Podcasts about Hyatt

In today's podcast episode, we'll talk about stacking dining credits, give a caution aboutgifting Marriott free night certificates, and will resurrect expired Southwest credits.Crazy Thing(00:57) - Southwest shows different seatmap availability to different passengersRead more about Nick's experience with Southwest's assigned seating hereAwards, Points, and More(04:10) - Alaska Vacations adds discounts, VIP perks for elite membersRead more about this here(07:05) - “Free” Norwegian cruise for Caesars Diamond Elite membersRead more about this here(10:26) - Recent breaking news... Hyatt devaluationFind out more about the Hyatt devaluation here(14:43) - Wyndham Rewards added as new Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partnerRead more about this here(16:17) - Bilt has launched a transfer bonusRead more about this here[28:03:23 ad]Main Event: Gems from our Giant Mailbag(28:05) - Bridget says: DEN is an airport that has the security reservation program (DEN Reserve)...(29:44) - Chaim says: For Resy and Sapphire Reserve® Exclusive Tables credits you can buy gift cards online for lots of restaurants that trigger the credit. Therefore, you can bank up multiple hundreds of dollars, and then when it works with your plans, you can splurge on an amazing dinner or two...(32:47) - Mark says: I just finished listening to the January 2 podcast. With regards to your answer for the question of the week about which cards you keep in your digital wallet, I recently discovered something about Apple wallet specifically that might be of use, at least to Greg since he is the only one of you using Apple...You can catch that episode here(36:16) - Nathan says: I just listened to episode 343 and wanted to share a data point regarding the $500 Gift of College gift cards...You can catch episode 343 here(39:29) - Mike says: If you look up IHG Destined One Night On Us, there's no result directly from IHG, but multiple hotel booking agents' websites reference a stay x nights get 1 night free promotion for participating hotels. For example: https://bonvivant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Q3-IHG-Destined-Stay-Pay-Promo-HFP.pdf(44:42) - Panayot says: Convert expired SWA credit to a LUV voucher...(48:51) - Tracy says: I have a data point relevant to your episode on gifting points and miles...Catch that episode here(52:19) - Melissa says: Thanks so much for the article on the pitfalls and warnings booking via I Prefer hotels...Hear some of the pitfalls of booking via iPrefer here and read more about using Citi points for I Prefer here(53:44) - Amalan says: Just sharing a couple of good data points from a quick weekend trip to Chicago...(55:27) - Jefferson says: Thanks to the FM team!Question of the Week(57:33) - Is there a formal appeal or consideration process when Citi declines for high amount of unused credit?Find out more about Citi application tips hereSubscribe and FollowVisit 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 YoderMentioned in this episode:Visit FrequentMiler.com Did you know that Frequent Miller is also a website? At frequentMiller.com, you'll find all the latest deals, news about points, miles, and rewarding credit cards, the single best, Best Credit Cards page on the web, guides to all popular rewards programs, and many other terrific resources. If you'd like to get our posts sent to your email, go to frequentMiller.com/subscribe and sign up for free. https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/

In Episode 161 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Angie Sparks welcomes Justin Walter to share details from his recent family trip to Punta Cana. The episode kicks off with a highlight from member Megan, who creatively paid an $11,000 hospital bill using $200 Visa gift cards purchased at office supply stores—earning a stash of Ultimate Rewards points in the process. In news, Angie covers a 15% transfer bonus from American Express Membership Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles, while Justin shares that Emirates Skywards will no longer award miles on Condor-operated flights starting May 1, 2026 (though redemptions remain). Angie also highlights a 40% transfer bonus from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Justin reminds listeners that dozens of limited-time promos across major loyalty programs are ending soon.On the credit card front, Angie shares that her Barclays Aviator card will convert to a Citi Strata card, prompting her to apply early to secure a sign-up bonus—ultimately receiving an unusually generous credit line offer. She also grabbed a no-lifetime-language Hilton Surpass offer that includes a free night certificate, planning to leverage upcoming pool renovation expenses to meet spending requirements. Justin, meanwhile, is working through Amex Business Gold and Delta Business Reserve bonuses for status, while his Player 2 was denied for a Citi AA Platinum Select and is considering a Hilton card with elevated offers. They also preview a packed year of travel, including Phoenix, Morocco, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Vallarta, Vegas, Rome, and Japan.The main topic centers on Justin's family trip to Punta Cana, where they stayed at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana, booked directly through Hyatt for 29,000 points per night plus $60 per child. They flew nonstop on Delta Air Lines, paying a premium for the convenience. Justin notes this wasn't their first full-family trip, as grandparents joined them previously. The episode wraps with a practical tip of the week: don't believe every travel rumor you read online—especially when it comes to loyalty program changes.Episode Links:Amex to Avianca transfer bonusCondor drops Emirates EarningChase to Virgin transfer bonusPromos Ending soonWhere to Find Us The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here Reserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. 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.

Hyatt announced some changes that will come into effect before the end of May. This will include a brand new award chart that splits the 8 categories into 5 pricing bands. You can read more about the new Hyatt overhauls here.(00:51) - New award chart(05:28) - Hyatt intends to maintain value and maintain an award chart(17:24) - Bright spots(27:08) - Does this change how we view our Hyatt points?Subscribe and FollowVisit 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 YoderMentioned in this episode:Visit FrequentMiler.com Did you know that Frequent Miller is also a website? At frequentMiller.com, you'll find all the latest deals, news about points, miles, and rewarding credit cards, the single best, Best Credit Cards page on the web, guides to all popular rewards programs, and many other terrific resources. If you'd like to get our posts sent to your email, go to frequentMiller.com/subscribe and sign up for free. https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/

Watch Us On YouTube! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! ***At time of distribution, TSA PreCheck is operational, though Global Entry remains shuttered. United is making adjustments to MileagePlus — and while they're not dramatic, they're definitely impactful. This week, Ed and Julian break down what's changing on the earning side, how credit cards factor in, and whether these updates actually move the needle for everyday travelers. From there, the conversation shifts to Hyatt after a detailed (but ultimately false) rumor sparked debate about a premium credit card and new award categories. Could something like this still happen? And what would it mean for Globalist members? Plus, an unexpected development in the Chase Travel portal: American Airlines flights are now showing up with Points Boost pricing. What does that mean for Chase cardholders — and could this signal a bigger shift in airline partnerships? And yes, somewhere in the background….the U.S. men's hockey team wins Olympic gold in hockey during the broadcast. ✈️ What We Cover in This Episode ✈️ United MileagePlus Changes Lower base earning rates without a United credit card Slightly higher earning with a co-branded card Basic Economy no longer earning miles (without a card) Who should (and shouldn't) consider a United card ✈️ Credit Cards vs Transferable Points Why flexible currencies may still win Opportunity cost of airline spend When a United card actually makes sense ✈️ Hyatt Premium Card Rumor (Debunked) The proposed $795 card details Category 9 and 10 award talk Would this have flooded Globalist status? Why Hyatt will likely evolve anyway ✈️ Points Boost and American Airlines AA flights appearing in Chase Travel How Points Boost changes redemption math What this could mean for airline partnerships ✈️ TSA PreCheck & Travel Friction Reports of possible program suspension Throughput vs security concerns Why consistency matters for travelers ✈️ Points Path Founders Club Update New Google Flights interface Points Wallet feature Scroll down for timestamps and details. Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun Use my Bilt Rewards link to sign-up and support the show! 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. 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/ ⏱️ Episode 425 Timestamps 0:00 – Hockey chaos and cold open 4:00 – United Mileage Plus earning changes explained 9:30 – Credit card impact and who benefits 14:45 – Should you get a United card now? 19:20 – Basic Economy changes and flexibility tradeoffs 23:45 – Hyatt premium card rumor breakdown 29:10 – Would a new card create too many Globalists? 33:30 – American Airlines flights in Chase Points Boost 38:40 – TSA PreCheck concerns and travel impact 41:45 – Points Path Founders Club updates

It has been a wild week in the world of points and miles — and we're breaking it all down for you.In this episode of Wonderland on Points, we talk about the viral Hyatt rumor that sent travelers into a panic (and why it turned out to be completely false), plus what it teaches us about verifying information before hitting “share.”We also cover unexpected shutdowns impacting Transportation Security Administration systems and Global Entry, what that could have meant for travelers if it had actually gone through and why having backup tools and travel apps can save you serious stress at the airport.And if you fly United Airlines, you'll want to hear our breakdown of their latest loyalty updates — especially how co-branded credit cards are becoming more important than ever (and how that can benefit your whole family).If you care about staying ahead in the ever-changing travel landscape, this is one you won't want to miss.This episode is presented by Yahoo! Travel. Don't forget to sign up for the Y! Wonder Newsletter written by yours truly.Mentioned in this Episode:Betsey's InstagramMobile Passport ControlMy TSA AppFind Us On Online:Mary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupWonderland On Points BlogAffiliate Links:Seats.AeroBEST PRICE on CardPointers subscription!Comfrt.com 15% OFFRakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Chase/Capital One/Amex Card LinksOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

In this episode, CoStar News Hotels Reporter Natalie Harms speaks with Jason Ballard, global brand leader – Essentials at Hyatt, about how the company is thinking about growth. Ballard describes Hyatt's Essentials portfolio as the company's "growth vehicle" in the conversation, which was recorded at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit.

Horst Schulze shares the culture shock of arriving in America at 23, leaving Houston for San Francisco, and the lessons he learned at Hilton and Hyatt that shaped his leadership. He also reflects on Stephen Covey's influence and the emotional reason he finally wrote his book.

00:00 Ja'Quan McMillian's restricted free agency.13:15 Jeff Legwold joins the show.27:45 Dan Hyatt joins the show.

In this episode, we'll talk about how Chase wants you to stay Calm and give a WHOOP, we'll talk about how Bank of America wants you to be a millionaire, and how United wants you to get its credit cards.Giant Mailbag(00:45) - Doug: Parking at a Bilt Neighborhood Parking garage on Hyatt award stayCard News(03:15) - It may be possible to product change US Bank Altitude ReserveRead more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/psa-it-may-be-possible-to-product-change-altitude-reserve-and-maybe-get-some-of-the-fee-back*NOTE* Shortly after we recorded, we learned that existing earning rates for Bank of America cards will last longer than we thought: Doctor of Credit has learned some positive news regarding changes for existing Preferred Rewards members: they will retain their current status until 3 months after their first anniversary date post-November 1, 2026. For example, if your anniversary date is 10/1, your 3-month clock won't start until 10/1/27, and you will keep your current status level through 1/1/28 (provided you meet the current qualification requirements). That's a bit of a band-aid on a broken leg, but it's a much better timeframe than what we originally thought.(07:26) - Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card offers (MUST ACTIVATE OFFERS)Read more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-cardholders-can-get-a-free-calm-premium-annual-subscription/(08:37) - WHOOP: Get $359 back after purchasing one year of WHOOP's Life Membership (expires 5/12/2026.)Read more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-cardholders-can-get-a-free-year-of-whoop-fitness-wearable/(10:45) - Bilt appears to be honoring 5x offer for manyRead more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/bilt-cards-being-frozen-5x-not-being-honored-bilts-response-pound-sand-its-tpgs-fault/Bonvoyed(17:30) - Bank of America Preferred Rewards changesRead more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/negative-bank-of-america-preferred-rewards-upcoming-changes-lower-bonus-rewards-higher-eligibility-requirements/Awards, Points, and More(24:56) - FYI: How to pay taxes by credit card (Video)Watch a video about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-pay-taxes-by-credit-card-video/(26:43) - United Travel Bank may no longer trigger airline incidental creditsRead more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/united-travel-bank-may-no-longer-trigger-airline-incidental-credits-but-dont-panic-yet/(29:53) - 40%...

The scary (Dystopia)Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AIAI Will Destroy Millions of White Collars Jobs in the Coming Months, Andrew Yang Warns, Driving Surge of Personal BankruptciesRing cancels Flock deal after dystopian Super Bowl ad prompts mass outrageAmazon and Flock Safety have ended a partnership that would've given law enforcement access to a vast web of Ring cameras. The decision came after Amazon faced substantial backlash for airing a Super Bowl ad that was meant to be warm and fuzzy, but instead came across as disturbing and dystopian.Ring's Founder Knows You Hated That Super Bowl Ad. Since the commercial aired, Jamie Siminoff has been trying to quell an outcry over privacy concerns with his doorbell cameras.Platforms bend over backward to help DHS censor ICE critics, advocates say MMAnthropic is clashing with the Pentagon over AI useAnthropic's relationship with the Department of Defense is “under review” as the two sides negotiate over how the company's AI models can be used.The startup wants assurance that its models will not be used for autonomous weapons or mass surveillance.The DOD wants to use Anthropic's models “for all lawful use cases” without limitationDavid Sacks, the venture capitalist serving as the administration's AI and crypto czar, has accused Anthropic of supporting “woke AI” because of its stance on regulation.Our Big Data OverlordsMeta Begins $65 Million Election Push to Advance A.I. AgendaMark Zuckerberg faces jury in landmark trial over alleged youth harm linked to social mediaThe lawsuit, K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al., was filed by a 20-year-old California woman identified by her initials. She alleges that Meta and other tech companies deliberately engineered their platforms to hook young users, contributing to her depression and suicidal thoughts, and seeks to hold them accountable.Regarding Instagram's enforcement efforts, plaintiffs asked whether Meta removed all 4 million under-13 users the company had identified on the platform in 2018. Zuckerberg responded that while the company did not remove all of them, it had implemented tools to detect and address underage accounts and was working to improve those systems.According to reports, Zuckerberg has not directly answered the central question of the case: whether Instagram is addictive. The plaintiff's attorney, Mark Lanier, asked if people tend to use something more if it's addictive. “I'm not sure what to say to that,” Zuckerberg said. “I don't think that applies here.”He said he believes in the “basic assumption” that “if something is valuable, people will use it more because it's useful to them.”When he was asked about his compensation, Zuckerberg said he has pledged to give “almost all” of his money to charity, focusing on scientific research. Lanier asked him how much money he has pledged to victims impacted by social media, to which Zuckerberg replied, “I disagree with the characterization of your question.”Zuckerberg's courthouse entourage showed up in Meta Ray-BansMeta Adding Facial Recognition to Its Smart Glasses That Identifies People in Real Time, Hoping the Public Is Too Distracted by Political Turmoil to Care MMApple sued by West Virginia for alleged failure to stop child sexual abuse material on iCloud, iOS devicesSpaceX said to weigh dual-class IPO shares to empower MuskMacron Blasts Social Media's Free Speech Defense as ‘Bullshit'The stupid (ESG edition)Goldman Sachs to Drop D.E.I. Criteria for Board Members MMThe move would be the Wall Street firm's latest retreat from diversity mandates that its chief executive, David Solomon, had once made a priority.The decision is a result of a deal that Goldman struck with the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit group that has been pressuring numerous companies to drop diversity, equity and inclusion mandates, the people said.As part of its agreement with Goldman, the National Legal and Policy Center, which has a small investment in the bank, withdrew a shareholder proposal demanding that diversity criteria for the board be dropped.In March 2019, Mr. Solomon, his top deputy John Waldron and the firm's chief financial officer at the time, Stephen M. Scherr, declared diversity and inclusion “a top priority.”“When we unite around a common goal, we make progress together,” the men wrote in an email to the staff. They said they would “improve each year” toward goals that included a new recruiting class comprising “50 percent women, 11 percent Black professionals and 14 percent Hispanic/Latino professionals in the Americas, and 9 percent Black professionals in the U.K.”The next year, Mr. Solomon said Goldman would no longer take a company public in the United States or Europe unless it had at least one “diverse” board member. By 2021, a company would need at least two diverse board members in order for Goldman to agree to work on its initial public offering.Inspire Investing CEO: Nike's DEI Is A Legal Liability, Shareholders Coming For AnswersNike's DEI fight is no longer just a social media "culture war" argument. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating Nike over allegations the company's DEI practices discriminated against white employees and job applicants.Robert Netzly, CEO of Inspire Investing: "Discrimination, whether it's black people or white people, gay people or straight people, is discrimination."Robert Netzly is a globally recognized authority in the Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) movement, author of the book "Biblically Responsible Investing: On Wall Street As It Is In Heaven." Robert holds a B.S. degree in Liberal Studies from an online university. This article was from OutKick, which aims to expose the destructive nature of "woke" activism and is the antidote to the mainstream sports media that often serves an elite, left-leaning minority instead of the American sports fan. OutKick is owned by Fox Sports' parent company Fox CorporationFederal agency sues Coca-Cola bottler over work event that excluded menA Coca-Cola distributor and bottler is being sued for alleged sexual discrimination over a corporate networking event that excluded men, announced the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which filed the lawsuitAccording to the EEOC's lawsuit, in September 2024, Bedford, N.H.-headquartered Coca-Cola Northeast held a two-day employer-sponsored trip and networking event at the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Connecticut. Coca-Cola Northeast privately invited female employees and then excused the female employees who attended the event from their normal work duties on Sept. 10 and 11, 2024, and paid them their normal salary or wages without requiring them to use vacation or other paid time off. Coca-Cola Northeast did not invite any male employees to the event.Trump revokes landmark ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public healthUS President Donald Trump has reversed a key Obama-era scientific ruling that underpins all federal actions on curbing planet-warming gases.The so-called 2009 "endangerment finding" concluded that a range of greenhouse gases were a threat to public health. It's become the legal bedrock of federal efforts to rein in emissions, especially in vehicles.Bill Maher Eviscerates Donald Trump Over ‘Biggest Dick Move in American History'The boring (ESG edition)Starbucks' investor group urges shareholders to replace directors over labor rowStarbucks faced fresh pressure on Wednesday from a coalition of investors including public-sector pension funds that urged shareholders ‌to vote against the reelection of two directors, citing persistent failure ‌to manage labor relations.The move against Starbucks' lead independent director, Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, and Beth ​Ford, chair of the board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, comes as the company is locked in a prolonged effort to reach a collective agreement with its unionized baristas.Companies are cycling through CEOs—and replacing them with first-timers MMSome 168 new CEOs were appointed in 2025, the highest total since 2010. The defining shift was who got the job. Among incoming CEOs, 84% were serving in their first enterprise CEO role, reversing a multi-year tilt toward leaders with prior public-company experience.As recently as 2024, more than one in five new CEOs had already led a public company. That share fell sharply in 2025. Of the 140 first-time CEOs appointed, 116 had no prior enterprise CEO experience. Two-thirds had never served on a public company board, meaning many are stepping into the role without prior exposure to shareholder oversight or public company governance.CEO hopefuls have a new rival for the top job: their own board directorsAppointing board directors as CEOs was once a “break glass in case of emergency” strategy reserved for scandal, illness, or sudden resignation. While it remains a minority path compared with traditional internal promotions, it is no longer an anomaly.New data from Spencer Stuart highlights the shift. Of the 168 new S&P 1500 chief executives appointed in 2025, the highest annual total since 2010, 19 were drawn from their own company boards, the most since 2020. Spencer Stuart classifies directors as outsiders because they lack day-to-day operating responsibility. Even so, more boards are turning to them.Wall Street banks are paying their CEOs like it's 2006 againMorgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick's pay rises 32% to $45mlnBank of America Lifts Moynihan's Pay 17% to $41 Million for 2025Barclays Ceo Pay Hike: Barclays lifts CEO Venkatakrishnan's pay to over £15 million as bonus pool risesCitigroup bumps CEO Jane Fraser's pay to record $59mBro Culture (The Epstein Edition)Thomas Pritzker, Named in Epstein Files, Retires as Hyatt Executive ChairmanTom Pritzker Retires as Executive Chairman of Hyatt After 22 Years of Service and Will Not Stand for Reelection to Board of DirectorsThe Board has appointed Mark S. Hoplamazian, Hyatt's President and Chief Executive Officer, to succeed Mr. Pritzker as Chairman of the Board“Tom's leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt's strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” said Richard Tuttle, Chair of the Board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. “The Board has engaged in thoughtful succession planning, and we are confident that Mark's deep knowledge of Hyatt's business, strong relationships with owners and colleagues, and proven track record as CEO of nearly two decades positions him well to serve as Chairman and continue driving Hyatt's long-term success.”In a letter to the Hyatt Hotels' Board of Directors, Tom Pritzker wrote, “My job and responsibility is to provide good stewardship. That is important to me. Good stewardship includes ensuring a proper transition at Hyatt. Following discussions with my fellow Board members, I have decided, after serving as Executive Chairman since 2004, and with the company in a strong position, that now is the right time for me to retire from Hyatt. Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which I deeply regret. I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner. I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell, and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims.”Dubai's DP World replaces CEO after Epstein links emergeDubai's DP World announced Essa Kazim was the new chairman of its board of directors and Yuvraj Narayan was its new group chief executive officer, replacing Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.Sulayem had been the CEO of Dubai's largest port operator since 2016 and chairman since 2007.DOJ records showed years of exchanges with Epstein, but Sulayem has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.Casey Wasserman to sell talent agency following Jefferey Epstein controversyCasey Wasserman has confirmed that he has started the process of selling his talent agency after it was uncovered that he had ties with Jefferey Epstein. The announcement comes as artists began to leave the agency after it was uncovered that the Wasserman CEO had extensive ties with Jeffrey Epstein and had sent flirtatious emails to Ghislaine Maxwell. Despite denying that he had any personal or business ties with either, Wasserman sent an apology to the 4,000 employees who work at his sports marketing and talent agency, confirming that he would be stepping down from the company. He said: “I'm deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort […] It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about.”Former Victoria's Secret CEO Les Wexner testifies in House Epstein investigationThe billionaire behind the retail empire that once blanketed shopping malls with names such as Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch told members of Congress on Wednesday that he was “duped by a world-class con man” — close financial adviser Jeffrey Epstein. Les Wexner also denied knowing about the late sex offender's crimes or participating in Epstein's abuse of girls and young women.“I was naive, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man. And while I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.”Wexner described himself to the lawmakers as a philanthropist, community builder and grandfather who always strove “to live my life in an ethical manner in line with my moral compass,” according to the statement.Top Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathy Ruemmler to resign over Epstein linksThe latest Justice Department release revealed a trove of communication between the two, including about potential jobs, her romantic life and gifts Epstein had given her. (She called him “sweetie” and “Uncle Jeffrey.”)Goldman's CEO David Solomon says he 'reluctantly' let top lawyer Kathy Ruemmler go after Epstein fallout MMKing Charles' brother Andrew arrested on suspicion of misconductWhite House Shrugs Off Lutnick's Epstein TiesCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has acknowledged traveling to Jeffrey Epstein's island and meeting him on another occasion.Elon's bro quits Burning Man board amid outrage over Epstein connectionBlowhard IndexSalesforce cofounder 'not OK' with Benioff's ICE crack: 'Marc made a very bad joke.'The comments occurred during a keynote address at the company's annual internal "Company Kickoff" (CKO) event in Las Vegas, sparking a significant backlash from employees and leadership alike.During the keynote, Benioff reportedly asked employees who had traveled to the event from outside the United States to stand up for recognition. Once they were standing, he made a "joke" to the effect of: "Thank you! Just so the ICE agents [in the building] know [who you are]."He reportedly made a follow-up "callback" later in the presentation, suggesting that ICE agents were also monitoring those who hadn't yet used a specific new Slackbot tool.And another joke about ICE surveilling employee travel: when there are literally employees afraid to travel for work due to current situationSalesforce famously promotes a culture of "Ohana" (family) and equality.Parker Harris (Cofounder): In a follow-up meeting, Harris reportedly called the jokes a "violation of the Code of Conduct" and even noted they could be considered a "fireable offense" for a typical employee.Rob Seaman (Slack GM): The head of the Salesforce-owned platform Slack sent a memo to staff stating he "cannot defend or explain" the jokes and that they did not align with his values.Salesforce employees call on CEO Benioff to cancel ICE ‘opportunities'Elon Musk says Anthropic's philosopher has no stake in the future because she doesn't have kidsPalantir, Which Is Powering ICE, Says Immigration Crackdown May Hurt Hiring MMFrom 10-K filed 2 days ago: “if we are not able to recruit, hire, or retain the talent we need because of increased regulation of immigration or work visas … it could be more difficult to staff our personnel on customer engagements and could increase our costs … Additionally, laws and regulations, such as restrictive immigration laws, may limit our ability to recruit outside of the United States ... If we fail to attract new personnel or to retain our current personnel, our business and operations could be harmed.”

Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality   Accor isn't just polishing the Orient Express legend — it's trying to industrialize it. With LVMH in the mix, the play shifts from “luxury assets” to a full ecosystem built on narrative: trains, hotels, yachts, and a throughline of romance and mythology. Scott sees the upside in that long-game brand equity, but the panel keeps circling the same risk: storytelling can sell the dream, yet only flawless operations keep it from collapsing into cosplay. Then the mood turns pragmatic with Casago's post-Vacasa reality check. A founder-led franchise business runs on trust and alignment as much as tech and scale, and Steve Schwab's CEO transition lands as a stress test for franchisees already bracing for integration chaos. Ben argues owners should protect optionality while the dust settles; Scott and Edwin frame it as a “psychological contract” moment where perception matters as much as governance. Finally, Hyatt's ChatGPT integration signals that AI discovery is becoming a real distribution layer, not a gimmick. If travelers are asking for “the right stay” conversationally, brands will win by training the narrative, not bidding on keywords. Spice of the Week closes with a blunt takeaway: creative is the only differentiator left — and hotels are still wasting money boosting the wrong posts instead of scaling what actually works.   This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance   Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 09:40 — Story #1: Accor + LVMH build Orient Express into a full luxury ecosystem 24:32 — Story #2: Casago's Vacasa-era growing pains trigger franchisee unease 33:31 — Story #3: Hyatt embraces ChatGPT discovery as the next distribution layer 46:29 — Spice of the Week     Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Tom Pritzker, the billionaire executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels and a prominent member of the Pritzker family, announced his immediate resignation as executive chair following revelations in newly released files tying him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The disclosures showed that Pritzker maintained contact with Epstein well after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes, including email exchanges and interactions with Epstein's inner circle. In his resignation letter to Hyatt's board, Pritzker acknowledged exercising “terrible judgment” in not distancing himself sooner and said he deeply regretted the association, stressing that protecting Hyatt's reputation was his top priority. He also confirmed he would not seek re-election to the board at the company's upcoming annual meeting and that CEO Mark Hoplamazian would take over as chairman.Beyond the corporate fallout, Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre had previously named Pritzker in court filings connected to her trafficking lawsuit against Epstein and Maxwell. In depositions released in the years after Epstein's death, Giuffre alleged that she was trafficked to and had sexual encounters with Pritzker at Epstein's direction—claims he has vehemently denied. Those allegations, while never resulting in criminal charges, were part of the wave of unsealed documents that put scrutiny on Pritzker's ties to Epstein and helped fuel the pressure leading to his resignation.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Hyatt executive chair Tom Pritzker steps down over Jeffrey Epstein ties

The Epstein files have now ensnared figures across multiple countries. In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to resign after his top aides, including ambassador Peter Mandelson and chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, stepped down amid revelations about their ties to Epstein. In Norway, former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland has been arrested and criminally charged. Diplomat Mona Juul faces a corruption investigation. France's former culture minister Jack Lang resigned under criminal inquiry. In academia, Larry Summers of Harvard, Joi Ito of MIT, and others have lost positions at major institutions. In business, Leon Black paid Epstein $170 million, Thomas Pritzker stepped down from Hyatt, and Casey Wasserman faces defections ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics. In law, Brad Karp of Paul Weiss and Goldman Sachs counsel Katherine Romler both had deep ties to Epstein revealed through emails. Alex Acosta, the federal prosecutor who cut Epstein's sweetheart plea deal in 2008, allowing a man facing 240 years in prison to serve 13 months with work release, later became Trump's Secretary of Labor. And Pam Bondi, who served as Florida Attorney General for eight years while Epstein was active in her jurisdiction, did nothing, and continues to cover for those involved. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Tom Pritzker, the billionaire executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels and a prominent member of the Pritzker family, announced his immediate resignation as executive chair following revelations in newly released files tying him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The disclosures showed that Pritzker maintained contact with Epstein well after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes, including email exchanges and interactions with Epstein's inner circle. In his resignation letter to Hyatt's board, Pritzker acknowledged exercising “terrible judgment” in not distancing himself sooner and said he deeply regretted the association, stressing that protecting Hyatt's reputation was his top priority. He also confirmed he would not seek re-election to the board at the company's upcoming annual meeting and that CEO Mark Hoplamazian would take over as chairman.Beyond the corporate fallout, Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre had previously named Pritzker in court filings connected to her trafficking lawsuit against Epstein and Maxwell. In depositions released in the years after Epstein's death, Giuffre alleged that she was trafficked to and had sexual encounters with Pritzker at Epstein's direction—claims he has vehemently denied. Those allegations, while never resulting in criminal charges, were part of the wave of unsealed documents that put scrutiny on Pritzker's ties to Epstein and helped fuel the pressure leading to his resignation.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Hyatt executive chair Tom Pritzker steps down over Jeffrey Epstein tiesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

Esta última hora hemos tenido el espacio Los Desayunos de Capital, donde hemos contado con Manuel Melenchón, Manager Director del Sur de EMEA de Hyatt, que ha hecho un repaso de las expectativas y los planes que tiene la compañía en 2026. Después hemos tenido el Foro de Empleo, en el que han participado Marisa Cruzado, socia en CVA, Luis Pérez, director de Relaciones Institucionales de Randstad y Rafael Pamillón, profesor de Economía en el IE Business School y la Universidad San Pablo CEU. Han analizado el impacto del absentismo laboral y la regularización de inmigrantes.

TDC Podcast topics - 3G is back, we deep dive a bit into the LADY who murdered half her family at the hockey rink in Rhode Island, why are so many of our "ladies" turning violent?  Steve Colbert pulls lame stunt trying to garner ratings and attention, Whoopi Goldberg tried to use Jeffrey Epstein's private jet and act like it's no big deal, Hyatt executive Tom Pritzker steps down after his extensive relationship with Epstein is revealed, Netflix MMA fight between Rhonda Rousey and Gina Carano is coming, Jill Biden's ex-husband pleads not guilty to murdering his current wife, email and much more.

Crain's Steven Strahler joins host Amy Guth to reflect on the local and global impact of the Rev. Jesse Jackson after his passing.Plus: Crain's contributor Jon Asplund talks with host Amy Guth about Baxter and federal funding cut impacts in health care sector, Tom Pritzker quits exec chairman role at Hyatt, citing Epstein ties, Mayor Johnson vetoes intoxicating hemp ban, law firm Loeb & Loeb eyes expansion and move to Loop tower and Illinois swipe fee ruling marks rare win for retailers — but fight is far from over. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Crain's residential real estate reporter Dennis Rodkin talks with host Amy Guth about news from the local market, including how housing affordability is improving in many big cities — but not Chicago.Plus: The state's EV push meets market reality, Hyatt exposed to Epstein scandal despite Tom Pritzker's exit, Illinois erases $1.1 billion in medical debt for residents and Ikea to open third store in Chicago area. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tom Pritzker, the billionaire executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels and a prominent member of the Pritzker family, announced his immediate resignation as executive chair following revelations in newly released files tying him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The disclosures showed that Pritzker maintained contact with Epstein well after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes, including email exchanges and interactions with Epstein's inner circle. In his resignation letter to Hyatt's board, Pritzker acknowledged exercising “terrible judgment” in not distancing himself sooner and said he deeply regretted the association, stressing that protecting Hyatt's reputation was his top priority. He also confirmed he would not seek re-election to the board at the company's upcoming annual meeting and that CEO Mark Hoplamazian would take over as chairman.Beyond the corporate fallout, Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre had previously named Pritzker in court filings connected to her trafficking lawsuit against Epstein and Maxwell. In depositions released in the years after Epstein's death, Giuffre alleged that she was trafficked to and had sexual encounters with Pritzker at Epstein's direction—claims he has vehemently denied. Those allegations, while never resulting in criminal charges, were part of the wave of unsealed documents that put scrutiny on Pritzker's ties to Epstein and helped fuel the pressure leading to his resignation.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Hyatt executive chair Tom Pritzker steps down over Jeffrey Epstein tiesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest chapter of the bidding war for Warner Brothers Discovery's film and media assets, Paramount Skydance will have 7 days to submit an offer to rival Netflix's. CNBC's David Faber breaks down the morning's news and the week to come. The U.S. and Iran are engaging in nuclear talks today in Geneva, and the U.S. military is at odds with Anthropic over the company's concerns about the agency's use of its AI Claude. Plus, mentions in the Epstein Files have prompted career decisions for media executive Casey Wasserman and Hyatt's former executive chairman Thomas Pritzker. Then, president and CEO of National Urban League Marc Morial reflects on Reverend Jesse Jackson's legacy, as he remembers his late friend and fellow civil rights leader.  David Faber, 11:30Marc Morial - 22:33 In this episode:Marc Morial, @MARCMORIALDavid Faber, @davidfaberBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

-Civil rights leader Reverend Jessie Jackson has died at 84. Oscar-winning actor and director Robert Duvall has died at 95. -NEWSMAX's Rob Finnerty wants an explanation on why "irrelevant" Democrats brought zero knowledge and a lot of Trump hatred overseas to embarrass America on the world stage. -"Morons...": Carl Higbie watches Democrats fumble and stutter about "peace and things and stuff" in front of foreign elites. -Jack Posobiec and CPAC's Matt Schlapp comment on world leaders speaking at the Munich Security Conference. -Florida Rep. Byron Donalds calls out the Democrats for hypocrisy regarding voter ID laws and the SAVE Act. -Judge Andrew Napolitano discusses the significance of the black glove found in the Nancy Guthrie investigation. -Thomas Pritzker, the billionaire heir of Hyatt Hotels and cousin of Illinois Gov. JD Pritzker, resigns from his Hyatt executive position after his connection to Jeffrey Epstein was made public in the recent dump of Epstein documents. Today's podcast is sponsored by : QUINCE CLOTHING : Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to http://Quince.com/NewsmaxDaily for free shipping on your order plus 365-day returns! SELECT QUOTE : Life insurance is never cheaper than it is today. Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, and save more than fifty percent at http://SelectQuote.com/Daily Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at ⁠http://Newsmax.com/Listen⁠ Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at ⁠http://NewsmaxPlus.com⁠ Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : ⁠http://nws.mx/shop⁠ Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: ⁠http://nws.mx/FB⁠  -X/Twitter: ⁠http://nws.mx/twitter⁠ -Instagram: ⁠http://nws.mx/IG⁠ -YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV⁠ -Rumble: ⁠https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV⁠ -TRUTH Social: ⁠https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX⁠ -GETTR: ⁠https://gettr.com/user/newsmax⁠ -Threads: ⁠http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX⁠  -Telegram: ⁠http://t.me/newsmax⁠  -BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com⁠ -Parler: ⁠http://app.parler.com/newsmax⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on an association with Jeffrey Epstein and a Hyatt CEO.

