episode, we'll talk about how The Standard is coming to Hyatt...(but we're too old for it). Nick will enlighten Greg about the fact that Air France flies to French Polynesia, and we'll talk through our recent award booking stories.(01:24) - A correction about the Delta Business Gold card (with a $150 hotel credit, not $200 as mentioned in the episode).(02:23) - Would a speculative Discover Miles card be worth it for the 3x everywhere for the first year, with the chance that those all become transferable to C1 miles when the merger goes through?(08:05) - Greg acquired Smartly 4% card, downgraded Chase Sapphire Reserve, and got approved for Chase Sapphire Preferred(20:06) - Citi Rewards+ may be achievable for some(22:54) - Cardless removes one card per lifetime limit(24:10) - Qatar cards increased offers(29:54) - Rakuten's shopping portal has a great new trick | Coffee Break Ep55 | 5-5-25 (Earn Amex and Chase cards at once)Check out the coffee break episode 55 here.(34:52) - TPG: "Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex EveryDay Preferred: A $95 annual fee showdown"(37:57) - Hyatt integration of The Standard(43:15) - Air Tahiti bookable via Flying Blue(47:19) - Nick: Hilton free night extendable(50:43) - Gondola no longer requires access to your emailMain Event: Award Booking Stories(52:09) - Greg: Booked premium cabin flights to Japan for his sonRead more about this trip here.(1:01:28) - Nick: Booked unexpected trip to Bora Bora(1:18:54) - Greg: Booked lie-flat round trip to London for 3(1:34:28) - Why do people choose to do all this work for travel rather than just cash back?Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

In Episode 119 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Mike and Maria kick things off with a community highlight from Paul, who shared his unique travel ritual of getting haircuts abroad to experience local culture. This sparked a lively discussion, with other members mentioning grocery stores, tattoos, children's books, and grooming services as ways to engage with destinations more deeply. The hosts then dove into news: Chase's 100K Sapphire Preferred offer is ending soon, Alaska Airlines added Philippine Airlines as a partner, Amex and Chase paused Emirates transfers temporarily, and Hyatt launched a lucrative promo for Under the Canvas stays.The main feature covered “Disappearing Sweet Spots” amid ongoing devaluations in award charts. While many programs have raised prices or introduced dynamic pricing (like JAL and Lufthansa), there are still valuable redemptions to be had. ANA's RTW awards remain competitive, and Cathay Pacific has been reliably releasing premium cabin awards despite eliminating its chart. Maria emphasized the importance of diversifying points currencies to navigate future changes. The episode closed with a timely tip: use Rakuten's 15% Big Give Week and the AA shopping portal to stack points on Mother's Day purchases.Links to Topics DiscussedChase Sapphire Preferred Elevated OfferAlaska Adds Philipine Airlines as a Booking PartnerChase & Amex Pause Transfers to EmiratesHyatt Under the Canvas PromoMaria Points The Way - Cathay & JAL ChangesWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT and the waitlist is exhaused but stay tuned for news about our next meetup! Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Third party 2.0: The acquisition of citizenM is the lead story this episode, the first with our mystery new host. You can also hear about Essendi, formerly known as AccorInvest, and the luxury plays of Hilton and Hyatt.

Dan Hansen, head of Americas development and global head of Hyatt Studios, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the growing new Hyatt Studio brand and what it offers guests. Hyatt Studios is part of Hyatt Essentials Collection, which includes Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House. Hansen explains the differences between those brands as well as where Hyatt is expanding in other areas. For more information, visit www.hyatt.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel  (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.  

This week on GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy, Steve Turk, and guest host Alexi Huntley Khajavi dive into the top stories shaping hospitality. They discuss Marriott Hotels's acquisition of citizenM hotels and the recent wave of hotel layoffs in Las Vegas, highlighting how automation and shifting service models are redefining the workforce. Hyatt's CEO signals softening booking trends, while in travel, Southwest debuts fare bundles to boost value, and travelers face mounting confusion around the looming Real ID deadline. Tune in for analysis, industry shifts, and what it all means for hospitality's future. ---- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Morning Hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hospitality.FM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠order here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GoodMorningHospitality.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode is a little different—and a lot of fun. Jess, Pam, and Alex are joined by Traci for a special game of Would You Rather!? – Points Talk Edition. Traci challenges the squad with a lineup of delightfully diabolical travel questions designed to reveal where they really stand when it comes to their points and airline preferences, personal travel quirks, and loyalty trade-offs. From Business Class Woes to Economy Wins The episode kicks off with a tough one: would you rather have a lie-flat seat in business class next to an annoying stranger, or an entire economy row to yourself? At least one of the squad's answers will probably surprise you! Individual Perks vs. Points Value: Globalist or the Award Chart? Next, Traci challenges the group with Hyatt's ultimate tradeoff: would you rather have lifetime Globalist status or a guaranteed fixed award chart for 20 years? Is there dissent or do Alex, Jess, and Pam all come down on the same side on this one? Real-Life Dilemmas and Points Preferences From there, the questions get personal: Learn about Alex's secret grocery-store card confession. Would Jess rather stay at a Park Hyatt in a city she doesn't like (Venice) or a Holiday Inn Express in a city she loves (Tokyo)?  Would Alex rather have her beloved Southwest® Companion Pass or 600,000 Hyatt points?  Would Pam choose only domestic luxury travel or international budget travel if she could only choose one?  Tough Transfers & Redemption Realities The squad also weighs in on (and disagrees about) transferring highly valued points with or without bonuses. Nice Problems to Have They also daydream about future loyalty-program changes they'd love to see, like new Citi cards, United partnering with a second bank, and Capital One adding Alaska as a partner. (A girl can dream!)   The Great Collectibles Debate: Ducks or Houses? The episode ends on a light note, with the squad picking which flight souvenirs they'd rather have (rubber ducks or Delft houses) and which ones they'd be more likely to try to get permission to pinch.  This episode is full of laughs, strong opinions, and lots of travel daydreaming. Hit play now and see which “would you rather” choices you agree with—and which ones you totally wouldn't!

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin and his guest, Jennifer Pack, RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, discuss her career and achievements, including Hyatt's VP of Risk Management. Jennifer describes how her membership in the RIMS Chicago Chapter and service on the Board impacted her career.   Jennifer helped align Hyatt's risk strategies with its evolving business model to ensure resilience in today's complex environment. Leading nearly 40 professionals, Jennifer's leadership and innovative risk solutions have helped strengthen Hyatt's risk management framework, to proactively identify risks and develop strategies to address them. Jennifer successfully redesigned and centralized Hyatt's Short-Term, Long-Term Disability, and Workers' Compensation programs, reducing manual processing by up to 80,000 hours, improving compliance, and reducing legal exposure. It is linked to millions of dollars in savings. Under her leadership, Hyatt's risk management team is overhauling Hyatt Hotels' fire safety with the first-of-its-kind Fire Life Safety Compliance and Governance Program, setting a standard for the organization and industry. The initiative includes the implementation of new technology, as well as auditing the 1,450 Hyatt hotels in 79 countries. Jennifer is a beloved mentor who has had an impact on many careers. She continues to demonstrate her commitment to advancing the risk management profession as an active member of the RIMS Chicago Chapter.   Jennifer's innovations may inspire your work for your organization's ERM program. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. It is one of my favorite episodes to produce, with the Risk Manager of the Year. This year's honoree is Jennifer Pack, Hyatt's Vice President of Risk Management. We will talk about her success in ERM, captives, and more. [:48] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! RIMS is co-hosting an intensive four-day program which is your gateway to achieving two prestigious certifications, the DRI Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) and the RIMS Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP). [1:08] This workshop will be held from May 19th through the 22nd in collaboration with DRI International. Links to these courses can be found through the Certification page of RIMS.org and this episode's show notes. [1:23] Virtual Workshops! On June 12th, Pat Saporito will host “Managing Data for ERM” and she will return on June 26th to present the very popular new course, “Generative AI for Risk Management”. [1:40] A link to the full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's show notes. [1:51] We're at RISKWORLD this week but preparations are already underway for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 on November 17th and 18th in Seattle, Washington. RIMS is accepting educational session submissions through May 20th. [2:08] The best submissions will address current and future challenges facing ERM practitioners as well as provide leading practices and concrete takeaways for a diverse audience of risk professionals from industries or organizations of varied sizes, disciplines, functions, and roles. [2:26] These include officers, leaders, managers, and students. The link to the submission form is in this episode's show notes. [2:35] While you are at RISKWORLD, be sure to take away some inspirado and channel it into an educational session submission for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025. Of course, mark your calendars for November 17th and 18th and I'll be sure to alert you when registration opens. [2:55] The RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Program aims to raise the profile of the risk profession and the outstanding programs the honorees have implemented within their organizations. [3:04] The award was created in 1977 and the Risk Management Honor Roll was added in 1981. The 2025 RIMS Risk Manager of the Year is Jennifer Pack of Hyatt. [3:16] As VP of Risk Management, Jennifer has transformed risk management at Hyatt, embedding a culture that has provided a launchpad for organizational success. Her innovations in captive management also earned her this award. [3:28] Jennifer is a long-standing member of the RIMS Chicago Chapter and an all-around fantastic professional. Her profile will soon appear in the Awards Edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine. [3:40] Jennifer will receive the award on May 5th at 4:00 p.m., on the main stage at RISKWORLD. We're going to get to know her a little bit now. We'll talk ERM, captives, Chicago RIMS, hotel and hospitality, and more. [3:57] Interview! RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack, welcome to RIMScast!  [4:34] Jennifer has been at Hyatt, for going on 18 years. She can stay at any hotel she would like! [5:03] Some people like to leave their jobs every few years for a new company and skills. Jennifer's career at Hyatt has been an adventure! She hasn't been doing the same thing for 18 years. Every couple of years, she gets new roles and responsibilities. She's constantly learning. [5:24] She has a foundation of knowing whom to go to, what the systems are, and how to get things done. There's a base familiarity but with some excitement and learning opportunities. [5:36] If the feeling of being able to learn and grow ever stops, Jennifer will think about leaving. She's enjoying her time. It seems like she's working or a new company all the time. They're transforming. They're changing. The risk landscape is changing. There's never a dull moment. [5:56] Justin feels the same way about working at RIMS! He started as a writer but then got these responsibilities and they took on sort of a life of their own and attracted more of an audience. It's more work, but it's more fun and rewarding. [6:25] Jennifer joined Hyatt in a group called Compliance and Controls. She was hired to set up their Sarbanes-Oxley department. In reaction to the financial crisis after the downfall of Arthur Andersen and Enron, Sarbanes-Oxley was born and Jennifer became an expert on it. [6:58] Jennifer launched that group and then it was moved into Internal Audit where they were exposed to a lot more people and systems. Jennifer had the opportunity to backfill someone in the Risk Management department and never left. She's been in the risk function for 15 years. [7:30] When Jennifer joined the risk group it had seven risk practitioners in the corporate office. There were five or six Occupational Health Managers in the field, helping with Workers' Compensation and occupational safety. There are over 35 full-time members now. [8:09] They've taken on new roles in the 15 years: physical security, business resilience, fire life safety compliance, and other health and safety functions in the company. They could probably use a few more people but they're doing well. [8:38] The risk profile of the company has changed. The geopolitical risk profile of the world has changed. Hyatt's offerings have changed. They used to be mostly business, group, and convention, and now they lean into leisure, travel, and all-inclusive, which have different risks. [9:16] Hyatt has tripled its resort rooms and quintupled its lifestyle rooms since 2017. A lifestyle room is about meeting clientele where they are. Millennials want to travel the world and experience the environment, such as an attached nightclub in Miami or New York. [9:55] They're unconventional hotels with the framework of a well-known brand, where guests have comfort, safety, security, cybersecurity, and loyalty points while feeling like they're in a niche hotel with great and different experiences. It feels like a boutique, attached to the brand. [11:06] Social inflation is a risk. Liability insurance has gone up because claim payouts have gone up tremendously. Claim attorneys are targeting hospitality. [12:12] Hyatt is thinking globally about health, safety, and security, making sure policies are locked down, training is locked down, and people know how to report an incident, and when to report it. How do you de-escalate an incident to win the guest back? [12:36] Saying, “I'm sorry that happened to you. Here are some points. We care about you,” reinforcing that, versus saying, “Let my insurance company deal with it.” That's the last thing we want. If our guests had a bad incident, they had a bad experience. [12:51] Especially if you're traveling on leisure with your family, you want to know that you'll be taken care of. There's an expectation that you're going to be safe and secure. Hyatt wants to make sure to bring the level of care to them that they deserve. [13:07] Hyatt is working on the front end to retrain employees on ramping up safety and security measures and knowing how to respond when an incident happens. [13:18] Then, if it gets into the claims section, the claims management team has new robust processes to manage claims to drive down exposure. On the insurance procurement side, Hyatt is leaning into its captive to take on much higher retention in-house. [14:09] Hyatt is asking leadership in the field to bring education and awareness to the importance of risk management, what's at risk, and what the current legal environment is, and overlay that with wanting to care for people. Hyatt cares about the guest experience. [14:43] This is a macro-level environment. If you have litigation system abuse across the country, what are insurers doing about it? What are brokers doing about it? What are corporations doing about it? [14:56] Jennifer gets with her peers in the hospitality industry, working in their respective associations, to address these issues at the state and federal levels, change laws, and push for tort reform and disclosures of litigation funding. [15:28] Hyatt has partnered with the American Lodging and Hospitality Association and is considering partnering with insurance companies. You can't just hope someone else will take care of the problem. It's a much bigger problem that we all need to address. [16:06] Justin points out that third-party litigation funding is one of the top initiatives and campaigns for RIMS this year. RIMS recently had the Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., where third-party litigation funding was a top priority. It was a top RIMS talking point on the Hill. [16:38] Jennifer says Hyatt and the hospitality industry are in with RIMS on the issue of third-party litigation funding. If it continues, guests are going to have to pay more for a stay and for the experiences they want to have as rising risk costs are passed to the consumers. [17:04] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! We are back on May 22nd, with GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company, and their newest session, “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny”. [17:22] On May 29th, Origami Risk returns to present “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction”. On June 5th, Zywave joins us to discuss “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause and What's the Solution?” [17:44] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/Webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members. [17:55] Spencer's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [18:16] Since 2010, Spencer has awarded over $3.3 million in General Grants to support over 130 student-centered experiential learning initiatives at universities and RMI non-profits. Spencer's 2026 application process is now open through July 30th, 2025. [18:36] General Grant awardees are typically notified at the end of October. Learn more about Spencer's General Grants through the Programs tab of SpencerEd.org. [18:46] On the 7th of October, the New Jersey RIMS Chapter will return to the beautiful Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, New Jersey for their Annual Charity Golf/Pickleball Event. [18:59] Registration is open and the event proceeds are used to fund the chapter's Spencer and Kids' Chance Scholarships. It was the filming location for the upcoming movie sequel Happy Gilmore 2. For more information, and to register, please NewJersey.RIMS.org. [19:21] Let's Return to My Interview with RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack! [19:47] Hyatt put a captive in place in 2013. Back then, Hyatt had huge insurance cost swings year-on-year that they couldn't forecast. It