✈️ Miles & Points Daily

There's a window open right now that I think closes faster than people expect - and if you've been sitting on Alaska Airlines miles or Citi ThankYou points, today changes your math.

Three stories worth your attention this Monday morning. Let's get into it.

Which transfer bonus currently gives you the biggest points boost when moving Citi ThankYou Rewards to a travel partner?

• 🇹🇷 Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles at +40%

• 🇫🇷 Air France/KLM Flying Blue at +20%

• 🇸🇬 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer at +15%

• 🇦🇪 Emirates Skywards at +10%

The answer is waiting near the bottom of today's newsletter... keep scrolling. 👇

Chase Sapphire Lounges have quietly updated their access policy, and it's a change worth paying attention to if you hold a Priority Pass membership through any card that isn't a Chase product. Starting now, Priority Pass members who received their membership through non-Chase credit cards - think the Amex Platinum or Capital One Venture X - are no longer able to access Chase Sapphire Lounge locations.

There's also a change for connecting travelers. If you're on a connecting itinerary - meaning you're passing through rather than departing from that airport - you may also find yourself turned away at the door. The policy has always been a bit murky for connectors, but this formalizes the restriction.

Here's the honest take: if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, this change likely works in your favor. Sapphire Lounges have been crowded since day one, and cutting access from competing card Priority Pass holders means shorter queues, better food availability, and a less chaotic experience. The exclusivity is now real, not just theoretical.

If you don't hold a Chase card and had been relying on your Amex Platinum Priority Pass to access Sapphire Lounges, it's time to revise your airport lounge strategy. A quick check on Airport Lounge List will show you which lounges your current cards still cover at any given airport.

For Chase Sapphire Reserve holders, this is a net positive - your lounge just got more exclusive. For everyone else, the Sapphire Lounge network is now effectively off limits unless you carry a Chase card. If the lounge access question is what's been driving your premium card decision, our Chase Sapphire Reserve worth-it breakdown is a good place to start.

Alaska Airlines is running a 100% bonus on purchased miles through Atmos Rewards, and this one is expiring in just 3 days - this Thursday, August 20. A 100% bonus means every mile you buy comes with a free matching mile. That's the equivalent of cutting the purchase price in half, and Alaska Mileage Plan is one of the most flexible programs out there for partner redemptions.

Alaska miles are particularly valuable for booking on partners like Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and British Airways - often at prices well below what those airlines charge through their own programs. A business class seat to Asia that might cost 70,000 miles elsewhere can come in significantly cheaper on Alaska. If you've been eyeing a redemption and just need a top-up, this is the kind of moment to act on.

Only buy miles when you have a specific redemption in mind - buying speculatively is rarely a good idea. But if you're 10,000 or 20,000 miles short of a booking you've already identified, this 100% bonus makes topping up genuinely worthwhile. Check all the current buy miles promotions before Thursday to see what else is live right now.

The Citi ThankYou to Air France/KLM Flying Blue +20% transfer bonus closes this Saturday, August 22. That's just 5 days. If you have Citi ThankYou Rewards sitting idle, this is your window to stretch them further before the bonus disappears.

Flying Blue is one of the best programs for booking SkyTeam flights, including Air France business class to Europe and Delta flights within North America. And while we covered the last days of this bonus in Sunday's roundup, it's worth a second mention because Saturday deadlines have a way of sneaking up on you - especially combined with the Turkish Airlines +40% bonus from Citi, which runs through August 31.

Not sure which transfer bonus makes the most sense for your points? Our transfer bonuses tracker has everything live right now in one place.

Frequent Miler just published a genuinely useful reminder after returning from a week in Mallorca: Costco Travel is consistently one of the best places to book rental cars, and the advantage is especially sharp if you need to add an additional driver. Most car rental companies charge a daily fee for additional drivers - sometimes $10-15 per day - that adds up fast over a week-long trip. Costco Travel often bundles the additional driver at no extra cost.

This isn't a points strategy, but it's the kind of practical tip that saves real money on a trip you might be booking with award flights anyway. If you're using points to fly somewhere and then renting a car on arrival, the car rental is often the biggest out-of-pocket cost left. Reducing that friction matters.

The key with Costco Travel rentals is to pay with a card that offers primary rental car insurance - the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred both do this. Costco often pre-negotiates lower base rates AND waives the additional driver fee, and your Chase card's primary insurance means you can decline the rental company's overpriced collision coverage. That combination can save hundreds on a week-long rental.

Next time you're booking a car abroad, check Costco Travel before going directly to Hertz, Avis, or Enterprise. Even if the base rate is similar, the additional driver waiver alone can justify the search. And if you're planning an award trip right now, Award Travel Finder can help you lock down the flights first so you know exactly which dates to search for cars.

Staples is running fee-free $200 Mastercard gift cards through this Saturday, August 22 - in store only, with a limit of nine per customer per day. If you're in manufactured spending territory or simply want to load up Venmo or a prepaid account without paying the usual activation fee (typically $6-8 per card), this is a clean opportunity. Just verify availability at your local store before making the trip, as stock and limits can vary by location.

The answer is Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles at +40%. Citi ThankYou Rewards currently offers a 40% transfer bonus to Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles through August 31 - the highest active Citi transfer bonus right now. The Flying Blue bonus at +20% comes in second, but closes this Saturday. If you're comparing both, the Turkish bonus gives you significantly more miles for the same ThankYou point spend.

Chase Sapphire Lounges just got more exclusive - but are you actually using them? Do you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve, or are you getting lounge access another way? Hit reply and tell me your setup - I read every single response and it helps me understand what you all actually care about.

That's it from me today. The Alaska buy miles window closing Thursday is the one I'd be moving on fastest - 100% bonuses don't come around all the time, and Mileage Plan is quietly one of the best programs for partner redemptions most people underestimate.

- Jack

We track airline Starlink rollouts, live equipped aircraft, and in-flight Wi-Fi details at SeatWiFi. If connectivity matters on your next trip, check the aircraft before you book.

• Wizz Air: Wizz Air signs with Starlink to provide fleet-wide Wi-Fi from 2027

• Wizz Air: Wizz Air to introduce Starlink WiFi

• Singapore Airlines: Singapore Airlines Selects Starlink To Deliver Next-Generation High-Speed In-Flight Wi-Fi

• 4Y: planned on Airbus A320 (0%)

• 4Y: planned on Airbus A330 (0%)

Flying soon? Check your exact flight on SeatWiFi before you board.

A real US flight runs today. Pin the airport on the map, then guess the route in 5 tries. Wordle for plane geeks.

These are the top credit card welcome bonuses we're tracking. Offers change frequently - see all cards.

1. Business Gold Card: Welcome offer varies and you may not be eligible for an offer. ($3.75/yr)

2. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express ... ($5.5/yr)

3. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® Bonus Points Plus A $250 Statement Credit after yo... ($6.5/yr)

The Award Travel Finder team has been tracking these redemptions - here's what stands out:

Hotels:

• The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto - Kyoto, JP | 2.1cpp value | 110,000 pts/night

• The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo - Tokyo, JP | 3.4cpp value | 121,000 pts/night

• Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts - West Indies, AI | 2.3cpp value | 110,000 pts/night

• Conrad Bora Bora Nui - Bora Bora, PF | 1.9cpp value | 120,000 pts/night

• InterContinental Hotels Yokohama Pier 8 - Yokohama, 14, JP | 1.1cpp value | 50,000 pts/night

Status Matches & Challenges:

• Flying Blue Status Match - Air France / KLM | SkyTeam

• Flying Blue (New Markets) - Air France / KLM | SkyTeam

• Flying Blue UK (BA Status Holders) - Air France / KLM | SkyTeam

Live Transfer Bonuses:

• Amex Membership Rewards → Aer Lingus Avios: +30% bonus - ends September 27 (in 41 days)

• Amex Membership Rewards → British Airways Avios: +30% bonus - ends September 27 (in 41 days)

• Amex Membership Rewards → Iberia Avios: +30% bonus - ends September 27 (in 41 days)

• Capital One Miles → Avianca LifeMiles: +15% bonus - ends August 31 (in 14 days)

• Chase Ultimate Rewards → Air Canada Aeroplan: +20% bonus - ends September 30 (in 44 days)

• Chase Ultimate Rewards → IHG: +70% bonus - ends August 31 (in 14 days)

Buy Points & Miles Deals:

• Alaska Airlines (Atmos Rewards): 100% bonus at - ends this Thursday (August 20, in 3 days)

• American Airlines (AAdvantage): 40% discount at - ends September 14 (in 28 days)

• Breeze Airways (Breezy Rewards): 50% discount at - ends Thursday August 27 (in 10 days)

• Copa Airlines (ConnectMiles): 45% discount at - ends August 31 (in 14 days)

• Emirates (Skywards & Business Rewards): 25% bonus at - ends this Saturday (August 22, in 5 days)

• Etihad Airways (Etihad Guest): 25% bonus at - ends September 14 (in 28 days)

Full live tracker → milesandpointsdaily.com/buy-points-promotions

Browse every award deal we track at AwardTravelFinder.com →

Friday Flight Deals finds the best flight deals when paying cash beats using points.

Browse all deals at FridayFlightDeals.com →