Category: Credit Cards

  1. The American Express Hilton cards have increased sign-up bonuses, though the increased bonuses don’t make up for recent devaluations:

    – Honors: 100,000 points after $2,000 spend in six months
    – Surpass: 155,000 points after $3,000 spend in six months
    – Aspire: 175,000 points after $6,000 spend in six months
    – Business: 175,000 points after $8,000 spend in six months

    These are available via referrals, use another player or another churner’s referral. Don’t apply head-on, make a churner’s day.
  2. It’s October transfer bonus time:

    – American Express 20% to AirFrance/KLM FlyingBlue through October 31
    – American Express 30% to Marriott Bonvoy through November 30
    – Chase 30% to British Airways, Aer Lingus, and Iberia Avios through October 31
    – Chase 80% to IHG through October 31
    – United 30% incoming transfer bonus from hotels, registration required, through October 31 (Marriott becomes 60,000:35,000)

    Even with the transfer bonuses IHG is an awful value, and Marriott Bonvoy is of dubious value, though it does offer a roundabout way to convert Membership Rewards to United MileagePlus which after the two bonuses will shake out to 1,000:758 (let’s call this a 6-7).

  3. Royal Jordanian is selling a 12 month long membership to oneworld airline lounges status match to oneworld Sapphire (Gold Sparrow) for $149. You can match with status from most non-oneworld airlines. Oneworld Sapphire gets access to AA and Alaska lounges when flying domestically, including AA Flagship lounges.

    The IATA code for Royal Jordanian is RJ (fixed, thanks to Kevin), which believe me will be helpful to know if you’re trying to use this for US domestic lounge access.
  4. Meijer MPerks has a clipable coupon for $10 off of $150+ in Mastercards through Tuesday.

    Meijer sells both Sunrise and Pathward / BlackHawk Network gift cards.
  5. The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s Pay Yourself Back categories for Q4 are grocery, gas, department stores, and annual fees for 1.25 cents per point. The “select charities” option at 1.5 cents per point is still around too.
  6. American Express Offers has lots of new offers:

    – Viator $30 statement credit with $300+ through October 31
    – Best Western $50 statement credit with $250+ through December 31
    – Marriott Brands (various): $200-$300 off of $500-$750+ through December 31

    Most things bookable on airbnb experiences are also bookable on Viator, so you may find organic opportunity on that one.
  7. The Barclays Lufthansa Miles&More Mastercard has an all time high tiered sign-up bonus of 50,000+20,000 miles after $3,000 spend in 90 days and $12,000 spend in the first year, respectively.

    There is a Swiss First niche where this card can make sense if you’re good at ignoring opportunity cost. Apropos of nothing, where are my FNBO JAL groupies at? (Thanks to pizza42bob)

Happy Thursday!

The Membership Rewards United backdoor, as a mug.

  1. The Citi AA Business card has an increased sign-up bonus of 75,000 AAdvantage miles after $5,000 spend in five months, and the $99 annual fee is waived for the first year.

    Churners not scared of cycling Citi business cards can use this card to earn earn Executive Platinum for two or more people this year.
  2. AirCanada Aeroplan has devalued US domestic United partner awards, doubling or tripling prices in some cases.
  3. Bask Bank, once useful for earning AA miles in a ZiRP economy but not in our current environment, is reducing the earning rate on money held in their AAdvantage savings account to 1.75 miles per dollar held annually.

    With high-yield interest rates savings accounts paying ~ 4.35%, you’re effectively paying ~2.5 cents per AA mile under the new regime. In other words, it’s probably time to get out if you’ve got money there.
  4. MasterCardGiftCard.com has a bonus $10 gift card with purchases of $200+ through October 14 with promo code BONUS10. Notes:

    – First party American Express cards won’t earn points
    – Order limits are $10,000 per rolling 24 hours
    – These cards can be added to ApplePay

    These are Incomm cards.
  5. Costco via Groupon has an offer for new executive memberships that includes a promo code for $100 off of $200+ at costco.com. These accounts can be useful for manufactured spenders for lots of reasons.

    Gamers occasionally find ways around the one-membership per household rule. If you’re one of those gamers, you might as well take another $100 voucher.

Happy Wednesday!

More Costco hacks.

  1. The Citi Shop Your Way Rewards Mastercard, the only card to receive the MEAB Unsung Hero medal of honor, is being converted to a Citi Mastercard for existing card holders on November 3. Citi being Citi hasn’t specified which Citi Mastercard though, just that additional information will be provided in the future.

    Citi does say that targeted spend offers will continue, but color me slightly skeptical. 🪦
  2. Today’s the last day of the quarter, so make sure you’ve completed:

    – Quarterly Hilton credits [ideas] (AmEx Business Platinum and various Hilton cards)
    – Quarterly Resy credits [ideas] (Various AmEx)
    – Quarterly 5x spend on 5x cards [ideas] (Freedom, Dividend, DiscoverIT, Cash+)
    – Quarterly airline credits (Hilton Aspire)
    – Quarterly Lululemon credits (Amex Platinum)
    – Monthly cell phone credits (AmEx Business Platinum)

    Unfortunately for us this list is non-exhaustive.
  3. Southwest has a fare sale for travel booked by Thursday and flights at least 21 days in the future. There are of course lots of blackout days around the winter holidays. Discount fares apply to both paid and award tickets.

    And once again, the downside is that you’re flying Southwest, and not only that, you’re flying the new Southwest.

Happy Tuesday!

Reader data points suggest Hilton credits work at Hilton bars (pictured).

  1. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card, the pop-tart costume version of a credit card, has a heightened, in-branch only offer For Wells Fargo Premier clients of 100,000 points after $4,000 spend in ninety days. The card earns 5x transferrable points at hotels and “hotels”.

    Wells Fargo Premier technically requires $250,000 held at Wells Fargo in either a bank or a brokerage account, but paying $35 a month (obviously for only one month before you downgrade) gets you the status too.
  2. The American Express Business Platinum has a new link for employee cards with a bonus of 15,000 Membership Rewards after $4,000 spend in six months, up to five per primary account.

    The fozzie wocka wocka is alive and well too.
  3. Office Depot / OfficeMax stores have $15 off of $300+ in Visa gift cards through Saturday. Last week’s Mastercard offer was spotty, working only on some days and only in some stores, so I’d exercise caution with this week’s offer. For best results:

    – Buy in even multiples of $300
    – Try for back-to-back transactions

    These are Pathward / BlackHawk Network gift cards.
  4. Publix stores have a digital coupon for $10 off of $25 worth of groceries with a $100 Visa gift card through Saturday. Is the juice worth the squeeze on this one? I guess depends on the type of juice.

    These are Pathward / BlackHawk Network gift cards.

Happy Monday!

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey mascot costume, new for Halloween 2025.

  1. Do this now: Register for Wyndham’s promotion for 7,500 bonus points on two night or longer stays through January 20, 2026, max 30,000 bonus points.
  2. Meijer stores have $10 off of $150+ in Visa gift cards through Tuesday, digital coupon clip required. These are usually re-clippable after each transaction.

    These are Pathward / BlackHawk Network gift cards.
  3. The AmaZing Business Visa card issued by California Bank & Trust, Vectra Bank of Colorado, Zions bank of Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming, and Nevada State Bank has an increased sign-up bonus of $1,000 of 100,000 points after $5,000 spend. A few things to know:

    – The points aren’t special, they’re effectively penny points
    – The approval and application for these cards is extremely manual
    – There’s been (limited) success in the past for getting both cards

    None of these cards have annual fees and none of them report to your personal credit report, so they’re 5/24 friendly. Also, random side note, doesn’t “Zing” mean gotcha?

  4. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, known for it’s boundless ability to leave you #bonvoyed, has a heightened sign-up bonus for:

    – 125,000 Bonvoy points
    – 50,000 point free night certificate
    – Free drinking fountain access at participating Marriott hotels

    The bonus requires $3,000 spend in three months, and if you wait a couple of days will probably be available via referrals too. (Thanks to DDG)
  5. American Express offers has offers for:

    – $60 off of $300+ at Alaska Airlines through December 30
    – $200 off of $1,000+ at Waldorf Astoria, LXR, Nomad & Signia through December 31
    – $150 off $750+ at AKA Hotels through March 15, 2026

    Gamers gonna game.

The (Ama)ZingBot 4000 application approval “robot”.

Everything went wacky (whacky?) for Wednesday, but in a good way. Let’s dive in!

  1. Capital One added three new transfer partners:

    – Japan Airlines Mileagebank: 4:3 ratio normally, 30% bonus through October 22
    – Qatar Airlines Privilege Club Avios: 1:1 ratio
    – I Prefer Hotel Rewards: 1:2 ratio

    JAL’s Mileagebank is a quirky program and there’s plenty of value for those with completely flexible schedules, Qatar is a nothingburger, and I Prefer points are a good value for high end properties assuming you can find bookable ones.
  2. Southwest is launching a debit card issued by Sunrise bank, and FM sleuthing found the following:

    – 2,500 point sign-up bonus after $100 spend in 90 days
    – 1x on dining, Southwest, and “subscriptions”
    – 0.5x elsewhere

    Sunrise’s other debits don’t typically earn points on PIN transactions, so likely this won’t either. That doesn’t mean there isn’t value here though, always be probing. (Thanks to David and FM)
  3. AirFrance / KLM’s FlyingBlue has a promotion for 10,000 bonus miles on paid economy flights originating in the US and connecting through Amsterdam or Paris, but only for US residents.

    If this doesn’t tell you about the state of international economy travel bookings for airlines, I don’t know what will; I can’t remember the last time a promotion like this targeted US passengers on economy bookings.
  4. Bank of America Spirit Visa credit card holders now get two free checked bags on flights booked directly with Spirit, but whether Spirit goes Chapter 7 liquidation or your flight happens first is a coin-toss.
  5. Breeze has a promotion for 35% off of base round-trip fares using promo code NATURE for bookings by Friday and travel between October 7 and February 3, 2026.

    I don’t think this airline is going out of business anytime soon, especially given their new Pasco, WA to Provo UT route (PSC-PVU). I mean, how could you lose with that one?
  6. The Park Hyatt Tokyo, an aspirational and (formerly?) tired cult-famous hotel, has seemingly completed its remodel and is now bookable for stays in December and later after an 18 month remodel. (Thanks to changmander)

Happy Wednesday!

Pictured: Diving into wacky (whacky?)

  1. The US Bank Triple Cash Rewards and Leverage business cards have heightened sign-up bonuses:

    – Triple Cash Rewards: $750 after $6,000 spend in 180 days, $0 annual fee (Thanks to Jason for the 180 day correction)
    – Leverage: $750 after $7,500 spend in 120 days, $95 annual fee

    Mini FAQ: Churnable? Yes. Both? Yes. Multiple? Yes. ASL? Ok boomer.
  2. There are now multiple confirmed private and public data points that the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts credit refresh on September 18 is a new $300 second half of the year credit whether or not the earlier $200 annual credit was redeemed. So, either way you’ve got a fresh $300 in Fine Hotels and Resorts coupons credits.
  3. Citi ThankYou Points has two transfer bonuses:

    – Avianca Lifemiles: 25% through October 18
    – Virgin Atlantic: 30% through October 18
    – Turkish Miles&Smiles: 50% through October 18

    Make sure with both Lifemiles and Miles&Smiles that space is actually available before booking, both have issues with phantom award space or missing partner award space.
  4. American Express has a somewhat widely targeted bonus for 70,000 Membership Rewards or $700 credit. Requirements:

    – Deposit $15,000 in 30 days
    – Keep an average balance ≥ $15,000 for the next 60 days
    – Make five transactions (five $1 ACHs will do fine)

    Links: 70,000 Membership Rewards, alternate 70,000 Membership Rewards, $700 credit. (Thanks to DDG for the most recent link)

Happy Tuesday!

The secret code to booking Miles&Smiles phantom space: B, R.5, Z

  1. Celtic Bank’s Mesa Visa card has a heightened sign-up bonus for 50,000 bonus points after $12,000 spend with promo code SEPT50, no referral shenanigans required.

    Churners like the card for earning points on mortgage payments and sometimes “mortgage” payments, and for transfer partners like SAS EuroBonus and Air Canada Aeroplan.
  2. The Chase Aeroplan Visa has a heightened, tiered sign-up bonus:

    – 75,000 points after $4,000 spend in three months
    – 25,000 points after $20,000 spend in 12 months

    I did the math so you don’t have to, 75,000+25,000 = 100,000. You’re welcome.
  3. The Rove Miles shopping and travel booking portal has two transfer bonuses:

    – 20% to AirFrance / KLM FlyingBlue through December 31
    – 20% To Finnair Avios through October 22

    Rove often has good mileage earning through their shopping portal, but points also take 30-90 days to post so earning to use a transfer bonus like these can be challenging, that is unless you started earning 30-90 days ago.
  4. Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, and other Just4U stores have 10x points on Zift cards through Saturday.

    Some of these can be converted to Amazon or Home Depot gift cards.
  5. Office Depot / OfficeMax stores have $15 off of $300+ in Mastercard gift cards through Saturday.

    These are Pathward / Black Hawk Network gift cards.

Happy Monday!

Flexing math skills even further.