Fly around the U.S. for less than 6k points

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✈️ The late 1950s was known as the "golden age" of air travel with the advent of passenger jets, halving flight times from New York to London, and although travel is now safer and more affordable, many miss the era's glamour. Discover five things from that time that are no longer seen on airplanes in this article.

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✈️ The late 1950s was known as the "golden age" of air travel with the advent of passenger jets, halving flight times from New York to London, and although travel is now safer and more affordable, many miss the era's glamour. Discover five things from that time that are no longer seen on airplanes in this article.

Good morning from beautiful and rainy Mbeya, Tanzania!

I’m enjoying a peaceful retreat in a cabin in the woods right now, but don’t worry, I’m still keeping up to date with all the latest and greatest travel tips for y’all, so here you go:

✈️ Fly around the U.S. for less than 6k points

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a good old-fashioned stacking opportunity.

Combining two powerful offers is one of the best ways to get outsized value for your points, miles, or money.

Right now, Avianca LifeMiles is offering two interesting deals that anybody could benefit from using.

First up is a solid 15% transfer bonus from MR Points, which is valid until the end of the month.

15% transfer bonus to Avianca LifeMiles

This is already a pretty decent way to book cheap award flights.

In case you don’t know, LifeMiles is one of the better programs out there when it comes to award prices and the single best program (price-wise) for booking Star Alliance flights.

For example, you can fly to Europe from the U.S. in business class for as few as 60,000 LifeMiles and next to no taxes and fees.

With this transfer bonus, you’d only need to shell out 52,000 MR Points, which is among the better business-class deals to Europe.

But this section is about stacking.

And that’s where deal number two comes into the mix, and it’s a weird one.

LifeMiles has recently launched a paid subscription program called LifeMiles+, which offers a series of benefits (and varying amounts of miles) for paying a monthly fee.

Benefits of LifeMiles+ subscription

The key here, however, is that ALL tiers offer a 10% rebate on award flights (even with partner airlines), including the lowest $20 tier.

If we look back to the earlier flight to Europe, you’d get 6,000 points back on the redemption for a net cost of 46,000 points/miles.

💡 To be clear, this is a rebate, not a discount. So, you still need to pay the normal award cost. But since you get your miles rebated, you can still consider this a net lower cost.

Even if you just want to book domestic travel around the U.S., LifeMiles can be fantastic.

I just found this flight from New York to Chicago on United, which is bookable for just 7,500 miles.

United flight from EWR-ORD for 7,500 LifeMiles

With the aforementioned transfer bonus and rebate, you’d pay a net 5,750 miles for this domestic flight, which is among the better deals for flying around the U.S.

So here’s the bottom line:

Avianca LifeMiles is an amazing program when it comes to booking Star Alliance flights. They have great pricing and don’t charge any ridiculous cash fees.

This deal is even better with the transfer bonus.

So make sure you search LifeMiles for your upcoming travels, whether they be in the U.S. or elsewhere!

☀️ Summer shopping portal bonuses

Now kids, we’ve all been told from the get-go that being greedy isn’t a good quality to have…

But I have to say that if you’re a true miles and points aficionado, then being greedy kinda comes with the game 😬

I often go out of my way to squeeze more points out of every good promo, bonus, or other opportunity because… points are life. 

And so with that, I wanted to highlight a few different shopping portal bonuses that I’m seeing right now in order to help you get the best bang for your buck!

Depending if you’re a loyalist to any of these particular airlines, you might find one bonus more lucrative than the others.

First up, we have Southwest offering a cool 1,000 points if you spend $100. Offer ends June 18.

Southwest shopping portal Summer Bonus page

Might I also remind you the airline’s consumer cards have some incredible elevated welcome offers right now (the highest we’ve ever seen! 👀).

Or if you go through United’s MileagePlus Shopping portal, you could earn anywhere from 500 to 1,000 bonus points. Offer ends June 16.

United's shopping portal Summer Bonus page

And next we have Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal offering up to 500 bonus miles. Offer ends June 14.

Alaska shopping portal Summer Bonus page

Lastly, American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping portal also has 500 bonus miles on the table. Offer ends June 17.

American AAdvantage Summer bonus page

Of course, no amount of points is worth spending additional money when you weren’t planning to in the first place, but if you’ve got a purchase in mind and want to go through your favorite airline’s portal, this feels like an easy way to get some extra points and miles!

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

Can you name the world’s wealthiest country?

Only Email Recipients can participate in polls.

With the word “luxe” hidden within its name, it’s no surprise that the wealthiest country is… Luxembourg!

Luxembourg takes the crown as the wealthiest country in 2024, boasting the highest GDP per capita globally.

Despite its small size and population, Luxembourg's thriving economy, driven by banking, steel, and industrial sectors, contributes to its remarkable prosperity.

Luxembourg infographic

Luxembourg's GDP per capita stands at an impressive $131,380, reflecting its robust economic foundations. Its strategic location in Europe and diverse economic sectors, including banking and steel, fuel its financial prowess.

Additionally, Luxembourg's tourism sector continues to flourish, offering visitors a wealth of experiences, from exploring historic fortified cities to hiking through lush forests in the Ardennes region.

While Luxembourg tops the list, other affluent countries like Switzerland, Norway, and Ireland also boast thriving economies and vibrant tourism industries.

Each country offers unique attractions and experiences, making them all sought-after destinations for travelers worldwide.

Here's a snapshot of the top 10 wealthiest countries in 2024:

  • 🇱🇺 Luxembourg

  • 🇮🇪 Ireland

  • 🇨🇭 Switzerland

  • 🇳🇴 Norway

  • 🇸🇬 Singapore

  • 🇺🇸 United States

  • 🇮🇸 Iceland

  • 🇶🇦 Qatar

  • 🇩🇰 Denmark

  • 🇦🇺 Australia

Want to help Daily Drop take over the world? Share our newsletter with your friends/family/pets/colleagues/enemies and win some rewards in the process!

You currently have 0 referrals, only 1 away from receiving the Daily Drop Travel Toolkit.

Or copy your unique referral URL to share with others: https://newsletter.dailydrop.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

…or you can just buy these prizes from our website if you want to keep us all to yourself. 😉

That’s all for today, kiddos.

I think Avianca is a perfect example of how, sometimes, the more obscure programs can be the best.

But since it’s not everyone’s go-to program, tell me:

Have you ever booked a flight using Avianca LifeMiles?

If so, tell me about your favorite redemption!

Only Email Recipients can participate in polls.

Have a great day ❤️

Mike Dodge
Head Writer, Daily Drop

8.9094° S, 33.4608° E

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