We’ve been waiting for this, and it’s finally here. With the launch of Citi’s newest travel card, ThankYou Points are now transferable to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio.
Until now, AAdvantage was the only one of the big four U.S. airlines without a major points transfer partner. Delta? Transfer from Amex. United and Southwest? Chase. But American had no option, until now. This opens the door to far more flexibility in finding high-value award seats.
AAdvantage has many low cost redemptions starting at 5k miles as of the time of this search. A quick browse through daydream explorer found over 100 nonstop flights priced at that 5k mile mark.
Looking to stretch out?
We’re currently seeing First Class seats to Tokyo for around 80,000 AAdvantage miles, on top-tier carriers like Japan Airlines.
Most recent news regarding transfer partners has been negative. This however is great news for users of PointsYeah who now have even more flexibility to book their next trip. Be sure to update your filters, adjust your strategy, and explore the latest tools (and cards) that can help you take advantage of this change.. Learn more about the featured cards this month.
You’ve run the search. You picked your home airport, adjusted the filters, checked a few dates, and the results are disappointing. Maybe nothing matches your travel window. Maybe the flights that do show up cost way more points than expected. You refresh, tweak the inputs, try again… and still come up short.
At this point, most travelers assume they’re out of luck. They either settle for something mediocre or give up entirely.
But experienced points travelers know there is another move to make. It doesn’t require changing your destination, switching programs, or altering your travel dates. It starts with one question:
What if the problem isn’t the destination… but where you’re starting from?
This is where repositioning flights come into play. By flying from a different departure city, often just a short domestic hop away, you can unlock far more award space, better itineraries, and lower points pricing. With PointsYeah, spotting these opportunities is easier than ever.
Why Your Home Airport Isn’t Always the Best Starting Point
Award availability is affected by dozens of factors, including partner networks, route demand, time of year, and airline-specific patterns. Even at major hubs like Los Angeles, Dallas–Fort Worth, Chicago, or New york, the flight you want might not show up in your search or it may cost significantly more points.
Meanwhile, another major city like Seattle or Washington D.C. might offer the exact same flight, on the same airline, at a far better redemption rate.
This is what makes repositioning so powerful. Instead of waiting for the perfect award to appear from your home airport, you take a proactive step to fly out of a city with better availability. It only takes a bit of flexibility and the right search tools.
How to Find These Opportunities with PointsYeah
PointsYeah makes this strategy easy with a tool called Daydream Explorer.
Instead of running one airport at a time, you can search by entire departure regions like United States West, United States Northeast, or United States Midwest, all in a single click. It is the fastest way to scan dozens of departure points without opening dozens of tabs or repeating the same search over and over.
Let’s say you’re based in Los Angeles. You run a standard search from LAX and find limited options. But when you search using the United States West region, you suddenly see better availability from cities like San Francisco or Seattle. You add a quick positioning flight, and now the award trip becomes possible.
This approach works across all types of travel. Whether you are flying internationally, booking domestic redemptions, or trying to match a partner program’s sweet spot, starting in the right region can make all the difference.
Washington D.C. to Madrid, Repositioning to New York
Let’s say you’re based in the Washington D.C. area and planning a Thanksgiving trip to Europe. You’re hoping to find a lie-flat business class seat using points, but every flight from D.C. is pricing well above 60,000 points each way. Nothing lines up with your dates, and none of the results feel like a good deal.
So you open Daydream Explorer and switch your departure region to United States Northeast.
That’s when it appears:
New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) – 43,000 points + $33
This matches your ideal departure window, and the price is better than anything you saw from D.C.
All it takes to make this trip happen is a short repositioning flight from DCA to JFK. That flight costs just $65 one-way, as shown in Google Flights, and gets you to New York in under 90 minutes.
By adjusting your starting region and adding a quick hop, you’ve gone from overpriced or unavailable options to a perfectly timed, lie-flat seat to Europe, right in time for the holidays.
San Francisco to Tokyo, Repositioning to Seattle
A traveler in San Francisco is planning a trip to Japan in early August. They want to fly in comfort, ideally in business class, but searches from SFO are either too expensive or unavailable on the dates they need.
So they open Daydream Explorer, switch the departure region to United States West, and the picture changes completely.
There it is:
Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) – 60,000 points + $18
Not only does the pricing beat anything found from San Francisco, but it’s on Japan Airlines, known for its exceptional business class experience, with lie-flat seating, elegant service, and a refined in-flight meal program.
To catch the flight, all they need is a quick positioning hop from San Francisco to Seattle. That flight costs just $69, takes just over two hours, and runs frequently.
With one small change to their departure city, they’ve gone from stuck to soaring, landing a high-end seat to Tokyo at a fraction of the points.
How to Use This Strategy the Smart Way
Use Daydream Explorer’s region filters Don’t waste time guessing which airport might have better pricing. Use the regional filters to scan a wide range of departure cities at once. You can search any of the following:
United States West
United States Northeast
United States Midwest
United States Southeast
United States South
Set alerts for multiple cities You can set up to four free alerts with PointsYeah, and even more if you’re a Premium member. These will notify you when award prices drop or new seats open up, even if it’s not from your home airport.
Keep positioning simple Focus on nonstop or single-hop routes when booking your domestic flight. Use cash or miles, and leave enough time between flights to protect yourself from delays.
Be flexible on direction Sometimes it makes sense to reposition only on the outbound or return leg. You might fly out of Seattle and return directly to your home city, or vice versa.
The Takeaway
Repositioning flights are one of the easiest ways to stretch your points and find better availability. All it takes is a shift in strategy.
Instead of asking, “Where can I go from here?”
Ask, “Where else could I start this trip?”
With tools like Daydream Explorer and flight alerts, PointsYeah makes this kind of flexible searching faster and smarter. You don’t need to live near the perfect airport. You just need to be willing to take one extra step, and the rewards can be huge.
Start exploring more departure regions today on PointsYeah.
A better award flight could be just one airport away.
At PointsYeah, we believe that travel dreams shouldn’t stay dreams — and our users prove it every day. In this new series, Points in Action, we’re sharing real stories from the PointsYeah community about how smart searches, strategic alerts, and one powerful tool helped make big trips happen.
Tyler “Dublin” His Way Home from Europe
“When flights to Seattle were expensive in July 2025, PointsYeah’s Explorer Alerts found me a 27k American Airlines miles flight from Amsterdam. Then, Price Point Alerts discovered an even better 27.5k Alaska miles flight from Brussels that included a free Dublin stopover. The real win came when another Price Point Alert caught the same Brussels route in business class for just 55k Alaska miles – doubling my miles for a luxury experience home.
Tyler used PointsYeah’s Explorer Alerts and Price Point Alerts to make his trip home from Europe incredibly memorable. The power of the Explorer Alert allowed him to find his original availability before the Price Point Alert yielded even better opportunities. With PointsYeah watching all the programs at once, he didn’t have to manually check every day.
Rahul Jetsetting Across the Globe Through Alliance Partners
“I got an alert for Singapore Airlines nonstop business class Singapore to New York for only about 75k Air Canada points that I was able to book and will be doing later this year. I also booked a first class ticket from Dubai to Bangkok on Qatar Airways for only 50k American Airlines miles.”
Never underestimate the power of the transfer partners. Rahul found an incredible value traveling from Southeast Asia to the US through Air Canada and yet another trip from the Middle East to Southeast Asia through American Airlines. PointsYeah does the work for you, connecting you with the best redemption possible through partners you may not have even thought of.
Laura Bags First Redemption With Live Search
“It was exciting to do a live search for our Switzerland trip and receive an alert that met our criteria. We booked using points for the first time, so we were nervous, but now we are excited to go!”
Everyone remembers their first points and miles redemption and how nervewracking it can be. PointsYeah makes it simple with a straightforward, easy-to-follow search tool that can get you on your way to your next destination.
Your Story Could Be Next
Have you used PointsYeah to book an epic trip, unlock a hidden redemption, or stretch your points further than you thought possible? We want to hear about it!
Send your story to yeah@pointsyeah.com with a photo, your trip details, and how PointsYeah helped. We can’t wait to feature your story in a future edition of Points in Action!
When planning to book your next award flight, Avianca LifeMiles may not be the first airline loyalty program that comes to mind. But Colombia’s largest airline program has some quirks that absolutely work in your favor. In that vein, I’ve planned a few dream trips I want to take in the second half of 2025, and they’re all bookable using Avianca LifeMiles.
Key Points:
Mixed-cabin bookings can significantly reduce award costs by factoring economy airtime into pricing
Business class flights to Europe from the US start at 69,000 miles each way with low taxes and fees
Many domestic US flights start at 6,500 miles one-way in economy.
US to Central America flights can be found under 3,000 miles one way!
African destinations like Cairo and Kenya offer excellent business class value at 78,000-80,000 miles
Buy miles during sales at 1.2-1.4 cents per point for maximum value
Getting Started with Avianca LifeMiles
There are a few things you should know about Avianca LifeMiles before we dive in. The easiest way to accumulate LifeMiles would be to transfer points from most US credit card programs, like American Express, Citi and Capital One, to Avianca LifeMiles, especially during a transfer bonus. Avianca also regularly sells its miles at a large discount, often from 1.2 – 1.4 cents per point. If you find a premium cabin ticket for an overseas flight, it may be worth it to buy the miles rather than transferring your hard-earned points. There’s no wrong answer here; simply do the math and see what makes the most sense for you before purchasing your ticket!
The Mixed-Cabin Booking Strategy
Another way to reduce the total cost of an Avianca LifeMiles award booking is to book one leg in economy, and one leg in business class. Essentially, by booking a mixed-cabin ticket- where all the flights are not in the same cabin- you lower the total cost of the ticket because Avianca discounts the award rate by factoring in how much of the airtime is spent in economy. So as long as you’re fine with one leg in economy, this could be a great way to experience premium seats for fewer points.
Stroll through London: Concerts and Business Class
London has incredible concerts and festivals. From Stevie Wonder to Sabrina Carpenter, you can rock out to artists from every genre. And London in particular is a great place to use points and miles, since you have so many options. If you book through LifeMiles, you can fly to London for 69,000 miles in business class each way. While there are cheaper award options out there via Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, the taxes and fees are generally low when you book with Avianca. For example,Virgin Atlantic charges upwards of $585 in taxes for a business class flight to London, while Avianca is charging $46 – $56 for the same route. And if you bought LifeMiles during a sale, this could be a great way to spend fewer miles and taxes.
Domestic US Flights
Avianca LifeMiles is not only a great program to book international flights, but has strong pricing for certain regional and domestic routes as well. For example, I could fly to North Carolina for an upcoming bachelorette party for 10,000 miles in economy one-way. If you wanted to check out Detroit’s evolving art scene, you could also fly there for 10,000 miles one-way. Thankfully, these flights will typically have low fees as well, though Avianca does charge a $25 booking fee, as well as change and cancellation fees. You should also compare these award rates to the cash cost of these tickets to ensure you’re getting the most from your points. Often, I will set a cash limit for what I’m willing to spend on tickets, and if the price rises above that threshold, I’ll book using points as long as it makes sense.
African Adventures: Cairo and Kenya
For Thanksgiving, let’s fly to the impressive new Grand Egyptian Museum, or GEM, in Cairo with views of Giza and the pyramids. You can get to and from Cairo in business class seats for 80,000 LifeMiles each way. But why stop there? From Cairo, you can take a short flight to another country in Africa and return home, all using Avianca LifeMiles. You could hop over to Kenya and go on a safari in the capital of Nairobi, or drive to other Kenyan hotspots like coastal Mombasa or the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve. And your return home comes to a cool 78,000 miles in business class. It really doesn’t get better than that for a premium experience in the sky!
The Bottom Line: Your Multi-Continent Adventure
Let’s pause for a moment and see how we’ve fared. For the first trip to London, your total cost comes to 138k miles for roundtrip business class. Both domestic economy tickets were 20k miles roundtrip, which adds up to 40k miles total. The trip to Cairo and return from Kenya in business class costs 158k miles. That means, for 336k miles, you’ve visited 3 continents, with all overseas flights in business class. And all your domestic flights add up to roughly the cost of one economy ticket to Europe. Not too shabby! The takeaway: when you go to book your next trip, check out Avianca LifeMiles for great award rates for partner flights.
Booking tip
Find the perfect flight on PointsYeah but cant seem to find it on the LifeMiles website? Try adjusting the dropdown menu shown below.
Typically we see this needed when booking partner award flights. The Smart Search will cover most searches but in the rare case you dont see your flight, try manually adjusting this dropdown to the operating carrier you want to fly.
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, Chase’s first premium travel-focused credit card for businesses, brings the best Sapphire Reserve benefits to business owners who expect hard-working rewards. The card unlocks over $2,500 in annual value, more business and travel value than any other premium business card, including high-value partner services and merchant credits that help owners streamline operations.
• 8x points on Chase Travel purchases as well as 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct
• $300 annual travel credit – the most flexible travel credit available
• $120 Global Entry, TSA Precheck or Nexus credit every four years
• $500 annual The Edit credit – Chase Travel’s collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts
• Points Boost, the new points redemption accelerator
With Points Boost offers, cardmembers’ points will be worth up to 2x on thousands of both top booked hotels and flights with select airlines and hotels through Chase Travel
• Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
• Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network of airport lounges and entry to over 1,300 lounges with Priority Pass Select. The primary Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business cardmember can also bring two guests per visit.
• The most comprehensive suite of travel protections available through built-in benefits that cover a wider range of travel setbacks than any other card including primary car insurance and trip cancellation
Credits to Keep Businesses Running
The card features additional rewards earned on advertising expenses and annual partner credits on business services, selected to meet the needs of businesses at scale:
• 3x points on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
• $400 ZipRecruiter credit to discover new talent
• $200 Google Workspace credit toward AI tools for business
• $100 Giftcards.com credit for flexible employee appreciation
• $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and complimentary DashPass membership worth $120 annually
• $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, up to $10 monthly, plus 5x total points on eligible Lyft rides
Premium Benefits Unlocked
Cardmembers can earn loyalty program status and additional credits with leading travel and shopping brands after spending $120,000 each calendar year:
• IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status
• Southwest Airlines A-List Status and a $500 Southwest Airlines credit when booked through Chase Travel
• $500 credit to The Shops at Chase, a new online shopping experience designed exclusively for cardmembers allowing them to shop for brands including Dyson, Sony, Therabody and Tumi, with rotating promotions, using their ultimate rewards points or their card to pay
Sapphire Reserve for Business cardmembers have access to a high spending pay-in-full limit and Flex for Business, a credit line which allows payments over time with interest. There is a $795 annual fee with employee cards at $0, and no foreign transaction fees.
Chase unveiled the all-new Chase Sapphire Reserve and introduces Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, the most rewarding credit cards on the market, available starting June 23,2025. These developments from Sapphire Reserve again set a new standard in premium credit cards, featuring a valuable suite of lifestyle, travel and business benefits and credits, high points earn rates in several categories including travel and dining, new ways to maximize rewards, access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network of airport lounges and more. Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business is designed to meet the needs of business owners at scale by elevating their travel experience and offering premium benefits and value toward business services that will help fuel their growth.
Both cards are on the Visa Infinite network, one of the most widely accepted global networks, and feature an industry-leading, comprehensive suite of travel protections that cover a wider range of travel setbacks than any other cards on the market. Cardmembers also have exclusive access to a dedicated Sapphire Reserve customer service team available 24/7 and who are specially trained to provide exceptional support tailored to cardmember needs.
Points Boost: A New Way to Make the Most of Rewards
Chase is also introducing Points Boost, an unmatched points redemption program with exclusive value for Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business. Points Boost allows Sapphire Reserve cardmembers to redeem Ultimate Rewards points at a rate of up to 2x on rotating offers through Chase Travel. Cardmembers can use Points Boost to maximize the value of their points on premium air cabin tickets and select hotels, including The Edit by Chase Travel – an exclusive collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts around the world where Sapphire Reserve cardmembers get complimentary benefits like free breakfast and a $100 property credit.
Access to Chase Sapphire’s Growing Lounge Network
Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club’s network is strategically located in major airports across the U.S. including award-winning lounges at Boston Logan International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport, with additional locations at John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Diego International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Cardmembers also have access to over 1,300 lounges with Priority Pass Select. Chase also announces Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport as a future Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club location, in addition to previously announced Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and Los Angeles International Airport.
The New Chase Sapphire Reserve – More Value Than Ever
Cardmembers receive a variety of high-value travel benefits and credits, including:
• 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases, replacing 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel
• 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct, replacing 3x points on all travel
• $500 annual The Edit credit – Chase Travel’s collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts
• Points Boost, the new points redemption accelerator program
With Points Boost offers, all cardmembers’ points will be worth up to 2x on thousands of both top booked hotels and flights with select airlines and hotels through Chase Travel.
For Chase Travel purchases not eligible for Points Boost Offers, points can be redeemed at a 1:1 rate on Chase Travel, replacing 1.5x on all Chase Travel purchases.
Points earned prior to October 26, 2025 by Sapphire Reserve cardmembers who applied prior to June 23, 2025 can be redeemed at 1.5x on Chase Travel until October 26, 2027. For points earned prior to October 26, 2025, cardmembers will automatically receive the best offer available, whether it’s Points Boost or 1.5x on Chase Travel, maximizing rewards value for two years.
• Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
• Cardmembers continue to receive:
$300 annual travel credit – still the most flexible travel credit available
$120 Global Entry, TSA Precheck or Nexus credit every four years
Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network of airport lounges and entry to over 1,300 lounges with Priority Pass Select and more than 20 select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés when traveling on a Star Alliance airline
Complimentary access to Reserve Travel Designers with end-to-end travel planning from custom itinerary to trip support
The most comprehensive suite of travel protections available through built-in benefits that cover a wider range of travel setbacks than any other card including primary car insurance and trip cancellation
Elevated Dining Benefits
Exclusive dining benefits include:
• A new $300 annual dining credit and primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve ExclusiveTables, available for booking on OpenTable
Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables is a growing list of hundreds of restaurants across the country curated by The Infatuation and OpenTable in collaboration with The Visa Dining Collection
• 3x points on all dining purchases worldwide
Curated Lifestyle Rewards
Cardmembers receive new annual credits in areas they value including entertainment and everyday spending categories:
• $250 annual value through complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music
• $300 annual StubHub credit on concert and event tickets
• $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, up to $10 monthly, plus 5x total points on eligible Lyft rides
• $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and complimentary DashPass membership worth $120 annually
• 10x points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases and up to $120 in annual statement credits toward Peloton memberships
Premium Benefits Unlocked with $75,000 Spend
Cardmembers can earn additional status and credits after spending $75,000 each calendar year:
• IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status
• Southwest Airlines® A-List Status and a $500 Southwest Airlines credit when booked through Chase Travel
• $250 credit to The Shops at Chase, a new online shopping experience designed exclusively for cardmembers allowing them to shop for brands including Dyson, Sony, Therabody and Tumi, with rotating promotions, using their ultimate rewards points or their card to pay
The annual fee is now $795 with a $195 annual fee for authorized user cards, and no foreign transaction fees. Cardmembers who applied prior to June 23, 2025, will experience these new benefits and features starting October 26, 2025. Their annual fee will be adjusted to $795 on their next anniversary date following October 26, 2025.
Credit card transfer bonuses are promotions that incentivize you to convert your bank points into airline miles and hotel points. These promotions can help you squeeze considerably more travel out of your credit card rewards.
You’ll typically receive between 15% and 40% more rewards than usual during a transfer bonus. For example, Capital One miles normally transfer to Avianca LifeMiles at a 1:1 ratio — but during a 20% transfer bonus, the conversion rate improves to 1:1.2. That means you’ll get 1,200 Avianca LifeMiles for every 1,000 Capital One miles you transfer.
You’ll likely see plenty of transfer bonuses for airline programs you’re not a member of or familiar with, but you might find some surprises. With a bit of algorithmic wizardry, PointsYeah will help you to use these promotions to save points on your upcoming flights.
How to spot credit card transfer bonuses
Credit card transfer bonuses come and go with little notice — and only a handful of airline and hotel loyalty programs are eligible for a bonus at any given time. This makes staying updated on current transfer bonuses a bit challenging for the average user.
The good thing for you is -> you’re a PointsYeah user.
There are two ways you can stay informed about valuable transfer bonuses with PointsYeah:
Bookmark this page. We keep the above chart updated just for you.
Search for flights through PointsYeah. The search result card will show you whenever there’s a transfer bonus and even calculate the number of points required, factoring in the bonus.
One final option is to check directly with the bank or airline’s website. Depending on who funds the promotion, the bank or the airline, is where you will find the information. If you don’t see the transfer bonus on your bank transfer portal, it is likely one you would see the T&C on the airline site, while still transferring through the bank portal.
Pretty simple, Yeah?
Credit card transfer bonuses are automatic. Just transfer your bank points to participating airline or hotel loyalty programs during a transfer bonus, and you’ll automatically get extra rewards.
Remember to bookmark this page to keep on top of current transfer bonuses. And if you want to learn more ways to stretch your points and miles, sign-up for the PointsYeah newsletter. More tips = more trips!
Flying business class to Europe as a family of four? Most people think that’s a once-in-a-lifetime splurge. But with a little strategy, the right timing, and the right tools, I made it happen for a fraction of the cost.
Here’s the full story of how I saved over $10,000 on our flights and turned a dream family trip into reality.
Step 1: Catching the Points Sale of the Year
In late 2024, Hawaiian Airlines ran a 100% bonus sale on miles. When you know how to use points, deals like this are impossible to pass up. I didn’t hesitate. I bought around 320,000 Hawaiian miles for $4,064.00 because I knew I could put them to work later.
But here’s what made this special.
At the time, there was a workaround that let you transfer Hawaiian Airlines miles to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. This was huge. Normally, getting points into Alaska is difficult, but this Hawaiian path opened up access to some of the best award redemptions in the game.
I didn’t know exactly when I would use the miles, but I knew the opportunity was too good to miss.
Step 2: The Search for Four Business Class Seats
Fast forward to February and March 2025. I started searching for four business class tickets from the West Coast to Europe for a late spring or early summer family trip.
Finding four seats in business class on the same flight? That’s not easy. But it’s possible if you know where to look.
I spent weeks searching, checking routes, flipping through dates, and running searches across multiple airlines. I knew I needed a tool that could keep up with me and help me move fast.
That’s why I used PointsYeah’s Daydream Explorer. It’s fast, flexible, and my absolute go-to for finding award flights. You can search across programs and dates in seconds, which saves a ton of time and opens up flights most people miss.
Then I found it.
Four business class seats from Las Vegas to Frankfurt on Condor Airlines for just 70,000 Alaska miles per ticket.
Finding one seat at that rate is pretty rare. Finding four on the same flight? That’s tough, but this is exactly what Daydream Explorer is built for. It helped me spot this deal quickly before it was gone.
I stared at the screen, double-checked the dates, the cabin, the taxes. I refreshed the page. I ran the search again. I triple-checked everything just to be sure.
It was real. And I knew I had to move fast. Deals like this don’t wait around. If you hesitate, they’re gone.
So I booked them immediately.
The trip was locked in.
The Final Numbers:
Total Miles: 280,000 Alaska miles
Cash Paid: $196.80 in taxes and fees
Just out of curiosity, I checked the cash price for those same flights on Google Flights.
$14,080 for 4 people.
I booked them for less than $900 per person. That’s a savings of over $10,000.
That’s not a discount. That’s a major win!
Step 3: Flying in Style
When the day finally came, it all felt surreal. We weren’t crammed in economy. We weren’t worrying about sleep, legroom, or whether our kids would be miserable for ten hours. We were flying in comfort. We were flying in business class.
Boarding Condor’s A330, we settled into wide, spacious seats that fully reclined into beds. The cabin was quiet. The service was smooth. The food was surprisingly good. And when we took off, I had this moment of realizing this is why I chase points. It’s not just about saving money, it’s about creating moments that make travel easier, more enjoyable, and more memorable.
The flight was perfect. We dined, we slept, and we landed in Frankfurt feeling refreshed, rested, and genuinely excited to kick off our European adventure.
When you travel with your family, this matters. Arriving well-rested changes everything. It sets the tone for the entire trip.
And the best part? I didn’t need to spend $14,000 to make it happen.
This is the power of points. This is why I play the game.
How Daydream Explorer Made It Happen
It’s not just fast. It’s not just easy. It’s built to help you find flights most people miss. I could quickly scan wide-open date ranges, mix and match departure cities, and explore hidden opportunities that would have been buried in endless airline searches.
While others are still clicking through airline websites, I’m already booking.
If I wasn’t using Daydream Explorer, I never would have found those four seats. I never would have pulled this off.
Looking back, this whole experience changed how I think about buying points.
Buying Points Can Be a Game-Changer When It Makes Sense
This trip really opened my eyes to what buying points can unlock. It’s not something I do for every trip, but when the right opportunity shows up, it can make a huge difference.
When there’s a big sale, when you’ve done the math, and when you can actually find the seats you want, buying points can be the key to getting incredible value. It can turn flights that seem completely out of reach into something that’s possible.
I didn’t buy points just to have them sitting in my account. I bought them because I had a real plan and a real way to use them.
Buying points isn’t always the answer, but sometimes, it’s exactly what makes trips like this happen.
Important: The Points Game Is Always Changing
When I bought Hawaiian miles last year, the Hawaiian-to-Alaska transfer path was wide open. It was one of the best workarounds in the game. That path has since closed, and it’s a perfect reminder that these windows don’t stay open forever.
Award programs, transfer partners, and sweet spots are constantly shifting. What works today might be gone tomorrow. We’ve seen it happen with Virgin Atlantic’s rising fees, Emirates’ recent Amex transfer devaluation, and other changes across the points landscape.
The key takeaway?
Maximize transfer bonuses and partner sweet spots while you can, but don’t move points speculatively. Wait until you find a real, bookable flight. Programs can devalue, transfer ratios can shift, and award space can vanish overnight.
There will always be new deals, but the industry moves fast. Staying ready, staying flexible, and using the right tools is how you stay ahead.
Final Takeaway: You Can Do This Too
Buying points when the math works out can be one of the smartest moves in points travel. You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to:
Be ready to act when a deal drops.
Use the right tools, like Daydream Explorer, to search smarter and faster.
When you book a flight, you focus on getting the deal: the miles, cash price, routing, or program. But once it’s booked, the seat itself can still make or break your trip.
Even after you’ve locked in your flight, getting the seat you want isn’t always guaranteed.
Airlines constantly shuffle seat availability behind the scenes. Aisles free up. Exit rows open. Blocked or preferred seats get released. Families change assignments as their plans shift. If you’ve ever refreshed the seat map again and again, hoping your ideal seat appears, you know how tedious it can be.
That’s exactly why we built Seat Alerts.
With Seat Alerts, you set your preferences once, and we’ll monitor the seat map for you. Whether you booked with points or paid cash, we keep watching in the background and notify you when your preferred seat becomes available. No more daily checks. No more missed windows.
Real Situations Where Seat Alerts Make a Difference
Even when your flight is booked, the seat map often isn’t fully settled. Airlines are constantly shifting inventory behind the scenes, and that creates opportunities if you’re paying attention.
Seat Alerts are built for moments like these:
You booked, but only middle seats were available at the time.
Your family or group is split across multiple rows and you want to move together.
Exit rows, bulkheads, and extra legroom seats that are held back may open closer to departure.
Schedule changes or equipment swaps can free up better rows.
Airlines release blocked or elite-only seats as the flight date gets closer.
You’re trying to move farther from lavatories, galleys, or the very back of the plane.
Instead of checking the seat map every day, Seat Alerts monitor these changes for you and send an alert as soon as your preferred seat opens up.
Works for Cash or Award Tickets
Seat Alerts track the seat map itself, not how you paid for the ticket. Whether you booked an award flight, paid cash, or used a credit card portal, you can set Seat Alerts on any eligible flight. We monitor the seat map directly and let you know when the seat you want becomes available.
Seat Alerts are live and available for all users while we continue to refine and expand the feature. As we gather feedback, we’ll keep improving coverage and monitoring behind the scenes.
Seat Alerts are one more way PointsYeah helps take the hassle out of award travel. Combined with tools like live searches, Daydream Explorer, Points Price Alerts, and Hotel Alerts, you’re always one step ahead when it comes to booking smarter and traveling better.
The card is stuffed with benefits which can easily be worth well over $1,500in value each year. And its current welcome bonus is one of the highest we’ve ever seen.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Amex Business Platinum Card — and a quick look at how powerful its rewards can be.
How do American Express Membership Rewards points work?
How to earn American Express Membership Rewards points
The Amex Business Platinum Card offers a strong bonus offer, 150,000 American Express Membership Rewards® points after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
You’ll also earn points for your everyday spending at the following rates:
5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and U.S. shipping providers — as well as any eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million in spending per calendar year)
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
How to use American Express Membership Rewards points
There are plenty of fun ways to use Amex Membership Rewards points when you’ve got the Amex Business Platinum Card — but the best options involve travel. For example, you can redeem your points for:
Airfare through Amex Travel at a rate of 1 cent each. And when booking business- or first-class seats, you’ll get a 35% rebate on your points (a feature exclusive to the Amex Business Platinum) — effectively making your points worth ~1.5 cents each
Hotel stays through Amex Travel at a rate between 0.7 and 1 cent each
But to unlock the most potential from your Amex points, convert them to into airline miles and hotel points.
It’s possible to get exponentially more value from your points by transferring to the below travel partners (transfers are 1:1 unless otherwise specified).
Aer Lingus
Choice Hotels
Iberia
Aeromexico (1:1.6)
Delta
JetBlue (5:4)
Air Canada
Emirates
Marriott Bonvoy
ANA
Etihad
Qantas
Avianca
Flying Blue (Air France and KLM)
Qatar Airways
British Airways
Hawaiian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Cathay Pacific
Hilton Honors (1:2)
Virgin Atlantic
You can use PointsYeah to find flights between your home airport (or anywhere else) to all over the world with Amex points. Just filter your search to display only flights that can be booked with Amex Membership Rewards.
With this card’s 150,000-point bonus, there’s virtually nowhere you can’t go. Here’s a quick snapshot of award prices for flights you can book from the U.S. with Amex points.
You can even use the PointsYeah Hotels tool to find and book fancy hotels with your rewards. When I first opened the Amex Business Platinum Card, I transferred part of its bonus to Hilton for a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives — a resort where villas routinely cost over $2,000 per night!
Is the Amex Business Platinum Card worth a $695 annual fee?
As long as you can organically squeeze more value from a credit card’s benefits than you spend on the annual fee, it’s a great deal! Examine the Amex Business Platinum Card’s benefits and then do some simple math.
Statement credits galore
The Amex Business Platinum Card offers over $1,000 in annual statement credits alone. If you can use even a fraction of them, the card could be a fair deal.
First are the travel-focused credits, such as:
Up to $200 in annual Hilton credits. You’ll get up to $50 per quarter for eligible purchases made directly with a Hilton property.*
Up to $200 in annual airline credits. Choose a participating airline (United, American Airlines, Delta, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, and many more), and redeem this credit to offset charges like checked bags, pet fees, seat upgrades, etc.*
Up to $199 CLEAR® Plus credit. CLEAR lets you skip the line at many TSA security checkpoints. Enter some biometric data into a kiosk, and a CLEAR attendant will literally escort you to the front of the line. It’s wild.
Terms Apply
Then there’s the business-focused credits:
Up to $120 in annual wireless credits. Get up to $10 in statement credits each month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S.*
Up to $360 in annual Indeed credits. Receive up to $90 back per quarter for Indeed expenses.*
New! Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
New! Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
Terms Apply
*Enrollment required for some benefits
Perks to enhance your travel experience
Up to $120 in TSA PreCheck/ Global Entry credit. These “trusted traveler” programs get you through airport security in a hurry. You get to keep your shoes and belt on (instead of throwing them in a grungy gray bin) — and you can even keep your laptop and TSA-approved toiletries in your bag. Global Entry also expedites your entry back into the U.S. when returning from abroad.
Airport lounge access. No travel card on the market gives you access to more airport lounges than the Amex Business Platinum Card — over 1,400 locations in all. You can visit super fancy Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (eligible same-day Delta ticket required), Plaza Premium lounges, Priority Pass lounges*, and more. Airport lounges are a travel game-changer.
Access to American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts. You can book over 2,600 top-tier luxury hotels through an exclusive platform to get special benefits like free breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, late checkout, and a property credit (typically worth $100+).
Hotel elite status. You’ll get complimentary Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton. This comes with perks like bonus rewards on paid stays, welcome amenities, free upgrades when available, and more.*
Rental car elite status. Receive Hertz President’s Circle status, National Executive status, and Avis Preferred Plus status.* These come with perks like free upgrades, bonus points on paid reservations, etc.
* Enrollment required for some benefits.
High-quality insurance
The Amex Business Platinum Card delivers some of the best travel insurance around. As long as you pay with your card, you’ll be covered. Here are some highlights:
Trip delay insurance. When your flight is delayed by at least six hours (or requires an overnight stay), Amex will give you up to $500 for “reasonable expenses” — meals, a night at a hotel, that type of stuff.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance. When you book round-trip travel with your card, you’ll get up to $10,000 in coverage per trip (max $20,000 per 12-month period) to reimburse you for prepaid nonrefundable travel that causes you to cancel or shorten your trip for a covered reason.
Rental car insurance. The Amex Business Platinum Card only confers secondary rental car insurance (meaning it’ll cover you for whatever your personal insurance doesn’t). HOWEVER, you can opt into Amex’s Premium Car Rental Protection for a small fee per rental. This gives you primary insurance and more comprehensive coverage than virtually any other card on the market.
Cell phone protection. Get up to $800 in cell phone insurance (max two claims per 12-month period) against damage or theft. You’ll just have to pay a $50 deductible. This protection is automatic as long as you pay your monthly phone bill with the Amex Business Platinum Card.
Is the Amex Business Platinum Card right for you?
The Amex Business Platinum Card isn’t for everyone. Even if the card’s benefits easily justify its price point, it’s not exactly painless to pony up the $695 annual fee (rates and fees). Ask yourself these questions to decide if the card is a fit for you.
Can you spend $20,000 within the next three months? To earn the card’s enormous 150,000-point bonus, you’ll have to make $20,000 in purchases within three months. If you can meet that by making purchases you’d normally make (don’t go into debt just to earn points!), the bonus alone is worth trying the card out for a year to see if it complements your business and personal goals.
Are you a big spender? If your business makes a lot of large transactions, the Amex Business Platinum Card is one of the best cards for you. That’s because it’s a No Preset Spending Limit (NPSL) card, meaning you don’t have a firm credit limit. Instead, Amex will learn your spending habits and give you more purchase power when you need it.
Plus, the card earns 1.5 points per dollar for transactions of $5,000 or more (again, capped at $2 million in spending per year).
Do you fly at least a few times each year? Some of the card’s best benefits are related to air travel. From up to $200 in airline incidental credits to fantastic airport lounge access to trip delay insurance , flyers specifically will squeeze the most value from the Amex Business Platinum Card.
Can you organically use a few of the card’s business-centric cards?
Does the nature of your business take advantage of the card’s many hundreds of dollars worth of annual business credits? If you spend money on services from Indeed or Adobe anyway, the Amex Business Platinum Card is almost certainly a good deal for you.
Is the Amex Business Platinum Card easy to get?
The Amex Business Platinum Card isn’t “hard to get.” If you’ve got a credit score above 700 — and you own a business — you shouldn’t have a difficult time opening this card. Just a couple notes:
If you’ve earn the welcome bonus for the Amex Business Platinum Card before, you aren’t eligible to earn it again. Amex abides by a once-in-a-lifetime rule when it comes to card bonuses.
You must own a business. Whether it’s a multi-million dollar enterprise or you simply drive for Uber or run an Etsy shop, you must have a for-profit venture to open the Amex Business Platinum Card.
And here’s another fantastic thing about American Express: If you already have an Amex card, American Express can often let you know if you’ll be approved for a card before you formally submit your application. No crossing your fingers after you hit the “Apply Now” button.
