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.
Coral Princess’ new route. PRINCESS CRUISES
“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.
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.
POINTS.COM
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.
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.
InterContinental Phuket Resort in Thailand. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Example award pricing for a stay using the fourth-night-free reward perk. IHG
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUY
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
KENT PHILLIPS/DISNEY CRUISE LINE
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:
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?
ROB LEWINE/GETTY IMAGES
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.
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
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)
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 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.
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 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.
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’ 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.
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 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, 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:
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.
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.
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.
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
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
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
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.
Can a credit card help you earn United Premier status?
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
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:
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.
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.
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.
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
Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) in Colorado. TELLURIDE REGIONAL AIRPORT
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.
UNITED AIRLINES
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.
LIFEMILES
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.)
AMERICAN AIRLINES
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.
ALASKA AIRLINES
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.
A United Express plane at Denver International Airport (DEN). DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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.
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.
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
WALDORF ASTORIA PARK CITY
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.
HILTON
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.
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.
HYATT
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.
The St. Regis Aspen Resort. BECCA MANHEIMER/THE POINTS GUY
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.
MARRIOTT
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.)
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.
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
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
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.
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.
CHASE
Just enter your destination and dates, then filter the results for words like “ski.”
CHASE
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
EPIC MOUNTAIN EXPRESS
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.
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.
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:
*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.
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.
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
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville. HYATT
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
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.
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.
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
Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
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.
But is purchasing miles really a good investment? Here’s everything you need to know about the sale and how to decide if buying miles is right for you.
Buy up to 100% HawaiianMiles with this promo and transfer to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
AARONP/BAUER-GRIFFIN/GC IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
From now through Nov. 15, you can purchase HawaiianMiles with up to a 100% bonus — effectively cutting the cost per mile in half. However, the discount depends on how many miles you buy, and it may vary from one member to another.
Here are the details on the bonus miles deal I found in my personal HawaiianMiles account:
If you purchase fewer than 3,000 miles, you’ll get the standard price of 2.54 cents per mile (this includes a 1.6% tax recovery fee).
If you purchase at least 3,000 miles, you’ll get an 80% bonus, reducing the price to 1.41 cents each.
If you buy 10,000 miles or more, you’ll get an impressive 100% bonus, dropping the price to 1.27 cents apiece.
You must purchase miles in 1,000-mile increments. There’s a limit of 100,000 miles per transaction (before the bonus) but no cap on the total number of miles you can buy per year. Therefore, in theory, you could purchase as many miles as you want in multiple transactions during this sale.
Note that HawaiianMiles transactions may take up to 72 hours to process.
This may not seem like a great deal, considering that HawaiianMiles are worth 1.2 cents each per TPG’s November 2024 valuations. However, thanks to the recent merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, you can now transfer miles between the carriers’ loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio.
Since Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles are valued at 1.4 cents apiece, according to TPG’s November 2024 valuations, buying miles during Hawaiian’s sale and transferring them to Alaska could provide solid savings. Alaska is part of the Oneworld alliance, opening a variety of partner award opportunities, and it still uses an award chart, which can result in some high-value redemptions.
Is it worth it to buy HawaiianMiles and transfer to Alaska?
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
This sale definitely makes buying HawaiianMiles a better value proposition than usual. However, we generally recommend buying miles only when you have a specific redemption in mind. Stocking up on miles — even when they’re on sale — isn’t a great strategy because points and miles can be devalued at any time.
This is especially true in the case of Hawaiian and Alaska miles right now. Since the merger, the airlines have announced plans to eventually operate under a single loyalty program. This could mean overhauling the current programs — and potentially doing away with Alaska’s valuable award chart and switching to dynamic pricing. This could cause any miles you have stashed to be devalued suddenly.
However, according to the airlines’ statements, we won’t know more about how the new combined loyalty program will work until mid-2025. That means you have several months to use your Alaska and/or Hawaiian miles. If you’ve been eyeing one of Alaska’s award chart sweet spots, buying HawaiianMiles at a discount and transferring them to Mileage Plan could be a great way to get you closer to that redemption.
For instance, you could book a nonstop economy ticket from New York to London on American Airlines for travel in March 2025 for only 22,500 Alaska miles plus $19 in taxes and fees.
ALASKA AIRLINES
But don’t forget that HawaiianMiles are valuable in their own right. If you’re dreaming of a tropical getaway this winter, you can find nonstop award availability from Los Angeles to Honolulu in March for only 40,000 miles and $6 in taxes and fees for a lie-flat first-class seat — and it may be worth buying the miles you need to get there.
The Alaska Airlines-Hawaiian Airlines merger has created a lot of uncertainty for loyalists of both programs as we head into 2025 — but it’s also created some valuable opportunities. Some TPG staffers even decided to apply for not one but two Hawaiian Airlines credit cards with the hopes of using the welcome bonuses toward Alaska redemptions. Also, keep in mind that you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to HawaiianMiles and Bilt Points to Alaska miles, both at a 1:1 ratio, giving you even more ways to earn miles with these programs.
Singapore Airlines is planning a major cabin facelift for its fleet of long-range Airbus A350 jets, including a new first-class cabin that will someday be offered on the world’s longest airline routes.
On Monday, Singapore announced a $1.1 billion cabin retrofit program for its A350-900 fleet — covering both its long-haul and ultra-long-haul aircraft.
The work includes refreshed coach and premium economy cabins, all-new business class concepts, and — on its farthest-flying jets — new first-class offerings. Together, the work will set “new industry benchmarks for travel on the world’s longest routes,” the carrier said in a statement Monday.
It’ll also up the game for an airline that’s long offered an inflight product that ranks among the world’s best.
Singapore’s A350-900 retrofit plans
As part of the changes, Singapore plans to outfit its seven ultra-long-haul A350-900s with a new first-class cabin, “designed with increasingly discerning travelers in mind.” It’s a clear move to pick up on a strong demand for premium travel experiences that has been reported across the industry.
The carrier released “sneak peak” renderings Monday that show a sizable footprint for the new seat concept — it’s clearly Singapore’s take on the private suite concept airlines are increasingly deploying for their highest-end seats.
But we’ll have to wait until closer to the product launch to truly get a look at the bells and whistles of the airline’s new first class.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
Singapore operates its A350-900ULR on its longest routes, including the current longest flights in the world from Singapore to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). That means you’ll see the new first-class concept, and upgraded cabin, on those flights in the coming years.
Adding a first-class cabin isn’t entirely novel to Singapore. Today, you can book an “F” ticket on flights aboard its Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Meanwhile, as part of the retrofits, Singapore will also unveil an all-new business-class product on its long-haul and ultra long-haul A350s. The limited glimpse the carrier offered of the new seats showed sliding privacy doors as part of the suite concept.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
Singapore notes these products will mirror the future design on its upcoming Boeing 777-9 jets it has on order — though Boeing’s new 777X family aircraft continues to face lengthy production delays.
“The new First Class and Business Class seat designs will incorporate thoughtful elements that push the boundaries of comfort, luxury, and modernity, allowing our customers to relax or work effortlessly on board,” Singapore CEO Goh Choon Phong said in a statement Monday.
It’s not just the high-end cabins getting an upgrade as part of Singapore’s billion-dollar program.
The carrier plans to “refresh” its premium economy and economy cabins, too.
Throughout the aircraft, customers will have access to an updated KrisWorld inflight entertainment system with greater personalization options, the carrier said — and, it’ll offer all-new screens in the first- and business-class sections.
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Retrofitted A350-900 long-haul jets will end up with 42 Business Class seats and 24 Premium Economy, on par with today’s cabin configurations.
However, the ultra-long-haul aircraft will boast four first-class suites, 70 business-class seats, and 58 seats in premium economy. Today’s ULR jets feature 67 business pods, and 94 premium economy seats.
Singapore expects its first long-haul A350 will enter service in mid-2026. Its first ultra-long-haul A350 with the upgraded cabin should arrive in service by early 2027, the carrier said. The airline hopes to complete the entire retrofit program by the end of 2030.
Singapore currently operates nonstop flights to the U.S. from its hub at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to four U.S. airports: JFK, Newark, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
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You can also catch a Singapore fifth-freedom flight from JFK to Frankfurt; from LAX to Tokyo’s Narita Airport (NRT); and — until April — from Houston to Manchester, England. The latter service ends April 1, when Singapore will exit the Houston market altogether.
If there’s one thing I always forget to do before I cruise, it’s to stop at the ATM. Cruises largely operate on a cashless system, so traveling without cash is not a big deal. You attach a credit card to your onboard account and use your keycard to make purchases on board.
But sometimes you need dollar bills or foreign currency. Fortunately, in those situations, you can find ways to get cash on most cruise ships.
Occasionally, I need a few U.S. dollars to tip a porter, a tour guide or the person who delivers my room service, and I always leave an extra cash tip for my room steward, beyond the auto-gratuities. Plus, in certain destinations abroad, vendors only accept cash in local currency. If you’re hoping to shop when you’re in port, you’ll want to have some cash handy.
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The best time to get cash is before you leave home, either from an ATM (if you need U.S. dollars) or from your local bank, which can almost always obtain foreign currency on your behalf at a better rate than you’d find at an airport currency exchange counter. Local ATMs in foreign countries are also a solid option; complete the transaction in local currency instead of U.S. dollars to avoid bad exchange rates.
But, if — like me — you happen to forget or run out of time in your rush to make it to the airport, you can still get cash after boarding your cruise ship.
At an onboard ATM
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Many large cruise ships have ATMs on board, and they’re the quickest and easiest way to grab cash while you’re sailing. The biggest drawback is that they often charge exorbitant fees — upward of $10 per transaction. If you must withdraw cash, calculate how much you’ll need for the entire voyage so you only need to make one withdrawal.
At the front desk
If you’re on a ship that doesn’t have an ATM, ask the front desk if they can give you cash and charge the amount to your onboard bill. In most cases, the transaction will post as a credit card purchase rather than a cash advance, so you won’t have to worry about additional charges from your card issuer or bank. Be sure to double-check with guest services if you’re concerned.
This is only an option on certain ships, so don’t count on every cruise ship offering cash at the front desk.
At the casino
Another option for finding cash on a cruise is the onboard casino if your vessel has one. (And, no, I’m not talking about gambling with the intention of winning to obtain money.)
Head to the cashier and ask to preload the money you need onto your keycard, or have it given to you in chips, depending on how your ship handles gaming. Find the least expensive slot machine or table game, play the smallest amount of credits, and when you’re finished, go back to the desk to cash out.
Because you’re likely to lose the amount you play in the slot machine, this is a tactic you should only use in a pinch.
Bottom line
Although cruising is a largely cashless endeavor, you might need paper money in certain circumstances. It’s ideal to take cash out from your bank or a no-fee ATM before you head to your embarkation port, but that’s not always possible. If you need cash for tips or purchases ashore, these options might work for you in a pinch if you don’t mind potential fees and other charges.
Learn more about cruising with these TPG resources:
