Busy week. Between a painful Flying Blue devaluation, a Chase Ink bonus that broke records, and a lounge policy shift that quietly changes how Priority Pass works - there was a lot to track.
| 🔥 The One Thing To Act On This Week | |
The Chase Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Cash are sitting at $1,000 welcome bonuses - the highest either card has publicly offered. If you or your business partner have been waiting for the right moment, this is it.
Same post covers JetBlue's 120% buy bonus (points dropping to 1.47 cents), Hyatt Vivid Cancun going live for redemptions, and Rakuten's best-ever $50 referral offer. A lot of action value packed into one read.
| 🏆 The Story of the Week | |
Flying Blue Quietly Killed the Deal That Made It Worth Holding
For years, Flying Blue's 60,000-mile business class sweet spot was the reason serious award travelers kept the program in their toolkit. This week, the new tiered pricing landed - and that deal took the biggest hit of anything in the chart.
The same post has two time-sensitive offsets worth knowing: Avianca LifeMiles at a 145% bonus (one of the better buy-points rates you'll see this year) and a Starlux first class availability window that's genuinely worth a look if premium Asia redemptions are on your radar.
The bigger picture: Flying Blue has now moved meaningfully away from the fixed-rate simplicity that made it a go-to program. If you've been accumulating for a specific route, it's worth checking your numbers before you assume the math still works.
| 📌 Also Worth Your Time | |
The Chase-Hyatt Transfer Trap Has a Deadline
The 1:1 Chase-to-Hyatt transfer ratio isn't permanent - and Wednesday's post has the expiration date you need to know before you move points. The same edition covers American Airlines reversing its seatback screen decision (yes, really) and an Avios 30% bonus live across three programs right now.
Amex Just Added a Luxury Hotel Partner Worth Knowing
Leading Hotels of the World joined the Amex ecosystem this week - a real addition for anyone who books independent luxury properties that sit outside the usual Marriott/Hyatt/Hilton grid. There's also a 30% Amex bonus expiring September 27 and IHG buy points at half a cent if you need to top off an account.
Chase Sapphire Lounges Are Locking Out Priority Pass - Here's What Changed
If you've been using a non-Chase Priority Pass card to access Chase Sapphire Lounges, that's over. Monday's post breaks down exactly what the policy shift means and which cardholders it affects - worth a two-minute read before your next airport visit.
See you Monday.
- Jack
