☀️ TRENDING MILES & POINTS NEWS

I nearly did a double-take when I saw this one pop up in my inbox yesterday. Chase just brought back the single best IHG bonus I've ever seen, and if you've been thinking about adding this card to your wallet, today might be the day.

But that's not all. Chase also surprised us with a 50% Marriott transfer bonus that makes moving Ultimate Rewards points significantly more attractive through the end of this month. And over at American Airlines, the drama continues to unfold as questions swirl about the carrier's future leadership.

Let's dive in.

What's the maximum number of Marriott Bonvoy points you can get per 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points with the current transfer bonus?

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

Chase brought back the 175,000-point welcome bonus on the IHG One Rewards Premier Card - and this remains the highest bonus I've ever seen on this card. You'll need to spend $5,000 in the first three months, but what you get in return makes this one of the most compelling hotel card offers available right now.

Here's what makes this card a long-term keeper, even with the $99 annual fee: You get an annual free night certificate (with the ability to top off with points), plus the fourth night free on award stays. That fourth-night-free benefit alone can save you massive amounts of points on longer redemptions.

You'll also get automatic Platinum Elite status, which comes with room upgrades, late checkout, and bonus points on stays. The combination of these perks means this card often pays for itself multiple times over each year.

The 175,000-point bonus opens up some fantastic redemption opportunities. You could book three nights at a Category 5 property (think InterContinental properties in major cities worldwide) and still have points left over. Or use the fourth-night-free benefit to stretch those points even further at higher-category properties.

For more on IHG cards and maximizing IHG One Rewards points, check out our IHG coverage.

Speaking of Chase surprises, the bank just launched a 50% transfer bonus to Marriott Bonvoy that runs through February 28. This means every 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points you transfer becomes 1,500 Marriott Bonvoy points - a significant boost that makes Marriott redemptions much more attractive this month.

Let's put this in perspective. Say you wanted to book a room at the CitizenM London Shoreditch for 40,000 Marriott points per night. Without the bonus, that would cost you 40,000 Chase points. With the 50% bonus, you'd only need to transfer about 27,000 Chase points to get those 40,000 Marriott points.

The timing here is interesting. Marriott properties in Europe, the Caribbean, and ski destinations are all seeing strong demand for spring travel. If you've been sitting on Chase Ultimate Rewards points and eyeing a Marriott redemption, this bonus essentially gives you a 50% discount on your stay.

One important note: Transfer bonuses like this work best when you already have a specific redemption in mind. Search for award availability first, confirm the property and dates you want, then transfer the points. Chase transfers to Marriott are instant, so there's no need to transfer speculatively.

For all our Marriott Bonvoy coverage and redemption strategies, visit our Marriott page.

The fallout from American Airlines's operational meltdown last week continues to intensify. Speculation about CEO Robert Isom's future has reached what sources describe as "fever pitch" at the airline's Fort Worth headquarters, with employees openly discussing not whether Isom will go, but who might replace him.

Here's what makes this particularly messy: American's Chief Operating Officer David Seymour claimed the airline's technology worked effectively during the storm that led to nearly 10,000 flight cancellations. He also denied widespread reports that flight attendants were forced to sleep in airports - reports that came from his own CEO, among others.

The contradiction between executive statements highlights deeper problems at American. The airline saw profits plummet 87% in 2025, and continues to lag Delta and United significantly in financial performance. Isom's response has been essentially to stay the course, which hasn't inspired confidence from Wall Street or employees.

Meanwhile, United Airlines just purchased Spirit's final two Chicago O'Hare gates for $30 million, escalating the competitive pressure on American at a critical hub. With billions in loyalty revenue at stake and United aggressively expanding, American's challenges extend well beyond the operational chaos of a single storm week.

For AAdvantage members, this ongoing turmoil raises questions about the program's trajectory. When an airline faces this level of financial and operational pressure, loyalty programs often become targets for devaluation or cuts to elite benefits.

Cathay Pacific just unveiled its new Aria Studio regional business class - a flat-bed product that will debut on the airline's Airbus A330 fleet. This is a significant upgrade from the carrier's current regional business class, which hasn't been particularly competitive compared to other premium Asian carriers.

The new seats will appear on Cathay's A330s operating regional routes throughout Asia. While we don't have all the details yet about specific amenities or the exact rollout timeline, the introduction of flat-bed seating on regional flights represents a major step up in Cathay's premium offering.

This matters for award travelers who use Asia Miles or partner programs like Alaska Mileage Plan to book Cathay Pacific flights. Regional business class awards within Asia are often excellent value, and upgrading those routes to flat-bed seating makes them even more attractive - especially on longer regional sectors like Hong Kong to Tokyo or Bangkok.

The competitive pressure in Asian premium travel continues to intensify, with carriers like Singapore Airlines, ANA, and Japan Airlines all offering excellent hard products. Cathay's move to introduce flat beds on regional routes shows they're serious about staying competitive in this space.

The answer is 1,500 Marriott points. With the current 50% transfer bonus from Chase, every 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points becomes 1,500 Marriott Bonvoy points through February 28. That's a significant boost that essentially gives you 50% more value when transferring to Marriott this month.

Hit reply and let me know - I read every response and love hearing about your redemption strategies!

That's it for today, my friends. See you tomorrow with more miles and points news!

Looking to redeem your points? Here's what's available right now:

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:

The best flight deals when paying cash beats using points.

Browse all deals at FridayFlightDeals.com →