You can now use Hyatt points to book Airbnb-ish home rentals. But should you? Do small bonuses here make any difference? To me, it looks to be a good option only for unique situations (like trips with a group where you happen to find a perfect fit). As far as points go, this looks like a new way to earn rather than a great option to burn. Take a look and click around. Have a great weekend, nerds!
(If you see any errors, please let me know. I try to keep a full list, but it’s a lot of information and I do make mistakes)
Significant Changes Since Last Month:
-Updated United and Marriott links.
-Sapphire Preferred up to 60,000.
-Higher FlexPerks Olympic offer available through 3/10.
-Some readers seeing higher bonuses on Amex cards in incognito mode again.
-Some readers being matched to 75,000 points on American cards from Citibank.
-Avianca LifeMiles is back on the list.
-Citi ThankYou Premier is back up to 50,000 points.
-Starwood Business up to 35,000 this month.
-Delta back on the list.
Before Playing This Game:
-Find a new hobby until you can pay off all balances each month.
-Take a second to look at what you’re applying for and confirm a bonus is what you expect.
-Get a screenshot of the bonus description in case you have issues collecting it later.
-Take 2 minutes to read the small print before applying.
(Look for “once in a lifetime,” “no bonus for cardholders in last 24 months,” etc.)
-Keep everything very organized in a spreadsheet. You’ll thank me later.
Time for my monthly Top 25 Credit Cards. It’s called “Top 25” out of tradition, but you’ll get many more links than that below. Again, if you’re a rookie, make sure you read The Newbie Guide. It’s a little outdated but many basic questions can still be answered there. For people running out of cards, remember there’s often a Business card option. Also, “churning” (getting the same card more than once) might be an option. The dates here were a guideline but things always tend to vary individually. If you’re new, it might be wise to start with Chase cards because of the limitations they’ll place on you soon.
Some of you are reaching out with transfer bonuses from American Express to JetBlue. Looks like the current bonus amount varies, but the high (so far) is 30%. The low is zero (naturally, that’s what I have). Log in to see what’s showing for you. While you’re logging into Amex, you might as well check to see if you can get an easy 10,000 points for enrolling one of your charge cards in Pay Over Time (here, here, or here).
Thanks to reader Scott for sharing a new Hilton page for people who are about to lose their status. It’s meant to be a one-time extension for those who have been Diamonds for at least 3 years (doesn’t need to be consecutive). If your status is ending and you use this now, the extension will be good through the end of March 2019.
