Tag: Travel News

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

United Business Card overview

The United℠ Business Card provides a plethora of perks for a $150 annual fee. From a first checked bag free on United Airlines flights to ride-hailing statement credits and more, the card can provide solid value to the right small-business owners. However, some businesses may find it inconvenient to track the card’s coupon book of monthly benefits. Card rating*: ½

* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

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The United Business Card is a mid-tier card for small businesses that use United for flights at least several times a year. The card offers perks like a free checked bag and inflight discounts on food and beverages to help businesses save on ancillary flying fees.

United recently refreshed its entire credit card portfolio. The United Business Card’s annual fee rose to $150, but we also saw the introduction of new statement credits and upgrade certificates to ease the sting. These benefits are not exclusively geared toward travel, so you’ll want to ensure they fit your spending habits.

For the best chances of approval, you’ll want a credit score of 670 or higher. If you have a small business and travel with United (even occasionally), you might want to consider applying for the United Business Card.

Here are all the United Business Card benefits you need to know about to decide if it’s right for you.

United Business Card pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Earns bonus miles on United purchases and common everyday categories Multiple statement credits Earn United TravelBank credits Receive bonus miles if you hold both a personal and a business United card	Redemption options are mostly limited to United and its partners Other United cards have higher earning rates on some purchases Restrictions on United Club one-time passes Statement credits can be difficult to maximize

United Business Card welcome offer

New United Business Card holders can earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, new cardholders can earn another 5,000 miles after adding an employee card in the first three months of account opening.

Based on TPG’s March 2025 valuations of United miles at 1.35 cents each, this bonus is worth up to $1,755.

Although this is not the highest offer we’ve seen on the card, it is the highest bonus we have seen on the card over the past two years. We recommend applying now if you want to add this card to your wallet.

You aren’t eligible for this welcome offer if you currently have or had the United Business Card and received a welcome bonus for it within the last 24 months.

Chase considers the United Business Card a distinct product from the United Club℠ Business Card and the no-longer-available United Explorer Business Card. So, if you have or previously had either of these cards, you’re still eligible for the welcome bonus on the United Business Card.

The United Business Card also likely falls under Chase’s unpublished 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more credit card accounts in the last 24 months, you might not be approved for it.

The information for the United Club Business and the United Explorer Business 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: Best credit card welcome offers

United Business Card benefits

The United Business Card is best suited for small-business owners without United or Star Alliance status looking for United Airlines benefits.

This card can certainly satisfy that desire with the following United-linked benefits:

• First checked bag free: Get the first checked bag free as the primary cardmember and for a companion traveling on the same reservation on United-operated flights.
• Priority boarding: Get priority boarding as the primary cardmember and for a companion. If you don’t like gate-checking your carry-on because the overhead space is full, this perk will help you avoid that.
• Two one-time United Club passes: Note that these can only be used by the primary cardmember, an authorized user or a guest traveling with either type of cardmember.
• FareLock statement credit: Earn up to $25 in statement credits annually after purchasing FareLock for a United flight using the United Business Card.
• United travel credit: Earn $125 in United TravelBank cash after five $100-plus United flight purchases per calendar year.
• Economy Plus seat upgrades: Earn two continental U.S. Economy Plus seat upgrades after spending $25,000 in a calendar year.
• Discount on United inflight purchases: Receive 25% back as a statement credit on eligible inflight United purchases when you pay with your United Business Card.

Aside from the United-related benefits, this card offers a set of statement credits to help offset its annual fee. These credits can be useful for business owners, but their usefulness depends entirely on your spending habits and merchant preferences.

These statement credits include:

• Up to $100 United Hotels statement credit: Receive $50 in statement credits on your first and second prepaid hotel stays purchased through United® Hotels using your United Business Card each anniversary year.
• Ride-hailing credit: Receive $8 each month ($12 in December)  in ride-hailing statement credits for a total of $100 each calendar year. Yearly enrollment is required. Chase has a broad definition of what counts as a ride-hailing service. That means this credit will be more flexible for your business than the ride-hailing credits offered by other issuers, like American Express.
• United travel credit via car rental: Earn up to $25 in United TravelBank cash per eligible Avis/Budget rental when booking through cars.united.com. This benefit is limited to two $25 United TravelBank credits per anniversary year.
• JSX statement credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits each anniversary year when making JSX purchases directly with the airline. JSX offers a semiprivate flying experience at commercial fares, so it may be worth exploring for a special company trip.
• Instacart+ membership and statement credits: Receive a complimentary Instacart+ membership for three months, then a 25% discounted annual plan. Cardholders can also earn up to $10 per month ($120 each calendar year) in Instacart credits on purchases made with the United Business Card. These benefits end December 31, 2027.

Overall, the statement credits and benefits are useful but require monitoring and tracking. The easiest statement credits to utilize are the ride-hailing credit and the $125 United TravelBank cash.

Businesses will find no value in the JSX and Instacart credits if they do not use these services organically. Fortunately, your business can still get positive value from this card’s annual fee through its other benefits.

You’ll also enjoy the following additional benefits:

• “Better together” anniversary bonus: Earn 5,000 bonus miles each year on your United Business Card anniversary when you have both the United Business Card and a personal Chase United credit card
• Expanded award availability: The primary cardholder may see expanded award availability when using miles to book any United-operated flight.
• Earn Premier qualifying points: Earn 1 Premier qualifying point for every $20 in card spending, up to 4,000 PQPs in a calendar year. These PQPs can be applied up to Premier 1K elite status.
• Travel protections: Cardholders will enjoy trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, auto rental collision damage waiver and travel accident insurance.
• Shopping protections: Purchase protection and extended warranty protection can give your business peace of mind for expensive or important purchases.
• Employee cards: Get employee cards at no additional cost and set individual spending limits on each employee card.
• No foreign transaction fees

Business owners who fly United regularly will easily get enough value from these benefits to justify paying the $150 annual fee. However, this card will require extra effort and attention to detail to keep track of all its perks. If your business is looking for a card that doesn’t require a slate of monthly reminders, this isn’t the card.

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

Earning miles with the United Business Card

The United Business Card earns 5 miles per dollar spent on United fares and 2 miles per dollar spent on the following purchases:

• United Hotels
• All other eligible United purchases
• Local transit and commuting
• Gas stations
• Office supply stores
• Restaurants (including eligible delivery services)

The bonus-earning for United Hotels feels too restrictive for business owners. Earning 2 miles per dollar spent on any hotel purchase would be more useful.

According to TPG’s March 2025 valuations, you’ll get a 6.8% return on United purchases and a 2.7% return on other category spending. You’ll also earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases, which is an approximately 1.4% return.

Compared to the United Club Business Card, the United Business Card earns a stronger 2 miles per dollar across key business-related bonus categories. Nonetheless, not all businesses are alike, and some may benefit from the United Club Business Card’s 1.5 miles per dollar spent on all nonbonused spending.

Redeeming and transferring miles on the United Business Card

You can use United miles to book award travel on United, other Star Alliance airlines and partner airlines.

It’s worth noting that United uses dynamic award pricing rather than award charts. Although this makes it more difficult to determine the price of an award until you’re ready to book, dynamic pricing can lead to inexpensive award flights in some situations.

Award charts still exist for using United miles on partner airlines — and there are some sweet spots on these charts.

Chris Nelson, a credit cards writer at TPG, loves United’s Excursionist Perk. He booked a round-trip ticket between the U.S. and Europe, flying from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) in Scotland. He then flew to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) before heading to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The trip only cost him 60,000 United miles since the Excursionist Perk let him fly for free between Edinburgh and Madrid.

You’ll generally get the most value from your United miles when you use them to book flights. Other redemption options include:

• Secure a seat upgrade
• Purchase inflight Wi-Fi
• Book hotel stays and car rentals
• Purchase merchandise and gift cards
• Access once-in-a-lifetime events

You can also transfer your United miles to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.

However, this is far from the most valuable option, so we recommend avoiding it unless you need to top off your Marriott Bonvoy balance for a specific redemption. You can’t transfer more than 100,000 United miles to Marriott in a calendar year, but that shouldn’t be an issue for most.

Related: Here’s what you should know before transferring Marriott points to airline miles

Which cards compete with the United Business Card?

If you want to earn United miles on your business purchases, the United Business Card has a few notable competitors.

• If you want a personal United card: The United℠ Explorer Card comes with the same annual fee of $150 beginning in the second year ($0 introductory annual fee the first year), plus ride-hailing credits, a free checked bag and United TravelBank credits. If the United Business’ bonus categories don’t fit your needs or you’re not invested in earning more PQPs, the Explorer Card is the perfect alternative. To learn more, read our full review of the United Explorer Card.
• If you want more benefits: The United Club Business Card has a significantly higher annual fee of $695 but greater United-related benefits, such as a United Club membership for the primary cardholder, the ability to earn United Club All-Access membership, two free checked bags and a better earning rate for PQPs. To learn more, read our comparison of the United Business Card and the United Club Business Card.
• If you’re a United fan but want more general rewards: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers the ability to earn valuable Ultimate Rewards points on different business expenses. Your points can then be transferred to several airline and hotel partners, including United MileagePlus, or redeemed directly for travel through Chase Travel℠. To learn more, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.

For additional options, check out our list of the best business credit cards.

Related: 4 reasons someone in your family needs a United credit card

Is the United Business Card worth it?

The United Business Card offers United Airlines benefits and partner perks that allow the right small-business owners, freelancers and side hustlers to justify the card’s $150 annual fee. As a business owner, if you can’t utilize the card’s perks or maximize the opportunity to earn United elite status, you’ll be better off with a more general business credit card.

Bottom line

The United Business Card provides several ways to earn United travel credits and make progress toward United elite status. The card offers meaningful value for some, but its steep annual fee and the effort required to maximize its credits means it won’t be right for all businesses.

If your business can naturally use the credits this card offers or is aiming toward United elite status, this card is likely a no-brainer.

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Apply here: United Business Card 

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Finding Qsuite award availability just got significantly easier. Seats.aero, a search tool to find award flight availability, has added another airline program, Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

I’ve previously written about how using this third-party tool has revolutionized how I find the best ways to redeem my points and miles across airline programs in seconds. However, I pointed out that the platform wasn’t perfect; most notably, it did not show results from at least one of the five Avios programs.

Thankfully, this has now changed with Seats.aero adding Qatar Airways Privilege Club to its search platform. Qatar Airways provides the most award availability to its own Privilege Club members when booking Qsuite business class and offers limited partner airline availability.

However, I’ve found that the Privilege Club website is clunky and can be frustrating when searching for more than one date at a time.

Seats.aero now provides an easy way to see every redemption seat in business class, including those not offered to partner programs. Here is how.

Related: Qatar Airways Qsuite review: Still setting the standard for business class (and a mileage sweet spot)

How to find the best Qsuite award availability using Seats.aero

There are two ways to find Qsuite award availability using Seats.aero.

The first is by using the Qsuite finder tool, which will include availability through partner programs like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, American Airlines AAdvantage, JetBlue TrueBlue and Virgin Australia Velocity, as well as Qatar Airways’ own Privilege Club program.

Select “Qatar Qsuites Finder” from the “Tools” tab, then change the regions to “North America to Asia” to show flights to Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). Unfortunately, at this stage, the results will not show connecting flights, so if you wish to fly onward from Doha, you’ll need to search for that the same way after you find availability to Doha.

Each search takes just a few seconds to load the results, so don’t be put off by having to piece your itinerary together leg by leg.

You can then use the handy filter fields to narrow down the results by date, origin, destination or loyalty program — or even by how many points, miles or Avios you would like to redeem.

The green bed icon means that this flight is scheduled to take place on a Qsuite-operated aircraft, though note operational equipment swaps can happen occasionally.

You’ll notice most availability through partner programs between North America and Doha is either last minute (departing in the next 14 days) or toward the end of the schedule in 2026.

For example, at the time of writing, only five Qsuite flights bookable with AAdvantage miles were available over the next 12 months, and they all depart within 14 days.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members have access to only 10 flights over the next 12 months, while JetBlue TrueBlue members have access to 23 flights. Virgin Australia Velocity members can access 44 flights, though these points are difficult to earn.

So few seats are available through these partner programs because this popular product is in high demand among points and miles enthusiasts. It’s also due to Privilege Club offering more seats to its members than to members of partner programs.

You can filter the results to show only those bookable through the Privilege Club program, which offers an impressive 1,009 flights compared with the five flights the AAdvantage program offers.

The second way of finding availability through Seats.aero, which allows for more filtering options and includes economy options, is to select Qatar Airways Privilege Club from the “Explore” tab at the top and choose Qatar Airways from the “Airlines” filter to ensure you only see Qatar Airways-operated flights.

You may notice there are two different prices for Qsuite flights to Doha. That is because Privilege Club uses a two-tier off-peak and peak pricing system (think: strictly limited Saver and more available Flexi fares).

Off-peak business-class flights to Doha cost 70,000 Privilege Club Avios each way, while peak flights cost 140,000 Avios each way; partner programs do not have access to peak flights.

Related: Combining a transfer bonus and Virgin’s Saver fares: How I booked lie-flat business-class seats to London for just 21,000 points

While 70,000 Avios is an exceptional deal for a more than 13-hour flight in one of the world’s best business-class products, 140,000 Avios is still a decent price for a long-haul flight. If you compare that to other programs that operate using dynamic pricing, such as Delta SkyMiles, you can pay upward of 400,000 miles for a six-hour flight to Europe.

To find the right flight for you, use Seats.aero’s handy filter options to narrow down your search. For example, if you set the departing field to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), it will only show the dates with nonstop availability from Dallas to Doha, which you can reorder by price to show the off-peak dates first.

Or, if you want to fly out on a specific date, are flexible as to the departure airport and want to see which routes are available and at what prices, you can do so by entering a date in the date field.

If the seats you want aren’t available (or perhaps are only available at the higher rate), remember you can set alerts through the app to be notified if they are added to Privilege Club or any of the other supported airline loyalty programs.

You can make the alert criteria as narrow or as wide as you like. For example, you could set an alert to notify you by email or text of any seats at the 70,000-Avios off-peak level made available between all major U.S. airports to Doha during September 2025.

How to earn Privilege Club Avios to book Qatar Airways Qsuite

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Qatar Airways Privilege Club at a 1:1 rate.

For a limited time only, you can utilize a 20% transfer bonus and transfer your Membership Rewards to Privilege Club through March 31. You must transfer a minimum of 1,000 Membership Rewards points to receive 1,200 Avios; up to 750,000 points can be transferred, and Avios will appear in your Privilege Club account within 48 hours.

The following cards all currently offer strong welcome bonuses that you could easily convert to Qatar Airways Privilege Club:

• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Terms apply.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Check to see if you’re targeted for a higher welcome offer through CardMatch (offer subject to change at any time). Terms apply.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first three months of card membership.
• Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases with your card within three months from account opening.

Plus, if currently have a card that is a transferable rewards partner with any Avios program, you can transfer your Avios between accounts at a 1:1 rate.

Bottom line

My favorite platform for finding the best award availability to redeem my points and miles improved. I’m thrilled to see the addition of Qatar Airways Privilege Club as the latest loyalty program supported by Seats.aero.

Instead of spending hours clicking through the Privilege Club website to find Qsuite fares, I can now find award availability in a few seconds. Plus, if the award seats I want aren’t available at the time of my search, I can simply use the alert function to be notified if and when they are.

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

Credit card fraud and identity theft are two terms you have probably heard before. And if you’ve been unlucky, you may have even fallen victim to one of these two crimes yourself.

However, credit card fraud and identity theft aren’t the same. Both may involve the theft of information that belongs to you, but one is much easier to stop and recover from.

Read on for a look at how credit card fraud and identity theft are different. Plus, I’ll throw in some tips on how to recover from these crimes if the bad guys ever get their hands on your personal information.

Credit card fraud

Has a credit card issuer ever contacted you regarding a suspicious transaction you didn’t authorize? Or have you ever checked your credit card statement to discover charges you didn’t make? If you can answer yes to either of these questions, you have probably been a victim of credit card fraud.

The FBI defines credit card fraud as “the unauthorized use of a credit or debit card, or similar payment tool (ACH, EFT, recurring charge, etc.), to fraudulently obtain money or property. Credit and debit card numbers can be stolen from unsecured websites or can be obtained in an identity theft scheme.”

Technically, credit card fraud can be classified as a type of identity theft. Even so, it isn’t really the same as having your identity stolen.

Sure, it can be troublesome to find out someone stole your credit card information. It can be upsetting to learn that a thief used your account to pay for unauthorized purchases. Credit card theft, however, is typically much easier to stop and fix compared with other forms of identity theft.

For example, TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed had his Chase Sapphire Reserve® compromised within two days of receiving the card in 2016. He used his card for the first time to pay for a meal at a restaurant, and soon after the in-person transaction, his card had nearly $10,000 in unauthorized charges.

See below for tips on how to handle credit card fraud if it happens to you.

Identity theft

Identity theft is a term that professionals often use to describe something much worse than a few unauthorized charges on your credit card account. According to the FBI, “identity theft occurs when someone assumes your identity to perform fraud or other criminal acts.”

How do criminals get the information they need to assume your identity? The FBI explains that crooks can get your personal information from a variety of sources, such as:

• Stealing your wallet
• Rifling through your trash
• Compromising your credit or bank information
• Approaching you (in person, by telephone or on the internet) to ask for the information

When someone steals your personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, etc.) and uses that information to open fraudulent accounts in your name, this is called true name fraud. When most people say their identities have been stolen, true name fraud is the crime to which they are really referring.

Unlike credit card fraud, true name fraud has the potential to haunt you for years. Trying to recover from identity theft can be a much bigger ordeal than simply changing your credit card number to stop a thief. Thankfully, there are federal laws designed to protect victims of identity theft.

See below for tips on how to recover from identity theft if it happens to you.

Recovering from credit card fraud

If someone uses your credit card without your permission, my first piece of advice is not to panic. Thanks to federal law, you are actually well protected from fraud liability.

In fact, as long as you report fraudulent charges promptly (within 60 days), you likely will not be held responsible for the phony transactions.

Here’s a look at the two main federal laws that protect you from credit card and debit card fraud.

• The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA): The FCBA caps your liability for fraudulent credit card transactions to a maximum of $50. Just don’t drag your feet. You must report any unauthorized charges to your card issuer within 60 days to enjoy this protection. As a matter of customer service, all four of the major credit card networks currently have zero-liability fraud policies. This means if you report fraudulent transactions to your card issuer promptly, you’ll probably never pay a dime out of your own pocket.
• The Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA): The EFTA caps your liability on debit card fraud to no more than $500 ($50 if you report the fraud within two business days). In addition to higher liability caps, debit card fraud can be more painful for another reason. Unlike credit card fraud, it’s your personal money that a thief is stealing when debit card fraud occurs. As a result, the funds in your bank account might be tied up and unavailable to use while your bank investigates any unauthorized activity.

As you can see above, debit card fraud protections aren’t quite as strong as credit card fraud protections. This is one reason why I advocate that most people may want to choose credit cards over debit cards as their go-to payment method. The key here, of course, is to make sure you can commit to paying your balance in full each month.

Related: TPG’s 10 commandments of credit card rewards

Recovering from identity theft

If someone steals your credit card information, you can report the fraud to your card issuer, and it will shut down the account. As long as that thief can’t access your new card number (hint: update your online passwords frequently to be extra safe), the ordeal should be over.

The same isn’t true when your personal identifying information is stolen.

You can’t exactly change your Social Security number and your date of birth to prevent crooks from using your information for their own personal gain. But the good news is that you can make it a lot harder for bad guys to profit using your personal data.

Here’s how.

• Place fraud alerts on your credit reports with Equifax, TransUnion and Experian: The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to place free fraud alerts on your credit reports with all three major credit bureaus. When you place a fraud alert, it tells lenders they must first contact you to confirm your identity before opening any new credit accounts in your name.
• Freeze your three credit reports: With a fraud alert, a lender is supposed to ask your permission before opening a new account in your name. This leaves a little room for potential human error. With a credit freeze, on the other hand, new lenders cannot access your reports unless you allow your reports to be seen. (This is accomplished by “thawing” your reports in advance with a PIN code or password.)
• Check your credit reports frequently for signs of fraud: The FCRA allows you to expect only accurate information to be included on your credit reports. It’s up to you, however, to verify that your reports are indeed error-free. If you haven’t claimed your three free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com in the past 12 months, that’s a great place to start. Beyond that, I recommend checking your credit reports at least once a month as an added measure of safety. (Tip: Checking your own credit report will never damage your credit score.)
• Report identity theft promptly: If you become a victim of true name fraud, it’s important to report fraudulent accounts to the three credit reporting agencies promptly. You can visit the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov to create a report. Once completed, send your identity theft report to Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. Per the FCRA, credit reporting agencies must block fraudulent information from your credit reports within four business days of receiving your identity theft report.

Being proactive is the key

Regardless of whether you’re a victim of credit card fraud or identity theft, it’s crucial to be proactive. You can’t expect your card issuer or the credit reporting agencies to detect fraud on your behalf (though sometimes you might get lucky). It’s your responsibility to make sure that your credit reports and credit card statements contain accurate information.

Make a habit of checking your credit card statements and your three credit reports each month for errors, mistakes, and fraud. If you discover suspicious activity, remember that you’re protected by federal law as long as you report the issue promptly.

Bottom line

Although both credit card fraud and identity theft are terrible situations, you can recover faster from credit card fraud thanks to federal laws and zero liability protection on credit cards. On the other hand, identity theft is a much larger problem where your personal information, such as your SSN, date of birth, and address, is compromised. In either scenario, report suspicious activity immediately to your credit card issuer and the credit reporting bureau to ensure you’re protected.

Related: How to check your credit score for free

Delta Air Lines is the latest carrier to take advantage of Southwest Airlines’ overhaul. For the Southwest Rapid Rewards customers who aren’t thrilled with the recent changes, Delta’s SkyMiles program has launched a limited-time status match offer just for Southwest elite members, offering A-List and A-List Preferred members a temporary match to Gold Medallion and Platinum Medallion status, respectively. That’s a tier higher than you can normally match to with Southwest elite status.

This is similar to the American Airlines AAdvantage status match offer for Southwest elite members that’s still available.

If you’re looking for more “luv” from your airline, here’s how to take advantage of Delta SkyMiles’ generous status match offer.

Related: Complete guide to airline status matches and challenges in 2025

Southwest elite members can fast-track their way to Delta status

Southwest is one of the qualifying airlines in Delta’s Medallion status match challenge. Typically, A-List status will get you a match to Delta’s lowest elite tier, Medallion Silver, while A-List Preferred will match to Gold Medallion.

But for a limited time, Delta is offering Southwest elite members a boost. If you get approved for a status match between now and Sept. 30, you can turn your Southwest A-List status into Gold Medallion status and A-List Preferred into Platinum Medallion.

To apply for Delta’s status match, head to this page and submit proof of your existing status. To be eligible for this status match, you must have earned your status (as opposed to getting it through a promotion).

You must also have been enrolled in SkyMiles for at least 30 days prior to enrolling in the status match offer. And you must have flown on at least one Delta-marketed flight on a fare class higher than basic economy within the last three years as a SkyMiles member.

Once approved for Delta’s status match, you’ll receive complimentary Medallion status for 90 days, starting within 24 hours after you receive your enrollment confirmation email. You can then extend your Delta status by earning the required number of Medallion Qualification Dollars during the 90-day complimentary period:

• Silver: 1,250 MQDs
• Gold: 2,500 MQDs
• Platinum: 3,750 MQDs

Although there are various ways to earn Delta MQDs, not all count toward this status match. MQDs earned on Delta-operated flights and eligible SkyMiles partner flights will apply toward this status match, as well as MQDs earned through Delta cobranded cards, such as the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Platinum cardholders earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent, and Reserve cardholders earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent.

Additionally, according to a Delta representative, “MQDs earned through the MQD Headstart benefit from an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card will count towards MQDs for this status match offer, if the eligible card is acquired and MQDs deposited during this limited time offer period.” This is only the case for the offer for Southwest elite members, not for those matching status from any other program.

If you complete the above requirements within your 90-day complimentary status period, you will be awarded the applicable status tier through Jan. 31, 2027. That’s over a year of valuable Medallion status for a fraction of the usual MQDs required. For instance, Delta typically requires SkyMiles members to earn 10,000 MQDs and 15,000 MQDs to earn Gold and Platinum Medallion status, respectively.

These statuses come with serious perks, like complimentary seat upgrades, free checked bags and SkyTeam lounge access. Check out our guide for a breakdown of the benefits and perks of Delta Medallion status.

Delta’s status match offer is ongoing through the end of the year, but the promotional offer for Southwest elite members ends Sept. 30. Before applying, consider your travel plans for 2025 and time your status match application to give yourself the best chance of earning the required MQDs to extend your status.

Related: Delta Sky Club access now more restrictive: How to visit the lounge with credit cards, elite status and more

Bottom line

Delta SkyMiles’ status match offer makes it easy to switch your loyalty from another airline, and Southwest elite members can get a higher status tier when they enroll by Sept. 30.

However, if Delta isn’t the best airline for you, you might consider AAdvantage’s similar offer that’s open through June 30. Or, keep your eyes peeled for more status match offers geared toward Southwest elite members — other airlines may jump on the bandwagon.

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

United Quest Card overview

The United Quest℠ Card is an excellent choice for folks who fly United Airlines frequently and can take advantage of benefits like free checked bags on United flights, priority boarding and an inflight discount. This card is a solid choice for those who frequent United and can keep track of benefits to maximize card membership. Card Rating*: 

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

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The United Quest Card is the perfect “in-between” card for frequent United travelers. It offers more perks than the United℠ Explorer Card and a lower annual fee than the premium United Club℠ Card.

The card recently underwent an overhaul, adding multiple new perks, changing a few others and increasing the annual fee to $350. While this could sound like a negative change, the new credits can easily offset this fee if you find value in them. The key here is remembering to utilize them on a month-by-month or annual basis.

The recommended credit score for the United Quest Card is at least 670. However, it may be possible to get approved with a lower score.

Here’s what you need to know about the United Quest Card to decide if it’s the right fit for you.

United Quest Card pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Annual travel credit Annual Premier qualifying points boost Bonus miles on United flights Inflight discount Free checked bags Priority boarding	Multiple statement credits to remember Perks are limited to United and partners Higher earning rates are available on other United cards

United Quest Card welcome offer

For a limited time, new United Quest Card holders can earn 90,000 United MileagePlus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG’s March 2025 valuations, United miles are worth 1.35 cents each, making this offer worth $1,215.

This offer is the highest offer we’ve seen on the card in over three years. 

Note that this offer is not available to current or previous cardmembers who received a new bonus within the past 24 months, and Chase’s 5/24 rule applies.

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

United Quest Card benefits

The United Quest Card has some useful perks for regular United flyers who don’t necessarily want or need the United Club access that comes with the top-tier United Club Card.

Here are some of the top perks.

TravelBank cash

With this card, you’ll earn $200 in TravelBank cash each account anniversary year. TravelBank is an online account where United flyers can keep up with flight credits and more to fund purchases with the carrier.

This credit wipes out more than half of the card’s $350 annual fee.

Discount on award redemptions

You’ll receive one 10,000-mile discount after your first cardmember anniversary.

As of March 2025, TPG values the 10,000-mile credit at $135.

You can also earn a second 10,000-mile credit after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year.

On top of those perks, United Quest cardholders enjoy:

• Free checked bags: First and second bags for the cardholder and a companion on the same reservation*
• Inflight discount: 25% back on United inflight purchases
• Hotel credit: Up to a $150 annual statement credit on prepaid reservations made through Renowned Hotels and Resorts each account anniversary year
• JSX credit: Up to $150 in annual statement credits on JSX flight purchases made each account anniversary year
• PQP boost: A 1,000-PQP boost is applied each year (this will appear in your MileagePlus account between February and April, beginning in 2026)
• PQP earnings: Earn up to 18,000 PQPs per calendar year (1 PQP for every $20 you spend on purchases can be applied toward your Premier status qualification, up to the Premier 1K level; the threshold on this perk was doubled in the card’s recent overhaul)
• Priority boarding
• Rental car credit: Up to $40 each for the first two Avis or Budget car rentals booked through United Cars each account anniversary year
• Instacart credit: One $10 and one $5 monthly Instacart credit, plus a three-month complimentary Instacart+ membership (ends Dec. 31, 2027)
• Ride-hailing credit: Up to $8 in monthly statement credits for ride-hailing services, plus a bonus of $4 (for a total of $12) in December
• TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit: Up to $120 every four years
• Travel and purchase protections

*You must use your Quest Card to pay for your ticket to check your bags for free — including the taxes and fees you pay when you book award tickets with miles.

Also, if you spend $40,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’ll receive two global Economy Plus seat upgrades.

This has become a laundry list of credits covering everything from grocery delivery to rental cars and hotel reservations, but it also helps outweigh the United Quest Card’s higher annual fee.

Some of these perks will be easier to use than others. For instance, if you don’t frequent Avis or Budget for car rentals or see yourself booking with JSX, those benefits could be harder to maximize. Others, like the Instacart credits and the hotel benefit, could be more valuable for cardholders.

In general, if you fly United regularly, you’ll appreciate the credits and free checked bags this card offers. And if you’re chasing United status, the extra PQPs this card earns will fast-track your progress.

Related: Airline baggage fees: How much it costs to check a bag on major US airlines

Earning miles on the United Quest Card

On top of United purchases, the United Quest Card earns bonus miles in several categories. With this card, you’ll earn:

• 8 miles per dollar spent on United flights
• 5 miles per dollar spent on hotel stays booked through Renowned Hotels and Resorts 
• 3 miles per dollar spent on all other United purchases
• 2 miles per dollar spent on other travel purchases
• 2 miles per dollar spent on dining and select streaming purchases
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

The United Quest Card earns bonus miles on general travel and dining purchases, as well as on United spending. Still, you’ll find similar or better earnings for these categories on other travel cards.

Related: The best credit cards to use for United flights

Redeeming miles on the United Quest Card

You can use your United MileagePlus miles to book flights on United or its partners like Air Canada, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. Among your options are booking domestic routes on United for as little as 5,000 miles and using a larger chunk of miles to fly business class to Asia on All Nippon Airways.

If you can utilize United’s unique Excursionist Perk, you’ll get even more value from your MileagePlus miles.

You can also redeem your miles for nonflight items, including United Club memberships, inflight Wi-Fi purchases, TSA PreCheck, car rentals and hotel stays.

Additionally, you can transfer your miles to Marriott Bonvoy, but you’ll get a lower value from your miles with any of these options than you would if you used them to book flights.

Andrea Rotondo, TPG’s director of content operations, recently redeemed 6,000 United miles for a one-way economy flight between Frankfurt and Vienna.

Low-cost mile redemptions aren’t just limited to domestic flights; you can also secure fantastic deals on international trips. Rachel Craft, a points and miles writer at TPG, redeemed 88,000 United miles for a one-way business-class ticket to Antananarivo, Madagascar, from Denver on Ethiopian Airlines. That flight would have ordinarily cost her around $9,000 if she paid with cash.

Related: How to redeem miles with the United MileagePlus program

Which cards compete with the United Quest Card?

If you want more United perks or can’t justify the annual fee on the United Quest Card, one of these cards may be a better fit:

• If you want United Club access: The United Club Card offers even more United benefits. It has a higher annual fee of $695, but the United Club membership is worth up to $750, so this one perk justifies the card’s annual fee. The card also comes with higher earning rates on United purchases. To learn more, check out our full review of the United Club Card.
• If you want more flexible rewards: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has similar bonus categories and allows you to transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United or any of Chase’s other transfer partners. Plus, it comes with a lower annual fee of $95. To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• If you want United benefits for a lower annual fee: The United Explorer Card earns bonus miles on United purchases. It includes a free checked bag for you and a companion but is less expensive to hold, coming with a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 afterward. To learn more, check out our full review of the United Explorer Card.

For additional options, browse our full lists of best airline credit cards and best travel credit cards.

Related: United Quest vs. United Club: Bigger is better

Is the United Quest Card worth it?

The $350 annual fee might seem steep, but if you maximize the $200 TravelBank cash and check a standard bag on four one-way United flights per year, you’ll come out ahead.

Bottom line

The United Quest Card offers a host of benefits for United travelers and multiple travel perks to utilize each year. If you’re a frequent United flyer willing to maximize this suite of benefits, this card could be a great choice for you.

That being said, anyone wanting complimentary airport lounge access or more flexible rewards might choose a different route.

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Apply here: United Quest Card

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Disney World has always been and will always be a place where families can create memories together.

This has been true since Walt Disney opened Disneyland — the original Disney park — in 1955, with the hope that it would be a place where parents and children could have fun together. The biggest difference is that now, in addition to flying away to Neverland with Peter Pan or soaring high in the sky with Dumbo, you can also go down the bayou with Princess Tiana and pilot the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

During a panel discussion with several Disney World executives, I was part of a small group of journalists who heard firsthand how Disney is continually looking for new ways to create magic for families by bringing beloved stories to life.

This summer, all four Disney parks will offer more money-saving opportunities for families along with increased opportunities to meet favorite characters, sing along to popular songs and make cherished memories. Here is everything you have to look forward to when you visit Walt Disney World this summer.

Summertime Disney World discounts

Summer is a “hot” time to visit the parks — not just because of the high temperatures but also because it’s one of the least expensive times for families with school-age kids.

“It’s warm here in the summer, but that’s also the time when we have our longest hours,” Disney World Vice President of Customer Experience and Commercial Strategy Cheslea Filley said during the panel. “There’s a lot of options to maximize your day in the park because you have so much to experience in the nighttime, too,” she added.

There are several ways to save at Disney World this summer. Beginning March 27, you can book with all of the below discounts online or by calling (407) 939-5277.

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FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.

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To ensure you choose the discounts that will save you the most money, we recommend working with an authorized Disney vacation planner. They will work with you to ensure you are using the best available discounts to maximize your savings.

Ticket discounts

While Summer is already one of the least expensive times to visit Disney World, but you can save even more this year with a duo of discounts that will be available to book beginning March 27 online or by phone.

For visits between May 27 through Sept. 3, you can purchase a 3-day or longer kids ticket (eligible for children ages 3-9) for 50% off. A regularly priced kids ticket in mid-August costs $371 plus tax, so this deal can amount to significant savings, especially if you are traveling with multiple children. And keep in mind that children two and under can visit for free.

All visitors, regardless of age, can take advantage of a discounted three-day, three-park ticket for as little as $89 per day (pricing varies per date). This ticket is eligible for visits between April 6 through Sept. 22 and includes admission to Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom (only one park per day).

Free Disney Dining plan

Guests who purchase a non-discounted four-night, four-day (or longer) vacation package that includes a Disney hotel room and Park Hopper tickets can get a free Disney Dining plan.

“We know this is a fantastic offer for families that also simplify that experience,” Filley said. “They take the idea of thinking about your dining out of that planning process,” she added.

If you stay in a Disney Deluxe resort, you’ll receive the Disney Dining Plan, which includes one snack, one quick-service meal and one table-service meal each day. If you stay in a Disney Moderate or Value resort, you’ll get the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, which comes with one snack and two quick-service meals daily.

A free Disney Dining Plan can shave hundreds of dollars off the cost of your vacation, but with so many discounts to choose from, you should compare the savings you might get from a ticket or hotel discount with the free dining discount to see which is better.

This offer is good for arrivals on most nights from June 29 through Sept. 30, Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 and Dec. 6 through Dec. 22.

Hotel discounts

When you stay in a Disney World hotel, you can also save up to 30% on your stay for most visits of five nights or longer between August 1 and Oct. 11.

New theme park fun for kids

Disney World is offering much more than savings this summer.

From May 27 through Sept. 1, families can visit new “kid zones” inside the parks.

“We are going to curate simple yet fun entertainment experiences geared toward young families. It’s going to involve characters, music, games and dancing in an area where guests can go and just have fun, relax and get away from it all, but still that their kids have fun,” Disney World senior vice president, operations Jason Kirk said. “The kids can play on their own with their parents just sitting and watching, or of course, their parents can jump in and play as well,” he added.

Disney isn’t revealing full details yet to avoid spoiling the surprise, but they did share that there will be Goofy-themed fun at CommuniCore Hall in Epcot and two kid-zones in Magic Kingdom, a Stitch-themed takeover in Tomorrowland and a yet-to-be-announced zone in Storybook Circus.

These types of experiences give families the chance to go at their own pace rather than rush from ride to ride. I often argue that you miss the true magic of Disney if you cram your day so full of rides that you don’t leave time for spontaneity. My kids all have their favorite rides, but when I ask them to recall their favorite Disney memories, their answers are a time they danced with a character or a silly game they made up in the hotel room.

Disney also shared that guests will see characters in the park during the 30-minute early entry for Disney hotel guests. Unlike a traditional meet-and-greet that you wait in line for, you can expect to see characters roaming around the park.

“They can just wave and say hello on their way to their favorite attraction or they can also just stop and interact with them. It’s just a little more family fun for our guests this summer who come into our parks,” Kirk said.

Summer fun at select Disney World hotels

In addition to the surprise character meetings, poolside games and nightly activities like campfires and movies under the stars, Disney is adding an extra dose of fun to four select resorts this summer.

“We’ve been intentionally choosing resorts that represent every segment, including the value, moderate and Deluxe price points for our guests,” Disney World vice president, resorts operations Alison Armor said.

Guests staying in Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge can experience additional family-friendly activities and character visits at set times. Not only does this make it easier to plan your day, it also makes your time outside of the parks even more magical.

Unbeknownst to me, Disney was already testing this experience during my recent stay at Wilderness Lodge. As soon as we walked into the lobby, Mr. Smee, Pinocchio and a penguin from “Mary Poppins” were greeting guests. My kids were so excited to meet them all that I actually teared up a bit.

New entertainment offerings

These discounts and experiences are in addition to everything new that Disney has already announced for this summer, including the reimagined Test Track at Epcot, the Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom and two new stage shows at Hollywood Studios.

While we are waiting on official opening dates for some of these, Disney announced Wednesday that Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After will both debut at Hollywood Studios on May 27.

While summer is bringing new experiences to Hollywood Studios this summer, a fan-favorite attraction at Magic Kingdom will soon temporarily close for refurbishment.

“We are going to refresh the Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin attraction with new targets, new blasters and new vehicles,” Creative Portfolio Executive Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering Michael Hundgen said. He shared that the blasters will have haptic responses, and the targets will light up with your specific blaster color so that it’s more clear when you are doing all you can to defeat the aliens.

The attraction will close in August and should reopen sometime in 2026.

Bottom line

At the core of every Disney vacation is the rare opportunity to step out of the real world and into a world where magic is real. Disney’s lineup of summertime entertainment and experiences makes that more true than ever before, and the limited-time discounts make it approachable for families on any budget.

Related reading:

• A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World in 2025
• Tips for visiting Disney World in 2025: 17 ways to save money and have more fun
• This card can get you a free Disney dining plan and up to $400 toward your next vacation
• How to save money at Disney World so you don’t go bibbidi-bobbidi-broke

Air Canada’s Aeroplan is the latest loyalty program to say goodbye to its fixed award charts — at least, for some of its partner redemptions. Instead, the program now operates using a dynamic pricing model for select Star Alliance partners, such as United Airlines.

With this new award chart, prices for select partner airlines feature a “Starting at” range and a new median amount. Therefore, when you’re looking to redeem Aeroplan points with partner airlines, the cost has become a little less predictable — and from what TPG has seen, more expensive.

Here’s what you need to know about booking redemptions with partner airlines, including United Airlines, with your Aeroplan points.

Related: How to redeem Aeroplan points for maximum value

Aeroplan launches dynamic award pricing for select partners

As of March 25, Aeroplan now uses dynamic award pricing for the following partner airlines:

• United
• Emirates
• Etihad Airways
• Flydubai
• Regional partners: Calm Air, Canadian North and PAL Airlines

We knew this was coming. Air Canada announced plans to abolish its fixed award charts for select airlines and switch to a dynamic pricing model, and now that day has come. As you can see in the North America award chart below, you’ll notice “Starting at” price points and a median price point.

The median price point is meant to give Aeroplan members a possible estimate of the redemption cost based on previous data. Note that the median amounts will only be displayed in award charts for flights originating or ending in North America. Additionally, the median amount will be updated quarterly, with price points reflecting the previous four quarters.

Aeroplan partner award prices have increased

Switching to dynamic pricing is almost never a good thing, and this change seems to be no exception. We looked at a variety of United award tickets bookable through Aeroplan and saw a price increase across the board.

Among the hardest-hit awards are short-haul domestic flights under 500 miles, which used to cost only 6,000 points each way in economy with Aeroplan’s old award chart. We’re now seeing consistent prices of 10,000 points for these, a jump of 67%.

