đ TRENDING TRAVEL NEWS đ
⢠Interesting: Check out some of the coolest places to visit in each state.
⢠Exciting: Aeromexico has some new routes coming this summer!
⢠Cruisers: Would you go on a cruise for a whole year? Turns out, you can.
⢠Flash Sale: American Airlines is already running some deals for all of you Spring Breakers.
Good morning from my cozy Singapore Airlines business-class seat!
Iâm on my way to kick off a trip that Iâm VERRRRRY excited about, but Iâve also got some good old-fashioned travel deals for you today, so letâs get to it:
âď¸ 100% transfer bonus (one day only)
Itâs been pretty dry out there in the points and miles world for the last week⌠so I was relieved when Bilt Rewards dropped the deets for their next Rent Day Promotion for February 1st.
Theyâre going back to their roots and giving us another 100% transfer bonus to a program with plenty of sweet spots: Avianca LifeMiles.
Here is how it works:
On February 1st, you can transfer Bilt points to Avianca with varying bonuses based on your level of elite status with Bilt.
As always, even members with no status who just have a free Bilt account can still get a bonus.
Status Level | Transfer Ratio to Avianca |
---|---|
No Status | 20% |
Silver Status | 40% |
Gold Status | 50% |
Platinum Status | 100% |
Overall, this is not the most exciting Rent Day weâve ever seen⌠but hey - Iâll take it.
Just last week, I told you about how you can book Lufthansa first-class with Avianca miles.
With this transfer bonus, top-tier elites could book this first-class flight for just 60,000 Bilt points. đ
But there are even better sweet spots, in my opinion.
For example, Avianca allows you to fly from the U.S. to the U.K. in business class for just 45,000 miles.
Even with the lowest transfer bonus of 20%, youâd only need to shell out 37,500 Bilt Points for a business-class flight to Europe, which is already freaking AWESOME.
So hereâs the bottom line:
Opportunities like this are why you should have a stash of Bilt points (which you can earn just from paying your rent with a free Bilt account).
You might go a few months without using them, but when these transfer bonuses pop up, youâll be happy to have them.
As a reminder, this transfer bonus is good for ONE DAY ONLY on February 1st.
đ¨ Earn double hotel elite nights
IHG might just be my favorite hotel programâŚ
Between my strategy for using their 4th-night free perk, the ubiquity of their hotels, and the number of promos they drop, they set the bar really high.
Speaking of that last pointâŚ
IHG is now offering double elite night credits for the next few months, which can be super valuable.
Here are the deets:
The offer is targeted, but it seems like basically everybody has it
You must register on this page
Valid for paid stays between January 27th and April 22
Maximum of 10 bonus nights allowed
Overall, this is great. I love IHGâs promos because theyâre super simple but still valuable.
They have another promotion right now to earn double points on all stays, which pairs really nicely with this new one.
If you maximize this double nights promotion, youâll earn 20 elite nights for the year and already unlock IHGâs first milestone reward.
This means youâd be able to choose a nice reward like a suite upgrade, bonus points, or food and beverage awards.
I just finished a 4-night stay at a Holiday Inn in Jakarta and have more than 10 nights booked at IHG hotels over the next month (though some of those are award nights, which donât count).
đĄ Quick Tip: This co-branded IHG card currently has an elevated welcome offer. This is the perfect time to sign up, get a crap load of points, and use the card for your upcoming IHG stays.
Iâd definitely consider canceling some other hotels and booking IHG instead to take advantage of these.
Anyway, IHG has so many budget brands that these promos are the perfect way to save money, earn extra points, and maximize the value of your hard-earned dollars.
đ Where in the World Wednesday: Athens, Greece
Right about now (and for several more months), many of us in North America start craving some warmthâŚ
I have an idea⌠How about going to Athens, Greece?!
Ah, the land of philosophy, gyros, and just one of the worldâs oldest cities.
It takes a bit of a stretch to get to if youâre coming from North America, but hey, if youâre using points, the trek to get there hurts a little less.
I used Daily Drop Pro, our all-in-one, points-searching tool to look up some routes and get all the deets on the points youâd need. Iâm seeing availability for this option across the next several months into June đ
22,500 points to get across the Atlantic is a pretty good deal, but just know that the cash cost can vary WILDLY, so you always want to double-check your travel dates to ensure youâre getting a decent point value if you go with this routeâŚ
We also send out GREAT cash deals on flights, btw đ¤
American Airlines miles arenât the most accessible to earn since they lack a solid list of transfer partners, but if youâve got a stash of them or have one of the airlineâs own co-branded cards, itâs a no-brainer.
Buttttt what about accommodations in Athens? Oh yeah, Daily Drop Pro has an option for that, too đ
How about this Grand Hyatt in the heart of Athens for just 11,000 points per nightâequipped with a roof-top pool and view of the Acropolis đ
All this to say, you can craft an entire trip out of miles and points and save yourself hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars in the process đ
Iâve really enjoyed using Daily Drop Pro to be my sidekick in finding great deals for flights AND accommodations⌠and itâs only going to continue to get better!
If you havenât yet, check out Daily Drop Pro.
Thatâs all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed todayâs newsletter - Itâs always nice to have a balance of airline content, hotel deals, and travel inspo.
Take care, and see you bright and early tomorrow. đ