Miles and Points Recap: Increased Offer on Capital One Venture Rewards Card, Hotel Points to United Transfer, Visiting Universal Studios and More

This is a brief news recap from last week. For faster updates, follow Miles For Family on Twitter or check the feed on the right side of the blog.

1) As Nancy wrote earlier in the week, the sign-up offer on Capital One Venture Rewards product has been increased to $500. It’s definitely not worth it to renew the card, but the bonus is obviously quite attractive. Who doesn’t like free $500 in rewards? I would LOVE to get approved, but Capital One hates me. And believe me, I’ve tried a few times even when the bonus was $400.

If like me, you  have a lot of inquiries on your credit, getting approved may be tough. But as I always say, the only way to know for sure is to actually apply. Do keep in mind that Capital One pulls all three credit agencies, but if you only sign up for a few new cards per year, it shouldn’t really matter. As always, only you can decide if the offer is worth it. If you have applied for this product recently before the bonus increase, call Capital One and request a match. It certainly won’t hurt to ask.

2) An interesting promo from United:

Register here

I haven’t seen anyone mention this, but Club Carlson option is actually pretty good. Under this promo, you can transfer 10,000 points to 2,000 United miles. If you chose to renew your Club Carlson credit card and pay $75 annual fee, it would be an equivalent of buying 8,000 United miles for $75. That’s actually quite cheap. Obviously, this is a limited-time opportunity, but it just shows you that canceling Club Carlson credit card is NOT a no-brainer.

If you have a ton of Choice points and don’t know what to do with them, this transfer could also represent a good deal. IMO DansDeals blog has the best analysis of this promotion, highlighting various possibilities and cost per mile.

3) IHG just came out with a new “Priceless Experiences” promotion. Register for it here  I don’t think it’s an earth-shattering deal, but if you already have plans that involve IHG, might as well register. Keep in mind, you can combine this deal with current Accelerate promotion, so it could definitely be worth it under the right circumstances. (hat tip OMAAT)

4) SPG 30% transfer bonus to AAdvantage has been extended by Runningwithmiles. Not for everyone, but if you need AA miles, this is a great opportunity.

5) How to spend 1 day at Universal Studios, Florida  Chances are, if you have older kids, you are probably thinking about going to this park.