Miles and Points Recap: Southwest Schedule Extension, New Amex Hilton Credit Cards, Last Call on Delta Offers 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) By now you’ve  probably heard the big news that American Express will be introducing new co-branded Hilton cards, starting January 2018. Read full analysis on Doctorofcredit The one I’m really curious about is the Ascend version of the card, since my Surpass will  convert to it in January. Will Ascend be considered a new product? It’s hard to say, though I imagine that Amex will say No.

I’m hanging on to my Surpass card because the offer came with one free weekend night after renewal. I also don’t want to irritate Amex because they really frown on this type of behavior. If I cancel my Surpass so soon, I could potentially jeopardize my future chances of approval for other lucrative offers.

Even though my next annual fee will increase to $95 from current $75, the card will come with 10 Priority Pass lounge passes, which may come in handy during our trip to South Pacific next year. You may remember that I was debating on whether to cancel CSR for that very reason (I did end up canceling), so my problem  just solved itself for only $20. I’ll take it.

So, overall, this is good news. I am interested in hearing more details about Aspire version of the card. It almost looks too generous. As always, my main consideration when applying for any offer is the sign-up bonus, and we don’t yet know all the details in that area.

If you have Citi Hilton cards, you may want to consider canceling them soon because they will otherwise be converted to Amex products. That way you should be eligible for the sign-up bonus on the new Amex  line-up.

Apparently, The Points Guy blog has an exclusive on the current version of Amex Surpass, where you will get 125k points if you apply by the middle of January. I honestly don’t know what the sign-up bonus on Ascend will be like, so use your own judgement on this one.

2) The increased bonus on Amex Delta co-branded cards will be reduced on 11/08/2018. I don’t believe you should drop everything and apply because these offers come out regularly. I fully expect for them to be back in a few months. That being said, it is a good deal for those who need Delta currency.

Remember, you can always redeem Skymiles at 1 cent apiece toward Delta fares. In that case the bonus on Gold version will be worth  $500 if you are planning to pay cash otherwise. The fact that credit card lets you check in a bag for free is  a cherry on top. I do plan to pick up these cards at some point, but plan to wait when I have solid plans to fly on Delta.

3) Southwest schedule has been extended yesterday. Book your summer tickets now!

4) Through November 30th, you can transfer your Membership Rewards points to Jet Blue program on 250:250 basis, instead of regular 250:200. You can get as much as 1.7 cents per point on international routes, so this promo represents a pretty good deal for some folks. As always, do the math and consider your future travel plans before pulling the trigger. (hat tip TPG)

5) I’m sure by now you’ve heard that Barclay has released a new Uber credit card. Direct link  Surprisingly, it isn’t all that great when it comes to Uber purchases. What? It is a decent cash back product, though I wouldn’t call it earth-shattering. You will only get 1% cash back on all purchases, except those made online, plus travel and restaurants. Still, I do think the card belongs on my “keeper” list

6) After the hurricanes: which Caribbean island is best for your family?  Great advice, though obviously subjective. I have heard good things about St. Lucia, so that island is definitely on my list. We almost went there once, but then I got pregnant with my second child and decided to cancel the trip.