Something quietly shifted in the loyalty world overnight - and one of those shifts involves paying more for less. Let's get into it.

Which of the following is a current transfer partner of Capital One Miles with an active bonus ending April 30, 2026?

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

Here's a sentence that should not exist in 2026: some passengers who paid extra for a Southwest window seat have found themselves staring at a blank wall instead of sky.

Southwest recently introduced paid seat assignments as part of its broader shift away from open seating. But it turns out some of the seats labeled as window seats on certain aircraft configurations don't actually sit next to a window - they're next to a fuselage panel with no opening.

The awkward part? Southwest isn't alone here. United and Delta are reportedly facing lawsuits over the same practice - selling seats described or implied as window seats when the window is either blocked or missing entirely.

If you're choosing seats on Southwest, the lesson is simple: don't trust the label. Cross-reference your seat selection with a seatmap tool like FlightSeatMap before you pay up for a view. If you've been charged for a window seat that turned out to be wall-adjacent, you may have grounds to request a refund.

Southwest has been navigating a rocky transition since shedding its open-seating model. For all our Southwest coverage, check out our Southwest stories page.

Two Southwest jets came within approximately 500 feet of each other vertically over Nashville - a gap that is dangerously thin in aviation terms and should never happen in controlled airspace.

Here's what occurred: one Southwest aircraft was going around after an aborted landing. Air traffic control turned that aircraft directly into the departure path of a second Southwest jet that had just taken off. Both cockpits triggered collision warnings, and the crews - along with onboard safety systems - managed to avoid a far more serious outcome.

This is the kind of incident that gets quietly filed away in FAA safety reports but rarely makes headlines - until it does. The aviation safety system worked the way it was designed to, but the margin was uncomfortably thin.

With air traffic control staffing still stretched across major hubs, incidents like this are worth watching. If you're flying through Nashville, check estimated wait times at BNA on FlightQueue before you head to the airport.

Marriott Bonvoy just added something genuinely special to its Autograph Collection: the Noormahal, a historic palace property in Karnal, in the northern Indian state of Haryana.

The palace - formerly known as the Noormahal Palace Hotel - is one of those rare properties that makes the points hobby feel worth it. Think Mughal-inspired architecture, opulent interiors, and the kind of setting that genuinely justifies burning a chunk of your Bonvoy balance.

Autograph Collection properties tend to fall in the mid-to-upper tier of Marriott's award chart, so this won't be a budget redemption. But for a landmark stay in India, it could be well worth the spend. Use the Marriott Points Calculator to figure out whether your balance gets you there.

Also worth noting: if you're thinking about earning more Bonvoy points before a big redemption, check which Marriott card you're eligible for before applying.

For more on luxury hotel redemptions and what's worth booking right now, Award Travel Finder tracks the best Marriott and Hyatt award availability every single day.

Speaking of Nashville - the city is having quite a week in the news. American Airlines just announced it's replacing its current Nashville Admirals Club with a brand-new facility that's more than twice the size.

The new lounge will come in at 17,400 square feet, up from the existing 7,000 square feet. And it's not just bigger - the new design includes outdoor terraces, which would make it one of the more distinctive Admirals Club locations in the country.

Nashville has grown into one of American's stronger domestic markets, so the investment makes sense. No firm opening date has been announced yet, but the plans are confirmed.

If lounge access is a big part of your travel calculus, it's worth knowing that the Citi Strata Elite card includes Admirals Club access as one of its benefits. For all things American Airlines, we've got a dedicated page with all our coverage.

This one is not for everyone - but if you hold the Amex Business Platinum and you've been putting serious spend on it, check your account right now.

American Express is targeting select Business Platinum cardholders with a spending offer that could be worth close to 1 million Membership Rewards points. The structure reportedly requires high transaction volume and large purchase amounts, making it most relevant for business owners with significant monthly spend. But for those who qualify, it works out to more than 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases.

Log into your Amex account and check the Offers section, or look for a targeted email from Amex. This kind of offer doesn't require opening a new account - it's a spending incentive layered on top of your existing card. If you're sitting on a Business Platinum already, this is exactly the kind of bonus that can dramatically change your points math for the year.

Not sure whether the Business Platinum is worth the annual fee? We've broken that down in our Is the Amex Platinum Worth It? guide - and for the points math, the Amex Points Calculator is your friend.

Alaska Airlines and Bank of America just announced an expanded co-brand credit card partnership, bringing new card options and enhanced perks to Mileage Plan members.

The details are still rolling out, but Alaska is one of those programs that consistently punches above its weight for award value - particularly for travelers who want to fly partners like Cathay Pacific, Finnair, or JAL in premium cabins. A stronger card lineup from Bank of America could make earning Mileage Plan miles significantly easier.

Speaking of Alaska miles - there's currently a 100% bonus when you buy Alaska miles through Atmos Rewards at 1.88 cents each, running through May 2. If you have a specific redemption in mind, the Alaska Miles Calculator can tell you whether buying makes sense versus transferring from another program.

For all our Alaska Airlines coverage, see our dedicated stories page.

A few of the most valuable transfer bonuses on the board are closing fast - and one of them expires in just two days.

The Choice to Air France KLM Flying Blue 100% transfer bonus ends April 24. That's effectively doubling your Choice points into Flying Blue miles, which can be used for short-haul European awards and some genuinely competitive transatlantic redemptions. If you have Choice points sitting idle, this is a compelling way to put them to work.

Also on the radar: the Chase to Air Canada Aeroplan 20% bonus and the Chase to IHG 70% bonus both end April 30. The IHG bonus in particular is worth a serious look - 70% extra on a Chase transfer is a rare and substantial uplift for hotel stays. And if you're not sure which Chase cards you hold, check out our Chase credit cards page for a full overview.

For the full list of what's live and what's ending, the Transfer Bonuses page has everything in one place.

Not a cash traveler? Friday Flight Deals is tracking the best cash fares this week if you'd rather save your points for a bigger redemption down the road.

The answer is B - JAL (Japan Airlines). Capital One Miles currently transfer to JAL Mileage Bank with a 30% bonus, ending April 30, 2026. JAL is a fantastic transfer partner for business and first class redemptions to Japan and across Asia, and that 30% bonus makes the math even better right now. Check out our JAL Mileage Bank coverage for more on using these miles well.

Paid seat assignments are spreading fast - Southwest, Delta, United, American. Do you pay extra for your seat, or do you stick with whatever you're assigned? Hit reply and tell me your approach - I read every response and the answers on this one are always interesting!

That's it for today - see you tomorrow with more. Safe travels and keep those points working.

Points sitting in your account? These are the redemptions worth looking at this week, tracked by Award Travel Finder:

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

See all status matches →

Browse 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.

Airline programs:

Hotel programs:

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

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

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

3. American Express Gold Card: 100,000 points after spending $6,000 in 6 months ($325/yr)

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

Friday Flight Deals finds the best flight deals when paying cash beats using points.

Browse all deals at FridayFlightDeals.com →