In Episode 119 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Mike and Maria kick things off with a community highlight from Paul, who shared his unique travel ritual of getting haircuts abroad to experience local culture. This sparked a lively discussion, with other members mentioning grocery stores, tattoos, children’s books, and grooming services as ways to engage with destinations more deeply. The hosts then dove into news: Chase's 100K Sapphire Preferred offer is ending soon, Alaska Airlines added Philippine Airlines as a partner, Amex and Chase paused Emirates transfers temporarily, and Hyatt launched a lucrative promo for Under the Canvas stays.
The main feature covered “Disappearing Sweet Spots” amid ongoing devaluations in award charts. While many programs have raised prices or introduced dynamic pricing (like JAL and Lufthansa), there are still valuable redemptions to be had. ANA’s RTW awards remain competitive, and Cathay Pacific has been reliably releasing premium cabin awards despite eliminating its chart. Maria emphasized the importance of diversifying points currencies to navigate future changes.
The episode closed with a timely tip: use Rakuten’s 15% Big Give Week and the AA shopping portal to stack points on Mother’s Day purchases.
Links to Topics Discussed
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Elevated Offer
- Alaska Adds Philipine Airlines as a Booking Partner
- Chase & Amex Pause Transfers to Emirates
- Hyatt Under the Canvas Promo
- Maria Points The Way - Cathay & JAL Changes
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