Hey miles and points enthusiasts, and welcome back to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast! I'm your host Lucas, and I'm here to keep you up to date on all the latest happenings in our wonderful world of award travel and loyalty programs. Today we've got some fantastic news including award sales, point buying opportunities, and some important updates about lounges and credit cards that you'll definitely want to know about.

But first, let me tell you about a fantastic tool that could save you thousands of points on your hotel stays. Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for less points. Instead of constantly checking your reservations manually, let this clever service do the heavy lifting for you. Check out the link in our show notes to get started.

Alright, let's dive into today's news, starting with some excellent award opportunities. Singapore KrisFlyer has just launched a fantastic award sale offering twenty percent off economy and premium economy redemptions. This is separate from their monthly Spontaneous Escapes offer and covers a much wider range of markets. If you've been sitting on some KrisFlyer miles or have been considering transferring points from programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, now could be an excellent time to book that economy or premium economy redemption you've been considering. Just remember that Singapore's economy product is consistently rated among the world's best, so even an economy redemption can be quite comfortable.

Speaking of great deals, we've got some compelling point buying opportunities this week. JetBlue TrueBlue is offering up to one hundred and thirty percent bonus on purchased points, bringing the cost down to about one point four cents each. This is the best promotion we've seen from JetBlue this year, and could be worthwhile if you're short on points for a specific redemption. JetBlue points typically provide good value for domestic US travel and flights to the Caribbean.

Wyndham Rewards is also running an impressive promotion with an eighty to ninety percent bonus on purchased points, bringing the cost down to around zero point six eight to zero point seven two cents per point. This is the best offer we've ever seen from Wyndham for buying points. While Wyndham properties vary in quality, this could be valuable if you have a specific redemption in mind, especially for extended stays where their points can stretch quite far.

Choice Privileges is offering a forty-five percent discount on purchased points, bringing them down to about zero point five seven cents each. Keep in mind that Choice Privileges has devalued their points recently, particularly for Preferred Hotels redemptions, so make sure you calculate the value carefully before purchasing.

Now let's talk about an exciting development with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines' new joint loyalty program. The Atmos Rewards Summit cardholders now get access to free, fancy cocktails at some Alaska Airlines lounges. This is part of an elevated bar program that comes with the launch of their new loyalty program and credit card offerings. If you're a frequent Alaska or Hawaiian flyer, this could add some nice value to your lounge visits.

Speaking of Alaska and Hawaiian, there's a new mid-range credit card worth considering. The Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Credit Card is issued by Bank of America and represents solid value for frequent Alaska or Hawaiian flyers. While the specific bonus details weren't mentioned in our sources, this appears to be positioned as the middle tier card in their new lineup, offering a balance of perks and annual fee.

Air France has some exciting news for frequent flyers with their announcement of free Starlink Wi-Fi rollout beginning now and going fleetwide by late two thousand and twenty-six. This reinforces Air France's position as one of Europe's most premium global airlines. Free high-speed Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly important for business travelers and could be a deciding factor when choosing between European carriers for your next award redemption.

For those of you who love aviation geek destinations, be aware that there was a significant incident at Sint Maarten airport. A WestJet Boeing seven thirty-seven suffered a gear collapse on landing, causing the aircraft to skid and creating sparks. All passengers evacuated safely via slides, but the incident caused significant flight disruptions as the runway was closed while heavy equipment removed the disabled aircraft. Sint Maarten is famous among aviation enthusiasts for its dramatic landings, but this incident serves as a reminder of the challenges pilots face at this unique airport.

Finally, there's been a change at New York JFK airport that could affect your travel plans. The airport has eliminated rideshare pickups at terminals four, five, and seven. This particularly impacts Delta and JetBlue passengers, as these are their primary terminals. You'll now need to take a shuttle or train to reach rideshare pickup areas, which could be especially challenging for families or travelers with lots of luggage. Plan for extra time and consider alternative transportation options when flying into JFK on these airlines.

That wraps up today's miles and points news. Remember to check our show notes for links to all the deals we discussed, and don't forget to run the numbers on any point purchases to make sure they align with your travel plans.

Before I sign off, if you're looking for the best award flights, you need to check out AwardTravelFinder.com. This powerful tool lets you search award availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and many more airlines all in one place. Stop wasting time checking individual airline websites and try Award Travel Finder for free using our link in the show notes.

Thanks for tuning in to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. If you found today's episode helpful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for even more miles and points news and analysis. Until next time, keep earning and burning those points wisely!