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🤙🏿 Welcome back to the Better Than Points Newsletter - the premier place for all things Credit Card Points News and Travel

My name’s Luis and I’m the one writing this (hit me up here!)

Hey y’all!

I’m tea-fueled and news-packed with intel straight from the… I have no idea where I was going with that. I guess I’ll keep the intro short. Sit down, and buckle up because we’ve got some “stuff” you’ll want to take advantage of.

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Here are 3 headlines, 2 hacks, and 1 question answered this week…

One of Hawaii’s top hotels is now bookable with Marriott points (LINK)

This resort is so picturesque, you've probably seen it in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hunger Games, or Jumanji. I digress... the important part is that it's now a Ritz-Carlton, bookable with points! Rates vary, but new lower redemption prices are at 84,000 Marriott points. This is wild considering nightly rates can skyrocket to $1,500 during the holidays. Keep an eye out for my LinkedIn post tomorrow breaking down the 70% transfer bonus Chase is offering.

Hyatt Elites get American Airline Status (LINK)

Quick heads up before we dive deeper! If you've got a Hyatt and American Airlines account, link 'em up ASAP! You might just score a sweet deal with four months of free status. It might not sound like much, but it's a sneaky way to unlock instant status for the whole year if you meet the requirements, plus Oneworld status, which means perks on all the Oneworld airlines.

[DEAL ALERT] Fiji Airways Business Class Qard Space (LINK)

Remember that Fiji route to DFW we talked about in an earlier newsletter? Well, it’s official! Flights start in early December, and you can snag ‘em with points. Award seats just dropped, so if you’re itching to ditch the daily grind for a 13-hour flight to paradise, book now before they vanish! Business class tickets run from 75,000 Alaska Airlines miles, 80,000 American Airlines miles, 92,770 Avios through British Airways, or 94,900 Qantas points. This is also a great way to Australia and New Zealand. Pro tip: Use the American Airlines award calendar to find those sweet spots.

Here’s a hotel I’ve been drooling over lately. Gotta put it into existence that I’ll travel to it soon!

Big shoutout to Mark one of our newsletter readers for the heads up on this one! If your company has a corporate Amex, you might be in for a sweet surprise. You could snag a personal card annual credit right here, which means sweet savings on your Platinum ($150), Gold ($100), Green ($75), or Blue Cash Preferred card. That’s a chunk of change that makes these cards look even more enticing.

With all the buzz about buying points lately, it’s important to remember to maximize your return. If you’re going to end up buying points, use a card that earns at least 2x points like the Capital One Venture or Venture X. That way, you’re stretching your dollar and getting the most bang for your buck.

Every week I answer one question from the community. Reply to this email with yours because you’re probably not the only one that has it.

This week’s question came from Jon, and he asked what destination I see the most people asking about and what’s the best way to get there.

Well, I’m a numbers and statistics guy, so I had to go over to Seats.aero and see what were the most looked-at routes and pending alerts for award seats to become available. Looking at this data you can see hands down its Japan.

Now, to answer the best way to get there, I'd suggest booking ANA through Virgin Atlantic or Air Canada. However, with intense competition for flights from LAX, JFK, and SFO, I recommend exploring less popular routes closer to Japan. By avoiding these heavily sought-after airports, you'll increase your chances of securing a business class seat. Some alternative options include flying into TPG, SGN, BKK, FUK, or KIX.