Tag: Low Rates

Lufthansa Group has grown a ton in recent years. The group bought several European airlines while expanding the Lufthansa route network from its Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC) hubs. One thing you may not know about Lufthansa is that several airlines around Europe use its Miles & More loyalty program, some of which aren’t part of Star Alliance.

Additionally, Miles & More has some interesting sweet spots that make it worth taking a closer look at if you’re based in Europe. Plus, U.S.-based flyers that frequently fly to Europe on Lufthansa or another Lufthansa Group airline may find more use in earning Miles & More miles than miles with United Airlines or another Star Alliance partner.

You’re in the right place if you are curious about the Miles & More program. Here, we’ll explain everything you need to know, starting with elite status and partner airlines and moving on to earning and redeeming miles.

Related: On board the first Lufthansa Allegris flight — was the new cabin worth the wait?

An overview of Lufthansa’s  Miles & More program

Lufthansa Group owns Miles & More, but it’s used as the primary loyalty program for many different airlines throughout Europe. The airlines that use Miles & More as their primary loyalty program are:

• Air Dolomiti
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Discover Airlines
• Eurowings
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Lufthansa City
• Luxair
• Swiss

Many of these airlines are either entirely owned by Lufthansa Group or have previously been partially or wholly owned by the group. However, some airlines — namely LOT Polish Airlines and Croatia Airlines — have never been affiliated with Lufthansa Group but still opt to use Miles & More as a loyalty program.

As most of these airlines are members of Star Alliance, you won’t be surprised to learn you can earn and redeem miles on the Star Alliance airlines:

• Aegean Airlines
• Air Canada
• Air China
• Air India
• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Avianca
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Egyptair
• Ethiopian Airlines
• EVA Airways
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• Swiss
• TAP Air Portugal
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines

The program also partners with a handful of other airlines, including:

• Air Astana
• Air Malta
• Cathay Pacific
• LATAM
• Vistara

Note that there may be restrictions regarding the flights on which you can earn or redeem miles within these partnerships. Review the airline’s partner page on the Miles & More website before you plan your travels so you know what to expect.

Miles & More elite status tiers

Like most airline loyalty programs, Miles & More offers a variety of elite status tiers that offer elevated mileage earnings and benefits like lounge access, upgrades and fast-track security. There are three status tiers: Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle.

Earning Miles & More elite status

If you want to earn Miles & More elite status, you must earn both points and qualifying points. You can earn points on carriers that use Miles & More as their loyalty program, as well as on Star Alliance partners. Qualifying points and HON Circle points can only be earned on the following airlines: Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Discover Airlines, Eurowings, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, Luxair and Swiss.

Additionally, HON Circle points are only earned on business- and first-class flights.

Here are the following point thresholds needed to achieve status:

• Frequent Traveller status: 650 points and 325 qualifying points in a calendar year
• Senator status: 2,000 points and 1,000 qualifying points in a calendar year
• HON Circle status: 6,000 HON Circle points in a calendar year

You can only earn points, qualifying points and HON Circle points for elite status through flying, as opposed to some other programs that allow you to earn status from credit card spending. However, a limited number of points, qualifying points and Hon Circle points can be earned on journeys with Austrian AIRail, Lufthansa Express Rail and Swiss Air Rail (with a maximum of around a quarter of the points needed for each status level).

You earn points, qualifying points and HON Circle points based on two factors: travel class and whether your flight is considered intercontinental or continental. All points are awarded as follows:

	Economy class	Premium economy class	Business class	First class
Flights within Europe (including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia)	20	20	40	40
Intercontinental flights (all other destinations)	60	80	200	300

Earning Lufthansa status isn’t easy, but each status tier comes with interesting benefits. Top-tier HON Circle status comes with some of the most premium perks of all airline statuses. Here’s a look at each tier’s respective benefits:

Frequent Traveller

• Business-class check-in with Miles & More airline partners.
• Access to the First Class Terminal (only with a first-class ticket on Lufthansa and/or Swiss flights).
• One extra checked bag in economy, two extra bags in premium economy and business class, and three extra bags in first class.
• Access to Lufthansa Business lounges when flying on Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance carriers.
• Earn up to 50% more redeemable miles: You can earn 25% bonus miles on flights operated by Discover Airlines, Eurowings, Luxair and other Miles & More airline partners, and a 50% bonus with select carriers including Air Canada, All Nippon Airways, Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, Swiss and United Airlines.
• Miles won’t expire as long as your status remains.
• Dedicated phone support.

These benefits are surprisingly rich for low-tier elite status. Remember that you can only access Lufthansa Business lounges, not Star Alliance partner lounges like United Clubs or the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges. This is because Frequent Traveller includes Star Alliance Silver benefits, not Star Alliance Gold.

Related: Remade and remodeled: First look at Lufthansa’s shiny new lounge at Newark Liberty

Senator

• All of the benefits of Frequent Traveller.
• Senator and Star Alliance Gold lounge access.
• First-class check-in.
• Priority security.
• Priority boarding.
• Two upgrade eVouchers each year that you can use for a one-class upgrade. You can use one eVoucher for an upgrade within a single region or two vouchers for an intercontinental one-class upgrade. For example, upgrading from premium economy to business on a transatlantic flight requires two eVouchers.
• 48-hour booking guarantee before departure in the highest booking class.
• Companion Award: This lets you add a companion to all award tickets at a 50% mileage discount. This applies when flying award tickets on Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Discover Airlines, Eurowings, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, Luxair and Swiss.
• Free seat selection.

HON Circle

HON Circle is the cream of the crop for Miles & More status. It includes all Senator status benefits already mentioned and access to the famous First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport on all Miles & More flights regardless of the class of service. This is a huge perk as the terminal is a dedicated space for first-class and HON Circle travelers, with upgraded lounges and more. Plus, members will get the following perks:

• Limousine transfer on flights operated by Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss.
• Receive four upgrade vouchers, which can be used in the same way that Senator members can use certificates.
• 24-hour booking guarantee before departure in the highest booking class.
• Increased award availability up to 14 days prior to departure.
• Two or three bags in economy class (depending on the route), three bags in premium economy and business class, and four bags in first class.

Related: The holy grail of award tickets: Flying Lufthansa first class on the Boeing 747-8

Earning miles with Miles & More

Miles & More miles are significantly harder to earn than other airline miles. Though the loyalty program doesn’t have transfer partners, that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to earn — here are all the best ways.

Earn by flying on Miles & More and Star Alliance carriers

You can earn Miles & More miles by flying on Miles & More and Star Alliance airlines. Tickets booked with a Miles & More member airline — like Lufthansa or Swiss — will earn miles based on fare cost. If you’re traveling on a Star Alliance partner flight not ticketed by a Miles & More airline, you’ll earn miles based on the following calculations:

• Miles on continental flights: You’ll earn a flat rate according to the booking class.
• Miles on intercontinental flights: You’ll earn based on the booking class and distance flown.

Earning rates can differ from carrier to carrier and depend on how the ticket was booked. Check each carrier’s earning rate for the most up-to-date information.

Spend on a Miles & More credit card

In the U.S., Lufthansa and Miles & More offer a cobranded credit card issued by Barclays called the Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard. The card is offering a current welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. You can use this card to earn 2 miles per dollar spent with Miles & More airline partners and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Additional card perks include two Lufthansa Business lounge passes and a complimentary annual companion ticket for each account anniversary.

This card has an $89 annual fee and can be a good option for earning Miles & More miles.

The information for the Miles & More World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Book hotel rooms and rental cars

You can also earn Miles & More miles when you book hotel rooms with the Miles & More hotel booking platform. For example, you’ll earn 500 miles per qualifying stay at select Hyatt hotels. Just note that you generally won’t be able to earn hotel points or use hotel elite status benefits on these bookings since you’re booking through an online travel agency. However, many boutique and independent hotels are listed on the Miles & More portal, so it may be worthwhile to use it to book hotels that you wouldn’t otherwise earn points with.

You can also book rental cars through the portal but may not be able to use car rental status benefits or earn rental car status. As always, consider whether earning Miles & More miles outweighs these possible exclusions.

One thing to keep in mind: Always cross-check hotel and rental car prices when using the Miles & More hotel portal. While the prices are usually comparable to booking directly, sometimes the prices can vary.

Redeeming miles with Miles & More

We generally recommend redeeming your Miles & More miles for award travel. While you can redeem for merchandise, hotel stays and gift cards, this isn’t recommended as you’ll get a much lower redemption value than for flights.

Redeeming Miles & More miles for award flights

Miles & More employs a standard award chart, meaning that flights don’t fluctuate in price. Award flights are priced based on zone and class of service, and you can book any Star Alliance flight with award space. As for pricing, award flights are surprisingly reasonable. For example, transatlantic flights are 30,000 miles in economy, 40,000 in premium economy class, 56,000 in business class and 91,000 in first class. The business-class rate especially is excellent.

You can view the complete Miles & More award chart on the loyalty program’s website (PDF link); note that the award chart shows round-trip prices.

Do note that Miles & More adds fuel surcharges for most tickets — in practice, this is about $850 per round-trip ticket for intercontinental flights in first class. The only exceptions are Air Canada flights within North America and United Airlines flights within North America, South America and Oceania; these awards incur minimal taxes and fees.

Redeeming miles for flights is easy, with one large caveat. Head to the Miles & More website and navigate to the “Spend miles for flights” page. Scroll to the center of the screen, enter your flight details and click the blue “Search flights” button. Then, your flight options will appear at the center of the screen; click on the flight you want to book and follow the on-screen prompts to book.

However, there is a maddening restriction on the ability to search award flights: You must have at least 7,000 miles in your account before you can even search for award availability, let alone book it.

The best uses of Miles & More miles

Redeeming Miles & More miles is one thing, but finding a great redemption is another. The award chart is very reasonable and some real sweet spots can be found. Here’s a look at a few of our personal favorites for U.S.-based travelers:

• Lufthansa first class: Miles & More offers a decent redemption value for transatlantic tickets in Lufthansa first class following the recent LifeMiles devaluation. However, Lufthansa only opens first-class award space to its partners a maximum of two weeks before departure (and usually only three days before the departure date), but this isn’t the case for Miles & More. You can access Lufthansa’s first-class award space months beforehand, so planning vacations on one of the world’s best first-class products is easier.
• Economy flights to Hawaii: You can book United economy flights from anywhere in the United States to Hawaii for just 20,000 miles each way in economy class, which is a great deal, especially if you are originating on the East Coast.
• North America to Oceania in business class: Flights from the U.S. to Australia, New Zealand and the rest of Oceania cost just 71,000 miles one-way.
• North America to Southeast Asia in business class: Likewise, flights from North America to Southeast Asia cost just 71,000 miles one-way in business class. You’ll have to pay fuel surcharges on these tickets, but you can fly awesome business-class products on carriers like Air Canada, All Nippon Airways and EVA Airways for a fraction of a revenue ticket.

Related: Is United Polaris business class worth it to Singapore?

Bottom line

Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More program is among the most rewarding loyalty programs. HON Circle and Senator status offer standout benefits, and its redemption rates for premium-cabin awards are some of the best. However, its miles are also one of the hardest currencies to earn, especially for those of us based in the U.S.

Chase’s portfolio of airport lounges continues to grow with the opening of two new outposts.

The issuer announced on Tuesday that its newest Sapphire Lounge by The Club is now open. As of Nov. 12, the location in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is welcoming travelers.

The next location to open, at San Diego International Airport (SAN), will open Friday, Dec. 6.

Furthermore, Chase also shared an updated timeline for when its three other upcoming domestic lounges will open. It includes:

• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL): Terminal D/E Connector — opening early 2025
• Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS): Terminal 1 C gates — opening mid-2025
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): Tom Bradley International Terminal — opening TBD

Value check: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?

Chase’s new Phoenix outpost is in the South 1 Concourse of Terminal 4 near the gates for Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. The San Diego location will open in Terminal 2 West.

The issuer didn’t host pre-opening tours in Phoenix, but it teased some of the top amenities that travelers can find in this new lounge, including panoramic tarmac views from large windows, a flagship bar and an indoor “patio” space in the airport’s concourse area.

The lounge’s dining offerings are served from a retrofitted Airstream food truck that is being catered by Phoenix’s popular The Larder & The Delta restaurant. Coffee will be served from Arizona-based Press Coffee, while wine picks will be curated from Parcelle.

Note that this lounge measures just over 3,500 square feet, making it one of the smallest in the entire portfolio. At this size, I’d expect the Phoenix lounge to operate on a waitlist throughout the day. (It’ll be open from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily.)

Meanwhile, the San Diego outpost will measure just over 10,000 square feet and feature a wellness area with private rest pods, facial treatments from Face Haus and digital meditations from Devi Brown. There will also be a la carte dining options curated by San Diego’s Oscar’s Mexican Seafood and coffee from California’s Groundwork Coffee.

In terms of design, Chase says that the new outpost is built to reflect the locale. With surfboards designed by a local muralist and a large digital wall displaying drone footage of the San Diego coastline, this lounge is poised to be unmistakably Southern Californian.

The more you know: The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare

The San Diego location will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

In addition to the airport lounges, Chase said that it’ll debut a limited-time pop-up lounge in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 16. The lounge, which will be located in Aria Resort & Casino, will offer food from Momofuku and cocktails from Apotheke. Note that this pop-up will exclusively be limited to Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardmembers.

“When we opened our first domestic lounge, we were clear that expanding our footprint and elevating the on-trip experience for our Sapphire Reserve cardmembers was a priority. Our openings in Phoenix and San Diego, in addition to the expansion of lounge access in locations where our customers live and travel, continues along our goal of delivering this highly sought after benefit,” Dana Pouwels, Chase’s head of airport lounge benefits, said in a statement.

All of these new lounges join the issuer’s existing outposts in six airports worldwide:

• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C.
• Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City

There is some bad news, though. Chase’s terrace at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) will be closing early next year. When this space opened, the issuer had shared that it would be temporary (but it didn’t share how long it would be open). It turns out, airport authorities want to repurpose this space for public use, so Chase will be forced to vacate next year.

In an exclusive statement to TPG confirming the move, Chase said that “we’ve loved bringing our Chase Sapphire Terrace experience to life at Austin Bergstrom. As this was always a temporary activation, the space will close in March of 2025. We look forward to our cardmember’s continued enjoyment of this space through the coming holiday season before its planned closure.”

For more details about the Chase Sapphire Lounge network, be sure to check out TPG’s complete guide to the issuer’s lounges.

Related reading:

• Best credit cards for airport lounge access
• The 8 do’s and don’ts of visiting an airport lounge
• 9 domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for
• Best Chase credit cards

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Believe it or not, the holiday season is truly creeping up. If you haven’t locked down your travel plans yet, now is the time to do so.

If you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve or any other holidays, you probably have quite a few things on your to-do list, such as booking your flights (if you haven’t already) and renewing your passport (if it’s set to expire soon). These aren’t the only details to stay on top of, though.

Here are four tasks to take care of now ahead of the holidays.

Book your flights

If you haven’t purchased your holiday flights yet, you should do so.

Typically, according to the booking app Hopper, September and October are the best months to buy a holiday flight. From here on, prices will steadily begin to rise, so you really don’t want to leave it much longer if you don’t want to spend an extortionate amount on airfare.

This advice aligns with the timeline in Google Flights’ booking trends report, which notes that average airfare prices around Christmas were at their lowest 71 days before departure.

It’s still not too late, but we wouldn’t wait much longer if we were you.

If you’re able to be super flexible, we’ve seen some of the cheaper Thanksgiving week fares right now on both the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and on Thanksgiving day itself.

Check your passport

If you’re planning to venture abroad for the holidays, you should check your passport expiration date now if you haven’t already, as you’re cutting it close for renewing if its expiration date is approaching.

Routine passport processing times are currently estimated to take between six and eight weeks, while expedited service could take at least two to three weeks. Act with haste if you need a renewal.

Processing times have been the same since last December, and the U.S. Department of State would not comment on whether those figures would remain throughout the rest of 2024.

Generally speaking, the State Department advises travelers to renew their passports at least six months before they plan to travel. Keep in mind that most countries also require visitors’ passports to be valid for six months at the time of their trip. Be sure to check the requirements of each country you will visit since some prefer there to be six months left on your passport from your date of entry while others prefer there to be six months of validity from the date of intended departure.

For urgent international travel, you can request in-person processing appointments under two circumstances (these are limited):

• Life-or-death emergencies: You can request an appointment if an immediate family member has passed away, is dying or is facing a life-threatening illness or injury. You will need to provide documentation of the emergency.
• Other urgent travel situations: If you must travel abroad within the next 14 days or need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days, you may request an in-person appointment to expedite the process. However, it’s better (and less stressful) to simply renew your passport before it expires.

Keep an eye on the State Department’s website, which is regularly updated with the latest passport processing times for travelers.

Related: Cheap and hassle-free: What it was like getting an expedited passport via rush service ItsEasy.com

Enroll in an expedited security program

Whether or not you are planning to fly during the holidays, programs like TSA PreCheck and Clear can provide travelers with an expedited security experience all year long.

TSA PreCheck allows users to pass through a separate, dedicated security line. Unlike passengers in the regular Transportation Security Administration line, those in a TSA PreCheck line do not have to remove their shoes, laptop, liquids, belt or light jacket.

Clear users also begin the security process in a Clear-only lane, where users are biometrically identified via fingerprint or iris scans, typically sparing them from showing their ID during security screening. However, all travelers, including Clear users, remain subject to random TSA-administered ID checks.

Users are then taken to the front of the line for the security screening machines — either the front of the TSA PreCheck screening line for those with Clear and TSA PreCheck or the front of the normal TSA screening line.

A third program to consider is Global Entry, which is most helpful for frequent international travelers. It allows preapproved, low-risk travelers expedited clearance upon arrival in the U.S. from abroad. Global Entry users can enter the country through automated kiosks at more than 50 airports.

Enrollment in the three programs costs money: Clear users must pay $199 per year, while TSA PreCheck and Global Entry cost $78 to $85 (depending on the enrollment program) for a five-year membership and $100 for a five-year membership, respectively. Do note that if you are approved for Global Entry, it comes with TSA PreCheck.

While these programs can be worth their retail price tags for users, some credit cards, airline and hotel elite status levels and frequent flyer memberships offer them for free or at a discounted price.

Ship your presents in advance

Although you can technically carry wrapped presents through security at airports, it may be risky depending on whether the TSA agent inspecting your packages permits them to go through without further inspection.

Instead, consider shipping your presents and other large items to your relatives’ homes or wherever you will be staying. Do so well before you leave in case of mailing delays.

Bottom line

Traveling during the holidays can be stressful due to family dynamics and larger-than-usual airport crowds, but you can take steps to make it a little more bearable.

Several things you can do to mitigate the stress include enrolling in expedited security programs, submitting your passport for renewal at least six months before travel, booking your flights well in advance and shipping your presents to help make the holiday travel experience easier.

Related reading:

• The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare
• Best travel credit cards
• Why you should use points and miles to book holiday travel

Would you like to spend more than 130 days exploring Asia, the Pacific and Alaska? Princess Cruises has switched up its previously announced world cruise itinerary to make the voyage more immersive in the Pacific region.

