Today brings a secret elite tier reveal from Hilton, the death of a beloved award sweet spot, and first class expansion across the Atlantic. Plus: why paying 3% to earn 2 miles per dollar on rent probably doesn't make sense, even if United is involved.

Hilton just confirmed what leaked systems had already revealed: there's a new invitation-only elite tier sitting above Diamond Reserve called The Honors Society. The company isn't sharing details yet—guidance is coming in early Q1—but this mirrors the super-secret tiers already operated by Marriott (Luminous Ambassadors), Hyatt (Globalist Ambassadors), and GHA Discovery.

What makes this interesting is the timing. Hilton just launched Diamond Reserve a few weeks ago, positioning it as their ultimate elite tier with 60-night qualification plus either 90 qualifying nights or $50,000 in spend. Now we learn that was only penultimate. The Honors Society sits one level higher, presumably requiring even more aggressive qualification metrics or—more likely—an actual invitation based on spending patterns. Expect exclusive amenities that go beyond guaranteed suite upgrades and perhaps dedicated account management similar to what Marriott Luminous members receive.

For more on Hilton elite status developments, we've been tracking all the program changes.

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles just eliminated one of the last genuine sweet spots in award travel. The program raised domestic partner award prices effective immediately, with Hawaii routes taking the hardest hit. Previously, you could book United flights from the continental US to Hawaii for 7,500 miles one-way (or 10,000 more recently). Now? That same ticket costs 18,750 miles—a 150% increase.

Other domestic awards jumped too, though less dramatically. Mainland US flights under 500 miles went from 5,000 to 7,500 miles (50% increase), while longer domestic routes under 1,500 miles climbed from 7,500 to 10,000 miles. This follows Turkish's massive 2024 devaluation of its own flights, and it's clear the airline is systematically eliminating the arbitrage opportunities that made Miles&Smiles popular. If you've been sitting on Turkish miles planning that cheap Hawaii redemption, you're now too late. The only consolation: partner awards on other airlines remain relatively untouched for now.

Speaking of premium travel, Air France is bringing its exceptional La Premiere first class to four new destinations. Starting in 2026, the product will appear on routes to Atlanta, Boston, Houston, and Tel Aviv. This expands La Premiere from 10 destinations to 14, with service operated on select Boeing 777-300ERs featuring the airline's ultra-premium cabin.

La Premiere stands out because it's genuinely one of aviation's best products when you consider the complete experience—chauffeur service, dedicated first class lounge at Paris CDG, lie-flat seats with direct aisle access, exceptional cuisine, and attentive service. For SkyTeam loyalists or those with transferable points, this expansion creates new redemption opportunities. Flying Blue makes La Premiere bookable with points, though availability tends to be tight. The addition of Houston is particularly interesting for Texas-based travelers who previously had to position to another gateway to access the product.

Check out our SkyTeam alliance coverage for more on maximizing Flying Blue redemptions.

United MileagePlus cardmembers can now earn 2 miles per dollar when paying rent through Bilt, with earnings split between your card issuer (1 mile) and a bonus mile from United. The immediate problem: you'll pay a 3% fee for the privilege.

The math rarely works unless you're chasing elite status. On a $2,000 monthly rent payment, you'd pay $60 in fees to earn 4,000 United miles. Even valuing United miles generously at 1.5 cents each, that's $60 in value for $60 in fees—a wash at best. The only scenario where this makes sense is if those miles help you reach Premier Gold, Platinum, or 1K status and you value the elite benefits highly. Compare this to Bilt's previous partnership with Alaska Airlines, which offered 3x points with no fee through the Bilt Rewards program itself. That was genuinely valuable. This United offer? It's expensive miles acquisition dressed up as a benefit.

This might be the most overdue Starlink announcement yet. Korean Air, alongside its subsidiary airlines Asiana, Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul, will install free Starlink Wi-Fi across their fleets. The rollout timeline hasn't been specified, but the announcement is significant given Korean Air's historically poor inflight connectivity situation.

Korean Air currently ranks among the worst major international carriers for Wi-Fi availability and quality. Many aircraft lack connectivity entirely, while equipped planes offer slow, expensive service. Starlink changes everything—free, high-speed internet that actually works over oceans and remote areas. For frequent travelers on Korean Air's extensive transpacific network, this transforms the experience. Delta, United, and several European carriers have already announced Starlink installations, and Korean Air's decision suggests the technology has become table stakes for premium international carriers. Expect installations to begin with long-haul international aircraft first.

See more Korean Air developments and travel technology updates.

In a quietly surprising move, the very first Chase Sapphire Lounge—which opened in Hong Kong in October 2022—will close its doors on January 5, 2026. Chase hasn't explained the closure, leaving us to speculate about lease issues, usage patterns, or strategic refocusing on the growing US lounge network.

The Hong Kong location served as Chase's proof of concept, demonstrating the bank could operate premium airport lounges competitive with Centurion Lounges and Capital One Lounges. The network has since expanded to Boston Logan, Las Vegas, New York LaGuardia, San Diego, and Phoenix, with Philadelphia coming in 2025. Perhaps Chase determined that focusing resources on US hubs—where most Sapphire cardholders actually travel—makes more strategic sense than maintaining an international outpost. For Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardholders who transit through Hong Kong, this means falling back on Priority Pass access at the airport's numerous other lounges.

Two transfer bonuses worth knowing about: Rove Miles to Finnair Plus is offering a +20% bonus (no end date specified), while some Amex cardholders are seeing targeted +40% bonuses to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. That Virgin bonus is exceptional if you're targeted—it makes Virgin's already-reasonable award chart even more compelling, particularly for transatlantic travel on Delta or Virgin metal.

On the buy miles front, JetBlue is offering a 130% bonus through December 31 (effective cost: 1.4¢ per point), while Alaska is running 100% bonus through December 23 (1.88¢ per mile). Neither is a historically great rate, but Alaska miles remain versatile for oneworld and partner bookings. Air Canada Aeroplan also has a 100% bonus through December 17 at 1.33¢ per point—potentially interesting if you have a specific redemption in mind and need to top off your account.

Track all active transfer bonuses and buy points offers on our dedicated pages.

From secret elite tiers to the death of sweet spots, today's news shows loyalty programs moving in opposite directions—some adding exclusivity at the top while others eliminate value at the bottom. As always, the winners are those who stay informed and act before the door closes.

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.

Active transfer bonuses worth considering:

Airline programs:

Hotel programs: