Flying Far, Earning Big, and Traveling With Teens: What This Week’s Podcast Taught Us
- Matthew Fleischman
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
If you're dreaming about Southeast Asia, dabbling in mileage runs, or just trying to survive a trip with your teenager, this week’s episode of Landings and Layovers is for you.
We’re talking $700 flights from Vegas to Vietnam, JetBlue’s wild anniversary promo, and what it really means to travel with kids who now think they're adults. Let’s break it down.
✈️ The Fare: Las Vegas to Southeast Asia (Bangkok or Vietnam) for Under $800
You read that right. Korean Air is offering roundtrip flights from Las Vegas to Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City for $700–800, depending on dates.
One quick stop in Seoul
Great availability from January–May and again July–December 2026
And yes, it’s full service—not some “BYO water bottle and pray” budget airline situation
If you’re anywhere near Vegas or can grab a cheap positioning flight there, this is a killer deal.
👉 Travel Tip: Add a stopover in Seoul. Go hard on the street food, hit a jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse), or time your trip with Korea’s Chimaek Festival (aka fried chicken + beer heaven).
🛫 The Promo: JetBlue’s Mileage Run Challenge Is Borderline Insane
In honor of its 25th anniversary, JetBlue just dropped one of the wildest status challenges we’ve ever seen:
Fly to 15 destinations: Get 150,000 points (~$2K value)
Fly to 20 destinations: Score 350,000 points (~$4.5K)
Hit 25 destinations: Get 25 years of Mosaic 1 status + those 350K points + United Silver status via partnership
Here’s the kicker:✅ Both paid and award tickets count✅ Connections are fine if they’re JetBlue-operated✅ You must book Blue or higher fares (no basic economy)
The bottom line? This is a once-in-a-generation mileage run. And we’re helping folks build smart itineraries. Hit us up.
👨👧 The Interview: Traveling With Teens (And Living to Tell the Tale)
Our guest this week, Jason Dimaio, is a dad, avid traveler, and certified travel deal whisperer. He’s been taking his daughter on international trips since she was five, and the stories he shared are gold.
Here’s what we took away:
Letting your kid plan a day might be the best thing you do on a trip
Traveling solo with your teen changes how you move—be ready to slow down
A great concierge can save your entire vacation (shoutout to Lawrence at the JW Marriott Hong Kong)
Regional airports often unlock better award availability and more fun routing
And most importantly: “Relationships beat rules.”
Also, if you’ve ever schlepped through a snowstorm in Venice with a cranky tween who’s done with pasta? Jason’s been there. And he made it back.
🧳 Packing Picks & Gear Notes
Nothing fancy this week, but a few solid reminders:
Don’t gate-check your laptop. Seriously.
AirTags are your best travel friend (especially if your toddler’s stroller is MIA).
Regional airports are the unsung heroes of award travel.
Stop over-planning your trips. You’re not writing a dissertation. You’re just trying to eat noodles somewhere cool.
🎧 Catch the Episode
You can listen to the full episode of Landings and Layovers anywhere you get your podcasts. And while you’re there, leave us a review—it helps more people find the show and supports what we’re building.
📣 Need Help With the JetBlue Promo?
We’re putting together some custom itineraries for listeners looking to maximize JetBlue’s mileage challenge. If you want help mapping it out, we’ve got you.
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