Hello and welcome to the Miles & Points Daily Podcast! I'm Lucas, your host, and I'm delighted you've joined me for another episode packed with the latest news from the wild and wonderful world of miles and points. Today we've got some absolutely fantastic credit card offers to discuss, including a record-breaking IHG business card bonus that had me doing a double-take, plus some interesting developments from British Airways and Southwest Airlines. But first, let me tell you about a tool that could save you thousands of points on your hotel stays.

Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a clever tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for fewer points. Think of it as your personal hotel booking watchdog - it's constantly checking if better redemption rates become available, so you can rebook and get some of your precious points back. It's one of those set-it-and-forget-it tools that can deliver real value over time.

Now, let's dive into today's biggest story - and it's a doozy. The IHG Business Credit Card has just launched what's being called its richest-ever welcome bonus: a whopping two hundred thousand bonus points. Yes, you heard that right - two hundred thousand IHG points! This is perfect timing for anyone looking to stay at InterContinental hotels, Kimpton properties, or even the ultra-luxurious Six Senses resorts. Two hundred thousand IHG points can get you multiple nights at premium properties, and given that InterContinental hotels can cost fifty to eighty thousand points per night, this bonus represents serious value. If you're interested in this offer, you can find the link in our show notes to apply.

Speaking of impressive bonuses, British Airways has brought back their eighty-five thousand Avios welcome bonus through Chase. You'll need to spend five thousand dollars in the first three months, but eighty-five thousand Avios can get you some fantastic redemptions, especially for short-haul flights within Europe or flights to the East Coast from London. The card also comes with flight discounts and rebate perks, making it a solid choice for anyone who flies British Airways or their Oneworld partners regularly.

Now here's something interesting from Southwest Airlines - and it's your last chance to grab what might be the best deal in travel. Southwest is offering one hundred thousand points with their current credit card bonuses, and more importantly, this can help you earn the coveted Companion Pass. The Companion Pass lets you bring a companion on flights for nearly free through two thousand and twenty-seven - that's potentially two full years of bringing someone along on all your Southwest flights for just the taxes and fees. The current offer ends at nine AM Eastern on September eighteenth, twenty twenty-five, so if you've been considering this, now's the time to act.

There's also a nice transfer bonus worth mentioning for Chase Ultimate Rewards holders. Chase is offering a twenty percent bonus when you transfer points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue. This could be particularly valuable if you're looking at Flying Blue's sweet spots, like their reasonable business class redemptions to Europe or their sometimes excellent deals to destinations in Africa and the Middle East.

For our Avianca LifeMiles enthusiasts, there's a buy miles promotion running with a one hundred and fifty-five percent bonus, bringing the cost down to about one point twenty-nine cents per mile. LifeMiles can offer some incredible redemptions, particularly for Star Alliance business and first class flights, so this could be worth considering if you have a specific redemption in mind.

One quick service note - Hyatt has unfortunately backtracked on a promise to provide elite credit to a member, claiming they're 'unable to make an exception.' It's disappointing to see when hotels don't empower their frontline staff to do the right thing, especially when the cost would be minimal. It's a good reminder that even with elite status, sometimes you need to be persistent and escalate issues when hotels don't follow through on their commitments.

Finally, let me mention that Southwest Airlines' CEO is apparently eyeing some major changes to try to win back customers, including potentially adding first-class cabins, airport lounges, and even flights to Europe. This would represent a massive shift from Southwest's traditional no-frills, point-to-point model. While these changes might appeal to some travelers, longtime Southwest fans are understandably concerned about the airline abandoning what made it special in the first place.

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 so much for listening to another episode of the Miles & Points Daily Podcast! If you enjoyed today's show, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com. I'll be back tomorrow with more miles and points news to help you travel better for less. Until then, happy travels!