Hello and welcome to Miles and Points Daily Podcast. I'm Lucas, your host, and I'm here to guide you through the wild world of miles and points. Think of me as your friendly neighborhood points guru, but with slightly less spandex and more coffee addiction. Today we're diving into some significant changes that could affect your award travel plans, plus some exciting hotel news that might just make your next trip more rewarding. Before we jump into today's stories, let me tell you about a tool that could save you thousands of points. Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a clever tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for fewer points. It's like having a personal assistant who never sleeps, constantly watching for better deals on your behalf. Now, let's get into today's news. Our top story today is about a concerning trend that's hitting transfer partners. American Express has followed Citi in devaluing transfers to Emirates Skywards, worsening the transfer ratio from what was already a poor deal. This is particularly frustrating because Emirates was never a great transfer partner to begin with. Their awards are notoriously expensive, they impose hefty fuel surcharges, and frankly, you can often get better value transferring to Qantas and booking similar routes at lower redemption rates. My recommendation? Unless you're absolutely set on flying Emirates specifically, consider alternative transfer partners like Qantas for similar routes. The silver lining here is that Emirates losing value as a transfer partner isn't devastating since it wasn't great to begin with. Moving on to some positive news, American Airlines has reversed a controversial policy change by restoring airport standby for all passengers. This is part of American's broader effort to become more customer-friendly, and it's a welcome change. Previously, they had restricted standby options, but now all passengers can once again take advantage of airport standby opportunities. This is particularly valuable for frequent travelers who need flexibility in their schedules. If you're an American Airlines flyer, this means you can now show up at the airport earlier than your scheduled flight and potentially get on an earlier departure if there's space available. Chase Ultimate Rewards cardholders have a new transfer bonus opportunity. You can now transfer Chase points to Marriott Bonvoy with a fifty percent bonus. While hotel points transfers aren't typically the most lucrative option, this bonus can make sense if you have a specific Marriott redemption in mind, particularly for higher-category properties where the bonus points could make a significant difference. The key is to have a specific redemption goal rather than transferring speculatively. American Express is also offering a transfer bonus to Marriott Bonvoy, though theirs is smaller at twenty percent. The Chase offer is clearly superior if you're considering transferring to Marriott. For Chase Freedom Flex cardholders, the third quarter bonus categories for two thousand and twenty-five are now available for registration. Make sure to register as soon as possible to start earning five times points on the quarterly categories. These rotating categories are one of the best features of the Freedom portfolio, so don't miss out on maximizing your earning potential. In hotel news, we have some exciting developments. A new Park Hyatt has opened in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking the brand's return to the country. This is actually the smallest Park Hyatt in the world with just thirty-one rooms, which should make for an intimate luxury experience. For World of Hyatt members, this adds another premium redemption option in Africa. Additionally, Vancouver is getting a Park Hyatt in two thousand and twenty-six, converting from the existing Shangri-La property. This one hundred and nineteen room hotel will be a fantastic addition for points enthusiasts visiting beautiful Vancouver. The W brand has also expanded with the opening of W Florence in Italy. This historic property, formerly the Grand Hotel Majestic, now offers one hundred and nineteen guest rooms in the heart of one of Europe's most romantic cities. For Marriott Bonvoy members, this adds an exciting redemption option in Florence. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders have a new benefit opportunity. The card is once again offering complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status. While this isn't the most exciting offer ever, Marriott Gold status does provide some nice perks like room upgrades, late checkout, and bonus points on stays. If you're a Sapphire Reserve holder and don't already have Marriott status, this is worth claiming. There's also a targeted promotion for select Marriott Bonvoy and United MileagePlus elite members, offering dual accrual opportunities for summer travel. If you're eligible for this promotion, it's worth reviewing the terms to see if it aligns with your travel plans. Looking at award opportunities, Air France KLM Flying Blue has published new Promo Rewards for July two thousand and twenty-five, offering twenty-five percent discounts on select routes. These promotional awards can offer excellent value, particularly for European destinations. That wraps up our main stories for today. Before we go, I want to tell you about Award Travel Finder. 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 a comprehensive tool that can save you hours of searching across multiple airline websites. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. Thanks for listening to Miles and Points Daily Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for more travel and points news. Until tomorrow, keep earning and keep exploring!