Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Stay ahead of the points and miles game with Miles & Points Daily Podcast - your essential morning briefing on everything happening in the world of travel rewards. Each weekday, we deliver a quick yet comprehensive roundup of the latest credit card offers, airline and hotel promotions, award sweet spots, and insider tips to help you maximize your travel rewards.
Whether it's breaking news about limited-time bonuses, analysis of program changes, or timely reminders about expiring deals, we keep you informed in just minutes a day. Perfect for your morning commute or daily routine, this podcast ensures you never miss an opportunity to earn and burn your miles and points effectively.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://milesandpointsdaily.com/
Hello and welcome to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. I'm Lucas, your host, and if you're like me, you've probably woken up this morning wondering whether your credit card points multiplied overnight while you slept. Spoiler alert: they didn't, but hey, a guy can dream! Today we've got some fascinating developments in the miles and points world, including a major devaluation that's going to sting, some exciting United changes, and a new Capital One flagship lounge that's making waves. Before we dive into all of that, let me tell you about a tool that could save you thousands of points on your hotel stays. Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for less points. It's like having a personal assistant constantly watching for better deals, except this one never asks for a raise. You can find the link in our show notes. Now, let's get into today's miles and points news. Starting with some disappointing news that's going to affect a lot of business travelers. American Express is making a major devaluation to the Business Platinum Card's Pay with Points feature. Starting September eighteenth, the beloved thirty-five percent bonus when using Pay with Points is being severely restricted. Previously, this bonus applied to first and business class tickets on any airline, or any cabin class with your selected airline. Now, it's being limited to only your selected airline and only in premium cabins. This is a significant hit to the card's value proposition, especially for those who used this benefit across multiple airlines. If you have the Business Platinum Card, my recommendation is to use this benefit as much as possible before September eighteenth if you've been saving it up. After that date, you'll want to reassess whether the card still makes sense for your spending patterns. On the flip side, there's some exciting news from United Airlines regarding PlusPoints. United is rolling out major changes to how Premier elite members can use PlusPoints, making them far more flexible. The catch? This increased utility is coming at a steep cost. While we don't have all the details yet, United is following through on their promise to make PlusPoints more versatile beyond just upgrades. For United elites, keep an eye out for emails detailing these changes. My tip here is to evaluate your current PlusPoints balance and consider how you might want to use them under the new system versus the old one. Capital One has opened what they're calling their new flagship lounge at JFK Airport, and from early reports, it sounds pretty impressive. This isn't just another airport lounge - Capital One is positioning this as their premier location with twenty-four seven operations. The lounge represents Capital One's continued investment in premium travel benefits for their cardholders. If you're a Capital One cardholder traveling through JFK, this could be a game-changer for your airport experience. Make sure to check the access requirements for your specific Capital One card. Speaking of Chase cards, there's updated information about the Chase Sapphire Reserve's five hundred dollar hotel credit with The Edit. As the Sapphire Reserve prepares for its refresh with the annual fee increasing to seven hundred and ninety-five dollars, understanding how to maximize this hotel credit becomes crucial. The credit works specifically with The Edit, which is Chase's curated hotel booking platform. For current and prospective Sapphire Reserve cardholders, my advice is to familiarize yourself with The Edit platform and see which properties are available in your preferred destinations. With the annual fee increasing, maximizing benefits like this becomes even more important. There's also some interesting discussion in the miles and points community about credit card fatigue. As the hobby has evolved, many enthusiasts are feeling overwhelmed by the constant churn of new offers, changing benefits, and complex requirements. This is particularly relevant as we see more devaluations and restrictions being implemented across various programs. If you're feeling this fatigue, my recommendation is to focus on the cards and programs that align best with your actual travel patterns rather than trying to chase every new offer. Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to managing annual fees and keeping track of benefits. For those interested in hotel cards, there are some great options to consider. The Hilton Honors Aspire Card continues to offer strong perks that can justify its annual fee, including automatic Diamond status and various credits that can offset the cost. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card provides mid-tier Gold status and excellent earnings on Hilton purchases, making it a solid choice for business travelers who frequently stay at Hilton properties. If you're interested in either of these Hilton cards, you can find application links in our show notes. The Mesa Homeowners Card is also generating interest with its no annual fee structure and surprisingly good benefits. While the lack of obvious major bank affiliation might make some people cautious, the card's benefits are worth considering for the right person. As always, make sure you understand the terms and conditions before applying. Looking at some operational news that affects award travel, American Airlines has temporarily suspended its Doha flights due to safety concerns in the region. This impacts award availability for those looking to use American miles to get to the Middle East, as this was their only route to that region. If you had plans to use American miles for Middle East travel, you'll need to look at partner options or consider other routings. In more positive news, United has expanded their Newark Polaris Lounge with a beautiful new dining room. The fifteen hundred square foot space officially opens to the public soon, just in time for the holiday travel season. For United Polaris business class passengers or Star Alliance Gold members traveling through Newark, this enhancement should improve the lounge experience significantly. That's a wrap on today's miles and points news. Before we sign off, let me tell you about a fantastic tool for finding award flights. Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific and more. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. Thanks for tuning in to Miles and Points Daily Podcast. If you found today's episode helpful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com. We're here every day with the latest miles and points news to help you maximize your travel rewards. Until tomorrow, keep earning and keep exploring.