From Wall Street to Main Street, the latest on the markets and what it means for your money. Updated regularly on weekdays, featuring CNBC expert analysis and sound from top business newsmakers. Anchored and reported by CNBC's Jessica Ettinger. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you've ever thought award travel isn't possible with a large family or group, this episode will change your mind.   In Part 1 of this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Alison Curfman, a pediatric emergency physician, entrepreneur, and relentless optimizer who regularly travels the world with her family—typically six to eight people depending on whether au pairs or grandparents join. After co-founding a healthcare company that scaled to a nine-figure valuation, Alison transitioned into advisory and consulting work that she could do from anywhere. Listen in as Alison walks through her exact strategy for finding business class flights for large groups, her hotel booking approach that keeps everyone comfortable without breaking the bank, and why positioning flights have become part of the adventure rather than a hassle.   We cover how she anchors her trip planning around long-haul flights, builds itineraries around award availability instead of fixed destinations, and uses spreadsheets and organization systems to keep track of multiple bookings across airlines and hotels. Allison also shares practical insights on traveling light with kids, leveraging Hyatt's loyalty program strategically, and combining fine hotels & resorts credits with points to maximize value on family trips.   Whether you're traveling with four people or eight, this episode offers a roadmap for making large family award travel not just possible, but truly enjoyable.   Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/award-travel-large-families-part-1    Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of!    Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy  

Most global brands fail at cultural relevance despite massive research investments. Katherine Melchior Ray, former CMO at Shiseido and marketing leader across Nike, Louis Vuitton, and Hyatt, bridges strategic vision with cultural intelligence gained from 12 years working abroad. She reveals the "freedom within a framework" approach that lets KitKat succeed in 14 countries, the cultural intelligence model that prevents costly missteps like Airbnb's China exit, and how trust-building requires shared values, honest communication, and consistent promise delivery across every market.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Save Money on Groceries & Online Shopping with SaveWise (Portals, Auto-Clipped Coupons & Stackable Offers) | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast They also dive into SaveWise's grocery coupon auto-clipping tool (app + browser extension), which supports 28 major grocery brands and 5,500+ stores, including Safeway and Acme. With one click, you can activate every available offer and stack them with store loyalty rewards. Other features covered include discounted gift cards, the Stackable Offers Index (to find merchants where portal rewards can stack with card-linked offers like Rakuten + Amex or AA + SimplyMiles), and a prototype product search tool for finding the best store to buy specific items. Sign up: www.GetSaveWise.com/HurdyGurdy Save 20% on SaveWise Pro (first year): promo code HurdyGurdy Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 Intro: Travel with points, miles & rewards 01:22 Meet Avneesh (SaveWise) + how he got into points & miles 03:06 SaveWise 101: What it does (portals, gift cards, more) 03:52 Shopping portals explained (why they're worth the extra click) 04:48 Best portal selection + historical rate trends 07:51 Grocery coupon auto-clipping for Safeway/Acme + 5,500+ stores 09:25 How often to clip + notifications + real savings per trip 12:19 Mobile apps roadmap: iOS now, Android coming soon 12:54 Free vs Pro: historical data, alerts, and pricing perks 14:41 Stackable Offers Index + product search prototype (advanced stacking) 16:59 Mid-roll announcements: FTU + local meetups 18:14 Privacy & data security: how SaveWise handles your info 19:39 Grocery logins + regional deal differences 20:45 What's next: dining portals and restaurant double-dipping 22:28 Discounted gift cards: underrated savings + future integrations 23:52 Avneesh's 2026 travel plans + points strategy (BILT, status, Hyatt) 27:04 Wrap-up + outro —

Esta última hora hemos tenido el espacio Los Desayunos de Capital, donde hemos contado con Manuel Melenchón, Manager Director del Sur de EMEA de Hyatt, que ha hecho un repaso de las expectativas y los planes que tiene la compañía en 2026. Después hemos tenido el Foro de Empleo, en el que han participado Marisa Cruzado, socia en CVA, Luis Pérez, director de Relaciones Institucionales de Randstad y Rafael Pamillón, profesor de Economía en el IE Business School y la Universidad San Pablo CEU. Han analizado el impacto del absentismo laboral y la regularización de inmigrantes.

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel the miles & points show Mark dives into his real world experiences with the new Bilt cards and Bilt cash. An unexpected promo came, but is it working out? We also discuss: finding cheap Hyatt mattress runs by stacking promos, the overlooked US Bank business card bonuses and how Southwest is tiering their credit card bonuses for the first time! 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:36 Update on Bilt's new card experience 3:20 Using Bilt Cash & how it all works in reality 7:23 Bilt makes money wuth customer experience expense? 10:10 Southwest launches first tiered card offers 13:53 Southwest's unhappy customers are a thing 15:48 Stacking Hyatt promos - Nights from 1,900 points? 19:45 Hyatt's unique promos & the art of finding mattress runs 21:37 Overlooked US Bank cards - Big money offers 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!

Esta última hora hemos tenido el espacio Los Desayunos de Capital, donde hemos contado con Manuel Melenchón, Manager Director del Sur de EMEA de Hyatt, que ha hecho un repaso de las expectativas y los planes que tiene la compañía en 2026. Después hemos tenido el Foro de Empleo, en el que han participado Marisa Cruzado, socia en CVA, Luis Pérez, director de Relaciones Institucionales de Randstad y Rafael Pamillón, profesor de Economía en el IE Business School y la Universidad San Pablo CEU. Han analizado el impacto del absentismo laboral y la regularización de inmigrantes.

