• ✈️ Airline News: American finally lets you book Aer Lingus awards online after 4-year wait

• 🏨 Hotel News: IHG Premier card jumps to 175,000 points welcome bonus with $99 annual fee

• 💳 Credit Card News: Chase eases Sapphire bonus restrictions - one bonus per card now allowed

• 🚨 Points Alert: United MileagePlus 100% bonus ends January 26th at 1.88¢ per point

I nearly did a double-take this morning when I saw American Airlines finally flip the switch on online booking for Aer Lingus award flights. After nearly four years of partnership limbo, you can now search and book Dublin flights without calling a phone agent. Plus, IHG just dropped a massive welcome bonus that's worth your attention.

Which Chicago hub airport claims to have overtaken Atlanta as America's busiest?

🛫 O'Hare International (ORD)✈️ Midway International (MDW)🏙️ Both combined🤔 Atlanta still holds the crown

The answer is waiting near the bottom... keep scrolling. 👇

The wait is over. After launching their partnership in early 2022, American Airlines finally added online booking for Aer Lingus award flights this week. For nearly four years, you had to call an agent to book these flights - watching award space disappear while on hold became a frustrating ritual.

Here's why this matters: Aer Lingus operates nonstops to Dublin from major U.S. cities, and they're often a sweet spot for getting to Europe. Now you can search availability on AA.com, see pricing in real-time, and book before that seat vanishes.

The partnership includes reciprocal mileage earning, elite perks, and now full online booking. If you've been sitting on AAdvantage miles and eyeing Ireland or using Dublin as a jumping-off point to Europe, head to AA.com and search your dates. The availability shows up alongside American's other partner airlines.

For all our American Airlines coverage including more partner booking strategies, check out our dedicated page.

IHG just unveiled a new welcome bonus that makes this one of the most valuable hotel credit card offers available right now. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is offering 175,000 bonus points - that's enough for multiple free nights at properties across the IHG portfolio.

With a $99 annual fee, this card practically pays for itself with the anniversary free night certificate alone (good at properties up to 40,000 points). But here's where it gets interesting: 175,000 points can get you 5-7 nights at mid-tier properties or 3-4 nights at premium locations.

IHG's portfolio includes Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, and InterContinental properties. If you have upcoming travel to any of these brands - or you're eyeing a specific redemption - this bonus could save you hundreds of dollars. We've covered IHG extensively including sweet spot redemptions and elite status strategies.

Speaking of Chase, here's a welcome development: the bank just updated bonus eligibility rules on Sapphire cards. Starting January 22, you can now earn one bonus per Sapphire card as long as you've never earned a bonus on that specific card before.

Previously, Chase enforced stricter restrictions that limited your options. Now, even if you currently hold a Sapphire card, you could be eligible for a bonus on a different Sapphire product you've never had before. This opens up strategic opportunities for churning between Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve.

The timing couldn't be better with Sapphire Preferred offering up to 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points and Sapphire Reserve at 75,000 points. Those Ultimate Rewards transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest. Check out our Chase credit cards coverage for more on maximizing these cards.

There's a fascinating battle brewing at Chicago O'Hare between United Airlines and American Airlines. United CEO Scott Kirby just told investors the airline has drawn a "line in the sand" over American's expansion attempts at their fortress hub.

American responded by announcing five new routes, including three from O'Hare. The gauntlet has been thrown. United controls about 45% of the market share at O'Hare, while American holds roughly 17% - but American is clearly hungry for more gates and growth.

Hub competition typically means better fares and more route options. If you're based in Chicago or frequently connect through O'Hare, this turf war could work in your favor. Both airlines are adding capacity and fighting for your loyalty - expect competitive pricing and expanded service.

Meanwhile, Chicago claims O'Hare has overtaken Atlanta as the busiest U.S. airport, though the numbers are more complicated than headlines suggest. O'Hare counted more total aircraft movements in 2025, but Atlanta still processes more passengers. The answer depends on how you measure "busy." For searching award availability across both hubs, Award Travel Finder makes it easy to compare options at both airports.

If you've been considering buying United miles, you have until January 26th to take advantage of the current 100% bonus. That brings the effective cost to 1.88¢ per point - not the cheapest we've seen, but reasonable if you have a specific redemption in mind.

This makes sense when you're just short of an award or when the redemption value significantly exceeds 1.88¢ per point (think international business class). Don't buy miles speculatively - have your award flight picked out first. Check our buy points promotions page for all current offers.

Here's something that caught my attention: travel doesn't even crack the top three Amex points redemption categories for average consumers. While we obsess over transferring to airline partners for maximum value, most people are using points for shopping, statement credits, and gift cards.

This is a reminder that we're not average consumers. The value we extract from points programs puts us in a completely different category. While someone might redeem 50,000 Membership Rewards for $500 in Amazon purchases, we're booking $2,000+ business class flights with the same points.

It's why reading newsletters like this one and staying informed about transfer partners makes such a massive difference. Speaking of Amex, check out our American Express coverage for strategies on maximizing these points.

The answer: O'Hare International (ORD) claims the title based on total aircraft movements in 2025. However, Atlanta still processes more passengers overall - so both airports have legitimate claims depending on how you measure "busiest." It's a bit like arguing whether points or miles are better - the answer depends on what you're measuring!

Do you prefer booking awards online or are you comfortable calling phone agents when needed? With American finally adding online Aer Lingus booking, I'm curious about your booking preferences. Hit reply and let me know - I read every response and love hearing your strategies!

That's all for today - see you tomorrow with more miles and points updates!

- Miles & Points Daily Team

Before we wrap up, I wanted to share some timely opportunities I've been tracking (courtesy of our friends at AwardTravelFinder). These deals won't last long, so let's dive in.

Airline programs:

Hotel programs: