Tag: Trending

Introducing Multi-Region Alerts: A New Way to Find Award Flights

We’re excited to introduce Multi-Region Alerts, a new PointsYeah feature designed to continuously find award travel opportunities in real time across multiple airports, states, regions, countries, and continents, with flexible travel dates.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Europe, exploring destinations across Asia, or simply flexible about where you depart from, Multi-Region Alerts help you find more ways to put your points and miles to work.

Award Alerts Built for Flexible Travel Plans

With Multi-Region Alerts, you can select entire geographic areas and receive notifications when PointsYeah finds award flights between major airports within your selected locations. You can mix and match from:

Major airports and airport groups: JFK, LAX, SFO, NYC, WAS, and more
States: California, Florida, New York, or any of the 50 U.S. states
Countries: Japan, Italy, Costa Rica, or any other country
U.S. regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, Southeast, West, or any of the 24 available regions
Continents: Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Africa, and Oceania

For example, selecting California to Europe allows you to monitor award opportunities between major airports in California and destinations across Europe, all within a single alert.

You don’t have to decide on a specific departure airport or European city before getting started.

Customize Alerts Around Your Travel Preferences

Start by selecting your departure and destination areas, travel date range, cabin preferences, and maximum miles per passenger.

Then narrow down your alerts with additional preferences:

Travel Theme: Select a travel theme that fits your plans.
Bank Programs: Choose your preferred bank rewards programs.
Airline Programs: Focus on specific airline loyalty programs.
Stops: Set your preferred number of connections.
Number of Seats: Specify how many award seats you need.
Max Flight Duration: Set a limit on total flight time.
Max Taxes: Set the maximum taxes and fees you’re willing to pay.

For example, if you’re looking for business-class flights to Europe using no more than 70,000 miles per passenger, you can set those preferences and let PointsYeah notify you when matching award opportunities are found.

More Ways to Make the Most of Multi-Region Alerts

One of the biggest benefits of Multi-Region Alerts is the freedom to plan trips around award availability.

Here are two ways to put that flexibility to work.

Find Opportunities Through Positioning Flights

For example, monitoring departures from California could help you find an award opportunity from a major airport elsewhere in the state. A separate positioning flight could make that redemption worth considering.

Just remember to allow sufficient connection time when arranging separate flights.

Let Award Availability Inspire Your Next Destination

Know you want to visit Asia but haven’t decided exactly where?

Select Asia as your destination and let Multi-Region Alerts help you identify available award opportunities across the continent.

You might find a flight to Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, or another city that inspires your next adventure.

Multi-Region Alerts for Free and Premium Users

Multi-Region Alerts are available to both Free and PointsYeah Premium members, with additional flexibility for Premium members.

Feature	Free	Premium
Origin selections per alert	1	Up to 3
Destination selections per alert	1	Up to 3
Maximum date range	30 days	90 days
Maximum Multi-Region Alerts	5	150
Geographic selections	Major airports, states, countries, U.S. regions, continents	Same
Custom flight preferences	Yes	Yes

Even with a Free account, one selection can cover an entire country or continent. Premium members can select up to three origin areas and three destination areas within a single alert, monitor longer date ranges, and maintain up to 150 Multi-Region Alerts.

More on This: What’s Included With PointsYeah Premium?

Multi-Region Alerts vs. Points Price Alerts

Both features help you find award availability, but they’re designed for different travel plans.

Multi-Region Alerts are ideal for travelers with flexible travel plans who want to discover award flights across multiple major airports and/or regions, with a larger date range of up to 30 days for Free users and 90 days for Premium members.

Points Price Alerts are better suited for travelers with a specific route and travel dates who want to track award price changes or newly available seats. These alerts support a 4-day date window for Free users and an 8-day date window for Premium members.

Whether you have a specific flight in mind or are flexible about where and when you travel, PointsYeah has an alert option to match your plans.

Start Exploring With Multi-Region Alerts

Ready to find award flights beyond your usual routes?

Create a Multi-Region Alert, select your departure and destination areas, and customize your travel preferences.

Whether you’re planning a multi-city adventure, considering alternative departure airports, or letting award availability guide your next trip, Multi-Region Alerts give you more flexibility to find opportunities that fit your plans.

Create Your Multi-Region Alert

November 1, 2026

Earn $50 or Up to 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points With Rakuten’s New Member Bonus
Rakuten is a free shopping portal that lets you earn cash back or points on purchases you’re already making, on top of the rewards you earn with your credit cards.

And through the end of the year, new members can earn $50 or up to 5,000 points after spending just $50 through a referral link.

Here’s how the offer works.

How to Earn the $50 Rakuten Bonus

Rakuten partners with more than 3,500 brands, allowing you to earn rewards when shopping online or at participating stores.

At a glance, the current referral offer looks like this:
- Sign-up bonus: $50 in cash back or points
- Spending requirement: $50 in qualifying purchases (within 90 days of joining)
- Eligibility: New Rakuten members located in the 50 U.S. states or Washington, D.C.
- Offer ends: December 31, 2026
To get started, sign up for Rakuten through our referral link.

Once you’ve created an account, shop through Rakuten at participating retailers. You can meet the $50 spending requirement with one purchase or multiple qualifying purchases within 90 days.

For everyday use, Rakuten also offers a browser extension that reminds you to activate cash back when shopping online. Alternatively, you can use the Rakuten app to shop, track your rewards, and find in-store cash-back offers.

After your qualifying purchases are confirmed, you’ll receive the referral bonus through Rakuten’s quarterly payment schedule. Depending on your selected payout method, you can receive cash back through PayPal, check, Samsung Pay, or earn Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt Points instead.

Those latter two options are particularly interesting.

Earn Amex Membership Rewards Points With Rakuten

One of Rakuten’s most useful features for points and miles enthusiasts is its partnership with American Express.

Eligible Amex cardmembers can link their Membership Rewards account to Rakuten and choose to earn points instead of cash back.

The conversion rate is 100 Membership Rewards points per $1 in Rakuten cash back. So, if a retailer offers 10% cash back, you can instead earn 10 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent.

That means the $50 referral bonus could be worth 5,000 Membership Rewards points if you choose to receive your rewards that way.

To get started, visit your Rakuten account settings, select Membership Rewards as your payment method, and link your eligible Amex account.

Rakuten transfers confirmed Membership Rewards points quarterly, on February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15. You’ll need at least 501 confirmed points for a transfer; smaller balances roll over to the next payment date.

And remember, these points are earned on top of the rewards you already earn with your credit card (which doesn’t even have to be an Amex card).

RECEP-BG / ISTOCK

Earn Bilt Points With Rakuten

Rakuten also lets members earn Bilt Points instead of cash back.

To enable this option, you’ll need to link your Rakuten and Bilt accounts through Bilt’s website or app. Your email addresses must match on both accounts.

Once linked, Rakuten will convert your confirmed cash back into Bilt Points. The conversion rate depends on your Bilt elite status at the time of payout:
- Blue members: 50 Bilt Points per $1 in cash back
- Silver, Gold, and Platinum members: 100 Bilt Points per $1 in cash back
That means the $50 referral bonus could be worth 2,500 Bilt Points for Blue members or 5,000 Bilt Points for Silver members and above.

Bilt Points are transferred quarterly, following Rakuten’s regular payment schedule. You’ll need at least $5.01 in confirmed cash back for a payout.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re not already a Rakuten member, this is an easy way to pick up some extra cash back or points on purchases you’d make anyway.

Just sign up through our referral link by December 31, 2026, and spend at least $50 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of joining to earn your bonus.

And since Rakuten is free to use, you can continue earning additional rewards on everyday purchases long after you’ve earned the new member bonus.
October 28, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners: Airlines, Hotels, and Ratios

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are valuable for several reasons. But when it comes to travel, one of the biggest is the ability to transfer them to airline and hotel loyalty programs.

The issuer currently has 14 airline and hotel transfer partners. Most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, though one partner (World of Hyatt) is a notable exception for some cardholders.

Here’s the full list of Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, their transfer ratios, and which credit cards give you access to them.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Airline Transfer Partners

Chase has 10 airline transfer partners spanning all three major airline alliances. Several of these programs can also be useful for booking flights on partner airlines.

All 10 programs accept Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 1,000 Chase points become 1,000 airline miles or points. That ratio can improve for a limited time when there’s a transfer bonus.

One thing worth remembering is that you don’t necessarily need to transfer points to the airline you’re flying.

For example, JetBlue TrueBlue points can be used to book United Airlines flights, while Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points can be redeemed for flights on Delta, Scandinavian Airlines, and other partners.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Hotel Transfer Partners

Chase also partners with four hotel loyalty programs.

Three have a standard 1:1 transfer ratio. World of Hyatt is the exception, as the ratio depends on which Chase credit card you have.

Chase-to-Hyatt transfer ratios depend on your card

Unlike Chase’s other transfer partners, World of Hyatt no longer offers the same transfer ratio across all eligible Ultimate Rewards cards.

Here’s how the ratios differ:

Chase Credit Card	World of Hyatt Transfer Ratio
Chase Sapphire Reserve	1:1
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business	1:1
Chase Sapphire Preferred	4:3
Ink Business Preferred	4:3

For Sapphire Reserve cardholders, transferring 10,000 Chase points yields 10,000 World of Hyatt points. But for Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred cardholders, the same 10,000 Chase points would yield just 7,500 Hyatt points.

If you have both a Sapphire Reserve and a Sapphire Preferred, though, you can access the better transfer ratio through your Sapphire Reserve.

Keep in mind that a 1:1 transfer ratio doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting equal value from every hotel partner. Each program has its own pricing methodology, so it’s worth comparing the points required before transferring.

How to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Transferring Chase points to an airline or hotel partner is a straightforward process.

Sign in to your Chase account.
Open Ultimate Rewards.
Select Transfer Points to Partners.
Choose your airline loyalty program.
Enter the number of points you’d like to transfer and confirm.

Some transfers process almost instantly, while others can take a little longer. And once you’ve transferred points to an airline or hotel program, you can’t move them back to Chase.

For that reason, it’s best to confirm that the award flight or hotel stay you want is available before transferring your points.

It’s also worth linking the loyalty accounts you expect to use ahead of time, even if you don’t have an immediate redemption in mind. Last-minute transfers can sometimes get held up by security checks or account-linking issues (including something as simple as an incorrect loyalty account number).

Getting those accounts linked early can help avoid headaches when you need to transfer points in a pinch.

More on This: How to Convert Credit Card Points to Airline Miles

Which Chase Credit Cards Earn Transferable Ultimate Rewards Points?

Not every Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points allows you to transfer them directly to airline and hotel partners.

The main cards that offer this benefit are:

Chase Credit Card	Access to Transfer Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred	Yes
Chase Sapphire Reserve	Yes
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business	Yes
Ink Business Preferred	Yes
Chase Freedom Flex	Not directly
Chase Freedom Unlimited	Not directly
Ink Business Cash	Not directly
Ink Business Unlimited	Not directly

The distinction matters because cards like the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited earn rewards that can be combined with points on eligible Sapphire or Ink cards.

For example, if you have a Freedom Unlimited and a Sapphire Preferred, you can combine the points earned on both cards and transfer them to participating airline and hotel partners through your Sapphire Preferred account.

But if you only have the Freedom Unlimited, you won’t have access to transfer partners.

In other words, you don’t necessarily need to put all your spending on a premium Chase card to take advantage of its transfer partners.

October 28, 2026

3 Obvious (and 3 Not-So-Obvious) Ways to Use a Virgin Atlantic Transfer Bonus
Virgin Atlantic partners with several transferable credit card points programs. On top of that, there’s (more often than not, seemingly) a transfer bonus to its Flying Club loyalty program.

Right now, two issuers are offering transfer bonuses:
- Capital One: 30% bonus through November 20, 2026.
- American Express Membership Rewards: 30% bonus through November 30, 2026.
And there are plenty of ways these bonuses can be useful on airlines other than Virgin Atlantic.

Most of these ways are fairly obvious (we’ll show you those), and some aren’t so obvious (we’ll show you those, too).

One thing to keep in mind is that the two programs have different transfer increments. Capital One transfers start at 1,000 miles, with increments of 100 miles thereafter. Amex transfers in increments of 1,000 points.

That means you may need to transfer slightly more Amex points to cover a particular redemption.

The Obvious Redemptions

U.S. to London on Virgin Atlantic

The most obvious way to use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points is for flights operated by Virgin Atlantic itself.

Virgin Atlantic uses dynamic pricing, so award rates fluctuate based on several factors. But the lowest rates are remarkably cheap. They’re some of the lowest you’ll find between the U.S. and the U.K. (London Heathrow and Manchester), though they’re tempered by higher taxes and fees.

Particularly in economy, they really can’t get much cheaper.

For instance, from Virgin’s East Coast gateways (New York, Boston, Washington — and even Cancun, which isn’t technically on the East Coast), you can book tickets starting at just 6,000 points each way. From the other side of the country (Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco), you’ll see rates starting at 9,000 points.

POINTSYEAH

Book these round-trip at the lowest rates, and you’ll pay 12,000 Virgin points from the East Coast (transfer 9,300 Capital One miles or 10,000 Amex points with the bonus) or 18,000 points from the West Coast (13,900 Capital One miles or 14,000 Amex points).

The catch is the taxes and fees, which can run closer to $150 flying to the U.K. and $330 coming back.

Los Angeles to New York on Delta

Both Delta and Virgin Atlantic belong to the SkyTeam airline alliance, and because of this, you can use Virgin points to book Delta flights and vice versa.

Virgin Atlantic prices Delta awards according to a distance-based chart (and on a segment-by-segment basis). With a 30% transfer bonus, these flights now require quite a few fewer Capital One miles.

One example is a round-trip, cross-country ticket between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). If you take the nonstop in each direction, you’ll pay 44,000 Virgin points plus $5.60 in taxes each way.

That works out to about 33,900 Capital One miles or 34,000 Amex points with the current transfer bonuses.

POINTSYEAH

This won’t always be the cheapest way to get between these two big cities, but it’s one to keep in your back pocket nonetheless.

Virgin Atlantic publishes its distance-based award chart for Delta flights on its website.

Boston to Copenhagen on Scandinavian Airlines

Nearly every day of the week (except Wednesdays), Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flies between Boston (BOS) and Copenhagen (CPH).

In business class, these tickets cost 60,000 Virgin points each way, plus roughly $6 in taxes departing the U.S. or $95 departing Copenhagen. (Taxes and fees can vary if you’re flying from other Nordic countries to the U.S.)

POINTSYEAH

If you book a round-trip ticket between Boston and Copenhagen, you’ll redeem 120,000 Virgin points and pay roughly $100 in taxes and fees.

With the ongoing transfer bonuses, the mileage component drops to about 92,400 Capital One miles or 93,000 Amex points for round-trip business class to Europe.

The Not-So-Obvious Redemptions

On the not-so-obvious side, we’ve got a few fun ways to redeem Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points that are made a little better with the 30% transfer bonus.

St. Vincent to Bridgetown on Virgin Atlantic

On Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A330-300 makes a short, 50-minute hop between St. Vincent (SVD) and Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI).

If you’re using Flying Club points, you can only book economy, which costs 2,300 or 2,500 points plus about $50 in taxes and fees in either direction.

POINTSYEAH

These tickets don’t normally drop below $150 each way, so it’s a redemption worth keeping in mind if you’re planning an island-hopping trip around the Caribbean.

If you ended up booking a round-trip for 4,600 points total, you’d need to transfer just 3,600 Capital One miles or 4,000 Amex points with the current bonuses.

Los Angeles to Papeete on Air France

Air France flies a fifth-freedom route between Los Angeles (LAX) and Papeete, Tahiti (PPT), on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays through Saturdays using its Airbus A350-900.

Through Flying Club, you can book economy for 42,000 points each way (plus roughly $6 in taxes to Tahiti or $60 coming back).

POINTSYEAH

You can also book this flight through other programs that offer Air France award tickets. But if you book through Virgin Atlantic, you could fly round-trip from Los Angeles to Tahiti for about 64,700 Capital One miles or 65,000 Amex points and less than $100 in taxes with the current bonuses.

Toronto to Seoul on Korean Air

For this one, you might want to set a PointsYeah Points Price Alert because it’s a little hard to find unless you get lucky and stumble across availability.

Every day, Korean Air flies its Airbus A350-900 between Toronto (YYZ) and Seoul (ICN). The trip takes roughly 15 hours each way, and Virgin Atlantic (when there’s space available) prices these awards in business class at 100,000 points per direction.

Taxes run about $56 westbound or $18 eastbound.

With the transfer bonuses, you can book business class on this really long flight for about 77,000 Capital One miles or Amex points each way.

Economy, though, is more widely available for 37,000 points per way (28,500 Capital One miles or 29,000 Amex points) plus the same taxes and fees.

POINTSYEAH
October 23, 2026
Earn 100,000 Points and a Companion Award With the Atmos Rewards Summit Card
The Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card from Bank of America has a limited-time welcome offer that pairs a sizable points bonus with a companion award.

New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,000 on purchases within 90 days of account opening.

The card has a $395 annual fee and comes with a ton of benefits that can prove useful for frequent travelers, status chasers, and anyone looking to earn (and redeem) a useful airline rewards currency.

What Can You Do With Atmos Rewards Points?

Atmos Rewards is the shared loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Points are redeemable for flights on both carriers, Oneworld airlines (such as American Airlines and British Airways), and other partners.

Of all the ways to redeem Atmos Rewards points, a few stand out. These include short-haul domestic and international flights starting at 4,500 points, business class flights from the U.S. to Europe starting at 45,000 points, and more.

The Summit card’s welcome bonus could cover quite a few of those shorter flights or help unlock some of the longer, more expensive ones. Plus, the card waives partner award booking fees, which would otherwise cost $20 per person.

On the ground, points can also be transferred to hotel loyalty programs, including Marriott Bonvoy and Shangri-La Circle, or shared for free with up to 10 other Atmos Rewards members.

What Else Does the Atmos Rewards Summit Card Offer?

Beyond the welcome bonus, the Summit card has several ongoing benefits.
- 3X points: On eligible dining, purchases made outside the U.S., and Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. All other purchases earn 1X.
- 10% points bonus: On points earned from purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America or Merrill account.
- Annual companion awards: A 25,000-point Global Companion Award each account anniversary, plus a 100,000-point award after $60,000 in purchases during a card anniversary year. These awards cover up to their respective point values toward a companion’s ticket when booking award travel for two on the same itinerary.
- Status points: 10,000 each account anniversary, plus 1 status point for every $2 spent.
- Alaska Lounge passes: Two per calendar quarter, valid at Alaska Lounges only (not partner lounges).
- Wi-Fi passes: Two single-flight Alaska Airlines Wi-Fi passes per quarter.
- Free checked bag and Preferred Boarding: For you and up to six guests on the same reservation when you pay for the flight with the card.
- 20% back on inflight purchases: Food and beverages on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, plus Wi-Fi on Alaska Airlines.
- Up to $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit: Once every four years.
- No foreign transaction fees.
One thing to keep in mind is that the lounge and Wi-Fi passes expire at the end of each quarter. They don’t roll over if you don’t use them.

Who’s Eligible for the Welcome Bonus?

You can hold more than one Atmos Rewards credit card and potentially earn the welcome bonus on each. So having the Atmos Rewards Ascent or Atmos Rewards Business card doesn’t automatically prevent you from qualifying for the Summit’s offer.

However, Bank of America’s application restrictions still apply.

The issuer is known to impose a 2/3/4 rule, which generally limits approvals to two new Bank of America cards in 30 days, three in 12 months, and four in 24 months. These limits generally apply to personal cards rather than Bank of America business cards.

As always, approval isn’t guaranteed (and the pre-qualification tool isn’t always accurate), so you’ll want to review the offer’s eligibility terms before applying.
October 22, 2026
United Keeps Building Bigger Clubs. Houston Is Its Largest Yet

United’s Clubs seem to keep getting bigger.

In 2023, a 35,000-square-foot Club on the east side of Denver’s B Concourse became the airline’s largest. Two years later, United opened a separate 33,000-square-foot Club on the west side of the same concourse. A roughly 40,000-square-foot Club is also in the works at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) for when its new Concourse E opens (which will likely happen before the end of the year).

And then there’s Houston.

The new United Club at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) spans 54,000 square feet. United says it’s the biggest Club it has ever built and the “largest airline club across North and South America.”

I visited during United’s preview on October 21, a day before Terminal B North’s public opening. I can attest that it’s a big lounge.

Here’s what I saw, along with my initial takeaways.

Bigger Clubs, Same Crowding Problem

There’s a reason the square footage keeps increasing.

I’ve heard United executives talk openly about wanting Clubs big enough that they stop turning people away, whether that’s members bringing guests or travelers holding one-time passes.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

As I see it, two other things are adding to the pressure (and it’s not a problem unique to United). United is adding premium seats to its planes en masse, and some of those tickets come with Club access. It’s also pushing its lounge-access-granting credit cards on the ground, in the air, and everywhere in between.

If you’re going to offer that kind of access, you need the space to back it up.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

Houston faces the same crowding pressure as virtually every other lounge these days. United says its Terminal B transformation increases the overall number of customers who can fly on peak travel dates in 2026 by 40% compared to 2023.

Now that’s capacity, not a passenger count, but it means more potential Club visitors on the busiest days.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

Officially, the Club seats 800. Whether that’s enough on a random Friday afternoon or in the days leading up to a major holiday is still up in the air.

During the preview, the Club was seemingly half full of media, United employees, and other event attendees. Everything seemed to be running fairly smoothly, though a regular travel day will present its own challenges.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

What It’s Actually Like

The Club sits on the mezzanine level, which is fairly central on the B North side. The entrance is hard to miss: you scan your boarding pass at the kiosks, then head up an escalator.

From there, the space fans out in every direction. Straight ahead is the buffet. To the right is a large seating area that feels more relaxed and private. To the left are the main bar and dining room seating, which lead into a separate section with a second bar, more seating, and the outdoor terrace.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

There’s a ton of seating throughout the Club. Some of it is tucked away, while other areas overlook the terminal below.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

With mostly media and event attendees chatting during the preview, it was hard to judge noise levels. But the mix of spaces makes it fairly easy to get away from the busier, higher-traffic areas.

The tradeoff is distance. Getting from one end to the other can be a bit of a walk.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

There wasn’t a ton of food out during the preview, but United says to expect rotating menus with locally inspired dishes.

Guests can also grab a drink at either of the lounge’s two bars or help themselves at one of several refreshment stations.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

The terrace is smaller than you might expect for a Club this size, at just 1,350 square feet. But it’s still a neat place to get some fresh air and watch the tarmac. When the weather is nice, I bet it’ll be a popular spot.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

Who This Club Is Really For

Location matters a lot.

The Club is in Terminal B North, where all 22 new mainline gates are designed for narrow-body aircraft. Terminal B South’s 26 gates have been reconfigured to better handle larger regional jets. In practice, that points to domestic and shorter international flights, not long-haul widebody trips.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

Travelers flying long-haul in United Polaris business class (on eligible tickets) have the United Polaris lounge, which is a separate space in IAH’s Terminal E.

So this Club is largely geared toward everyday United flyers, cardmembers, and passholders traveling domestically or on shorter international routes. And with so many flights coming and going (with schedules likely to keep growing), there’s plenty of potential demand.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

How to Get In

A United Club membership, an eligible United credit card, or a select premium-cabin ticket will get you in. Our United Club guide covers the rest, including guest rules, one-time passes, and which cards qualify.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

Is the New IAH Club Big Enough?

For now, it certainly feels that way.

But the real test won’t come at a relatively tame Wednesday preview, but on the busiest travel days, when Clubs are most likely to fill up.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

Lounges serve a real purpose. At a minimum, that’s food, a drink, and somewhere to wait that isn’t a crowded gate area. Houston covers all of that, with room to spare.

But as airlines keep building bigger Clubs to accommodate more travelers, I wonder if lounges are starting to lose some of what made them appealing in the first place. They’re supposed to be a respite from the busy airport terminal, not just a fancier version of it.

And at some point, I wonder how much of a difference there really is.

October 21, 2026

5 Airlines You Can Book to Orlando With Chase Points

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 search results for SEA to MCO operated by Delta. — 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.

More on This: PointsYeah Chrome Extension: See Points Prices as You Search Bank Travel Portals

Find Flights to Orlando With PointsYeah

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.

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:

There are also two no-annual-fee business cards worth checking out:

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.

October 19, 2026

Southwest Is Overhauling Rapid Rewards, Companion Pass, and More

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.

Here’s how members will qualify for each tier beginning in 2027 and how the benefits compare:

	Silver	Gold	Platinum
Current equivalent	A-List	A-List Preferred	New
Tier Qualifying Points	35,000	65,000	140,000
Qualifying one-way flights	25	50	100
Flight points bonus	40%	60%	120%
Free checked bags	1	2	3
Seat selection	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.

New Southwest elite tiers starting 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.

Beginning January 1, 2027, Southwest will replace its separate Companion Pass qualification system with TQPs. These are the same points used to earn elite status.

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

Southwest also shared more details about its plans to enter the airport lounge business.

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.

Rendering of Southwest's BNA lounge on a TV screen. — 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.

October 15, 2026

Earn Extra Aeroplan Points on Hyatt Stays Through February 2027
World of Hyatt and Air Canada Aeroplan launched a new promotion that lets members earn points with both programs on the same hotel stay.

Through February 14, 2027, eligible members can earn 1.5 bonus Aeroplan points per $1 spent on qualifying Hyatt stays, on top of the World of Hyatt points they’d normally earn.

To participate, you’ll need to link your loyalty accounts and register for the promotion by November 11, 2026.

How the Hyatt and Aeroplan Promotion Works

World of Hyatt members normally earn 5 base points per $1 spent on eligible hotel stays (or 2.5 points per $1 at Hyatt Studios).

With this promotion, members can earn an additional 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 spent and collect rewards in both programs on the same stay.

For example, a qualifying $1,000 Hyatt stay would earn:
- 5,000 World of Hyatt base points
- 1,500 bonus Aeroplan points
That’s before accounting for any additional Hyatt points earned through elite status or other eligible promotions.

The offer applies to participating Hyatt properties worldwide. Stays must be completed between October 14, 2026, and February 14, 2027, after registration.

Only the room occupied by the member qualifies. Bonus Aeroplan points may take up to eight weeks to post and won’t count toward Aeroplan Status Qualifying Credits.

For travelers with upcoming Hyatt stays, this is an easy opportunity to earn additional airline points without giving up their usual World of Hyatt earnings.
October 14, 2026
Hilton Sees a Bigger Role for Elite Status as Travelers Place More Value on It

For years, hotel elite status was largely the domain of frequent travelers. Spend enough nights at a hotel chain, and you could earn perks like room upgrades, late checkout, and complimentary breakfast.

That’s still one way to earn status, but it’s far from the only (and easiest) one.

Credit cards and other qualification pathways have made elite status accessible to travelers who might spend only a handful of nights in hotels each year.

And according to Hilton, status is becoming increasingly important to travelers, even beyond the benefits it provides.

In its newly released 2027 Trends Report, Hilton found that 64% of travelers with loyalty status take pride in it, while 43% view it a sign of personal success. Half of respondents also said they’re more likely to trust travel recommendations from someone with loyalty status than someone without it.

On top of that, 38% said they would take a trip specifically to earn or maintain their status.

Those findings surface an interesting (and perhaps obvious) question for hotel companies: As more travelers gain access to elite status, how do you make sure it continues to mean something?

Points Insider put that question to Hilton, along with several others about how the company is approaching its increasingly diverse loyalty membership.

Hilton Wants Status to Appeal to More Travelers

Hilton doesn’t see a conflict between making elite status more accessible and preserving its value.

“We don’t see accessibility and exclusivity as opposing forces,” Brad Anderson, Vice President, Hilton Honors Program, told Points Insider. “Our goal is to make Hilton Honors rewarding for more travelers while ensuring that we continue to deliver meaningful, differentiated value at every status tier level.”

Someone who stays at a Hilton property a few times a year has different expectations from a business traveler who spends 80 or more nights (and several thousand dollars) annually in hotels. But Hilton wants both customers to find reasons to participate in its loyalty program.

And the company isn’t shy about the role status plays in encouraging repeat business.

Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana. HILTON

“Our goal for all tiers is both recognition and continued engagement,” Anderson said in response to a question about the role of lower and mid-tier status.

That means offering benefits travelers can appreciate at different levels, while giving them reasons to continue choosing Hilton.

Basic Hilton Honors membership comes with benefits like discounted member rates and access to Points & Money bookings. Silver adds perks such as Fifth Night Free on reward stays, while Gold introduces benefits like space-available room upgrades and a daily food and beverage credit at eligible U.S. properties. Diamond takes those benefits another step further.

Hilton describes Gold as the point where the value of status really takes off. And there’s a good case for that. The food and beverage credit, for example, puts a tangible dollar value on a benefit that members can use during their stays.

Of course, Gold status is also available through certain Hilton co-branded credit cards, as well as some non-Hilton American Express cards. Travelers don’t necessarily have to spend dozens of nights in hotels to receive its benefits.

In fact, someone could earn Gold without a single hotel stay, simply by holding an eligible credit card with an annual fee as low as $150. Diamond is available on a card with a $550 annual-fee card, while Silver is a perk of another with no annual fee.

For Hilton, those different paths allow the program to serve travelers with very different habits and spending levels.

Making Room for More Exclusive Benefits

At the other end of the spectrum, Hilton is also creating greater differentiation for its most frequent and highest-spending customers.

The clearest example is Diamond Reserve. This is the company’s newest and most exclusive Hilton Honors tier. It sits two levels above Gold and one above Diamond.

Unlike status levels that can be obtained through certain credit cards, Diamond Reserve requires 80 nights or 40 stays, plus $18,000 in annual eligible spending.

Benefits include a 120% points bonus, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, dedicated 24/7 support, and a Confirmable Upgrade Reward that can be used to secure an upgrade of up to a one-bedroom suite at booking.

Hilton specifically pointed to Diamond Reserve when Points Insider asked how the company intends to preserve the meaning and value of elite status as access expands.

It’s one way Hilton can recognize its most frequent and highest-spending guests while keeping other status tiers accessible to a wider range of travelers.

Hilton Panama. HILTON

But Can Hilton Deliver on Those Benefits?

There’s a practical challenge to making elite status more widely available.

Some benefits, such as bonus points, are relatively straightforward to provide. Others, particularly room upgrades, depend on availability. When multiple elite members are staying at the same hotel, not everyone can receive an upgraded room.

In its 2027 Trends Report, Hilton says it delivered more than 1 million automated upgrades to Honors members during the first half of 2026.

That’s a big number, but it doesn’t tell us how often eligible members actually receive an upgrade.

Points Insider asked Hilton for additional context, including how many eligible stays or members were considered for those upgrades. The company didn’t provide those details.

Instead, Hilton pointed to changes intended to make upgrades more transparent and predictable.

Its Upgrade at Digital Check-In feature allows Gold, Diamond, and Diamond Reserve members to see complimentary and paid upgrade options in the Hilton Honors app before arriving at the hotel. Diamond Reserve members also receive a Confirmable Upgrade Reward.

“Ultimately, our goal is to make elite recognition more personal, more guaranteed and more attainable for every member who earns it,” Anderson said.

The distinction between guaranteed benefits and those subject to availability remains important, particularly as more travelers gain access to elite status.

A Broader Definition of Loyalty

One question Hilton declined to answer was how its elite membership breaks down between travelers who earn status through hotel stays and those who receive or accelerate it through credit cards.

The company confirmed that it tracks a range of membership metrics but doesn’t disclose the share of elite members qualifying through different pathways.

Without those figures, it’s difficult to determine how much the composition of Hilton’s elite membership has changed as status has become more accessible.

Hilton’s research indicates that elite status can influence not only how travelers feel about themselves but also where they spend their money and whose recommendations they trust.

And as Anderson’s responses suggest, Hilton sees status as more than a reward for its most frequent guests. It’s also a way to encourage occasional travelers to engage with the brand, while giving more frequent customers additional reasons to stay on the hamster wheel.

The question is whether Hilton can continue delivering benefits that members value as more travelers gain access to them.

October 9, 2026

Tag: Trending

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