Podcast:20 Minute Travel Published On: Wed Aug 14 2024 Description: Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description: As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel This week Spirit Airlines finally evolved into a more normal carrier with the introduction of their new fare buckets. Depending on what you choose you can get anything from a basic fare all the way up to the equivalent of domestic First Class, but will this end up costing consumers more in the end or is it a good thing? In other news American Express has some good card offers out right now including two increased Bonvoy offers and a very good deal on the Blue Business Plus without lifetime language. We also discuss crazy travel influencers, the Brazil plane crash, a new VR waterslide, timeshare presentations from home and Hyatt/AA's new status match offers. Episode Guide: 0:00 Over the top travel influencers 0:44 Crazy plane crash in Brazil 2:07 Airline safety in different countries - Something to worry about? 2:58 Spirit’s new fare buckets are now live - No more low cost carrier? 4:01 Will Spirit’s new fare system ending up costing customers more 6:00 Increased offers for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant - 185K welcome offer 7:47 Bonvoy Bevy Amex 155K welcome offer 8:35 Amex Blue Business Plus 50K no lifetime language offer & lower spend 10:26 Hyatt hotel demands customer signs a contract to get compensation 11:35 Why you may not want to deal with a hotel directly to ask for compensation 13:55 Get 50K Bonvoy points in your pajamas - Great virtual timeshare presentation offer 15:51 Why timeshare presentations can be an incredible path towards discounted trips & points 16:51 Hyatt/American airlines status match offers 18:35 Don’t sleep on status match merry-go-rounds 19:17 Cool new VR waterslide About the Show: We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar. Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs. Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty. Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at 20minutetravel@gmail.com. Melio Offer Terms: This is a business to business payment platform - no personal bills / payments. The offer is for new accounts only. If you sign up using the 20 Minute Travel link new members will get $200 cash back after making a $200+ payment via Melio pay. Gal from Melio will reach out to finalize the details of your payment. That is $6 in processing fees for a $200 bonus! After signing up and making your first payment with a vendor you will want to upload your bank info to your Melio account. Do it as the receiving method so you have a checking account set up to receive payments. You will then receive an email from (Gal) Melio saying you are eligible for the $200 bonus and it will tell you to set up your receiving method, or you can share your bank information if you prefer that.