Hello and welcome to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast, I'm your host Lucas. It's Friday, and if you're anything like me, you're already dreaming about your next adventure. But before you jet off anywhere, let's dive into today's miles and points news that could seriously impact your travel game. From major credit card changes to airline fleet updates, we've got quite a lot to cover today. But first, let me tell you about a tool that could save you thousands of points. 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, so you never miss an opportunity to save. Now, let's get into today's news. The biggest story today is absolutely massive for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders. Chase has announced significant changes coming to the Sapphire Reserve in two thousand and twenty-six that will make this premium card even more valuable. The card is getting a brand new two hundred and fifty dollar hotel credit, plus they're making the existing five hundred dollar Edit credit much more flexible and easier to use. This is huge news because the Sapphire Reserve was already one of the most valuable premium travel cards on the market, and these changes will likely cement its position as the top choice for serious travelers. If you've been on the fence about getting this card, these enhancements make it even more compelling. You can find the link to apply in our show notes. Speaking of credit cards, we also learned about some concerning changes at United Airlines. The airline is apparently restricting access to business class award seats unless you hold one of their co-branded credit cards. This is part of a troubling trend we're seeing across the industry where airlines are making it harder for members to redeem miles unless they have financial relationships with the airline. If you're a United flyer, this might be the time to consider getting one of their credit cards to maintain access to premium award space. Now let's talk about some exciting fleet updates. American Airlines has made the surprising decision to keep their aging seven seven seven dash two hundred fleet flying, rather than retiring them as previously planned. Starting in two thousand and twenty-six, these aircraft will get much-needed upgrades including faster WiFi powered by Viasat, and completely new cabin interiors. This is great news for passengers who've been stuck with American's older, less comfortable seven seven seven interiors on long-haul routes. The improved WiFi alone will make these flights much more bearable for business travelers and points and miles enthusiasts who need to stay connected while flying. But the most jaw-dropping fleet news comes from Delta. The airline is planning to configure some of their new Airbus A three two one neo aircraft with an unprecedented forty-four first-class seats. Yes, you heard that right - forty-four first-class seats on a single narrow-body aircraft. This unusual configuration is reportedly a temporary solution while Delta deals with problems getting lie-flat seats installed in these planes. The aircraft have been sitting in the desert while Delta works out the technical issues, so they're moving forward with this premium-heavy configuration in the meantime. For points and miles users, this could mean more first-class award availability on domestic routes, at least temporarily. However, I'd recommend booking any Delta domestic first-class awards you're considering sooner rather than later, as this configuration may not stick around forever once they resolve their seat installation issues. In some unfortunate news, we had another incident involving airline lounge access that ended with police involvement. A passenger at the Delta Sky Club in West Palm Beach was arrested and removed in handcuffs after insisting he was entitled to lounge access when the club disagreed. Police body camera footage shows the passenger repeatedly saying 'I'm a member' while being escorted out. This serves as a good reminder to always double-check your lounge access benefits and have backup documentation ready. Sky Club access rules have become increasingly complex, especially with changes to credit card benefits and guest policies. When in doubt, be polite and ask to speak with a manager rather than escalating the situation. On the international front, we have some exciting route news. Aer Lingus announced they're launching new flights from Dublin to Raleigh Durham starting in April two thousand and twenty-six. This continues Aer Lingus's smart strategy of connecting Ireland to secondary US markets, which often provides better value and less crowded flights than major hub routes. If you're looking to visit Ireland or use Dublin as a connecting point to Europe, this new route could provide excellent redemption opportunities, especially if you have Avios in your account from British Airways, Iberia, or any of the other Avios-earning programs. Speaking of hotels, the iconic Park Hyatt Tokyo has announced it will reopen in December two thousand and twenty-five after its major renovation. The hotel closed in May two thousand and twenty-four for the extensive makeover, and reservations will open on September twenty-third. This is one of the most legendary luxury hotels in the world, famous for being featured in the movie Lost in Translation. For World of Hyatt members, this reopening will provide an amazing redemption opportunity in one of the world's great cities. I'd recommend setting a calendar reminder for September twenty-third if you're planning a trip to Tokyo, as this property is likely to book up quickly once reservations open. Finally, let's touch on some Avios news. With seven different airline programs now using Avios currency, including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, and others, there are more opportunities than ever to earn and redeem these versatile points. The best part is that you can transfer Avios between all seven programs for free, which gives you incredible flexibility in finding award space and optimizing your redemptions. If you're not already familiar with the Avios ecosystem, it's worth learning about, as it can provide some of the best value redemptions available, especially for short-haul flights within Europe or for premium cabin transatlantic flights. That wraps up today's miles and points news. Before I let you 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. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. Thanks for listening to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. If you found today's episode helpful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com. Until next time, keep earning and keep exploring!