For most of my career, I've been focused on two things: Operating businesses and Multifamily real estate. The strategy has been pretty simple. Take money generated from higher-risk, active businesses… and move it into more stable, long-term assets like apartment buildings. That shift—from risk to stability—is how I've tried to build durability over time. Now, to be fair, the sharp rise in interest rates a few years ago put a dent in that model. But zooming out, it's still worked well for me overall. So I'm sticking with it. That said, there are other ways to think about real estate. In some cases, the real opportunity is when you combine real estate with an operating business. We've done that before in the Wealth Formula Investor Club with self-storage, and the results were excellent. Storage is operationally simple, relatively boring—and that's exactly why it works. But there's another category that sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. Hotels. They're sexier.They're more volatile.And yes—they're riskier. But the upside can be dramatically higher. One of my closest friends here in Montecito has quietly built a fortune doing boutique hotels over the past few years. He started with a no-frills hotel in Texas serving the oil drilling industry. Over time, he combined his operational experience with his talent as a designer—and eventually created some of the highest-rated boutique hotels in the world. He's absolutely crushing it. Of course, most of us aren't world-class designers or architects. I'm certainly not. Still, his success made me curious. Hotels have been on my radar for a while now—not because I understand the business, but because I don't. When I asked him how he learned the hotel industry, his answer was honest: “I figured it out on the fly—starting with my first acquisition and a great broker.” That's usually how real learning happens. So this week on the Wealth Formula Podcast, I brought on an expert in hospitality investing to educate both of us. We cover the basics: How hotel investing actually worksWhere the real risks are (and where they aren't)How returns differ from multifamilyAnd what someone should understand before ever touching their first hotel deal If you've ever thought about buying or investing in hotels—but didn't know where to start—welcome to the club. You don't have to jump in tomorrow. But you do have to start somewhere. This episode is a good starting point. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/545-should-you-invest-in-hotels/id718416620?i=1000748759003 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Lx5Rp4x704lWRazWLqDOK Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GMFf6-g8w_0 Transcript Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI and may not be 100% accurate. If you notice any errors or corrections, please email us at phil@wealthformula.com. Welcome everybody. This is Buck Joffrey with the Wealth Formula Podcast coming to you from Montecito, California. Before we begin today, I wanna remind you, if you’ve not done so and you are an accredited investor, go to wealthformula.com, sign up for our investor club. Uh, the opportunity there is really to see private deal flow that you wouldn’t otherwise see because it can’t be advertised. And, uh, only available to those people who are deemed accredited. And then what does accredited mean as a reminder? Well, if you’re married, you make $300,000 per year combined for at least two years with a reasonable expectation, continue to do so, or you have a net worth of a million dollars outside of your personal residence. Or if you’re single like me, $200,000 per year or a million dollars net worth. Anyway, that’s probably, uh, most of you. So all you gotta do is go to wealth formula.com, sign up for investor club because hey, who doesn’t wanna be part of a club? And, uh, by the way, it’s a great price. It’s free. So join it. Just get onboarded and all you gotta do is just wait for deal flow. What a deal. Now let’s talk about different kinds of things to invest in. For most of my career, I, I have really focused on two things I’ve focused on. Either operating businesses, uh, in my case, those operating businesses largely have been medical and multifamily real estate. Uh, the strategy itself, theoretically the way I think about it, take money from sort of these active businesses, a higher risk, move them into more stable long-term assets like apartment buildings. Okay? The idea is that’s how you build some durability over time. Now, to be fair, okay, to be fair. Sharp rise in interest rates a few years ago. Put a little bit of a dent in that model. But here’s the thing is that you can’t throw out the, uh, baby with the bath water. ’cause when I zoom out, still worked well for me overall. So I’m sticking with it and, uh, that’s my story. I’m sticking with it. That said, there are always other ways to think about real estate, right? Real estate is not just multifamily. Um, in some cases, the real opportunity is when you combine real estate and operating businesses. So. We’ve actually done that before in our wealth formula investor club. Um, and we’ve done that through self-storage, for example, and the results were really good. Storage is operationally, generally pretty simple. Probably not that simple, but you know, but more so than other things, relatively boring. Boring is good, and that’s exactly why it works. There’s another category that sits at the opposite end of the spectrum of boring, and it’s sexier and it’s more volatile and it’s riskier. And uh, that is the area of hotels, right, like leisure, that kind of thing. But the upside in those things can be dramatically higher. You know, one of my closest friends here. Montecito, I talk about him all the time. He’s a, he is a little bit of an inspiration to me, although I wouldn’t tell that to in space. He’s built a fortune doing boutique hotels over the past few years and the way he started, you know, and I think it was only about a decade ago because he bought like this no frills hotel in Texas that was serving the oil industry. There was a bunch of guys, you know, drilling needed a place to say, and you know, he had this and he actually. I don’t know that I would recommend this, but he, he told me he bought it sight unseen just based on the numbers. Ah, man, I gotta tell you, I don’t think I’m that lucky. If I bought something sight unseen, it would not work great for me, but it did work great for him. But over time, what he did is he, he combined his operational experience with his talent as he’s like a designer, like designs, homes, an architect, uh, of sorts, although more than that. Um, and he, he used to build houses for like famous people in Hollywood. Anyway, he took that skill and so he combined it with hotels and he created some of the highest rated boutique hotels in the world. And he’s absolutely crushing it. Just crushing it. Of course, the reality is that most of us aren’t world-class designers or architects. I’m certainly not. I’m not artistic at all. Still, um, you know, the fact that he’s had so much success in this space and that he loves hotels. What got me curious? So, hotels have been on my radar for a while, not because I understand the business, but actually because I don’t. And when I asked him how he learned, uh, about the hotel industry, he just said, you know, I figured out on the fly and, uh, you know, started with my first acquisition, had a great broker who taught me everything I, you know, needed to know at the beginning and. That’s a great story. I mean, and ideally that’s how things happen. As you can tell, this guy is, uh, seems to just hit on everything. So good for him. So this week on Wealth Formula Podcast, I wanted to get a little bit of a hotel investing 1 0 1. So I brought on an expert in hospitality investing that could educate both you and me. So we’re gonna cover some of the basics, how hotel actually works, you know, what are the risks returns. Like, what should people do if they even consider, you know, buying their first hotel or investing in one? So if you’ve ever thought about investing, uh, in hotels, or maybe that’s the first time you’re hearing about it and you’re curious, uh, welcome to the club and uh, we will have a great interview for you right after these messages. Wealth formula banking is an ingenious concept powered by whole life insurance, but instead of acting just as a safety net, the strategy supercharges your investments. First, you create a personal financial reservoir that grows at a compounding interest rate much higher than any bank savings account. As your money accumulates, you borrow from your own. Bank to invest in other cash flowing investments. Here’s the key. Even though you’ve borrowed money at a simple interest rate, your insurance company keeps paying you compound interest on that money even though you’ve borrowed it. At result, you make money in two places at the same time. That’s why your investments get supercharged. This isn’t a new technique. It’s a refined strategy used by some of the wealthiest families in history, and it uses century old rock solid insurance companies as its backbone. Turbocharge your investments. Visit Wealth formula banking.com. Again, that’s wealth formula banking.com. Welcome back to the show, everyone. Today. My guest on Wealth Farm I podcast is, uh, John O’Neill. He’s a, a professor of hospitality management and director of the Hospitality Real Estate Strategy Group at Pennsylvania State University. Uh, he spent decades studying hotel valuation performance, Cabo flows and economic cycles in in the lodging industry. John, thanks for, uh, joining us. You’re welcome. So, you know, we’re talking offline. You’ve been in the hotel business for a long time. We’re trying to figure out how to frame this thing because you know, I mean there are, I know there are certainly people in. Uh, who in, in my group and my listeners, my community who are in the hotel space, but a lot of ’em aren’t. And you know, they’ve been thinking about, well, you know, we do a lot of apartment buildings, that kind of thing. Um, you know, what else should we be thinking about? And so, you know, when we hear, uh, hotel, um, they’re thinking of hospitality. But from an investor’s perspective, I guess the first question ask is what kind of real estate asset is a hotel? And, and may, may maybe just sort of fundamentally how different it is. From apartments office or retail? Yeah, that’s a great question because hotels are fundamentally different. But what I’ve seen over the past few years as well is hotels have increasingly been considered to be a component of commercial real estate. So we’ve always thought about office and retail and residential and industrial as being components of commercial real estate, but increasingly. Investors are thinking about hotels that way as well, because some of the high risk aspects of hotels have been moderated a little bit. So they are still considered to be a high risk and potentially high reward category, but they’re much more cyclical than those other types of businesses. So if we look at apartment leases, maybe being a year or two. Office leases may be being three to five years and retail leases could be five or 10 years. The leases in hotels are one or two nights, so there’s upside, but there’s risk involved in that as well. So when there’s pressure in a market to increase rates, like here where I am in University Park, Pennsylvania, when we have a home football game. We can see hotels with average daily rates of maybe a hundred to $200 a night charging seven, eight, $900 per night, and filling up on those rates. You can’t do that in an office building or in a retail center. And so there’s great opportunity when demand increases to push up rates and to greatly benefit from that. The flip side of courses on Sunday night when all those guests leave. You might be back to a hundred dollars a night and running 20 or 30% occupancy. Do hotels kind of follow the rest of real estate in terms of market cycles though? Yeah, it depends. I, I would say in many cases they’re actually leaders, which again, double-edged sword there. So for, yeah, when we plummeted in 2020 because of COVID hotels were probably the first category really to see it. Demand dried up overnight, and you go back to September 11th, 2001 on September 12th, 2001, a lot of hotels were empty and that wasn’t the case with office buildings and retail centers. The flip side, of course, is when the economy started improving, hotel operators could start pushing their rates very quickly. And so other categories of commercial real estate didn’t receive those benefits. Yeah, I mean, obviously there’s certainly gonna be. Real estate that’s often used that that’s often using debt and, you know, probably has the same sort of, uh, issues with regard to cap rate compression or decompression based on interest rates as well. Right, right. So, um, where are we? Right? What would you say right now, like, I mean, we know that. Our, we’ve been following very closely on the multifamily side. You know, prices are depressed. I mean, from 2022, we’re looking at probably 30% to 40%. Most, most, uh, large apartment complexes are not moving because people don’t wanna sell into a down market. But when they are, they’re being sold at 30, 40% discounts compared to 2022. Where is the, where is the hotel? Market at right now? It it, it’s challenged because right now we’re seeing discrepancies between where buyers wanna buy and sellers wanna sell. We’ve started to see some movement because some sellers have come down a bit in pricing because of what we’ve seen in 2025, the market really did soften as far as the hotel business is concerned. So in 2025. We really saw no increase in occupancy and in many markets we saw some decreases in occupancy. We are still seeing average daily rates going up a little bit, so yeah. Might be worth maybe a quick step backward that the two key indicators in terms of hotel lodging performance would be occupancy and average daily rate. With occupancy being the extent to which the guest rooms are occupied and average daily rate being the average price somebody is paying. We can talk about the mathematics of those, but, um, just I think conceptually, hopefully that makes sense. But, so, you know, at this point what we’re seeing is average daily rates are still going up a little bit, and the forecasts for 2026 are. Pretty much more of the same, where we’re not expected to see great occupancy increases, but we are anticipating that the average daily rates might go up a little bit. Uh, and, and in fact we might see occupancies decline slightly. And, uh, we might see, uh, average daily rates still possibly going up a little bit. That’s usually an indicator of being late in the cycle, you know, being somewhere near the peak and, and, you know, if the trough was 2020. Which was a pretty deep trough. 2021, we started seeing improvements and we saw great improvements in 22, 23, and 24, and so it’s looking like the end of a cycle. The thing we don’t really know for sure is, is there some reason that we’re going to really go into a substantial down period or are we actually in a situation where we’re going to have another upcycle? Yeah. You know, the other thing I was curious about too, like when you talk about these cycles for hotels, even within hotels, there are certainly, you know, different types of hotels. You know, there’s the boutiquey ones that are pe really pure tourism versus the ones that, okay, well maybe they are, you know, good for football games or. There’s others that are people use for, for, for work frequently, right? They’re, they’re just passing through for, for work trips. Do you, is there, um, is that difficult to extricate those types of different economies running at the same time? It’s not, I, I don’t know that it’s that difficult, you know, just to give you a little bit about my background, I’ve been a professor for some time, but prior to being a professor I worked for. Three of the four major hospitality organizations, namely Marriott, IHG, and Hyatt. Uh, and so going back into the 1980s when I was doing feasibility studies for proposed Marriott hotels, we, in most markets, analyzed three markets segments. And, and you essentially said what they are commercial business, which are your business travelers, leisure business, which are your pleasure travelers, and then groups, which includes conventions and, and those are still the three major market segments in most markets. In, in some markets. For example, if you’re approximate to a major international airport, there’s usually a fourth segment, which is that fourth segment is airline crew business, which is, is very different than the other three because. Whereas the other three go up and down throughout, not just the year, but throughout the week. Airline crew business tends to be stable throughout the year, so it, it, it’s in your hotel 365 nights outta the year. So it’s, it’s a very low risk, but also a very low rated market segment. So it, I don’t know if that’s that complicated, but it just needs to be broken out as you delineated it, which is that there’s. Three or four market segments in any market. And in terms of studying a hotel for development or for investment, it’s necessary to understand not just what’s going on on the supply side, in other words what’s going on in the hotels, but what’s going on in the demand side as well. So give you an example. I recently did a feasibility study in a market, which is a big pharmaceutical market. So I actually spent time with major pharmaceutical people talking about, where are you staying now? Why are you staying there? Are you a member of the Frequent traveler program? How does your business vary throughout the year? What rates are you paying? What facilities and amenities are you seeking? And things like that. So to really understand the demand because that demand segment. So important in that market. So it is ultimately a street corner business and what’s going on in a specific market in terms of the mix of commercial, leisure and group business and possibly other market segments. Really is something that we have to study in depth when we conduct a feasibility study or an appraisal for hotel. I, I don’t know if I mentioned, I’m a licensed real estate appraiser too, and although my licenses allow me to appraise any type of property, I only appraise hotels. Got it. Businesses fundamentally changed pre COVID and post COVID. I would assume that there’s probably less travel. Are you seeing impact? On those types of hotels from that kind of, you know, less travel, more zoom type activity. Yeah. And, and that’s a great, that’s a great follow up because with those market segments, although the segments are the same. The demand from each of those segments really has different, and, and as you said, it really changed substantially in COVID. It, it, it’s fascinating how once we were forced to use Zoom and, and other, you know, Microsoft teams and other technology like that, you know, we, we kind of did a kicking and screaming. But once we figured it out, we realized we didn’t get a lot done. Uh, now I spent last week in Los Angeles at America’s Lodging Investment Summit, and I go to this. Function every year, because I see many of the same people year after year, and the business cards might change, but it’s the same people involved in the hotel business, whether they’re brokers or investors or asset managers or consultants or appraisers. But in between. Each year I do a lot on Zoom with these people and you know, we can keep those relationships going. So it hasn’t eliminated, you know, in my personal case, my need to travel, but it has substantially reduced it. And I think a lot of other business people have seen the same thing. So if we look at the recovery since COVID, it was fascinating because the first market segment that recovered and recovered really strongly was leisure business and people, people see it as their right. To have a vacation and, and people were paying high rates, particularly in, in, in mountain locations and in beach locations. And so those rates came up really quickly. And then the group business followed. If people do wanna go to group functions like I did last week in la what has not recovered to the level of 2019 though is the business travel. Right. Interesting. So I, that’s probably a, uh, you know, and he, I can’t really see a particularly promising future for that Subsect either. Right. I think, in fact, bill Gates said it’s never going to be back to the, you know, he, he’s an investor in Four Seasons hotels, and he said it’ll never be back to the way it was in 2019. I don’t know if he’s right. I mean, because I, I still feel like we get a lot of things done. Face-to-face, person to person that we really can’t do in Zoom. I don’t think Zoom is great for establishing relationships. I, I still think that we need face-to-face, uh, personal contact. But, you know, that might be just my perspective because I’ve been working in hotels since I was a teenager and I’m really far from being a teenager now. And, you know, I, I’ve been indoctrinated in this philosophy of the importance of face-to-face contact. But yeah, you know, that might be generational. You with a younger generation. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Um, you know, just kind of going back to the difference differences, uh, with compared to other real estate hotels, ultimately the, one of the big differences, they’re operating businesses, right? I mean, they’re not that large. Apartment buildings aren’t, but they’re is I think, a specific sort of operational execution that matters a lot in hotels. So, you know, in invest, when investors are kinda looking at that, I mean, they, they should probably be not looking at it as nearly as passive as other real estate investments. Is that fair? I, I think that’s very fair because I think, you know, it, it shows what’s happened in terms of the market with real estate investment trust. Because I’ve sold my entire position in hotel real estate investment trust and, and as you probably know, if we look at real estate investment trust. Different categories in, in commercial real estate, hotels lag, which is fascinating because everything else we’ve been talking about explains why hotel returns tend to outperform other classes of commercial real estate. More volatility, but higher returns on average. If you can withstand the long period, uh, that you need to be an investor. On real estate investment trust, it’s the opposite. Hotels actually lag and, and I think it really is because of exactly what you’re talking about, which is that they really are like an operating business where there’s also real estate as opposed to a real estate play where it’s almost like there’s an annuity of rent that is very easily projected, uh, in hotels. You know, we, we. Project all the time how they’re going to perform. But you know, you know, I hope my projections are very good, but there’s always things that can COVID. For example, you know, now there’s a virus in, in India that you know might be coming and, you know, we don’t know, will this be substantial or will it be really minor in the Americas? We really don’t know. Uh, that won’t have a big effect on, on other classes of real estate investment trust, but. It could have a big effect in hotels, so, so the unknowns in hotels are very high. And then when you combine that with the fact that they are an operating business, which are very labor intensive and wage rates are going up. So the cost structure and the management of that cost structure becomes. Very important and the expertise of the hotel managers becomes very important. And so, yeah, like you say, other classes of commercial real estate or, or institutional real estate investments have an operational component. It’s much greater when it comes to hotels. So I actually have a friend who’s an, um, owns, uh, a few boutique hotels here in, in California, and he was telling me one of the things that he’s kind of worried about is, um, you know, they, they’re, they have some, um. Some mandates coming up with regard to, you know, minimum wage and, and all these things that, uh, hotel workers have to get, uh, give you just outta curiosity. I mean, most of my audience is not in California. I am, but have you heard about this? Can you tell us a little bit about those pressures? Yeah, I have heard about it. And there’s, there’s forces on the other side as well, namely the American Hotel and Lodging Association, which represents hotel owners, managers, and franchisers. And so they have a voice in these things as well. But the, the, the forest, particularly in places like California and, and in the west coast in general, we’ve seen it in Seattle as well. Um, you know, in, in terms of increasing minimum wages to rates that, that are shocking to me. Um, you know, that’s, that’s a big issue. You know, you don’t see it as much in the middle of the country, but you do see it on the coast and particularly in the, on the West Coast. So, you know, if we’re looking at projections, say into 2026 and, and perhaps beyond, we expect in many cases to be seeing higher growth in wage expenses than we expect to see growth in RevPAR, which is room revenue, preoccupied room, which is just occupancy times average daily rate. So the, the overall revenue is expected, at least in the short term, to grow more slowly. Than expenses and, and wages are really driving a lot of it. And then anything that’s affected by wages, so insurance, for example, property taxes, other expenses are really growing at this stage more than what we’ve seen in terms of revenue growth. So that’s, that’s a challenge right now. The, the question I think really then is how much will AI affect that and to what extent will guests become more comfortable with checking in? On an iPad type of a situation as opposed to seeing a person face to face, and there’s probably generational differences there. What it is forcing hotel operators to do is the same kinds of things that restaurant operators have been forced to do, which is find ways to use technology and actually have the guests face the technology and get the guests comfortable with that. In terms of things like check in and check out, you know, but still in hotels the rooms have to be cleaned and, and although there’s robots that. You know, they’re nowhere near what, where they need to be to actually clean Hotel guestroom jet, at least in any sort of economically viable way. But, you know, the long-term question is to what extent will the industry be adopting AI and other technology in order to address that issue? Because that’s what’s going to happen. It’s, it’s, you know, it’s not just going to be a situation where. The operators will accept paying higher wages and have the same number of employees in each hotel. Right. Um, branding, you know, sort of confusing to a lot of people. Not in the space, but you know, what role do hotel brands actually kind of play in, in protecting revenue and value? Um, and I guess when does a brand help an owner versus become a constraint? Yeah. You know, brands have been very important and, and I, I forget if I mentioned but of the, the big brand companies I’ve worked for three of them and, um. You know, they, they, they typically started as management companies. So originally companies like Hilton and Marriott primarily generated revenue through management fees. And so they own some of the real estate, although they’ve become asset light over the years and own very little, if any, anymore. Uh, but they do still manage hotels. So one thing that the brand companies do have is expertise in terms of management. That’s one of the fees that a branded hotel and a non-branded hotel would have as well, would be a management fee, which is usually expressed as a percentage of revenue. And sometimes there’s an incentive structure in there as well. But then there’s a franchise fee, which is just paying for the brand, and, and that’s usually as a percentage of total revenue, higher than the management fee. But what it does is it, it, it. Puts the property in a global distribution system, so the global distribution systems that brands like Marriott and Hilton and IHG and, and HIA have, uh, they. Generate heads and beds. You know, that’s, that’s the term we always, when I worked at Hyatt and Merritt, we always talked about heads and beds. Every night you’re trying to, trying to get people in the rooms. The brands do a lot to put heads and beds, you know, in a typical hotel with a good brand affiliation. Somewhere between probably a third and two thirds of the occupy rooms actually came in through the brand global distribution system, which historically was a toll free reservation system. And although the, you know, those still exist now, it’s really more of a focus on the online system and, and, and sometimes toll-free reservations and direct reservations. But, but that’s what the brand does. It, it, it ultimately is a generator of. So kind of just focusing on somebody who’s potentially thinking about hotels as an investment. So far, what I gleaned from you, and, and correct me if I’m wrong, is that timing probably isn’t perfect right now. We’re probably, you know, we’re probably in a, you know, a peak and you generally not a great idea to buy in peaks. Um. I personally, from what I understand, would stay outta California. You know, uh, you know, like my friend was saying that it was gonna make it very difficult for a lot of hotels to have their, you know, hotel restaurants even. And so he foresees like a lot of them having to close those down. Um, and then the, the next thing I think is, gosh, you really have to be cognizant of the, of the fact that, you know, work patterns are changing. And so maybe that’s not a good. Way to go, either. What other, what are some other big picture things that you think people ought to be thinking about as they evaluate the space? Yeah. Well, I think there’s a couple of things. One of which is. That is a street corner business. So it really depends on what street corner you’re in. Uh, I’ve done some research just on how hotels perform in university towns versus other locations because, for example, there are brands now called graduate hotels, which eventually was acquired by Hilton, uh, and, uh, scholar Hotels and, and these properties are university town hotels. They’re doing okay. You know, they’re, they’re doing okay. If you look at how universities operate, we’ve seen some Ivy League schools pay 60, $80 million or more just to make sure they keep that billion dollars a year coming in from the federal government that they, they get for research grants and, and we’ve seen, you know, look at what’s going on with NIL now in terms of, of university sports. Universities clearly are willing to. You gen willing to spend a lot of money to keep doing what they do, which is, you know, they, they generate a lot of research and I’m talking about. Big universities now, uh, you know, a lot of research and, and there’s a sporting business aspect to universities as well. So university towns are okay, and, and what I ultimately found in my research is they’re much less cyclical than the average. So, you know, we talk about the risk of hotels as things go up and things go down and things go up and down. That doesn’t happen as much in university towns. You know, big universities don’t close and, and don’t even substantially change their business model. So it really depends on, on where you’re located. And then there’s certain cities as well, you know, people, you know, I, I don’t have to go into detail about my last visit to San Francisco and how weird it was, and I was with students and, and told my female students don’t go out at night alone. I mean, it was, it was, it was really freaky, but. San Francisco now might be a place to invest. Now San Francisco probably has bottomed out. Uh, and the same might be true with New York. So, you know, it really depends on where you’re going. I, I think in general, yeah, you know, there’s, there’s concerns, but even so, you know, I think it’s still might be a good time to invest in. Good quality hotel companies, just, you know, in terms of the stock market and, and equity in, in businesses like Marriott and, and Hilton because their franchise fees and their management fees are a percentage of total revenue. So hotels that are not profitable, that are a member of those brand affiliations are still paying. Into those systems and you know, hopefully the goal is that these properties become profitable, but even while they’re not profitable, they owe franchise fees and in some cases management fees as well. So I think there are a lot of ways to still invest in the hotel business. It’s just what vehicles are being used and where. So, you know, it sounds a little overwhelming, um, for someone who, again, who’s new to the space. Any suggestions on how somebody might just learn more about this ecosystem and, you know, start to go down this path of potentially becoming, you know, a hotel investor? Yeah. Well, first thing is, you know, we talked about ai. AI is pretty good for helping people to learn. So if you wanna learn about the hotel business, you can go and have a really good conversation with chat GPT about what makes it click and where could the opportunities lie today. Uh, you know, I’ve gone over the past year from essentially not using AI at all to using it essentially every day. And so that’s a great way because that’ll access a lot of, there, there’s trade journals, for example, but it’ll access those things. Uh, the conference, like I went to last week, the America’s Lodging Investment Summit, which is in LA every year is a. Is a great place to learn as well. There’s, there’s wonderful sessions and that conference is attended by everybody from Anthony Capano, who’s the CEO of Marriott, down to people involved in real estate and investments in the hotels and, and who essentially make their living. Off of those as brokers, appraisers, consultants, asset managers and things like that. So, so there’s ways online to do it and there’s ways to do it actually by attending conferences as well. Yeah. A good broker as well. Right. I mean, you know, going back to my, my friend who, who’s become a very successful hotelier, the first one he bought, he threw a broker and he said he learned everything about hotels that he knows from that guy. Um. So that’s probably, it probably tells you something as well. Yeah. And, and there are some excellent hotel brokers. There’s some who are national in scope and some who are local in scope. So again, it depends on where you’re thinking you might wanna be investing. Uh, but, but there’s some great local brokers, but then there’s national firms like JLL and CBRE and Hunter, uh, that, you know, they have really good people who are very knowledgeable about the hotel business. Yeah. John, thanks so much for, uh, joining us here on Wealth Formula Podcast and giving us sort of an overview of the, uh, um, hotel, uh, real estate, uh, uh, asset class. You bet you make a lot of money, but are still worried about retirement. Maybe you didn’t start earning until your thirties. Now you’re trying to catch up. Meanwhile, you’ve got a mortgage, a private school to pay for, and you feel like you’re getting further and further behind. Now, good news, if you need to catch up on retirement, check out a program put out by some of the oldest and most prestigious life insurance companies in the world. It’s called Wealth Accelerator, and it can help you amplify your returns quickly, protect your money from creditors, and provide financial protection to your family if something happens to. The concepts here are used by some of the wealthiest families in the world, and there’s no reason why they can’t be used by you. Check it out for yourself by going to wealth formula banking.com. Welcome back to the show everyone. Hope you enjoyed and again, uh, hey hotels. Think about it. I guess. Uh, I continue. I will continue to do so, uh, especially given my buddy’s success in this space. Um. Although, I will tell you, I probably am not a boutique hotel guy. Um, you know, I don’t, I don’t know that I could make it super fancy, you know? And then on the other hand, you hear about these, uh, hotels that are. For the people traveling through and they’re not doing this so great. So maybe wait till that we hit that, um, that trough that he was talking about, he said we’re kind of at a peak right now. Anyway, that’s it for me. Uh, this week on Wealth Formula Podcast. This is Buck Joffrey signing off. If you wanna learn more, you can now get free access to our in-depth personal finance course featuring industry leaders like Tom Wheel Wright and Ken McElroy. Visit well formula roadmap.com.

Watch Us On YouTube! Air India and Boeing are back in the headlines, and the questions aren't getting smaller. This week, Ed and Richard break down what we know — and what we don't — about the latest fuel switch reporting, what responsibility lies with Boeing versus airline operations, and why early narratives in aviation stories are often incomplete. From there, things get lighter: Frontier is giving away 5,000 miles (yes, really), Hyatt launches a new promotion that's worth a closer look, Aeroplan adds ITA Airways as a partner, and we revisit one of the most important lessons in modern travel: always have a backup flight plan. If irregular operations have taught us anything lately, it's that flexibility isn't optional anymore. Scroll down for timestamps and details. Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun Use my Bilt Rewards link to sign-up and support the show! 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. 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/ WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE More Air India and Boeing questions What's being reported about fuel switches Where Boeing responsibility starts and stops Why early aviation reporting can be misleading Frontier's 5,000 mile giveaway How the promotion works Who should (and shouldn't) care Why free miles aren't always free Hyatt's latest promotion What Bonus Journeys is offering When this promo actually makes sense Comparing Hyatt vs Marriott value Aeroplan adds ITA Airways Why this is bigger than it sounds Routing and redemption implications How this expands Star Alliance strategy Why you always need a backup flight What happens during irregular ops Same-day backup strategy How points give you more flexibility The bigger travel takeaway Airline reliability trends Why flexibility beats loyalty Planning for chaos instead of perfection EPISODE 423 TIMESTAMPS 0:47 – Welcome and setting the stage 3:05 – Air India fuel switch reporting explained 8:22 – Boeing responsibility versus airline operations 13:40 – Why early aviation stories can mislead 17:18 – Frontier's 5,000 free miles promotion 21:04 – Hyatt's new promotion: worth it or not? 26:33 – Aeroplan adds ITA Airways 31:15 – Why you should always have a backup flight 36:02 – Using points for flexibility during irregular ops    