created a lot of “noise” on the balance sheet. They originally put the captive in place to take away that noise and remove wild cost volatility. [20:38] Over time, Hyatt started to see success and build up a surplus they saw the value of a captive, especially as market conditions changed. They brought in additional forms of insurance coverage with traditional deductible buy-downs with workers' compensation and GL. [21:04] They started to see the surplus build up and they were able to give some of the surplus back to the participants and drive down their premium cost. [21:14] In the pandemic, the hospitality business came to a halt. Before the pandemic, Hyatt's average occupancy around the world was over 75%. In April 2020, it dropped to 6%. The owners of Hyatt were under extreme pressure. [21:43] Jennifer had an extra surplus in the captive and was able to give relief to the owners and to the company in that year and the next couple of years. Claim volume went down due to lower occupancy. Hyatt used some of that cash to fund large acquisitions. [22:19] That's when Hyatt saw social inflation in gaps in coverage. There was no coverage for a pandemic. Through the captive, Jennifer was able to offer that coverage to the owners. She offered wages and hours insurance to the owners. [22:48] Coming out of COVID-19, with the impact of social inflation, the captive took on larger line sizes and larger layers in its umbrella tower. They had some acquisitions in cyber. They bought the Apple Leisure Group. [23:36] In a lot of those services, Hyatt isn't providing the service but is almost like a travel agent, connecting you to the hotel, airline, or excursion. If there is an incident, the third party has the coverage. Hyatt has exposure for connecting you to the service. [24:01] Hyatt had to get creative with coverage for these new exposures, working with broker partners to fill those gaps. They did it largely with the captive, buying time until they could get a traditional product in place. [24:17] With the captive, Hyatt filled gaps, helped grow the business, and used it as a business enabler, providing cash, relief to owners, and coverage that may not have been commercially available, either to buy time or permanently fill a gap. It's been fun! [24:53] Jennifer regularly changes which hat she wears. As the captive President, she has to look at what Hyatt is doing to protect the captive and make sure it's adequately funded and complies with regulations. From a governance perspective, is Hyatt doing the right things? [25:21] Jennifer regularly brings in third-party experts to check the captive. Jennifer's decisions as President of the captive are through the lens of the captive and as the owner of this business, what they are doing to grow revenues, manage expenses, and keep an adequate surplus. [25:44] The captive doesn't run razor-thin. To have a forward-looking approach, it needs to have an adequate surplus, reserves, and cash in the captive. They're very conservative in protecting it. [26:06] From a corporate risk management perspective, when Hyatt needs to buy insurance, Jennifer asks, can we buy it from the captive? She sometimes has tough conversations with Hyatt about borrowing versus driving up investment income to protect everyone's interests. [26:37] Jennifer has to keep top-of-mind, which lens she's looking through, whether President of the Captive or Hyatt Vice President of Risk Management. She wears two hats, managing all the key stakeholders' needs and wants. [27:17] Some of the stakeholders are Hyatt, third-party owners, the corporation itself, and guests and colleagues with short-term and long-term disability and medical, adding value for the benefits team so they don't have to go to third parties for that insurance. [28:27] As the Captive President, Jennifer is looking at loss and expense ratios, reserve to operating ratios, surplus to premiums, and surplus to reserves, making sure that they're within the set ratios. They shoot for three to one. Anything above that number can go to participants. [29:09] They won't go below three to one so they are capitalized for future unexpected losses or to back up future business growth. Jennifer believes Hyatt is unique in having those ratios and guards in place. Jennifer is looking forward to future needs. [30:15] The captive evaluates from time to time whether to change the ratios to five to one or four to one. In the liability space, claims are growing. Some of the demands are wild and the settlements reached or not reached are eye-opening! [30:46] Jennifer explains the global risk management claims software that is now also used for incident reporting to the risk department. They look at data from all incidents and are seeing a trend and looking to what could come down the pike and new coverages they may need to offer. [31:44] The technology is supporting the department and overall risk management strategy. The captive is benefiting through better data on what's happening out there so they won't get blindsided by unusual trends that aren't yet seen in the claims. [32:19] Technology helps the captive to build out platforms to manage compliance, safety, and security in the environment. [32:28] The more data insights and comfort Jennifer has over the Health, Safety, and Security diagnostic at each property, region, and the globe, and overlays those with risk assessments Hyatt does, the more comfort she can get to take on more risks knowledgeably in the captive. [33:15] RIMS Plug! The first of hopefully many RIMS Texas Regional Conferences will be held in San Antonio from August 4th through the 6th, 2025. This groundbreaking event is set to unite the Texas RIMS Chapters and welcome risk management professionals from around the world. [33:34] Guess what, folks! Registration is now open! The advance rate is available through May 16th. A link is in this episode's show notes. You can also visit the Events page of RIMS.org to register. We look forward to seeing you in Texas! [33:50] Let's Conclude Our Interview with RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack! [34:04] Jennifer Pack is the RIMS Risk Manager of the Year 2025 and she has been such a wonderful guest. This episode is coming out the morning of the awards. We will see her onstage, for anyone who has the privilege of being there. [34:19] Jennifer is honored, excited, and a little nervous to be onstage at RISKWORLD for the award. A lot of the RIMS Chicago members will be there. Jennifer has a wonderful Chicago-based team that will be there. Jennifer's parents and her husband are coming. [36:26] Jennifer says moving up the ranks at Hyatt and RIMS Chicago has been a fun and wild ride! The growth in her career, switching from being a Public Accountant to Auditor to Risk Manager has been fun with a lot of learning. [36:54] Jennifer tries to lead and grow with optimism, fun, and humor. She's been able to grow and develop a team under her. It's been a really interesting 18-year adventure. [37:11] Once Jennifer was exposed to RIMS, it opened her eyes to the wealth of resources, friendship, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. It's been such an excellent experience for her. She couldn't be prouder of the Chicago Chapter and the great things they do to develop talent.  [37:43] Jennifer says since COVID-19, it's been wonderful to see the number of people who attend the outings and forums. It's great to have such a great community and seeing them regularly is impactful. [38:06] Jennifer is Risk Manager of the Year. The Rising Star is Megan Smalter, who has had a wonderful time with the Chicago Chapter before moving to New York. In her role on the RIMS Chicago Chapter Board, and when she ran the Golf Outing, Jennifer has worked with Megan. [38:45] Julie Bean won the Heart of RIMS Award recently. Jennifer says it's great to have the bench of expertise of long-standing members in the Chicago Chapter. Jennifer learned from them personally and in professional settings. They're great for sharing ideas and working with. [39:36] Jennifer also mentioned Theresa Severson who was RIMS 2023 Risk Manager of the Year, with Kite Realty. There's a lot of talent and deep risk knowledge in the RIMS Chicago Chapter. There's a genuine camaraderie.  [40:30] Jennifer looks ahead to see companies leaning into the concept of full risk management philosophy. Risk management is so much more than just the insurance buyers. [40:45] Risk management is “How can we bring a risk management mindset to our enterprises? How can we be business enablers? How can we leverage the wealth of data and information that comes through our department to enable mindful growth in the business?” [41:05] It's “How can we help with ESG efforts, especially with the reporting? How can we mitigate risks to the company and not just to our financial tools of insurance? What can we do in loss prevention or mitigation?” [41:26] “What can we do in claims management with more expertise, as things heat up on the litigation side with social inflation and nuclear claims?” Jennifer sees Hyatt and other companies taking more risks in the captive's or balance sheet to offset what's happening.” [42:10] Risk managers are going to have to articulate that and bring solutions to the forefront of their companies. Jennifer is excited about the future. She's looking forward to launching and rolling out more technology solutions as Hyatt leverages all its data. [42:57] Jennifer knows her team can have a lot of positive impact on the organization and she's excited about it. [43:08] Special thanks and congratulations again to Jennifer Pack, the RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year. A link to RISKWORLD coverage is in this episode's show notes via the Show Daily. [43:20] That will update this episode's show notes with a link to the RIMS Risk Management Magazine coverage in our special Awards Edition. More honorees from RISKWORLD will join us here on RIMScast soon. [43:35] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [44:03] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [44:21] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:38] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [44:55] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [45:09] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [45:17] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Links: RIMS Texas Regional 2025 — August 3‒5 | Advance registration rates now open. ERM Conference 2025 — Call for Submissions (Through May 20) RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Risk Management magazine RIMS Now The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center Spencer Educational Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Dates Press Release: “RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Goes to Hyatt's Jennifer Pack” RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny” | Sponsored by GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company | May 22, 2025 “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction” | Sponsored by Origami Risk | May 29, 2025 “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause & What's the Solution?” | Sponsored by Zywave | June 5, 2025   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: CBCP & RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Virtual Bootcamp: “Mastering Business Continuity & Risk Management” | May 19‒22, 2025 | In Collaboration with DRI International Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule “Managing Data for ERM” | June 12 | Instructor: Pat Saporito  “Generative AI for Risk Management” | June 26 | Instructor: Pat Saporito See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Risk and Leadership Patterns with Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris” (RISKWORLD 2025 Keynote) “(Re)Humanizing Leadership in Risk Management with Holly Ransom” “Risk and Relatability with Rachel DeAlto” “RIMS Risk Manager of the Year, Steve Robles, Los Angeles County” (2024)   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs” | Sponsored by Zurich “Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding” | Sponsored by Zurich “What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RIMS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Jennifer Pack, VP of Global Risk Management, Hyatt Corporation   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

00:00 Nuggets lose, Avalanche win.21:00 Dan Hyatt hops on to give us Nuggets stats.41:30 Two Game 7s tomorrow.

Airbnb is working to regain double-digit growth in nights booked by expanding internationally, especially in Italy, Germany, and Japan, and by adding more high-quality hotels to its platform, including incentives through HotelTonight. Wyndham has revised its revenue outlook downward due to softer March demand but remains optimistic about long-term gains from infrastructure spending, having opened a record number of new rooms in Q1. Hyatt also lowered its forecast citing macroeconomic uncertainty, despite strong Q1 results, with luxury brands showing the highest performance. Airbnb Reports 'Softness,' Looks to International and Hotels to Get Growth Mojo Back Hyatt CEO: 'Softer Booking Trends' and 'Choppy Environment' Wyndham Cuts Growth Forecast, Hopes for Infrastructure Boom and 'Short-Lived' Uncertainty Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

00:00 Nuggets lose Game 3.09:30 Broncos draft Jahdae Barron.20:00 More on the Nuggets.37:10 Dan Hyatt hops on to give us Nuggets stats.

#224: This is the ultimate guide to airport lounges. You'll learn how to access the best lounges without needing to fly first class by using credit cards, memberships, elite status, and more. We'll also discuss the best lounges, underrated perks, tools to manage access, avoiding crowded lounges and more. Kevin Song is the co-founder of This Lounge, one of the most comprehensive databases of airport lounges around the world. He is a former cybersecurity professional at WeWork, Hyatt, Deloitte, The Points Guy and Notre Dame. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/airport-lounge-access-guide Partner Deals LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn Upwork: Free job posting to find, hire, and pay top freelance talent Green Chef: 50% off your first meal kit + 20% off the next 2 months with free shipping Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Kevin Song: X | This Lounge Lounges The Pier, First (Hong Kong) Al Safwa First Class Lounge (Qatar) What You Need to Know About USO Airport Lounges Airport Lounge Memberships Priority Pass Dragon Pass Lounge Key How To Tell Your Priority Pass Cards Apart Lounge Reviews This Lounge Lounge Review ATH Podcast Ep #219: 20+ Airport Hacks for Faster Security, Immigration, and Boarding with Leigh Rowan Ep #220: Rethinking Elite Status and Smarter Ways to Earn and Use Points Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@allthehacks.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:16) Factors That Make an Airport Lounge a Favorite (04:12) The Worst Type of Airport Lounges (07:07) The Number and Types of Airport Lounges Around the World (09:05) Quick Overview of Airport Lounges in America (11:28) Companies That Operate Lounges on Behalf of Airlines (13:13) Credit Card Affiliated Airport Lounges (14:25) Airline Alliance Lounges and USO Lounges (15:32) Ranking Lounge Categories from Worst to Best (18:28) Ways to Leverage Airline Membership Club Lounge Agents (23:22) A Potential Hack to Skip an Airport Lounge Waitlist (26:50) Lufthansa's Famous First Class Rubber Ducks (28:16) Using a Priority Pass to Access Airport Lounges (33:38) Can Business or First Class Tickets Give You Access to a Lounge? (39:21) Leveraging Elite Status for Lounge Access (45:01) Creating Multiple Profiles to Earn More Miles (47:14) Why You Should Consider Status Matches (53:04) Trick to Qualify for Status Matches (54:49) Is It Worth Getting a Day Pass to Access a Lounge? (58:22) The Main Premium Credit Cards with Lounge Access (1:04:22) Other Credit Cards That Include a Priority Pass Membership (1:07:09) The Number of Priority Passes Chris and Kevin Have (1:09:43) Adding Authorized Users on the Three Major Airline Credit Cards (1:10:57) Ways to Manage Lounge Access Memberships (1:15:51) Overlooked Perks of Airport Lounges Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor's Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #112 of Geeks of the Valley, we sit down with Ivan Casadevall, the CEO of ARYADUTA's Hotel Group, a leading Indonesian hospitality group and one of the most trusted brands in the region. Today, our portfolio features 10 upscale hotels and resorts strategically located across Indonesia, alongside 5 leisure units. We are currently expanding aggressively, with an exciting pipeline that includes 2 luxury hotels in Jakarta and 2 resorts in iconic destinations such as Ubud and Labuan Bajo, with additional land banks ready for development over the next 3 to 5 years.Ivan shares lessons from his global journey, from managing resorts in Vietnam and Bali to developing partnerships with global icons like Trump Hotels, Hyatt, and IMG. Whether you're a founder, operator, or curious traveler, this episode is packed with wisdom.

If you just got 100K points from a brand new travel rewards card, you should know a few things to help make sure you're earning even more points, saving money, and getting great value. Plus we'll also look at "Amex referral reformatory rescinded" and how to earn points on RENT with any credit card. (01:30) - One reader shares a success story using the "email the GM" strategy... (03:37) - Capital One Venture X Business Card: Up to 350K Miles Read our review of the Capital One Venture X Business Card here. (06:55) - Amex referrals back for many (referral reformatory rescinded) (09:48) - Two Hawaiian cards in one day (my quick experience) (17:23) - Synchrony reintroduces Cathay Pacific card (21:06) - Bilt now offers rewards when you pay your rent with non-Bilt credit cards (26:48) - Virgin jacked up fees on KLM/ Air France then backed off (31:03) - Frontier Elite Gold status for $40 (35:22) - 30% transfer bonus from Citi to Virgin Atlantic thru May 17 Main Event (36:39) - Read our FAQ about this card here. (38:45) - Earn more points (59:09) - Save money (1:09:49) - Redeem points for great value (1:17:33) - DON'T TRANSFER TO... (1:20:50) - World of Hyatt credit card gives an additional Hyatt category 1-4 free night certificate with 15K spend in a calendar year. But with recent Hyatt category changes, is it still worth spending towards that goal? Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media. Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Daniel D. Tompkins was born on June 21, 1774, in the town of Scarsdale in Westchester County, New York. He came into a world still under British rule, just two years before the colonies would declare their independence. His family roots traced back to England, where the name Tompkins derived from a form of “Little Thomas's son,” a patronymic surname that can be found as far back as the 1300s in Kent. The Tompkins family likely came to the American colonies in the mid-1600s during the great wave of English migration to the New World. His father, Jonathan Griffin Tompkins, born in 1729, was a well-respected local figure—a farmer, a judge, and a supporter of the patriot cause. He played a civic role in the Scarsdale community during and after the Revolutionary War. His mother, Sarah Ann Hyatt, came from the Hyatt family of New York. The Hyatts, like the Tompkins family, had early English roots, with possible Dutch ancestry in some branches, common in the Hudson River Valley. The Hyatt and Tompkins lines came together in a home that valued faith, education, and public service... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/the-sacrifices-of-daniel-d-tompkins  Genealogy Clips Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal  #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips

Is ANA's legendary around-the-world ticket going away for good? In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke checks in from the Dominican Republic—on a site visit for his upcoming wedding—to bring you the latest news in the world of travel, points, and miles. He breaks down ANA's significant devaluation, explains the ticking clock on booking their coveted around-the-world ticket, and clarifies who's eligible for Chase Sapphire Preferred's elevated 100,000-point offer. DeAndre also shares the latest updates on Zil Money's delayed card processing system for payroll and offers a transparent follow-up to a recent discrepancy between a podcast and Instagram about his use of points versus travel insurance for a flight delay. If you're looking to stay sharp on offers, program updates, and real-life travel hacks, this episode is packed with practical insights—recorded right from paradise. Tune in to stay ahead on travel strategy and loyalty program changes.   Key takeaways:  ANA Around-the-World Ticket: Book by June 24 before ANA eliminates this aspirational redemption. ANA One-Way Redemptions: ANA will finally allow one-way point bookings, offering more flexibility. Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonus: A 100,000-point welcome offer is available—but only if you meet strict eligibility rules. Zil Money Update: The platform is still down due to overwhelming demand; processing is expected to resume soon. Travel Insurance Clarification: DeAndre confirms he used points (not cash) for a Hyatt stay during a flight delay, and breaks down how trip delay coverage varies by card. Trip Delay Insurance Tip: Chase Sapphire Preferred = 12-hour delay or overnight stay; Reserve = 6-hour delay coverage.   Resources: Using Points & Miles to Plan Around-The-World Travel With the Point Sisters (Ep. 25) Start here to learn how to unlock nearly free travel Sign up for our newsletter! This month's best current card offers LTH Online Points & Miles In Depth Course:  Use coupon code "BOLDYGO" for a 50% discount! BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook Group Truicity Wealth Management   Connect with DeAndre Coke:  Instagram: BoldlyGo.world Website: BoldlyGo.world YouTube: BoldlyGoWorld    

A federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by using its ad tech tools to maintain a monopoly, a decision that could benefit travel advertisers like Expedia and Trivago, who have long criticized Google's dominance. Skift Research warns of potential recession impacts on the travel industry, with luxury hotels like Hyatt already seeing share-price declines, though this segment may prove more resilient than in past downturns. Meanwhile, a Global Business Travel Association poll shows that nearly a third of travel managers expect reduced business travel this year, largely due to rising costs and visa-related concerns. Google Exerted Monopoly Power in Online Advertising Tools, Judge Rules Business Travel Sentiment Sours Over Trump Policies — GBTA Poll Forecasts for Hotels and Online Travel Agencies Are Coming Down – Who's Most at Risk? Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

#180 Podcast Episode SummaryEpisode Title: Work Hard. Care Even Harder. The John Harper BlueprintGuest: John Harper, Co-Founder & President, Global Hotel AdvisorsHost: Bart Berkey, Founder of Most People Don't, LLCIn this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Bart reconnects with longtime friend and hospitality icon John Harper—a man whose leadership legacy stretches from early Hyatt days to key executive roles at The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International, and now, as co-founder of Global Hotel Advisors.The conversation dives into the heart of what makes a leader truly respected: humility, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a relentless drive to serve others. John shares not only leadership tactics but life lessons—from his father's immigrant story to coaching soccer, mentoring teams, and making the leap from corporate to entrepreneurship with purpose.Be the person who clears off someone else's windshield.– A snowstorm story from the early Hyatt days becomes a defining example of unprompted kindness and servant leadership.Work hard. Care harder.– John's drive came from his father's example: hustle paired with the ability to “turn it off” and be present with family. It's about intensity matched with balance.Great leaders adapt to their team—not just expect the team to adapt to them.– Success comes from meeting people where they are and building trust, not commanding compliance.Leadership is earned, not assigned.– Titles don't make people follow you. Trust, protection, and empowerment do.Operational excellence requires curiosity.– John's secret to growing was listening deeply—even in meetings where his own role wasn't central. Every detail, even chillers and boiler redundancy, became useful knowledge later.Push for the piano.– A wild idea to put a pianist at the Reagan airport gate taught John the importance of creating moments of luxury—and of not giving up too soon on big ideas.Sometimes, the boldest career move is the personal one.– Leaving Marriott wasn't driven by dissatisfaction—it was about personal alignment, balance, and doing what he always dreamed of.Service excellence starts with culture.– No matter the building, brand, or design, it's the people who make the guest write the thank-you letter. Invest in them.“Most people don't take advantage of what's happening around them. But if you stay curious, if you observe, you can grow faster than you ever imagined.”More about https://globalhoteladvisors.comConnect with John Harper here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-harper-8571804/Additional stories about PEOPLE THAT DO... https://mostpeopledont.com

Airline retailing with ATPCO CEO Alex Zoghlin, IATA's New Distribution Capability, Offers & Orders, and the Elevate industry conference. In the news, AI transformation of the airline industry, cyber criminals stealing United FA login credentials, shark skin riblets on Delta 767s, first flight of a prototype hydrogen-powered helicopter, China's tailless 6th generation fighter jet, and a fatal helicopter crash in the Hudson River. Guest Alex Zoghlin is the CEO of ATPCO, a neutral industry partner that provides airline management tools, pricing data, and solutions that support airline retailing. Owned by the airlines, ATPCO blends data and systems with technology to create value for hundreds of commercial airlines around the world. The company turned 60 this year. IATA describes Airline retailing as a customer-centric approach in the airline industry that focuses on enhancing the shopping experience across various channels. It is enabled by the New Distribution Capability (NDC), which allows airlines to offer more personalized services and products directly to consumers. This modern retailing model emphasizes frictionless, intuitive, and personalized shopping experiences for travelers. The transition to this model provides airlines with opportunities to innovate their distribution strategies and create additional value. Alex explains how ATPCO provides value to airlines. We talk about continuous pricing and dynamically generated fares as well as some of the factors airlines use in their pricing strategies. He describes how airlines can have fixed price points for different offerings, then turn specific offerings on or off depending on the circumstances. We look at curated ticket pricing that can create the specific travel experience the customer wants - extra baggage, type of seat, lounge access, etc. With this capability, airlines could potentially compete for the flyer's travel business. ATPCO's Elevate 2025 airline industry conference was held April 7-10, 2025, in Chicago. Alex says the conference theme this year was data and AI: How airlines can use the wealth of available data and some AI tools to make win-win offerings for both the airlines and the consumers. In our conversation with Alex, we consider several other airline industry topics such as the 2050 industry carbon reduction goals and the current tariff situation in the United States. Alex is a long-time airline/travel industry veteran. He co-founded Orbitz, sold a distribution startup to Travelport, and worked as a VP at Hyatt for 6 years. Alex has several aviation-related pursuits: He's a pilot and a flight simmer, he has a Part 107 drone license, and he participates in launching large amateur rockets, specifically the LDRS (Large, Dangerous Rocket Ships), an annual gathering of rocket enthusiasts organized by the Tripoli Rocketry Association. Aviation News How AI is Transforming the Airline Industry The Promise of Travel in the age of AI, a 32-page Skift & McKinsey report (2023), claims that AI could generate an estimated US$45bn in potential value for the airline industry globally through operational efficiencies, revenue optimization, and customer service improvements.  AI is already impacting the airlines through organizational changes, predictive maintenance from aircraft health monitoring, AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots, personalized in-flight entertainment options, and voice-cloning technology to provide a multilingual IFE system. In the future, look for flight path optimization for increased fuel efficiency, refined dynamic pricing models, and even autonomous aircraft. Cyber Criminals Are Going After The Paychecks Of United Airlines Flight Attendants Using Fake Websites That Look Legit Criminals are using website spoofing to steal the login credentials of United FAs. In addition to paychecks, Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are at risk.

