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Severe weather created another difficult weekend for travelers, and Richard opens the episode with the story of getting his sister home after JetBlue canceled her flight and could not offer another option for several days. The solution involved a train to Baltimore, a Southwest flight and a reminder of why keeping points available for emergencies can be so valuable.
Ed then reviews his family's stay at the MGM Skylofts in Las Vegas, including the spacious two-bedroom accommodations, the aging room features and his lingering question about what guests are actually supposed to ask a hotel butler to do. He and Richard compare Skylofts with Aria Sky Suites and consider whether the additional luxury benefits justify the much higher price.
The conversation shifts to the complicated Marriott–MGM relationship. Ed explains why MGM Gold status and direct booking can sometimes beat booking through Marriott, especially when resort fees and restaurant spending are considered. Richard also discovers an especially poor Marriott points redemption: nearly 17,000 points to avoid paying a $30 base room rate while still owing the resort fee.
Later, the guys debate the best travel movies ever made, discuss whether Boeing should once again be allowed to certify its own aircraft, answer a listener question about choosing a Tokyo hotel for a short visit and examine why domestic award travel has become so painful for families.
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✈️ What We Cover in This Episode
✈️ Weather disruptions and emergency travel planning
- A canceled JetBlue flight
- Taking the train to BWI for a Southwest alternative
- Why points provide an important travel safety net
✈️ Ed's MGM Skylofts experience
- The two-bedroom layout
- Butler service and luxury-hotel benefits
- Skylofts versus Aria Sky Suites
- Whether the premium price makes sense
✈️ The Marriott–MGM partnership
- Booking through Marriott versus MGM
- Resort fees on Marriott award stays
- Why MGM Gold can make direct booking more attractive
- Missing Marriott credit for restaurant charges
✈️ Chase Sapphire Preferred's 100,000-point offer
- Why Richard applied again
- Rebuilding a transferable-points balance
- Marriott points versus Ultimate Rewards
✈️ The best travel movies
- Up in the Air
- Flight
- The Terminal
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles
- Back to the Future
- Catch Me If You Can
✈️ Boeing and FAA oversight
- Boeing regaining some aircraft-certification authority
- Whether Boeing can adequately oversee itself
- Increasing financial penalties for safety violations
✈️ Choosing a Tokyo hotel for a short trip
- Park Hyatt Tokyo versus Grand Hyatt Tokyo
- Why location may matter more than luxury
- Staying near a convenient subway station
✈️ Marriott and Japan Airlines
- A new JAL status-match opportunity
- Potential benefits for Marriott elites
- Rumors of JAL becoming a Citi transfer partner
✈️ The rising cost of domestic award travel
- Expensive flights for families
- Shrinking partner-award opportunities
- Why domestic points strategies are disappearing
⏱️ Episode 446 Timestamps
0:48 – Weather cancellations and getting Richard's sister home
2:28 – Ed reviews the MGM Skylofts
6:45 – Marriott points, resort fees and MGM booking strategy
11:26 – Chase Sapphire Preferred's 100,000-point offer
15:11 – Debating the best travel movies ever
21:58 – Boeing regains aircraft-certification authority
26:08 – Slack Community and Points Path benefits
27:35 – Where to stay during a short Tokyo visit
29:39 – Marriott's JAL status match and transfer-partner rumors
31:41 – Why domestic award travel is getting so expensive
