Quick question before we dive in: when was the last time you actually checked whether a card you want will approve you before you applied? Because a reader just went through the Citi AAdvantage Globe approval process and the answer was - complicated.

That story leads today's issue. Plus, a genuine Chase strategic question that I think a lot of people are getting wrong, a surprise hotel card offer that quietly came back, and three deadlines you need to know about before the week is out.

Which transfer partner is currently offering a 20% bonus from Chase Ultimate Rewards - and expires this Tuesday, May 27th?

The answer is near the bottom of today's newsletter... keep scrolling. 👇

The Citi AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is sitting on a best-ever welcome bonus right now, and it's been drawing a lot of attention in the miles community. But one detailed approval report making the rounds this week is a useful reality check for anyone thinking about applying.

The applicant - who applied several months back when the card first launched with the same bonus - did ultimately get approved. But it wasn't smooth. There were follow-up steps, verification requests, and enough friction that it's worth knowing what you might be walking into.

Citi's approval process for this card appears to be more hands-on than typical instant approvals. If you have multiple recent Citi accounts, thin credit history with Citi specifically, or a high number of recent inquiries, budget some extra time and patience.

The bonus itself is genuinely compelling if you're building AAdvantage miles - either for American Airlines flights or partners. The card also comes with practical travel perks that justify its place in a points-focused wallet. But go in with eyes open on the approval side.

A reader named Bryant sent in a question this week that I think a lot of Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders are wrestling with: if the card earns 8x points on travel and hotels when booked through Chase Travel, shouldn't you always book through Chase? And then what's the best way to actually use those points?

Here's where it gets interesting. Booking through Chase Travel does get you that 8x earn rate, which is genuinely strong. But the Point Boosts feature - which lets you redeem points at inflated values for certain travel - creates a different kind of math. The question is whether you're better off earning more points or redeeming existing points at a higher rate.

The honest answer is: it depends on your redemption goals. If you're planning to transfer to airline or hotel partners for premium cabin awards, the transfer route almost always wins over Chase Travel portal bookings - regardless of your earn rate. But if you're a cash-value redeemer who uses Point Boosts for specific elevated-value redemptions, the 8x earning compounds nicely.

The best starting point is knowing what your Chase points are actually worth in both scenarios - the Chase Points Calculator can help you model both sides before you decide.

This one quietly came back from the dead. The Wells Fargo Choice Privileges card had a 60,000-point welcome bonus that disappeared in early April. As of yesterday, it's back.

The terms are straightforward: spend $1,000 within the first three months and earn 60,000 Choice Privileges points. The card earns 5x on stays at participating Choice hotels and 3x at gas stations and grocery stores.

Choice Privileges points aren't the flashiest currency in the loyalty world, but 60,000 points gets you meaningful value at Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Cambria Hotels, and Ascend Collection properties. It's also worth noting the portfolio has quietly improved - Cambria in particular punches above its weight in certain markets.

No word yet on how long this relaunch lasts given it disappeared once already. Worth acting on sooner if this fits your hotel strategy.

If you've been sitting on Capital One miles and have any interest in Qantas Frequent Flyer redemptions, the clock is nearly up. The 20% transfer bonus from Capital One to Qantas expires May 31st.

Qantas Frequent Flyer is one of the more underrated programs for partner award redemptions - particularly for Oneworld carriers and some niche sweet spots. A 20% bonus meaningfully stretches how far your Capital One balance goes.

Speaking of bonus transfers expiring soon - the Chase Ultimate Rewards to Air France-KLM Flying Blue +20% bonus is the more urgent one. That one ends this Tuesday, May 27th. If you've been eyeing a Flying Blue redemption, transferring now (even to park points) is worth considering. You can track all active transfer bonuses at milesandpointsdaily.com/transfer-bonuses.

A few buy-points offers stand out right now, particularly if you're short on a specific currency for a redemption you already have in mind.

JetBlue TrueBlue is running a 125% bonus through June 10th at 1.43 cents per point - one of the stronger buy-points rates available right now if you value TrueBlue points above that threshold. United MileagePlus has a 100% bonus through June 24th at 1.88 cents. And Hilton Honors has a 100% bonus but it ends May 29th - that's Thursday - so the window is tight.

Flying Blue is the standout with an 80% bonus at 1.69 cents through May 31st, which pairs well with the transfer bonus story above if you want to maximize your Flying Blue balance. See the full list at the buy points promotions tracker.

Qantas has pushed its Project Sunrise flights - the world's longest nonstop routes connecting Sydney and Melbourne to New York and London - to 2027. The Airbus A350-1000s needed for the operation were originally expected in 2025, then pushed, and now pushed again.

For points nerds, this matters because Project Sunrise award availability and pricing has been one of the more closely watched developments in premium cabin redemptions. The delay doesn't kill the opportunity - it just means we're waiting another year-plus for these seats to materialize.

If ultra-long-haul nonstop redemptions are on your radar, Award Travel Finder is tracking premium cabin availability across Qantas-operated and partner routes right now - worth bookmarking while you wait for Sunrise to actually happen.

The answer is B - Air France-KLM Flying Blue. Chase Ultimate Rewards is currently running a 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue, and it expires this Tuesday, May 27th. If you have Chase points and a redemption in mind - whether that's Paris, Amsterdam, or a Flying Blue partner flight - transferring before the deadline locks in the bonus rate.

Chase, Amex, or Capital One - which points currency do you rely on most for your travel redemptions? Hit reply and tell me. I read every single response and I'm genuinely curious where people are parking their spend right now.

A few great answers might end up shaping future stories.

That's everything for today. The Chase 8x question from Bryant is one of those deceptively simple ones that actually has a nuanced answer - and I think more people should be asking it before they default to booking everything through the portal. Worth sitting with.

- 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 ($8.95/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:

Status Matches & Challenges:

• Flying Blue Status Match - Air France / KLM | SkyTeam

• Flying Blue UK (BA Status Holders) - Air France / KLM | SkyTeam

• Flying Blue (Iberia) - Air France / KLM | SkyTeam

Live Transfer Bonuses:

Buy Points & Miles Deals:

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 →