Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. I'm your host Lucas, and if you're anything like me, you probably spent your weekend trying to decide which credit card to put your morning coffee on to maximize your points earning. Because yes, that's apparently what passes for weekend entertainment in our world now. But hey, at least we're having fun while being financially responsible, right? Well, mostly responsible. Don't ask me about my American Express statement from last month. Today we're diving into some fascinating developments in the miles and points world that might just change how you think about your credit card strategy. But first, let me tell you about a tool that could save you thousands of points on your hotel bookings. 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 who never sleeps, constantly watching for better redemption rates. Check out the link in our show notes to learn more. Now, let's get into today's news, starting with what might be the most honest thing a credit card CEO has ever said publicly. American Express CEO Stephen Squeri has made some rather candid admissions about the company's strategy, essentially confirming what many of us have long suspected. In a recent interview, he admitted that American Express deliberately made certain benefits hard to use, and he's now revealing plans for even higher fees. This isn't exactly shocking news to those of us who've tried to use Centurion Lounge access during peak travel times or attempted to book Fine Hotels and Resorts properties during busy seasons. But hearing it straight from the CEO is quite something. Squeri explained that American Express still sees room to charge customers more, and they plan to make customers feel okay about it by selling access to their cardmembers to adjacent brands in exchange for coupons and discounts. The strategy seems to be working as long as they keep promising a somewhat better experience in aspirational portions of your life, like travel. For those of us in the miles and points game, this is important information. It suggests that American Express fees will likely continue to increase, but it also means they'll probably keep adding new benefits to justify those fees. The key takeaway here is to really evaluate whether you're getting value from your American Express cards. If you're not using the benefits they're intentionally making difficult to access, it might be time to reconsider your card portfolio. Moving on to some regulatory news that could impact travelers, the US government is implementing new fees that will affect visitors to the country. There's a new two hundred and fifty dollar Visa Integrity Fee for most foreigners applying for US nonimmigrant visas. It's being called a refundable deposit that you're supposed to get back for leaving the US on time, though no one knows yet how refunds will actually happen. This could potentially impact the travel patterns of international visitors, which might affect award availability and hotel point redemptions in popular US destinations. If fewer international tourists visit due to these additional costs, we might see better award availability at hotels and on flights within the US. It's worth keeping an eye on how this develops. Speaking of airlines, American Airlines executives are acknowledging that reliability alone won't win premium flyers. They're revealing plans for upgraded snacks and fewer gate-checked bags. This is interesting from a miles and points perspective because it shows American Airlines recognizing they need to do more to retain their elite members and premium cabin passengers. The focus on reducing gate-checked bags is particularly relevant for those of us who value elite status benefits like priority boarding and overhead bin space. If American Airlines can deliver on these improvements, it might make their credit cards and elite status more attractive compared to competitors. For those considering American Airlines credit cards, this suggests the value proposition might improve over the coming months. Now let's talk about some practical guides that can help you maximize your miles and points strategy. There's been excellent coverage of airline award ticket change and cancellation fees, which is crucial information for anyone booking award flights. One of the biggest advantages of booking award tickets rather than paying cash is the flexibility you get, but it's important to understand the fee structure. Most major airlines have eliminated change fees for domestic award tickets, but international awards and partner bookings often still carry fees. The key tip here is to always check the specific terms for your booking, especially if it involves partner airlines. Additionally, if you need to cancel an award ticket, many airlines will redeposit the miles for a fee, but some premium cards include benefits that can waive these fees. Related to this, there's also important information about the twenty-four hour cancellation rule for flights. In the US, you have the right to cancel flights within twenty-four hours of booking for a full refund, which applies to both cash and award bookings. This is a valuable consumer protection that's worth remembering, especially when you're unsure about travel plans or trying to hold space while finalizing arrangements. Let's shift gears to credit card recommendations. If you're looking to avoid annual fees, there are some excellent no annual fee credit cards that can still earn solid rewards. While premium cards with annual fees often provide better value for heavy travelers, no annual fee cards can be perfect for certain spending categories or as long term keepers in your wallet. Some top options include cards that offer strong cash back rates or bonus categories for dining, gas, or grocery purchases. The strategy here is to use these cards for specific spending categories while using your premium travel cards for flights, hotels, and general travel expenses. For those holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, it's worth understanding how the four hundred dollar resort credit works. This is one of the most valuable perks on the card, but like many American Express benefits, it requires some planning to maximize. The credit applies to resort charges at participating Hilton properties, including spa services, golf, and resort activities. The key is to plan stays at resort properties where you can actually use these credits rather than just hoping they'll come in handy. Before we wrap up, I want to mention a couple of operational stories that highlight the importance of travel insurance and flexible bookings. There was an incident where a Delta flight had to make an aggressive maneuver to avoid a B-52 bomber, and Hawaiian Airlines had a Boeing seven eighty-seven divert to LAX twice in a row for the same flight. These remind us that travel disruptions can happen for the most unexpected reasons. Having elite status, travel insurance, and booking with points rather than cash can provide more flexibility when these situations arise. Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific and more. It's an incredibly powerful tool that can help you find those sweet spot redemptions across multiple airline programs. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. That wraps up today's episode of the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. Thanks for listening, and remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for more miles and points news and strategies. Until next time, keep earning and keep redeeming responsibly.