Milenomics² Episode 246: What We Can Learn From What We've Been Up To

Update: An earlier version of this episode had an audio bug, be sure to re-download to get the newest file.

0:39 Hilton Gift Cards (for Amex Business Platinum $50 quarterly credits)

• Link to buy online

• $1.95 shipping per $50

• Need to enroll each Business Platinum

• GC site says they’re experiencing an inventory outage and will ship in the coming weeks

• But charges post to the card immediately and the credits have been posting quickly

• Hopefully time to take advantage of this before the year is over

07:02 Gardening a Hawaiian Reservation

• Last week, I mentioned I booked an outbound JFK-HNL flight with remnant travel credits and 50k pp one-way to upgrade to First

• I also booked a provisional positioning award flight with Delta with plenty of margin (but an awkward baggage transfer situation across terminals)

• A few days later I saw fares drop on the BOS - HNL flight I wanted on Google Flights

• Low fares correlate with award availability so I checked ExpertFlyer (again, no notification - they’re too slow) and saw 3 seats

• Called Hawaiian from the Admirals Club and…after a stressful 30 minute call that continued on through the boarding process the agent was able to process the change

• I think the difficulty was that he had to cancel, redeposit, rebook the economy seats (some additional payment was required because the economy fares were a bit higher), and upgrade (no simple change possible). Which I get. But when the guy asks me my Hawaiian FF # as if he can’t discern that from the flight I already had booked I lose empathy.

• Anyway, shortly before takeoff the rep came back and confirmed the change.

• Mahalo once again!

11:16 Alaska Booking (And restrictions on FF Numbers)

• Looking for snow for the kids

• Booked  Alaska LAX-RNO for late Feb

• Plan is to head to Tahoe 

• 5,000 Alaska miles +$5.60, paid with my Alaska wallet! 

• BUT: there is apparently no possible way to change Alaska FF# on award flights

• Reports about this as recently as March

• Indeed support reps would not make the change, even for my spouse. 

• This is a relatively recent change.  Paid tickets do not have this restriction

• This is an Anchor flight, so it might/might not be taken. 

• But: the app allows this, I was able to add an AA number there! (leave the FF # blank when booking)

• Except: status benefits only for 2 people.

16:45 Booked: LAX-RNO on Southwest (Backup, with credits)

• As a companion to this I booked Mid week flights, LAX-RNO with southwest

• Hope is for a schedule change, so I can move to LGB-RNO on Fri/Sat and return Monday

• Long shot, but doesn’t really take anything but a few minutes

• Great use of $200 Platinum credits, put them into play on these backup flights and hope for the best

• $49 pp each way. 

18:39 Approved: Resy Platinum 15x

• This was applied for in early December just before my 90 day clock on my no bonus schwab was up. 

• Resulted in a decline

• Called after 90 days and the reconsideration call was painless – seriously easy to ask for the app to be put back in. 

• Never mentioned it being a duplicate. 

• Did go to HRF, but last 3 digits on a >6 mo old card were all they needed 

• Card approval date was 12/23, cutting it SUPER close and unfortunately arriving after I leave for HI

• What would you do? 

• Correction: It was not Brian, but Ethan who suggested the resy 15x shows up right when you’re about to give up. Thanks Ethan!

26:44 Credit Card Denials

• BofA Elite

• Tried one last time to get one before the end of the year

• Denied again, this time after more time passed since reducing CL

• They gave it some thought and…decided against approving me

• So after some quick incidental liquidation at the start of 2025, I’ll be down to just one for P2

• Will try again at the end of 2025 if things stay the same

• Citi Premier

• Tried again for a Premier, as it’s been >1 year since self-shutting down

• Denied again, for reasons related to other credit cards/credit lines

30:57 BOS - State College on AA

• One-way on AA First, paid for with AA miles from my wife’s account

• Really sound use of miles: Like 14k pp one-way vs $400 (no partner award space ever opened)

• Used Alaska status for a complimentary upgrade BOS-PHL (early morning flight with large First Cabin)

• Used one of my wife’s AA day passes (you can select 6 when you achieve Executive Platinum) for lounge access in BOS -and- PHL for 2.5 hour layover which was quite nice

• Felt like quite the AA VIP for a day even without an AA account

34:21 PNC Championship (Orlando) Trip Report

Delta First Both Ways

• Snow was coming down pretty heavily when during departure

• Required de-icing and delayed us a bit

• Plus the 11a flight also going to Orlando was delayed until later than ours

• These things combined made me very grateful I booked First rather than waiting and hoping for an upgrade. Platinum status will lapse in early 2025 and I’m totally OK with that.

35:20 Shake Shack Buger!

• It’s here and it’s outstanding. No customization possible, but tastes just like it does at a restaurant. 90/100 for me.

• Available for pre-order on First Class flights departing BOS, more cities to come.

37:35 JW Marriott

• 3 x 50k certs (earned through Bonvoy Business welcome bonus) is a perfect pairing with this event

• Tournament is at the Ritz course but it’s actually much close to the JW Marriott

• And the JW Marriott is totally great - a different kind of nice than the Ritz perhaps? Impressive pool complex with water slides, lazy river, and solid dining options. Chrismtas market between the two hotels on weekends during the holiday season.

• Confusingly similar setup to the Waldorf/Signia Orlando (which is better positioned for Disney trips). Feels like the JW is as nice as the Waldorf Orlando though. Kinda wish this were a Hilton though - would have been so nice to use Hilton credits.

• Got a rogue $30 eGC from Marriott for having Gold status (?) a couple days before - applied it effortlessly at the front desk mid-stay. Maybe I’m overstating how annoying it would be to use Hilton GCs?

Golf Tournament

• Really great year for the tournament with Tiger back, Charlie older, Fred Couples joining for the first time, exciting finish.

• Weather was terrific for watching golf - in the mid-60Fs with sunny skies

• So nice to be able to get close to the players, see their swings, hear their banter

• Watched everyone tee off on the first tee the first day, followed Couples and Immelman the 2nd day, followed the leader groups to the end. Watched the playoff half on TV/half out the window. Super cool. Will likely do it again next year!

42:13 New Years Resolutions

Sam: Do less, or maybe do more earlier in December knowing that the last week or two of the month is always busy

Robert: Have conversations with the family about tips and don't plan so far in advance, take more opportunistic trips.

43:20 10 years ago Today

Puny sign up bonuses and a Personal Platinum 75k offer! (Ha!)