Southwest is breaking tradition, Royal Jordanian just opened a golden door for lounge access, and British Airways has a surprise up its sleeve. Let's dive into today's most impactful developments.
🏨 Southwest's First-Ever Lounges Coming to Dallas
In a stunning departure from its no-frills roots, Southwest Airlines is planning to add multiple lounges at Dallas Love Field as part of a $1 billion transformation. This marks the first time in Southwest's history they'll offer dedicated premium spaces.
✈️ Flagship Lounge Access Hack: $149 for a Full Year
A little-known Royal Jordanian status match is now open to U.S. residents, offering American Airlines Flagship Lounge access for just $149/year. This works even when flying domestic economy - an unprecedented opportunity to access American's most exclusive spaces.
🌍 British Airways Announces Surprising New Route
Starting April 2026, British Airways will launch nonstop flights between London Heathrow and St. Louis. This becomes just the second transatlantic route from STL, following Lufthansa's earlier entry.
💰 Flying Blue Slashes Award Prices
October's Flying Blue Promo Rewards are here, offering flights to Europe from just 18,750 miles. This timing perfectly aligns with a new 20% Amex transfer bonus to Flying Blue, making this an exceptional sweet spot.
🔄 Chase's Triple Transfer Bonus
Chase Ultimate Rewards is offering a 30% bonus when transferring to British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus through October 31st. This effectively reduces award prices across all three airlines.
⭐ SAS Brings Back Business Class
Effective immediately, SAS is reintroducing proper business class on intra-Europe flights, replacing their SAS Plus product. This marks a significant upgrade for regional European travel.
💳 Today's Best Points & Miles Opportunities
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.
✈️ Current Transfer Bonuses
Active transfer bonuses worth considering:
Rove Miles → Air France KLM Flying Blue: +20% bonus
Rove Miles → Finnair Plus+: +20% bonus
Capital One Miles → JAL: Japan Airlines) Mileage Bank (+30% bonus
💰 Buy Points & Miles Promotions
Airline programs:
JetBlue TrueBlue: 130% bonus at 1.4¢ (expires October 28, 2025)
Copa Airlines ConnectMiles: 80% bonus at 1.67¢ (expires October 03, 2025)
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 70% bonus at 1.48¢ (expires October 12, 2025)
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards: 50% discount at 1.5¢ (expires October 02, 2025)
American Airlines AAdvantage®: 35% discount at 2.45¢ (expires October 11, 2025)
Hotel programs:
Wyndham Rewards: 90% discount at 0.68¢ (expires October 21, 2025)
World of Hyatt: 20% discount at 2.08¢ (expires October 06, 2025)