With ongoing unrest affecting the Red Sea region, Princess decided not to send a ship through the area to bring passengers from Asia to Europe. It has replaced calls on ports in Greece, Cyprus, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, France, Belgium, England and Portugal and other countries with new calls in China, Japan and Alaska.

The new route on the 2,000-passenger Coral Princess now includes two overnights — one in Bangkok and one in Hanoi, Vietnam — plus 12 late nights that will allow passengers to spend more time in places like Honolulu, Tahiti, Auckland, Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong and Osaka, Japan, among others.

“This Circle Pacific Voyage is more than just an itinerary,” John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, said in a statement. “It’s an invitation to explore some of the Pacific’s most iconic and remote destinations in a single, unforgettable journey.”

The revised cruise will depart on Jan. 5, 2026, from Fort Lauderdale, and sail for 131 days. It will visit 60 destinations across 19 countries. For travelers who wish to depart from the U.S. West Coast, Princess is also offering a slightly shorter 115-day segment, departing Jan. 21, 2026, from Los Angeles. Both will conclude in Los Angeles on May 16, 2026.

While on board Coral Princess, passengers can expect activities typical of a Princess sailing, such as cooking and dance classes, enrichment programs, musical productions, spa services and outdoor movies. There are also some activities unique to this voyage. Among them are themed deck parties and special entertainment reflecting the history and folklore of the countries visited.

Inside cabin prices start from $32,549 per person for the longer voyage and $28,309 per person for the shorter one. Both fares are based on double occupancy, and they include taxes and fees.

Passengers who don’t have that much cash or vacation time to spare can seek out one of several shorter and more specific segment options. Examples include a 16-night Panama Canal crossing from $2,019 per person; a 30-day Hawaii and South Pacific crossing from $5,048 per person; a nine-day Australia and New Zealand voyage from $1,678 per person; an 11-day Japan, Taiwan and Korea cruise from $1,938 per person; and a nine-day California coastal sailing from $1,349 per person. All fares are for inside accommodations and are based on double occupancy; they include taxes and fees.

Cruisers who reserve the full voyage or the 115-day segment by Dec. 31 will be booked under the Princess Premier package. This package features perks like a premium beverage package, streaming Wi-Fi for up to four devices, free specialty restaurant dining, crew tips, unlimited fitness classes and a photo package. Other freebies include free airfare, up to $500 in onboard credit and complimentary transfers from select airports.

Learn more about Princess cruises here:

• Ultimate guide to Princess Cruises
• Princess Cruises’ Captain’s Circle loyalty program
• All you need to know about Princess Cruises cabins
• All about Princess Cruises’ beverage packages
• Princess cruise ship classes explained
• Princess cruise ships, newest to oldest
• Princess cruise ships, biggest to smallest
• The best destinations you can visit on a Princess ship
• What is Princess’ OceanMedallion?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

As a frequent user of the IHG One Rewards program, I often redeem IHG points for stays. Luckily, IHG periodically offers buy points promotions that let me boost my account balance.

However, you don’t always want to buy IHG points during a buy points sale if you’re looking for the best deal. Instead, you’ll typically want to wait for a 100% bonus promotion, which usually appears once or twice each year. During 100% bonus promotions, you can buy IHG points for just 0.5 cents per point — significantly lower than the redemption rate I regularly get when redeeming IHG points.

IHG is running a buy points promotion through Nov. 16, although members will see different bonus rates when they log in. TPG staffers have seen between 60% and 100% bonus offers, so let’s take a closer look at this IHG buy points promotion and whether you should consider it.

IHG buy points sale details

IHG’s current buy points sale offers members up to a 100% bonus when they buy at least 5,000 points through Nov. 16. I’m only targeted for a 60% bonus, but TPG senior writer Ben Smithson is targeted for a 100% bonus.

You can only purchase 200,000 IHG points per calendar year. However, if you are targeted for the 100% bonus and purchase 200,000 points for $2,000 during this sale, you’ll get a total of 400,000 points.

There are certain points thresholds at which costs decrease with volume, so you’ll usually need to buy 26,000 IHG points or more at a time to get the best purchase rate. For example, it’s more expensive to buy 25,000 points ($287.50) than 26,000 points ($260).

Note that point purchases are nonrefundable, and it may take up to 72 hours for purchased points to appear in your account. You can buy IHG points by going to IHG’s buy points page and logging in.

Related: The 19 best IHG hotels in the world

Should I buy IHG points now?

If you are targeted for a 100% bonus and usually get more than 0.5 cents per point when redeeming IHG points, you should consider buying IHG points during this buy points promotion.

My husband and I usually buy the maximum number of IHG points each year during 100% bonus buy points promotions. After all, IHG buy points promotions don’t get better than 0.5 cents per point, and we can easily get more than 0.5 cents per point when redeeming IHG points.

We frequently use the fourth-night-free reward perk — a benefit of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — to get more value from our IHG points. This perk, which is also available to cardholders of the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, lets us pay zero points for every fourth night when redeeming IHG points for a stay of four nights or longer.

Plus, most IHG award bookings are flexible until shortly before your arrival date. So, you can buy IHG points now and snag low award rates for upcoming trips without much risk.

Remember, though, that IHG uses dynamic award pricing. So, although it’s currently easy to get more than 0.5 cents per point when redeeming IHG points, IHG could change its award pricing algorithm at any time.

Related: How to maximize award redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program

Frequently asked questions about buying IHG points

You may have other questions about buying IHG points. Here are some of the most common.

How else can I earn IHG points?

This buy points promotion isn’t the only way to earn IHG points.

For example, you could sign up for an IHG credit card. My personal favorite is the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card since it provides automatic Platinum Elite status, an anniversary night worth up to 40,000 points each year, up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash each calendar year and access to the previously mentioned fourth-night-free reward when I redeem IHG points for stays of four nights or longer.

You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to IHG One Rewards. However, I don’t recommend doing this since you’ll typically find more value when transferring Ultimate Rewards points to other programs.

Bilt Rewards Points also transfer to IHG One Rewards. Still, you’ll usually get a better value from your Bilt points when transferring to a higher-value partner like World of Hyatt.

Related: Current IHG promotions: Earn bonus points, fast-track to elite status, discounts and more

How much does it cost to buy IHG One Rewards points?

Targeted members can buy IHG points for as low as 0.5 cents per point through Nov. 16. This is much lower than the standard purchase rate of 1 to 1.35 cents per point that you’ll see when there isn’t a buy points promotion.

Related: When does it make sense to buy points and miles?

Which credit card should I use to buy IHG points?

When you buy IHG points, points.com processes the transaction instead of IHG. Your purchase won’t code as travel, and you won’t earn a travel category bonus if you use one of the best travel rewards cards.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card give you a 20% discount when you buy IHG points. You can’t combine this discount with any other points purchase offer, so you won’t get the discount unless you buy IHG points at full price outside of a buy points promotion.

As such, you’ll usually want to buy IHG points with one of the best cards for everyday spending or a card for which you’re currently working to meet a minimum spending requirement.

Related: The best credit cards for buying points and miles

Bottom line

When IHG One Rewards offers a 100% buy points promotion, it’s time to consider whether you need more IHG points for upcoming trips. Since IHG uses dynamic pricing, buying points carries a small risk if you aren’t confident you’ll go on the award trip you book with the points you’ve purchased.

If you’ve ever seen the back of a cruise ship and wondered why it bears the name of a seemingly random city, you’re not alone. That city represents the country in which the ship is registered. But, with cruisers from the United States making up the largest number of passengers in the global cruise market, why are cruise ships not registered in the U.S.?

Here, I’ll explain why you’re unlikely to see the names of U.S. cities emblazoned on cruise ships.

Where are cruise ships registered?

The names you’ll most often see on ships are cities in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Panama, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, among others. (For decades, Liberia also flew its flag on ships from several popular cruise lines, but that has since changed.) Registering ships in foreign countries — which charge cruise lines for the privilege of being registered there — is known as “flags of convenience.”

Why are cruise ships registered in the Bahamas, Panama and other countries?

Because the ships weren’t built in the U.S.

United States law doesn’t allow vessels to be U.S. flagged unless they were built there. Unfortunately, there are no U.S. shipyards with the capacity or expertise to construct ships as large as today’s behemoths, so they’re built overseas — mostly in Europe.

Because cruise lines want to pay less in taxes

Cruise lines pay taxes to their home countries — the nations where their ships are registered. Lines often pay less in taxes when their ships are flagged in countries like Panama and the Bahamas, which saves them money.

That’s not to say cruise lines don’t pay taxes, though, including in the United States. Although the U.S. has a reciprocal agreement with most of the countries in which cruise ships are registered — meaning that if the U.S. doesn’t federally tax those nations’ vessels, they won’t tax America’s, either — cruise lines still pay taxes in the United States annually but at a reduced federal rate.

As an example, in 2023, Carnival Corporation & PLC — which operates Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard, Seabourn and other brands — paid $13 million in taxes on a loss of $62 million, according to its annual report. It also pays port docking fees and, in some ports, such as those in Alaska, a per-passenger head tax levied each time the ship visits.

Cruise industry spending in the U.S. in 2019 — before the COVID-19 shutdown — supported approximately $2.6 billion in direct taxes and more than $7.2 billion in total taxes (including direct, indirect and induced) for U.S. federal, state and local governments, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. On average, each $1 million the cruise industry spends in the U.S. supports approximately $102,000 of direct U.S. federal, state and local tax revenue.

