The new FAA funding laws focus on air traffic control funding, passenger compensation rules, and airplane seats regulations, possibly leading to new seat size rules. Read more about these potential changes here.
Good morning and happy Friday, beautiful people. I dunno about you all, but I’m sure ready for the weekend! But before we do that, I have one word for today: hotels.
Let’s get started:
⚡️ [Targeted] offer to save $$$ on Hilton stays
We’ve talked about merchant offers before, so if you’d like a little refresher, feel free to jump over to this newsletter.
But right now, this bank has a cool little offer floating around that could save you a chunk of change when staying at a Hilton property.
More specifically, if you spend $1,000 at select Hilton All-Inclusive Resorts and Vacation Hotels, you’ll get $200 back 👇
It looks like this applies to properties in both the Caribbean and Latin America (yay) with bookable dates from now until September 30, 2024.
You can view the list of participating properties and locations here.
I personally saw this offer on my premium card, but when Hilton is involved in an offer like this, you can usually see these deals pop up on any of their co-branded cards.
And it’s an even better little boost if you do see it on one of the hotel’s co-branded cards because of those extra earning rates 😏
For example, this card will get you 14x points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases, while both this one and this one earn 12x.
Hilton’s lowest-tiered card even earns 7x on Hilton stays (and it’s got a pretty great welcome offer right now, btw).
In general, these offers are sneaky, as there are no alerts if you’ve received one…
So if you hold any of the aforementioned cards, I’d go check your account to see if you’ve received this special deal!
🏨 Earn 25x (or more) points on vacation rentals
This one is exciting…
For the next NINE months, you can earn up to 35x points per dollar (or more) for stays at Marriott Homes & Villas.
Let’s begin by explaining what Marriott Homes & Villas is…
It’s basically Airbnb, but booked through Marriott. You’ll earn Marriott elite night credits, Marriott points, elite bonuses, etc.
Normally, you earn 5x points per dollar on these stays, plus tiered bonuses if you have elite status.
With this promotion, you’ll earn a total of 25x points per dollar, plus elite bonuses, which are calculated based on the original 5x base earning rate.
So here are the earning rates for each tier of elite status (including the promo):
Silver: 25.5x points
Gold: 26.25x points
Platinum: 27.5x points
Titanium: 28.75x points
Ambassador: Who cares? Nobody has this (but it’s the same as Titanium)
If you have a credit card like this one, you’ll earn another 6x points from this purchase as well.
So personally, as a Titanium elite, I could be earning 35x points per dollar… which, for Marriott, is about as good as we’ve ever seen.
Sometimes, these properties can be excellent ways to save a lot of money while still earning valuable points and elite nights.
This property in Athens, Greece, for example, only costs €65 per night.
For a 5-night stay, you’ll pay a grand total of $407, which is not bad for a major European city like Athens.
However, the added value of five Marriott elite nights and around 15,000 points is not too shabby at all.
Those 15,000 points could be used to book an entire additional night somewhere else in Europe, like this property in Sarajevo.
Of course, there are a few terms to be aware of, though nothing bad at all:
You must register for the promotion before booking your stay
You must book your stay by June 26th
Valid for travel through March 31st, 2025 (wow)
A minimum of five nights are required to get the bonus points
The last point is the most important one to be aware of. ☝️
However, unlike previous promotions, there is no minimum spending requirement, which is fantastic.
So here’s the bottom line:
If you like accommodations like Airbnb but want your dollars to contribute to your points portfolio and future elite status, this is a fantastic opportunity to do both.
Current Transfer Bonuses
30% bonus from UR Points to Virgin Atlantic (ends June 15th)
40% bonus from UR Points to Marriott Bonvoy (ends June 15th)
50% bonus from ThankYou Points to Turkish Airlines (ends June 15th)
15% bonus from MR Points to Avianca LifeMiles (ends June 30th)
PLUS, there are 19 cards with elevated offers right now!
We love a good travel win! And if you’d like to share your own, we’ve got the perfect place to do so—in our Daily Drop Lounge. Check this one out 👇
That’s gonna finish off the week folks!
I hope you’re able to take advantage of one (or both) of these excellent promos and get some good travel deals ahead of the summer season.
But whether you’re traveling around or just relaxing at home, I hope you have a lovely weekend. ❤️