Hello and welcome to Miles and Points Daily Podcast! I'm Lucas, your host, and I'm thrilled to be with you today as we dive into the fascinating world of miles and points. You know, just when you think the credit card and loyalty program world couldn't get any more exciting, Citi goes and drops a game-changing bombshell that's got everyone talking. But before we get to that massive news, let me tell you about a fantastic tool that every points and miles enthusiast should know about. Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a brilliant tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for fewer points. It's like having a personal assistant watching your reservations twenty-four seven, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to save points. Now, let's jump into today's massive miles and points news! The biggest story today is absolutely game-changing for American Airlines fans and points enthusiasts alike. Citi has just launched their new premium credit card, the Citi Strata Elite Card, and it's causing quite the stir in the miles and points community. This card comes with an impressive eighty thousand ThankYou points welcome bonus after spending four thousand dollars in the first three months, plus an incredible one thousand two hundred dollars in first cardmember year credits. But here's the real kicker - Citi has also added American AAdvantage as a transfer partner for ThankYou points! This is absolutely huge news because it makes American the only major US airline partner that Citi has, and no other bank rewards currency transfers to American anymore. What makes this even more interesting is that the Strata Elite Card earns one point five ThankYou points per dollar on all purchases, which means you're actually earning more American miles per dollar spent than you would with an actual American Airlines credit card, which only earns one mile per dollar on unbonused spend. Plus, you maintain the flexibility to transfer those points elsewhere or redeem them directly for travel. The card has a five hundred ninety-five dollar annual fee, but with all those credits and benefits, it could be a goldmine for the right traveler. If you're interested in this card, you can get it by clicking the link in our show notes. Speaking of Citi, they've also launched the new no annual fee Citi Strata Card, which is essentially a rebranding of the old Citi Rewards Plus card. This gives people an entry point into the ThankYou ecosystem without paying an annual fee. Now, let's talk about some other significant developments in the airline world. Southwest Airlines has officially launched their assigned seating and premium seating options, marking the end of an era for the airline's famous open seating policy. However, their pricing strategy seems a bit aggressive - they're charging up to sixty dollars extra just to sit in a middle seat on some one-hour flights! This seems like they haven't quite figured out their revenue-maximizing formula yet, or their technology isn't fine-tuned to adapt seat fees by market easily. My tip here is to wait and see how this plays out before paying premium prices for Southwest seats, especially middle seats. There's also some interesting news in the partnership world. JetBlue and United's partnership, which they're calling Blue Sky, has received DOT approval. This partnership could provide some interesting redemption opportunities when it launches in late May two thousand and twenty-five, so keep an eye on that development. On the unfortunate side, United flight attendants have rejected a new contract that would have provided huge raises after a five-year pay freeze. Seventy-one percent of voting flight attendants rejected the union-endorsed contract, which could lead to some operational challenges down the road. From a miles and points perspective, labor disputes can sometimes affect service quality and on-time performance, so it's worth monitoring. For lounge enthusiasts, there's some exciting news from Miami International Airport. American Airlines is getting a new Flagship Lounge and expanded Admirals Club at their Miami hub. This is great news for American elite members and premium passengers traveling through one of American's key hubs. Additionally, British Airways is still planning to open their own lounge at Miami Airport in late two thousand and twenty-five, though the timeline seems a bit uncertain based on recent reports. In international news, SWISS has revealed more details about their new SWISS Senses first and business class cabins, similar to Lufthansa's Allegris concept. They've also announced that their new Airbus A350-900s will start service in fall two thousand and twenty-five, with Boston being the first destination. This could provide some excellent Star Alliance award redemption opportunities. Finally, there's an interesting development with Starlux Airlines, which has added Phoenix as a new destination. This will be Phoenix's first-ever nonstop flight to Asia, providing a new option for travelers looking to get to Taiwan and connect throughout Asia. For today's deal spotlight, there's a fantastic opportunity to fly nonstop from the northeast to Hawaii for just thirty-five thousand American AAdvantage miles. With Citi ThankYou points now transferring to American, this could be an excellent use of those flexible points. My main recommendations from today's news: First, seriously consider the new Citi Strata Elite Card if you're looking for a premium card that earns American miles. The welcome bonus and credits make it compelling, and having American as a transfer partner is a game-changer. Second, if you're planning travel to Hawaii, that thirty-five thousand mile deal is worth jumping on. And third, keep an eye on Southwest's new seating model - the pricing might settle into something more reasonable as they figure out their strategy. 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. That's a wrap for today's Miles and Points Daily Podcast! Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you found today's news as exciting as I did. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com. Until next time, keep earning and keep exploring!