Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
The American Express® Business Gold Card has a few well-known (and well-advertised) perks, including 4 points per dollar on your top two spending categories each month from the following list (up to the first $150,000 in combined purchases, then 1 point):
Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly with U.S. wireless telephone service providers
U.S. purchases at restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers, plus software and cloud system providers
The card’s welcome offer is sizable, too: new cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Still on the fence because of the Amex Business Gold’s steep $375 annual fee (see rates and fees)? Here are five lesser-known perks that could sell you on the Amex Business Gold. Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.
Pay over time
The Amex Business Gold automatically enrolls all cardmembers in its Pay Over Time program, which gives you the option to carry a balance and structure payments on charges over $100. However, the variable interest rates are painfully high, varying from 19.49% to 28.49%, depending on your credit history.
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While this likely won’t be your first choice for managing your cash flow, it’s a nice option to have if you need it in a pinch. I recommend always paying your balance off in full each billing cycle, but if that’s not possible Pay Over Time is there to help out.
Account management tools
Keeping with the theme of primarily rewarding larger businesses, the Amex Business Gold card offers a comprehensive suite of account management tools.
You can add employee expense business cards with no annual fee; however, adding an employee Business Gold Card costs $95 for the first five cards, then $95 for each card thereafter (99 card limit; see rates and fees).
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You can also designate an employee as your account manager, allowing you to delegate the tasks of making payments, adding employee cards and tracking expenses to someone you deem trustworthy.
Or use the Amex receipt match feature, which lets you upload receipts from mobile or desktop, tag and annotate transactions and even sync with QuickBooks to streamline your accounting.
Cardmembers can also take advantage of paying vendors through Bill.com. The basic plan comes with no monthly fee but limits usage to the first user, with a second user having no fee for six months. After six months, the second user pays $15 a month. Other fees may apply based on plan type and number of users.
The Amex Hotel Collection
Amex Business Gold cardmembers will also enjoy benefits on select travel bookings. In addition to earning points on bookings made through Amex Travel, you’ll enjoy a $100 experience credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities at properties within The Hotel Collection.
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You’re also eligible for room upgrades upon check-in, when available. Certain room categories are not eligible for an upgrade.
These benefits are only offered to cardmembers who make a minimum two-night consecutive stay.
And like all Amex cards, you’ll have access to Amex Offers, which can help you save money or earn bonus points on purchases you were already planning to make. Many of these offers are targeted to specific cardmembers, and while this is purely anecdotal, Amex sometimes appears to target Gold and Platinum cardmembers with the best offers.
Sometimes, these offers may be for cash back or additional Membership Rewards points on specific hotel purchases.
Car rental and baggage insurance
While these are not the most generous policies on the market, Amex Business Gold offers certain travel insurance policies in the event that something goes wrong while you’re on the road.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
If you use your Amex Business Gold to pay for the entire cost of a rental car, you’ll be entitled to secondary coverage beyond and in addition to your own personal policy in the event of theft or damage*.
There are a number of restrictions to be aware of, such as excluded countries (Australia, Italy and New Zealand, for example), excluded vehicle types (off-road vehicles, limos and antiques, among others) and the fact that you must decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver to be eligible.
You’ll also be eligible for reimbursement if your baggage is lost, stolen or damaged if you pay for the entire cost of the ticket with your Amex Business Gold**.
Coverage limits are $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage; New York state residents are limited to $10,000 for all covered persons per covered trip.
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*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Extended warranty, purchase and cellphone protection
There’s something exciting and nerve-wracking about the first days after you buy a new phone, laptop or camera. If you use your Amex Business Gold card for eligible purchases, you can enjoy up to 90 days of purchase protection against theft or accidental damage***. This coverage is limited to $1,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 per cardmember per calendar year.
You can also rest easy with extended warranty benefits.*** On eligible purchases with warranties of five years or less, you can get one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty.
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The Amex Business Gold also offers cellphone protection when you pay for your cellphone plan with your card****. This plan covers stolen or damaged cellphones, up to $800 per claim with a limit of two claims in a 12-month period. Claims are subject to a $50 deductible.
***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
****Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Bottom line
The Amex Business Gold clearly targets high-spending businesses looking for a simple, rewarding strategy that doesn’t involve managing multiple cards or carefully studying and maximizing benefits.
If this is going to be your primary card, these lesser-known perks can add a ton of value and simplicity to your life. From tools to help your business track expenses to insurance policies in the event that your trip goes wrong, there’s more to the Amex Business Gold than meets the eye.
Asia Miles is the loyalty program of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and HK Express. These airlines connect Hong Kong with the world, with Cathay Pacific’s route network covering many major cities in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
The airline is also a Oneworld member, so you can earn and redeem miles with other major carriers like Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and British Airways. You can use its Oneworld award chart to book round-the-world trips on partner airlines or get a solid deal on Cathay Pacific flights. Furthermore, you can earn Asia Miles with hotels, car rental companies, retail partners and the program’s cobranded credit card. Asia Miles is also a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards, so the miles are easy to earn.
There are many ways to redeem your miles, but we recommend concentrating on flight rewards. These will give you the best value per mile, especially when you book tickets in premium cabins.
Here is everything you need to know about Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program.
Who are Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles partners?
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Cathay Pacific is a Oneworld member. That means you can earn and redeem Asia Miles with the following Oneworld airlines:
In addition, Asia Miles partners with several airlines outside of the Oneworld alliance. Be sure to read the specifics of each partnership, as some may have restrictions on reciprocal mileage earning and redeeming.
The non-Oneworld alliance partners include:
Air Canada (Star Alliance)
Air China (Star Alliance)
Air New Zealand (Star Alliance)
Bangkok Airways
LATAM
Lufthansa (Star Alliance)
S7 Airlines
Cathay Pacific elite status
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Cathay Pacific has an elite status program that awards frequent flyers benefits like lounge access, advance seat reservations and more. These benefits can make the travel experience smoother and more luxurious when flying on any Oneworld carrier.
To earn status with Cathay Pacific, you’ll need to reach the following number of Status points per year to upgrade or renew your elite status:
Green: 0 points
Silver: 300 points
Gold: 600 points
Diamond: 1,200 points
Meeting the Status points requirements can qualify you for one of Cathay’s status tiers. You’ll earn Status points when you fly on paid flights operated by Cathay Pacific or any of its partners. The number of earned Status points depends on the airline you’re flying with, the route you’re flying and the class of service you’re traveling in.
Check out the Cathay website for more information on elite status tiers and their respective benefits.
How to earn Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
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You can earn Asia Miles both on and off the plane — here’s a look at all the best ways you can stock up on Asia Miles.
Earn Asia Miles by flying
When you fly with Cathay Pacific, you’ll earn Asia Miles based on the fare class you’re booked in and the zone you’re flying to — not on how much you spend. This means that longer flights in premium cabins will earn more miles.
You can view all earning rates on the Asia Miles website and use the program’s earning calculator to price out specific flights. For example, I priced out a ticket from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) in W-fare premium economy, which typically starts around $2,500 round-trip. This ticket earns 7,500 Asia Miles one-way.
ASIAMILES.COM
Other airline partners earn miles based on distance flown and fare class. You can view the earning rates for each airline on the Asia Miles website — just find your airline on the list, click on it and select your cabin class at the center of the screen.
Earn Asia Miles when you stay at hotels
You can earn Asia Miles instead of hotel points at thousands of hotels worldwide, including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, InterContinental, Shangri-La properties and so many more. Look closely at these earning rates before you opt to earn Asia Miles instead of hotel points. Sometimes, you may find that you’re better off earning hotel points if you can redeem them for high-end hotel stays.
If you already have a stash of hotel points you want to unload, you can transfer them to Asia Miles. Again, ensure the transfer ratio makes sense for your specific redemption.
Earn Asia Miles with your favorite rental car company
Asia Miles partners with a number of rental car companies, including big names like Avis, Hertz and National. Just note that you likely won’t earn rental car points if you opt to earn Asia Miles on your car rental. Make sure to assess which points you value more before you book your car.
Cathay Pacific offers a cobranded credit card in the U.S. in partnership with Synchrony Bank. The Cathay Pacific Visa® Card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on Cathay Pacific purchases, 1.5 miles on dining in the U.S. and abroad and 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases made in the U.S.
Additionally, the card is offering an elevated bonus of 38,000 miles after spending $3,000 with your card in the first 90 days of account opening. You’ll also receive several perks when flying Cathay Pacific, including priority check-in and boarding.
The information for the Cathay Pacific Visa 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.
Transfer miles from credit card programs
Alternatively, you can transfer rewards from four programs with transferable currencies directly to Asia Miles:
American Express Membership Rewards
Bilt Rewards
Capital One
Citi ThankYou Rewards
Each has a transfer ratio of 1:1, so 10,000 points or miles equals 10,000 Asia Miles.
With larger welcome bonuses and higher earning rates than the Cathay Pacific Visa, you may consider a card that earns points and miles you can transfer to Asia Miles instead.
Here are some of our favorite transferable rewards-earning cards:
American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) within the first six months of card membership.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership.
Unlike many U.S. carriers, Cathay Pacific has opted to continue pricing award tickets based on a standard award chart. This means that you’re not subject to dynamic pricing, and awards on both Cathay Pacific and its partners can be redeemed at a predictable rate, so long as there’s open award space.
That said, redeeming your miles can be a bit confusing. The loyalty program has three different award charts that cover different types of redemptions — here’s a quick overview:
Asia Miles award chart: Prices award tickets on Cathay Pacific-operated flights around the world.
Airline partners award chart: Prices award tickets on Oneworld and nonalliance partner carriers.
Oneworld multicarrier award chart: Prices multistop award tickets operated by two or more Oneworld partners. You can use this to build round-the-world award tickets.
Note that the airline does pass on fuel surcharges, which are priced based on region and not fare type. Check out Cathay’s updated fuel surcharge chart to find out the cost.
Booking Cathay Pacific flights with Asia Miles
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This award chart is reasonable, especially for long-haul flights in premium cabins. Under this award chart, you can book a one-way ticket from New York to Hong Kong in business class for 85,000 miles and flights departing from Los Angeles to Hong Kong would cost 70,000 miles.
Booking partner flights with Asia Miles
Unfortunately, Asia Miles doesn’t officially publish an airline partner award chart, with all partner awards having a mileage surcharge on top of Cathay Pacific awards of the same length.
For example, while Cathay charges 7,500 miles for an “ultra-short” flight up to 750 miles in length on its own metal, to book a flight of this length on partner airline Alaska Airlines requires 10,000 miles, reflecting the partner mileage surcharges.
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To identify the partner award pricing, you’ll need to search on Cathay Pacific’s website. Just enter your origin, destination and airline. You’ll then be shown the pricing for all available cabins — though note that select partners are not eligible for online bookings.
Booking award tickets online
Booking award tickets operated wholly by Cathay Pacific can be done online. Just head to the award redemption page and sign in. Enter your search criteria at the center of the screen and click the yellow “Search flights” button to initiate your search.
However, the process for actually booking award tickets is a bit complicated. You can only book tickets for certain partners online. The following airlines show award space and should be bookable on the Asia Miles website:
Air China
Alaska Airlines
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
Finnair
Iberia
Japan Airlines
LATAM
Malaysia Airlines
Qantas
Qatar Airways
Royal Jordanian
S7 Airlines
SriLankan Airlines
If you’re hoping to book one of these airlines, follow the directions above for booking a Cathay Pacific award ticket. If not, follow our guide to searching for Oneworld award space to find the award ticket you’d like to book. Then, call Asia Miles when you’re ready to book the ticket.
Book a round-the-world ticket with the Oneworld multicarrier award chart
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You can book a round-the-world ticket for relatively few points using this chart. These awards are priced based on the distance flown and your cabin of travel. You can book these awards in any class you’d like, including first class. Here’s a look at pricing:
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The routing rules are pretty straightforward:
You’re allowed a maximum of five stopovers plus two transfers and two open jaws.
You can fly up to 50,000 miles.
You must return to the original point of departure.
You must fly at least two Oneworld partners, not including Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon.
You can’t add nonalliance partners to a multicarrier award.
You cannot travel in premium economy.
To book one of these tickets, find award space and ensure your ticket meets all the restrictions. Then, call Asia Miles to book.
Upgrade and companion awards
You can also use your miles to upgrade paid Cathay Pacific flights and take a companion with you on your journey. The upgrade award chart is also divided by distance and priced based on a one-way upgrade.
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Redeeming Asia Miles for merchandise and other travel
You can also use your Asia Miles for merchandise, hotel stays and other nonair-travel redemptions. That said, this is rarely a good idea. You almost always get a lower cent-per-point value when compared to booking premium airfare — in some cases, you get less than half of TPG’s September 2024 valuation of 1.3 cents per mile.
My advice is to skip these redemptions if you can. They provide a poor value, especially if you travel often and can use your Asia Miles for future flights.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles sweet spots
Cathay Pacific first- and business-class flights
Unsurprisingly, using Asia Miles for Cathay Pacific tickets can be a good deal. While the loyalty program doesn’t have the world’s best pricing on Cathay Pacific awards, you can still score a solid deal on premium cabin tickets — especially if you’re departing from the West Coast. Here’s a look at Asia Miles’ round-trip award pricing from U.S. destinations to its hub at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG):
Route
Economy award price
Premium economy price
Business-class award price
First-class award price
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to HKG
84,000 miles
120,000 miles
170,000 miles
250,000 miles
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to HKG
84,000 miles
120,000 miles
170,000 miles
250,000 miles
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to HKG
60,000 miles
90,000 miles
140,000 miles
220,000 miles
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to HKG
Round-the-world tickets with the Oneworld multicarrier award chart
The Oneworld multicarrier award chart can be extremely valuable for booking round-the-world tickets on Oneworld carriers. You can use these awards to book a ticket with up to five stopovers. These tickets span multiple regions if your ticket is 50,000 miles or fewer.
Be sure to allow plenty of time and flexibility to plan and book a round-the-world itinerary.
British Airways award tickets
Asia Miles charges lower fuel surcharges than other Oneworld partners on British Airways award tickets — even in premium cabins. You may pay slightly more miles than when booking with other carriers, but the cash savings may be enough to warrant the higher points cost.
For example, you can fly round-trip from New York’s JFK to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) in British Airways business class for 126,000 Asia Miles and $765 with no peak/off-peak pricing.
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Booking through the American Airlines AAdvantage program would set you back 115,000 miles plus nearly $1,783 in taxes and fees. British Airways would impose similar surcharges, though you may be able to lower those costs by redeeming additional Avios.
If you’re transferring points to book a British Airways ticket, be sure to compare the award pricing through British Airways and Cathay Pacific; the latter may offer lower award prices and fewer taxes and fees.
Bottom line
Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program may not be on your radar as the best program for earning (and redeeming) rewards in the Oneworld alliance.
However, while it isn’t perfect, there are some excellent deals to be had. You’ll get the best deals when redeeming for Cathay Pacific flights and multicarrier round-the-world tickets, especially if you book in premium cabins.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
One of the first lessons I learned when I got into the points and miles hobby is to put everything possible on a travel rewards card. Simultaneously, choosing the best card is important to ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck — especially when making a large purchase.
So, today, I want to discuss the most significant factors to consider the next time you plan on swiping your credit card for a significant amount of money.
For starters, let’s agree that the definition of a “large” purchase can vary significantly from person to person. While you may not be able to charge a new car purchase to a credit card, spending $1,000 or more on a medical bill, a new laptop or an essential household item may be much more common.
No matter what the case, though, here’s what you should consider when deciding which credit card can help you maximize large purchases.
5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked at Amex Travel
1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more; on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year
4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) and restaurants (on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
But beyond this welcome offer, what sets the Chase Freedom Unlimited apart from other flat-rate cards is its great introductory annual percentage rate (APR) period. While we always recommend paying off your credit cards in full each month, an introductory APR period (when used responsibly) can help you finance a larger purchase over time.
Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
Why it’s great for large purchases: If you’d rather earn cash back than travel rewards, it doesn’t get much better than the Citi Double Cash. You’ll earn 2% back on every purchase — 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your bill each month. It’s a flat-rate card like the two aforementioned options in this list, meaning you don’t have to worry about what bonus category your specific purchase falls into. You’ll get up to 2% back, no matter the merchant. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal through Dec. 31, 2024.
However, if you do want to use your rewards for travel (and you also have a card that’s part of the ThankYou program), you can convert your cash-back rewards into Citi ThankYou points.
Welcome offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
Why it’s great for large purchases: The Amex Business Platinum is great for larger purchases for multiple reasons. First, a large purchase could help you hit the high spending requirement for the 150,000-point welcome bonus. That bonus is worth $3,000 according to TPG valuations, but the $20,000 can be a hard threshold to hit in just three months.
Additionally, the Amex Business Platinum offers 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more; on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. This means that, according to TPG’s valuations, you’ll essentially get a 3% return in the form of valuable Membership Rewards points. Finally, the card also offers extended warranty* and purchase protection*, which can provide peace of mind when you’re purchasing large-ticket items.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Welcome offer: Earn $1,000 cash back after you spend $10,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Why it’s great for large purchases: The Ink Business Premier is intended for business owners with large operating expenses. As such, the Ink Business Premier offers 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases. The best part is that there’s uncapped potential for earning rewards, so the more you spend, the more rewards you’ll accrue.
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) within the first six months of card membership.
Why it’s great for large purchases: While the Amex Gold doesn’t offer bonus rewards for large purchases, it does offer up to $10,000 in purchase protection per covered incident, including accidental damage and loss. American Express makes it easy to determine the level of protection available on your card. Just go to the American Express website, select the type of protection you’re interested in and then click on your card.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Note that most of these policies limit the coverage provided for natural disasters, and you can’t use the benefit on purchases of permanent household fixtures (like carpet or tile). But if your upcoming large purchase is for an eligible physical item that could be lost or damaged, the Amex Gold can be a lifesaver. And even without a bonus category, you still get 1 point per dollar (worth 2%) return on non-bonus spending.
Welcome offer: Earn 150,000 miles when you spend $30,000 in the first three months from account opening.
Why it’s great for large purchases: You’ll earn an impressive 10 miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights when using Capital One Travel. The upside to booking business travel on the card is that Capital One has 15-plus transfer partners, and points earned can be redeemed for award tickets with good-value programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and British Airways Executive Club.
Of course, there are also other opportunities to use your credit cards to maximize large purchases.
Use large purchases to earn a welcome offer or sign-up bonus
Even if you have a card that doesn’t offer bonus points in the category you’re planning on making the large purchase in, it can still make sense to use a specific card if you’re trying to hit a high spending requirement.
The Amex Business Platinum from our list of best cards for large purchases is one example, as is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. With the latter, you can earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Using the card for a large purchase could help you hit that threshold and earn that stellar bonus, making using it worth it even if you aren’t racking up bonus points on the purchase itself.
Using large purchases to hit spending thresholds for extra benefits
Select credit cards offer valuable spending threshold bonuses that reward you for spending large amounts on your card during the year. Some examples include the following:
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers a Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) boost by giving cardholders $2,500 MQD each Medallion qualification year in addition to 1 MQD for every $10 spent ongoing.
Charging a large purchase to a credit card that offers a threshold bonus could get you most or all of the way to the spending requirement for the bonus.
Check Amex Offers, Chase Offers and shopping portals for merchant deals
Often overlooked when maximizing earnings are Amex Offers and Chase Offers. These programs provide statement credits or extra points when you add an offer to your card and then make a qualifying purchase. You can view the currently available offers when you log in to your online account.
You’ll usually find more Amex Offers per card than Chase Offers, but it’s worth checking the offers on all your cards before making a large purchase. Offers are usually available from travel, shopping, dining and entertainment merchants, ranging from bonus points to statement credits.
And, of course, you should always check online for potential shopping portal offers if you’re making a large purchase with an online retailer. Shopping portals allow you to double dip rewards alongside credit card bonuses.
For example, let’s say you purchase a $6,000 appliance at Home Depot. If you have a targeted 10% rebate Amex Offer on your Amex Business Platinum and use a shopping portal, you could earn the rebate, 1.5 points per dollar on the purchase itself and up to 4 AAdvantage points per dollar spent by clicking through the AAdvantage shopping portal (note that the AAdvantage shopping portal payout is currently 4 points per dollar but that is subject to change at any time).
If you have a large purchase coming up, you should definitely think about which credit card makes the most sense. Some considerations above relate to earning and redemption potential, while others act as insurance policies if things go awry. The right card for each purchase will depend on the item being purchased and your particular circumstances.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the best flexible rewards currencies available, and you can get some incredible value from your Ultimate Rewards points. Plus, Chase offers the Chase Travel℠ portal, where you can earn and redeem points and take advantage of perks like credit card statement credits. This option can save you money, particularly when traditional award space is unavailable, as you can book almost any available flight and a wide variety of hotels through Chase Travel.
Chase Travel is an online booking platform where you can search and book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and more. You can use your Ultimate Rewards points to pay for these bookings directly, or you can earn bonus points when you book in cash through Chase Travel.
To maximize your Ultimate Rewards points, it’s often best to transfer them to partner programs like United MileagePlus, World of Hyatt or British Airways Executive Club for award reservations. However, it’s important to compare the points you’ll need for a direct booking through Chase Travel to those required for a partner award booking. Sometimes, booking through the portal can save you points, as the points price is tied to the cash cost of the flight or hotel stay, potentially resulting in lower point requirements.
However, you will need to have some Chase points before booking with points through Chase Travel. If you’re unfamiliar with Chase’s most common cards and welcome offers, here are a few popular options.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a TPG favorite. It currently comes with one of the highest sign-up bonuses from Chase — 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Based on our September 2024 valuations, the bonus points alone are worth $1,845 when you transfer them to travel partners. However, you can redeem these points through Chase Travel for a fixed value of 1.25 cents apiece.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is another fantastic addition to your wallet. The Sapphire Preferred is currently offering 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The bonus is worth $1,230 based on TPG valuations.
Like the Ink Business Preferred, you’ll get a value of 1.25 cents per point when booking directly through Chase Travel with the Sapphire Preferred. You’ll also earn 5 points per dollar on paid travel purchased through Chase Travel (excluding the first $50 in hotel purchases that qualify for the card’s annual hotel credit).
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, which is worth $1,230 based on TPG valuations.
This card includes additional perks, like a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit, Priority Pass lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit. This card also boosts your Chase Travel redemption rate to 1.5 cents per point, giving you 0.25 cents per point in additional purchase power over the Sapphire Preferred. When you book travel through Chase with the Sapphire Reserve, you’ll earn 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals and 5 points per dollar on flights (excluding purchases that qualify for the $300 travel credit).
You can book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and other travel through Chase Travel, and it’s relatively simple to access. First, you’ll need to log into your Chase account, then navigate to the right side of the page, where you’ll see a box with your total Ultimate Rewards balance. Click the box, and it will bring you to the Ultimate Rewards dashboard, which looks like this:
THE POINTS GUY/CHASE.COM
Click “Travel” and choose “Book travel” in the dropdown to access the travel homepage, where you can search for airfare, hotels and more. When you select your travel, you’ll be given the option to pay with cash or points.
Remember that when you book hotels through the portal, you typically will not earn hotel points and elite credits, and you may not receive elite status perks because it’s considered a third-party booking. However, flights booked through the portal will typically earn frequent flyer miles and help you qualify for elite status.
Booking your flights is fairly straightforward once you’ve navigated to the portal’s travel page. Type in your arrival and departure airports and travel dates then hit the search button. For this example, I looked for a one-way flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
You’ll then see the available flight options. When you find a flight you like, select the fare type you want to book and click the blue “Add to trip” button.
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Once you’ve selected your preferred flights, you’ll be taken to the next page, where you can review your flight information and select any upgrades you’d like to make.
Then, you’ll be directed to the checkout page, where you can choose to pay with cash, points or a combination of the two. Again, points linked to a Chase Sapphire Reserve account are worth 1.5 cents each. If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, points are worth 1.25 cents each.
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Finally, you’ll be directed to a page where you will enter the traveler’s information (you can book flights for others as well as yourself) and finalize your booking.
How to book hotels using Chase Travel
NICK SIMONITE/HOTEL GENEVIEVE
Booking hotels is similar to booking flights on the Chase Travel portal. Not all hotels are available on the portal, and your options may be limited if you’re heading to a small town or a little-known destination. But if you find a property you like on the portal, there are several advantages to booking this way.
For instance, if you’re looking at boutique or independent hotels, you can earn bonus points even if your hotel isn’t part of a points hotel chain like Hyatt or Marriott. Or if you’d rather earn transferable Ultimate Rewards points on your booking than, for example, World of Hyatt points, you may find it advantageous to book a Hyatt property through Chase Travel rather than directly through the hotel.
However, prices on Chase Travel don’t always match those on the hotel’s site or other online booking platforms, so always compare rates to ensure you’re getting the best deal. The same goes if you plan to book a points hotel that is one of Chase’s transfer partners (IHG, Marriott or Hyatt) — compare the award rates required by these hotel loyalty programs to the number of points you’d pay on the Chase Travel portal before booking.
Here’s a sample search for lodging in Olso, which hosts mostly boutique hotels.
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The search results will show each hotel’s price per night and the total price in cash and points at the bottom. You can filter by brand, price, ratings, neighborhood and more. Click on a property you like to select an available room, then click “Add to trip.”
On the checkout page, you can choose to book with cash or specify how many points you want to use. Then run through the on-screen prompts to finalize your booking, and you’ll get an email confirmation.
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Remember, as a Sapphire Preferred cardholder, you’ll receive up to $50 in statement credits yearly for hotel reservations made through Chase Travel.
How to book car rentals, cruises and other travel using Chase Travel
STEFANIE LOOS/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES
Using Chase Travel, you can rent cars, pay with points and still receive the excellent primary car rental insurance offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. The process of renting cars is similar to booking flights and hotels — just navigate to the “Cars” header from the main landing page, type in your itinerary and click “Search.”
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Once you choose your car from the results page, you’ll be prompted to select add-ons. Then you’ll head to the booking page, where you’ll input your personal information and choose how many points you’d like to spend. Remember that to qualify for your card’s rental car insurance, you must decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and ensure that anyone driving the car is on the rental agreement.
You can also book activities through Chase Travel, including fantastic tours like a Washington, D.C., night monument tour and Singapore heritage food tour. As with flights, hotels and cars, you can book these with Ultimate Rewards points at a rate of 1.25 or 1.5 cents each, or you can earn bonus points by booking them with cash. This can help you book an entire free vacation (not just hotels and flights) using points and miles.
Cruises, tours and vacation packages are also available, though you’ll have to call to book those.
We recommend comparing the points needed through Chase Travel with those required for transfer partner redemptions, factoring in taxes and fees. If you have or want hotel elite status, avoid booking hotels through the portal, as these stays generally won’t count toward status or qualify for elite benefits.
Booking through Chase Travel with cash can earn you extra points. Ink Business Preferred and Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on all travel, and Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and rental cars. You might find better rates by booking directly with the travel provider, but if your plans are firm and rates are comparable, booking through the portal can be worthwhile for earning extra points.
Remember that booking through third-party sites may result in issues if you change your plans, though. Travel providers are more likely to assist you if you’ve booked directly with them.
Bottom line
Chase Travel is a valuable tool that lets you earn and burn Ultimate Rewards points on a range of travel purchases, from flights and hotels to rental cars, cruises and activities. If award flights aren’t available or you find a cheap fare that requires fewer points, booking through the portal can be a good option. Similarly, the portal can be a great way to earn points on independent hotels or, if cash rates are low, to book award stays for less. But always compare your options to see if using the portal or transferring points to partners for an award is more advantageous.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year … for airfare.
Autumn “shoulder season” is here. That means lower flight prices as the crowds taper off in the wake of summer before returning for the busy holiday rush.
The season started in August, as earlier school start dates helped thin out congestion on airport concourses. Transportation Security Agency checkpoints saw about 5% fewer passengers in August than in July — a refreshing bit of (relative) calm after a summer that brought the 10 busiest days ever at U.S. airports.
That trend should continue into the fall months, bringing lower fares with it.
September domestic round-trip airfare is trending about 8% below 2023 levels, according to booking app Hopper. In October, prices are down about 7%, year over year.
This is despite airlines’ best efforts to shift route networks and flight frequencies in hopes of disrupting a downward shift in fares. It’s a trend that has hurt carriers’ profitability all year amid a glut of domestic flight offerings.
Central Park in New York City during autumn. GARY HERSHORN/GETTY IMAGES
Between September and November, the total number of seats airlines will offer on domestic flights is up a modest 2.5% over last year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
It’s up even though several airlines are slashing late-year flying. For example, budget carrier Frontier Airlines is eliminating scores of flights on low-demand days like Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The carrier predicted that its moves — along with those of Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and others — would help fuel fare increases in the late-summer and early-fall months.
“More likely … I think we’re going to see prices continue to dip where we are now — and stay low, because it’s the shoulder season, demand could be low,” countered Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist.
Here’s what to know if you’re thinking of taking advantage of deals and booking a fall getaway.
How early should I book a flight?
Google Flights is seeing domestic fares at their lowest about 38 days before departure. The ideal booking range is 21 to 52 days before takeoff.
Translation: If you’re thinking of a mid-October getaway to catch fall foliage, now would be a good time to get serious about booking.
JetBlue aircraft at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
If you’re flying internationally, book as early as possible. The “sweet spot,” these days, is about 101 days ahead of takeoff. However, you’ll want to look at least 50 days in advance for the lowest price.
Fifty days from now puts you in the vicinity of a late-October or early-November trip.
Book a trip for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday
Those midweek days are often the least crowded at airports, airlines consistently say.
Look no further than the almost deafening calm I found on a recent Wednesday morning at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).
Airlines have been talking about “lower trough demand” on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, particularly as school goes back. Here’s what RDU looks like this morning – in the midst of back-to-school week here pic.twitter.com/G9pSh5Tc2r
Flying on a Friday or a Sunday? That’s a very different story.
If you have to fly on a weekend day, Saturday is routinely one of the cheapest — and quietest — days of the entire week.
Hop on the postsummer Europe bandwagon
Though we’ve mostly talked about lower demand during the fall months, airlines have taken notice of a somewhat paradoxical trend: More and more travelers are opting to fly to Europe during the supposed “off-peak months.”
“We are really seeing an extension into September and October, and really into November, that European demand across the board is remaining strong,” Delta Air Lines president Glen Hauenstein told financial analysts in July. “It’s actually a better time to go to Europe in September and October than it is potentially in July and August, when the weather is so hot, and everything is so packed.”
A Delta Air Lines aircraft at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Southern Europe popular in fall
This is especially true in southern Europe. This fall, Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines will offer 55% more seats to Italy than they did in 2019, for instance, Cirium data shows.
Airlines across the board will fly with 45% more seats to Portugal this fall than five years ago.
How expensive are Europe flights?
Flight prices to many European cities are trending lower. According to FCM Travel and Corporate Traveler — the flagship business travel divisions of Flight Centre Travel Group — data shows a nearly 20% drop in fares to France in recent months and around an 18% drop in fares to the U.K., year over year.
Overlooking Venice, Italy. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
However, dynamic award pricing can work in your favor when demand is low and prices are low. Points pricing is more closely tied to the algorithmic forces that drive cash prices.
For that reason, certainly consider using your points and miles.
At the same time, you may want to consider using cash to book a flight and miles to upgrade to a business-class seat on a long-haul flight. Or, consider using your points on a high-value hotel redemption, such as with World of Hyatt. (You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 rate.)
Hotel prices have remained steady or even higher than last year, of late.
Start looking at the holidays
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the looming holiday season, when airport crowds are sure to ramp back up.
Google Flights suggests booking your Thanksgiving flights by early October and your Christmas and New Year’s flights no later than than second half of October.
Targeted cardholders who receive a code via email can register online to become a Venture X Verified Fan on Ticketmaster for ticket opportunities to three shows:
Oct. 20 in Miami
Oct. 25 in New Orleans
Nov. 3 in Indianapolis
Users must register for this promotion by noon EDT on Sept. 11. Codes are specific to cardholders and cannot be transferred or used by anyone other than the cardholders.
Upon registering, eligible users will receive a confirmation email indicating their account has been successfully registered, followed by details of the Ticketmaster authentication verification process. Following steps one and two, users will receive a status update on Sept. 12 letting them know if they’ve been selected for the sale. Those not added to the list will have the option to join a waitlist to shop for tickets later.
Verified Ticketmaster accounts selected for the sale can access a limited number of tickets on a first-come, first-served basis on Sept. 13 while supplies last. Ticket availability is limited, and tickets are not guaranteed for those with sale access.
This promotion is for select Venture X cardholders and is only available for primary account holders who have subscribed to email marketing and opened their cards before Sept.1, 2024. Additional eligibility terms apply and are outlined in emails sent to cardholders targeted for this promotion.
The onboard experience on some American Airlines jets is about to get much better.
In 2022, the Fort Worth-based carrier revealed its new Flagship Suites business-class product, as well as a new premium economy recliner and other improvements coming to some of its new and newly retrofitted planes.
The airline hasn’t formally announced when these new seats and aircraft will take off. However, Brian Znotins, American’s senior vice president of network and schedule planning, shared some updates that are sure to grab your attention.
American has outstanding orders for 50 Airbus A321XLR, or extra-long-range, jets. These single-aisle Airbus planes are primarily expected to connect some of American’s biggest Northeast markets with secondary cities in Europe that aren’t as highly demanded.
But when the A321XLR deliveries start, American isn’t going to immediately deploy them to Europe. Instead, those planes will fly the airline’s premium transcontinental routes from Boston and New York City to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
That’s because American is retiring its existing premium transcontinental aircraft, the Airbus A321T; it is currently configured with 10 Flagship First suites, 20 Flagship Business lie-flats and 72 economy seats (half of which are in an extra-legroom layout). The A321T will be converted into American’s standard “Oasis” configuration, leaving the A321XLR as American’s primary premium transcontinental aircraft.
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“As the A321XLRs come in, they’re going to be focused on replacing the A321Ts on transcons. So that’s our first priority with those airplanes for reconfiguration of the A321Ts and for maintenance reasons of the A321Ts. We probably won’t be seeing new A321XLRs on long-haul flying at least until deep 2025 or 2026,” Znotins said.
The Airbus A321XLR won’t feature Flagship First. (In fact, American is completely retiring this cabin.) However, these jets will sport 20 new Flagship Suites business-class seats in a 1-1 configuration, as well as a 16-seat premium economy cabin.
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American’s Boeing 777-300ER retrofits are starting soon
American is also retrofitting its existing fleet of 20 Boeing 777-300ERs. These planes will lose their Flagship First cabins in exchange for an all-new Flagship Suites business-class product that, based on the renderings, looks to be top-notch.
Znotins said that “the 777-300ER reconfigurations are being worked on this summer and winter moving into next summer as well.”
Once the retrofits are complete, these planes will feature just three cabins in the following configuration:
70 Flagship Suites
44 premium economy recliners
216 economy seats
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With this new configuration, American is adding 18 business-class seats and 16 premium economy recliners to these jets without touching the economy capacity. (The airline is removing the eight-seat first-class cabin.) This is a “‘have your cake and eat it too’ situation,” Znotins explained. “I get to add all of these great seats to the airplane and not have to give anything up. Economically, it’ll be fantastic.”
Znotins wasn’t ready to speculate about when travelers could expect to experience the retrofitted jets.
“As we see that program progress, we’ll be able to get really good visibility on when those airplanes will be available, and we’ll start publishing the new configurations of where they’re flying closer to that time,” he said. “We just don’t want to do it too far in advance when there’s still so much uncertainty.”
Znotins focused on London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) when discussing where these retrofitted planes will fly.
“Heathrow is the leading premium-heavy market in the country [internationally from the U.S.], and so whenever we have premium-heavy airplanes, it will not be exclusively focused on Heathrow, but it’ll be disproportionately focused on Heathrow,” he said.
American’s wide-body fleet consists exclusively of Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft. These planes don’t all have the same interior configuration, and yet another layout will debut in the coming months. American’s upcoming deliveries of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will be arranged in a 787-9P layout.
The P stands for premium, and these planes will feature:
“The 787-9Ps will be in the network the next summer,” he added. This week, the carrier announced its hotly anticipated summer 2025 transatlantic schedule, which includes five new long-haul routes. The carrier isn’t deploying the 787-9P on any of the new routes but plans to use existing aircraft that will be freed up by introducing the 787-9P into other existing markets.
Znotins isn’t sure exactly when the 787-9Ps will arrive, so he isn’t ready to assign a specific configuration to a given route.
“I can’t say what that date is, but the bar that we have to pass is that we don’t want to be in a situation where we’re having to downgrade airplanes and deal with oversales up front … we’ll forgo some selling capability on it in order to make sure we can deliver for our customers,” Znotins said.
Reading between the lines, it seems like American is planning to “soft-launch” the 787-9P configuration. That should spell great news for travelers looking for upgrades since the plane has many more premium seats than the existing configurations.
Either way, TPG will closely follow the delivery and route schedule and will update you with more information as it becomes available.
“China is a market that is an economy that continues to grow at a very strong pace. And there are many opportunities in China that you can develop markets with, particularly with the [Boeing] 787,” Jim Compton, United’s then-chief revenue officer, said in July 2014.
Chengdu was part of the Chicago-based carrier’s “secondary Asian city strategy.” It also included returning to Taipei, Taiwan, the same year the Chengdu service launched and, in 2016, adding the Chinese city of Xi’an to its map. The airline’s future in China looked bright.
United was not alone. The number of seats flown by all airlines between the U.S. and China grew by nearly 67% from 2014; it reached a peak of 5.3 million in 2018, according to Cirium Diio schedules. Airlines served the market with 5.2 million seats in 2019.
While there were complaints of competitive pressures — especially by U.S. airlines of their Chinese competitors — the area was widely seen as an opportunity.
Fast forward to today — one global pandemic and geopolitical adjustment later — and things look very, very different for airlines on U.S.-China routes.
“Demand for China is down dramatically than where it was in 2019,” Andrew Nocella, United’s current chief commercial officer, said in July. “And it’s also difficult to fly there because of the lack of Russian overflight ability. So those two combinations just make this the new normal.”
That “new normal,” as Nocella put it, is one where flights are severely restricted to 100 a week (50 for each country’s airlines). It’s one where Russian airspace is closed to U.S. airlines but not to the country’s Chinese counterparts. It’s also one where fewer Americans are traveling to China than Chinese nationals to the U.S.
And United’s Chengdu flight? It hasn’t operated in four years.
Few nonstop US-China flight options
David Yu knows firsthand what it’s like to fly between the U.S. and China. A professor of finance at New York University Shanghai and the chair of Asia Aviation Valuation Advisors, he flies back and forth between the Washington, D.C., area and Shanghai frequently.
When asked about the experience, Yu’s first reaction was: “It costs a lot.”
The high cost is the result of scarce supply. U.S. airlines are flying just 39 weekly nonstop flights, and their Chinese counterparts are flying 50 flights for 89 total, Cirium Diio schedules show. Before the coronavirus pandemic, there were around 340 weekly flights — nearly four times more than now.
American Airlines serves Shanghai daily from its Dallas-Fort Worth hub, and Delta Air Lines connects the city to Detroit and Seattle. Meanwhile, United Airlines links Beijing and Shanghai to San Francisco, according to Cirium Diio. Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines have also resumed select flights.
“From the U.S., the flights are very expensive,” Yu said. “I’m looking at flights from $2,000 to $2,500 for round-trip economy, and before COVID-19, these were $800 to $1,000 tickets.”
The cost of an economy round-trip ticket between Washington, D.C., and Shanghai with just one connection in each direction — the shortest itinerary available — is more than $1,900 on American and Delta in mid-September, Google Flights shows. Travelers may find no-frills basic economy fares closer to $1,500, but those don’t allow seat selection or free changes.
‘Aeropolitical challenges’
Delta, in a February filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation, cited “ongoing aeropolitical challenges” for its request to idle 32 of its 42 weekly U.S.-China flight rights through October.
A Delta spokesperson was not available to elaborate on the airline’s meaning of “aeropolitical challenges.”
In a letter to the U.S. State Department and the DOT in April, trade group Airlines for America — which counts American, Delta and United among its members — highlighted the “competitive disadvantage” U.S. airlines face compared to their Sino peers due to their inability to overfly Russian airspace.
The time difference can be dramatic. Delta’s nonstop flight to Shanghai from Detroit — the easternmost airport gateway to China among U.S. airlines that avoids Russian airspace — is scheduled at 15 hours and 40 minutes, according to Cirium Diio. It takes 40 minutes more than China Eastern Airlines’ New York City-to-Shanghai nonstop route that overflies Russia (even though the Detroit-Shanghai route is physically about 250 miles shorter).
A slow return of American travelers
Even after the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the number of travelers between the U.S. and China remains a fraction of what it was in 2019. Only 1.2 million people flew between the two countries during the first seven months of 2024, compared to 5.1 million five years earlier, according to data from the U.S. International Trade Administration.
Not only is the overall number of U.S.-China travelers down, but the market has been hit especially hard by a decline in the number of American travelers — who are more likely to buy a ticket on a U.S. airline. The drop in the number of Chinese travelers is less steep, possibly offering a boost to Chinese-flagged carriers as compared to their U.S. counterparts. The share of Americans flying between the two countries was three percentage points lower during the first seven months of this year than in 2019, the data shows. The number of foreign travelers, the majority of which would be Chinese nationals, is up a commensurate amount.
The ITA data encompasses anyone flying between China and the U.S. This includes those taking a nonstop flight, as well as travelers who opt for a connecting flight through a hub in a third country, like South Korea or Japan.
There are undoubtedly many variables causing the slower rebound in Americans traveling to China. Some of these include high airfares and changes in business travel habits, Yu said.
“The people who want to go will go, who think there’s opportunities, will go. The people who it’s more casual, I’m sure they’re Zooming and telecommuting more these days versus flying,” he said.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
I stayed at the Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton in South Africa shortly after it opened in 2021. When I checked my account activity after my stay, I noticed an “opening bonus” of 2,000 points. Then I remembered that Hyatt offers 500 bonus points per night on qualifying stays at new hotels.
I unknowingly received the benefit since Hyatt doesn’t require members to register for this promotion. Perhaps you, too, have forgotten this promotion or never knew about it. In either case, here’s what you should know about World of Hyatt‘s new hotel promotion, which allows you to earn 500 bonus points per night.
How to earn 500 bonus Hyatt points per night
This promotion is simple: World of Hyatt members receive 500 bonus points per night for qualifying stays at select new-to-the-Hyatt-portfolio hotels. You must stay within a set time frame to earn the bonus points, typically in the first few months after the property opens. Specifically, you’ll only earn bonus points if your checkout date takes place within the offer period for your hotel.
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To get the bonus points, you must provide your World of Hyatt number when you check in. You must also pay an eligible rate or redeem a Hyatt free night award (including redeeming Hyatt points). You’ll only earn bonus points for one room per night.
The terms of this promotion note that it may take three to four weeks for the bonus points to appear in your account. In practice, though, Hyatt typically posts the new hotel bonus with the other points you earned during your stay.
Hyatt’s website displays an updated list of participating properties. Here’s a quick overview of where you can currently earn 500 extra points per night.
4 hotels in North America
Mazatlan, Mexico: Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlan Golf & Spa Resort from June 16 to Sept. 30
Linthicum Heights, Maryland: Hyatt House BWI Airport / Baltimore from Aug. 29 to Nov. 30
Rouen, France: Hyatt Place Rouen from Aug. 27 to Nov. 30
Mainz, Germany: Brunfels Hotel from Aug. 29 to Nov. 30
Maharashtra, India: Hyatt Place Aurangabad Airport Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30
PARK HYATT MARRAKECH
The 500 Hyatt points you’ll get per night when booking an eligible rate or free night are worth about $8.50, based on TPG’s September 2024 valuations. So this promotion may be the tiebreaker when considering where to stay the next time you travel to a destination with a new Hyatt hotel.
On top of earning 500 extra points per night, staying at a new Hyatt hotel can also be fun since you’ll likely get to stay in a room with new furnishings. However, new hotels may still be working through some issues, and not everything on-site may be completely functional.
Aeroplan members with elite status can now transfer their Aeroplan points to Marriott Bonvoy at a rate of 1:1. You must transfer a minimum of 500 points, and you can transfer up to 100,000 points per day or 250,000 points per week.
Aeroplan members have the ability to earn up to 2 Aeroplan points per dollar on select Marriott stays; they can also transfer Marriott points to their Aeroplan account at a 3:1 ratio, with the ability to earn an extra 5,000 Aeroplan points for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred. This new Aeroplan-to-Marriott transfer option gives Aeroplan elite members more flexibility.
But just because you can transfer your points, does that mean you should? Let’s take a look at why you may or may not want to use this new transfer option.
Should you transfer your Aeroplan points to Marriott Bonvoy?
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Although the transfer ratio is 1:1, meaning you won’t lose any points in the process, you will lose some value when transferring Aeroplan points to Marriott. That’s because, as of September 2024, TPG values Aeroplan points at 1.5 cents each and Marriott Bonvoy points at only 0.85 cents each.
You could, in theory, get considerably more value by keeping those Aeroplan points in your account and redeeming them for Air Canada and partner flights than by transferring them to Marriott and redeeming them for hotel stays. Since Aeroplan is a member of Star Alliance, there are often great ways to maximize your points by booking transatlantic business-class flights to Europe for as low as 60,000 Aeroplan points. A night at some Marriott properties, on the other hand, can cost well over 60,000 Bonvoy points, thanks to Marriott’s dynamic pricing.
However, if you have some Aeroplan points you don’t plan to use in the near future, or you’re short a few points for a Marriott redemption, this is a good option. With program devaluations, remember that hoarding your rewards as a long-term investment is never a good idea.
Additionally, for Aeroplan members with elite status who also earn Capital One miles, such as with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you can transfer your Capital One miles to Aeroplan and then transfer your points to Marriott.
While transferring your points from Aeroplan to Marriott Bonvoy may not be the best way to maximize their value, there are cases where it could make sense. You can only take advantage of this new option if you’re an Aeroplan elite member, but your status might be closer than you think. For example, the Aeroplan® Credit Card grants you complimentary Aeroplan 25K elite status for the remainder of the calendar year plus the following calendar year.
