Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Miles and Points Daily Podcast! I'm Lucas, your host, and I have to say, it's been quite the day sorting through all the miles and points news. You know, some days in this hobby feel like you're playing chess with the airlines - just when you think you've got your next move figured out, they change the rules entirely. But hey, that's exactly why we're here to keep you updated on all the latest developments that could impact your award travel plans.

Before we dive into today's news, let me tell you about a fantastic tool that could save you a ton of points on your hotel stays. Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for less points. It's like having a personal assistant watching your reservations twenty-four seven. You can find the link in our show notes.

Now, let's get into the big news that's shaking up the miles and points world. First up, we've got some disappointing partnership changes from Alaska Airlines. The carrier is ending not one, but two major partnerships. The Alaska Airlines and Singapore Airlines partnership is being massively scaled back, and separately, the Alaska Airlines and LATAM partnership is ending entirely. This is particularly sad news for Atmos Rewards members who have been enjoying access to these fantastic partners.

For the Singapore Airlines partnership, September thirtieth is the last day to redeem miles from one program for travel on the other airline. After October first, no changes will be allowed to any redemptions for future-dated travel. If you've been sitting on Alaska miles and thinking about that Singapore business class redemption to Asia, now is literally your last chance. My recommendation? Log into your accounts immediately and check what availability exists for your desired routes. Don't wait until the last minute, as award space could disappear quickly as other members rush to book.

Moving on to some more positive news, we have a fantastic American Express Membership Rewards transfer bonus. You can now transfer Amex points to Hilton Honors with a twenty-five percent bonus. This means every four Amex points becomes five Hilton points instead of the usual one-to-one ratio. While hotel points generally aren't the highest value redemptions, this could work well if you have a specific Hilton stay in mind, especially at higher-end properties where the points can provide decent value. Just remember to do the math and compare the cost of paying cash versus using points before pulling the trigger.

Speaking of Amex points, The Points Guy has published their updated guide on the best ways to use Membership Rewards points in two thousand and twenty-five. They're highlighting sweet spots from business class flights to Europe to budget-friendly hotel stays. If you're sitting on a pile of Amex points and wondering how to get the most value, this could be worth a read.

Now, here's some concerning news for Singapore KrisFlyer members. The program announced it will raise award rates later this year and add dynamic pricing options. They're introducing a new award type called Access that can be booked regardless of award space availability. While this might sound good for accessibility, it typically means higher redemption rates. If you have KrisFlyer miles burning a hole in your account, you might want to use them sooner rather than later before these changes take effect.

For those interested in credit card offers, The Points Guy has also published their list of the best credit card welcome bonuses for September two thousand and twenty-five. If you're under five twenty-four and looking to add a new card to your wallet, make sure to check out these elevated and limited-time offers. You can find the link in our show notes, and remember, the best offers often don't last long.

On a more positive note, Air France continues its impressive product improvements with the rollout of free Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet. The rollout has officially started, which reinforces Air France's position as one of Europe's most premium global airlines. Free high-speed internet on international flights is becoming increasingly common, and it's great to see more airlines jumping on board.

For those looking at hotel loyalty programs, we have an interesting development with Atmos Rewards. You can now earn elite status points through credit card spending in a pretty compelling way. Given the recent partnership losses we discussed earlier, maximizing your status with Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines through credit card spending might become even more valuable.

And finally, for our Lufthansa fans, Miles and More is selling miles with a sixty percent bonus, bringing the cost down to about one point thirty-one cents per mile. This has potential to be a good value, especially since Miles and More miles can otherwise be hard to accumulate for those of us based in North America.

That wraps up today's miles and points news. As always, the key takeaway is to stay informed and act quickly when opportunities arise, especially with partnership changes and limited-time bonuses.

Before I let you go, if you're looking for the best award flights, you need to check out AwardTravelFinder.com. Use it to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and more. You can try it for free with our link in the show notes.

Thanks for listening to another episode of the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for more miles and points news. Until tomorrow, keep earning and burning those points wisely!