Welcome to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast! I'm Lucas, your host, and today we have a packed episode covering everything from a sneaky Hilton loyalty program cut to a last-chance credit card offer that's about to disappear faster than upgrade availability on a holiday weekend. Buckle up, because there is a lot going on in the world of miles and points today.

Before we dive in, a quick word about our travel tools. If you're planning an award trip, head over to AwardTravelFinder.com — it's an incredible resource for searching award flight and hotel availability across programs like Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, and many more. You can also find high-value hotel redemptions and status match opportunities right there. And if you want to be the first to know when points deals drop on flights and hotels, set up alerts at alerts.AwardTravelFinder.com. Going through security before your flight? Check FlightQueue.com for estimated wait times at airports before you travel — it's a game changer. All eight of our tools are linked in the show notes, so make sure to check those out.

Alright, let's get into it.

First up — a bombshell for Hilton Honors members. It turns out Hilton has been quietly cutting what hotel owners pay into the Hilton Honors loyalty program — by as much as thirty-two percent at some brands. Gary Leff over at View from the Wing connected the dots on this, and it's pretty eye-opening. Less money flowing into the program means Hilton has less to spend on rewards, and that flows directly to you as a guest in the form of higher point redemption prices. So the next time you're shocked at how many points a Hilton property is asking for, now you know why. Our tip here: diversify your hotel loyalty. Hilton has its place, but programs like World of Hyatt continue to offer exceptional value, especially at the top end of the market. And if you're hunting for high-value Hilton redemptions, AwardTravelFinder.com can help you find the sweet spots that still exist.

Next, let's talk about the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — and this one is genuinely urgent. As of the recording of this episode, there is only ONE day left to apply for the one hundred thousand point welcome bonus. That's one hundred thousand Ultimate Rewards points after spending five thousand dollars in the first three months. The annual fee is just ninety-five dollars, and given that many experts value Ultimate Rewards points at around one point seven to two cents each, we're talking about roughly seventeen hundred to two thousand dollars in potential travel value. The card also now earns three times points on gas, vacation rentals like Airbnb, and online groceries — plus there's a new one hundred dollar annual hotel credit. This offer is expected to end at three PM Eastern time on the thirtieth of July, two thousand and twenty-six. If you want to grab it, click the link in the show notes right now. Don't be the person emailing us tomorrow asking if the offer is still live — it won't be.

Moving on — Cathay Pacific is offering a ten percent transfer bonus for US-based cardholders through the twenty-eighth of August, two thousand and twenty-six. You can move points from Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, or Citi ThankYou into Asia Miles at a ten percent bonus, capped at ten thousand bonus miles. One catch: the bonus miles can take up to twelve weeks to post, so this isn't ideal for an immediate booking. The tip here: if you're already planning to transfer points to Cathay Pacific for a premium cabin redemption — which is really the best use of Asia Miles given how much Cathay restricts its own award space to program members — go ahead and register for this bonus before you transfer. Don't make a speculative transfer just for the bonus, but if the transfer makes sense anyway, free miles are free miles.

Now a fun one — Allegiant Air is launching a first class cabin. Yes, you heard that right. Allegiant, the ultra-low-cost carrier, is joining the premium wave sweeping the US airline industry. The new product, called Allegiant First, will have eight seats in a two-by-two configuration with thirty-seven inches of pitch, calf rests, and priority boarding and check-in. It's expected to go on sale in mid-August, with flights launching in spring of two thousand and twenty-seven. On top of that, Allegiant is adding free non-alcoholic drinks in economy starting the first of August, two thousand and twenty-six. Water, sodas, juice — all free. Southwest is now literally the only major US carrier that hasn't announced a first class product. Interesting times. For points enthusiasts, keep an eye on Allegiant's Allways loyalty program, which they've teased major upgrades to.

Delta Air Lines is launching a new inflight experience called SkyPicks, in partnership with DraftKings. Before you get excited about betting on flights — inflight gambling is still illegal on US aircraft. Instead, SkyPicks lets SkyMiles members aged twenty-one and up make sports predictions for real matches and compete for Delta gift cards. It's free to play, launching with Major League Baseball, with NFL coming later. You'll need to connect to Delta Sync Wi-Fi on one of around twelve hundred and forty equipped aircraft. It's a fun bit of inflight entertainment, though the cynical take — and it's a fair one — is that this is really a customer acquisition funnel for DraftKings accounts. Still, free Delta gift cards with no wagering required? Not a bad deal if you're a sports fan.

In big airline industry news, both Air France-KLM and Lufthansa Group have submitted binding offers to acquire a stake in TAP Air Portugal. Portugal is looking to sell a forty-four point nine percent stake in the airline, with the possibility of majority control over time. TAP has a strong network to Brazil, Africa, and North America, making it strategically valuable. Air France-KLM has the more compelling public case — they'd fold TAP into SkyTeam, connect it with Delta for codesharing, and join the transatlantic joint venture. Lufthansa Group points to its experience integrating national carriers like SWISS, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines. A decision is expected in the coming months. For miles and points fans, this matters because TAP is currently a Star Alliance member — if Lufthansa wins, that stays. If Air France-KLM wins, TAP likely moves to SkyTeam, which could open up interesting redemption opportunities on Delta and Flying Blue.

Finally, a quick note on the Washington Dulles Airport transformation. President Trump has unveiled plans for a twenty-two point five billion dollar reconstruction of Dulles, with groundbreaking expected in spring of two thousand and twenty-seven and completion in twenty thirty-four. The plans include new concourses, modern AeroTrain connections replacing those infamous mobile lounges, a new customs facility, improved baggage handling, and expanded United Club space — including what could be one of the largest United Polaris Lounges in the world. For frequent Dulles travelers — and that means a lot of United flyers — this is exciting news, though as always with airport projects, budget overruns and delays are practically guaranteed. Plan accordingly.

And that's a wrap on today's episode of the Miles and Points Daily Podcast! Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoyed today's show, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for more news, tips, and deals. We'll see you tomorrow — happy travels!