Points Capital

Two programs we lean on moved the goalposts this week: Southwest is rebuilding Rapid Rewards for 2027, and Amex is turning the Platinum card’s $600 hotel credit into a two-night-minimum “lodging credit” on January 1. Here’s the week, starting with the deals you can still book.

Deals still live

• Frontier 150% bonus on purchased miles: about 1.08 cents per mile at the top tier. Ends today, October 23.
• Citi ThankYou to Avianca LifeMiles 25% bonus: extra LifeMiles on transfers. Ends October 24.
• Singapore Airlines 30% off November awards: West Coast to Singapore in economy from 30,800 KrisFlyer miles one way. Ticket by October 31.
• October Avios transfer bonuses: Capital One pays 20% to British Airways and Citi up to 35% to Qatar Airways, and the Avios can move on to Iberia. October 31, though check your Capital One account, since one report put that end date earlier.
• I Prefer double points: 2X base points on two-night-plus stays at Preferred Hotels through year-end. Register and book by October 31.
• Marriott Bonvoy fall promotion: 1,500 bonus points on paid stays of two nights or more, plus 3,000 at participating resorts. Register by November 13.
• Rove to JetBlue TrueBlue 20% bonus: Rove Miles now transfer 1:1 to TrueBlue, with a launch bonus. Through November 14.
• Capital One 30% bonus to Virgin Red / Virgin Atlantic: miles land at 1:1.3, best for a specific award. Through November 20.
• Hilton Honors 120% points sale: a record bonus, about 0.45 cents per point on 5,000 or more. Through November 21.
• World of Hyatt fall promotion: 3,000 bonus points per three nights, award nights included, up to 36,000. Register first; stays through December 15.
• IHG One Rewards Up to 3X Points: 2X direct or 3X in the app from your second paid stay, no cap. Register and stay by December 31.
• Hilton Honors More Points to Play: 1,000 bonus points per stay, 3,000 at select luxury and resort hotels. Register before your first stay; check out by December 31.

Airlines

Southwest Overhauls Rapid Rewards for 2027: A-List becomes Silver, Gold and a new Platinum tier on January 1, and the Companion Pass gets tied to elite activity. United Drops Flight Segments From Premier Status: from 2027, PQPs alone decide status and 1K rises to 32,000. United Brings “Base” Fares to Domestic First: what the cheapest tier strips out. American Now Lets You Pay With Cash and Miles: miles can lower a domestic paid fare. Delta One Gets a Major Overhaul: new catering and kits now, an A350-1000 suite in 2027.

Hotels

Amex Platinum’s $600 Hotel Credit Becomes a “Lodging Credit”: a two-night minimum at Fine Hotels + Resorts from January 1, 2027, with Airbnb Luxe and a $250 Experiences credit as consolation. Marriott Is Testing an Airline-Style Upgrade List: some elites can see their place in line before arrival, with 250+ hotels planned by early November. Hyatt Now Lets You Transfer Points Online: easier than the old form, but with new annual caps.

Best Travel Credit Cards

Amex No Longer Auto-Pools Membership Rewards: each new card gets its own rewards account, so link them before you close anything. The Chase Trifecta Explained: a Sapphire card plus the two no-fee Freedom cards, updated for 2026. Military Annual Fee Waivers on Premium Cards: which issuers confirm $0 fees for active-duty servicemembers.

Car Rentals

Enterprise Plus Your Points Returns Oct. 28: double base points through February 28, 2027, but rentals before you register don’t count. Hertz Turns Rent2Buy Into TestDrive+: three-day test drives at 300+ locations. National Ranks No. 2 in J.D. Power’s 2026 Study: picking your own car is a big reason.

Travel Health

Andrew Huberman’s “Protocols”: the book’s routines, adapted for red-eyes and hotels. Coffee and Cocktails at 35,000 Feet: timing caffeine and alcohol on travel days. Dr. Rhonda Patrick on Sauna: what the Finnish studies show about hotel sauna use. Air Pollution and Broccoli Sprouts: sulforaphane for smoggy-city trips.

Travel Tech

VPNs for Travel: which “no-logs” claims have been independently checked, and where VPNs are restricted. Shred Your Boarding Pass: the barcode holds enough to change your booking. Apple’s iPhone Duo Is eSIM-Only Worldwide: on sale today with no SIM tray anywhere.

Destinations

Christmas market guides for Chicago, New York City, Milwaukee and Vienna. Chicago at the Holidays on Points: Christkindlmarket, the Mag Mile lights and ZooLights all open the weekend of November 20. New Year’s guides for Dubai, Vienna and Los Angeles. Points and airport guides for Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Honolulu, Miami, El Salvador and Milwaukee, plus Black Friday in our destination cities.

Next week

Enterprise’s Plus Your Points promotion opens October 28, and October 31 is the last day for the Singapore Airlines award sale, I Prefer registration and both Avios transfer bonuses.

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