Watch Us On YouTube! NEW: Time stamps are listed at the bottom of the notes! A recent sad story is a cautionary tale for why you should carry a carbon monoxide detector when you travel. Virgin Atlantic has hiked the fees they charge with award tickets. Does this make them a bad option for award redemptions? A listener of the show checks in with a really good value using Hyatt's new "elite for a day with AA" benefit. Lastly, United launched some really interesting new routes. #virginatlantic #carbonmonoxide #hyatt #americanairlines #frequentflyer If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. 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. See More: https://milestogo.boardingarea.com/ Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/  

0:25 Chase Sapphire Preferred 100,000 Offer Direct Link $5,000 min spend in 3 months $95 annual fee (not waived first year) This is a higher than usual offer 05:14 Chase Referrals chase.com/referafriend 10,000 points for each approval (capped at 100,000 per year) 06:30 Sapphire Churning Restrictions Eligible for welcome bonus if it has been >48 months since you last got a Sapphire welcome bonus (Preferred or Reserve) 5/24 still applies: 5 credit card approvals in the past 24 months (from any bank) Can't be approved for a Sapphire Preferred if you currently have a Sapphire card (recommend downgrading to Freedom and waiting a month before applying) 12:09 Two Player Mode If neither person has a Sapphire card, apply “head on” or through a referral from a friend Then refer P2 Being an authorized user on a card doesn't prevent getting the welcome bonus This will leave you with > 210,000 Ultimate Rewards 13:50 Ultimate Rewards: Value and Utility Easy 1 cpp cashout Sapphire Preferred 1.25 of uplift for travel booked through Chase portal Sapphire Reserve 1.5 cpp of uplift for travel booked through Chase portal (and a $300 per cardmember year travel credit) Transfer partners: Hyatt, United, Southwest, and more Points can be co-mingled between household Inflation in the travel portal is very real.  Prices for hotels and other activities get tough to compare Flights sometimes are pricing at a premium due to issues with fare classes and airlines wanting direct booking.  It pays to do the math, because a poor redemption can tank the value of your earning, and points are not free.  Cancellation terms not the same with Travel portal bookings vs. booking with miles sometimes.  Pay Yourself Back: erase charges in specific categories at >1cpp. 23:31 CSP/CSR Earning Strategy Sign up Bonus aside, these two cards are relatively weak in earning.  This creates a bit of an irony–they're great cards to hold, but better in union with other UR earning cards Freedoms for 5x categories, some chase Business cards also earn 5x Over time a stable of chase cards become important Pooling of points means that the earning of 5x points can then be moved to your sapphire and redeemed for travel at >1cpp 5x at 1.25 = 6.25 cpp, 5x at 1.5 = 7.5 cpp.  28:47 United/Southwest: Opportunity Cost For some people these cards are taking up slots and spend they want to use on Southwest or United Cards Might be best to get those cards first, holding them long term, then getting the CSP.  Changes to southwest might make you consider Southwest cards, but be rational, how many trips a year do you actually take?  The travel landscape changes fast, the flexibility of UR allow you to change with it. Southwest points do not.  31:38 Q2 2025 “Point Offer” Targeted: Seeing increased uplift for United/Delta/Qatar premium cabin flights, and some (mostly nicer) hotels Sapphire Preferred 1.5-1.75 cpp Sapphire Reserve 1.75-2.25 cpp Upgrading from Preferred to Reserve seemed to retain the same “amount” of targeted uplift (ie, was getting 1.5 cpp on Preferred, then got 1.75 cpp on upgraded Reserve) Might someone be targeted for this shortly after approval? Hard to say. More datapoints needed. 37:10 Live Application.

In this emotionally charged episode of Perfectly Good Podcast, hosts Sylvan and Jesse provide an in-depth discussion on John Hiatt's haunting song 'Light of the Burning Sun,' which addresses the sensitive issues of suicide and sexual abuse. They discuss the personal and traumatic experiences John reveals in his lyrics, and how the song was a cathartic release for him after decades of processing his grief. With a trigger warning upfront, the episode also delves into the song's stark, poetic imagery, its impact, and the importance of seeking help in times of emotional distress. The episode concludes with resources for those struggling with similar issues, promoting self-care and emotional support. https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/PAN5796977352.mp3?updated=1743636760 00:00 Introduction and Trigger Warning 02:26 Opening Remarks and Episode Introduction 04:15 Discussing 'Light of the Burning Sun' 05:22 John Hyatt's Personal Story and Song Background 11:20 Reflections on Trauma and Healing 18:54 Analyzing the Lyrics 32:45 Reflecting on Family Expectations 35:09 The Burden of Being the Favorite 36:11 Coping with Tragedy 41:24 The Role of Faith in Grief 47:36 The Impact of Loss on Creativity 56:30 Final Thoughts and Resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by Disney Cruise Line expert Chris from DCL Cruising Dad to kick off a two-part trip report from his recent 7-night Western Caribbean sailing aboard the Disney Treasure. Part 1 dives into the early stages of the journey—from pre-cruise planning and travel tips to embarkation day and the first full sea day aboard Disney's newest ship.Chris shares his experience flying into Orlando, staying at the Hyatt in MCO, and using Disney Cruise Line's ground transfers to Port Canaveral. You'll hear about first impressions of the Treasure, highlights from embarkation day, and early experiences like lunch, pool time, the AquaMouse, and dinner at 1923. Plus, they explore stateroom details, Cast Member magic, Palo brunch, Oceaneer Club, character meet-and-greets, and more.Whether you're new to Disney cruising or a seasoned sailor, this episode is packed with insider tips and expert insights to help you prepare for your next voyage!www.DCLCruisingDAD.comX (Twitter) @DCLcruisingDADInstagram @DCLcruisingDADTikTok @DCLcruisingDADYouTube @DCLcruisingDAD2022Email: DCLcruisingDAD@gmail.comThreads @DCLcruisingDADFacebook @DCLcruisingDadMEI-Travel – Expertise. Ease. Value.No matter where you want to go, our trusted partner MEI-Travel, will handle the planning so you can focus on the memories. They offer free vacation planning services and have nearly 20 years of experience creating memorable vacations. Visit MEI-Travel for a fee-free, no-obligation quote today!Follow Us on Social MediaFacebook GroupFacebook: @MainStMagicTwitter: @MainStMagicTikTok: @MSMPodcastInstagram: @MainStMagicVisit Us Onlinewww.MainStMagic.comwww.MainStreetShirts.comGet Dining Alerts!Find last-minute and hard-to-find Disney dining reservations with MouseDining.com! Get text and email alerts when popular theme park dining reservations open up. Get last-minute seating! Get the next table! Set your alerts now! Get the next reservation!Visit our Partnerswww.MSMFriends.comThanks to TFresh Productions for our theme song

00:00 More updates on the Malone and Booth firings.15:30 Gabe Landeskog will play for the Eagles tonight.32:00 Dan Hyatt hops on to give us Nuggets stats.

How can you find rooms for 4 in Scotland? Is Bilt worth it if your rent's only $1500? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on April 2nd, 2025. (03:29) -  ​​If you guys could only have cards from one issuer, which would you choose? (11:09) -  ​​What's your thought on how long the us bank 4% card could stay alive? (12:04) -  Do you guys have a comprehensive list of when each type of point expires? For example United Travel Bank expires 5 years after purchasing, Hyatt points i think expire 2 years if no activity etc. Read our post on "How to keep points and miles alive" here: https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-keep-points-and-miles-alive/ (12:34) - ​​Do you think Aeroplan is going to lose value bc of too mamy tiers of pricing for different partners? A big chunk of the value is mixing partners, that's hard if there's so much variance. (17:02) -  ​​Going to Europe for the first time from lax in 1 year. How do I get started figuring out how to use my many Amex mile Read our "Best ways to get to Europe with miles or money" post here: https://frequentmiler.com/best-ways-to-get-to-europe-with-miles-or-money/ You can find our "Which award search tool is best" post here: https://frequentmiler.com/which-award-search-tool-is-best/ (21:05) - Opinions everyone - Will Hyatt ever revamp their personal credit card? (21:56) -  In the US, you can have multiple people in a hotel room yet in Europe it seems impossible to put 4 people in a hotel room. Is there a way to do that in Scotland? Read Nick's post about booking Cottages.com with Wyndham here: https://frequentmiler.com/booking-cottages-com-via-wyndham-rewards/ (29:33) -  ​​When looking for points/miles redemptions, at what point in time before the flight do you consider paying with cash? (31:33) -  You guys stress opening up new cards for Sign up bonuses and using Categories multipliers. How many New Cards do you open for SUB each year and how often apart do you open them? (35:30) - ​​How many credit cards do you typically open in a calendar year and what's the split with the amount of new business versus personal cards? Read the complete guide to credit card application rules by bank here: https://frequentmiler.com/complete-guide-to-credit-card-application-rules-by-bank/ (40:56) - JW Masai Mara will charge you $4,950 PER NIGHT if you booked on points and you cancel less than 90 days out. CSR won't cover it because nothing has been charged on the card in advance. Thoughts? (46:37) - Hi, is it possible I can get a FREE Carnival cruise if I submit just a MGM gold status + Wynn Platinum? Trying to avoid making a trip to Atlantic City for more statuse (49:08) - ​​If my rent is $1500 a month is Bilt card worth a 5/24 spot?

In Episode 114 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Angie Sparks and Mike Zaccheo take listeners behind the scenes of what it's like running a large Facebook community dedicated to points and miles travel. They kick things off with a viral post about Tampa International Airport's humorous rebranding inspired by its iconic flamingo statue, Phoebe. The episode covers major updates in the travel and credit card world, including widely disliked changes to United's credit card portfolio, the return of National Car Rental's One Two Free promo, and various hotel promotions from Hyatt and Accor. Angie shares her recent Atlanta trip booked with points and previews plans for a fall leaf-peeping road trip.The heart of the episode focuses on the daily grind (and occasional chaos) of moderating a massive Facebook group. While most members are helpful and enthusiastic, the hosts explain the challenges of dealing with repeat questions, Facebook's finicky search and tagging systems, and limitations placed by certain banks that restrict how their products can be discussed. They also talk about how the group earns money—mostly through affiliate links and AT201 memberships—and encourage members to support the group by using their links and participating more actively. They wrap up with a reminder not to rely too heavily on autopay and to always double-check credit card payments.Links to Topics DiscussedUnited Airlines Card Portfolio OverhaulNational Card Retnal One, Two, free promotionHyatt 777 Bonus and other current promotionsAccor Live Limitless bonus point promotionWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Our next meetup will be May 16-18, 2025 in Chicago! Tickets are SOLD OUT and the waitlist is exhaused but stay tuned for news about our next meetup! Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!

Coming to you from the Hyatt in Chicago, Amy Phillips and her co-host Emily Dorezas break down the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Reunion part 1. For more Drama, Darling, and exclusive content, subscribe to:http://Patreon.com/dramadarling Follow Drama, Darling on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dramadarlingshow/  Email Drama, Darling with YOUR drama: DramaDarlingz@gmail.com

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week Chase & United launched all new revamped credit cards top to bottom. In addition to increased welcome offers they raised the prices on their annual fees and added a bunch of other perks. Should you pick up one of the new Chase United cards and which offer is best? Plus how should you deal with the new "coupons" they offer.   In other news Southwest's new pricing is coming online and the news isn't good. With fare buckets and lower overall values it isn't the best move but there are some sweet spots you should know about. Other topics discussed include: crazy $89 NYC hotel room, the longest walking airports, Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K online, Hyatt's new casino promo, why high annual fees aren't all bad and how you can drive on part of the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix circuit.   Episode Guide 0:00 Swanky NYC $89 hotel room 0:50 The longest and shortest walking airports 3:03 Diving into Southwest's new award pricing - New fare buckets? 4:40 What is the value of Rapid Rewards now & best award redemptions? 7:14 United and Chase's huge relaunch - New cards, bonuses and coupons! 9:53 Which new United card offer is the best to pickup? 11:44 Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K going online soon? 13:21 Hilton gift card mess continues & “hack” to cash them out 15:15 Hyatt's new casino promo - Earn bonus points on every night 17:11 $10K in credit card annual fees & why that might not be a bad thing 20:57 Cool S - LV Grand Prix Plaza - Drive on the F1 course Links NYC hotel - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=UalRPS&v=2739262022947168&rdid=zEn8QD6grbeMovXD Long/short airport walks - https://www.kurufootwear.com/blogs/articles/airport-walking-distances Southwest pricing - https://travel-on-points.com/new-southwest-pricing/ CSP online - https://www.reddit.com/r/ChaseSapphire/comments/1jm6spa/100k_sub_will_be_online_43_per_chase_customer/ $10K annual fees - https://travel-on-points.com/my-credit-card-annual-fees/ Vegas Grand Prix go karts - https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1553490775348209 Hyatt casino promo - https://milestomemories.com/earn-bonus-points-at-20-hyatt-casino-destinations/ Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  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!

Integration is one of the most important yet complex aspects of migration worldwide. Many migrants find themselves on the fringes of the majority culture, struggling to establish their place in society. However, a rare few not only adapt but thrive—actively shaping their new communities and promoting their adopted homes. Our guest in this episode is a prime example. Zulf Hyatt Kahn, originally from the UK, is a dynamic figure with a deep connection to Slovakia. He serves as the deputy chairman of the Council of Slovak Exporters, hosts two podcasts—Undiplomatic and Slovakia Untold—and actively promotes Slovakia through his work with Slovakia Travel and his social media brand, @SlovakAmbassador.

New Zealand has been high on so many of your travel wish lists—and for good reason! In this episode, Pam shares details from her recent two-week adventure on the North Island of New Zealand, including how she booked business-class flights, multiple free hotel nights, and even covered rental cars and excursions—all using points and miles (and one fortuitous mistake fare). From kayaking Cathedral Cove to digging out hot tubs at Hot Water Beach, it's a trip full of unforgettable experiences and major travel inspiration. Finding Flights to New Zealand: A Challenge (and a Win!) Getting to New Zealand in business class is no easy feat, but Pam pulled it off. After struggling to find availability, she scored two one-way business-class award tickets from Dallas to Auckland. The return flight was a mistake fare in United Polaris for just $1,000 cash (normally $3,800+).  Points-Powered Luxury: Park Hyatt Auckland & More Pam raved about the Park Hyatt Auckland, calling it one of her favorite Park Hyatts ever. For just 25,000 Hyatt points per night, she enjoyed stunning views of the harbor, incredible Globalist breakfast, and unbeatable service. She also used Capital One Venture X credits to cover stays at boutique resorts. The Itinerary: Coastal Drives, Kayaks, and Tiny Houses Bay of Islands: Booked via Capital One credits, with a scenic boat tour to Hole in the Rock Cathedral Cove: Kayaking through crystal-clear waters to one of New Zealand's most famous spots Hot Water Beach: Digging hot tubs in naturally heated sand Rotorua & Lake Taupo: Rafting a 21-foot waterfall, visiting Maori villages, and relaxing in Hilton luxury Bonus Stay: A tiny house Airbnb—Pam's dream come true! The Total Cost Breakdown Using a mix of points, miles, Capital One credits, and cash, Pam calculated her total out-of-pocket costs at around $3,000—a fraction of the $28,000+ retail value for flights and hotels. With ten nights of free hotel stays, complimentary breakfasts, and first-class flight experiences, it was an unforgettable journey made possible by smart planning and strategic redemptions.   Links: How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free - https://travelmomsquad.lpages.co/freevacation Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad   Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Why Pam did New Zealand: Take 2 03:00 – Booking flights with AA miles and a United mistake fare 08:30 – Pam's advice for finding flights to New Zealand 13:00 – Park Hyatt Auckland + Waiheke Island day trip 18:00 – Bay of Islands and boutique hotel stay 21:00 – Tiny house stay and Cathedral Cove 26:00 – Rafting a waterfall and Maori village experience 31:00 – Hilton Lake Taupo and relaxing 35:00 – Flying United Polaris home + final night at Grand Hyatt DFW 38:00 – Cost recap and final thoughts on why Pam can't wait to return Thinking about a trip to New Zealand? This episode will show you it's totally possible with points and miles—and that even Grandma can conquer a 21-foot waterfall!

