I nearly did a double-take when I saw this one land in my inbox this morning.

Some travelers are logging into their airline accounts today and discovering they've been gifted elite status - without meeting any qualification requirements. No minimum flights. No spending thresholds. Just a pleasant surprise waiting in their account.

Both Delta and United are behind these surprise status gifts, and while the airlines haven't announced the criteria publicly, reports suggest they're targeting members who came close to qualifying in 2025 or who've been long-time loyal customers.

Which Canadian airline just launched a 100% bonus on purchased points?

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

Here's what we know so far about these surprise status gifts from Delta and United.

Delta SkyMiles members are reporting both new status grants and extensions of their existing 2025 status into 2026. Some Silver members found themselves bumped to Gold. Others who had Gold status valid through the end of January just saw it extended through December 2026.

United MileagePlus is being equally generous. Members are receiving status upgrades or having their 2025 status extended without meeting the 2026 qualification requirements. The emails typically arrive with subject lines like "Surprise! We've extended your elite status."

Why are airlines doing this? It's likely a retention play. Both carriers know that elite members are their most valuable customers, and gifting status to those who came close to qualifying (or who might defect to competitors) is a smart way to maintain loyalty heading into 2026.

The timing makes sense too. January is when many travelers evaluate their airline loyalty for the year ahead. A surprise status gift could be the difference between committing to Delta or United versus giving a competitor a try.

Speaking of smart timing, Air Canada just launched one of its best buy-points promotions of the year.

Through February 16, 2026, you can buy Aeroplan points with a 100% bonus. That brings the cost down to about 1.37 cents per point - which is among the better deals we see from this program.

Why does this matter? Aeroplan is one of the most versatile frequent flyer programs out there. You can book award flights on Air Canada, United, Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, and all other Star Alliance carriers. But you can also access partner airlines like Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and even some non-alliance carriers.

The sweet spots are well-documented: Business class to Europe can start at just 60,000 points one-way. First class on Lufthansa or Swiss to Europe runs 70,000 points. And with dynamic pricing on Air Canada's own flights, you sometimes find incredible deals on long-haul routes.

At 1.37 cents per point, you're essentially pre-purchasing business class flights to Europe for around $800-900 one-way, or first class for about $960. Compare that to cash prices that routinely exceed $3,000-5,000, and the math works beautifully.

One important caveat: You can only buy 200,000 Aeroplan points per calendar year. So if you're planning a big redemption that requires more points, you'll need to supplement with transfers from American Express Membership Rewards or other partners.

This one flew under the radar but has significant implications for anyone who's been using Costco gift cards as part of their points-earning strategy.

Costco has quietly stopped selling Uber and DoorDash gift cards - both in stores and online. Canadian locations lost these cards several weeks ago, and they've now disappeared from U.S. locations as well.

Why does this matter for miles and points collectors? Many savvy folks have been buying these discounted gift cards at Costco (typically $80-85 for a $100 card), then using them for food delivery and rideshare services. It was a simple way to save 15-20% on purchases you were making anyway.

Some were even buying the physical gift cards with credit cards that earn bonus points on warehouse club purchases, then loading them to their Uber or DoorDash accounts for future use. That strategy just got a lot harder.

The good news? Costco still sells other valuable gift cards, including the inKind gift card deal that's back at $64.99 for a $100 card (limit 5 per member). inKind partners with hundreds of restaurants nationwide, so it's still a solid option for dining discounts.

But losing Uber and DoorDash is a blow to those who relied on this discount source. No word yet on whether this is permanent or just a temporary inventory issue, but the simultaneous disappearance from both Canadian and U.S. markets suggests it's likely a deliberate decision.

If Cartagena has been on your radar, I've got excellent news.

American Airlines is showing award availability to Colombia (including Cartagena and Bogotá) for as low as 7,500 AAdvantage miles one-way on select dates between April and June 2026.

That's 15,000 miles round-trip from several U.S. cities, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Houston. The availability is scattered but plentiful if you have flexible dates.

This is one of those deals where the math is almost absurd. You could transfer 15,000 points from Citi ThankYou or Bilt Rewards to American AAdvantage and lock in a round-trip flight to one of South America's most charming cities. Cash prices for the same routes are currently running $300-500 round-trip, so you're getting excellent value.

Cartagena is ideal for spring travel - warm weather, beautiful colonial architecture, and easy access to Caribbean beaches. Plus, Colombia's tourism infrastructure has improved dramatically over the past decade, making it both safe and surprisingly affordable once you're there.

Use Award Travel Finder to search for these Colombia flights across multiple date ranges. The tool will show you exactly which days have the 7,500-mile pricing versus standard economy awards at 12,500 or more.

While we're talking about excellent value, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is currently offering 175,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months.

That's one of the highest welcome bonuses we've seen from this card. But the real value isn't just the signup bonus - it's the long-term perks that make this $99 annual fee card worth keeping.

Cardholders get an annual free night certificate (valid at properties costing up to 40,000 points per night), automatic Platinum Elite status, and a fourth night free on award stays. That fourth-night benefit alone can save you 25% on any IHG award booking of four nights or longer.

IHG's portfolio includes InterContinental, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, and several other brands. The 175,000-point bonus is enough for multiple nights at mid-tier properties or several nights at premium InterContinental resorts.

For all our IHG coverage, including sweet spot redemptions and status benefits, check out our dedicated tag page.

This is more of a planning update than breaking news, but it's valuable if you're eyeing premium cabin travel to Asia.

Cathay Pacific's new Aria Suite business class is genuinely phenomenal - reverse herringbone seats with direct aisle access, excellent privacy, and the kind of thoughtful design you expect from one of the world's top carriers. The challenge? Only 12 aircraft currently have the product installed.

As of January 2026, you'll find the Aria Suite on select flights from Hong Kong to London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York JFK, Tokyo Narita, Singapore, Bangkok, and Seoul. The key word there is "select" - not every flight on these routes has the new product yet.

Before booking an award ticket with American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan (both excellent partners for Cathay redemptions), verify the aircraft type. Look for flights operated by Cathay's A350-1000 fleet, which is where you'll find the Aria Suite. Their older A350-900s and 777s still have the older business class product.

The good news? Cathay is retrofitting more aircraft throughout 2026, so availability will improve as the year progresses. But for now, you'll want to be strategic about which flights you book if experiencing the Aria Suite is a priority.

The answer: 🇨🇦 Air Canada Aeroplan is offering a 100% bonus on purchased points through February 16, 2026. That brings the effective cost down to about 1.37 cents per point - excellent value if you're planning premium cabin travel on Star Alliance carriers.

Hit reply and let me know your status experience - I read every response and love hearing from you! Whether it's a story about getting gifted status or narrowly missing a tier, I want to hear it.

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

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:

Other programs: