Milenomics² Podcast Episode 269: Citi Fails Up, MSP Meetup Recap and a Kiawah Island Trip Report

0:23 Citi Fails Up (again) Strata Elite Update. 

• Previously: issues with 4506T forms for multiple Strata Elite cards. 

• One patron said citi told him 80k people were affected. 

• WSJ article about the mess pretty well describes the issue. 

• A few days after the article Citi emailed affected people with a make good: no annual fee and waiving the MSR, since spend is impossible. 

• Call it a $1500 win on these cards, a $50-100M Loss for Citi

• Citi: Failing up since June 16, 1812.  

06:36 Citi TYP 1cpp Cash out for prestige cards.

• We reported this died back in August 

• Does it work on Strata Elite? No, this also has a .75cpp cash out

• Somehow this still works on a Citi DC or Citi Custom Cash.

• Points ‘linked’ from strata cards pool and can be cashed out for 1cpp. 

• Except I have a non-linked Strata Premier 

• 1cpp cash out is a great option, but you’re and AA points for 1cpp in a bid/ask type manner.

11:09 MSP Recap

• New Space, more people, same great collaboration

• Staff at MSP are just so great. Always looking for ways to improve. 

• Sky Club adjacent, I think some people popped over to the SC during lunch. 

• Airport views, some heavies in the background as the day progressed. 

• Some fun new interactive slides were tried out

• One negative, I felt like I barely hung out with you! 

• Split our time on Friday night and it ‘just worked.’

• Too many people to thank – The number of people who reached out and either just helped out or offered to was incredible. Thank you all!

• Ideas for next year: Regional seating, a Resy Restaurant Friday night (buy the whole thing out!), return to round tables for easier conversation, and more.  

• 50/50 split of returning and new to our get togethers. 

• There’s just this great feeling of being around people who know and share a hobby. No translation needed, and you can speak freely. 

• All of our spouses probably agreed: a weekend away from us bugging them about 4506T forms, reconsideration calls, and general discussion of topics they don’t want to talk about! 🙂

Getting there:

26:12 Sam: Delta, LAX-MSP nonstop. Chickened out of taking Suncountry. Just ate the $79. 

• LAX pretty empty on a Friday morning. 

• Skyclub busy, but not crowded. 

• T2 skyclub was closed, and not sure if that’s permanent, I preferred this over T3

• Flight went out slightly delayed, had some turbulence which meant no service! 

• Arrived around 5pm. Great group in the Skyclub (Don’t forget arrivals are allowed!) 

• Walked to the IC. 

• Backups and backup to the backups cancelled. 

• None of my many, many flights booked schedule changed at all. 

• Note to self: Stop booking backups. 

30:25 Robert: Delta, BOS-MSP nonstop

• Booked Main Cabin, upgrade to Comfort cleared with Silver status

• Selected aisle exit row, seat next to me remained unoccupied

• Notified 3 hours ahead of time of a 45 minute delay so I could take my time getting to the airport

• How nice is this? AA would consider that on-time.

MSP Hotels: 

• We split up! Robert at the HR and Sam at the IC

• Thoughts on both:

• TSA Checkpoint open! 5am-10am

• Used a Cat 1-4 cert at the Hyatt Regency

• This is a very nice airport hotel

• Took the shuttle each way, but should familiarize myself with the light rail (it’s right out front)

Return 

32:58 Robert: MSP-BOS Delta Comfort

• Other than walk of shame past Teddy H and Tom Riddle in First, great flight

• Got in 30 minutes early

• Really saw Delta doing what it does best on this trip

33:58 Sam:  MSP-LAX Delta First, SDC

• Scheduled on a 9:55 PM outbound. 

• Decided to see if I could SDC to a 6:55 flight.

• Only showed a standby option, but did have open First seats. 

• Unsure what exactly happened: Flight went delayed, but up to the scheduled take off time (6:55) I was still listed as standby. 

• Maybe I Needed to talk to a gate agent? But all of a sudden about 10 minutes after scheduled departure my delta app showed I was rebooked into Comfort + on the earlier flight. 

• And it showed “Sorry for the delay, please click here to explore other options” which appeared to allow me to change +24 hours. 

• Except changing didn’t work. Maybe the app was buggy. 

• Ended up on the flight, in a middle seat. 

• Also wondering if Milenomics Effect happened: with people holding seats on this flight to get into the skyclub and then cancelling all at once.

• Wild: I Never went outdoors the entire weekend. 

40:20 Puzzler: Delta “downgrade” refund request. 

• Told my wife what happened and she asked “Are you going to get a refund?” 

• I initially let it go but ‘for the show’ reached out to DL and explained the situation. 

• I asked for the difference between first ($433) and comfort+ (Maybe $300?)

• Was booked with miles

• What do you think?

• I wasn’t even really clear if SDC allows you to be rebooked into a lower cabin (with no refund) but pushed forward with the online request. 

• ZERO status. The flight wasn’t even booked with my miles, used my Wife’s account (also no status).

42:32 Kiawah Island Trip Report

Quick Summary: Kiawah Island is a barrier island about 25 miles southwest of Charleston, easily reachable by car over a bridge from the mainland. Kiawah Island Golf Resort is home to 5 public courses, including the Ocean Course that’s hosted the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship. It’s home to The Sanctuary, a 5 Star Preferred Hotel. There are also vacation homes available for rental through AirBnB, Vacasa, directly through the resort, and other channels.

44:00 Premise of Trip: Continuing my interest in finding golf destinations with other things to do besides just golf. My wife + son plus mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew. Booked a 4 BR/4.5 BA house through Exclusive Resorts. Golf every day, spa and other activities for the ladies.

53:32 Nice Things

• 4BR/4.5 BA house that Zillows for $5M, terrific layout for our multi-generational group

• High-end appliances, towels, bedding, build quality you’d expect in a house of this quality

• Heated private pool overlooking marsh with Ocean Course/Ocean in the distance

• Truly world-class golf (booked through concierge, but worse access than if staying at Sanctuary hotel)

• Spa (also booked through concierge, couldn’t gain access to Sanctuary spa, visited nearly Auberge Dunlin instead)

• Private Chef experience (incredible, just one night vacationchefs.com)

• Daily housekeeping included (super high quality, so nice)

• Babysitter (booked through Exclusive Resorts)

• Bike rentals (dropped off/picked up, arranged through Exclusive Resorts)

• Felt like living in a model home that was re-staged every day

Bottom Line: Amazing vacation at a destination I already have an affinity to. I’ve wrongly overlooked coastal NC/SC/GA as a destination. Would like to visit Sea Island, GA next.

More on Exclusive Resorts and similar in an upcoming Checking In episode w/Chris Hutchins…

Link to Chris’ 2022 podcast episode that reviews Exclusive Resorts and similar services: The Best Deals for Vacation Rentals, Exchanges, Fractionals, Timeshares and More!Milenomics² Podcast Episode 269: Citi Fails Up, MSP Meetup Recap and a Kiawah Island Trip Report