Want more MTM Vegas? Check out our Patreon for access to our exclusive weekly aftershow! patreon.com/mtmvegas Episode Description: As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories This week some troubling numbers came in as we received the visitor stats and gaming figures for February, 2024. With numbers down a lot, can we blame the Super Bowl or is this the beginning of huge declines. Plus why are people searching for Vegas less and why the sky might not be falling despite huge changes to the negative. In other news F1's Grand Prix Plaza is delayed in Vegas, but they still let the media in. We also discuss: casino scented candles, construction progress on the newest Vegas casino, how the new Hard Rock is doing, whether casinos overblow card counting, Hyatt's casino promo and why Caesars should give gamblers free red bulls! 0:00 Casino scented candles! 0:51 Fontainebleau's mystery free play offer 2:28 Fiesta Henderson redevelopment falls through 3:22 Cadence Crossing update - Newest Vegas casino construction 4:23 Do casinos overblow card counting? 5:59 Steve Wynn's libel lawsuit is dead 6:55 Pin Up Pizza sign drama update 7:40 Hard Rock Las Vegas drone construction update 9:27 F1 Grand Prix Plaza delayed - media event goes on 11:07 Hyatt's new casino promo - Rio, Venetian, Palazzo 12:05 A look at Wynn's renovated Fairway Villas 13:54 Negative Vegas search trends 16:07 An example of what Vegas is now in 2025 18:07 February Vegas numbers are sort of bad… Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

Not sure how to maximize your points? In this episode, we break down the top three ways to use each of the four major flexible points currencies—our favorite points currency (IYKYK), American Express Membership Rewards®, Capital One Venture Miles, and Citi ThankYou® Points—so you can book travel smarter. Our favorite points: Best for Hyatt & Flights It's easy to see why our favorite kind of points are just that! They're a gold mine for Hyatt stays, which offer the best value per point. Transfers to United Airlines can be great for international flights, and Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) often has solid award deals to Europe. ✔️ Top 3 Uses: Hyatt transfers – Best hotel value in points & miles United Airlines – Easy redemptions for family travel Flying Blue transfers – Discounted flights to Europe Capital One Venture Miles: Airline Sweet Spots & Simple Redemptions Capital One has grown into a top travel program. Air Canada Aeroplan and Turkish Airlines have some nice redemtpion sweet spots, and using Venture Miles to get a statement credit (often referred to as a "purchase eraser") for travel purchases gives you incredible flexibility. ✔️ Top 3 Uses: Air Canada Aeroplan – Great for international flights Turkish Airlines – Cheap flights to Hawaii & Europe Purchase Eraser – Easiest way to redeem miles American Express Membership Rewards®: Best for Bonuses & Luxury Travel Amex regularly offers transfer bonuses, making points stretch further. British Airways is great for booking American Airlines flights, Flying Blue offers discounted business-class redemptions, and Hilton transfers shine for aspirational stays. ✔️ Top 3 Uses: British Airways for AA/Iberia flights – Cheap awards to Europe Flying Blue transfers – Business-class deals to Paris Hilton transfers – High-end redemptions like Conrad Bora Bora Citi ThankYou® Points: Hidden Gems & Future AA Transfers Citi's best partners include Turkish Airlines, Choice Hotels, and Avianca LifeMiles. American Airlines transfers coming in 2026 make Citi even more exciting! ✔️ Top 3 Uses: Turkish Airlines – Best deal for United flights to Hawaii Choice Hotels – 1:2 transfers for premium stays Avianca LifeMiles – Cheap business-class tickets Final Thoughts: Which Points Currency Is Best? Each program has its strengths! One dominates for Hyatt, American Express is best for transfer bonuses, Capital One shines with easy redemptions, and Citi has exciting future potential. Not sure where to start? Hit play now for all the details and our best strategies! Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet: Transfer Partner & Airline Alliance Master List - https://travelmomsquad.ck.page/transfer-partners Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Why flexible points are so valuable 02:00 – Our favorite points: Best ways to redeem for hotels & flights 06:45 – Capital One: Airline sweet spots & easy redemptions 12:30 – American Express: Transfer bonuses & luxury redemptions 20:00 – Citi: Hidden gems & the future of AA transfers 26:00 – Final thoughts & which program fits your travel goals Ready to make the most of your points? Listen to the full episode now and start booking smarter!

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week we learned that Hyatt has changed their terms to give another property an exemption from honoring elite benefits. With their exclusion list growing longer and longer is this a move in the wrong direction? Is Hyatt's growth coming at the cost of a consistent loyalty program?   In other news American Express released increased offers for two of the Marriott cards where you can get a welcome offer up to 185K. We also discuss: US Bank's way too generous 4% cashback card, Air India's poopy flight, popping champagne on an airplane, Wyndham and Discover debit rewards cards, 20K Amex pay over time offers and a hotel ice machine hack.   Episode Guide 0:00 Popping champagne on an airplane 0:51 Air India's poopy flight 2:40 Southwest gets even worse than last week 5:33 Hyatt's Globalist benefits are declining 7:16 Hyatt's growth is pressuring elite benefits 9:10 Up to 185K increased Marriott Bonvoy card offers 11:09 US Bank's insane 4% back card - Too good to be true? 13:01 Melio $200 offer - Easy spend and profit 14:17 Wyndham launches new debit rewards card 15:59 Discover's cashback debit card may be a better option 16:43 Amex 20K Pay Over Time offers return 17:47 Cool S - Hotel ice machine hack Links Popping champagne - https://x.com/InternetH0F/status/1901438364546740605 Air India - https://x.com/sjlazars/status/1899074610689384771?s=46 Hyatt elite issues - https://viewfromthewing.com/hyatt-hotels-are-ignoring-elite-perks-and-no-one-is-stopping-them/ US Bank Smartly - https://milestomemories.com/u-s-bank-rethinking-the-smartly-visa-credit-card/ Wyndham debit - https://travel-on-points.com/wyndham-debit-card/ 20K Pay Over Time - https://milestomemories.com/pay-over-time-offers-an-easy-20k-in-points/ Hotel ice hack - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BrX-scnvl-o Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  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!

What's better than throwing a Harry Potter-themed birthday party? How about taking your child on a real Harry Potter adventure across Scotland and London! That's exactly what Megan did for her daughter's 10th birthday—making the magic come alive with points and miles. In this episode, Megan explains how she made this trip happen for her family of five—and how using points made it more affordable than a trip to Universal Studios! Flying to Scotland on Points Megan and her family started their journey with flights on KLM Flying Blue, taking advantage of the 25% discount for kids under 12. Because they were able to book five economy tickets for just 85,000 points plus taxes/fees, they were able to splurge some on an upgrade to premium economy at check-in. Add in Priority Pass lounge access during their layover (thanks, credit card benefits!) and the whole experience got even better. Exploring Scotland: The Highlands & Harry Potter Locations After landing in Edinburgh, Megan and her family hit the road to explore Scotland's most famous sights—including key Harry Potter filming locations at Glencoe, Glenfinnan Viaduct, and Loch Shiel. From Scotland to London: Train Travel & Harry Potter Studio Tour After road-tripping through Scotland, the family took the train from Edinburgh to London, booking first-class seats for extra space and lounge access.  London's Harry Potter Activities! Megan's family visited: King's Cross Station (Platform 9 ¾) – A must for any fan. Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour – The ultimate experience, where her daughter got to open the doors to the Hogwarts Great Hall because it was her birthday! They spent over five hours exploring movie sets, props, and magical effects. London on Points: Hyatt Regency Blackfriars & The Cursed Child Play For accommodations, used Hyatt points and the Hyatt Family Plan Rate, getting four nights at the Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars for: ✅ 77,000 points for one room ✅ $700 total for the second room The hotel's location meant Megan's family got free wristbands allowing access to the prime areas for watching New Year's Eve fireworks over Big Ben and the London Eye! To top off their trip, they saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child—a six-hour theater experience that still had the kids completely engaged. Find out what blew Megan away and why going to the play in London is worth traveling for.  Links For This Episode:  Pam's Hotel Upgrade Template: Hotel Upgrade Form: https://travelmomsquad.ck.page/hotel-upgrade Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Meet Megan and hear about how this trip came together 02:00 – Booking flights on KLM  06:15 – Harry Potter sites in Scotland 12:30 – Train to London 17:00 – Platform 9 ¾ & the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour 25:45 – Staying at Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars 33:00 – Seeing The Cursed Child play 40:00 – Final thoughts and Megan's tips If you've ever wanted to take your family on a magical, unforgettable trip, this episode is for you! 

(00:10) - In this episode we talk about the airline rewards programs and hotel rewards programs that seem to be changing in value. Some of them are going up in value and some are going down.  (00:42) - Alaska Mileage Plan miles are going up in value (02:08) - Southwest points are going down Listen to our episode about these Southwest changes here. (02:45) - Avianca Lifemiles are going down (04:43) - Hilton points are going up (06:12) - Hyatt points are going down (10:36) - Which transferable points are going up or down? Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media. Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn Heads