Year End Strategies

Mike and Randy Clinton dive into various year-end strategies and travel-related topics. They kick off the episode by discussing a lively debate from the community about the etiquette of bringing ziplock bags or containers into airport lounges to take food onto planes. Mike and Randy highlight how this discussion gained traction and sparked varied opinions among travelers, especially those with kids who might not enjoy plane food. They emphasize that while some lounges offer grab-and-go options, others do not, leading to creative solutions by travelers.The hosts also cover several news updates and personal travel experiences. Mike talks about the ITA Volare refer-a-friend offer and the discontinuation of LoungeBuddy.com. They share their recent bonus earnings from various credit card offers, including Amex Business Gold and Hawaiian Airlines. Randy outlines his upcoming trip to China, while Mike shares his experience booking a Taylor Swift concert trip using travel credits. The highlight feature of the episode focuses on year-end strategies for maximizing travel rewards and status matches with airlines and hotels, such as AA's Instant Status Pass, United's Status Match, and Marriott Elite Nights.Links to Topics DiscussedITA Airways Volare Refer-A-Friend OfferAA Expands Instant Status PassAmex Business GoldMarriott Elite Nights with Credit CardsHilton AspireUnited Status Match Royal Caribbean-MGM Status matchWhere 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 [email protected] 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.