Columbus, OH

Frequent Miler

Amex has long had rules against getting a new welcome bonus for a card you’ve had before. Now, they’ve expanded those rules to include “families” of cards. In this episode we’ll help you navigate this confusing and tedious concept. Watch the full episode below, or...

Podcast: Navigating Amex’s Welcome Bonus Family Rules | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep261 | 6-28-24

Mark your calendars: if you have Bilt points, Monday will be a great day to consider transferring them. If you’d like to fly Air France or KLM in business class, we published a couple of helpful tricks this week, whether that’s how to find a calendar of availability or how to book via chat with Virgin Atlantic. Read about all that and a lot more in this Frequent Miler Week in Review.

Bigness from Bilt, tricks for booking Air France & KLM, updated hotel point values and more [Week in Review]

Update 6/26/24: This increased welcome offer on the Chase Ink Business Preferred card is now available in-branch. There is a new offer out for the Chase Ink Business Preferred that is good for 120,000 points after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. The Deal. There is a new...

(Now In-Branch) 120K points with new Chase Ink Preferred bonus

60K points after $3K spend within first 3 months and an additional 60K after $15K total spend within first 9 months. This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Earning rate: 3X Southwest ✦ 2X Rapid Rewards(R) hotel and car partners ✦ 2X rideshare ✦ 1X...

Southwest Business Card 120K Offers: Get a Companion Pass with One Card (for two years?)

I thought you didn’t like flying American? That’s what my wife asked when I booked our business class award flight to London. A decade ago, I had terrible luck with American. Around 70% of my trips were delayed or cancelled. I assured my wife that AA has improved a lot since then. I hadn’t had any significant issues with AA in several years. It will be fine, I answered her.

My AAdventures AAtempting to fly AA to London

Upgraded Points has discovered a ton of standard award availability at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui during the Summer/early-Fall of 2024. Rooms are available between June and October, including multiple 5-night blocks(meaning it will work for 5th-night free stays). When there was wide open standard award availability a few months...

Conrad Bora Bora: Great availability July-September 2024

New York City, NY

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writer

Cheryl E Preston

Yesterday was the third time this year that an ad stating Chelsea Clinton lives in a beautiful Virginia home popped up on my laptop. My computer did not warn me this was a dangerous site, so this time, I clicked on the link.

Chelsea Clinton is rumored to be living in Virginia but probably still in NYC

As today marks the start of the second half of the year, those with newly reset Dell credits may be happy to see that Rakuten is offering up to 12% back at Dell Technologies, which can alternatively be 12x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent. While I’d hold off for fall holiday sales on a card I intend to keep through the end of the year, I’ll probably make a purchase today on a card that I may not keep that long.

10x-12x at Dell via Rakuten back again

Sonesta is a hotel program that’s tended to fly under the radar for most points and miles folks (including me). It’s been around since the 1930’s, but remained fairly small for several decades. That’s changed in the last ten years or so and it’s now become one of the fastest-growing hospitality companies in the US. In 2020, Sonesta had a total of 80 properties. Today, it’s grown to over 1100, in part due to its acquisition of Red Lion Hotels.

What are Sonesta points worth?

Hawaii State

Save up to 40% on flights to/from Hawaii with Southwest when using promo code HAWAII40. Up to 40 percent promotion code savings valid for round trip Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares booked on Southwest.com from July 9-11, 2024 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time (the “Booking Period”) and flown between August 13-December 17, 2024 (the “Travel Period”).

Southwest Hawaii sale: Save up to 40% with promo code HAWAII40

Chase is incorrectly denying cardholders Sapphire Preferred welcome offer points, Hyatt buys a new brand and a trick for booking cheaper business class awards. All that and more in this week’s Saturday Selection, our weekly round-up of interesting tidbits from around the interwebs (links to each article are embedded in the titles).

A trick for cheaper business class awards, Chase incorrectly denying bonus points and a new Hyatt brand (Saturday Selection)

In sadly unsurprising news, Virgin Atlantic has finally done the seeming inevitable and devalued one of its few remaining sweet spots. Thrifty Traveler has spotted that if you’d like to book Delta flights to Europe in business class, those will now require more miles in most cases. That’s not...

Virgin Atlantic devalues Delta, destroying deal

Complete Guide to Sonesta Travel Pass

The Alaska Airlines shopping portal is offering the following three-tiered promotion:. During the “Back-to-School Bonus” offer, which runs from 7/17/2024 through 8/5/2024 at 11:59:59 pm ET (the “Bonus Period”), Member will receive a one-time bonus of up to 1,000 Mileage Plan bonus miles on qualifying purchases made through the Mileage Plan Shopping mall or from purchases made through Mileage Plan Shopping in-store offers.

Alaska Airlines shopping portal promo: Earn up to 1,000 bonus Mileage Plan miles by 8/5

In February, we posted about “enhancements” that were on the way for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold card. Now, those changes are live and along with them comes a best-ever welcome offer of 60,000 points and a 50k free night certificate after $2K spend. Given the minimum spend required, this is a very good offer, much better than the previous one of 30k points with no free night certificate.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card Best Ever Offer: 60K points + 50K Free Night Cert

Richmond, VA

Southwest isn’t the only one running a sale today. JetBlue is running one too, giving 25% off when using promo code FALL2024. You’ll need to be quick though as bookings have to be made by tonight (July 10). The Deal. Save 25% on JetBlue flights when using promo...

JetBlue sale: Save 25% with promo code FALL2024 (Book by 7/10/24)

70K Points + Limited Time Anniversay offer ⓘ Affiliate. 70K points after $3K spend in the first 3 months. Apply for your fist Aeroplan card from 7/8-7/17/24 and earn 40% bonus on purchases for 40 days on up to $40K spent. $95 Annual Fee. This card is likely subject...

Limited-time Aeroplan card offer includes 40% bonus points on up to $40K for first 40 days for new first-time cardholders

J. Souza

Bed bugs aren't supposed to be part of the all-inclusive package on a cruise vacation. A woman is alleging an unsettling experience aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, claiming she and her family were subjected to a bed bug infestation.

"I Paid $2K for a Bed Bug Cruise": Passenger Shares Royal Caribbean Story & Letter from Cruise Line

Illinois State

Chicago, IL

Foodie in Chicago

MOD Pizza has over 500 locations across the country with 22 restaurants in Illinois. The Washington-based chain offers fast-casual fare known for its customized, artisan-style pizzas. Customers can choose from over 40 toppings and 8 sauces to create their own masterpiece.

Bankruptcy Looms for Major Pizza Chain With Chicago Suburban Locations

Doctor of Credit is reporting on some rumored changes to the Amex Gold card. Apparently, the CEO of American Express recently teased an announcement about Amex’s “refreshed U.S. Consumer Gold Card in the coming weeks” and now Doctor of Credit has also reported on what those changes might be. I want to emphasize that all of this is rumor at this point and there has been no official communication from Amex about specifics changing on the card. That said, if these turn out to be the actual changes, I think the Amex Gold card might come out better for me but I have to question the broader market for it.

Rumored changes coming to the Amex Gold card

NewsBreak

How to get great value from your Platinum card | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep262 | 7-5-24

The Amex Platinum card has had great welcome bonuses for a while now, but it’s a very expensive card. Are there reasons to keep the card...

How to get great value from your Platinum card | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep262 | 7-5-24

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