Because cruise lines want lower labor costs

Salaries for the lowest-paid workers on cruise ships are low by American standards, but many crew members can earn more money on ships than they’d make working on land in their home countries. In addition to their pay, crew receive gratuities from passengers and opportunities to advance to a higher-salaried position.

Ships that are registered in the U.S. are required to employ American crew and pay them according to United States laws that require minimum wage. That, of course, drives up costs for the lines — and, subsequently, passengers — so it’s more economical for cruise lines to flag their ships abroad.

By registering their vessels outside the U.S., cruise lines can also require their employees to work more than 40 hours per week without overtime pay — something that’s necessary due to the nearly 24/7 operational nature of cruise ships and limited number of crew berths.

What cruise ship is registered in the U.S.?

The only mainstream megaship registered in the United States is Norwegian Cruise Line‘s Pride of America, which required a special government exception for its registration. Because it’s flagged in the U.S., it can exclusively sail intra-island cruises around Hawaii without calling on a foreign port — something required for foreign-flagged ships under the Passenger Vessel Services Act.

Additionally, some smaller cruise ships registered in the United States include those in the fleets belonging to UnCruise Adventures and American Cruise Lines. Those companies operate smaller expedition-style vessels, riverboats and Great Lakes vessels that are U.S.-flagged. Due to their smaller sizes, they could be constructed and, therefore, registered in the U.S.

Bottom line

Cruise lines almost always register their ships in countries outside of the United States to reap benefits like lower taxes and reduced labor regulations. With lower operating costs, cruise lines can pass on those savings to passengers and keep cruise fares affordable.

Learn more about cruising with these TPG resources:

• Packing for a cruise? These items aren’t allowed on board
• Man overboard: Cruise ship overboards and how they happen
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• What is the Jones Act, and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What’s a cruise cabin guarantee — and will it save you money?
• What’s the difference between a cruise ship concierge and a butler?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Loyalty programs are a huge moneymaker for airlines and hotel companies because they support many revenue streams. One of these revenue streams is selling airline miles and hotel points directly to travelers.

Programs can get an immediate cash injection by selling points and miles as travelers prepay for future travel. However, as a traveler, keep in mind that it generally only makes sense to purchase points and miles when a discount or bonus offer is available.

This roundup of points and miles sales walks you through some of the best current offers on airline miles and hotel points, including some that may be targeted. But first, let’s discuss when it makes sense to buy points and miles.

Should you buy points and miles?

There are a couple of things to consider before taking advantage of points and miles sales.

First, buying points and miles only makes sense for certain travelers and at certain times. It’s generally a much better deal to earn points and miles for “free” through welcome bonuses tied to travel rewards credit cards.

However, buying points and miles during good promotions can make sense for those who have tapped out their credit card options and can get high value from their rewards. It can also make sense when you need more points to lock in a specific redemption.

We generally only recommend buying points or miles if you have an immediate use in mind. In that case, buying points and miles can save you thousands of dollars. However, we don’t recommend stockpiling your loyalty rewards, as programs frequently undergo unexpected devaluations.

With that, here are the current promotions for buying points and miles.

Related: What are points and miles worth? TPG’s current monthly valuations

Promotions for buying airline miles

American Airlines AAdvantage

• Current promotion: A 10% to 35% discount
• Purchase rate: As low as 2.45 cents per mile
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.6 cents per mile
• End date: Unknown
• Buy AAdvantage miles

American Airlines AAdvantage is offering up to a 35% discount on miles, depending on how many you buy. You must purchase at least 6,000 miles to get the 10% discount, and the discount increases as you buy more miles. You’ll get the highest discount of 35% when you buy 150,000 miles, dropping the price to 2.45 cents per mile. This is significantly higher than TPG’s current valuation of American miles, but buying American miles for specific high-end awards could still make sense.

Air Canada Aeroplan

• Current promotion: Up to 30% discount
• Purchase rate: As low as about 1.76 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.5 cents per point
• End date: Nov. 18, 2024
• Buy Aeroplan points

Air Canada Aeroplan is currently offering up to a 30% discount when you buy at least 100,000 points. If you buy at least 10,000 points, you’ll receive a 15% discount, and you’ll get a 20% discount when purchasing at least 20,000 points and a 25% discount when buying at least 80,000 points.

While the lowest purchasing rate you can receive is about 1.76 cents per point, this is still higher than TPG’s November valuation of 1.5 cents per point. This isn’t the best deal we’ve seen, but it could be worth topping off your Aeroplan account if you have a redemption in mind. Booking a business-class ticket, a stopover for 5,000 points or a round-trip economy ticket within North America are just a few ways to maximize your Aeroplan points.

JetBlue TrueBlue

• Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus points (targeted)
• Purchase rate: 1.61 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.3 cents per point
• End date: Nov. 8, 2024
• Buy TrueBlue points

JetBlue TrueBlue is offering a 100% bonus promotion when you purchase at least 3,000 points. This bonus brings the cost per point down to a flat rate of 1.61 cents each, which is higher than TPG’s November valuation of 1.3 cents per point. This isn’t a terrible purchase rate, as TrueBlue points typically cost 3 cents apiece when you purchase them from the airline. If you have a JetBlue redemption in mind and are short a few points, this is a solid option.

Note that this offer may targeted, and some TrueBlue members may receive up to a 125% bonus.

Finnair Plus Avios

• Current promotion: Up to a 50% discount on Avios
• Purchase rate: About 1.12 cents per Avios
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.4 cents per Avios
• End date: Nov. 20, 2024
• Buy Finnair Plus Avios

Finnair Plus is currently offering up to a 50% discount when you purchase at least 75,000 Avios. Therefore, with the current maximum discount, you can purchase Avios for about as low as 1.12 cents. Since Finnair adopted Avios as its loyalty currency in 2024, you can transfer your Avios between the following programs at a 1:1 rate: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub and Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

Since TPG values Avios at 1.4 cents each, per our November 2024 valuations, this could be a great opportunity to snag a business-class ticket from the U.S. to Europe for less than $500. For example, Iberia Plus only charges 34,000 Avios (not including taxes and fees) for an off-peak business-class seat, meaning you could travel between select U.S. cities and European cities for a reasonable Avios rate. If you wanted to purchase 34,000 Avios with the current Finnair Plus promotion, you would receive a 40% discount, and you’d pay about $480. This is a great deal considering a business-class, one-way cash fare seat can cost you well over $2,000.

HawaiianMiles

• Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus miles
• Purchase rate: 1.27 cents per mile
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.2 cents per mile
• End date: Nov. 15, 2024
• Buy HawaiianMiles miles

Hawaiian Airlines is currently running a great promotion when you purchase HawaiianMiles. Members can receive up to a 100% bonus, lowering the purchase rate to 1.27 cents per mile. Though this is slightly above TPG’s November 2024 valuation of HawaiianMiles, which we value at 1.2 cents each, loyalty program members can transfer their Hawaiian miles to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan at a 1:1 rate following the merger. Since TPG values Alaska miles at 1.4 cents per mile (per our November 2024 valuations), this is a solid purchasing rate to snag main cabin or even lie-flat business-class seats to Hawaii for less than $500.

United MileagePlus

• Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus miles
• Purchase rate: As low as 1.88 cents per mile
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.35 cents per mile
• End date: Nov. 21, 2024
• Buy MileagePlus miles

United MileagePlus is running an up to 100% bonus miles promotion. MileagePlus members can receive a 30% bonus when purchasing at least 5,000 miles, a 65% bonus when buying at least 20,000 miles and a 100% bonus when buying at least 40,000 miles. Note that your individual offer may be better or worse.

The 100% bonus would reduce the price to 1.88 cents per mile, considerably higher than TPG’s November 2024 valuation of 1.35 cents each for United miles. Therefore, unless you have a specific redemption in mind and want to top off your account balance, we wouldn’t recommend purchasing additional miles.

Promotions for buying hotel points

Choice Privileges

• Current promotion: 50% bonus points
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.68 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 0.6 cents per point
• End date: Nov. 10, 2024
• Buy Choice Privileges points

Choice’s “Fall special” sale on points is offering 50% bonus points when you purchase at least 8,000 Choice Privileges points. Since TPG’s November 2024 valuations peg Choice points at 0.6 cents each, this may be a good value if you’re looking to top off your balance for a specific redemption. However, it’s always best to compare the cash rate versus the points required per night.

For example, a one-night stay at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson in Flagstaff, Arizona, would cost around $109 for a February 2025 stay or 30,000 Choice points. With the discount, purchasing 20,000 points with a 10,000-point bonus (50% bonus points) would cost over $200. Therefore, buying Choice points for this stay would not be worth it, as you would actually save money by booking the stay with cash.

Hilton Honors

• Current promotion: 100% bonus points
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.5 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 0.6 cents per point
• End date: Nov. 27, 2024
• Buy Hilton Honors points

Hilton Honors’ latest points-buying promotion is offering members a 100% bonus on the points you buy, meaning you get double the points for the same price. Offers may vary, but you generally must purchase at least 5,000 points to get the bonus. The maximum 100% bonus essentially halves the cost per point, which is now only 0.5 cents. This is a great deal considering TPG values Hilton points at 0.6 cents apiece, per our November 2024 valuations.

If you want to stock up on Hilton points or have a dreamy tropical Hilton destination in mind, now is the time to buy. Plus, you can now book Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties using Hilton Honors points.

IHG One Rewards (targeted)

• Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus points
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.5 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 0.5 cents per point
• End date: Nov. 16, 2024
• Buy IHG One Rewards points

IHG One Rewards is currently running a targeted promotion for members to earn up to 100% bonus points. If you are targeted for up to 100% bonus points, this drops the purchasing rate to as low as 0.5 cents per points, which is right on target for TPG’s November 2024 valuation of IHG points.

Though we don’t recommend stocking up on IHG points without having a redemption in mind, if you’re already starting to plan your 2025 travels, this could be a great promotion to help save a bit of money. Check out our guide to how you can redeem IHG points for maximum value.

Marriott Bonvoy

• Current promotion: Up to a 45% bonus
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.86 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 0.85 cents per point
• End date: Dec. 23, 2024
• Buy Mariott Bonvoy points

Marriott Bonvoy is offering another promotion to its members. From now through Dec. 23, Bonvoy members can receive 45% bonus points when purchasing at least 2,000 points. If you have access to this 45% bonus, you’ll pay as little as 0.86 cents per Bonvoy point — close to TPG’s November 2024 valuation of 0.85 cents per point. This could be a worthwhile offer if you’re eyeing one of the best Marriott all-inclusive resorts or Homes & Villas vacation rentals to book with points.

World of Hyatt

• Current promotion: 25% bonus
• Purchase rate: 1.9 cents per point
• TPG November 2024 valuation: 1.7 cents per point
• End date: Jan. 4, 2025
• Buy World of Hyatt points

World of Hyatt, one of the most award-friendly hotel programs, is offering 25% bonus points, reducing the cost per point to 1.92 cents. This may seem like a good deal considering these points usually cost 2.4 cents each when you purchase them from the company, but it’s on the high side compared to TPG’s November 2024 valuation of 1.7 cents per Hyatt point. As a result, we wouldn’t recommend buying points now unless you need to top off your account for a redemption in the near future.

Which credit card should you use to buy points and miles?

Most of these promotions are processed through points.com rather than directly by the hotel or airline, so you won’t earn bonus rewards with most travel rewards cards. You’ll want to use an everyday spending card that offers a solid return on nonbonus spending.

The main exception to this rule is American Airlines. This airline reportedly codes mileage purchases as airfare, so you may want to use a credit card that earns bonus miles on airfare for the highest return when buying AAdvantage miles.

Or, if you’re working toward a minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus on a new card, using that card may be the way to go.

Remember that you may incur foreign transaction fees on some cards when buying points or miles from a program abroad, so you may want to use one of the following cards:

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

Bottom line

Buying points and miles isn’t always a good idea, but it can make sense in some situations, especially if you can take advantage of a current promotion. In most cases, it’s best to have a specific redemption in mind before you consider paying for points and miles.

If you are a frequent flyer and spend many hours traveling each year, having elite status with an airline, such as United Airlines, can make a significant difference in your travel experience. Shorter lines, faster service, complimentary upgrades, international lounge access and other benefits can easily make stressful trips more seamless.

However, these perks do not come without a cost. Airlines often require significant time, money or both to achieve that elusive elite status. With thresholds to reach status seemingly ever-increasing, it is important to weigh the benefits against the drawbacks of remaining loyal to one airline program. This is especially true for the United MileagePlus program, which recently unveiled increased thresholds for earning Premier status in 2025.

This guide will evaluate United Premier status and break down the different status tiers, how to earn them and if their perks are worth the effort for United flyers.

Related: United Airlines MileagePlus: Guide to earning and redeeming miles, elite status and more

What is United Premier status?

When you choose to fly United Airlines and add your MileagePlus number to your booking, in addition to earning miles, you earn points toward Premier status. Depending on which United elite status tier you achieve, perks range from complimentary first-class upgrades on most domestic flights (depending on availability) to earning bonus miles that can be redeemed for future travel.

You can qualify for Premier status through a combination of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying points, or with Premier qualifying points alone. The number of flights and points you earn in a calendar year will determine which status you achieve, which is then valid for the remainder of the calendar year, the entirety of the following year, and the first month of the year after.

For instance, if you reached status requirements anytime in 2024, you will hold the status through Jan. 31, 2026. So, earning elite status as quickly as possible in the calendar year makes sense so you can enjoy the benefits for as long as possible.

Related: Best United Airlines credit cards

United Premier status tiers

Anyone can make a United MileagePlus account for free online, where you start as a “Member” and can take off on your elite status expedition. You’ll have four official elite status tiers to work toward:

• Premier Silver
• Premier Gold
• Premier Platinum
• Premier 1K

These are comparable to the elite status tiers of rival airline loyalty programs American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta Air Lines SkyMiles. As you climb the ranks, the perks become more lucrative, offering incredible benefits such as lounge access and free checked bags.

There’s also an unpublished exclusive tier called Global Services, which can only be achieved by flying 4 million miles or receiving a personal invitation.

Related: How to redeem miles with the United MileagePlus program 

How to qualify for United Premier status

In recent years, many airlines have moved away from calculating elite status based on actual mileage flown. For United, this means elite status is achieved by taking Premier qualifying flights, or PQFs, which include flight segments on both United and partner airlines, and earning Premier qualifying points, or PQPs. PQPs — not to be confused with United MileagePlus miles — are earned solely for the purpose of elite status and cannot be redeemed for award flights.

You can earn PQPs by flying, though the earning rate depends on which airline operates the flight and whether you book it with cash or miles. You can also earn PQPs through spending on cobranded credit cards.

Type of flight	PQP earning rate
United and United Express flights booked with cash	Earn 1 PQP per dollar spent on base airfare and carrier-imposed surcharges (not including taxes and other fees).
United and United Express flights booked with miles	Earn 1 PQP for every 100 MileagePlus miles redeemed on flights and seat upgrades.
Partner flights booked with cash	Earn 1 PQP for every 5 award miles on preferred partner airlines. Note that you can only earn a maximum of 750 PQPs for economy and premium economy seats and 1,500 PQPs for first- and business-class seats. Earn 1 PQP for every 6 award miles on MileagePlus partner airlines. You can earn 1 PQP for every 6 award miles; you’ll earn a maximum of 500 PQPs per flight in economy and premium economy and 1,000 PQPs per flight in first and business class.
Partner flights booked with miles	Partner award tickets do not earn PQPs; you’ll only earn miles on flight segments operated by United.

You have two avenues to qualify for United Premier status: You can reach a certain number of combined PQPs and PQFs, or earn PQPs alone.

Unfortunately, United recently announced that these thresholds would increase by roughly 25% for the 2025 status qualification year. Here’s a summary of the changes:

Status tier	PQPs and PQFs (2024)	PQPs and PQFs (2025)	PQPs only (2024)	PQPs only (2025)
Premier Silver	4,000 PQPs and 12 PQFs	5,000 PQPs and 15 PQFs	5,000 PQPs	6,000 PQPs
Premier Gold	8,000 PQPs and 24 PQFs	10,000 PQPs and 30 PQFs	10,000 PQPs	12,000 PQPs
Premier Platinum	12,000 PQPs and 36 PQFs	15,000 PQPs and 45 PQFs	15,000 PQPs	18,000 PQPs
Premier 1K	18,000 PQPs and 54 PQFs	22,000 PQPs and 60 PQFs	24,000 PQPs	28,000 PQPs

So, even if you secured elite status in 2024, you may need to rethink your qualification strategy to meet the new earning requirements in 2025.

However, United has announced plans to give existing elite members a head start on next year’s status in the form of bonus PQPs — and these numbers have also increased from last year. If you qualified for status in 2024, you’ll get the following bonus PQPs in early 2025, depending on your current status level:

• Premier Silver: 300 PQPs
• Premier Gold: 600 PQPs
• Premier Platinum: 900 PQPs
• Premier 1K: 1,400 PQPs

It is also important to note that whether you’re working toward status with PQPs and PQFs or PQPs alone, United has a four-segment requirement to achieve status. This means you must take at least four flights operated by United or United Express to earn any status tier.

United Premier status benefits

As you can imagine, the perks of United loyalty get more and more appealing as you climb the Premier status ladder. Here’s an overview of what you’ll enjoy with each tier:

Premier Silver

This is the lowest elite tier in the MileagePlus program, where you will receive benefits such as:

• Earn 7 miles per dollar spent on flights (basic members only earn 5 miles per dollar)
• Star Alliance Silver status
• Priority Group 2 boarding
• Preferred seating at booking (for up to eight travel companions)
• Economy Plus seating at check-in (for you and up to one travel companion)
• One free 70-pound checked bag
• Priority phone support
• Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as the day of departure
• Instant upgrades to premium cabins on economy tickets

Premier Gold

When you reach the Gold tier, you receive all of the same perks as Silver, in addition to:

• Earn 8 miles per dollar spent
• Star Alliance Gold status
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold status
• United Club lounge access when flying internationally with United or any other Star Alliance airline
• Economy Plus seating at booking (for you and up to one travel companion)
• Group 1 boarding
• Two free 70-pound checked bags
• Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 48 hours before departure

Premier Platinum

For even more-frequent United flyers, you receive all of the same perks as Premier Gold, in addition to:

• Earn 9 miles per dollar spent
• Waived telephone booking fees (these typically cost $25)
• Avis President’s Club status
• Economy Plus seating at booking (for up to eight travel companions)
• Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 72 hours before departure
• 40 PlusPoints

Premier 1K

This is the top tier in United’s program for its most frequent travelers, where you will receive all of the same perks as Premier Platinum, in addition to:

• Earn 11 miles per dollar spent
• Priority boarding, including preboarding the aircraft
• Three free 70-pound checked bags
• Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 96 hours before departure
• An additional 280 PlusPoints

PlusPoints, which are available only to Platinum and 1K members, are a separate currency used for seat upgrades. Unfortunately, using them toward upgrades has grown increasingly difficult in recent years as demand has skyrocketed. That’s why United MileagePlus is introducing several new ways to use your PlusPoints in 2025:

• A PQP or PQF deposit
• TravelBank cash
• Bonus miles
• Gifting Premier status to other MileagePlus members

Though we don’t have many details on these changes yet, they should make it easier to get value from this elite status perk. Look out for more information on new ways to use your PlusPoints as we head into the new year.

