Harrison Pierce
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Travel and credit cards writer. Full-time traveler. My content: @cntraveler @usatoday @travelleisure @forbes 📧 harrisonpierce2@gmail.com
Articles by Harrison Pierce
JetBlue Just Increased Checked Baggage Fees Yet Again — Here's How To Avoid Paying Them
JetBlue just raised its checked bag fees — again. For the second time in 2026, the airline is making it more expensive to check luggage, with new rates taking effect for bookings made on or after today, November 3, 2026. This JetBlue checked bag fee increase was first reported by Thrifty Traveler. Under the new pricing, your first checked bag on most routes within the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America now starts at $50 each way — up from $39 before this latest increase.
Capital One Launches Transfers to Copa ConnectMiles — And a Limited-Time 30% Transfer Bonus
Capital One has just launched Copa ConnectMiles as its 23rd transfer partner. And to celebrate the launch, you can transfer your Capital One miles to Copa with a 30% transfer bonus through December 1, 2026. This can unlock fantastic value on both Copa and Star Alliance partner flights. Here's everything to know about this new transfer bonus and how to maximize it.
Buy Choice Privileges Points With a 40% Bonus (0.74¢ Each)
Ready to buy? Click here to purchase Choice points with a bonus now. Choice is back with another promotion to buy Choice Privileges points — this time with up to a 40% bonus. This targeted promotion is scheduled to run through 11:59 p.m. EDT on November 26, 2026. If you buy enough points to get the best bonus, you can grab points for just 0.74¢ per point. This rate kicks in when you buy at least 14,000 points.
100+ Atmos Rewards Partner Awards You Can Book for 10K Points or Less
Atmos Rewards is one of the few U.S.-based airline loyalty programs still committed to a distance-based award chart. Today, the program uses the same regional award charts for all its partner airlines. All three charts include several awards you can book for under 10,000 points, including some in business class. Here, I'll give you an overview of how the Atmos Rewards award chart works and show you the best redemptions that you can book for 10,000 points or less.
The end of the month is normally pretty quiet in the points and miles world. Most card issuers, hotels, and airlines typically prefer to wait for the beginning of the month to make major announcements. That wasn't the case this week.
All About the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Dining Program
Looking for ways to earn more Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points? In addition to flying Southwest and spending on Southwest credit cards, you can earn points at participating U.S. restaurants through the Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining Program. Here are the ins and outs of the Southwest Dining program so you can earn more points on your dining spend.
Southwest Flight Credit Expiration Rules: What Travelers Need to Know
For years, Southwest stood apart from every other U.S. airline by issuing flight credits that never expired. That ended on May 28, 2025, and the airline has changed almost everything else about flying Southwest since then: checked bag fees, assigned seating, a renamed fare lineup, and new earning rates. If that's not enough, more changes are coming in 2027. Flight credits now work differently — how long a credit lasts depends on which fare you bought and how you paid for your ticket.
Amex Platinum Card®: Check Your Welcome Offer — Up to 175,000 Points Plus Premium Perks
Did you know that you can view your account balances across all airlines within one of the global alliances? Click the alliance icon in the list of accounts next to any airline in an alliance to see the details. February 2, 2026Our Favorite Cash Back Credit Cards and Their Current Welcome Bonuses February 4, 2025Comparing American Express Cashback Cards: Which One Should You Get?
Confirmed: You Can Stack Elite Night Credits From Multiple IHG Credit Cards
Did you know that we keep all of our logos and banners neatly organized? If you ever need to grab AwardWallet creatives, simply right-click our logo on any page of AwardWallet. December 20, 2024Here’s How To Gift Hertz Elite Status to Two People in 2024 September 29, 2026How a $95 Annual Fee Card Can Unlock an Annual Hotel Night Worth $1,000+ March 14, 20256 Cards That Get You Elite Status With Multiple Programs
Hilton Pay With Points: Should You Apply Points Toward On-Property Purchases at Checkout?
Hilton recently launched Pay with Points, which lets Hilton Honors members apply points toward on-property purchases at checkout. This gives you a new way to use your points beyond free nights. We dug into the specifics — or lack thereof — and have more questions than answers. Here's what we know so far. What Is Pay With Points?
TLC Jet Promotions: Earn 100K AAdvantage Miles on Your First Booking
Ever dreamed of flying private? Now you have a better reason to do so. TLC Jet partnered with American Airlines back in April, which lets you earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on TLC Jet charters (excluding taxes, fees, and ancillary charges). This earning potential isn't very lucrative, but for a limited time, you can earn 100,000 bonus AAdvantage miles with your first qualifying TLC Jet booking. Here's what to know. What Is TLC Jet?
American Express Launches Savings Account Redemptions — But Only for Select Cards
American Express just launched a new way to redeem your Reward Dollars: as deposits into an American Express high-yield savings account (HYSA). That's right — you can officially turn your earnings from everyday spending into savings. Here's what we know so far, including eligible cards and whether it's worth considering. American Express Adds Savings Account Redemptions Eligible American Express cardholders can now redeem Reward Dollars for HYSA deposits.
One way to earn MileagePlus miles is through the United MileagePlus Dining program. Members can earn miles at participating restaurants and take advantage of occasional promotions, such as bonus miles for new members. You can also stack your earnings by using a credit card that earns bonus points on dining purchases. Here's an overview of the United MileagePlus Dining program and how you can use it to earn the most miles.
Point.me Launches Hotel Searches in Beta — Including Direct Bookings
It's no secret that Point.me is one of our favorite award search tools. This is especially true considering the multitude of updates Point.me has released this year alone — a total revamp of the Explore tool, faster search times, and a ton of new functionality. However, the latest update might just be the most exciting. You can now search for and book hotels through Point.me. Here's everything you need to know about the new hotel tool, currently in beta and available to paid Point.me members.
Bilt Announces Major Updates Coming in 2027 — Here's What It Means for You
Curious about which of your loyalty program balances have recently changed? AwardWallet shows an indicator (to the left of the account) for accounts that have changed in the last 24 hours. Look for this indicator to easily spot any accounts that have been recently updated.
BWH Hotels To Retire Best Western Rewards and Unite Global Portfolio Under WorldHotels Rewards
Did you know that you can group different travel segments into a single travel plan? You can then share this trip with anyone. To do this use the Create Travel Plan link. You can move the beginning and end sections of the travel plan by dragging and dropping.
Not a Great Combo: British Airways Increases Elite Requirements and Slashes Tier Points Earnings
Earning British Airways elite status won't get any easier anytime soon. The airline announced it will increase the tier points required to earn elite status and slash tier point earnings on select fares. Luckily, this double whammy won't take effect until April 1, 2027, so you have time to adjust. Let's go over the details. British Airways Makes It Harder To Earn Status Unlike loyalty programs that follow a calendar year, the British Airways elite collection year goes from April 1 to March 31.
Citi Announces Refresh of 2 American Airlines Cards — Here's What's Changing
Citi and American Airlines have been busy this year. In August, Citi and American refreshed the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® card, and just a few days ago, the card quietly added a new annual dining credit. Today, Citi has announced that more cards in the AAdvantage® lineup are getting a refresh.
Credit Card Rental Car Insurance Doesn't Cover Liability — Here's How To Get Covered
Did you know you can see the transaction history for most of your loyalty program accounts in AwardWallet? In your AwardWallet account dashboard, click the + sign next to the account you want to view. Then, click the History tab to see your individual transaction history. May 7, 2026The Best Airline Credit Cards With Annual Fees Under $100 May 5, 2025Level Up Your Rewards: The Best Credit Cards for Gamers
JetBlue TrueBlue Changes Coming in 2027: New Perks You Pick Menus, Complimentary Upgrades, and More
We're rapidly approaching the end of the year, which means airlines are busy making adjustments to their loyalty programs for 2027. We now know what's in store for the JetBlue TrueBlue program, and while some updates are exciting (complimentary upgrades!), others are less so, including major devaluations to Perks You Pick menus. Here's what to know about JetBlue's 2027 TrueBlue and Mosaic updates. JetBlue TrueBlue: What's Changing in 2027?
Citi Adds Copa ConnectMiles as a ThankYou Points® Airline Partner — Should You Take Advantage?
In September, we were excited to report that Rove added Copa ConnectMiles as a transfer partner — making it the first point currency that could transfer to Copa at a 1:1 ratio. Previously, you could only transfer Marriott Bonvoy® points to Copa at an unappealing 3:1 ratio. Rove didn't hold that title for long, as Citi just added Copa ConnectMiles as a 1:1 transfer partner. Here's what to know.
Citi / AAdvantage Executive Card Adds $200 inKind Credit — Here's How To Use It
Citi has quietly added a dining credit to its premium American Airlines credit card, effective October 25, 2026. Cardholders of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® can now enjoy a $200 credit through inKind, split into two $100 credits from January to June and from July to December. This benefit adds to the refresh Citi and American gave this card earlier this summer, providing more ways to justify its $695 annual fee. Here's what to know about the new inKind credit.
United MileagePlus is one of the most useful frequent-flyer programs for U.S.-based travelers. As a member of Star Alliance, United offers access to 190 countries and over 1,150 award-travel destinations worldwide. Earning United miles is relatively easy, and there are plenty of good ways to spend them. Over the years, we've seen some significant changes to the United MileagePlus program — most notably in 2019, when the program jettisoned published award charts in favor of dynamic pricing.
Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 StubHub Credit: How To Activate and Use It
Did you know that when you delete a travel segment from your Trips timeline, we simply hide it, so that it doesn't automatically import again. If you ever wish to recover that segment, click Show Deleted Segments. July 12, 2026Best No-Annual-Fee Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees February 14, 2026New Chase Sapphire Wellness Offers: WHOOP Savings, and More
Amex Centurion Lounge Waitlist: How To Join the Queue Before You Arrive
If you're familiar with airport lounges, chances are you've heard of American Express Centurion® Lounges. While they offer excellent food and drink, these lounges have become so popular that you might find them crowded, with limited seating and sometimes absurdly long lines just to get in. American Express has attempted to combat this issue. The lounges currently enforce time limits and policies that restrict guest access.
Lower Fees and Great U.S. Pricing: The Best Finnair Avios Sweet Spots
Of all the programs that use Avios, Finnair Plus is one of the least talked about. But it’s not one you should overlook — Finnair offers some excellent sweet spots, both on its own flights and on select partners like American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Best of all, Avios are easy to earn. With the right strategy, these Finnair Avios sweet spots are well within reach. Here’s how to use Finnair Avios for maximum value.
In the past week, we've brought you breaking news that Alaska Airlines added two new long-haul routes, Bilt added its 26th transfer partner, and American Express simultaneously added Airbnb to Amex Travel and devalued the American Express Platinum Card® lodging credit. Normally, our favorite airlines, hotels, and travel companies make a ton of different announcements throughout the week, which we compile into a weekly travel news roundup.
First Look: Inside the Massive New United Club in Houston
Texas may be famous for its Friday night lights, but United Airlines is stealing the spotlight with a new lounge nearly the size of a football field. Its newest United Club, at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), spans a whopping 54,000 square feet. With seating for 800 travelers, it's also the largest airline lounge in the Americas. AwardWallet got a firsthand look at the massive new space before it opened its doors on October 22, 2026, and there's plenty to be excited about.
Earn Triple Lufthansa Miles & More Miles on All IHG Stays for the Rest of 2026
IHG is back with another airline partnership promotion. This time, Lufthansa Miles & More members can earn triple miles on qualifying IHG stays booked and completed by December 31, 2026. That means you can earn up to 6 Miles & More miles per dollar spent on IHG stays. Here are the details of this new promotion. Earn Triple Lufthansa Miles & More Miles on IHG Stays IHG occasionally offers bonus miles from partner airlines on qualifying stays.
Are you overwhelmed by too many accounts appearing on your AwardWallet dashboard? You can now declutter by moving the accounts you no longer need into the "Archived Accounts" tab. Once an account is archived, it won't appear in your main "Active Accounts" list. Please note that this feature is not yet available on our mobile interface.
My Experience Visiting a BLADE Lounge for Free With Bilt Gold Status [Video]
Bilt Gold elite status comes with several unique perks, including boosted transfer bonuses on most Bilt Rent Days. One benefit I haven't seen from any other loyalty program is entry to BLADE lounges, even on days when you aren't flying. I hold Gold status through the Bilt Palladium Card (Rates & Fees), so one morning in Manhattan during the U.S. Open, I walked over to the West 30th Street heliport to see how the benefit works in practice.
Chase Cardholders: Earn Up to 10X Points on Groceries, Gas, and Dining — See All the Offers
Chase is back this quarter with targeted cardholder promotions to earn up to 6,000 bonus points or miles or up to 10X rewards. Depending on your offer, you can earn up to 10X total points or cash back on grocery, gas-station, and restaurant purchases made through December 31, 2026. If you have a Chase co-branded card, here’s how to check if you’re eligible for a bonus offer. Chase has relaunched its familiar targeted promotions for eligible cardholders.
British Airways Unveils New Avios-Only Flights: Fly to Palma or Heraklion From 14k Avios Each Way
British Airways releases several Avios-only flights every year. Unfortunately, there isn't usually much notice when these flights open for booking, so they tend to sell out quickly. However, if you're lucky enough to get a seat, they can be a great way to maximize your Avios. The latest British Airways Avios-only flights have just been released, covering routes between London Heathrow and Palma or Heraklion in summer 2027. Here's how you can book them. What Are Avios-Only Flights?
Unlock up to 300,000 Bonus Miles and a $1,000 Travel Credit with the Capital One Venture X Business Card
Want an easy way to log into your loyalty program accounts without needing to look up your password? Just click the name of any loyalty program in your AwardWallet account dashboard to automatically log in to that account profile. A one-time installation of a browser extension is required in most cases for this to function.
Amex Business Gold Is Narrowing Two 4X Bonus Categories — Here's What's Changing and When
The Amex Business Gold can be a very valuable card for small business owners thanks to its lucrative earning categories. The card earns 4X Membership Rewards points on the 2 eligible categories where your business spent the most each month, 1X on other purchases. 4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.
SAS Status Match: Get Delta Lounge Access and Other SkyTeam Elite Plus Perks for €199
SAS EuroBonus is running a status match promotion for frequent flyers worldwide, offering an easy path to SkyTeam Elite Plus status. Unlike past promotions, this status match is open to residents of all countries except China, Brazil, Argentina, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Once matched, your status will be valid through the remainder of your existing EuroBonus year plus 12 months. Although other frequent flyer programs base elite status on the calendar year, SAS bases it on the date you joined.
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Card vs. Capital One Venture Business Card: Which Is Better?
Choosing a small business credit card can be difficult. Traveling business owners have a plethora of options. For those looking for a rewarding travel card with a modest annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees) and Capital One Venture Business are both solid choices. But how do they compare? Is one a clear, better choice than the other? Let's dive into each card's details, highlight the pros and cons, and decide which is the better fit for your wallet.
Buy World of Hyatt Points With a 20% Discount — Matching Its Best Offer of 2026
Ready to buy? Click here to purchase Hyatt points with a discount now. If you've been looking for an opportunity to stock up on valuable World of Hyatt points, now's your time to act. Hyatt is currently offering a 20% discount on points purchases when you buy at least 3,000 points. This discount brings the cost per point down to 2.08¢ apiece. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 21, 2026. That may seem expensive to those who aren't familiar with the World of Hyatt program.
Transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Marriott With a 35% Bonus — But Is It Worth It?
American Express just launched a 35% transfer bonus when you transfer Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy®. And it's sticking around through December 10, 2026. Typically, you can transfer Amex points to Marriott at a 1:1 rate. But for this promotion, you'll get 1,350 Marriott points for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points after the 35% transfer bonus. That's not the best deal, but this offer may still be worth taking advantage of in certain cases.
Amex Launches American Express Cruise and Yacht Collection — Here's What It Gets You
American Express just rebranded its Cruise Privileges Program as the American Express Cruise and Yacht Collection. The program offers enhanced benefits on luxury cruises and yachts for Centurion® Card from American Express and American Express Platinum Card® members. Here are the details of the rebranded program, its available benefits, and who can access them.
Bilt Adds Its 26th Transfer Partner — And It's Another Major U.S. Airline
JetBlue has been busy making new friends. Just days after Rove announced JetBlue as a transfer partner, Bilt has made the same announcement. Starting October 20, 2026, you can transfer Bilt Points to JetBlue TrueBlue at a 1:1 ratio. Let's dive into this new partnership and see if it's worth taking advantage of. Bilt Launches JetBlue TrueBlue as 26th Transfer Partner You can now transfer your Bilt points to JetBlue TrueBlue at a 1:1 ratio in the Bilt app or online.
Weekly News Roundup: Hyatt Simplifies Point Sharing, New Amex Points Pooling Policy, Citi's New Partner, and More
We've had yet another busy week. Since last week's travel news roundup, we shared details of United's Premier qualification overhaul, Delta's revamp of Delta One suites, Rove adding JetBlue as a partner, JetBlue launching BlueFirst sales, and Southwest's biggest program overhaul in a decade. That is a lot of news for travelers to absorb in just one week. However, even more announcements have been made this week.
Chase Welcome Bonuses: Earn up to 200K Points, 115K Miles, or $1,000 Cash Back
Did you know that you can track travel vouchers with AwardWallet? The next time you receive a travel voucher (e.g. $300 voucher valid for 1 year), you can save it in your AwardWallet profile and be notified before its expiration. June 18, 2026Earn up to 190,000 Points With These IHG Credit Card Welcome Offers March 24, 2025United Overhauls Card Portfolio to Add Perks, Increase Annual Fees February 2, 2026Our Favorite Cash Back Credit Cards and Their Current Welcome Bonuses
Flash Sale: Buy Avios via Qatar Airways With a 60% Bonus — Just 1.44¢ Per Avios
Qatar Airways just launched a new buy Avios flash sale, allowing Privilege Club members to buy Avios with up to a 60% bonus through 11:59 pm GMT+3 on October 19, 2026 (4:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time). This means an opportunity to purchase Avios for as little as 1.44¢ each. But when is it worth buying Qatar Avios? Let's take a look at some examples of when it makes sense. Key Terms of This Buy Qatar Avios Deal Buy or gift Avios and receive up to a 60% bonus.
Best Credit Cards for Vacation Rentals: How To Earn Rewards on Airbnb and VRBO Stays
Did you know that you can view all accounts with balances that have changed in the last week or month? To filter your loyalty accounts by these options, select the Changed within 1 week or Changed within 1 month option in the Views menu.
Korean Air-Asiana Merger: What Happens to Your Miles, Elite Status, and What To Do Now
If you weren't already aware, Korean Air is merging with Asiana Airlines. That means Asiana will leave the Star Alliance on December 16, 2026, and be fully absorbed into Korean Air. Asiana branding will be slowly phased out, and the airline will cease to exist as a separate entity. If you are an Asiana Airlines member, here's everything to know about what will happen to your account.
Rove Adds JetBlue As a 1:1 Transfer Partner — Book Flights to the Caribbean From 2,700 Rove Miles
Rove seems to be growing faster than anyone thought possible. Our favorite shopping and travel portal just announced its 22nd transfer partner: JetBlue TrueBlue. This is very exciting news for U.S. travelers, as Rove's only other U.S.-based airline partner is Frontier. Here's everything to know. Not a Rove member yet?
United Making It Harder To Earn Premier Status in 2027 — Here’s What’s Changing
Did you know that AwardWallet provides an award booking service through its partners? If you'd like the team to help book an award ticket using your points and miles, just submit a booking request.
Did you know you can see the transaction history for most of your loyalty program accounts in AwardWallet? In your AwardWallet account dashboard, click the + sign next to the account you want to view. Then, click the History tab to see your individual transaction history.
Travel News Roundup: Southwest ChatGPT Plugin, New Airline Partnership, First African Airline Gets Starlink, and More
We've had another busy week. We shared news that Citi introduced a Strata welcome offer pop-up and that American Express is planning its largest Centurion Lounge expansion yet. However, this has been one of the busiest weeks for “extra” news — announcements that might not warrant a post on their own but are still important to be aware of. Here's all the travel news you could've missed from this week, including changing partnerships, more airlines getting Starlink, new lounges, and more.
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