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Thanks to Thrifty Traveler for sponsoring this episode! Visit ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium and use code M2G50 for 50% off a new Thrifty Traveler subscription! Thrifty Traveler is also offering 50% off for existing customers who want to add-on their hotel subscription service.

Hilton just adjusted its loyalty program, lowering requirements for Gold & Diamond and added a brand-new top tier: Diamond Reserve. Is it worth $18K in spend and 80 nights a year?

Richard walks through a last-minute work trip to Dublin, booking United Polaris on the ultra-short Newark–Dublin hop, plus a quirky Hyatt Centric Liberties "prepaid" card glitch that almost canceled his stay.

Then Ed tags in Kyle Potter from Thrifty Traveler to break down their Black Friday sale, what they're seeing in the award space, and whether Delta's huge SkyMiles sale to Europe is a canary in the coal mine for 2026 award pricing.

Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun

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We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month.

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Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/

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Thanks to Thrifty Traveler for sponsoring this episode! Visit ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium and use code GO20 to save $20 on annual memberships.

On this week's Miles to Go podcast, powered by our friends at Thrifty Traveler, Ed is just back from a whirlwind 18-hour stop in Marrakesh and Richard is finally back in the co-host chair. Ed breaks down what it's really like to stay in a riad inside the Medina, how chaotic (or not) the souks feel, and whether Morocco deserves a spot on your must-visit list.

Then the guys pivot into a big batch of Bilt news: the now-official Rakuten partnership and what it could mean to earn points on your mortgage starting next year.

Along the way, they get into ugly Vegas convention fares, surviving the world's shortest red-eyes, and a few killer Thrifty Traveler Premium deals.

Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun

Use my Bilt Rewards link to sign-up and support the show!

If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community. Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways.

• Monthly access
• Annual access
• Personal consultation plus annual access

We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month.

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast

Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/

Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/

Watch Us On YouTube!

Thanks to Thrifty Traveler for sponsoring this episode! Visit ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium and use code GO20 to save $20 on annual memberships.

Coming to you from Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹—with Julian Keel of PointsPath sitting in for Richard Kerr.

This week we dig into the rumored new Hilton elite tier (80 nights / ~$18,000 in spend), whether it actually "makes the juice worth the squeeze," and what benefits would have to look like to matter.

We also unpack the Visa/Mastercard settlement with merchants—could lower interchange and card acceptance rules change points & miles (or raise fares)?

Plus: Uber credits not applying (again), Julian's infamous Uber ban, current U.S. flight disruptions, and a big PointsPath milestone: 100,000 users.

Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun

Use my Bilt Rewards link to sign-up and support the show!

If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience!

If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community. Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways.

• Monthly access
• Annual access
• Personal consultation plus annual access

We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month.

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast

Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/

Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/