Something quietly shifted in the Amex world over the weekend, and it's the kind of change that tends to get buried until it's too late. Starting August 1, Amex is restructuring how the Resy dining credit works on both the Gold and Platinum cards. We don't have every detail locked down yet, but when Amex touches a credit that cardholders actually use, it's worth paying close attention now rather than after the fact.

Let's get into it.

Citi ThankYou Points currently offer a 50% transfer bonus to Accor ALL. At the normal (non-bonus) transfer ratio, how many Accor points do you get for 1,000 Citi ThankYou points?

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

Both the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold cards currently offer Resy dining credits that can be used at virtually any eligible Resy restaurant across the United States. It's one of the more flexible credits in the premium card space - you don't have to shop at a specific portal or pick from a curated list. Any Resy restaurant qualifies.

That's changing on August 1, 2026. Amex has signaled a restructuring of how these credits work, though the full scope isn't entirely clear yet. The concern is that "changes" in Amex credit language almost always means fewer eligible merchants, lower credit amounts, or more friction in the redemption process - rarely the other way around.

If you've been on the fence about whether the Amex Gold or Platinum is worth keeping, this is a signal to make that call before the terms shift. The Resy credit is one of the credits that actually gets used regularly - unlike some of the more niche perks buried in the benefits guide. A meaningful change here affects the real-world value of both cards.

Worth noting: if you're not sure whether you're still eligible for an Amex welcome bonus, now might also be the right time to check before anything changes on the benefits side.

We've covered this one before, but it deserves one more push: the Chase Sapphire Reserve's 150,000-point welcome bonus - the highest it has ever been - is ending this week. This isn't a case where "limited time" means a few more months. The window is closing.

150,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points is worth somewhere between $1,500 (at a conservative 1 cent per point) and $2,700-$3,000 when transferred to airline and hotel partners at strong redemption rates. Think business class flights, top-tier hotel nights, or a combination of both.

Here's where it gets interesting with the current bonus landscape. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to Marriott Bonvoy at a 55% bonus through June 30, and to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 30% bonus through July 14. Both of those stack perfectly with a 150K point balance. If you were ever going to hold a pile of Chase points and move them to a partner, this is a rare moment where two strong bonuses are running simultaneously.

If you want to stress-test whether the card's annual fee makes sense for your situation, our Chase Sapphire Reserve value breakdown covers the math in detail.

This one flew a little under the radar, but Citi just launched a 50% transfer bonus from ThankYou Points to Accor ALL - the loyalty program behind Fairmont, Raffles, Sofitel, Novotel, Movenpick, and Ibis, among others. The promotion runs through July 18.

At the standard ratio, 1,000 Citi ThankYou points converts to 500 Accor points. With the 50% bonus active right now, that same 1,000 ThankYou points gets you 750 Accor points instead. Accor runs a revenue-based program where 2,000 points equals roughly €40 off a booking, which works out to about €0.02 per Accor point - making this a solid option if you have a Fairmont or Sofitel stay on the horizon.

One thing that makes Accor genuinely useful is that you can apply your points to any room night at any participating property - there's no award chart or blocked availability to fight through. You're essentially getting a discount off your bill, which is refreshingly simple. If you have ThankYou points sitting idle and a European or Middle Eastern trip planned, this is worth a serious look before July 18.

You can track all live transfer bonuses - including this Accor promotion - on our transfer bonuses tracker, which updates in real time.

United was already the only major US carrier offering miles pooling - the ability for multiple MileagePlus members to combine their miles into a single balance for award bookings. But the original version came with a frustrating restriction that limited its real-world usefulness.

That restriction has now been lifted. The updated pooling feature is meaningfully better - families and travel partners can now combine balances in a way that actually opens up award bookings that wouldn't have been possible before. If you've got a household where one person has 40,000 miles and another has 60,000, you can now pool those into a single 100,000-mile balance and go after a redemption that neither account could reach alone.

This is the kind of quiet improvement that doesn't generate headlines but genuinely changes how families should think about their United miles strategy. Worth revisiting if you wrote off pooling when it launched with the original limitations.

Not sure how much your United miles are worth for your next redemption? Our United Miles Calculator can help you run the numbers before you pool and book.

A question that comes up constantly: you applied for a card primarily for the welcome bonus, you've hit the spend requirement, the points have posted - now what? The second-year annual fee is coming, and you're wondering whether to keep it, downgrade it, or close it.

The short answer is that it depends on your specific situation, but there are a few key checkpoints that should drive the decision. First, ask whether the ongoing benefits - statement credits, earning rates, travel protections - actually offset the annual fee in a typical year of spending. If yes, keep it. Second, consider whether closing it will meaningfully hurt your credit utilization ratio or average account age. Third, check whether a no-fee downgrade option exists that preserves the account history without the cost.

For cards in the Chase ecosystem, downgrading rather than closing is almost always the smarter move - it preserves your credit line, keeps your account history intact, and maintains relationships that could help you get approved for future cards. With Amex, the calculus is similar but with the added variable of knowing your welcome bonus eligibility for future applications.

The answer: at the standard transfer ratio, 1,000 Citi ThankYou points converts to 500 Accor ALL points. With the current 50% bonus running through July 18, that same 1,000 points gets you 750 Accor points instead. Accor's revenue-based program means those points translate directly to savings on hotel stays at Fairmont, Raffles, Sofitel, and other Accor properties worldwide.

The Amex Resy credit is one of those benefits people either love or barely notice. Do you actually use the Resy credit on your Gold or Platinum - or does it mostly go to waste? Hit reply and let me know - I read every single response and it genuinely shapes what I cover.

That's it from me today. The Amex Resy news is the one I'll be watching most closely - changes to credits that people actually use are always worth flagging before the fine print solidifies. Keep an eye on August 1.

- Jack

A real US flight runs today. Pin the airport on the map, then guess the route in 5 tries. Wordle for plane geeks.

These are the top credit card welcome bonuses we're tracking. Offers change frequently - see all cards.

1. The Platinum Card: 175,000 points after spending $12,000 in 6 months ($6.95/yr)

2. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in y... ($5.5/yr)

3. Chase Sapphire Reserve: 150,000 points after spending $6,000 in 3 months ($7.95/yr)

The Award Travel Finder team has been tracking these redemptions - here's what stands out:

Hotels:

• The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands - Male, MV | 3.2cpp value | 128,000 pts/night

• JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa - Kr | 1.7cpp value | 53,000 pts/night

• Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island - Platte Island, SC | 1.8cpp value | 130,000 pts/night

• Waldorf Astoria Park City - Park City, UT, US | 255.7cpp value | 110,000 pts/night

• InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa - Bora Bora, PF | 2.0cpp value | 207,000 pts/night

Live Transfer Bonuses:

• Amex Membership Rewards → Air France KLM Flying Blue: +25% bonus - ends June 30, 2026

• Amex Membership Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy: +20% bonus - ends June 30, 2026

• Amex Membership Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy: +20% bonus - ends June 30, 2026

• Chase Ultimate Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy: +55% bonus - ends June 30, 2026

• Chase Ultimate Rewards → Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: +30% bonus - ends July 14, 2026

• Citi ThankYou Rewards → ALL Accor: +50% bonus - ends July 18, 2026

Buy Points & Miles Deals:

• United Airlines (MileagePlus): 100% bonus at 1.88¢ (ends June 24, 2026)

• Marriott (Bonvoy): 40% bonus at 0.89¢ (ends June 23, 2026)

Full live tracker → milesandpointsdaily.com/buy-points-promotions

Browse every award deal we track at AwardTravelFinder.com →

Friday Flight Deals finds the best flight deals when paying cash beats using points.

Browse all deals at FridayFlightDeals.com →