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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!)

Greetings from a slightly cooler Minnesota lake! Welcome back. Texas was getting a little too toasty, so like migrating birds, I packed up the whole family (dog included!) and made the 1,300-mile trek up north. But enough about my 25-hour road trip adventure – let's dive into some travel news!

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

3 Headlines

One.

All-time high sign-up bonus on Chase Ink Preferred (LINK)

The Chase Ink Preferred business card is offering a record-breaking sign-up bonus: 120,000 points after spending $8,000 in three months. That's double the bonus of the personal Chase Sapphire Preferred! I know you’re eyes glazed over when I said “business” but don’t let that scare you away. As long as you have a Social Security Number (SSN), you’re probably eligible to apply.If you get approved for the Chase Ink Preferred card using my referral link, shoot me an email and I'll offer a free consultation call to help you maximize your points earning.

P.S. If you apply for the card before the 120,000 point offer went live, It's worth a shot to chat with Chase customer service and see if they'll match the higher bonus. Several people have reportedly had success with this approach!

Two.

Fiji Airways is launching Dallas to Nadi flight (LINK)

Fiji Airways is gearing up for its longest route, making paradise in the South Pacific even more accessible. This new service, launching three times a week (pending approval), will be the easiest way for travelers in the Eastern and Central US to reach Fiji, the Cook Islands, and Bora Bora. If you want to use points, you can use your Alaskan Mileage Plan, American AAdvantage miles, or Qantas Frequent Flyer points to book these flights, see here. Business class on their Airbus A350 is 🤑

Three.

[Deal Alert] - KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes (LINK)

Singapore Airlines Alert! Calling all KrisFlyer members! Looking to maximize your miles? Each month, Singapore Airlines offers "Spontaneous Escapes," a promotion featuring 30% discounts on award flights for select routes operated by the airline. This can be a fantastic way to stretch your KrisFlyer miles further, especially considering their standard award rates can be on the higher side. Be sure to keep an eye out for new Spontaneous Escapes deals each month!

2 Hacks

One.

Marriott status shortcut! Craving Marriott Platinum status but don't have the usual qualifications? Try this: Call Marriott and inquire about the Platinum Challenge. If approved, you can earn Platinum status for the rest of the year (and the following year!) by completing 16 paid nights within 90 days.

Two.

Prime Day may be over, but the deals linger! Several websites are still running promotions – a perfect opportunity to stack some extra cash back with Rakuten. Here's the pro tip: Shop through Rakuten for purchases you were already planning to make, and watch the cash back roll in! Bonus tip: Linking your Amex card to Rakuten allows you to convert your cashback to Membership Rewards points for maximum travel flexibility. Use my referral link to get an extra 10% on top of current cash back amounts.

1 Question From You

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.

Question

Carlos asked me if there were any other ways he could use his Aeromexico points.

Since Aeromexico is part of SkyTeam, you can theoretically use your miles to book flights on any of their partners, including Avianca, Copa Airlines, and GOL Airlines. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Finding award availability: This can be the trickiest part. Aeromexico's website might not show partner availability readily.

• Booking partner flights: Aeromexico might require you to call them to book flights on their partner airlines.

Here are some strategies to help you find award availability:

• Search partner websites: Try searching for flights on FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM) or Virgin Atlantic websites. These airlines are also SkyTeam members and might show partner availability more easily.

• Award search tools: Tools like "seats.aero" can be helpful for searching award availability across multiple airlines.

Remember: Even if you find award space on a partner website, you might still need to contact Aeromexico to confirm and finalize your booking.

Additional tips:

• Be flexible with your travel dates to increase your chances of finding award availability.

• Consider booking award flights well in advance, especially for popular routes.