Heads up! Posting next week will be very sparse.
1) Last call on US Bank promo, tied to number of Olympic medals.which will expire tomorrow. So, should you jump on it? It really depends. Personally, I would try applying for US Bank Altitude Reserve card (read about it here) if given a choice. US Bank is very tough on approvals, so it’s important to prioritize applications with them.
Basically, if you constantly switch credit cards, you should probably treat each US Bank application as if it’s your last one. Seriously! The Olympic promo will probably come back in a few years just in time for summer Olympics, so you will likely get another shot at it later on. If you don’t currently have any US Bank accounts, Flexperks offer is a good choice.
2) The offers on all Amex Delta cards have been increased through 4/11/2018. You can see the details in our Hot Deals page. Unless you are certain that you’ll be able to utilize Delta miles in a near future, I wouldn’t drop everything in order to apply. That said, this frequent flyer program has its strengths and if you are Delta hub-captive, you already know that. Some routes run at only 5,000 miles one-way in economy, which is a terrific deal. Award availability has also improved greatly in the last few years. As I always say, there is no such thing as a worthless mile.
3) The sign-up bonus on Chase Mileage Plus Explorer card will go down on March 15th. See more info in Hot Deals page. This offer comes and goes, and I’m sure it will be back at some point. The card is subject to 5/24 rule.
4) Through March 31st, you can get 35% bonus on Avios converted from certain hotel programs. Marriott is participating so naturally, the best way to leverage this promo is by converting points to Miles+Nights package (I’m highlighting the most lucrative options):
As most of you know, SPG points transfer to Marriott on 1:3 basis, so this may be a good opportunity to drain your account. Should you? It really depends. Avios program is terrible value for some, and quite lucrative for others. In general, if you are hesitating, I would probably skip this promo. It will probably come back in 6-12 months.
If you live near Alaska Air or American Airlines hub and have flexibility when it comes to booking flights, you should at least look into it. Well, assuming you can make use of 7-night Marriott hotel certificate.
5) How I saved huge miles booking a Delta flight with partners by TPG. Very useful info that shows that it always pays to check with partner programs before giving up on an award ticket. Delta is peculiar in this respect because technically, the award seats via Virgin Atlantic (their partner) shouldn’t have been bookable. But they were!
It goes to show you how valuable flexible points like Ultimate Rewards and Membership Rewards are because they give you access to many mileage programs, and most of them transfer instantly.
6) Discomfort matters little when you are happy by Points Adventure blog. I absolutely loved this thought-provoking post.
Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
is anyone else having trouble transferring points into the ba avios program deal 35% bonus miles? i’ve tried with 2 different hotels and it’s not working. thanks!
Jerri, not sure what’s going on, to be honest. I recommend you call the hotel program and try to do the transfer that way. Hopefully, it will go through.