Something quietly shifted in the loyalty world this week - and if you've been thinking about a Delta card, or planning a trip through Italy, or just trying to get through airport security without losing your mind, today's newsletter has something for you.

Let's get into it.

ITA Airways is joining Star Alliance and adopting a new loyalty program. Which program will ITA use?

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

This one has been a long time coming, and it's finally official.

ITA Airways - Italy's national carrier and Alitalia's successor - is joining Star Alliance and adopting Miles & More as its loyalty program. If you've been booking trips to Rome, Milan, or Florence through SkyTeam partners, that math is about to change.

The backstory: Lufthansa Group acquired a 41% stake in ITA in early 2025, which triggered ITA's exit from SkyTeam. Star Alliance membership was always the destination, and now it's confirmed. ITA will earn and redeem Miles & More miles, putting it alongside Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, and a deep network of European and global partners.

For points collectors, this is meaningful. Miles & More awards on ITA routes could open up some genuinely competitive pricing for Italian travel - and if you're already holding Lufthansa Miles & More miles, Italy just got a lot more accessible.

Speaking of which, there's a 50% bonus on purchased Lufthansa Miles & More miles right now through March 31, priced at 1.39 cents per mile. Not a screaming deal on the face of it, but if you're short for a specific redemption, it's worth a look.

For all our Star Alliance coverage and Lufthansa stories, we've got dedicated pages with everything you need.

This is genuinely the best time to apply for a Delta Amex card - if you're eligible - and the window is closing.

Every Delta Amex card (except one) is currently offering its highest-ever welcome bonus. The top tier clocks in at up to 125,000 SkyMiles when you hit the spending requirements. These are not permanent offers - they're promotional, and once they end, the bonuses drop back to standard levels.

To put that in perspective, 125,000 SkyMiles can get you business class to Europe on a partner airline, multiple domestic round-trips, or a solid redemption to the Caribbean. Delta's variable pricing means the value fluctuates, but a haul this size gives you real flexibility.

Use our Delta SkyMiles Calculator to see exactly what your miles could be worth before you decide.

Check your Amex Offers right now - a new targeted promotion just dropped for Hyatt stays that could save you real money on upcoming trips.

The offer is structured around spending $300 or more at select Hyatt brands. If you're already planning a Hyatt stay this spring, loading this offer before you check in is a no-brainer. It's the kind of stacking opportunity that makes holding a premium Amex card worthwhile.

Amex Offers are targeted, meaning not everyone will see it - but it's worth opening your app and checking today. For more on getting value out of Hyatt points and status, our Hyatt Points Calculator can help you model out a specific redemption.

All of our Hyatt coverage is collected in one place if you want to dig deeper.

One of the best business class lounges in the world just got a refresh - and if you're transiting through Heathrow, this is worth knowing about.

Virgin Atlantic has unveiled updates to its Clubhouse lounge at London Heathrow. It's not a full gut renovation, but the updates bring new amenities and a refreshed feel to a lounge that was already ranked among the world's best. The Clubhouse has long been a standout for its dining quality and atmosphere - these changes keep it competitive.

Access is available to Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers and eligible Flying Club Gold and Silver members. If you're holding Virgin Atlantic points and considering an Upper Class redemption, this makes the Heathrow departure experience even more compelling.

There's also a live transfer bonus right now that's worth flagging: Citi ThankYou Rewards is offering a 30% bonus on transfers to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club through April 18. That's a meaningful boost if you're planning an award booking.

Use the Virgin Atlantic Reward Seat Finder to check what's available before you transfer.

UK readers - Smart With Points has deep coverage of Virgin Atlantic and Avios strategies worth bookmarking.

Day 38 of the partial government shutdown, and airport security is in full crisis mode.

TSA wait times at some of the nation's busiest hubs - Houston, Atlanta, New York - have climbed past three hours on certain days, with over 50% of TSA agents calling in sick at some locations. ICE agents have been deployed to 13 airports to help manage the situation, but they legally cannot perform screening, which means they're largely standing near checkpoints while lines stretch through terminals.

If you're flying in the next few weeks, here's the short version of what actually helps. TSA PreCheck and Clear remain the most reliable ways to cut through the chaos - if you have either, use the dedicated lanes. If you don't have PreCheck yet, this is genuinely one of the best weeks to justify the application cost.

For real-time wait time data before you leave the house, FlightQueue tracks live security wait times at airports across the US - check your specific airport before you head out.

Not flying for points? Friday Flight Deals tracks the best cash fares right now - sometimes the cheapest option is to simply avoid the busiest hubs entirely.

A couple of buy points deals are expiring in the next few days that are worth a quick look if you're planning a redemption.

Air Canada Aeroplan is offering a 90% bonus on purchased miles at 1.44 cents per mile - but this one ends today, March 25. If you've been eyeing an Aeroplan redemption and need to top up, this is the last call. Aeroplan is one of the most flexible programs out there, with Star Alliance partners and strong transatlantic sweet spots.

United MileagePlus also has a 95% bonus on purchased miles at 1.93 cents per mile, running through March 30. United's award chart has some genuinely strong sweet spots, particularly for partner business class. If you need United miles for a specific booking, run the math before this closes.

See the full list of active buy points promotions and transfer bonuses in one place.

Award Travel Finder is also tracking award availability across all the major programs - check what's open before you buy or transfer.

The answer is: Lufthansa Miles & More.

Following Lufthansa Group's 41% stake acquisition in ITA Airways in early 2025, ITA left SkyTeam and is now officially joining Star Alliance with Miles & More as its loyalty program. Italy-based award travel just got a whole lot more interesting for Miles & More members.

Hit reply and let me know - I read every response and genuinely love hearing how readers are navigating this stuff. Especially curious if anyone has a creative workaround I haven't heard of yet.

That's all for today - see you tomorrow with more!

Looking to redeem your points? Here's what's available right now (via Award Travel Finder):

Hotels:

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua - 1.6cpp value

Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa - 2.3cpp value

See all award deals at AwardTravelFinder.com →

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.

Amex Membership Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles: +15% bonus - ends March 28, 2026

Capital One Miles to Preferred Hotels & Resorts I Prefer: +30% bonus - ends March 31, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards to Aer Lingus Avios: +20% bonus - ends March 31, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards to British Airways Avios: +20% bonus - ends March 31, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards to Iberia Avios: +20% bonus - ends March 31, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards to Wyndham: +30% bonus - ends March 31, 2026

Citi ThankYou Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles: +25% bonus - ends April 18, 2026

Citi ThankYou Rewards to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: +30% bonus - ends April 18, 2026

Airline programs:

Air Canada (Aeroplan): 90% bonus at 1.44¢ (expires March 24, 2026)

American Airlines (AAdvantage®): 40% discount at 2.26¢ (expires April 23, 2026)

Copa Airlines (ConnectMiles): 60% bonus at 1.88¢ (expires March 27, 2026)

Etihad (Guest): 35% discount at 2.08¢ (expires April 23, 2026)

Finnair (Finnair Plus): 40% discount at 1.3¢ (expires March 30, 2026)

Hotel programs:

Hyatt (World of Hyatt): 20% discount at 2.08¢ (expires April 07, 2026)

Leading Hotels of the World (Leaders Club): 100% bonus at 6.0¢ (expires April 03, 2026)

Marriott (Bonvoy): 40% bonus at 0.89¢ (expires March 26, 2026)

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

Business Platinum Card: 200,000 points after spending $20,000 in 3 months ($895/yr)

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 125,000 points after spending $6,000 in 3 months ($795/yr)

Business Gold Card: 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in 3 months ($375/yr)

Ink Business Preferred: 100,000 points after spending $8,000 in 3 months ($95/yr)

Award Travel Finder hunts down the best redemptions so you don't have to.

See all deals at AwardTravelFinder.com →