Luxury Travel on a Budget: Hotel Loyalty Secrets with Ben Komenkul

From free suite upgrades to turning daily spending into first-class flights, this episode is a crash course in making luxury travel accessible — even on a budget. ✈️ Fare of the Week: SAS Deals to Europe This week's Fare of the Week (powered by Notiflyr.com): Roundtrip flights from major U.S. cities (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, LA, Miami, NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.) to European hubs like Amsterdam, Athens, Paris, Prague, and Zurich for $430–$500 on SAS Airlines. Travel window: September 2025 – May 2026 Includes food and drink, but basic economy rules apply (limited baggage) Elite SkyTeam members (Delta, Air France, KLM) get added perks like free bags 💡 Pro tip: Book early — these fares will not last. 🏅 Mileage Promo Spotlight: Etihad's Confusing Challenge We unpack Etihad's latest promotion: 5 million miles for the first person to visit all 15 new destinations Milestone prizes: 25K miles (5 destinations) or 100K miles (10 destinations) Messy rules, unclear leaderboard, and potential passport headaches (hello, Russia) Is it worth chasing? Marty and Matt debate the value — and whether it beats Turkish Airlines' or JetBlue's recent promos. 🎙 Interview: Ben Komenkul's Hotel Loyalty Playbook Guest: Ben Komenkul — founder of Hotel Secrets Masterclass and Airline Points Academy. He's traveled the world mastering points and loyalty programs, helping thousands turn modest budgets into unforgettable experiences. What You'll Learn: How Ben went from La Quinta loyalty to Hyatt globalist (and why you shouldn't chase every status tier at once) When earning points beats redeeming them The secret to scoring upgrades without breaking the bank Why bringing your own pillow might be the best travel hack you've never tried How to use hotel-branded credit cards and loyalty tiers strategically (plus why Hyatt and Marriott aren't equal) 💡 Pro Tips from Ben Focus on one program — lifetime status beats juggling low-tier loyalty Check the fine print — not all vouchers work the same (or transfer to others) Free agent? Sign up for the program anyway — those points add up <strong data-start="2