✈️ Delta's Collectible Trading Cards, $28M Ticket Error & Alaska's Seoul Expansion

Hello and welcome to the Miles & Points Daily Podcast for March 26th, two thousand and twenty-five. I'm your host Lucas, and I hope you're ready for some piping hot miles and points news to start your day! Whether you're commuting, at the gym, or just enjoying your morning coffee, I'm here to keep you updated on all the latest deals, promotions, and travel hacks. First up today, let's talk about something that's generating a lot of excitement in the aviation world – Delta's new trading cards! According to View from the Wing, Delta Air Lines has released their new two thousand and twenty-five collection of airplane trading cards, and they're going all out by printing 5 million cards to keep up with demand. These Centennial-themed cards are completely free – all you need to do is ask a Delta pilot for one. This has become increasingly popular in recent years, and One Mile at a Time reports that these trading cards feature Delta's aircraft and are a fun collectible for aviation enthusiasts and children alike. So next time you're on a Delta flight, don't be shy about asking the pilot for a trading card – they're expecting it! Now, here's a cautionary tale that will make your jaw drop. According to Gary Leff at View from the Wing, an American Airlines customer experienced a nightmare scenario when he purchased what should have been a one thousand dollar ticket – but was charged 28 million dollars instead! Yes, you heard that right – 28 million dollars. This error resulted in his American Express card being frozen, and it took four stressful weeks to resolve the situation. The customer was at the mercy of two mega-corporations while they sorted through this massive error. This serves as a reminder to always check your credit card statements carefully and to act quickly if you spot any unusual charges, even if they're not quite in the millions! In airline route news, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines have announced plans to launch flights from Seattle to Seoul Incheon. One Mile at a Time reports that following Alaska Air Group's takeover of Hawaiian Airlines, they're shifting strategy to turn Seattle into a global hub with the goal of having 12 long-haul destinations by two thousand and thirty. This expansion reflects Alaska's growing international ambitions through its partnerships. Speaking of new routes, Iberia is adding Orlando to its US route map, becoming its 10th destination in the United States. The Spanish airline will begin service from Madrid to Orlando on October 26th, two thousand and twenty-five, with flights operating four times a week. This is great news for those looking to use their Avios points, as Head for Points confirms that these flights will be bookable with Avios points, though availability is currently limited. Now for some news that might affect your award booking strategies – Air Canada Aeroplan has announced significant changes to its award chart. The program is introducing dynamic pricing on more partner airlines, including United Airlines. As The Points Guy reports, this means the end of fixed award charts for some redemptions. Aeroplan has been one of the most valuable frequent flyer programs due to its reasonable award pricing, large number of airline partners, and the ability to add stopovers for just 5,000 points. Unfortunately, these changes may make some redemptions less predictable and potentially more expensive, particularly on United Airlines flights. If you've been saving Aeroplan points, you might want to review your redemption strategies in light of these changes. In an interesting partnership development, Air France-KLM and Etihad Airways are ending their partnership. One Mile at a Time reports that the two airline groups are cutting ties in what appears to be a pretty drastic manner. While the exact reasons behind this split haven't been publicly disclosed, it's a significant shift in airline alliances that could affect travelers who frequently connect between these carriers' networks. For credit card enthusiasts, there's been a lot of discussion about metal credit cards lately. The Points Guy has an interesting article about why you might actually want to reconsider having a metal credit card in your wallet. While they certainly make a statement when you pull them out, metal cards can be problematic at certain payment terminals, are harder to destroy when expired, and can even set off metal detectors. Something to think about next time you're choosing between a plastic or metal card option! In hotel news, a Hyatt property in Costa Rica will be transforming into one of the first JW Marriott all-inclusive resorts. This represents Marriott's continued expansion into the all-inclusive market with its luxury JW brand. For Marriott Bonvoy members, this will provide a new upscale option for using or earning points while enjoying the convenience of an all-inclusive vacation experience. For those interested in Wyndham Rewards, Frequent Miler reports that Wyndham is having an excellent point sale that lasts until April 15th, two thousand and twenty-five. This could be a good opportunity to top up your Wyndham Rewards balance if you have any stays planned at their properties. In a bizarre but amusing story, One Mile at a Time reports that a restaurant recently trolled Ryanair's CEO by adding extra fees to his bill – mimicking the budget airline's notorious practice of charging for every little thing. Apparently, both the restaurant and the airline CEO had a good sense of humor about it, which makes for a lighthearted end to our news roundup today. And now, a word from our sponsor: Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more. Try it for free with our link in the shownotes. Well, that wraps up today's episode of the Miles & Points Daily Podcast. Thank you so much for listening! If you found this information helpful, please consider subscribing to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for more travel tips and deals. Until tomorrow, keep earning those points and planning those dream trips. I'm Lucas, signing off!