"Landings and Layovers" is your weekly gateway to the world's most exciting travel deals and destinations. Each episode, Hosts Matt Fleischman and Marty Paz will spotlight exceptional airfare specials and delve into insightful segments on travel tips and destination deep dives. Whether you're planning your next holiday or just dreaming of distant places, join us as we explore how to travel smarter, cheaper, and more enjoyably. Tune in to discover how to make the most of every trip, from quick layovers to grand landings!
$200,000 for 40 Hotel Stays: The Wildest Travel Promotion Ever
This week on Landings and Layovers, we cover everything from government-mandated flight chaos to one of the boldest hotel promotions ever attempted.
Marty breaks down the recent air traffic control disruptions, what travelers are actually entitled to when flights get canceled, and how airline agreements affect your rerouting options.
Then we're joined by Sten Christiansen, an attorney by day, elite-status traveler by night, who spent roughly $35,000 flying around the world to stay at 40 different hotel brands in one summer… and won a $200,000 prize in the process.
From ordering 25 cheeseburgers to hit minimum spend requirements to flying nine hours for a single hotel night, this is a masterclass in loyalty strategy, risk tolerance, and pure travel insanity.
We also wrap with this week's Fare of the Week (DFW & major US cities to Riyadh under $900 roundtrip) and our Acronym of the Week: ATCSCC.
4 Feb 2026
Looking Back to Leap Ahead: What 2025 Taught Us About Travel
In this reflective year-end wrap-up, Marty and Matthew talk through everything 2025 threw at travelers—from new airline plays and loyalty shakeups to surprise wins, frustrating fare rules, and the gear that saved our sanity. It's equal parts therapy session and future-facing strategy sesh. We don't just look back—we take notes so you don't have to.
📌 In This Episode:
The single most chaotic moment in travel this year
What airlines did right (and what they absolutely didn't)
Our top gear and apps of the year
What loyalty programs got worse (and which ones still deliver)
Why we think 2026 will be the "Year of the Savvy Traveler"
Listener wins, fails, and shout-outs
📣 Bonus Tip:
Want our end-of-year roundup cheat sheet? Check the blog post that goes with this episode:
Let's Keep the Conversation Going:
Drop your 2025 travel win (or horror story) in the comments. We might feature it in a future episode.
Tag us @LandingsAndLayovers or use #SmartTravelStartsHere.
🔗 Follow + Connect:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landingsandlayovers
🐦 X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/landingspod
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landingsandlayovers
🎧 Like the show?
Hit subscribe and never miss an episode.
Leave us a review—it helps more travelers find us.
Share the episode with a friend who needs a smarter travel year ahead.
🧳 Tags for Discovery:
#TravelPodcast #FrequentFlyerLife #AirlinePoints #SmartTravel #YearInReview #TravelGear #AirportLife #TravelWins #LoyaltyPrograms #LandingsAndLayovers
29 Jul 2025
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
Book first, confirm later — great deals vanish fast; you can always cancel within 24 hours
🛠 Travel Tools We Love
AwardWallet – Track points and expiration dates across programs
FlightAware – Real-time flight tracking (know delays before the airline does)
CardPointers – Optimize credit card perks and benefits automatically
TripIt – Organize itineraries in one app
🧳 New Segment: Term of the Week
We’re kicking off a new segment breaking down aviation acronyms. This week: ACARS — Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System. Think of it as an old-school text messaging system for pilots and ground crews… still used today.
🔗 Stay Connected
Instagram: @landingslayovers
Twitter/X: @landingandlayover
Facebook: Landings and Layovers
Email: landingsandlayovers@gmail.com
📌 SEO Tags
#HotelLoyalty #TravelHacks #MileagePromotions #LuxuryOnPoints #LandingsAndLayovers #AwardTravel #SASAirlinesDeals #EtihadChallenge #BenKomenkul
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 24 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
48
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact Landings and Layovers
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Landings and Layovers?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
