Hello everyone and welcome to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast! I'm Lucas, your host, and I'm thrilled to have you join me today. You know, I was just thinking about how the miles and points world is like a box of chocolates - you never know what surprise devaluation you're going to get! Speaking of surprises, we've got quite a few to discuss today, including some not-so-pleasant ones from Virgin Atlantic and some exciting new opportunities from Chase. But first, let me tell you about a tool that could save you thousands of points. Introducing hotelredemptions.com, a tool that monitors your hotel bookings and alerts you when you can rebook for less points. It's like having a personal assistant watching your reservations twenty-four seven, making sure you're always getting the best deal possible. Now, let's dive into today's miles and points news. First up, we have a significant devaluation that's going to sting for Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members. Virgin Atlantic has quietly doubled the cash surcharges on their award tickets, and this is a big deal. Just to put this in perspective, what used to be a twenty-nine thousand point ticket to Europe with around two hundred and fifty dollars in fees is now coming with surprise bills of up to eleven hundred dollars. This comes after Virgin Atlantic moved to dynamic pricing for award travel last fall, and now they've made it even more expensive. My recommendation here is to be very careful when booking Virgin Atlantic awards. Always check the total cost including fees before committing, and consider whether other Star Alliance or partner options might give you better value. Speaking of checking total costs, let's talk about some positive news from Chase. They've launched the new Sapphire Reserve for Business card, which is essentially the business version of the popular Chase Sapphire Reserve. This card comes with a seven hundred and ninety-five dollar annual fee, but it includes substantial benefits that can justify that cost for the right traveler. The card offers excellent earning rates and valuable perks like Priority Pass lounge access and travel credits. If you're interested in the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, you can get the card by clicking the link in our show notes. Now, there's also been some interesting developments with Chase's application rules for the Sapphire Reserve cards. It appears that Chase's new application restrictions aren't working as intended, which could potentially create opportunities for savvy applicants. However, I'd recommend proceeding with caution and making sure you understand Chase's five over twenty-four rule before applying. In hotel news, we have some exciting updates from Marriott Bonvoy. Postcard Cabins, which was acquired by Marriott in two thousand and twenty-four, is now fully integrated into the Marriott Bonvoy program. This means you can now book all twenty-nine Postcard Cabins locations using your Marriott Bonvoy points. These unique properties offer a different kind of accommodation experience, often in scenic locations, and they're now available for points redemptions. This is a great addition to the Marriott portfolio for those looking for something different from traditional hotels. Speaking of Marriott, if you're considering a Marriott credit card, it's worth comparing the Marriott Bonvoy Bold versus the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless cards. Both are great entry-level options with different annual fees and benefits structures. Moving on to Hilton, we're seeing continued changes in their Small Luxury Hotels partnership. After acquiring the Small Luxury Hotels alliance from Hyatt in February two thousand and twenty-four, Hilton has been gradually adding and removing properties from the program. This creates both opportunities and challenges for Hilton Honors members, as properties can come and go from the program. My advice is to keep an eye on your favorite Small Luxury Hotels properties and book them while they're still in the Hilton program if you want to use points. For those planning trips to Europe, there's some good news from United Airlines. They're offering Polaris business class awards to Europe for just eighty thousand miles, covering destinations like Italy, London, and eight other European cities. This is a solid redemption rate for business class to Europe, especially considering United's expanded European schedule this summer. If you're planning a European trip, this could be an excellent way to fly in comfort. Looking at some other loyalty program updates, we have news about Park Hyatt Johannesburg, which is opening on July first. This new property is a conversion of The Winston Hotel in Johannesburg's Rosebank area, and it's bookable starting at twenty-one thousand points per night. For those looking to explore South Africa, this could be an interesting redemption opportunity. There's also been some interesting news about American Express offering up to one hundred thousand Membership Rewards points on their Gold card. However, this is one of those 'as high as' offers, which means you won't know the exact bonus until you apply. These variable offers can be frustrating, but if you're planning to get the Amex Gold anyway, it might be worth seeing what offer you're presented with. Finally, let's talk about Bilt's July Rent Day promotion. They're offering twenty-five to one hundred percent bonuses when redeeming points for gift cards. While this sounds attractive, I need to warn you that Bilt points typically redeem at only about zero point seven cents each for gift cards, so even with the hundred percent bonus, you're not getting great value. You're much better off transferring Bilt points to airline and hotel partners where they can be worth significantly more. For those looking to maximize their award travel searches, 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. That wraps up today's miles and points news. Remember, the key to success in this game is staying informed about changes and always calculating the true value of your redemptions. Thanks for listening to the Miles and Points Daily Podcast. If you found today's episode helpful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com. Until next time, keep earning and keep redeeming!