Related: Your guide to Star Alliance airlines, lounges and elite status

Can a credit card help you earn United Premier status?

United has several personal and business credit cards, all issued by Chase, that can help you get closer to elite status. None of these cards provide complimentary elite status, but you’ll earn additional PQPs with everyday purchases.

In 2023, United announced how cardholders would earn PQPs from credit cards. Cardholders now earn 25 PQPs per $500 spent on an eligible cobranded United card.

The following cards earn 25 PQPs for every $500 in eligible spending; plus, some cards offer PQPs as part of the welcome bonus:

Card	Best for	Welcome offer	PQP earning cap	Annual fee
United℠ Explorer Card	Frequent United flyers	Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.	Up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
United Quest℠ Card	Frequent United flyers	Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 PQPs after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.	Up to 6,000 PQPs per calendar year	$250
United Club℠ Infinite Card	Frequent United flyers who want United Club lounge access	Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.	Up to 10,000 PQPs per calendar year	$525
United℠ Business Card	Frequent United flyers with an eligible business	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open	Up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
United Club℠ Business Card	Frequent United flyers with an eligible business who want United Club access	Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 1,000 PQPs after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open	Up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year	$450

The information for the United Club Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The ultimate guide to earning elite status with United cards

Is United Premier status worth it?

Elite status can certainly make travel more comfortable and convenient. For example, when your flight is delayed and you want to speak to an agent to get a resolution, having elite status can undoubtedly make the difference in a prompt response. Additionally, holding any United Premier status will help save time with priority boarding and expedited airport check-in lanes. Complimentary upgrades are always enjoyable, though they can sometimes be hard to come by on busy routes, especially between hubs.

If you travel with United or its partner airlines regularly and/or spend significantly on a cobranded credit card, you may find it easy to earn Premier status, and it can be a savvy way to maximize your travel. Plus, this means you’ll also be earning plenty of United miles, which you can redeem for United award flights, all while enjoying your elite status benefits.

However, it’s not worth pursuing status when you can’t enjoy the benefits you’ve worked hard to earn. Be sure to consider United’s route map, its presence at your home airport(s) and how easy it is to get to your desired destination. Living near a United hub such as Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) can certainly make it more worthwhile to pursue United status. If United and its partner airlines don’t fly where you live or where you want to travel, you won’t get much use from United status.

Finally, remember that Premier status does not provide domestic lounge access when traveling with United. If this benefit is important to you, consider applying for the United Club Infinite Card, which provides United Club access and elite perks such as two free checked bags and Premier Access travel services.

Related: Is United Airlines premium economy worth it to Europe?

Bottom line

Earning elite status, especially a top-tier status like Premier 1K, is no easy feat and requires countless hours on planes and thousands of dollars spent. Understanding the cost and perks of United’s elite status is important to determine if it is right for you — especially since United’s recent changes will make status harder to earn in 2025.

Premier perks can make the travel experience less stressful and more enjoyable. Every traveler has their own set of benefits that make it worthwhile to pursue elite status based on budget constraints, home airports, destinations and other individual factors. If you strive for United Airlines elite status, be sure you’ll be able to use the benefits you’ve earned.

The 2024-2025 ski season is almost upon us. Big-name U.S. resorts like the ones in Vail, Colorado; Park City, Utah; and around Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border are slated to open in mid-November, and Colorado’s Wolf Creek Ski Area is already open thanks to an October snowstorm. That means now is a great time to start planning (and budgeting for) a winter getaway.

Even a budget-conscious ski trip can easily cost between $200 and $500 per person, per day when you include lift tickets, gear rentals, meals, lodging and transportation. Tack on some private ski lessons, flights or a splurge on fancy lodging, and that total can quickly multiply.

However, your next trip to the mountain doesn’t have to drain thousands of dollars from your bank account. In fact, you can pay for much of your ski trip using points and miles. Here’s how.

Related: Everything you need to know about packing for a ski trip

Book flights for your ski trip with points and miles

Flights are one of the biggest expenses when taking a ski trip — and one of the easiest ways to save money by using points and miles.

If you have a stash of airline points or miles or a credit card that earns transferable points or miles, you can book award flights directly through airlines. You’ll usually find the best deals either at the very last minute (when hotel prices may not be equally cheap) or far in advance, so we recommend starting your search early. Most airlines offer some sort of calendar feature, allowing you to see which dates have the best prices.

Here are some great options we found.

*Note prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

Flights to mountain airports

There are two strategies for flying to a ski destination. The first is to fly into a small airport that’s close to the slopes. This is very convenient when everything goes smoothly, but keep in mind that you’re less likely to find a nonstop flight to these smaller airports and more likely to see your flight get delayed or canceled due to unpredictable mountain weather. A few years ago, TPG’s Summer Hull was stuck in Aspen, Colorado, for days due to a snowstorm (thankfully, she had built-in trip insurance via her Chase Sapphire Reserve®).

Also, seats on these flights can be quite pricey, especially on weekends or holidays during peak ski season. But there are some fantastic award deals out there that can help you get to your favorite ski slope for (almost) free.

For instance, United Airlines consistently offers Saver awards from many U.S. cities to top ski destinations for 15,000 MileagePlus miles (plus $5.60 in taxes and fees) each way.

You can often get these flights for less by booking them through Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles program or Avianca LifeMiles instead. In this case, the exact same United flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) costs only 12,500 LifeMiles (plus 51,351 Colombian pesos, or about $12) each way.

American Airlines has January flights to Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Wyoming from East Coast airports like Miami International Airport (MIA) and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) ranging from 8,500 to 11,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles and $5.60 in taxes and fees each way. It also has plenty of award space for flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., for only 6,000 miles each way. That’s a great deal for flights that cost roughly $200 to $400 one-way, giving you a value of over 3 cents per mile. (AAdvantage miles are worth 1.6 cents each, per TPG’s November 2024 valuations.)

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has open award space to Vail’s Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) from major airports like Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) for only 7,500 miles and around $20 in taxes and fees each way. Since these flights cost upward of $400 each way, that gives you an excellent value of over 5 cents per mile.

Southwest Airlines doesn’t fly to a ton of smaller ski destinations, but it does serve Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN) in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. For example, you could fly from Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to HDN for under 10,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points each way this January — and if you hold the sought-after Companion Pass, you could bring a loved one for just the cost of taxes and fees. You’ll also get two free checked bags, which is especially helpful when traveling with ski gear.

Most airlines aren’t so generous when it comes to baggage, but having an airline cobranded credit card will often get you at least one free checked bag.

Flights to larger airports

You may choose to fly into a larger airport, even if it’s a little farther from the slopes. Some common ones include Denver International Airport (DEN), Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), depending on where you’re planning to ski. This gives you more options when it comes to flights and potentially better award pricing.

For instance, you can fly to Denver on Delta Air Lines this upcoming ski season for under 10,000 SkyMiles each way from places like Seattle (5,500 miles), Minneapolis (6,500 miles), Chicago (7,000 miles) and Boston (9,500 miles). United is currently offering flights to Reno from New York City starting from 13,300 MileagePlus miles each way or from Seattle starting from 10,100 miles one-way. As for American, the carrier has award space to Salt Lake City from Miami, Dallas and Charleston, South Carolina, for around 10,000 AAdvantage miles each way.

Since Southwest doesn’t serve most of the smaller mountain airports, flying into a bigger airport will give Southwest loyalists far more options to use their Rapid Rewards points, Companion Pass or credit card perks.

The downside of this approach is that you will have to arrange travel from the airport to your destination. Thankfully, many ski destinations offer shuttle services and public transportation options, and there are several ways to book rental cars with points or miles — we’ll cover these in more detail later.

Related: Denver airport gets 17 new security lanes — here’s what you need to know

Credit card portals and perks

When researching flights, don’t overlook credit card travel booking platforms, where you can redeem points for flights at a flat rate. For instance, many Capital One cardholders can get 1 cent per mile on Capital One Travel purchases, while those with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve can get 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point, respectively, using the Chase Travel℠ portal.

In this case, the cost in points or miles correlates to the cash price of a flight. If you find a cheap flight to your ski destination, this could be a great way to book it with points or miles. And because airlines typically code these flights as paid revenue flights, you’ll likely still earn airline points or miles on them.

You can also choose to book a flight in cash and then redeem your points or miles for a statement credit to cover the purchase. For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a rate of 1 cent per mile while allowing you to take advantage of credit card perks like trip cancellation and interruption.

Don’t forget to take advantage of other card benefits, either. Airline cards often provide free checked bags or boarding upgrades. Some cards offer cash back (in the form of a statement credit) on airline incidental purchases; for example, The Platinum Card® from American Express provides an annual (up to) $200 statement credit toward airline incidental fees (enrollment is required). You can use this to cover checked baggage fees (which can really add up on a family ski trip) or pay for seat assignments to ensure your group can sit together.

Simply holding certain cards can get you valuable discounts on award flights. For example, Delta’s TakeOff 15 feature gives many eligible Delta cobranded cardholders a 15% discount on flights booked with Delta SkyMiles, while the United Quest℠ Card provides two 5,000-mile rebates on award flights each year.

Related: United Quest vs. Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex: Battle of the mid-tier airline cards

Book hotels for your ski trip with points and miles

If you’re a frequent skier, you already know how pricey on-mountain lodging can be during ski season. The good news is that many of these hotels belong to major loyalty programs like Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy, meaning you can use your hard-earned points and miles and free night certificates to slash the cost of your ski trip.

Even better, most of these hotels’ sites offer a calendar feature to help you find the best rates and dates for your wintry vacation. Here are some deals we’ve found at the most popular programs.

*Note prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

Hilton Honors

If you’re a Hilton loyalist, there are many options for redeeming your Honors Honors points at hotels at or near ski resorts. With the Hilton Honors program, there’s no set award chart. Instead, the hotel operates using dynamic pricing, except for standard room rewards. Each hotel has a range for the number of points it charges per night for standard room rewards that you can find using Hilton’s Points Explorer tool.

Although you can expect most dates during ski season to fall under peak pricing and thus have the highest award rates, there are some reasonable options out there. For example, the Hampton Inn & Suites South Lake Tahoe runs between 47,000 and 70,000 points per night in January.

Since these are standard room rewards, those with a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (after spending $15,000 in a calendar year) or a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card could theoretically use a free night reward — but we wouldn’t recommend it. These certificates are extremely valuable because you can use them for any standard room reward worth up to 150,000 points. You’re better off using your free night at a property like the Waldorf Astoria Park City, which costs 110,000 points for a standard room reward. Cash rates there during ski season regularly climb to well over $1,000 per night.

The information for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Like many of Hilton’s ski properties, the Waldorf Astoria Park City is classified as a resort by Hilton, meaning Aspire cardholders can use their semiannual (up to) $200 Hilton resort statement credit there. Other Hilton ski resorts include the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Breckenridge, the Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort South, the Homewood Suites by Hilton Mont-Tremblant Resort and the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa.

Hilton offers several cobranded credit cards to fast-track your Honors points. Many of these provide elite status, which not only gives you perks during your stay but also allows you to book a fifth night free with points.

Related: Best Hilton credit cards

World of Hyatt

World of Hyatt is a popular hotel program among travelers, in part because it still uses an award chart — which can result in some fantastic Hyatt redemptions.

While the top-notch ski resorts will typically require between 25,000 and 45,000 World of Hyatt points per night, there are a few hidden gems in the program. For example, Hyatt Place Keystone / Dillon and Hyatt Place Park City are both Category 4 properties, meaning they cost only 18,000 points per night on peak dates. For those with the World of Hyatt Credit Card, this is a great opportunity to use your annual Hyatt Category 1-4 free night certificate.

You can often get the most value from your points at higher-category properties. For instance, the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley is a Category 6 property, meaning peak dates will set you back 29,000 points per night. Cash rates average around $1,300 during ski season, giving you a value of roughly 4.5 cents per point — well over TPG’s November 2024 valuation of 1.7 cents each for World of Hyatt points.

When checking award rates at an individual hotel, click “Points Calendar” to see which dates are cheapest. Although most dates during ski season tend to fall under “peak” pricing, you may get lucky.

One major benefit of using your points at Hyatt properties is that resort fees are waived on award stays. Parking fees are also waived for Globalist members, even on paid reservations.

Related: World of Hyatt elite status: What it is and how to earn it

Marriott Bonvoy

If an annual ski vacation is in your future, you’ll probably want to start earning points within the Marriott Bonvoy program ASAP. That’s because it offers the greatest number of ski-friendly properties across out west and beyond. There’s everything from high-end ski-in, ski-out resorts to more budget-friendly properties not too far from the main ski villages.

Marriott now uses dynamic pricing, and ski season generally translates to the highest rates. You can search for the cheapest dates by checking the “Flexible dates” box when setting the dates for your search.

Some reasonably priced properties include the Residence Inn Steamboat Springs and the Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, where award rates this winter are mostly in the 60,000- to 75,000-point range. Both hotels offer full kitchens, so you could save even more by dining in.

But as with Hyatt, you can often maximize the value of your points at Marriott’s luxury properties — if you have enough points to book them. For instance, a weekend at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe in January will set you back roughly 125,000 points per night. With cash rates around $1,300, you can get a value of over 1 cent per point. That’s pretty good, considering TPG values Bonvoy points at 0.85 cents apiece, as of November 2024.

Other upscale resorts to consider include The Cloudveil, Autograph Collection in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and The Sky Residences at W Aspen and The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Avon, Vail Valley in Colorado.

Unfortunately, unlike Hilton and Hyatt, Marriott charges nightly resort fees, even if you book with points or hold elite status. You’ll receive your fifth night free when booking with points, but it’ll take off your least expensive night.

Some Marriott cards provide annual free night awards that you can use at a variety of properties. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is currently offering 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in eligible purchases in your first three months from account opening. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has its best-ever offer: You can earn 60,000 points plus one free night award (valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months from account opening. (Certain hotels have resort fees.)

Related: The best Marriott all-inclusive resorts for a perfect vacation

Other hotels and vacation rentals

We’ve covered some of the most popular points hotels, but they aren’t the only ones to consider for your ski trip.

IHG Hotels & Resorts offers a handful of properties conveniently located near ski resorts, like the Holiday Inn Steamboat Springs, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Park City and the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Tahoe Ridge Resort. Many of these cost 40,000 IHG One Rewards points or less per night, which means you can use your annual anniversary reward night certificate (capped at 40,000 points) that comes with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Cardmembers also get a fourth night free on consecutive award stays.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has several options that are a little outside of popular ski resorts, resulting in much lower prices. For instance, the Super 8 by Wyndham Dillon/Breckenridge Area is within a half-hour drive of Breckenridge and Keystone, Colorado, and costs only 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night. Some Wyndham resorts require a two- or three-night minimum stay, so it can help to check for award availability for multiple nights.

Choice Hotels’ portfolio includes a handful of properties near ski slopes, like Comfort Inn Near Vail Beaver Creek in Colorado and Quality Inn Near Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in California. The downside is that you can’t book with Choice Privileges points until 100 days in advance.

If you’d prefer a vacation rental — perhaps because you’re traveling with a large group or hoping to save money by dining in — there are a few ways to book vacation rentals with points through places like Vacasa, Marriott Homes & Villas, Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt and Bluegreen Vacations. Additionally, some credit card travel portals, like Capital One Travel, now offer a selection of vacation rentals. Another option is to book a Vrbo or an Airbnb with cash and use your credit card points or miles to pay off the purchase.

Related: Planning for ski season: How I booked a $1,500 vacation rental for just 45,000 points

Credit card travel portals

As with flights, you can book hotels directly with points or miles via your credit card’s travel portal. This option is attractive if you hold Chase’s Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, as they give you a redemption value of 1.25 cents per point and 1.5 cents per point, respectively, when you book through Chase Travel.

Additionally, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card provides a $300 travel credit each cardmember year; however, you must book through the Capital One Travel portal.

Get lift tickets and ski gear using points and miles

Once your flight and hotel are taken care of, you might think you’ve covered the bulk of your ski trip expenses. But don’t forget about the cost of lift tickets, ski passes and equipment. These expenses are easy to overlook, but they can quickly stack up to hundreds of dollars per person. Thankfully, there are ways to cover some or all of them with points and miles.

Lift tickets and passes

One tip to save money (or points and miles) and guarantee a day on the mountain is to purchase lift tickets before the season starts. You can do this through advance single-day ticket reservations or a larger package or pass, which generally offer better rates than buying your ticket on the mountain. A season pass makes sense if you plan to take more than one ski trip, and it can even be worth the money for a single weeklong trip. Be aware that pass prices often rise as ski season nears, and sales usually end at some point in fall.

When it comes to using points for lift tickets and passes, you have a few options. Many rewards cards offer a way to put your points or miles toward previous purchases, giving you a statement credit that effectively cancels the purchase. However, the categories you can do this with — and the value you’ll get from your points or miles — depend on what card you have.

For instance, Capital One lets you pay with miles for travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per mile. However, ski passes typically don’t code as travel purchases; they often code as entertainment. You could redeem your Capital One miles for cash back to cover the cost of your ski pass, but that would give you half the value at 0.5 cents per mile.

One way to get around this is through a site called Undercover Tourist. Several big-name ski passes, such as the Epic Pass, are available for purchase via the site. If you buy your pass through Undercover Tourist, the purchase will code as travel, giving you more options to redeem points and miles.

Let’s say you bought a three-day Epic Pass for $330 on Undercover Tourist with your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Since Capital One considers this a travel purchase, you could redeem 33,000 miles to cover it. If you bought the same pass elsewhere and it coded as entertainment, you could still redeem your miles for cash back, but you’d need to redeem double the miles to cover the purchase.

Related: What’s the best ski pass this season? Comparing Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective and Indy passes

Redeem points for ski gift cards

Alternatively, you can put your points toward lift tickets by redeeming them for relevant gift cards. For example, Chase lets you redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a rate of 1 cent each for gift cards at various merchants, including REI. Citi lets you redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points for gift cards at the same value, and you can sometimes get up to 1.11 cents per point during sales.

You can also redeem 28,600 American Express Membership Rewards points for a $200 Aspen Snowmass gift card, but we don’t recommend it. At less than a 1-cent-per-point redemption, this isn’t a great option for travelers, especially when TPG values these points at 2 cents each as of November 2024. In most cases, you’re better off using your points for flights or accommodations.

Ski for free

In addition to using points and miles, there are many ways for children and seniors to ski for free (or at a drastic discount). Targeting resorts where at least some of the family can ski for less can save you serious cash and/or points and miles.

Rent ski gear using points

As with lift tickets, you can redeem your points and miles for gift cards or statement credits to put toward ski gear purchases. But if you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can also use them to rent ski gear in many locations.

In the Chase Travel portal, you can redeem points directly for travel. Ski gear rentals are included under the “Activities” tab.

Just enter your destination and dates, then filter the results for words like “ski.”

This is a pretty good use of your points because you’ll get a value of more than 1 cent per point. Sapphire Preferred cardholders can redeem points at a rate of 1.25 cents each; those with the Sapphire Reserve get an even better rate of 1.5 cents each.

Book ground transportation for your ski trip with points and miles

Last but not always least is getting from the airport to the mountain (and back).

Rental cars

If you need a vehicle during your ski vacation, there are several ways to book rental cars with points and miles. As with flights and hotels, you can use rental car rewards points to book your vehicle directly, or you can book it with credit card points or miles through your issuer’s travel portal. You can also use cash-back rewards toward statement credits to cover the cost of a rental car (as well as related purchases like gas and parking).

And don’t forget that many travel rewards cards offer car rental insurance, so you won’t need to pay extra for it. Some cards provide elite status at certain rental agencies, which often comes with perks like vehicle upgrades or a free second driver, saving you even more money.

Related: What I’ve learned from multiple car rentals with the Capital One Travel portal

Shuttles and public transportation

If you’re balking at the thought of paying for a rental car (or navigating snowy mountain roads), a shuttle service or public transportation may be easier on your wallet and your nerves.

Epic Mountain Express offers van service (with free Wi-Fi) from the Denver airport to many Colorado ski areas, such as Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper Mountain — and Epic Pass holders get a 20% discount. The Snowstang bus runs to several ski hills in Colorado, and Amtrak offers a Winter Park Express train.

Just like with gear rentals, you can sometimes book these shuttles and airport transfers through the Chase Travel portal. And since many ski villages offer free shuttles around town, you probably won’t miss having a car once you get there.

Related: The best credit cards for Amtrak and train travel

Best credit cards for booking ski trips

If you can’t book every part of your ski trip with points and miles, you can at least earn as many points as possible on these purchases by using the right credit card.

For flights, lodging, rental cars, and anything else that codes as travel, use a card that gives you bonus rewards on travel purchases. Many travel cards come with built-in trip protection, eliminating the need to buy travel insurance and giving you a safety net in case your trip doesn’t go smoothly. Here are some of our favorite options:

• Amex Platinum*
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees)

For nontravel purchases like lift tickets and ski gear, consider a card that earns bonus rewards on every purchase:

• Capital One Venture
• Capital One Venture X

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. 

Related: Best credit cards to use on ski trips

Bottom line

Whether you target savings by heading to smaller mountains or leaning into your points and miles, there are plenty of ways to save big on your ski trips this season. But we recommend starting your search now, which will help you find the most options and the best deals.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

World of Hyatt is one of TPG’s favorite hotel loyalty programs, and in our November 2024 valuations, we value its points at 1.7 cents apiece.

You can stay at some amazing Hyatt properties with reasonable redemption rates. So, it’s worth saving up now if you have your eye on an aspirational stay. Seriously, redeeming Hyatt points for your next hotel stay can save you thousands of dollars.

Not sure where to start when it comes to earning World of Hyatt points? Keep reading to learn our tips and tricks for racking up a bunch of Hyatt points so you can use them to book your next vacation.

Earn Hyatt points on travel

World of Hyatt rewards its members for each hotel stay across its global portfolio. You can earn points on all Hyatt hotel stays booked directly through Hyatt’s website, which includes Mr & Mrs Smith properties, the Thompson and JdV brands — added as part of the Two Roads Hospitality integration — and a portfolio of more than 100 all-inclusive resorts.

Related: Glamping on points: Under Canvas is now live on World of Hyatt

Hyatt awards 5 points per dollar spent on Hyatt hotel stays and qualifying room charges (room service, bar tabs, spa services, etc.). This number is consistent across the brand’s portfolio, so you’ll earn the same amount of points for a stay at a Hyatt Regency as you would at a Hyatt Centric, if the prices are the same.

Aside from hotels, you’ll earn 10 World of Hyatt points for every eligible dollar spent on Find experiences.

Travelers with World of Hyatt elite status will earn bonus points on all hotel stays. Here’s how many extra points each tier earns:

• Discoverist: 10% bonus
• Explorist: 20% bonus
• Globalist: 30% bonus

So, if you’re a World of Hyatt Globalist member staying at a Grand Hyatt hotel for three nights at $150 per night, you’d earn 2,925 points on your hotel stay.

For example, $150 (per night) times three (for the number of nights stayed) equals $450. Then, $450 times five (for the number of points earned per dollar spent) equals 2,250 points. To calculate your Globalist elite status bonus, you’d multiply 2,250 points by 30%, which equals 675 points. Therefore, you’d earn a total of 2,925 Hyatt points for this three-night stay.

While your points-earning potential may seem smaller compared to other hotel loyalty programs like Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards, Hyatt has lower award redemption rates.

Award nights at World of Hyatt brands start at just 3,500 points per night on off-peak dates at Category 1 hotels.

Related: How and why to get Hyatt lifetime Globalist status

Earn Hyatt bonus points through promotions

For qualifying stays at select new hotels in the Hyatt portfolio, you can earn 500 extra points per night within the first few months of opening.

The list of eligible properties, including the Thompson Palm Springs, Hyatt House BWI Airport / Baltimore and Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica, can be found here.

For additional Hyatt offers, check out the current World of Hyatt promotions page to find out if you can boost your earning potential. TPG advises registering for the promotions even if you’re not sure you’ll stay at a Hyatt hotel. That way, you’ll be all set to earn bonus points if a last-minute trip arises.

Related: Current Hyatt promotions: Earn bonus points, double elite night credits and more

Earn Hyatt points with meetings

Holding meetings and events at Hyatt hotels can help you earn points and status. You’ll earn 1 point per dollar spent (up to 50,000 points) on eligible expenses like meeting rooms and event spaces. You can also earn World of Hyatt elite status by hosting meetings:

• Discoverist: 3 meetings
• Explorist: 10 meetings
• Globalist: 20 meetings

However, the ability to earn elite status through hosting qualified meetings is being discontinued Dec. 31, 2024. Starting in 2025, individuals may earn elite night credits based on eligible event charges. You will earn 2 tier qualifying night credits for every $5,000 of eligible event charges.

Note that a company account or individual can earn a maximum of 60 elite night credits each calendar year.

Earn Hyatt points through credit cards

The easiest way to boost your Hyatt balance is with the right credit card. Two cobranded Hyatt credit cards from Chase are currently open to new applicants: the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Annual fee: $95

Welcome offer: You can earn up to 60,000 bonus points — 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening, plus up to 30,000 additional bonus points by earning 2 points per dollar spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases (up to $15,000 spent).

Category bonuses: Earn 4 points per dollar spent when you use your card on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels; 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, on local transit and commuting, and on fitness club and gym memberships; and 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Perks: You’ll receive one free night every year after your cardmember anniversary, valid at any Category 1-4 property. You can earn a second free night by spending $15,000 on the card in your card membership year. The card also provides automatic Discoverist elite status for as long as your account is open. You’ll enjoy five tier qualifying night credits annually, plus two additional credits for every $5,000 you spend on the card.

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Annual fee: $199

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Category bonuses: You’ll earn 4 points per dollar spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels; 2 points per dollar spent in your top three spending categories each quarter and on fitness club and gym memberships; and 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Perks: You’ll get up to $100 in Hyatt credits each anniversary year (given as a $50 statement credit up to two times each anniversary year when you spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property with your card). You’ll also get automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as you hold your card, as well as the ability to gift Discoverist status to up to five employees. And for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year, you’ll earn five tier qualifying night credits toward earning higher tiers of Hyatt elite status.

Earn Hyatt points with partners

If you don’t have any upcoming Hyatt stays and aren’t in the market for a new credit card, don’t worry. There are still ways to collect Hyatt points.

Transfer credit card rewards points to World of Hyatt

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. Best of all, the transfer should process instantly.

TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each and World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each, per our November 2024 valuations. However, transfers are irreversible, so we recommend only transferring points if you have a specific redemption in mind.

Additionally, if you are a Bilt Rewards member, you can instantly transfer Bilt Rewards Points to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

Related: When and how to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt

Earn on American flights

If you have elite status with the World of Hyatt program, you can earn Hyatt points when you fly on American Airlines. Thanks to the partnership, Hyatt elite members earn 1 Hyatt point per dollar spent on qualifying American Airlines flights.

This earning is in addition to the American Airlines AAdvantage miles you’ll earn. All you need to do is link your Hyatt and AAdvantage accounts through this link. Unfortunately, this reciprocal loyalty-earning privilege will be ending Dec. 31.

Related: New benefits coming for AAdvantage and World of Hyatt elite members — at the expense of reciprocal earning privileges

Rent cars from Avis

Like most hotel chains, renting a car can earn World of Hyatt points. Rent with Avis and use the code “K817700” to get 500 World of Hyatt points per rental.

You can also receive discounts for each qualifying rental at participating Avis locations with the code. Learn more about this here.

Transfer points between family and friends

World of Hyatt members can transfer points between accounts free of charge. However, you can only send or receive points once every 30 days. And unfortunately, you can’t complete this transfer online. You must fill out this form (PDF link) and submit it via email. Both the member transferring the points and the recipient must sign the form before you submit it. Hyatt will complete the transfer once the form is received and reviewed.

Buy Hyatt points

The final method of earning Hyatt points is to purchase them directly. Generally speaking, you should rarely (if ever) purchase points or miles of any kind without a bonus or discount. Luckily, Hyatt runs somewhat frequent promotions for purchasing points. If you have a high-end redemption in mind and need to top off your account, buying Hyatt points is an option.

Bottom line

The World of Hyatt program is a favorite among award travelers. Despite a comparatively small (but growing) global footprint, the World of Hyatt program can offer a luxurious experience and a rewarding value proposition.

If you combine credit card spending with a handful of paid stays, you’ll be well on your way to a free room for your next trip.