Podcasts about Virgin Atlantic

Juha Järvinen, Chief Customer Officer at Virgin Atlantic, joins Jeannette for a second time to discuss the airline's latest shift from commercial strategy to end-to-end customer experience. He shares how Virgin Atlantic is maintaining its famous disruptive, entrepreneurial spirit while leaning into cutting-edge technologies like generative AI and predictive pricing.  From navigating massive global industry disruptions with transparency to building unique brand partnerships like their recent loyalty collaboration with Marks & Spencer, Juha outlines how human connection and a willingness to fail remain at the heart of the airline's success You'll Learn Why: Shifting a brand back to its "playful and brave" roots can win over competitors' most loyal customers. Integrating customer service feedback straight from the frontline is the ultimate driver of corporate creativity and problem-solving. Implementing a culture that tolerates mistakes is essential for a company to truly innovate and grow. Approaching global industry crises with absolute honesty and transparency builds profound respect and confidence among team members. This episode is living proof that no matter where you're starting from — or what life throws at you — it's never too late to be brave, bold, and unlock your inner brilliant. Visit https://brave-bold-brilliant.com/ for free tools, guides and resources to help you take action now

Why does it take a whole year to make a kids' book? What's it like to visit Richard Branson's private island? And who doesn't love a Nissan Micra? Answering all these questions is bestselling children's author Rachel Bright! She tells us how she went from losing hope after an early rejection to landing a three-book publishing deal, and enjoying huge success with The Lion Inside. We talk about talent, timing, and the third magic ingredient that got Rachel where she is today. We also discuss Rachel's time working as an air hostess for Virgin Atlantic, and what happened when she went to Necker Island. We find out how to wear hats, and in a podcast exclusive, Rachel shares her favourite verruca hack. As is tradition, we finish with Scummy Mummy Confessions - this time involving a basketball and an erect horse penis. Find out more about Rachel's brilliant books by following her on Instagram @rachelbrightbooks. Her latest titles, The Turtle Who Turned the Tide and The Messysaurus, are out now. We are on tour! See you soon, Tiverton, Watford, Manchester and Eastleigh! Then we're visiting all sorts of venues all over the country right up till 2027. Yes, INCLUDING NORWICH! Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. WE HAVE A SHOP! Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, and sweatshirts. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on Instagram and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a story land in a corporate setting, and what kills it? In this episode, Dr Gian Power OBE breaks down why leaders who rely on facts alone fail to move people, how to structure a story that drives real behaviour change, and what the biggest enemy of good storytelling really is (what he calls “the explainer”). We explore the fine line between authentic vulnerability and performative storytelling, the neuroscience behind why stories change how people act, and how AI is already becoming a powerful tool for leaders who want to communicate with more impact.If you lead people, speak to audiences, or simply want to communicate with more impact at work, this episode is for you. Our Guest: Gian Power OBE Dr Gian Power OBE is the Founder & CEO of TLC Lions, dedicated to humanising the working world. His work has supported 300+ of the world's largest companies, including Amazon, Google, Rolls-Royce, and Visa, and now reaches over 15 million airline passengers via TLC Lions content onboard Emirates and Virgin Atlantic. After time at Deutsche Bank and PwC, Gian's life changed following a personal family tragedy. This experience became the catalyst for his mission – to make workplaces more human, connected, and emotionally intelligent. In 2025, he was awarded an OBE for services to Mental Health, recognising his transformative impact on leadership and workplace culture. Now a sought-after keynote speaker, Gian addresses global audiences on human leadership, wellbeing, and storytelling, helping leaders create trust, resilience, and high-performance cultures. Beyond TLC Lions, Gian is a proud Ambassador for the Missing People charity and co-author of Survive and Thrive with Reebok's Founder, Joe Foster. His work has been recognised by Forbes, the BBC, Business Insider, and his impact has been backed by the UK Government and No. 10 Downing Street. References: Gian Power OBE LinkedIn profile www.tlclions.com Listen to the next Episode All Podcast Episodes

rWotD Episode 3314: Flybe (1979–2020) Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Sunday, 31 May 2026, is Flybe (1979–2020).Flybe (pronounced ), styled as flybe, was a British airline based in Exeter, England. Launched in 1979 as Jersey European Airways, and renamed Flybe in 2002, at various points it was the largest independent regional airline in Europe, and provided more than half of the UK domestic flights outside of London.Jersey European Airways (JEA) was formed in 1979 after the merger of Intra Airways and Express Air Services. In 1983, JEA was sold to Walkersteel, which also owned Spacegrand Aviation; the two airlines were merged under the Jersey European name during 1985. The airline experienced significant growth during the 1990s. It was renamed British European in 2000 and Flybe in 2002. On 3 November 2006, it was announced that Flybe was in the process of purchasing BA Connect. With the sale, the airline became the largest regional airline in Europe. On 10 December 2010, the company was floated in an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.In February 2019, the airline was sold to the Connect Airways consortium, backed by Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Aviation. Connect Airways intended Flybe and Stobart Air to then rebrand as Virgin Connect, although they would have retained their own air operator certificates. On 5 March 2020, Flybe filed for administration and ceased operations. The airline, which had been struggling for several months, claimed that its difficulties were compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bookings.In October 2020, Thyme Opco, a company linked to former shareholder Cyrus Capital, agreed with the administrators to purchase the Flybe brand and relaunch the airline in 2021, subject to regulatory approvals. In April 2021, the new company renamed itself Flybe Limited, obtained an operating licence, route licences, and airport slots; the first flight took place on 13 April 2022. The relaunched airline ceased trading on 28 January 2023.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:52 UTC on Sunday, 31 May 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Flybe (1979–2020) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.

We speak with the founder and CEO of Points Path, which helps travelers get the most up-to-date pricing from both Google and airlines. Guest Julian Kheel is the founder and CEO of Points Path, a browser extension that helps you make informed travel purchases. Points Path performs the same flight search with Google Flights for each of its covered airlines, but requests prices in points or miles rather than cash. The results are then combined with Google's results, so you see the most up-to-date pricing available from both Google and the airlines themselves. In the free extension, Points Path offers award pricing for the frequent flyer programs of Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United. Paid Pro tier and Founders Club members also get access to Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France/KLM, Avianca, Emirates, Etihad, Qantas, Qatar, TAP Air Portugal, Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin Australia. All tiers include domestic and international flights on the airlines themselves, as well as flights with partner airlines. The free version of the Points Path extension includes real-time, true round-trip points pricing for US domestic airline programs, as well as bank transfer programs for those airlines, indicators when a transfer bonus is in effect, and deal recommendation arrows. Points Path Pro is a paid upgrade that adds more airlines, price-tracking alerts, a 7-day points calendar, and other features. Julian has extensive industry knowledge. He was previously Editorial Director of The Points Guy, as well as CNN's Senior Editor covering travel and credit card rewards, and also worked as a consultant for the “Big 3” airlines. He has appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box, Bloomberg Surveillance, and other TV programs to discuss frequent-flyer miles and has been quoted on travel rewards in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and many other national publications. Julian was kind enough to offer Airplane Geeks listeners a discount code for the Pro version. Use airplanegeeks15 at checkout. Hosts this Episode Max Flight, Brian Coleman, and our Main(e) Man Micah.

In Episode 173 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Angie Sparks and Cameron Laufer covered a wide range of points and miles strategies, starting with two standout community posts. Angie highlighted an important discussion about insuring a complex trip booked across multiple credit cards to maximize welcome bonuses. The group recommended considering a standalone policy through companies like Allianz and using tools such as Squaremouth to compare coverage, while also putting the most expensive trip components on the card with the strongest travel protections. Cameron shared a clever positioning flight success story where a member booked Delta flights to JFK through Air France Flying Blue after transferring Chase points during a transfer bonus, saving a significant amount of points. The discussion also touched on the importance of understanding cancellation fees across different partner programs, with Virgin Atlantic noted as a favorite for inexpensive Delta award cancellations.The episode also covered several major pieces of points and miles news, including Chase's 30% transfer bonus to Southwest, IHG's 100% bonus on purchased points, Citi's 25% transfer bonus to Wyndham, and new Qatar Airways restrictions limiting how many people can be added to family and friends redemption lists. Angie shared a recent Wells Fargo business card approval with a $500 bonus that will help offset a large pool deposit expense, while Cameron discussed receiving his Rakuten-to-Bilt transfer and reminded listeners about the updated earning structure for different Bilt status tiers. The hosts also gave personal trip updates, including Angie's evolving Morocco itinerary and Cameron's plans to lock in Hyatt stays before upcoming program changes while continuing to prepare for Greece travel.The main topic focused on “workhorse cards” — the credit cards the hosts rely on consistently for everyday spending and maximizing rewards. Cameron highlighted favorites like the Chase Ink Cash for 5x office supply spending, the Amex Gold for dining and groceries, the Citi Strata Premier for its broad 3x categories and American Airlines transfers, and even the premium Bilt Palladium setup. Angie discussed cards she uses heavily in rotation, including the Citi Custom Cash for groceries, the Hilton Surpass for earning a free night certificate through annual spend, the Venture and Venture X for simple 2x earning, the Chase Freedom Flex for rotating categories, and the Venmo card for Costco purchases that code as grocery spend. They wrapped up with a practical tip for travelers booking independent hotels abroad: always compare prices across hotel websites, portals, Booking.com, Expedia, Costco Travel, and aggregators like Trivago because rates can vary dramatically.Episode Links:Chase to Southwest BonusIHG Buy points BonusQatar RestrictionsCiti to Wyndham BonusWhere to Find UsThe 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.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Late Summer 2026 Meetup in Milwaukee now. award.travel/mke2026Our 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.  

Welcome to the May 2026 AviaDev Connectivity Update! Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation. TOPICS:  00:00 - Introduction and Overview 01:28 - Virgin Atlantic doubles down on South Africa 04:16 - KLM quietly grows Cape Town capacity 08:43 - South African Airways: new CEO, fresh cuts 16:56 - Airlink launches Cape Town–Zanzibar nonstop 25:27 - Turkish Airlines slashes African routes  35:43 - Qatar Airways' Return to Africa 39.24 - Air Tanzania's big ambitions 51:58 - Uganda Airlines' Operational Challenges 58:43 - Kenya Airways: what's new and next? 66:05 - Jambojet's low-cost regional push 76:16 - Air Botswana's Operational Issues 81:57 - Africa World Airlines eyes Conakry 83:54 - Ethiopian Airlines expands globally/ Air Congo's rapid expansion in the DRC/ Malawi Airlines adds Lubumbashi 93:49 - Air Peace cuts long-haul, buys narrowbodies 103:28 - United Nigeria eyes Johannesburg (exclusive) 106:29 - Air Côte d'Ivoire's Johannesburg Route  

In this episode of Future Proof, Lynne Deason sits down with Annabelle Cordelli to unpack the transformation of Virgin Atlantic - from defining a clear global brand platform, to navigating the existential shock of the pandemic, and emerging with bold, culture-shaping work. This is a story about the power of clarity, conviction and partnership. Together, they explore how a brand reconnects with people in moments that matter, and why effectiveness frameworks, customer intelligence and creative bravery have been critical to driving growth. Along the way, Annabelle shares the thinking behind I Am What I Am and A Rainbow in the Clouds, and how Virgin Atlantic has embedded inclusion, experience and brand into every part of the business. A must-listen for anyone building brands in uncertain times, and proof of what's possible when insight and ambition come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down a growing debate across the hotel industry: are brands mistaking temporary strength for long-term stability? From luxury demand and premium travel to pricing power and loyalty, the industry may be more vulnerable than executives want to admit. They also explore why Hilton and Marriott International CEOs cannot agree on what kind of economy the industry is actually in, TikTok's new push into turning travel videos into bookable inventory, and OpenAI's latest move to operationalize AI deployment across travel companies through the team behind Virgin Atlantic's AI concierge. This episode is presented by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Plusgrade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠plusgrade.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joinbilt.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more.

On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down a growing debate across the hotel industry: are brands mistaking temporary strength for long-term stability? From luxury demand and premium travel to pricing power and loyalty, the industry may be more vulnerable than executives want to admit. They also explore why Hilton and Marriott International CEOs cannot agree on what kind of economy the industry is actually in, TikTok's new push into turning travel videos into bookable inventory, and OpenAI's latest move to operationalize AI deployment across travel companies through the team behind Virgin Atlantic's AI concierge. This episode is presented by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Plusgrade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠plusgrade.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joinbilt.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more.

In today's business landscape, sustainability claims are under more scrutiny than ever. Companies are facing fines, investigations, and reputational damage for messaging that fails to meet regulatory standards.In this episode of Business Influencers, Helen, founder of HN Communications, shares her journey from UK Parliament and corporate roles at Virgin Atlantic and Nissan to building a B Corp-certified sustainability communications consultancy.Working with global brands such as Bosch, Heineken, Asahi, Nissan, and Aston Martin, Helen brings deep expertise in navigating the complex regulatory landscape around sustainability.She also introduces Zena, an AI-powered pre-publication governance platform that helps organizations validate their sustainability content against key frameworks like the Green Claims Code, EU Green Claims Directive, CSRD, and ASA guidelines before it goes public.This episode offers valuable insights for business leaders, marketers, and sustainability professionals looking to communicate responsibly, build trust, and stay ahead in an evolving regulatory environment.Tune in to learn how to turn sustainability from a risk into a competitive advantage.Expert: Helen Neal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-neal-02261129/)Host: Chris Salem (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophersalem/)Sound: Mahesh R.Producer: Archita Puranik

AI is becoming the last line of defense before a brand accidentally greenwashes itself.In Season 15, Episode 2 of Before The Tipping Point: Where AI and Sustainability Meet Climate Leadership, we're joined by Helen Neal, founder of HN Communications, a B Corp-certified sustainability communications consultancy whose clients include Bosch, Heineken, Asahi, Nissan, and Aston Martin.Helen's background runs deep in regulation and reputation. She came up through the UK Parliament, then held government affairs roles at Virgin Atlantic and Nissan, before founding her agency in 2017. In other words: she knows how the rulebook gets written, and how quickly it can change.We unpack her AI platform, Zena, and how it helps teams stress-test sustainability claims before they hit publish. We talk about navigating frameworks like the EU Green Claims Directive and the UK ASA guidelines, the most common mistakes that turn “good intentions” into high-risk claims, and what credible communication looks like when scrutiny is rising.We also explore the real tension of being a B Corp advising non-B Corp clients: how to hold your values, meet clients where they are, and still move the work forward across different levels of sustainability maturity.If you write, approve, or sign off on sustainability claims, this episode is your risk-reduction playbook.Support the show

Welcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where hosts Catherine Dowden-King and Kyle Winterbottom unpack Tuesday's episode, share what's been on their minds, and explore what's really happening across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Kyle reflect on their conversation with Richard Masters, VP of Data & Analytics at Virgin Atlantic, diving deeper into the themes that matter most right now, from decision-led data strategies to the realities of building for reusability in an AI-driven world.They cover:Why Virgin Atlantic's surprisingly lean fleet of 44 planes is a masterclass in doing more with less, and what data teams can learn from itRichard's astrophysics background and how the principle of signal over noise shapes his entire approach to dataWhy the North Star of any data function should be decision support, and how working backwards from decisions changes everythingThe shift from "collect all the data" to "what decisions are we trying to impact" — and why that transition is still hard for most organisationsThe move from single-use data projects to reusable, scalable products, and why building for one use case is the old way of thinkingHow AI is democratising business capability, the rise of the "builders vs coders" mindset, and what that means for how data teams are structuredWhy fewer platforms, used well, will beat a sprawling vendor stack, and what that means for the vendor community going forwardThey also dig into the future of talent and skills in data:Why critical thinking, curiosity, and imagination are becoming more valuable than technical qualificationsHow the widening talent pool challenges universities and educators to stop being anti-AI and start teaching people how to use it responsiblyWhy neurodiversity and unconventional backgrounds will be a competitive advantage in an AI-augmented worldCatherine's thought of the week: why data professionals have a duty to educate those around them as AI misinformation spreads, from the boardroom to the toddler groupKyle's thought of the week: why the CDO role may be heading toward a fractional, advisory model, and what that split between strategy and execution means for the future of data leadership hiringThis episode is a candid look at where data is heading, where the real value is created, and why the leaders who thrive will be the ones who connect commercial strategy to the decisions that actually move the needle.

Most companies aren't trying to greenwash. They're trying to put their best foot forward — and that's exactly where they go wrong. Helen Neal, founder of HN Communications and creator of the IMPACT framework, has spent over a decade helping major organizations including Bosch, Heineken, and Aston Martin close the gap between what they say and what they actually do on sustainability. In this episode, she joins Corinna Bellizzi to unpack why corporate sustainability communication keeps failing — and what radical honesty, strategic storytelling, and the right AI tools can do to change that. They explore the difference between greenwashing and green hushing (the dangerous silence that's now spreading as companies grow too afraid to say anything at all), why human stories and measurable impact always outperform data tables, and what it actually takes to build stakeholder trust that can't be bought with an advertising campaign. Helen shares her IMPACT framework — Integrity, Meaning, Proof, Action, Consistency, Transparency — and introduces Zena, the AI governance platform she's building to help sustainability teams navigate regulatory risk before they publish. They also dig into B-Corp certification, the Polish beer brand using bison conservation to build authentic purpose, and why Tony's Chocolonely's decision to publicly disclose child labor in its supply chain — rather than hide it — became one of the most powerful trust-building moves in recent brand history. If you work in sustainability, communications, or purpose-driven business, this episode will change how you think about what you say — and what you've been afraid to. COMPLETE BLOG & TRANSCRIPT: https://caremorebebetter.com/making-sustainability-more-than-just-a-buzzword-with-helen-neal/ About Guest: Helen Neal is the founder of HN Communications, a certified B Corp sustainability communications consultancy. She launched the agency to help businesses become a genuine force for good through clear, credible communication. With over a decade of experience at Nissan, Virgin Atlantic, and the UK Parliament, Helen specializes in bridging the gap between corporate ambition and public trust. Her clients include Bosch, Heineken, Aston Martin, and The Climate Group, working across stakeholder engagement, executive positioning, and net-zero storytelling. In 2024, she began building Zena, an AI governance platform helping sustainability teams navigate regulatory risk and avoid greenwashing. Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-neal-02261129/ Guest Website: https://www.hncomms.co.uk/ Guest Social:  https://www.instagram.com/helen_hncomms/ https://www.youtube.com/@HNCommunications Show Notes: 01:29 - How To Translate Sustainability Into Real Action 08:53 - Understanding The Real Impact Of Greenwashing 13:01 - Talking About Your Challenges With Confidence 23:32 - Showcasing Sustainability Efforts In The Most Creative Way 29:36 - IMPACT Framework And The Power Of AI 37:10 - Insights And Realizations As A B-Corporation 39:33 - How To Get Sustainability Communication Right 43:00 - Get In Touch With Helen And HN Communications 46:41 - Discussion Wrap-up And Closing Words Helen is currently accepting 5–10 global businesses (500+ employees) for a Zena trial beginning May/June 2026. Reach out through hncomms.co.uk for details or to request a free sustainability communication audit. BUILD A GREENER FUTURE with CARE MORE BE BETTER Together, we planted 36,044 trees in 2025 through our partnership with ForestPlanet. We screamed past our goal of planting 20,000 trees thanks to subscribers like you! NEW CAUSE PARTNER FOR 2025-2026 SELECTED! If you value open dialogue, sustainability, and social equity, I invite you to support our new cause partner — Prescott College. To learn more about this effort and to support the show, visit: https://caremorebebetter.com/support/ Follow us on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/caremorebebetter TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caremorebebetter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caremorebebetter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareMoreBeBetter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/care-more-be-better Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Episode 5, of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by Richard Masters, Vice President of Data & AI at Virgin Atlantic where they discuss how a "signal over noise” mindset helps cut through complexity, and enables better decision-making and real business impact, which includes;How an astrophysics background shaped a “signal over noise” mindset for data and decision-making.How reducing data noise and surfacing the right signal drives meaningful business action.Why decision support should be the North Star for every data team.How aligning data work to business strategy requires constant iteration, challenge, and course correction.Why iterative improvement wins the day.How data context and metadata are critical to trust, usability, and adoption.Why data lineage, governance and trust are foundational to scaling AI successfully.How prioritisation should be driven by impact vs feasibility, not technical curiosity.Why a product mindset enables reuse, scalability, and faster value realisation.How platforms act as the governed foundation for reusable data, AI and decision-making capabilities.Why simplifying to fewer platforms improves trust and speed of delivery.How observability and adoption tracking link data products to real decision-making and P&L impact.Why AI success depends on evaluation frameworks (“is it right?”) and human-in-the-loop validation.How AI is shifting roles from coders to builders using and diversifying D&A talent beyond traditional STEM backgrounds.

What does it really take to build an iconic brand in today's world?In this episode, Annabelle Cordelli (SVP, Virgin Atlantic) shares powerful insights on modern marketing, brand building, and leadership from understanding culture and consumer behavior to creating unforgettable customer experiences.From competing on price in crowded markets to maintaining brand differentiation, this conversation dives deep into the fundamentals that stay constant across industries and what's changing fast.

Rove Report April 2026 | Virgin Atlantic & Virgin Red Added, App Beta, Sweet Spots, Meetups & More Justin Vacula welcomes Carissa Rawson from Rove back to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast to discuss the latest Rove updates for April 2026, including the addition of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red as new transfer partners. With these additions, Rove now offers 17 transfer partners. In this episode, Justin and Carissa break down some of the most interesting redemption opportunities now available through Rove, including Virgin Atlantic award flights such as JFK to London for 6,000 points one-way, with other routes from California starting at higher rates. Carissa also shares insights into how Rove has grown over its first year, including increased user trust, strong engagement with both hotel bookings and online shopping, and improvements to Rove's shopping transparency tools. Additional updates include the iOS app beta, a new weekly newsletter, the move to Rove.com branding, hints about future transfer partners and transfer bonuses, upcoming May and June meetups, current hiring needs, survey opportunities for bonus miles, and more. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro theme 00:32 Rove monthly update 01:10 Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Red added 02:01 Virgin Atlantic sweet spots 03:38 Rove growth trends and user behavior 05:20 Promotions and shopping portal news 06:00 Air India and United sweet spot 07:37 Support and show announcements 10:27 Rove app beta and weekly newsletter 12:15 Future transfer partners and transfer bonus hints 12:52 More ways to earn with Rove 14:12 Meetups and upcoming travel plans 16:18 Credit card discussion 17:39 Hiring needs and user surveys 18:37 Million Mile Challenge 19:06 Wrap-up and outro —

An airhacks.fm conversation with Manik Surtani (@maniksurtani) about: programming on the BBC Micro with Basic and writing a Trojan horse, GW BASIC and Turbo Pascal on PC, Space Invaders-style games, C++ neural network simulating bat learning behavior at university, PHP e-commerce startup Silk Road Software competing with Intershop in the late 1990s, multi-tenant web shops for UK customers, the dot-com crash and startup failure, first Java job building Virgin Atlantic online check-in and airport kiosks on WebLogic and Oracle, demonstrating a JBoss and MySQL and Linux open source stack to the Virgin Atlantic CTO, contributing to JGroups at the Financial Times and meeting Bela Ban, JBoss Cache tree structure limitations and concurrency issues, rewriting JBoss Cache into Infinispan as a HashMap-based distributed cache, removing reflection overhead and pluggable serialization with Protocol Buffers support, the Hot Rod client-server protocol, joining Square via Bob Lee to migrate a Ruby on Rails monolith to Java microservices for Starbucks payments, multi-DC high availability architecture with red-green deployments, shutting down the Rails monolith with zero downtime using double writes and gradual traffic migration, Block as a polyglot environment with Java and Kotlin and Ruby and Go and python, the Head of Open Source role at Block and establishing an Open Source Programs Office, inner sourcing practices, co-designing gRPC with Google, building and open-sourcing Goose as a coding agent predating Claude Code and Codex, co-designing MCP with Anthropic, founding the Agentic AI Foundation with Anthropic and OpenAI and AWS and Google and Microsoft and Cloudflare and Bloomberg, Block Open Source projects including OkHttp and OkIO and Retrofit, LLMs generating better code with type-safe compiled languages like Java, grounding LLMs against Jakarta EE APIs to reduce hallucinations, Block business units including Square, Cash App, Afterpay and Tidal Manik Surtani on twitter: @maniksurtani

Airline fuel surcharges are going up! We've recently seen Air France KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic increase surcharges on their awards and it's looking like a trend. In this podcast episode, we'll talk about the different ways you can avoid them.How to avoid airline surcharges (02:02) - Booking with an alliance partner that doesn't pass along surcharges(02:15) - Air France KLM Flying Blue booked with Virgin Atlantic or Japan Airline Mileage Bank milesLearn more about going to Europe starting on Air France or KLM Business Class using Virgin Atlantic points hereLearn more about Air France without surcharges via Japan Airline Mileage Bank miles here(04:02) - Rove milesLearn more about using Rove miles here (07:04) - Lufthansa booked through other Star Alliance partners(07:41) - One World is tricky...(11:38) - What can you do about high taxes coming back from the UK?(12:45) - For travel to and from Europe, consider JetBlue's flights booked through Qatar AviosLearn about booking JetBlue with Qatar Avios here(16:34) - SAS(17:51) - Airlines that don't charge surcharges in the first placeVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn HeadsMentioned 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/Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

What does it actually take to move from AI experiments and pilot projects to real business outcomes that customers can feel? At Adobe Summit in Las Vegas, I sat down with Neil Letchford, Vice President of Digital Engineering at Virgin Atlantic, to talk about how the airline is doing exactly that. While many organizations are still debating ROI, governance, and where agentic AI fits into the customer journey, Virgin Atlantic has already launched an AI concierge that is actively helping customers book holidays, find answers faster, and create a smoother travel experience from the first search to stepping onboard the aircraft. Neil shared how a proof of concept built in just two months evolved into a live multi-agent system that now helps customers plan trips, book holidays, and move seamlessly between digital channels and human support when needed. We talked about the importance of "knowledge over data," why observability and model evaluation matter when deploying AI at scale, and how the team built trust internally by focusing on real customer pain points rather than chasing shiny technology trends. What stood out most was how Virgin Atlantic has kept its famously human customer experience at the center of every decision. This is not automation for the sake of efficiency. It is about using AI to strengthen relationships, preserve brand personality, and create better outcomes for both customers and the business. From personalized holiday planning to agent-to-agent interactions that may soon redefine travel booking, this conversation offers a practical look at what happens when AI moves beyond theory and starts delivering value today. If you want to understand what agentic AI looks like in the real world, and why the companies moving early may gain a serious advantage, this is an episode you do not want to miss. What would AI need to do in your business before you would trust it to take the lead? Useful LInks Connect with Neil Letchford Learn more about Adobe Brand Concierge Check out Virgin AI Concierge Visit the Sponsors of Tech Talks Network and learn more about the NordLayer Browser.

Get $200 back after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Higher award fees, less lounge access, and one pretty wild new way to sleep on a plane. In this episode of MTM Travel, Shawn and Mark talk through Air New Zealand's new SkyNest bunk beds, Virgin Atlantic's uglier award surcharges, American cutting more basic economy benefits, Spirit's possible liquidation, and United tightening access to Polaris lounges. What we cover: Shawn's Minneapolis meetup recap and Hyatt Centric stay The Fairmont Bermuda / Accor points reimbursement follow-up Air New Zealand's SkyNest bunk beds and whether they beat business class for sleep Virgin Atlantic's higher award fees and why the value keeps slipping American removing more elite perks from basic economy Spirit's possible liquidation and what it could mean for fares United restricting Polaris lounge access for many Star Alliance partners Links: Free newsletter Track your travel credit cards for free with Travel Freely Miles to Memories Facebook group Diamond Patreon and Gold Membership MTM Travel podcast Miles to Memories website Fairmont follow up - https://milestomemories.com/fairmont-hamilton-princess-billing-error/ Skynest - https://milestomemories.com/air-new-zealand-skynest-economy-beds/ Virgin hikes - https://milestomemories.com/virgin-atlantic-just-hiked-award-fees-again/ AA basic economy changes - https://milestomemories.com/american-removes-elite-benefits-in-basic-economy/ United Polaris access changes - https://milestomemories.com/united-restricts-polaris-lounge-access-for-star-alliance-partners/ Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 4:54 Fairmont Bermuda and the Accor points refund mess 8:47 Air New Zealand's SkyNest bunk beds 13:30 Virgin Atlantic award fees jump again 16:59 Using Virgin points for AMC popcorn and drinks 18:46 American removes more basic economy elite perks 20:04 Spirit may liquidate and fares could get worse 23:04 United restricts Polaris lounge access for partner flyers What do you think about Air New Zealand's bunk-bed idea? Would you pay extra for four hours of real sleep, or would you still rather have a traditional business class seat? Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

This episode of the Award Travel 101 podcast features Angie Sparks with guests Paul Lanyi and Megan Heister, who share how they've used points and miles to support their aging parents while maintaining demanding travel schedules. First they briefly discuss community debates (like credit card fees at restaurants) and industry news like Rove expanding its value by adding Virgin Red and Virgin Atlantic as transfer partners, Miles & More releasing new mileage bargains (bookable via Rove), and United launching elevated credit card offers with bonuses up to 110,000 miles and 3,000 PQP. Then, the focus shifts to their personal experiences with long-distance caregiving. Both Paul and Megan describe frequent, often last-minute cross-country travel—sometimes dozens of trips per year—made possible by strategic use of airline miles, hotel points, and travel credits. Megan alone redeemed nearly a million points in 2024, while Paul flew to New York 36 times in two years, illustrating the scale of commitment involved.They explain how caregiving expenses—from housing to medical care—can be leveraged to earn significant rewards when paid by credit card and reimbursed through insurance or other programs. Both emphasize the flexibility that points provide, allowing them to book urgent flights, upgrade for comfort during stressful times, and even bring in additional support when needed. Megan highlights how this approach not only reduced costs but also reassured her mother, while Paul underscores the importance of planning ahead financially and logistically to maximize both care and rewards.Beyond the tactics, the episode centers on emotional and practical lessons learned. Building in-person relationships with care teams enables more effective remote management, and having clear, early conversations about parents' end-of-life wishes is critical to avoiding conflict and ensuring dignity. They also stress the value of travel insurance and maintaining a reserve of points for emergencies. Ultimately, the discussion shows how award travel can be a powerful tool—not just for leisure, but for showing up consistently for loved ones during some of life's most challenging moments.Episode Links:Rove Adds Virgin as partnerMiles & More BargainsElevated United offersWhere to Find UsThe 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.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026Our 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.  

In this podcast episode, we'll talk about how Rakuten doubles select credit card signup bonuses, JetBlue polishes its previously lackluster Premier card, and how to avoid paying those increasing checked bag fees. Giant Mailbag(00:58) - Rick asks about EU regulation 261Read our post, "$700 richer: My easy UK261 claim experience with United Airlines" hereCard News(04:09) - JetBlue Premier Mastercard ($499)Read more about the JetBlue Premiere Mastercard hereAwards, Points, and More(07:04) - Rakuten offering bonuses on select Bank of America cardsLearn more about the Rakuten bonus hereOr learn about the Rakuten referral here(11:33) - Rove adds Virgin Atlantic (and changes url to rove.com)Main Event: Free checked bags via credit cards(13:15) - Learn more about free checked bags via credit card here(14:35) - General info about free checked bags(16:34) - Strategy for infrequent flyers of a particular airline. Example: you don't usually fly Delta, but you have one flight coming up...(22:15) - Which airlines require paying with a specific card to get free checked bags?(24:20) - How many travel companions get free checked bags?(27:08) - Do you get free checked bags on international trips?(29:42) - Cheapest card for free checked bags by airline(31:48) - Other ways to get free checked bags(40:21) - Carry-on insteadQuestion of the Week(44:55) - Turbotax has a higher fee for paying with a credit card. Is there a better way to pay with a credit card when filing with Turbotax?Read more about paying taxes with a credit card here: https://frequentmiler.com/pay-taxes-via-credit-card/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/Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Most people overcomplicate leadership. They're looking for the next framework, trying to do technical leadership that just doesn't work. Paul Adamson spent 25 years sailing yachts around the world—including two years circumnavigating with Eddie Jordan on an Oyster 885—and he learned that leadership isn't about theory. It's about making decisions without all the information, leading from the front, and remaining calm when the pressure is on. Then he walked into Oyster Yachts (the manufacturer of those luxury yachts) when it went into administration, won it out of admin by deliberately breaking the rules, and rebuilt it from zero to a £200M order book with 700 employees in four years.In this episode, Paul reveals why great leaders are energy-rich (not uninspiring boring managers), why you can't KPI great leadership, and why the three levers of state management—focus, inner dialogue, and movement—underpin everything in business. He shares his Virgin Atlantic story about blagging a gold card, getting upgraded to upper class by a flight manager who knew when to break the rules, and how copying Richard Branson into an Instagram post led to a phone call that changed everything. He also opens up about being diagnosed with lymphoma two weeks after leaving Oyster, how he applied everything he'd taught for years to his own health challenge, and why that gift led him to help raise £3M for follicular lymphoma research that could unlock cures for pancreatic cancer, leukaemia, and other incurables.What you'll learn:⚡ Why great leaders are energy-rich and how to manage your state (focus, inner dialogue, movement)

On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down Marriott Hotels' launch of its 39th brand: a wellness-focused concept in Italy, and ask whether hyper-segmentation is a smart strategy or brand overload. During this part of the discussion, Sean O'Neill will be joining us to share his insights. They also explore the rise of food-led hotels and why dining is becoming a core differentiator, Virgin Atlantic's quick exit from Riyadh and what it signals about demand in emerging markets, and how rising fuel costs are already hitting cruise profits. Finally, in the Unhinged Story of the Week, a viral TikTok shows a passenger boarding what she thought was a flight… only to end up on a bus — sparking confusion over what actually counts as air travel. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Peter Norris is Chair of the Virgin Group. Formerly, he was CEO of Barings Bank during its fateful collapse in the mid 1990s. Listen to this episode to hear about: Three moments that shaped how Peter behaves in the boardroom (00:59) Why Peter took responsibility for a fraud he didn't commit (11:23) The one question every board should ask when the numbers look too good to be true (14:27) How fraud gets stronger every day it goes undetected (16:11) The moment Peter Norris knew Virgin Atlantic might not survive (18:01) What a Chair should do when their company is facing extinction (19:07) The four buckets Virgin Atlantic focused on to survive COVID (22:15) The Richard Branson PR disaster (23:50) How Virgin Atlantic saved itself with no shareholder and no government support (24:54) Peter's thoughts on Brexit (29:15)⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(33:04)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Episode 165 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosted by Angie Sparks and Cameron Laufer, opens with a discussion about booking a safari using points. While some luxury lodge options like the JW Masai Mara and Marriott properties near Kruger were mentioned, the consensus advice was to use points for flights and pay cash for the safari itself. This approach provides more flexibility in choosing camps and experiences, while also allowing travelers to earn rewards or hit a new sign-up bonus through cash spending.In the news segment, the hosts cover several major updates in the points and miles world. ITA Airways announced it will shut down its Volare loyalty program by the end of March 2026, giving members a limited window to redeem points. Citi is devaluing transfer ratios to Choice Hotels and Preferred Hotels, though it is temporarily offsetting this with transfer bonuses to Avianca LifeMiles and Virgin Atlantic. Meanwhile, Chase has increased the sign-up bonus on its Ink Preferred business card to 100,000 points, making it an attractive option for earning rewards on travel and business spending.The main topic focuses on lesser-known credit card perks that can provide significant value if used correctly. These include primary car rental insurance, purchase protection, extended warranties, companion certificates, travel insurance, and cell phone coverage. The hosts emphasize that understanding the fine print—such as exclusions, coverage limits, and eligibility requirements—is key to maximizing these benefits. They wrap up with practical tips: set alerts for award availability and stay flexible with travel plans, as changing circumstances or better deals can arise unexpectedly.Episode Links:ITA Program EndingCiti to Virgin Transfer bonusCiti to Avianca Transfer bonusCiti to Choice/ I-Prefer DevaluationChase Ink Preferred OfferAward Wallet Benefits ListWhere to Find UsThe 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.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026Our 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.  

In this episode, Join David Millili and Steve Carran for another engaging episode of The Modern Hotelier, the most engaged podcast in hospitality. Today, we sit down with Kristie Goshow, CCO of Loews Hotels & Co., to explore her journey in travel, hospitality, and leadership.We dive into Kristie's early experiences in travel and aviation, lessons learned from Virgin Atlantic and Scandinavian Airlines, and her insights on building successful teams, cultivating hotel culture, and innovating in the luxury and independent hotel markets.Kristie also discusses the role of AI in hospitality, balancing technology with human connection, and the future of personalized guest experiences. She offers advice for aspiring leaders in the industry and shares her thoughts on women in hospitality and how to navigate a path to the C-suite.In this episode, we cover:How growing up connected to Holland and traveling with her father shaped her passion for the travel industry.Strategies for maintaining authentic culture and leadership within a hotel organizationThe role of AI in hospitality and how it can enhance human connectionHow great leaders build others and foster success in the industry.Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GiasMp_g5XQLinks:Kristie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiegoshowLoews Hotels & Co.: https://www.loewshotels.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/258Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageConnect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

SJ Strum chats with Kim Hopkins  @theonlywayiskim  local mum and 15 year alumi of the Virgin Atlantic cabin crew reveals the bizarre questions passengers have asked her, how airlines pick their rosta and what being cabin crew really takes. 

Send a textLinking the Travel Industry is a business travel podcast where we review the top travel industry stories that are posted on LinkedIn by LinkedIn members.  We curate the top posts and discuss with them with travel industry veterans in a live session with audience members.  You can join the live recording session by visiting BusinessTravel360.comYour Hosts are Riaan van Schoor, Ann Cederhall and Aash ShravahStories covered on this podcast episode include:In a world first, Frankfurt airport deploys bluetooth audio technology which can broadcast gate announcements straight to a user's headset, earbuds or hearing aids.SAS - Scandinavian Airlines returns to Dubai for the first time in 15 years.The European consumer right's group euroconsumers celebrate a Belgian court's ruling against Ryanair - Europe's Favourite Airline which orders the airline to "stop multiple misleading pricing practices and restore transparency".Qantas is selling it's entire 33% stake in ジェットスター (Jetstar Japan).A post by Lee Sprung about how he experienced flying British Airways vs Virgin Atlantic draws a lot of attention.Scott Kirby's post about United Airlines final cutover from mainframe to cloud computing is the most engaged one of the week.Extra StoriesYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Episode 163 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosted by Angie Sparks and Cameron Laufer, opens with a lighthearted highlight from the community about surviving timeshare presentations. Members shared strategies for getting through the required 90–120 minute pitch that often comes with discounted vacation offers—suggestions ranged from setting a visible timer and clearly stating you're not interested, to humorous tactics like bringing sugar-hyped kids or joking about being fresh out of bankruptcy. The hosts also discussed travel news, including a promotion from Holiday Inn Club Vacations offering bonus IHG points with a discounted stay, the opening of a small but upscale American Express Sidecar Lounge in Las Vegas, a 30% Chase-to-Wyndham transfer bonus, and changes to Emirates partner award charts. Angie and Cameron also shared personal updates about credit-card welcome bonuses they're working on and upcoming trips they're planning or booking.The main topic focuses on Cameron's trip to Chile and how to use points and miles to reach South America. Major gateways like Santiago (SCL) and Buenos Aires (EZE) offer multiple award options across alliances. Cameron flew from Cleveland to Santiago via Dallas using American Airlines miles, noting that American and Alaska miles can book business-class awards starting around 50,000 miles one way. Other options include Latam flights from Miami or New York, bookable through partners like Virgin Atlantic or Delta, as well as Star Alliance bookings through Air Canada for United, Avianca, or Copa flights. Once in the region, travelers heading to Patagonia can fly to smaller airports such as Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas using Latam or low-cost carriers like JetSMART, sometimes for cheap cash fares that can be offset with travel portal credits.Cameron also explained that Patagonia trips—especially to Torres del Paine—require careful planning due to complex logistics. His group flew to Puerto Natales, then took a bus and catamaran to begin the famous W Trek, a roughly 50-mile hike over five days. Despite the complicated planning for a group of six, the stunning scenery made it worthwhile. Accommodation options range from affordable hostels to luxury properties, including some bookable with points or through premium travel.Episode Links:IHG Timeshare OfferAmex new Vegas loungeChase to Wyndham bonusEmirates partner chart changesWhere 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.

Send a textWelcome to the What's Up in Business Travel  podcast for Week 9 of 2026.  This weekly podcast is great for those who need to know what's happening in the world of business travel - in under 15 minutes.On this week's podcast, we cover the following stories:U.S. Agency air sales top $10B in JanuaryU.S. llfts shelter-in-place advisory in Western MexicoOTAs continue heavy marketing spendingSpirit Airlines plans exit from bankruptcyBooking Holdings advances “Connected Trip” strategyAvelo bets on fleet changes to reach profitability Frontier slows growth in bid for profitabilityElliott Investment Management trims Southwest stakeAmadeus acquires AI Travel Assistant SkyLinkUber to acquire parking platform SpotHeroWestJet and Virgin Atlantic expand loyalty partnershipUber integrates Joby Electric Air Taxis into app World of Hyatt expands award redemption levels IHG launches “Noted Collection” soft brandSkyscanner launches flight s.earch app in ChatGPTYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Economy or First Class: Is the Upgrade Actually Worth It? ✈️

A power outage plunges the Port of Los Angeles into chaos during boarding for Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, exposing how fragile cruise terminal infrastructure can be. Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line swaps out Luke's Bar and Grill for its signature Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse on its Australian fleet—complete with a $55 upcharge—sparking debate about brand consistency versus local flavor. And P&O Cruises locks in airline partners TUI, Virgin Atlantic, and Norse Atlantic for its Caribbean fly-cruise season, a move that reveals just how much the getting-there experience shapes the entire vacation.

Virgin Atlantic Rewards and Virgin Red both earn Virgin Atlantic points. Now through February 28th, Chase has a 40% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic, so in this episode, we'll talk about some of the best uses of these points. Best uses for Virgin points(00:36) - Read more about the 40% bonus from Chase to Virgin Atlantic here(02:07) - Fly Delta economy(03:52) - Fly Virgin Atlantic(07:09) - Fly SAS(08:17) - Fly LATAM(11:35) - Fly Air France/KLM(12:16) - Fly ANA biz/first class(14:09) - Fly Air New Zealand biz class(16:40) - Virgin Limited Edition properties(21:22) - Virgin VoyagesVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn HeadsMentioned 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/

Gita Brown came to flying the hard way: through crippling fear, a discovery flight, and one moment where she grabbed the controls and something just flipped. Now she's a student pilot marching toward her checkride, a yoga instructor, a music therapist, and the co-host of the Calm Cockpit Podcast. She also teaches fear-of-flying courses in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, which means she has professionally helped hundreds of people do the thing she herself was terrified to do two years ago. She joined us from a snowbound cabin in Maine, mid-blizzard, fully caffeinated, and ready to explain why your brain is failing you in the cockpit and what you can actually do about it. Spoiler: it starts with electrolytes, ends with meditation, and somewhere in the middle involves not eating grapes.Mentioned on the show:* Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/* MGM - Montgomery Alabama: https://www.airnav.com/airport/MGM* SISKIND - Time building vs Time HAVING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFw9CpSqwHA* Lovefly - fear of flying courses: https://www.lovefly.co.uk/* Seth Lake - VSL Aero: https://vsl.aero/* Seth Lake's youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQS8w0x9swAMJRMhLY_P5g* Fly Oz - gateway to the Ozarks: https://www.flyoz.com/* LMNT electrolyte drink mix: https://drinklmnt.com/* Insight Timer app: https://insighttimer.com/* Baraka (film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraka_(film)* Koyaanisqatsi (full fiml): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOA_dOrm_Mk* SISKIND - DO EASY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqsg-iW3KBw* Qigong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong* Koyaanisqatsi, Hopi word for "life out of balance": https://bureauoflinguisticalreality.com/portfolio/koyaanisqatsi/* The Deep Magic of Daily Consistency: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6FJQSGW* Scott Manley - Explaining Why NASA's Starliner Report Is So Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L96asfTvJ_AMidlife Pilot PodcastWebsite: midlifepilotpodcast.comYouTube: youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcastPatreon: patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast

In this episode, Adama talks about his Double New Year's Around the World Trip. Adama flew for the 1st time with Virgin Atlantic, Transavia, Qatar (twice, once was an A380), Emirates on the A380, Singapore Airlines, and ANA. Adama also did a Double New Year's Flight!We chatted about how we all were in Las Vegas together for New Year's Day.Justin had his 1st Go-AroundPaige flew Spirit for the 1st time.Adama flew JSX for the 1st time.We dive into another round of Paige's Polls.We will be at AV-CON on April 4th in Atlanta, Georgia. Please come by and say hello!

i6 Group is connecting the fragmented aviation fuel ecosystem-airlines, fuel suppliers, and service providers-through a real-time digital platform that eliminates paper-based processes at over 260 airports worldwide. After launching with British Airways at Heathrow in 2015 and recently closing their Series B with German PE firm Itrium, i6 is proving that even heavily regulated, risk-averse industries can achieve step-function operational improvements through software. In this episode of BUILDERS, Alex Mattos, CEO and Managing Director of i6 Group, breaks down how they navigated decade-long enterprise sales cycles, leveraged strategic customers as Series A investors, and are now building toward profitability to maximize exit optionality. Topics Discussed: The surprising analog nature of aviation fuel operations despite advanced aircraft technology i6's pivot from defense fuel system testing to commercial aviation digitization The multi-party fuel ecosystem: airlines, suppliers, service providers, and logistics chains Strategic approach to landing British Airways and Virgin Atlantic as launch customers Fundamental differences between European fuel optimization vs. US supply chain management models Multi-stakeholder enterprise sales involving fuel teams, flight ops, pilot unions, and CFOs Strategic Series A with customer-investors: British Airways, JetBlue, Shell, and World Fuel Services Series B transition from strategic to PE backing focused on scaling operations and go-to-market Network effects driving compounding value as airport coverage expands Path to self-sustainability and exit strategy considerations GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Target brand DNA, not just budget, for early enterprise customers: i6 deliberately approached Virgin Atlantic because of Richard Branson's reputation for "being entrepreneurial, taking a risk, doing something different." This wasn't naive brand worship—it was strategic targeting based on organizational risk tolerance. When selling complex infrastructure to enterprises pre-product-market fit, a prospect's innovation track record matters more than their budget size. Map your early pipeline based on cultural willingness to partner with startups, not just technical fit. Invest in non-paying reference customers as currency for tier-one deals: Virgin Atlantic became i6's first operational deployment without payment. This wasn't charity—it was strategic capital allocation. The working reference at Virgin directly unlocked British Airways: "we turned up, demonstrated what we were doing...we've done this trial with Virgin and here's the results, and it went really well." For founders selling to conservative enterprises, one live deployment at a credible brand is worth more than a dozen pitch decks. Budget 6-12 months of runway for strategic pilots that generate proof points, not revenue. Create forcing functions with specific follow-up commitments: When British Airways said "if you're still here in six months, come back," most founders would hear soft rejection. Alex heard a calendar commitment and returned "to the day" with results. This precision signaling—we take your requirements seriously enough to track them to the day—separates serious vendors from tire-kickers. When enterprises set conditional bars, treat them as binding contracts and demonstrate execution discipline through exact follow-through. Position for market disruption by maintaining warm enterprise relationships: i6 benefited when an incumbent competitor liquidated, creating urgent procurement needs at British Airways. But luck favors the prepared—they had already established credibility through their Virgin deployment. Maintain enterprise relationships even when deals seem stalled. In concentrated B2B markets, competitive exits, budget releases, and trigger events happen regularly. Your position in the consideration set when disruption hits determines whether you capture the opportunity. Engineer word-of-mouth in concentrated industries through excellence, not marketing: Four months after Heathrow deployment, Dubai airport approached i6 unsolicited: "we've heard great things." In the aviation fuel community—which Alex describes as "surprisingly small"—exceptional execution travels faster than any outbound motion. This changes GTM strategy: in concentrated industries, over-invest in customer success and operational excellence at early deployments rather than spreading thin across many accounts. Your first customers are your sales team. Segment GTM by operational model, not just geography or company size: i6 discovered European airlines optimize for fuel efficiency and real-time decisions, while US airlines (controlling their own supply networks since the late 1980s) prioritize supply chain visibility: "how much fuel did we put in the plane, how much have we had delivered, how much have we got left." These aren't feature preferences—they're fundamentally different jobs-to-be-done driven by market structure. Don't assume global enterprises have unified needs. Segment by operational model and regulatory environment, then customize messaging and roadmap accordingly. Stage investor expertise to match company evolution, not just valuation milestones: Series A brought strategic investors who were actual users (British Airways, JetBlue, Shell, World Fuel Services) for product validation and network access. Series B brought PE firm Itrium for "scaling the business...building and growing our sales and revenue teams." This wasn't opportunistic—it was deliberate staging of capital sources to match capability gaps. Don't optimize fundraising purely on valuation or dilution. Map your next 18-month bottleneck (product validation vs. operational scaling vs. market expansion) and raise from investors who've solved that specific problem. Build for profitability to control your exit timing and terms: Alex's goal is avoiding Series C entirely: "we build and establish a fully self-sustaining business...the business becomes fully sustainable in the next couple of years." This isn't conservatism—it's strategic optionality. Reaching profitability eliminates the forced march toward subsequent rounds, letting you choose between IPO or M&A based on market conditions rather than cash position. For infrastructure plays with long implementation cycles, factor sustainability into your growth model early, even if it moderates topline growth rates. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.  ➤ Free points 101 course (includes hotel upgrade email template)https://geobreezetravel.com/freecourse  ➤ Free credit card consultations https://airtable.com/apparEqFGYkas0LHl/shrYFpUr2zutt5515 ➤ Seats.Aero: https://geobreezetravel.com/seatsaero ➤ Request a free personalized award search tutorial: https://go.geobreezetravel.com/ast-form If you are interested in supporting this show when you apply for your next card, check out https://geobreezetravel.com/cards and if you're not sure what card is right for you, I offer free credit card consultations athttps://geobreezetravel.com/consultations!Timestamps:00:00 Biggest Transfer Bonus of the Year00:11 Finding Business Class Deals to Europe05:46 Exploring South American Flight Deals09:23 Luxurious Flights to the Middle East12:54 Incredible Deals to Asia17:12 Conclusion and Additional ResourcesYou can find Julia at: ➤ Free course: https://julia-s-school-9209.thinkific.com/courses/your-first-points-redemption➤ Website: https://geobreezetravel.com/➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel/➤ Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards➤ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravelOpinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content of this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Most companies don't have a lead problem, they have a follow-up problem. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Jason Kramer, Founder & CEO at Cultivize, who breaks down how smart CRM strategy can transform “maybe someday” prospects into real revenue. Jason shares how his team helps manufacturing, roofing, finance, and home service businesses design, implement, and actually use CRM systems like HubSpot and Pipedrive so salespeople stop dropping the ball. With real-world case studies, including a roofing company that turned old quotes into seven-figure sales, Jason shows what's possible when technology, strategy, and authentic follow-up finally line up. Key Takeaways: → Why most growing businesses don't really know which marketing efforts are working, and how a properly set up CRM changes that. → The three simple criteria that define an ideal client for a CRM overhaul and why company size and sales team count matter. → The common problem shared by manufacturing, roofing, finance, and home service companies is that they send hundreds of proposals a year. → A behind-the-scenes case study of a roofing company that revived ignored quotes with a thoughtful, automated follow-up sequence. → How to design automated emails that feel genuine and personal, not robotic or canned, while still running on autopilot. Jason Kramer is the founder of Cultivize, a consulting firm that builds smart CRM strategies for business consultants and growth advisors. With over 20 years in marketing and business development, he helps experts transform their lead management systems into scalable growth engines. His process integrates CRM automation with email nurturing to create trackable, ROI-focused results for B2B and consulting clients. Jason's background includes work with global giants like Virgin Atlantic and Johnnie Walker, but today his focus is on supporting strategic advisors and fractional leaders who need visibility into what's working—and what's not—in their sales process. When he's not helping clients streamline their revenue systems, he's on the Hudson River with his family. Connect With Jason Kramer: Website: https://cultivize.com/ X: https://x.com/cultivize Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultivize/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleighkramer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most companies don't have a lead problem, they have a follow-up problem. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Jason Kramer, Founder & CEO at Cultivize, who breaks down how smart CRM strategy can transform “maybe someday” prospects into real revenue. Jason shares how his team helps manufacturing, roofing, finance, and home service businesses design, implement, and actually use CRM systems like HubSpot and Pipedrive so salespeople stop dropping the ball. With real-world case studies, including a roofing company that turned old quotes into seven-figure sales, Jason shows what's possible when technology, strategy, and authentic follow-up finally line up. Key Takeaways: → Why most growing businesses don't really know which marketing efforts are working, and how a properly set up CRM changes that. → The three simple criteria that define an ideal client for a CRM overhaul and why company size and sales team count matter. → The common problem shared by manufacturing, roofing, finance, and home service companies is that they send hundreds of proposals a year. → A behind-the-scenes case study of a roofing company that revived ignored quotes with a thoughtful, automated follow-up sequence. → How to design automated emails that feel genuine and personal, not robotic or canned, while still running on autopilot. Jason Kramer is the founder of Cultivize, a consulting firm that builds smart CRM strategies for business consultants and growth advisors. With over 20 years in marketing and business development, he helps experts transform their lead management systems into scalable growth engines. His process integrates CRM automation with email nurturing to create trackable, ROI-focused results for B2B and consulting clients. Jason's background includes work with global giants like Virgin Atlantic and Johnnie Walker, but today his focus is on supporting strategic advisors and fractional leaders who need visibility into what's working—and what's not—in their sales process. When he's not helping clients streamline their revenue systems, he's on the Hudson River with his family. Connect With Jason Kramer: Website: https://cultivize.com/ X: https://x.com/cultivize Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultivize/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleighkramer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke sits down with points-and-miles legend Greg Davis Keene (Greg the Frequent Miler) for an inspiring conversation about his evolution from tech professional to one of the most respected voices in the award travel world. Greg reflects on the early travel moments that ignited his passion, the accidental beginnings of the Frequent Miler blog, and the turning points that transformed a hobby into a full-time career.The episode dives deep into Greg's philosophy on trust, transparency, and evaluating deals with both intuition and data. He recounts some of his most memorable redemptions — including an extraordinary week on Richard Branson's Necker Island, booked for 1.2 million Virgin Atlantic points — and shares what it felt like to be greeted by Branson himself upon arrival.Greg also offers practical advice for newcomers, emphasizing the power of transferable currencies, learning from inevitable mistakes, and staying curious as the loyalty landscape evolves. This episode blends wisdom, storytelling, and strategy — a masterclass from one of the best in the game.Key Highlights:Greg's beginnings: A spontaneous trip to Australia sparked his lifelong love of travel and his curiosity about maximizing rewards.Discovering elite status: A work trip that included surprising perks changed everything and led Greg deeper into points and miles.Starting Frequent Miler: What began as a simple resource for friends became one of the industry's most trusted blogs.Authenticity first: Greg prioritizes consumer value over affiliate incentives — the foundation of his community's trust.Evaluating opportunities: His approach blends intuition with analysis to identify real-world value.Memorable redemption: Greg booked a whole week on Richard Branson's Necker Island for 1.2 million Virgin Atlantic points.Once-in-a-lifetime arrival: The Necker Island team greeted them with champagne on a speedboat, followed by Richard Branson welcoming them personally.Learning from mistakes: Missteps are part of the journey; each provides insight into better strategies.Advice for beginners: Focus on transferable points, start small, and take action even if you don't feel entirely ready.Resources:Book a Free 30 minute points & miles consultationStart here to learn how to unlock nearly free travelSign up for our newsletter!BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook GroupInterested in Financial Planning?Truicity Wealth ManagementSome of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored linksCard Pointers (Saves the average user $750 per year)Zil Money (For Payroll on Credit Card)Travel...

