☀️ TRENDING MILES & POINTS NEWS

I'll admit, I didn't expect this one.

Just a few weeks ago, travelers were frustrated with American's gradual free Wi-Fi rollout. Half the fleet was ready, the other half wasn't, and nobody knew which plane they'd get until boarding. It was the kind of slow deployment that makes you wonder if it'll ever finish.

Well, American just proved the doubters wrong. The rollout is now complete across most aircraft types, which means you can actually count on free Wi-Fi for your next flight. That's a genuine game-changer for anyone who flies the airline regularly.

But that's not the only interesting development today. We're also digging into which Star Alliance program you should actually be crediting flights to (hint: it's probably not the one you're using), how to squeeze value from Hilton points after recent devaluations, and a targeted Capital One offer that could save you serious money on your next hotel stay.

Which Star Alliance airline is known for having one of the most generous mileage earning rates for crediting partner flights?

🇨🇦 Air Canada Aeroplan

🇹🇭 Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus

🇹🇷 Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

🇩🇪 Lufthansa Miles & More

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

Remember when we covered American's free Wi-Fi announcement a few weeks ago? Well, the rollout just hit a major milestone.

As of this week, American's free inflight connectivity is now available across most of their fleet. The phased rollout that started in early January is essentially complete for the aircraft types that matter most to travelers.

Here's what you need to know: If you have AAdvantage status or hold a co-branded American Airlines credit card, you can now count on free Wi-Fi for most domestic and international flights. The service works through the ViaSat system, which provides surprisingly decent speeds for streaming and work.

The timing couldn't be better. United and Delta have both offered free Wi-Fi to certain passengers for a while now, and American was starting to look behind. This puts them back in the competitive mix, especially for business travelers who need reliable connectivity.

One quick note: a small number of regional aircraft still aren't equipped, so you might occasionally encounter a flight without the service. But for mainline aircraft on major routes, you should be good to go.

If you're planning to take advantage of this perk, make sure you're enrolled in AAdvantage before your flight. The system checks your account at booking, so add your frequent flyer number when you purchase your ticket.

Want to see if Wi-Fi is available on your specific flight? Check out SeatWifi to verify coverage, pricing, and quality before you board.

This question comes up constantly: if you fly multiple Star Alliance airlines but don't have loyalty to any single carrier, which program should you credit your flights to?

It's not a simple answer, and that's exactly why it's worth digging into. The wrong choice could cost you thousands of miles or prevent you from reaching elite status when you otherwise would have qualified.

The strategic play depends on what you value more: elite status or mile accumulation.

For elite status chasers: Air Canada Aeroplan and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles tend to offer the most generous earning rates on partner flights. Turkish's program is particularly interesting because they credit a minimum of 25% of flown miles even on the cheapest economy fares, while some other programs credit as low as 0% for basic economy.

For mile hoarders: Look at where you want to redeem. If you're planning premium cabin travel to Europe, Lufthansa Miles & More has some compelling sweet spots despite recent devaluations. If Asia is your focus, Air Canada Aeroplan or ANA Mileage Club often provide better value.

Here's an example that shows why this matters: imagine you're flying Lufthansa from New York to Frankfurt in discount economy. Credit that to United MileagePlus, and you might earn just 25% of the flown distance. Credit it to Turkish Miles&Smiles instead, and you'll earn closer to 50-75% depending on the fare class.

Over a year of travel, that difference adds up to an extra award ticket or two.

The bottom line? Don't just default to the operating carrier's program. Take five minutes before each flight to check the earning rates across 3-4 Star Alliance programs, and credit strategically.

For more insights on Star Alliance strategies, we've covered this topic extensively.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: Hilton Honors points aren't what they used to be.

Recent devaluations in popular markets have made it harder to get excited about Hilton redemptions. Properties that once cost 50,000 points now require 70,000 or more. Beach resorts and luxury properties have seen even steeper increases.

But here's the thing: Hilton points can still deliver value if you know where to look.

The sweet spots:

Standard redemptions at mid-tier properties during off-peak periods still work. A Hampton Inn or Garden Inn for 30,000-40,000 points can beat cash rates, especially when you factor in the free breakfast and elite benefits.

Fifth-night-free on award stays remains one of the program's best features. If you're planning a longer trip, booking five nights gets you 20% better value than booking individual nights. That's the difference between needing 250,000 points versus 200,000 points for a week-long stay.

Points + Cash options occasionally make sense when you're just short of a free night. The cash portion is often reasonable, and you'll preserve your points balance for a better redemption later.

The reality is this: Hilton points work best as a supplement to other programs, not as your primary hotel currency. Earn them through credit card spending and promotions, but don't go out of your way to buy them or transfer to them.

Speaking of buying points: there's currently an 80% bonus on Hilton point purchases through February 25th, bringing the effective rate to 0.56¢ per point. That's worth considering if you're topping off for a specific redemption, but I wouldn't buy speculatively at that price.

This one's flying under the radar, and it shouldn't be.

Capital One Shopping is offering up to $250 back when you book a hotel through their portal for $250 or more. The offer is targeted (YMMV), but if you see it on your Capital One Shopping homepage, it's worth jumping on.

Here's why this matters: that's potentially 100% back on your hotel stay, which beats any points redemption you'll find. Even if your offer is for less than the full $250, you're still looking at 40-80% back depending on the terms.

The catch? The amount varies by booking. Some properties show $250 back, others show $200, and some show less. You'll need to check the specific hotel you're interested in to see what's available.

If you've been planning a hotel stay for the next few months, log into Capital One Shopping and see what's available. The offer doesn't require a Capital One credit card, just an account with their shopping portal.

This is one of those rare times when paying cash beats using points, especially if you can book a refundable rate and still earn hotel points and elite night credits.

Quick credit card note: the Bank of America Atmos Rewards Summit card with a 100,000-point welcome bonus keeps resurfacing through various links.

The card carries a $395 annual fee, but the 100,000-point bonus after meeting the spending requirement makes it worth considering if you fly Alaska or Hawaiian regularly. That's enough for a round-trip domestic first class ticket or multiple economy awards.

The card also waives partner award booking fees, which saves you $12.50 per person per ticket when booking awards on airlines like American, Japan Airlines, or British Airways using Atmos Rewards points.

If you're in Alaska or Hawaiian's route network and value their coverage of the West Coast and Pacific, this bonus is competitive with what you'd get from other airline cards.

The answer: 🇹🇭 Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus is known for offering some of the most generous mileage earning rates when crediting partner Star Alliance flights. They often credit higher percentages than other programs for the same fare class, making them a smart choice for maximizing miles on partner airlines.

Which Star Alliance program do you credit your flights to, and why? Are you focused on status, miles accumulation, or a specific redemption goal? Hit reply and let me know - I read every response and genuinely love hearing about your strategies!

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

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: