
✈️ American Airlines Elite Status for Small Businesses, Alaska-Porter Partnership, and TSA's Major Policy Change
Welcome to Miles & Points Daily Podcast, I'm your host Lucas, and boy do we have some exciting news for you today! From American Airlines shaking up their status game to some fantastic new earning opportunities, we've got you covered. But first, let me tell you about a tool that's been saving me serious points on my 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. Now, let's dive into today's news. American Airlines just rolled out something completely new - elite status for small businesses. That's right, companies that credit two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or more in a calendar year now get three incremental benefits. Now, I know what you're thinking - that's a lot of money! But for businesses that are already spending big on travel, this could be a game-changer. The benefits include priority boarding, complimentary upgrades when available, and bonus miles on all flights. My tip here is if you're a business owner or travel manager, definitely look into this program. Even if you're not quite at that spending level yet, it's worth tracking your annual spend to see if you can make strategic bookings to hit that threshold. Speaking of American Airlines, they're also making some cabin changes that will directly impact your upgrade opportunities. They're adding extra first class seats to their Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft starting this fall. More first class seats means more upgrade opportunities for elite members, which is fantastic news. However, they're also removing the last seatback TVs from these planes, so make sure you have your entertainment downloaded before you fly. The retrofits will start with planes due for heavy maintenance checks this fall. If you're an American Airlines elite member, this means your upgrade chances just got better on these routes. Now, let's talk about a new loyalty program that just launched. JSX, the Texas-based public charter airline, has introduced Club JSX with some interesting features. The program offers five percent rewards on flights, family pooling, and birthday bonuses. While JSX has limited route coverage, if they serve routes you fly regularly, this could be valuable. The family pooling feature is particularly nice for families who want to combine their earnings. Here's something exciting for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members - you can now book Porter Airlines flights using your Alaska miles! This partnership expansion offers excellent value, especially for travel within Canada and to the northeastern United States. I've seen some fantastic redemption rates, particularly for flights between Canadian cities. If you're planning travel to or within Canada, definitely check Porter's routes through Alaska's website. The value can be significantly better than other redemption options. Speaking of great redemption opportunities, let me tell you about an excellent credit card offer that just went live. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is offering eighty thousand bonus miles when you spend three thousand five hundred dollars in the first four months, plus the annual fee is waived the first year. This is the highest welcome bonus we've ever seen on this card. The card also earns two miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and one mile per dollar on everything else. If you're interested in this offer, you can get the card by clicking the link in our show notes. Another exciting development - Qatar Airways has finished installing free Starlink Wi-Fi on all their Boeing 777s, and they're moving on to their A350 fleet next. This is huge news for frequent flyers on Qatar Airways, as you'll now have high-speed internet throughout your flight at no extra cost. The rollout to the A350s should be completed by the end of this year. For those keeping track of Priority Pass access, we've got some analysis on the best cards for Priority Pass lounges, experiences, and restaurants. With recent changes to various cards, including rumors about the Ritz-Carlton card's annual fee potentially increasing, it's worth reviewing your options. The Chase Sapphire Reserve continues to be one of the strongest options, offering Priority Pass membership along with guest access. However, if you're looking for family coverage, you might want to consider other options that offer more comprehensive family benefits. Here's a tip for all travelers - the TSA has just implemented one of its most significant policy changes in decades. You no longer need to remove your shoes at airport security checkpoints! This applies to all travelers, not just TSA PreCheck members. This should significantly speed up the security process and make travel more convenient for everyone. Finally, let's talk about hotel elite status. There's been a lot of discussion about whether hotel elite status is becoming obsolete. While benefits have been devalued over the years, status can still provide value through room upgrades, late checkout, and bonus points. The key is being strategic about which program you focus on and understanding what benefits matter most to your travel patterns. My recommendation is to focus your hotel spending on one or two programs maximum to ensure you can reach meaningful status levels. That's a wrap for today's episode! Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific and more. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. Thanks for listening to Miles & Points Daily Podcast! If you found today's episode helpful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit our website at milesandpointsdaily.com. Until next time, keep earning those miles and points!