We’ve seen similar price spikes on longer routes, ranging from 11% to 50%:

Flight distance	Price before March 25	Price after March 25	Percent change	Sample flights
0 to 500 miles	6,000 points	10,000 points	67%	Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Chicago to Toronto
501 to 1,500 miles	10,000 points	15,000 points	50%	Denver to San Francisco, Los Angeles to Seattle, Houston to Mexico City
1,501 to 2,750 miles	12,500 points	15,000 points	20%	Chicago to San Francisco, Dallas to Panama City, Los Angeles to Honolulu
2,751 or more miles	22,500 points	25,000 points	11%	Denver to Honolulu

Of course, with no more fixed award charts for these partner airlines, these numbers are subject to fluctuation. However, this is what we’re seeing on a variety of sample flights, so going forward, you should expect to pay more for these partner award flights booked through Aeroplan.

Hard-to-find business-class fares aren’t immune either, but so far, these devaluations are less consistent. We checked the following international business-class tickets on multiple dates, and some dates saw an increase in price while others stayed the same:

• From Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA): Was 70,000 points each way, now 70,000 or 80,000 points depending on dates.
• From Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR): Was 60,000 points each way, now 60,000 or 80,000 points depending on dates.

None of our sample flights decreased in price, but a handful stayed constant — at least for now. These include the following one-way international routes:

• From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Sydney Airport (SYD): 60,000 points in economy class
• From Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria (LOS): 40,000 points in economy class
• From IAD to Frankfurt Airport (FRA): 40,000 points in economy class, 70,000 in business class
• From San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND): 60,000 points in economy class
• From Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Dubai International Airport (DXB): 55,000 points in economy class
• From Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Sao Paulo/Guarulhos-Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU): 40,000 points in economy class, 60,000 points in business class
• From EWR to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg: 90,000 points in business class

If these prices hold, these could still be sweet spots in the Aeroplan program. However, it’s possible Aeroplan hasn’t finished rolling out its new pricing scheme and these will soon be devalued as well. Until then, now is a great time to book one of the above award tickets.

Plus, if you have status with Aeroplan or are a credit card holder, you can save on award redemptions. Alongside the new reward chart, Aeroplan announced that if you have status with the loyalty program or have an Aeroplan card, such as the Aeroplan® Credit Card, you’ll have access to reduced award fares.

Related: The complete guide to Aeroplan’s stopover and routing rules

Bottom line

Air Canada’s Aeroplan still offers good value on partner flights, especially longer domestic and international routes, which we’ve found have had the lowest devaluations — and in some cases, no change. However, shorter routes are trending toward consistently costing far more Aeroplan points.

Aeroplan used to be a reliable way to book United award flights for fewer points than on United’s website, but that may no longer be the case. Now, we’d advise checking multiple airlines’ sites to find the best rates.

If you wish you could connect your wireless headphones to watch seatback entertainment on your next flight, the solution is 21% off during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale.

While some of the newest aircraft seats offer Bluetooth connectivity in all classes, most airlines don’t, and if you have ever attempted to endure tinny inflight entertainment audio through cheap, airplane-wired headphones even though you’re traveling with a pair of high-end Bluetooth headphones, we feel your pain. Thankfully, there’s a solution.

Forget untangling cords to shove one-size-fits-all pieces of plastic into your ear and suffer from thin, baseless sound while you watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

The Avantree Relay Premium Bluetooth 5.3 Adapter lets you connect your wireless Bluetooth headphones through any single or dual-pin 3.5mm headphone jack with a simple device that can fit in your pocket.

Usually $39.99, you can save 20% and pick up this handy gadget from Amazon for just $31.49 right now.

Even if you are traveling in a premium cabin where higher quality headphones are provided to all passengers, depending on the airline, these may not have noise canceling capabilities, offer the sound quality your personal wireless headphones provide and may not be as comfortable for a long flight.

If traveling with a friend, the Relay device allows you to connect up to two devices simultaneously, so you could even share screens if you don’t mind them leaning in.

With a battery life of up to 20 hours, this nifty device can be used on the world’s longest flights. It ensures you can lose yourself in the hours of entertainment your airline provides without sacrificing sound quality or personal comfort.

You can also adjust the headphone sound on the Avantree Relay Premium Bluetooth 5.3 Adapter device without hunting for a pop-out aircraft remote control or fiddling with a touchscreen.

If you shop on Amazon, be sure to use a credit card that allows you to earn the most rewards or cash back. Options to consider include:

• Prime Visa: Earn 5% cash back on all Amazon purchases.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases, including Amazon.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases, including Amazon.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on drugstore and dining purchases and 1.5% on all other purchases, including Amazon.
• Chase Freedom Flex®: Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore and dining purchases and 1% on all other purchases, including Amazon.

Bottom line

You never have to suffer through long flights with poor-quality headphones again.

We love the Avantree Relay Premium Bluetooth 5.3 Adapter for its simplicity and ability to connect your favorite wireless headphones to any 3.5mm headphone jack. Now, you can enjoy all the seatback inflight entertainment you wish, and it’s 21% off during the Amazon Big Spring Sale.

Related reading:

• How to use price trackers to get the best deals on holiday shopping
• 8 ways to save money on Amazon orders
• Save up to 50% on Amazon purchases using just 1 Amex point
• How to prepare for the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday travel bargains
• The best Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday hotel deals you can expect in 2024 (so far)

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

Southwest Airlines recently announced it will end its bags-fly-free policy, ditch its Wanna Get Away fare and make several other customer-unfriendly changes. But, at least so far, one of the most advantageous offerings in the travel industry — the Southwest Companion Pass — remains intact.

This valuable benefit lets you bring a companion along for free (excluding applicable taxes and fees) on unlimited Southwest Airlines flights until the pass expires. For frequent Southwest flyers, this benefit alone can easily amount to thousands of dollars saved annually. So, here’s what you should know about earning and using the Southwest Companion Pass.

How to earn the Southwest Companion Pass

To earn a Southwest Companion Pass valid through the end of the next calendar year, you must accrue 135,000 qualifying points or complete 100 qualifying flights within a calendar year.

You can earn qualifying points through various means, including flying with Southwest and engaging with its partners. The latter includes making purchases via the Rapid Rewards shopping portal, completing hotel stays and car rentals with partners, and using a Southwest credit card for purchases.

Cobranded Southwest credit cards are often the simplest way to earn the Companion Pass since you’ll earn qualifying points on purchases, and the welcome bonus points are qualifying. Additionally, travelers with a cobranded Southwest credit card get 10,000 qualifying points each calendar year, effectively reducing the Companion Pass requirement to 125,000 qualifying points yearly.

Speaking of welcome bonuses on Southwest credit cards, here’s a look at some of the current offers:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn a Companion Pass through Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (this offer ends March 31).
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn a Companion Pass through Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (this offer ends March 31).
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The two consumer Southwest cards offer a Companion Pass valid through Feb. 28, 2026, as part of their welcome offer. However, the bonus points from each offer could help you earn a Companion Pass valid through the end of 2026.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that Southwest occasionally offers promotions for limited-time Companion Passes. For example, for a short time in February, Southwest let travelers earn a two-month Companion Pass for later this year after just one round trip or two one-way flights.

Related: Companion Pass and bonus points: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier and Plus credit cards

How to use the Southwest Companion Pass

Once you’ve earned a Companion Pass, Southwest makes it incredibly easy to use.

Set up your Companion Pass

After you earn the Companion Pass, Southwest will send you a congratulatory email within a few days. Log in to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account to track your progress toward earning the Companion Pass.

Upon receiving the email, click the link to set up your initial companion choice. The process is quick, but you’ll need to provide information about your companion, including their legal name (matching their ID) and birth date.

If you want to keep the same companion for the duration of your Companion Pass, you’ll only need to set it up once. However, remember you can change your companion up to three times each calendar year.

Related: 2 for 1: How airline companion tickets can save you serious money on your next trip

Book your flight

Before using your Companion Pass, you must book your own Southwest flight. And if you’re traveling with someone who isn’t your designated companion, book their flight, too. For example, suppose you are a family of four with one adult holding the Companion Pass and the other adult being the companion. In that case, you should initially book tickets for the Companion Pass holder and the two kids.

You can pay for your flights with cash or redeem Southwest points when using a Companion Pass. However, if you purchase the tickets with cash, remember to include each traveler’s Rapid Rewards number when booking so they can earn Southwest points on their flights.

Related: Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it

Add your companion to your reservation

Once you have booked your flight, you can add your companion to your reservation. Doing so immediately after booking your flight is the best way to ensure you add your companion before the flight sells out.

However, you can’t change a flight with a companion attached. And you can often save serious points or cash by occasionally checking whether you can rebook at a lower rate. As such, TPG lead writer Katie Genter suggests setting up a Y9 alert in ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) so you’ll get an email when only nine seats remain on your flight. Then, once your flight is less than two weeks out — the point at which Southwest flights usually become more expensive — or when you get the Y9 alert email, add your companion.

To add your companion to a flight, log in to your Southwest account and find the flight in your upcoming trips. If you haven’t added your companion yet, you should see an “Add companion” button for the flight.

Click the button and double-check the prefilled information. Proceed through the process until you reach the point where you’ll need to pay the taxes and fees for your companion’s flight. Pay the taxes and fees, and your companion will be confirmed on the flight. Your companion will get a different confirmation number than you, though.

Related: ‘The Day Southwest Died’: Reactions pour in about the carrier’s big changes

Bottom line

The Companion Pass might provide significant value if you frequently fly Southwest with a favorite companion. Likewise, if you would fly Southwest frequently with another traveler if you could do so for about half the cost, the Companion Pass is worth considering.

Southwest credit cards can put earning the Companion Pass within reach even if you don’t meet the standard requirements through flights. Best of all, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card have welcome offers through March 31 for a Companion Pass valid through Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

If you’re looking to enter the United Club, you might want to pay attention to this news.

The Chicago-based airline announced major changes to United Club access policies on Monday. The updates include new membership options, guest policies and timing restrictions. The changes aren’t as sweeping as what Delta Air Line announced for its (often overcrowded) Sky Clubs, but there are some big updates that are sure to catch your attention.

Savvy readers shouldn’t be surprised to see these updates — after all, United Airlines’ head of lounges teased them exclusively to TPG last month — but now that they’re official, here’s what you need to know.

2 membership tiers

Effective immediately, United will offer two tiers of club membership.

United Club individual membership

This membership will offer unlimited access to all United Club locations for the primary member only. The annual price will be $750 or 94,000 miles, and there are no discounts available for United Premier members. Note that Individual members can pay to bring guests into the lounge on a one-off basis; you’ll need to pay $59 for a one-time pass per guest.

United Club All Access membership

This membership plan offers unlimited United Club access to primary members and up to two guests. This membership also includes access to all Star Alliance member lounges, as well as other select partner locations listed on this website. All Access members can use any Star Alliance member carrier-owned or Star Alliance-branded lounge. In effect, purchasing this membership will give you de facto Star Alliance Gold status, at least in terms of lounge access.

The annual sticker price for this plan is $1,400 or 175,000 miles, but Premier members gain access to the following discounted rates:

• Premier Platinum members: $1,300 or 163,000 miles
• Premier 1K members: $1,200 or 150,000 miles
• Global Service members: $1,000 or 125,000 miles

While these new membership plans are effective immediately for new sign-ups, existing members won’t see any changes until their membership year expires. Upon renewal, you must choose between an individual or All Access plan (and pay the associated higher fees).

United Club membership via credit cards

While you can purchase a stand-alone United Club membership at the rates above, you can also get discounted access via several cobranded credit cards.

In addition to the membership policy changes, United also overhauled its entire portfolio of cobranded credit cards on Monday.

Lounge access will be included with the following credit cards:

• United Club℠ Infinite Card
• United Club℠ Business Card
• United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card (no longer accepting new applications)
• United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Business Card (no longer accepting new applications)

Note that lounge membership earned via a cobranded credit card offers a unique access policy that includes entry for primary cardmembers, one guest and any dependents under 18.

Cardmembers can unlock an All Access club membership (that bumps up the guest allowance to two and unlocks access to partner lounges) in one of two ways. The first is to earn Premier Gold status or higher in a given year, and the second is to spend at least $50,000 in eligible purchases on their cobranded card in a calendar year.

Note that the annual fee on both the United Club Infinite Card and the United Club Business Card is just $695, so having a card to enter the lounge remains a more attractive option than outright buying membership.

3-hour time limits

In recent years, several airline- and credit card-branded lounges have implemented restrictions on how early guests can arrive. This prevents travelers from turning the club into their office (or cafeteria) for an entire day. Now, United is joining the bandwagon — but in a far more limited way.

Starting May 1, travelers using a one-time pass can only enter a United Club up to three hours before their scheduled departure time. This exclusively applies to departure flights, and there will be no time limit for entry on connecting flights. There are also no time limits for club access for members or travelers flying in eligible premium cabins.

Furthermore, grab-and-go Club Fly locations will no longer accept one-time passes. (Note that United sells one-time passes for $59, so be aware of the new restrictions before purchasing one.)

Bottom line

Of course, United’s new membership tiers (and associated annual fees) sting for those who are used to paying for the airline’s existing pricing tiers. Plus, the new time limits on entering the club with a one-time pass will hurt those who enjoy spending lots of time in the lounge before their flight.

But as a whole, these changes aren’t actually all that bad. As we noted earlier, they’re nowhere near as sweeping as what Delta has done with its Sky Club network; that carrier is now limiting cobranded credit card members to a fixed number of annual visits.

Plus, the new three-hour rule only applies to a small subset of travelers who use the lounge with a one-time pass.

But perhaps the best news is that those with select United credit cards will continue to enjoy unlimited access to the United Club network. They’ll just be permitted one fewer guest until they earn Premier Gold status or spend $50,000 on the card. Once you hit either of those milestones, you’ll enjoy a much-upgraded All Access membership that includes partner lounge access and an additional guest.

Related reading:

• Best credit cards for airport lounge access
• The ultimate guide to United Club access
• The do’s and don’ts of visiting an airport lounge
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• 9 domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for