Episode 148 of the Award Travel 101 podcast focuses on maximizing points and cashback during Black Friday shopping while also covering the week's key award-travel news. Angie and Cameron open with a community highlight about stacking rewards on large purchases—using new credit cards for signup bonuses, checking card-linked offers, comparing shopping portals, and leveraging gift-card category bonuses at grocery or office-supply stores. They also touch on programs like Wayfair Professional that sometimes unlock extra savings or rewards opportunities. News updates include a 40% Amex-to-Virgin Atlantic transfer bonus, Frontier's extended Go Wild Pass, expanded Air France Flying Blue saver availability for elite members, and an elevated $40 TopCashback referral bonus.The hosts also share their personal points wins and trip planning. Angie is using a new Citi Strata Elite card to cover property taxes and wrap up a United Gateway spending tracker, while Cameron is evaluating Citi and Chase cards for various family members and prepping for future Southwest Companion Pass timing. Travel planning includes Angie's upcoming Uruguay trip and Cameron's multi-stop itineraries for Greece and Thailand, including discussions about award pricing, hotel options, and routing strategies on carriers like Qatar, ANA, and JAL.The main topic—Black Friday shopping—dives into stacking card offers, elevated Rakuten rates, Capital One Shopping deals, Visa gift-card plays via Rove, and portal comparisons using tools like Cashback Monitor. Cameron and Angie outline the best credit cards for holiday spending across different categories and offer strategies like buying gift cards in bonus categories to boost points. They also share must-have travel items recommended by the AT101 community, such as portable fans, chargers, Airfly adapters, and CO₂ detectors. The episode wraps with a tip of the week: using Thrifty Traveler's credit-card benefits tracker to manage annual credits across multiple cards more effectively.Episode Links:Amex to Virgin 40% Transfer bonusFrontier Go Wild PassAir France Award Space for ElitesTop Cash Back LinkAmazon Black Friday DealsWhere 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.

Send us a textLinking the Travel Industry is a business travel podcast where we review the top travel industry stories that are posted on LinkedIn by LinkedIn members.  We curate the top posts and discuss with them with travel industry veterans in a live session with audience members.  You can join the live recording session by visiting BusinessTravel360.comYour Hosts are Riaan van Schoor, Ann Cederhall and Aash ShravahStories covered on this podcast episode include:Rumours abound that LOT Polish Airlines is nearing their completion of the acquisition of Smartwings, the largest airline in the Czech Republic.Marriott Hotels' "bespoke stay" partnership with Sonder Inc. comes to an abrupt halt, and 48 hours later, Sonder files for bankruptcy. I saw many chaotic stories of travellers having to cut their stay short and being left without accommodation.Ethiopian Airlines becomes the latest airline to sign up for Sabre Corporation's Mosaic platform.BCD Travel and Conferma partner to launch a virtual card acceptance rating, with which travellers and travel managers can see how well a hotel is able to process virtual cards.Virgin Atlantic shakes up their loyalty program with an initiative called "High Five". Rob Burgess explains what it is about here, and why he thinks they've been a bit too generous.A financing deal done by Virgin Atlantic reveals their Heathrow slots are worth $745M.Revolut has partnered with SAS - Scandinavian Airlines to let EuroBonus members convert their RevPoints into EuroBonus points.The most engaged post of the week by miles goes to Avi Meir from Perk on his views about having a work/life balance.Extra StoriesYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with Ryan Williams, the Scottish musician, former Netflix contestant, and outspoken critic of Islam whose return to Britain has ignited an international media storm.After being detained under anti-terror laws at Heathrow and de-banked, Ryan tells his story for the first time from being banned by Virgin Atlantic to having his phones and laptop seized under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. He explains how his criticism of Islam, first aired on Australian television, made him one of the most controversial voices in Britain's free speech debate.We explore Britain's shrinking tolerance for dissent, the blurred line between hate speech legislation and political persecution, and the question of what free expression really means in a nation that once prided itself on liberty. Ryan reflects on the personal cost he has paid, including family estrangement, financial blacklisting, and constant threats, and why he continues to speak out despite the consequences.This episode dives into his arrest, de-banking, the Islamophobia dispute, the state of free speech in Britain, and the future of Western liberty in an age defined by fear.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters 0:00 Introduction 02:22 Legal and Social Media Context03:29 Virgin Atlantic Incident 10:28 Personal Background and Motivation25:20 Critique of Islam and Free Speech 27:15 Interaction with Muslim Communities44:13 Family and Personal Consequences51:34 Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

INTRO (00:24): Kathleen opens the show drinking a “Wicked Aunt Tammy” Double IPA from Sea Quake Brewing in Crescent City, CA. She reviews her weekend of shows in Monterey and Santa Rosa, and raves about her experience seeing Stevie Nicks live in Detroit.    TOUR NEWS: See Kathleen live on her “Day Drinking Tour.”   COURT NEWS (17:35): Kathleen shares news announcing that Stevie Nicks had an unbelievable show in Detroit, and Snoop Dogg is going to commentate the 2026 Winter Olympics.    TASTING MENU (6:54): Kathleen samples Le Chipstier Francais Braised Chicken chips, Safeway Fudge Mint Cookies, and Sonoma Pizza Crisps.    UPDATES (19:34): Kathleen shares updates on the Cracker Barrel logo fiasco, the Louvre jewelry heist, Prince Andrew is being removed from Royal Lodge, Kenny Chesney is extending his residency at the Vegas Sphere, and the mystery of the missing Picasso “Still Life With Guitar” painting is solved.    HOLY SHIT THEY FOUND IT (41:03): Kathleen reveals that a the image of a rare Bornean clouded leopard has been captured on a trail cam in Indonesia.    FRONT PAGE PUB NEWS (42:52): Kathleen shares articles on the recent NBA betting scandal, Japan's new Prime Minister used to drum in a heavy metal band, the CEO of Target has a new business plan, the CIA has disclosed that details of operation Acoustic Kitty, the new longest flight in the world is over 19 hours, a Virgin Atlantic passenger downs 15 cans of wine and attacks her traveling partner, and the birthplace of Halloween is Ireland.    SAINT OF THE WEEK (1:17:14): Kathleen reads about St. Kateri Tekawitha, patron saint of ecology.    WHAT ARE WE WATCHING (18:52): Kathleen recommends watching “Murdaugh: Death In The Family” on Hulu.  FEEL GOOD STORY (1:06:42): Kathleen shares a story about Canada's first-ever whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia.

On this week's episode of The Venue RX Podcast, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Jason Kramer, founder and CEO of Cultivize, a consulting firm that helps service-based businesses turn their CRM systems into scalable growth engines.Jason shares his journey from running a marketing agency to becoming a CRM strategist focused on connecting marketing efforts to measurable sales results. He discusses how platforms like Upwork and Fiverr reshaped traditional marketing, why so many CRM implementations fail, and how businesses can fix broken lead management processes by prioritizing systems and strategy over software.Jason explains how to choose the right CRM, the pros and cons of industry-specific tools, and what it really takes to document and streamline the client journey, from first inquiry to post-event retention. Jason also shares insights on AI, automation, and how his team at Cultivize helps businesses of all sizes build visibility, consistency, and accountability into their growth systems.About Our Guest: Jason Kramer is the founder of Cultivize, a consulting firm that helps business consultants and growth advisors turn their CRM systems into engines for scalable success. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing and business development, Jason specializes in transforming lead management processes through smart CRM automation and targeted email nurturing, creating measurable, ROI-driven growth for B2B and consulting firms.His career began with global brands like Virgin Atlantic and Johnnie Walker, but today his passion lies in empowering strategic advisors and fractional leaders to gain visibility into what's working, and what's not, within their sales pipelines. When he's not helping clients streamline and scale, you'll find Jason out on the Hudson River enjoying time with his family.Find Him Here: Website: https://cultivize.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultivize/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleighkramer/Youtube: https://youtube.com/@crm-advisor-implementor?si=cjzCGRhb6xugqVQr

In a special presentation of Smart Travel, learn what your points and miles are really worth in 2025 — and why the answer might change how you book travel. Should you take a $650 flight voucher or 32,500 miles? How much are your points and miles actually worth? Smart Travel hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down the latest NerdWallet valuations to help you make smarter redemption choices. But first, they cover recent travel headlines, including Southwest Airlines' new partnership with EVA Air, Frontier's companion certificate promotion and status match, and JetBlue opening up award bookings with Condor Airlines. Then, travel Nerd Craig Joseph joins Meghan to discuss NerdWallet's latest airline, hotel, and credit card point valuations, with tips and tricks on comparing loyalty programs, maximizing transfer partners, and deciding when cash is more valuable than points. They also discuss the impact of devaluations, how close-in bookings can save you points, and why premium cabins can sometimes offer outsized redemption value. Plus: Craig's hot take on airport lounges. Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Is the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard Worth Its Annual Fee? https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/is-the-frontier-airlines-world-mastercard-worth-its-annual-fee Citi Strata Credit Card Review: Solid Rewards for No Annual Fee https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/citi-strata  Citi Double Cash Review: A Solid Choice for Everyday Spending ​​https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/citi-double-cash  Citi Custom Cash Card Review: Low-Maintenance 5% Cash Back https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/citi-custom-cash  Citi Strata Premier: Big Rewards Across Top Spending Categories https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/citi-strata-premier  Is the New Alaska Atmos Summit Card Worth a $395 Annual Fee? https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/is-the-alaska-airlines-atmos-summit-card-worth-its-annual-fee  Resources discussed in this episode: Airline Miles vs. Cash Calculator https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/calculator-should-you-book-a-flight-with-cash-or-miles  How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2025? https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/airline-miles-and-hotel-points-valuations  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. In this episode, the Nerds discuss: points and miles valuation, airline miles value, hotel points value, credit card points value, Southwest EVA Air partnership, Frontier Companion Certificate, JetBlue Condor award booking, Citi American Airlines transfer, Amex Membership Rewards value, Capital One points value, Bilt points value, Hyatt points value, Hilton points value, Marriott points value, Wyndham points value, IHG points value, Alaska miles value, JetBlue points value, American Airlines miles value, United miles value, Southwest points value, Virgin Atlantic miles value, ANA miles value, Avianca LifeMiles value, best way to use Amex points, best way to use Citi points, best way to use Capital One points, use cash or points for flights, last minute award flight value, premium cabin redemption value, economy flight points value, airline devaluation, hotel point devaluation, cash vs points travel booking, when to transfer credit card points, how to maximize travel rewards, and NerdWallet points and miles calculator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#240: Transferring points is one of the best ways to maximize your points, so today we share the top airline and hotel transfer partners. We also cover strategies to get the most out of your points, including how to leverage transfer bonuses, identify sweet spots, avoid common mistakes, and more. Greg Davis-Kean is the founder of Frequent Miler, a blog dedicated to helping people maximize their travel rewards and loyalty programs, mostly without flying. He is also the host of the Frequent Miler on the Air podcast. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/top-transfer-partners-greg-frequent-miler Partner Deals Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn LMNT: ⁠Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance OpenPhone: 20% off the first 6 months of your own business phone system For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Greg Davis-Kean: Frequent Miler | Newsletter | Podcast Frequent Miler Resources Current Transfer Bonuses How to Save Miles by Flying More How to book EVA Air Infinity MileageLands awards How to book Vacasa Vacation Rentals with Wyndham points Flight Award Search Tools PointsYeah AwardTool ($20 off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS) ATH Podcast Airline/Hotel Transfer Partner Spreadsheet Ep #166: Best Award Search Tools for Booking Flights with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler Ep #167: Best Tools for Booking Hotels with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@allthehacks.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:00) Outsized Value from Transferring Points (02:27) Quick Episode Overview (08:21) Why Emirates First Class Is a Coveted Experience (14:07) Air Canada's Aeroplan Program (17:51) Maximizing Transfer Bonuses (19:17) Getting Value from the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (25:29) Sweet Spot for Virgin Atlantic (32:49) Using Air France-KLM Flying Blue for Business Class Flights (39:09) Leveraging Avios Points (44:09) Avios Sweet Spots and Places to Avoid (49:44) Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific (55:44) Is the Avianca LifeMiles Program Worth It? (59:30) JetBlue's Transfer Partners (1:01:44) Southwest Airlines (1:04:39) Aeromexico (1:04:52) Qantas and Turkish Airlines (1:06:43) Booking Flights via United (1:09:26) EVA Air Program for Flights to Asia (1:11:18) Uses for ANA (1:12:45) TAP Air and Thai Airways (1:13:21) Why Greg Loves Alaska Miles (1:15:31) Difference Between Airline Miles vs. Hotel Points (1:16:37) Using Hyatt Points (1:18:07) Getting Value from Wyndham, IHG, and Hilton (1:21:11) The Marriott Bonvoy Program (1:21:40) Booking Hotels with Citi ThankYou Points (1:23:28) Leader's Club (1:25:10) Wells Fargo and Accor Points (1:25:58) Why You Should Set Up Your Award Programs in Advance (1:27:47) Is It Possible to Reverse Transfers? (1:28:56) Where to Find Greg and Frequent Miler Resources Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor's Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, fan favorite, writer/comedian, Kimberly Clark, is back to chat about cruise life, hot young rat boys, passing the conch, and so much more!Listen to Kimberly Clark's new album, Junior!See Jordan Morris at Galaxy Con in New Orleans, July 11th - 13th.Buy signed copies of Youth Group and Bubble from Mission: Comics And Art!~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~Jordan's new Spider-Man's comic is out now!Order Jordan's new Godzilla comic! Be sure to get our new ‘Ack Tuah' shirt in the Max Fun store.Or, grab an ‘Ack Tuah' mug!The Maximum Fun Bookshop!Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes!Check out Jesse's thrifted clothing store, Put This On.Follow brand new producer, Steven Ray Morris, on Instagram.Listen to See Jurassic Right!