A spicy LinkedIn post about field trips lit up the internet—and this episode is the why behind the fire.In this conversation, Peter and Alli unpack the unpopular opinion that traditional high school field trips often miss the mark. Not because experiences don't matter—but because too many trips are disconnected, passive, and designed as checkboxes instead of catalysts for growth.This episode goes far beyond buses and permission slips. It's about intentional design.You'll hear:- Why most high school field trips don't actually change student direction or outcomes- The difference between career awareness and career readiness—and why timing matters- How “field trips” should evolve into field experiences, micro-experiences, and real community work- Powerful real-world stories involving Hyatt, Coca-Cola, Calamos, and students performing in front of real executives- Why reflection, durable skills, and value creation matter more than tours and sit-and-gets- How districts can reduce burnout by shifting from isolated teacher efforts to system-wide experience designThis is not an anti-field-trip rant.It's a challenge to rethink them.If you care about student engagement, work-based learning, durable skills, or connecting school to real life—this episode is for you.Head to www.disrupteducationpodcast.com for more!

Esta última hora hemos tenido el espacio Los Desayunos de Capital, donde hemos contado con Manuel Melenchón, Manager Director del Sur de EMEA de Hyatt, que ha hecho un repaso de las expectativas y los planes que tiene la compañía en 2026. Después hemos tenido el Foro de Empleo, en el que han participado Marisa Cruzado, socia en CVA, Luis Pérez, director de Relaciones Institucionales de Randstad y Rafael Pamillón, profesor de Economía en el IE Business School y la Universidad San Pablo CEU. Han analizado el impacto del absentismo laboral y la regularización de inmigrantes.

Luxury doesn't mean more steps. It means fewer problems before guests even notice them. Suzanne "Dr. Producer" Bagnera, PhD, and I spoke with Mourad Essafi, General Manager of Impression Isla Mujeres (a Hyatt all-inclusive), on #NoVacancyNews about what ultra-luxury actually looks like when you stop adding layers and start removing friction. Mourad talks about how his background in sales and operations shapes the way he runs the resort, why the arrival experience starts before guests ever reach the island, and how small operational decisions change how people actually feel about a stay. We also get into what "endless privileges" really means in practice, why convenience often beats opulence, and how guest feedback turns into real changes on property. We cover:

What if improving front line performance—not more marketing or new leads—was the fastest way to grow your business worth? If you're feeling pressure to grow revenue while controlling costs, this episode speaks straight to that tension. You'll hear how leaders in hospitality use front line performance, personalization, and smart systems to capture revenue that's already there—while creating better customer experiences and stronger loyalty. The same thinking applies to any business with customer-facing teams and real growth goals. What you'll gain from listening: How front line performance directly impacts revenue and loyalty, without turning your team into pushy salespeople What it really takes to evolve from a services model to SaaS, while keeping your culture and your people intact Where AI disruption actually adds value today, helping managers coach better and make faster, data-driven decisions Play the episode to spot practical front line performance ideas you can use right now to increase revenue and strengthen your business worth. Check out: ~10:30 – Unlocking revenue through front line performance Where the conversation digs into how connecting frontline teams to real guest needs drives incremental revenue without hurting the experience—and why this applies far beyond hospitality. ~28:00 – AI disruption that actually works at the front line A practical discussion on how AI is being used to analyze performance data, deliver coaching insights, and improve results—without replacing people or overcomplicating the system. ~44:00 – The real challenge of moving from services to SaaS A candid breakdown of the cultural and identity shifts required to transition from a services model to SaaS, including what leaders often underestimate and how to bring the team along. About Geoffrey Toffetti Geoffrey Toffetti is the CEO of Frontline Performance Group (FPG), based in Florida. The firm partners with over 2,500 hotels across 120+ countries, helping them drive millions in incremental revenue. His personal journey in hospitality started humbly, as a car valet at a Florida hotel. Today, Geoffrey leads FPG, where they work with top brands like Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt, among others. He has guided the company through strategic growth, including the acquisitions of the company's primary competitors—Drake Beil in the U.S. and TSA Solutions in Asia, the latter during the height of the COVID-19 crisis.  Geoffrey can share insights on conversion from a services business to SaaS, global expansion, leading a remote workforce, how leaders can build resilience by making bold yet calculated decisions, staying agile in unpredictable markets, and building a corporate tribe rather than a team. FPG is always pushing forward and he excited to say their next bold move is just around the corner. 

Do we undervalue Delta card welcome offers? How do you guys maximize SkyTeam? We answered these and many other questions on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on February 4th of 2026.(00:39) - Given the amount of travel and exposure to different cultures that the whole frequent miler team has had over the years, what experiences have changed how you live day to day back home? For example, after a trip to Italy, I became very interested in espresso to the point where I bought myself an espresso machine that I now use every morning. Has something similar happened for you all?(07:42) - Greg and Nick laugh at the idea of “things we do to keep the banks happy,” but only after they spent the Main Event discussing how they spend extraordinary amounts on credit cards – which surely keeps the banks happy! I appreciate Nick mentioning that his habit of keeping Amex cards >1 year might make Amex happy, but it'd be nice to keep some perspective given that most listeners/readers/watchers aren't spending nearly the same amount as you two. So it's logical that we might think more about “keeping the bank happy”.(13:23) - Should I open frequent flyer accounts at EVERY possible airline? Is there any downside?(14:57) - Has anyone here applied for the Disney Inspire card?(19:08) - What would you pay for a subscription to a benefit? How do you value the Alaska Atmos 100K companion fare?(23:06) - For issuers other than Amex, are there any pitfalls to be aware of when buying merchant-branded gift cards online to hit minimum spend for SUBs, from obvious gift card websites like DoorDash Gift Cards?(27:13) - I'm overwhelmed. Do you use a flowchart on how to make decisions on how something is booked? For Loyalty points, using points, using cash, using a portal, which portal...(32:55) - ​​Do you think we undervalue Delta card welcome offers? The 15% discount gives you more award flight buying power. 90k miles gives you the buying power of 103,500. Is that a bad way to frame it?(35:20) - Do you think of Citi transfers to AA as the best transfer option, similar to Chase and Hyatt?(40:26) - ​What are your thoughts about the revised BofA Air France/KLM Visa card? I have thought that that card is a acutally better for SkyTeam than any Delta Airlines related card. AF/KLM vs. Delta cards?(42:25) - ​​Is it possible to change which airline is credited to a flight after your bags are checked but before the flight departs? I'd like to get my free AA bags but have the flight credited to Alaska(46:13) - Best use of Wyndham now that Vacasa is gone and no Caesar match in Vegas? Any other options like Vacasa?(48:40) - ​​My friend wants to transfer 100,000 Citi points to me. I know that's the yearly limit, and they expire in 90 days. My question is, if I get them then transfer them, do my ThankYou Points transfer first or the gifted ThankYou points(49:30) - ​Since Delta is crazily underwhelming, how do you guys maximize SkyTeam?(51:55) - Do any of the FM team ever get denied for credit cards? Has anyone ever been in pop-up prison? How do you avoid denials?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 – “swappin' back n' forth” by up @ night

Unlock Las Vegas value with this Rio Las Vegas trip report! Join Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast with co-host Darren as we break down how Hyatt Globalist benefits, smart booking strategy, and low-variance video poker can add up to an affordable and fun Las Vegas stay. We cover what it's like staying at Rio Las Vegas, why it can be a hidden gem for value-focused travelers, and how to think about Hyatt points, elite status perks, resort fees, comps, tier credits, and casino loyalty without getting lost in the weeds. We also explain why multi-hand or multi-play video poker games can lower risk while still earning meaningful rewards. We also share updates on upcoming meetups, conferences, and travel plans, plus a quick discussion of tools like CardPointers for staying organized with credit card points and benefits.

00:00 Best championship memories.16:25 Jeff Legwold joins the show.34:00 Dan Hyatt joins the show.

In this episode, we'll take Hyatt on a mattress run, we'll answer "Is Tyler crazy for liking the Bilt Paladium card?", and Nick disagrees with our entire main event!Giant Mailbag(01:07) - Tyler disagrees with all the negative feedback that the Bilt program is getting(06:01) - Read more about Greg's thoughts on Bilt changes hereCard News(08:18) - Atmos Ascent ($95 card) offerLearn more about the Atmos Ascent card here(10:24) - Southwest consumer card offers: Companion Pass + bonus pointsLearn more about the Southwest consumer card offers hereMattress Running the Numbers(13:08) - Hyatt's overlapping promosLearn more about the Hyatt Bonus Journeys hereLearn more about the Hyatt House / Hyatt Studios promo hereBonvoyed(21:00) - Chase makes it harder to track Ink Business Cash® 5x spendingLearn more about this hereAwards, Points, and More(22:09) - Capital One: 30% transfer bonus to Japan Airlines Mileage BankRead about Japan Airlines sweet spots here: https://frequentmiler.com/best-uses-of-japan-airlines-mileage-bank-miles/Learn more about the transfer bonus here: https://frequentmiler.com/30-transfer-bonus-from-capital-one-miles-to-japan-airlines-mileage-bank/See our podcast episode 325 "Sweet-spot awards courtesy of Japan Airlines" here: https://frequentmiler.com/sweet-spot-awards-courtesy-of-japan-airlines-frequent-miler-on-the-air-ep325-9-26-25/(25:26) - Citi is still allowing product changes between AAdvantage and ThankYou point cardsLearn more about Citi no longer allowing product changes between AAdvantage and ThankYou point cards here: https://frequentmiler.com/is-citi-no-longer-allowing-product-changes-between-aadvantage-and-thankyou-point-cards/(29:03) - Rove "Built Better" promoRead more about the Rove "Built Better" promo here: https://frequentmiler.com/rove-built-better-promo-7x-on-hotel-stays-bonus-earnings-free-miles/Main Event: Battle of the $350 airline cards: AA, Delta, United (and Alaska)(32:40:09) - Comparing $350 airline cards: AA, Delta, United (and Alaska)(35:33) - Earnings on spend(40:25) - All offer standard airline card perks such as free checked...

