25 Airports in 6 Months: The Real Lessons From JetBlue’s 350,000-Point Challenge

25 Airports in 6 Months: The Real Lessons From JetBlue’s 350,000-Point Challenge

February 25, 2026 · 54 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the experiences of three travelers who completed JetBlue's 25-for-25 challenge while covering recent travel news.

JetBlue’s 25-for-25 sounded simple: fly to 25 airports. Hear what three finishers learned chasing 350,000 points. Before delving into the JetBlue story, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down the latest travel headlines, including big United MileagePlus changes that kick in April 2, 2026, Hyatt updates that could reshape what award nights cost, Alaska’s Atmos Rewards Global Getaways promotion, Spirit’s new Free Spirit® debit card, and major national parks changing some reservation requirements in summer 2026. Then, Meghan talks with three guests who completed JetBlue’s 25 for 25 challenge, including Kathleen Wilson, Ben Kim, and Alyssa Mala, travel blogger at Do You Have Fly-Fi and co-host of the Blue Did It 25 for 25 community celebration. They dig into the real-world logistics of chasing 25 airports in six months, what made certain routes and tiny airports unexpectedly memorable, and how a group chat turned strangers into friends — right up to a snowstorm-hit meetup at JFK’s TWA Hotel. Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: United Explorer Review: Richer Rewards, Perks You’ll…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sally French, Meghan Coyle

Guests: Kathleen Wilson, Ben Kim, Alyssa Mala

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: JetBlue, United MileagePlus, Hyatt, Alaska, Spirit

Places: JFK, TWA Hotel

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