Milenomics² Podcast Episode 263: Good News / Bad News, Living the Mesa Lifestyle & Award Trends to Europe
Added 2025-07-19 13:47:09 +0000 UTC0:22 Good news:
0:31 Citi Threatens to Finally Launch “Strata Elite” Card
Coming Soon (this weekend?)
Rumors:
$495 - $650 AF
AA lounge access
Friday and Saturday night earn 6x points from 6p - 6a ET (per supposed Citi employee comment on DoC)
“Citi Taps Sapphire Reserve Mastermind to Lead Cards Business”:
10:29 Breeze Swoops in on West Coast Routes Avelo Abandoned (OMAAT)
Taking over BUR slots from Avelo
Difficult to fly, point to point, expensive, thin 2x weekly routes
How can Breeze gain traction with the points/miles community?
Quick Bermudair Discussion (link)
14:27 Bad News:
14:34 US Bank Update
Tried real-time rewards (Fluz Taxi) as a way to cash out for 1 cpp
No luck! Points are only worth .75 cents a piece this way.
Have a targeted offer for $400 or $1,000 for opening a business checking account
I really don’t want to do that
16:54 Changes in Paying BofA Personal Cards
Said to be coming August 23, 2025
Convoluted old system where you pay BofA credit cards through BofA’s crazy/separate billpay going away
Hopefully going to something more normal, but they say they’re going to cancel all Autopay so it raises concerns about scheduled debit payments
It’s truly such a terrible system, we’ll keep an eye on it…
22:51 Current State of Amex Churning
I’ve got several Business Platinums due for closure
Retention offers have been weak
More open slots than I’ve seen in a long time
Targeted for 125k Business Gold but can’t get link to work
Haven’t seen great offers on Business Platinum lately
Is 90 day and/or BBT/NTT getting harder?
25:48 New Segment: Living the Mesa Lifestyle (Livin la Vida Mesa?)
26:29 SAS: What A Program!
50,000 per person From LAX in Business.
Connections all throughout Europe and Scandanavia
Children are HALF PRICE! (For an award seat!)
Low taxes and fees
I’m seeing dates with 5 seats in Business
What’s the catch? Close in only, like <2 weeks.
So it’s really tough to put a trip together on that ‘what if’ But if you can–my goodness!
Living the Mesa Lifestyle
31:44 Thumbtack Experience
Benefit is stated as $25 off of a Thumbtack payment up to $200 per year.
What is Thumbtack?
Did not work.
The top few benefits like Lowes and Costco ‘just work’ The lower you go down the benefits list the harder they get to use.
Still good to find a professional, but not a savings based on living the mesa lifestyle.
Still can’t sign up for the card! Need to get on that waitlist.
Main Show Topic:
38:50 Close-in Award Availability Trends LA to Europe
Looking for flights to Italy, and specifically smaller airports in Italy
My current flight avoids Rome but has 2 stops. I wanted to pivot to 1 stop.
Can’t just “Get over the pond”
There are plenty of options to Europe from LAX: ZRH, WAW, LHR, CDG, MUC, FRA, FCO, AMS, CPH….
But if there’s space on these there’s no onward flight to Florence.
“The flight has to exist for you to take it”
If there’s space to Florence the long haul doesn’t have 4 seats.
Closer in I’m seeing drops of MANY seats (6-9) in Business class
Great for larger families, but not for planners
Seat Alerts are a scam
Points Yeah, Seats.aero and Award Tool discussion: Free is fine because routing logic isn’t perfect.
Stopping use of these services close in, just not worth it.
Ultimately, your anchor has to be a flight you can take
Not seeing tons of space next summer, but suspect closer in things will change just as they did here.