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel miles & points show we dive into some of the more important news and stories from this past week. From United's TravelBank glitch to using Delta for your Amex credit we have you covered. We also discuss a cool Bilt calculator that simplifies their new cards, which hotel has the best promos and Hyatt's new Spring promo. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 3:23 United TravelBank glitch 6:24 How Mark is using Delta for his Amex credits 11:04 Hyatt adding 22 more all-inclusive properties 15:03 Hyatt Bonus Journeys - Up to 1K per night bonus 19:36 Max's incredible Bilt calculator 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!

Recorded live at the NTL Summit in Miami, this episode features Josh Hayyatt, President of Expert Institute, who shares a private-equity-informed perspective on where the legal industry is headed. Josh breaks down how capital, outsourcing non-core functions, and emerging AI tools are changing how law firms operate—allowing attorneys to focus more on strategy, clients, and case outcomes. A must-listen for managing partners thinking long-term about growth, profitability, and leverage.

Are you waiting to travel "someday" when you have more time or money? Portland realtor Bret Crawford shares how he went from barely earning enough Southwest points to flying free multiple times a year – and why the book Die with Zero convinced him to stop waiting. In his 60s, Bret's embracing the "go-go years," traveling as much as he can before he gets to the "slow-go" and then "no-go" years. Whether you're in your go-go years or approaching your no-go years, this episode is your reminder that tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Start using those points and making those memories NOW.In this episode, Bret shares:Booking 10-13 free trips annually (New Orleans, Los Cabos, Palm Springs, Hawaii and more!)Leveraging Hyatt points for stays in prime locationsPlanning a dream family Hawaii trip for his adult kids – paying for everyone's flights with pointsHis strategy for booking multiple options, then choosing what works best for his wife's teacher scheduleAbout Families Fly Free: Ready to stop waiting and start traveling? Families Fly Free teaches families a simple system to fly for free using travel rewards. Join our community at FamiliesFlyFree.com.

00:00 Chris Marlowe joins the show.16:15 Sean Payton's play-calling future.31:05 Dan Hyatt joins the show.

Episode Description On this episode of the MTM Travel miles & points show we dive into some of the better deals and happenings this week. Bilt is back with Rent Day and a great transfer bonus, but there are still some frustrations. Hyatt has a somewhat new 5 free night offer, but is it worth going for over the points? Finally we show you how to grab a massive $1,200 checking bonus that you can fund with a credit card. 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:32 Hyatt's 5 free night offer - A better alternative? 3:05 Points or certs? How to decide which is better 5:57 Bilt Rent Day - Accor transfer bonus & frustrations 9:18 Mr. Beast joins Bilt - Free rent & more goodies 11:58 Amex Business Platinum airline credit kerfuffle 15:27 US Bank's crazy $1200 business checking bonus 16:40 How to fund your crazy bank bonus with a credit card 18:05 Easy $200 savings offer + fund with credit card 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!

In the first month of 2026, many leaders are recommitting to being more consumer-centric and more human — inside their organizations and in the market. This episode of The CMO Podcast is designed to help you do exactly that.Jim Stengel hosts a roundtable discussion around the book The Consumer Insights Revolution: Transforming Market Research for Competitive Advantage, which chronicles PepsiCo's multi-year transformation of its insights and analytics function.Joined by Steve Phillips (Zappi), Nataly Kelly (Zappi CMO), Katherine Melchior Ray (brand leader at Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hyatt, and more), and Stephan Gans (Chief Consumer Insights & Analytics Officer, PepsiCo), this conversation explores how organizations move from slow, fragmented research to connected learning systems that drive faster, smarter decisions.---Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/alm Promo Code for $500 of ticket prices: ALMCMOPOD26---The CMO Podcast is a vYve Production.This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and the IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spencer Reese welcomes Ross Alcorn from Itinerary Boss https://itineraryboss.com/ to discuss credit card points and miles strategies, with special focus on small business owners. Ross shares how he saved $19,000 on his honeymoon, reveals tactical business spending strategies, and explains how military service members can leverage TDY travel and small business expenses to fund dream vacations. Guest: Ross Alcorn - Charlotte, NC-based travel strategist, former sales rep road warrior (6-7 years), real estate investor, and founder of Itinerary Boss. Key Topics Covered Getting Started - The Low-Hanging Fruit: Sign up for FREE hotel loyalty programs (Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) Add loyalty numbers to TDY/TAD stays retroactively if needed Military discount: Epic Pass for active duty/spouses ~$200 (normally $1,200) Start with no annual fee cards to build credit and learn the basics Never carry a balance - if you're paying interest, you're doing it wrong Business Spending Strategies: Most common mistake: Using Amex Platinum for everything (only 1x points on most purchases) Capital One Venture X Business: Uncapped 2x points, no preset credit limit Cards earning 3-4x on ad spend (Facebook, Google ads) Use Melio (M-E-L-I-O) to pay vendors who don't accept cards via ACH (2.9% fee) Negotiate early payment discounts (net 15 vs net 30) to offset processing fees Millions in business expenses going uncharged to credit cards The 2.9% Fee Debate: Worth it if redeeming points at 1.5+ cents per point value Effective 25-40% cash back when factoring welcome bonuses + transfer value Business expenses are tax deductible Ross personally pays fees on all expenses knowing he'll redeem at 2-6 cents/point Real-World Example - $19,000 Honeymoon Savings: Cards used: Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Business Unlimited Flights: Qatar Q-Suites business class using 200K points (Chase + Capital One) Stayed 11 nights using Hyatt points at Alila properties in Bali Built point stash over 1-1.5 years through group travel booking + daily spend + business welcome bonuses Strategy: Booked award availability 355 days out when British Airways/Qatar released schedules Flexibility: Mixed business and premium economy on return flight Transfer Partners & Redemption: NEVER redeem for Amazon gift cards, statement credits, or low-value portal bookings (0.6-0.7 cents/point) Transfer to airline partners for 2-6+ cents per point value Don't use Amex points for hotels (poor value) Example: 175K Amex points = potential $12,700 business class seats to South Africa Tools: Points.Yeah.com for flight availability and award searching Military-Specific Advantages: Overseas duty stations = less competition for award space (Frankfurt, Tokyo, Seoul) Different inventory than US-based flyers TDY/TAD stays earn hotel points and elite status Annual fee waivers on personal cards (not business cards) via MLA/SCRA Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0 annual fee for military/spouses Strategic Tips: Always volunteer to pay group bills/dinners (earn points, get reimbursed) Premium economy fine for daytime flights under 8-9 hours Business class essential for overnight/long-haul flights (9+ hours) Plan 1-2 years ahead for big trips - comfortable pace to build points Opening velocity: Ross did one card every 91 days at peak (very aggressive) Combine household points (Chase, Amex, Capital One allow this) Book tickets in anyone's name, not just your own Credit Card Stacking Strategy: Don't use one premium card for everything Match card to spending category for maximum points Chase "cash back" cards earn Ultimate Rewards points if you have Sapphire Reserve/Preferred Transfer between household members before booking Welcome bonuses are the real value - daily spend is bonus Business Culture Hack: Instead of $5-10K cash bonus, give employees 500K miles + book their dream trip Tax deductible, builds culture, retains talent More memorable than cash bonus IHG Five Free Nights Strategy: Five free nights at properties up to 60K points/night Ross staying 4 nights in Grand Cayman at $800/night hotel = $3,200 saved Fourth night free on award bookings Anniversary free night each year Used for wedding block, earning 26x points on wedding expenses Common Mistakes to Avoid: Not asking vendors if they accept credit cards Using wrong card for spending category (leaving 2-3x points on table) Redeeming points poorly (gift cards, statement credits) Not tracking card benefits and credits Waiting too long to book award travel Not being flexible with dates/airports Tools & Resources Mentioned: Points.Yeah.com - Award availability search, flight ideas map Melio - Pay vendors via card when they only accept ACH Plastiq - Pay rent/large bills with credit card (2.9% fee) Free Points & Miles Cheat Sheet at ItineraryBoss.com Transfer partner guide and credit card multiplier sheets Key Quotes "There's millions of dollars that aren't being put on cards because of just not asking the right questions." "If you're earning 2x points and utilizing those points to transfer, even with a 3% fee, the numbers pencil when you're redeeming at 2-6 cents per point." "175,000 Amex points could be used to get you business class, first class seats - we used 176K Chase points for $12,700 worth of business class seats to South Africa." "Don't redeem for Amazon gift cards, statement credits, or through the portal - you're getting 0.6-0.7 cents per point. That's terrible." "Why give a $10K cash bonus when you could give someone 500K miles and book them a trip to Greece or Bali they'd never do on their own?" Who This Episode Is For Military small business owners and real estate investors Service members with TDY/TAD travel Anyone spending on business ads, inventory, or vendor payments Military spouses running 1099 contractor businesses People planning big trips (honeymoons, bucket list travel) Those currently leaving business value on the table Anyone wanting to turn business expenses into free travel Action Items Sign up for all major hotel loyalty programs today (free) Add loyalty numbers to upcoming TDY stays Check if vendors accept credit cards (or use Melio) Review current card stack - are you earning maximum points per category? Download free cheat sheet at ItineraryBoss.com If planning big trip: Start building points 1-2 years ahead Check military annual fee waivers (MLA/SCRA) Combine household points before booking award travel Contact Guest: Ross Alcorn Website: ItineraryBoss.com Free Points & Miles Cheat Sheet (includes transfer partners + credit card multipliers) Social: @ItineraryBoss (all platforms) Host: Spencer Reese Website: MilitaryMoneyManual.com Instagram: @MilitaryMoneyManual Recorded on Veterans Day. This episode reveals how military service members can leverage business expenses, TDY travel, and strategic credit card use to fund dream vacations. Whether you're spending $10K or $1M annually on your business, there are points being left on the table.   Spencer and Jamie offer one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions. Get your personal military money and personal finance questions answered in a confidential coaching call. militarymoneymanual.com/mentor Over 20,000 military servicemembers and military spouses have graduated from the 100% free course available at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3 In the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course, you can learn how to apply for the most premium credit cards and get special military protections, such as waived annual fees, on elite cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card. https://militarymoneymanual.com/amex-platinum-military/ https://militarymoneymanual.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-military/ Learn how active duty military, military spouses, and Guard and Reserves on 30+ day active orders can get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3 If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. Want to be confident with your TSP investing? Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual.