The Capital One Venture X Business Rewards Credit Card has a new (and huge) limited-time welcome offer, and it comes in two tiers.
New cardholders can earn 150,000 bonus miles after spending $40,000 in the first four months. If they spend $120,000 in that same four-month window, they’ll earn another 150,000 miles plus a one-time $1,000 Capital One Business Travel credit, for up to 300,000 bonus miles in total.
Capital One is running the offer to mark the card’s third anniversary. And it calls the offer limited-time but hasn’t published an end date.
The card carries a $395 annual fee and comes with a long list of benefits.
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Unlocking all of it takes a lot of spending, even for a business card. The card’s previous offer was 150,000 miles after $30,000 in spending within three months, so the first tier now takes $10,000 more in spending and gives one more month to do it.
Offers on the Venture X Business don’t change often, so an offer with a lower spending requirement will more than likely return once this one ends.
According to Capital One, bonus miles post “within two billing cycles” after you qualify. The $1,000 credit also lands in your Capital One Business Travel balance within two billing cycles, can be used across one or more bookings, and expires 16 months after account opening.
What Can You Do With Capital One Miles?
Capital One miles can be redeemed for travel booked through Capital One Business Travel or used to cover travel purchases made with the card.
They can also be transferred to Capital One’s 15-plus airline and hotel partners, which include Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Club, Choice Privileges, and more.
What Else Does the Venture X Business Offer?
Beyond the welcome bonus, the Venture X Business comes with several benefits, including:
2X miles on every purchase: No category restrictions.
10X and 5X miles on travel: Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel.
$300 annual travel credit: Use it on bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
10,000 anniversary miles: Earned each year on your account anniversary starting after your first renewal.
Lounge access: Capital One Lounges and Landings, plus more than 1,300 participating lounges worldwide through Priority Pass (enrollment required).
Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit: A statement credit for the application fee, once every four years.
Premier Collection perks: A $100 experience credit and other benefits on Premier Collection hotel and vacation rental bookings.
Hertz President’s Circle status
No foreign transaction fees
Free employee cards
For full earning rates, benefits, and terms, click “Learn More” on the card above.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort. WYNDHAM
Who Can Apply for the Venture X Business?
A business credit card does require a business. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a company with employees, an office, or a huge amount of revenue.
Sole proprietors, freelancers, independent contractors, and people with a side business can qualify, and Capital One accepts a Social Security number in place of an EIN for sole proprietorships.
There’s also a restriction on the bonus. According to Capital One’s terms, “Existing or previous Accountholders may not be eligible for this one-time bonus.”
However, you’ll want to make sure that whatever business you have can spend the necessary money in order to unlock the bonus (ideally in full). Businesses without substantial spending might want to consider other options.
Besides JetBlue’s own flights, TrueBlue points can book flights on JetBlue’s partner airlines, including United, Qatar Airways, Icelandair, and Condor.
How Bilt Transfers to JetBlue Work
To transfer, open the Bilt app or Bilt.com, go to the Rewards section, and tap the Transfer tab, then the Airlines tab. Select JetBlue TrueBlue (link your accounts if you haven’t already), then choose an amount and confirm.
Bilt Points transfer in 1,000-point increments. The minimum is 1,000 points, or 2,000 for members with entry-level Blue status.
JetBlue award prices are tied to cash fares. According to JetBlue, the points a flight requires are “based on the published base fare at the time of booking,” so the points price rises and falls with what the same flight would cost in cash.
Most partner awards work a little differently. JetBlue doesn’t publish partner award charts, but prices are fairly predictable by route. For instance, TrueBlue points can book Qatar Airways from U.S. gateways like Boston and Atlanta starting at 41,500 points one-way in economy or 83,000 points in Qsuite business class.
But before transferring, it’s worth checking whether another Bilt partner charges fewer points for the same trip. Transfers can’t be reversed and Bilt has a ton of partners, so a PointsYeah award search is an easy way to see prices across most programs first.
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Transfers Might Only Be the Beginning
As history shows, transfers really could be just the beginning of a more expansive partnership.
For starters, Bilt has used its monthly Rent Day promotion to spotlight a new partner before.
Just last month, it launched transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards on September 23, then ran a one-day transfer bonus on October 1. The bonus depended on your Bilt status, from 25% for Blue members to 100% for Platinum, and up to 125% for Platinum members who redeemed Bilt Cash for a better bonus.
Bilt hasn’t announced a JetBlue transfer bonus yet, but the release hints at more to come: JetBlue cardmembers can add their card to the Bilt app “to access additional earning opportunities, with more cardmember features coming soon.”
American Express is giving its cruise program a new name and a refreshed online experience. Beginning October 22, the existing Cruise Privileges Program (CPP) will become the American Express Cruise & Yacht Collection.
The new name puts more emphasis on luxury yacht travel, alongside traditional cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages.
But for American Express Platinum, Business Platinum, and Centurion cardholders, the benefits aren’t changing.
What Card Members Get With the Cruise & Yacht Collection
The Cruise & Yacht Collection will continue offering the same benefits currently available through Amex’s Cruise Privileges Program.
Eligible Platinum and Centurion Card Members can receive:
$100–$300 in onboard credit per stateroom on eligible cruises of five nights or longer.
An additional onboard amenity, such as premium wine or canapés, depending on the cruise line.
2X Membership Rewards points on eligible cruise bookings through Amex Travel.
Complimentary trip planning through Amex Travel, with no booking fees.
Access to exclusive offers from participating cruise lines and yacht operators.
To qualify, cardholders must book an eligible sailing through Amex Travel, either online or by calling the number on the back of their card. The cardholder must also be traveling on the itinerary.
Some ships, stateroom categories, and sailings are excluded. And while Amex says certain benefits can be combined with cruise-line offers and loyalty recognition, that depends on the participating provider.
What’s Actually Changing?
Well, not much beyond the branding and online experience.
Despite the new emphasis on yachts, Amex already includes several luxury yacht operators in its existing Cruise Privileges Program. The current lineup features 20 providers, including traditional ocean cruises, river cruises, and smaller luxury vessels.
The refreshed collection doesn’t add new benefits or participating brands. Instead, Amex is bringing its existing offerings together under a name that better reflects the range of cruises available.
For cardholders planning a voyage, those pre-existing benefits could be valuable. A $300 onboard credit, for example, could help offset the cost of dining, spa treatments, or other eligible onboard purchases.
However, it’s worth comparing prices and promotions before booking through Amex Travel. Other travel agencies or the cruise lines themselves may offer different incentives.
The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has a welcome offer worth considering for business owners who regularly stay at Hyatt hotels, whether they’re traveling themselves or sending employees on the road.
New cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $7,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
The card carries a $199 annual fee and offers several Hyatt-related benefits, including statement credits, automatic elite status, and opportunities to earn additional elite night credits through spending.
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What Can You Do With Hyatt Points?
World of Hyatt points can be redeemed for stays at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts worldwide. These range from budget-friendly properties to luxury hotels.
Unlike some hotel loyalty programs, Hyatt still publishes an award chart, although the number of points required varies by hotel category and demand.
Standard room free nights start at 3,500 points but can run as high as 75,000 points. This depends on the property category and which of Hyatt’s five pricing tiers applies to the night you want to stay.
What Else Does the Hyatt Business Card Offer?
Beyond the welcome bonus, the Hyatt Business Card comes with several benefits, including:
Up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits: Receive a $50 statement credit when you spend $50 or more at a Hyatt property, up to twice each cardmember anniversary year.
Automatic Discoverist status: Cardholders receive World of Hyatt Discoverist status and can gift the same status to up to five employees. This is Hyatt’s entry-level elite status, below Explorist and Globalist.
Elite night credits through spending: Earn five tier-qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent on the card in a calendar year.
Up to 9X points on Hyatt stays: Earn 4X points through the card, plus up to 5X Base Points as a World of Hyatt member.
2X points in select business categories: Earn 2X points in your three highest eligible spending categories each quarter, including dining, shipping, airfare purchased directly from airlines, and advertising.
2X points on gym memberships: Fitness clubs and gym memberships also qualify for bonus points.
Complimentary Hyatt Leverage membership: The business owner can enroll in Hyatt Leverage, which offers access to discounted rates at participating properties. Employee cardholders don’t automatically receive membership.
10% of redeemed points back: After spending $50,000 on the card in a calendar year, receive 10% of your redeemed Hyatt points back for the remainder of that year, on up to 200,000 points redeemed. Eligible redemptions include hotel stays, room upgrades, dining, spa services, and World of Hyatt Experiences.
Just note that World of Hyatt points expire after 24 consecutive months of account inactivity.
Andaz London Liverpool Street. HYATT
Who Can Apply for the Hyatt Business Card?
A business credit card does require a business. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a company with employees, an office, or a huge amount of revenue.
Traditional businesses can qualify, but so can many sole proprietors, freelancers, independent contractors, and people earning money from a side business.
There are also restrictions on who can qualify for the welcome bonus.
According to Chase’s terms, the offer isn’t available to current World of Hyatt Business Credit Card holders or previous cardholders who received a welcome bonus on this card within the past 24 months.
Hilton is teaming up with Scandic Hotels Group to expand its presence across Northern Europe. And new benefits are in the works for Hilton Honors and Scandic Friends members.
The companies announced a multi-year agreement covering Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Scandic will help develop and operate Hilton-branded hotels across the region, although the agreement doesn’t involve converting Scandic’s existing portfolio into Hilton properties.
What Does This Mean for Hilton Honors Members?
Hilton and Scandic say they’ll introduce new benefits for members of their respective loyalty programs, but haven’t shared any details yet.
According to the announcement made on October 19:
“The companies will also announce new benefits for members of the Hilton Honors and Scandic Friends loyalty programs at a later date, with the shared ambition to further open the Nordics to Hilton Honors members and the world to Scandic Friends.”
Whether that means reciprocal elite benefits, opportunities to earn points, or even the ability to redeem Hilton Honors points at Scandic hotels is still up in the air.
Scandic is the largest hotel operator in the Nordics, so the possibility of accessing more hotels across the region could be particularly appealing to Hilton Honors members.
For now, though, Scandic hotels aren’t joining Hilton Honors, and there’s no indication that members can earn or redeem Hilton points at those properties.
We’ve reached out to Hilton for more information about the planned loyalty benefits.
The first hotel announced under the agreement is a 284-room Hilton near Copenhagen Airport, which is expected to open in 2029. The property will feature an executive lounge overlooking the Öresund Strait, along with a restaurant, bar, and wellness facilities.
The companies already work together in Finland, where Scandic operates three Hilton properties: Hilton Helsinki Airport, Hilton Helsinki Strand, and Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa.
Hilton also plans to renovate the Hilton Helsinki Airport.
Additional Hilton properties could follow across the four Nordic countries, although no other locations or opening dates have been announced.
Orlando is consistently one of the most-searched domestic destinations on PointsYeah. Between its theme parks, resorts, convention centers, and (just about) year-round warm weather, there’s no shortage of reasons to visit Central Florida.
And if you’ve got Chase Ultimate Rewards points, there are plenty of ways to use them to get there.
Chase has several airline transfer partners that let you book flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO), including on airlines that aren’t direct transfer partners. You can also use points to book flights through Chase Travel.
Airlines You Can Fly to MCO With Chase Points
American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United (among several others) all fly to Orlando. And while Chase doesn’t transfer points directly to every airline, you can use its transfer partners to book flights on all five.
Airline
Use These Chase Transfer Partners
American Airlines
British Airways Club, Iberia Club
Delta Air Lines
Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
JetBlue
JetBlue TrueBlue, United MileagePlus
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Rapid Rewards
United Airlines
United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Southwest, United, and JetBlue are the most straightforward options. Chase transfers directly to all three programs, so you can move your points over and book flights through their respective websites.
It’s the simplest way to go from transferring points to booking a flight.
American and Delta work a little differently. Chase doesn’t transfer directly to either airline, but you can use British Airways Avios to book American flights or Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles to book Delta flights.
And those aren’t your only options. For example, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club can be useful for Delta flights. We found one such flight from Seattle (SEA) to Orlando for 22,000 Virgin points.
POINTSYEAH
There’s one thing to keep in mind when booking through a partner program: Airlines don’t necessarily make every flight available to their partners.
For example, you might find a United flight available through MileagePlus but not through Air Canada Aeroplan. That’s because not every seat on the operating airline is made available to partner programs.
That’s why we’d recommend searching before transferring anything. See which programs have flights on your dates, compare the points prices and taxes, and then decide where to transfer your Chase points.
Booking Flights Through Chase Travel
You don’t necessarily need to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to an airline to book a flight to Orlando.
Chase Travel lets you redeem points for flights on a much larger selection of airlines, including those that aren’t Chase transfer partners.
Redemptions start at 1 cent per point (so 10,000 Chase points can be worth $100 toward flights booked this way), although Chase’s Points Boost feature can get you up to 2 cents per point on select flights, depending on which card you have.
That could be worth considering if you find a cheap cash fare (particularly on a budget airline), aren’t seeing anything appealing through airline loyalty programs, or want to fly an airline that isn’t available through Chase’s transfer partners.
Just check the price in points before booking. Not every flight qualifies for Points Boost, and the redemption rates can vary.
As mentioned, before transferring your Chase points, it’s worth seeing what’s available.
You can use PointsYeah to search flights to Orlando across multiple loyalty programs at once, rather than checking each airline’s website individually.
And since several Chase transfer partners can book flights on the same airlines, you might find different prices for the exact same flight.
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Credit Cards That Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Of course, you’ll need Chase Ultimate Rewards points before you can transfer them to an airline or book through the Chase Travel portal.
Four Chase cards earn points that can be transferred directly to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs:
These two cards technically earn cash back. However, if you also have one of the four Ultimate Rewards-earning cards above, you can combine your rewards into a single Ultimate Rewards account and transfer those points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.
That means you can earn rewards on everyday purchases with a no-annual-fee card and still have the option to use them for flights to Orlando.
World of Hyatt members can now transfer points to one another online. Yep, this development officially ends a process that previously required filling out a form and submitting it to Hyatt.
Until October 15, 2026, combining points was a surprisingly old-fashioned process. Members had to complete a request form and submit it to Hyatt for processing, either by email or by mailing it to an address in Omaha, Nebraska.
But now, members can handle the process online (for free) without the paperwork.
How to Combine World of Hyatt Points Online
World of Hyatt allows members to transfer points to another member at no cost. It’s a useful benefit for couples, families, or friends who want to pool their balances for a hotel stay.
For example, if you have 15,000 Hyatt points and your spouse has another 10,000, you could combine those balances to book a hotel night costing 25,000 points.
Enter the requested details and follow the prompts to complete the transfer
There’s a New Annual Transfer Limit
Along with the online system, Hyatt is introducing a limit on how many points members can transfer.
As of October 15, members can send up to 525,000 points and receive up to 525,000 points per calendar year.
Previously, Hyatt didn’t impose an annual cap on the number of points members could combine, although transfers were generally limited to once every 30 days.
The new limit is unlikely to affect most World of Hyatt members with plans to send or receive a transfer, but it’s worth knowing if you regularly move large amounts of points between accounts.
American Airlines has launched a new promotion offering eligible business travelers up to 50,000 bonus AAdvantage miles on flights through the end of 2026.
The offer awards 5,000 bonus miles per eligible flight segment to or from the New York City area, Los Angeles, or Chicago.
The promotion appears to be targeted at select corporate and AAdvantage Business travelers, so not every AAdvantage member will qualify.
How to Earn 5,000 Bonus Miles Per Flight
Eligible travelers must register, book, and complete their flights by December 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
The promotion covers flights to or from five airports:
New York Kennedy (JFK)
New York LaGuardia (LGA)
Newark (EWR)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
You’ll earn 5,000 bonus miles per eligible segment, up to a maximum of 50,000 miles. For example, a nonstop round trip between Los Angeles and Dallas would earn 10,000 bonus miles.
A few restrictions apply:
Registration is required before booking. Previously ticketed flights won’t qualify.
Only American-marketed flights qualify. Basic Economy tickets and flights booked with miles are excluded.
Business travel identifiers are required. Corporate travelers must have their company’s identifiers attached to their reservations and AAdvantage Business travelers must have their business account information included.
Worth noting: bonus miles won’t count as Loyalty Points, so they won’t help you qualify for elite status.
Check Your Eligibility Before Booking
Having an AAdvantage Business account or booking through a corporate travel program doesn’t necessarily guarantee eligibility, so you’ll need to log in and check your account.
If you’ve received the offer, it’s worth registering before booking any qualifying flights. A couple of business trips could earn you thousands of additional AAdvantage miles.
JetBlue’s new BlueFirst cabin is officially on sale. And the first flights take off on December 8, 2026.
The airline unveiled BlueFirst in September, and travelers can now book the new first class product with cash or TrueBlue points on more than 30 routes.
Where You Can Book JetBlue BlueFirst
The first BlueFirst flight is scheduled for December 8 between Boston (BOS) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL). BlueFirst service between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Fort Lauderdale commences shortly afterward on December 12.
And additional routes will launch over the coming months, including:
Route
BlueFirst Launch
Boston (BOS) ↔ Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
December 2026
New York LaGuardia (LGA) ↔ Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
December 2026
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ↔ Washington, D.C. (DCA)
December 2026
Boston (BOS) ↔ Austin (AUS)
January 2027
New York JFK (JFK) ↔ Cancun (CUN)
January 2027
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ↔ Aruba (AUA)
January 2027
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ↔ Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
February 2027
Boston (BOS) ↔ Denver (DEN)
April 2027
BlueFirst won’t necessarily operate on every flight along these routes, since availability depends on the aircraft scheduled.
JetBlue plans to eventually offer BlueFirst throughout its network on aircraft without Mint, including flights to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Booking JetBlue BlueFirst With Points
JetBlue initially offered BlueFirst fares starting at $249 or 18,100 TrueBlue points one-way. That introductory promotion ended October 16, and prices have since increased.
But if you missed the sale, there are still opportunities to try BlueFirst without spending a small fortune. For example, we found the following one-way fares from New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) on December 28:
BlueFirst Base: $374 or 27,800 TrueBlue points
BlueFirst: $419 or 30,000 TrueBlue points
BlueFirst Flex: $594 or 41,400 TrueBlue points
POINTSYEAH
The three fares offer the same onboard experience, but differ in baggage allowances, seat selection, and change and cancellation policies.
Find BlueFirst Flights With PointsYeah
BlueFirst will offer JetBlue travelers a more premium experience on planes that don’t have the airline’s lie-flat Mint product. And unlike Mint, BlueFirst will eventually be available across much more of JetBlue’s network.
Worth noting: you can already find BlueFirst flights using PointsYeah. Just filter your search by business class rather than first class to see what’s available and what it costs.
Southwest Airlines is making some of its biggest changes yet to Rapid Rewards, introducing a new elite status tier, overhauling Companion Pass qualification, and allowing members to redeem points for international flights on partner carriers.
The airline announced the slew of changes during its Media Day event in Dallas on Thursday, October 15. It also shared new details about its upcoming airport lounges and plans to bring Starlink Wi-Fi to its entire fleet.
Most of the changes will take effect in 2027. Some will give members more ways to use their points, while others will make familiar benefits harder to earn, particularly for those who have relied on credit card bonuses to qualify for Companion Pass.
Here’s what’s changing.
Southwest Is Introducing Three Elite Status Tiers
Beginning January 1, 2027, Southwest will replace its familiar A-List and A-List Preferred status levels with a new three-tier structure: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
The names are generic by design. Executives said the familiar terminology should make Rapid Rewards easier to understand for customers coming from other airlines.
Existing A-List members will transition to Silver, while A-List Preferred members will become Gold. Platinum is an entirely new tier above Gold, offering Southwest’s most frequent flyers (or biggest spenders) additional benefits, including unlimited Companion Pass trips.
Standard or Preferred at booking; Extra Legroom within 48 hours
Any seat at booking
Any seat at booking
Boarding
Group 1
Before Group 1
Before Gold
Companion Pass
—
—
Unlimited trips
Members who qualify for A-List or A-List Preferred status in 2026 will automatically transition to Silver or Gold, respectively, on January 1, 2027. Their status will remain valid through December 31, 2027.
There are a couple of differences worth pointing out.
Silver members will earn a 40% bonus on qualifying flights, up from the 25% currently offered to A-List members. Gold members, however, will earn a 60% bonus, down from the 100% currently offered to A-List Preferred members.
Southwest is grandfathering that benefit for existing A-List Preferred members who qualify for 2027 status through their 2026 activity. They’ll retain the 100% earning bonus through December 31, 2027.
TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER
Platinum is (obviously) the biggest addition. Along with unlimited Companion Pass trips, members will receive three free checked bags, a 120% flight points bonus, priority boarding ahead of Gold members, and complimentary Extra Legroom seat selection at booking.
Southwest is also introducing Milestone Rewards, which will allow members to choose benefits as they work toward higher status levels. Rewards include bonus Rapid Rewards points, seat selection certificates, and, between Gold and Platinum, three Companion Pass round trips.
Beginning January 1, 2027, all Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards issued by Chase will earn one Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, including the entry-level Plus card.
Members can also earn TQPs through qualifying Southwest flights, purchases on the Rapid Rewards debit card, Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings, and qualifying Southwest Groups bookings.
Companion Pass Is Changing, Too
Southwest is also overhauling Companion Pass.
Yep, finally. It’s a benefit the airline seemed reluctant to touch for somewhat obvious reasons, but the day has come.
Members will have two ways to unlock Companion Pass benefits:
95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying flights: Earn three Companion Pass round trips through a Milestone Reward.
140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying flights: Reach Platinum status and unlock unlimited Companion Pass trips.
Currently, members can earn unlimited Companion Pass trips after accumulating 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or completing 100 qualifying flights in a calendar year.
The flight requirement for unlimited Companion Pass isn’t changing. However, the switch to TQPs will change how members qualify through credit cards and other activities.
And here’s how.
Beginning in 2027, credit card welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus points earned from spending will no longer count toward Companion Pass qualification. Points earned through participating hotel and rental car partners will also be excluded.
Members will still earn redeemable Rapid Rewards points from those activities, but they won’t count toward Companion Pass.
Instead, Southwest credit cardholders will earn one TQP for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, regardless of which Southwest Chase card (or cards) they carry.
That means someone who previously earned Companion Pass through a combination of credit card welcome bonuses and spending won’t be able to follow the same strategy in the future.
Members will still be able to designate one companion at a time and change that person up to three times annually.
Already have Companion Pass? Members who earn it under the existing rules in 2026 will keep their unlimited Companion Pass trips through December 31, 2027.
Southwest will also honor existing Companion Pass promotions. Members who meet the requirements of their current offer will receive the benefits promised for that promotion’s specified period.
Southwest Points Will Soon Be Redeemable for International Partner Tickets
One of the more interesting announcements from Thursday’s event is that Rapid Rewards points will soon be useful for flights well beyond Southwest’s own network.
Beginning in spring 2027, members will be able to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points through partnerships with Icelandair, China Airlines, and Etihad Airways.
Etihad is the newest addition to Southwest’s growing list of international airline partners.
Southwest confirmed that members will be able to redeem points for economy and premium cabin flights on these airlines. Reservations will be available through Southwest’s website, though pricing has yet to be announced.
We also heard from multiple members of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards team that more airline partners will become available for redemptions (and potentially fairly quickly).
Until now, Rapid Rewards redemptions have largely been limited to Southwest’s own flights, aside from international flights available through the More Rewards portal.
But there are still some big unknowns.
Southwest hasn’t announced how it will price partner redemptions or whether members will be able to combine Southwest flights and partner-operated flights on a single reservation.
Southwest Is Adding More Ways to Spend Points
International flights aren’t the only new redemption option coming to Rapid Rewards.
Beginning in November 2026, members will be able to redeem points for rental cars through participating partners at cars.southwest.com.
Later in 2027, Southwest will also allow members to use Rapid Rewards points to pay for seat selection, including Preferred and Extra Legroom seats.
That option will be available after booking and before check-in. Pricing will vary by flight and seat type.
Southwest Shares More About Its New Airport Lounges
The new network will be called Southwest Icon Lounges, and the first location expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Chatter at the event suggested Nashville (BNA) is a leading candidate for the first location, although Southwest hasn’t officially confirmed which lounge will open first.
Each Southwest Icon Lounge will incorporate design elements inspired by its location. Southwest says the spaces will emphasize comfort, hospitality, and local character while retaining elements of the airline’s identity.
TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER
The lounge network is being developed in partnership with Chase, which already operates its own Sapphire Lounge network.
Southwest also confirmed plans to introduce a new premium Rapid Rewards credit card issued by Chase in 2027. The card will provide access to Southwest Icon Lounges.
However, the airline hasn’t announced the card’s annual fee, additional benefits, or launch date.
Another unanswered question is whether existing Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholders will receive lounge access when flying Southwest.
It seems plausible, but when Points Insider asked representatives from both Southwest and Chase about that possibility during Media Day, neither company offered any details that would indicate which direction it’ll go.
For now, the new Southwest premium card is the only confirmed credit card access option.
Starlink Is Coming to Southwest’s Entire Fleet
Southwest is also moving ahead with plans to install Starlink, the fast (and popular) satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, across its entire fleet.
The airline expects to complete the rollout by fall 2027, which executives touted would make Southwest the first major U.S. airline to offer complimentary Starlink on every aircraft.
During Thursday’s presentation, Tony Roach, Southwest’s chief customer and brand officer, said 47 aircraft were already equipped with Starlink.
Installation is expected to accelerate in the first quarter of 2027. Southwest’s forthcoming Boeing 737 MAX 7 aircraft will also enter service with Starlink already installed.
The rollout is part of Southwest’s broader cabin modernization effort, which includes new seats, larger overhead bins, and in-seat power. Southwest expects essentially its entire fleet to have in-seat power by around October 2027.
