✈️ Southwest Ditches Free Bags, Chase United Business 100k Bonus, & Alaska Airlines Award Sale

Hey there, travel enthusiasts, and welcome back to your daily dose of wanderlust, the Miles & Points Daily Podcast! I'm your host, Lucas, here to entertain, enrich, and enlighten you with the freshest scoop from the world of miles and points. So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's talk travel! Yesterday was a whirlwind of news, so let's dive into it. There's a bit of a rollercoaster happening with Southwest Airlines. As reported by The Points Guy, Southwest has decided to ditch its long-standing 'bags fly free' policy, charge for checked bags, and introduce basic economy fares. Seems like Southwest is shedding its unique identity to revamp its financial strategy. So, loyal Southwest flyers, brace yourselves; these changes are set for May 28th. My tip? Start looking at ways to maximize your points redemption with Southwest before the new rules take effect. And speaking of transformations, Chase's United Business Card is waving its bonus wand again! According to View from the Wing, Chase has re-introduced their 100,000-mile bonus offer. The kicker? You only need to spend 5,000 dollars in the first three months. If your business spending aligns, this could be a golden ticket to stockpile your United miles. Now onto some plush news: Alaska Airlines is ringing in their Global Getaways Award Sale, offering up to 50% savings on award travel. If you're an Alaska Mileage Plan member, this is your chance to bag some discounted flights and explore new horizons at a snip. Thanks to One Mile at a Time for highlighting this fantastic opportunity! Moving on to the skies of Europe, Air France-KLM is eyeing an investment in Air Europa, as per One Mile at a Time. This expansion could mean greater connectivity and perhaps new reward opportunities for Flying Blue members down the line. Stay tuned as we watch this space. Lastly, on the credit card front, Chase isn't the only one making moves. The IHG Traveler Card is wrapping up its 100,000-point welcome offer, so if you've been eyeing some hotel stays, now's your chance to rack up those points. Frequent Miler has the details, and trust me, those points can lead to some enviable stays. And before we conclude today's journey, a quick 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. And there you have it folks, a whirlwind tour of yesterday's best miles and points news stories. Thanks for tuning in to the Miles & Points Daily Podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider subscribing on all major platforms or visit milesandpointsdaily.com. Happy travels!