Tomorrow brings a long-awaited airline amenity upgrade, Alaska unveils its most flexible elite program yet, and Delta's premium lounges hit a breaking point. Plus status match opportunities that won't last forever, and why networking in airport lounges might not be the strategy you think it is.

After months of anticipation, American Airlines is finally flipping the switch on free inflight Wi-Fi. Starting January 6, 2026 (that's tomorrow), the airline begins rolling out complimentary connectivity across its domestic fleet.

The catch? You'll need to be an AAdvantage member—but enrollment is free and takes about two minutes. American announced this overdue perk last April, joining the growing list of carriers offering free connectivity. While they stopped short of providing an exact launch date back then, yesterday's confirmation puts them squarely in the game as we head into 2026.

Check SeatWifi before your next American flight to see if your specific aircraft has the service active. The rollout will be gradual, so not every plane will have free Wi-Fi from day one.

Alaska's new Atmos Rewards program (the merged Alaska-Hawaiian loyalty program) just rolled out one of the most flexible elite benefit structures in the industry. Instead of fixed perks at each tier, members now earn milestone rewards by accumulating status points—and you get to pick which benefits matter most to you.

The concept decouples certain traditional elite perks from status tiers entirely. Hit specific point thresholds and choose from options like bonus miles, confirmed upgrades, or lounge passes. One member's Gold status might look completely different from another's based on what they value most.

This flexibility addresses a long-standing complaint about loyalty programs: why should everyone get the same perks when travel patterns vary so dramatically? If you never check bags, why would you want free checked bags as a benefit? Alaska's betting that personalization drives deeper loyalty than one-size-fits-all tiers.

The Delta Sky Club "premium experience" has devolved into something nobody imagined: lines forming outside the lounge before you even get to the crowded interior. Recent reports show travelers queueing in airport terminals just for the privilege of entering an already-packed lounge.

The reality check here is stark: you're often better off finding a quiet gate area with an outlet than spending your pre-flight time standing in line for mediocre snacks in a room packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Delta's lounge expansion hasn't kept pace with Sky Club access proliferation through credit cards and elite status.

This overcrowding problem extends beyond Delta. As premium credit cards flood the market with lounge access, the "premium" experience gets diluted. It's worth asking: is lounge access actually valuable if you're standing in the terminal anyway? For more on the state of airport lounges, we've covered this extensively.

A traveler recently shared her experience getting the American Express Platinum Card specifically because she'd heard airport lounges were where you "network with rich people." Her verdict after multiple lounge visits? "0 connections were made."

The reality is that most people in airport lounges are simply trying to kill time before boarding—eating, scrolling their phones, or napping. The Centurion Lounge or Sky Club isn't exactly a high-powered networking event. It's a room full of tired travelers who want to be left alone.

This story serves as a reminder: get credit cards for the actual benefits they provide—welcome bonuses, credits, points earning rates—not for romanticized ideas about what the "lifestyle" might be. Lounge access is nice for comfortable seating and free snacks, but it's not a business networking event.

Both American and JetBlue continue offering status match and challenge programs for frequent flyers considering a switch from competing airlines. American's program includes an instant status pass—temporary elite status while you complete the challenge requirements.

JetBlue's TrueBlue Mosaic status match offers similar opportunities, targeting travelers with elite status on other carriers. These programs exist because airlines know switching costs are high—if they can get you to try their program with matched status, there's a decent chance you'll stay.

The application process for both typically takes under 10 minutes, and you'll need proof of your current elite status (a screenshot of your account page usually works). If you're sitting on status with another carrier and considering a switch, these matches provide a low-risk way to test the waters. For complete details on status match opportunities, check our dedicated coverage.

Through March 31, 2026, Rakuten is offering its best-ever new member bonus: $50 cash back (or 5,000 points) when you make your first $50 purchase within 90 days. Both the person referring and the new member receive the bonus.

The easiest way to maximize this? Make a purchase you were already planning—whether that's booking a hotel through Rakuten's portal, buying something on a partner retailer, or grabbing everyday items. You'll earn the $50 bonus plus whatever base cash back rate applies to that merchant.

Stack this with credit card spending bonuses and you're looking at triple-dipping: Rakuten cash back, credit card points, and potentially merchant loyalty points. For anyone not yet using shopping portals regularly, this is your entry point.

Bali's governor is pushing a "quality tourism" initiative that would require visitors to present three months of bank statements before entry. There's no fixed minimum balance—just officials judging whether your finances align with your stated itinerary.

The obvious problems: this invites arbitrary enforcement, turns private financial data into a security risk, and creates a subjective approval process. What happens if an official decides your balance doesn't match your five-star hotel booking? Or questions why you're visiting for two weeks on a modest budget?

If this policy becomes reality, many travelers (myself included) would simply choose different destinations rather than hand over months of personal banking history at the border. Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia offer similar experiences without the financial surveillance.

Buy Points Opportunities: Frontier Airlines is running a 150% bonus through January 9th (final cost 1.08¢ per mile), while Spirit offers an 80% bonus through January 13th. Lufthansa Miles & More has a 50% bonus through February 4th, and American AAdvantage is discounting purchased miles by 40% through the same date.

Limited-Time Promotions: The Chase Amazon Prime Visa card is offering a $250 signup bonus with no spending requirement through January 8th. Bank of America's Alaska Airlines Atmos Business Card has an 85,000-mile welcome bonus after $5,000 spend. Staples has no activation fees on $200 Mastercard gift cards through January 10th.

These offers won't last—most expire within the next week or two. Visit our complete offers page for full details and terms.

Tomorrow brings American's free Wi-Fi rollout—a genuine improvement to the flying experience. Meanwhile, Alaska shows us that loyalty programs can evolve beyond rigid tiers, and Delta reminds us that "premium" access means nothing when everyone has it. The lesson? Focus on benefits that genuinely improve your travel, whether that's connectivity at 35,000 feet or flexible elite perks that match your actual patterns.

Safe travels, The 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: