Happy Black Friday! Today's lineup includes the final chapter of an airline that couldn't stop reinventing itself, a jaw-dropping Delta award space bonanza to Asia, and one of the most egregious hotel fee schemes we've ever documented. Let's dive in.

An internal email confirms what many saw coming: New Pacific Airlines has shut down for good. The carrier—formerly known as Northern Pacific—spent years chasing an impossible dream of connecting Asia to North America through Anchorage. When that didn't work, they rebranded, launched short-lived domestic service, and watched affiliated Ravn Alaska collapse around them.

The shutdown came through a note from CEO Thomas Hsieh announcing the immediate cessation of operations. For an airline that seemed to announce a new strategy every few months, this final pivot—into non-existence—was perhaps the most predictable move of all. Anyone with tickets booked (unlikely, given their minimal schedule) should contact their credit card company immediately for a chargeback.

While some airlines are shutting down, Delta is opening up something remarkable: their returning Los Angeles to Hong Kong route is showing more than nine Delta One business class award seats on nearly every flight this summer. The pricing starts at just 93,500 SkyMiles one-way for Amex cardholders using the 15% discount—one of the best opportunities we've seen in years for redeeming SkyMiles to Asia.

This level of award availability is almost unheard of for premium cabin transpacific flights. Delta typically releases a seat or two at a time, but the Hong Kong route is showing consistent wide-open inventory. If you've been stockpiling SkyMiles wondering what to do with them, this is your answer. The route launches in the coming months, and you can check availability now through Delta's website or partner sites. For more strategies on maximizing Delta award bookings, we've covered dozens of sweet spots.

Speaking of things that shouldn't exist, a Chicago hotel has achieved a new low in fee padding. The property is advertising rooms as cheap as $15 per night through consolidators, then slapping on a $125 nightly resort fee—making it the most extreme example of deceptive pricing documented in recent memory.

The charges are buried in fine print, inconsistently disclosed across booking platforms, and even appear to shift in how they're calculated when supposedly waived. This is precisely why you should always book hotels directly or through programs where you have elite status—and why understanding hotel fees can save you from nasty surprises at checkout. The practice raises serious questions about consumer protection regulations and whether these schemes actually comply with existing disclosure laws.

Emirates announced its newest aircraft will debut in the Americas starting February 1, 2026, with daily Airbus A350-900 service between Dubai and Montreal. The flight will operate as EK243 departing Dubai at 2:45 AM and arriving Montreal at 9:20 AM, with the return EK244 leaving at 11:45 AM.

This represents Emirates' first A350 deployment to North America and signals the carrier's confidence in the Montreal market. The A350 features Emirates' latest cabin products, though specific configuration details for their version haven't been fully disclosed yet. For those tracking Emirates routes and fleet updates, this marks a significant expansion of their newest aircraft type beyond Middle Eastern and Asian destinations.

Hotel opening delays are common, but the Park Hyatt Los Cabos might be setting new records for mismanagement. The highly anticipated property has repeatedly pushed back its opening date, leaving guests with confirmed reservations in limbo and minimal communication about their bookings.

The property started accepting reservations based on what appears to have been an overly optimistic timeline—a chronic problem in the hotel industry where properties announce openings before construction is anywhere near complete. For anyone with upcoming reservations at properties that haven't opened yet, this serves as a reminder to have backup plans and monitor your bookings closely. The good news? When these delayed luxury properties finally do open, early visitors sometimes benefit from extra attention as the hotel works out operational kinks. Check our Hyatt coverage for updates on the eventual opening.

Rakuten just expanded beyond cash back and Amex Membership Rewards, adding Bilt Rewards as a redemption option for online shopping. This creates an interesting new pathway for earning Bilt points beyond rent payments, though the value proposition requires some math.

Here's the key question: Is earning Bilt points through Rakuten better than taking cash back or Membership Rewards? For most people, Membership Rewards transferred to airline partners will deliver better value—but if you're specifically building Bilt points for a Hyatt transfer (which comes with a transfer bonus), this could make sense. The Rakuten portal typically offers 1-10% back depending on the retailer, and those earnings can now flow directly into your Bilt account. Just remember that Bilt points are generally valued lower than Membership Rewards, so run the numbers before committing to this earning strategy.

The Capital One Venture X Business just launched what might be the biggest welcome offer ever seen on a business credit card: earn 200,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 in the first three months, plus another 200,000 bonus miles after spending a total of $150,000 in the first six months. That's 400,000 miles total for those who can hit the spending threshold.

The $150,000 spend requirement is substantial, but for businesses already putting that volume through cards, this represents roughly $8,000+ in travel value when Capital One miles are redeemed strategically. The card also comes with Premium Collection benefits, airport lounge access, and Capital One transfer partners including Turkish Airlines, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and more. If your business has the spend, this is a limited-time opportunity that won't last forever.

Black Friday isn't just for electronics—travel deals are everywhere today. Rove Miles is running its first-ever Black Friday promotion with bonus miles on hotels and everyday purchases. Meanwhile, the Prime Visa is offering a $250 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval—perfect timing if you're planning to take advantage of Amazon's biggest deals of the year.

And don't forget: your Amex Platinum's $50 Saks Fifth Avenue credit resets in December. With Saks running Black Friday sales, now's the time to use up that second-half credit before it expires. Items on sale include designer accessories, beauty products, and clothing—eight specific sale items are highlighted in today's coverage. This is one of several statement credits that help offset the Platinum's $895 annual fee, so leaving money on the table here means you're not maximizing the card's value.

Today's stories highlight the extremes of travel: airlines shutting down while others flood the market with unprecedented award availability, hotels reaching new lows in fee schemes while luxury properties struggle to open their doors. The Delta Hong Kong opportunity alone makes today's newsletter worth your time—93,500 miles for business class to Asia with nine seats available per flight is the kind of sweet spot that disappears once the masses discover it.

Whether you're booking that Delta flight, capitalizing on Black Friday deals, or simply planning your 2026 travel strategy, remember that the best opportunities often come from staying informed and acting quickly. That's exactly what we're here for.

Safe travels,

Miles & Points Daily

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: