There are several opportunities to save miles on tickets in economy, premium economy, and business class. The list this month is pretty good, including some premium cabin options to and from the United States, so let’s take a look at the details.

Book discounted Singapore Airlines awards

Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer program offers monthly “Spontaneous Escapes” deals, where there’s a list of flights that can be booked at a discount when redeeming miles.

Presumably Singapore Airlines is primarily discounting flights that aren’t anticipated to be full, and where there’s a lot of award availability. This can be a really useful promotion. One major restriction to note is that Spontaneous Escapes awards can’t be changed or canceled once booked (they don’t follow standard KrisFlyer policies), so you’ll only want to ticket these if you’re positive you’re traveling.

KrisFlyer has just published its latest Spontaneous Escapes list, which has a good number of destinations on it, all for travel on Singapore Airlines. This is valid for bookings through March 31, 2024, and for travel between April 1 and April 30, 2024.

I’d recommend checking out the full list, but just to give you a sense of some of the discounted awards that are available (pricing is one-way):

• Singapore to Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Penang, and Surabaya, is available for 14,700 miles in business class
• Singapore to Cebu and Manila is available for 16,800 miles in business class
• Singapore to Hong Kong is available for 23,800 miles in business class
• Singapore to Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, is available for 30,100 miles in business class
• Singapore to Cairns and Christchurch is available for 47,950 miles in business class
• New York to Frankfurt is available for 56,700 miles in business class
• New York to Frankfurt is available for 36,400 miles in premium economy

The restrictions for taking advantage of the offers vary by destination. Some destinations are restricted to specific flight numbers, and others are restricted to specific dates, but there’s great value to be had across the board.

How to earn Singapore KrisFlyer miles

If you’re interested in booking one of these flights but don’t have KrisFlyer miles, the good news is that Singapore KrisFlyer is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou, so there are lots of easy ways to earn points that can be redeemed for these flights.

Singapore Airlines makes most premium cabin award space available exclusively to members of its own KrisFlyer program, so many of these are flights that you couldn’t book with partner airline miles. However, some partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan, do increasingly have access to some long haul Singapore Airlines premium award space.

Bottom line

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer has published its latest Spontaneous Escapes promotion. With this new list, you can save on business class, premium economy, and economy award redemptions. There are some good deals to be had, including for both business class and premium economy travel to the United States.

Are there any KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes awards that you plan to take advantage of?

The Citi Premier^® Card (review) is one of the most rewarding mid-range credit cards. While many people might be familiar with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review), the Citi Premier is an often overlooked competitor (or complement, depending on how you look at it).

In this post, I wanted to share seven reasons you should get the Citi Premier if you don’t yet have it. In no particular order…

60,000 Citi ThankYou bonus points

The Citi Premier Card has an excellent welcome bonus of 60,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 within three months. On top of that, through June 30, 2024, you can earn a total of 10x ThankYou points per dollar spent on hotels, rental cars, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked through the Citi Travel Portal.

Personally I value ThankYou points at 1.7 cents each, so to me that bonus is worth an excellent $1,020, making it one of the best credit bonuses out there. Since a lot of people don’t have this card, these are some easy rewards points to rack up.

Those 60,000 points can earn you at least $600 in rewards, or can be converted into airline miles of ThankYou partners at a 1:1 ratio. That doesn’t even factor in the ability to earn 10x points on some travel purchases.

See here for the general restrictions on applying for Citi cards, and also be aware of Citi’s 24-month rule.

Reasonable $95 annual fee

We’ve seen quite a bit of inflation when it comes to credit card annual fees in recent years as credit cards have continued to become more rewarding. It’s noteworthy that the Citi Premier Card has an annual fee of just $95 per year, and there’s no cost to add additional authorized users.

There’s a lot of value in having a premium credit card, so paying a fee of under $100 per year is very reasonable, considering how much value you can get with the card.

The best 3x points bonus categories

Among credit cards with annual fees of under $100, the Citi Premier Card almost unarguably offers the best bonus categories. The Citi Premier offers 3x ThankYou points in the following categories:

• Airfare
• Dining
• Gas
• Groceries
• Hotels

Of particular note is earning 3x points on dining, gas, and groceries, which for many people covers most everyday expenses. The card also doesn’t have foreign transaction fees, making it a great card for purchases abroad.

Annual $100 hotel credit

Once every calendar year, the Citi Premier Card offers $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees. This is valid when booking through the Citi ThankYou portal. While there may be an opportunity cost to booking this way, many people will find this valuable, and in those cases, this alone can more than justify the annual fee.

Great Citi ThankYou transfer partners

The Citi Premier Card is ideal if you want to earn points that can be transferred to airline partners. These points hold their value quite well, and can give you some amazing premium travel experiences.

For example, Citi ThankYou points can be transferred to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Singapore KrisFlyer, Turkish Miles&Smiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and many more. The opportunities to redeem these points for premium travel are endless.

Best of all, if you have Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, there is some overlap between partners. In many cases, you can transfer points to the same partners from multiple programs.

Maximize the Citi Double Cash

This is arguably the most compelling reason to get the Citi Premier Card. The no annual fee Citi Double Cash® Card (review) is one of the best cards for everyday, non-bonused spending. The card offers 1x ThankYou points when you make a purchase, and 1x ThankYou points when you pay for that purchase, meaning you can earn up to 2x ThankYou points.

Rewards can be combined with those earned on the Citi Premier Card, and you could then transfer those rewards to ThankYou transfer partners. If you have the Citi Premier and Citi Double Cash you’d pay a single $95 annual fee, and you’d earn:

• 3x points on airfare
• 3x points on dining
• 3x points on gas
• 3x points on groceries
• 3x points on hotels
• 2x points on all other purchases

That’s incredible, and makes this one of the best credit card duos out there.

Get even more value with the Citi Rewards+ & Citi Custom Cash

There are two other incredible no annual fee complements to the Citi Premier Card — the Citi Rewards+^® Card (review) and the Citi Custom Cash® Card (review). Most significantly:

• The Citi Rewards+ offers 10% of your points back for the first 100,000 ThankYou points you redeem every calendar year; this includes ThankYou points earned on other cards, meaning that 2-3x points can potentially earn you the equivalent of 2.2-3.3x points back, when all is said and done
• The Citi Custom Cash offers 5x points on your top eligible spending category every billing cycle (on up to $500 of spending), with categories including drugstores, fitness clubs, gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, live entertainment, restaurants, select streaming services, select transit, and select travel

If you really wanted to maximize rewards, you could pick up all three no annual fee complements to the Citi Premier, though even one or two could get you a long way.

Bottom line

The Citi Premier Card is an excellent credit card that’s all too often overlooked by people. The card has a solid welcome bonus, offers some of the best 3x points categories of any card, and perhaps most exciting of all is that this card allows you to really maximize the no annual fee Citi Double Cash Card, which is one of the best cards for everyday spending. The Citi Premier and Citi Double Cash are one of the best card duos out there.

If you have the Citi Premier, what has your experience been with the card?

Basics of Royal Jordanian’s status match promo

The website statusmatch.com is partnering with Royal Jordanian’s Royal Club program to offer a status match promotion. Royal Jordanian is a oneworld member, and this could be valuable even if you don’t typically fly with the airline. A few basics to be aware of, to start:

• Royal Jordanian is matching to Silver Jay status (oneworld Ruby) at a cost of $49, or to Gold Sparrow status (oneworld Sapphire) at a cost of $149
• The status match request should take just a minute to complete, though it can take up to five business days for the request to be approved
• There’s no published end date for this promotion, though it can be pulled at any time
• Matched status is valid for a period of 12 months from when the match is approved
• This promotion is only valid for those who reside in the following countries (and you must have ID documents, like a passport or driver’s license): Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Netherlands, Oman, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, and UAE

Which airline status is Royal Jordanian matching?

According to the FAQs, Royal Jordanian is matching the following status:

• Air Europa – SUMA
• Air France – Flying Blue
• EgyptAir – Plus
• El Al – Matmid
• Emirates – Skywards
• Etihad – Guest
• Gulf Air – Falcon Flyer
• Kuwait Airways – Oasis Club
• Lufthansa – Miles & More
• Middle East Airlines – Cedar Miles
• Oman Air – Sindbad
• Saudia – Alfursan
• Scandinavian Airlines – EuroBonus
• TAP Air Portugal – Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines – Miles&Smiles
• Virgin Atlantic – Flying Club

As you can see, this includes many non-oneworld airlines, in particular airlines in Europe and the Middle East, which are markets in which Royal Jordanian competes most. Unfortunately this opportunity is only available for elite members of the above programs, and not for members of other programs.

Why is this status match opportunity useful?

Obviously this promotion could be useful if you’re someone who has a lot of travel on Royal Jordanian coming up. Beyond that, though, the main reason to consider this promotion is because of the value of oneworld Sapphire status. This status offers perks like priority boarding, priority check-in, and extra baggage allowance, on all oneworld airlines.

If you have oneworld Sapphire status with a non-US frequent flyer program, you could even access American Admirals Clubs or American Flagship Lounges whenever traveling on a oneworld airline, even if you’re traveling domestically.

American AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan elite members only get lounge access on select international itineraries, while oneworld Sapphire members with foreign airlines get lounge access even on entirely domestic itineraries. Getting access to American’s premium lounges even when traveling domestically is awesome.

However, admittedly this is of limited use with this offer, given that this deal isn’t available to those residing in the United States.

Bottom line

There’s a status match promotion for Royal Jordanian Royal Club status, which can earn you oneworld Sapphire perks. There’s an application fee of up to $149, but that’s not a lot at all when you consider the potential value of this promotion.

If you’re a oneworld flyer and are eligible, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of this. The major catch, of course, is that there are residency requirements, so this isn’t open to those in the United States.

Do you plan on taking advantage of this oneworld status match opportunity?

Details of the JW Marriott Crete, Greece

Marriott has announced plans for the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa, which will be opening on Greece’s largest island in 2025. The 160-room property is expected to span 100 coastal acres, with all suites featuring a private pool or jacuzzi.

The property’s design is described as blending modern elegance with authentic Cretan heritage. The hotel will feature five culinary experiences (including a Cretan restaurant and a beach dining venue), multiple swimming pools, a fitness center and spa, and a beach club. Beyond that, details are limited as of now.

The JW Marriott Crete will be located on the outskirts of the town of Chania, along Marathi Beach. The property will be a short drive from Chania Airport (CHQ), and a roughly two-hour drive from Heraklion Airport (HER).

Below you can find some (rather low quality) renderings of the property.

Why I’m excited about this new JW Marriott property

Greece is one of my favorite places in the world — I love the climate, the food is delicious, and the country has so much to offer, and even the islands are so varied.

Crete is my favorite “popular” island in Greece, as it has so much to offer. It’s quite large, and I also like how the culture is a bit more diverse, given how close it is to Africa. It’s also not quite as touristy as a place like Mykonos or Santorini (which admittedly aren’t my favorite places in Greece).

Anyway, it’s exciting to see more points hotel options in Crete. When I visited Crete a couple of years back, I stayed at Domes Zeen Chania, a Marriott Autograph Collection property. That’s in the same area of Greece as this property.

The town of Chania is super charming, and is worth a visit.

I also loved Blue Palace Elounda, a Marriott Luxury Collection property. That’s currently undergoing a major renovation, and will reopen as a Rosewood. The hotel could definitely use a refresh, though it’s unfortunately probably going to be much more expensive, and won’t be bookable with points.

Bottom line

A JW Marriott has been announced for Crete, Greece. the 160-room property will open in 2025, and will be located near the town of Chania. I adore Crete, so I’m always pleased to see more points hotels opening there. This property looks like it could be quite nice, and I’m excited to learn more.

What do you make of the JW Marriott Crete?

Graduate Hotels joining Hilton Honors portfolio

Hilton has announced plans to pay $210 million to acquire the Graduate Hotels brand from Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, and properties are expected to be bookable through Hilton channels and belong to Hilton Honors as of some point later in 2024.

Hilton is acquiring all rights to the Graduate Hotels brand worldwide, will enter into a franchise agreement for all existing and signed pipeline Graduate Hotels properties, and will become responsible for the brand’s future development and growth. However, Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners will remain the owner of the actual properties (which makes sense, since Hilton has an asset light strategy).

The Graduate Hotels brand will be part of Hilton’s lifestyle portfolio, alongside Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Tempo by Hilton, and Motto by Hilton.

Here’s how Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta describes this acquisition:

“Adding Graduate Hotels to our portfolio of award-winning brands accelerates our expansion in the lifestyle space by pairing an existing much-loved brand with the power of Hilton’s strong commercial engine to drive growth. We have long had a high bar for adding brands to our portfolio, whether organically or through acquisition, and Graduate will be another driver of growth for us, presenting a unique opportunity to serve more guests in more sought-after destinations. With thousands of colleges and universities around the world, we believe the addressable market for the Graduate brand is 400-500 hotels globally.”

What is the Graduate Hotels brand?

For those not familiar with the Graduate Hotels brand, it was founded back in 2014, and the company exclusively operates properties in college towns. Each property is designed to reflect the unique character of its local university, whether visiting for a game day, reunion, graduation, campus visit, or any other reason.

Currently the Graduate Hotels brand has around 35 properties either open or in the pipeline, in both the United States and United Kingdom. Current locations include places like Ann Arbor, Knoxville, Palo Alto, State College, Oxford, Cambridge, and more. Hilton is obviously investing here because the company sees big growth potential, and could imagine the brand opening up to 500 properties.

I’ve never stayed at a Graduate Hotels property, as I haven’t had much of a connection to any college town in the past decade. However, I’ve gotta say that these properties look pretty charming and location specific, so I love the concept.

We see so many lifestyle brands that are just painfully cookie cutter and indistinguishable, so I actually very much appreciate that Graduate Hotels tries to be something different, and is focused on a specific niche. I wish we saw more of that creativity from other hotel groups.

I think Hilton’s distribution power will help supercharge this brand. It’s also great that you’ll be able to earn and redeem points for stays at these properties, though hopefully Hilton maintains the quality that this brand is known for.

Bottom line

Hilton will be acquiring the Graduate Hotels brand in a $210 million deal. These properties will operate under a franchise agreement, and should join the Hilton Honors portfolio later in 2024. Hilton sees big growth potential in this market, and could see the brand eventually having up to 500 properties.

What do you make of Hilton acquiring Graduate Hotels?

When I think of my international flying memories, the perks I’ve received on account of my oneworld Emerald status are among my favorites. I wanted to dedicate this post to why I love oneworld Emerald status so much, as I’m sure I’m not alone.

What is airline alliance status?

There are three major global airline alliances — oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam — and combined they have dozens of airline members. Not all airlines belong to a global alliance, though many major airlines do.

One of the benefits of these alliances for frequent flyers is that there’s a certain level of reciprocity when it comes to elite perks.

You don’t earn elite status directly with an alliance, but rather you earn status with a member airline, and that status maps over to an alliance elite tier. Just to give some examples:

• American AAdvantage Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro, and Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K, gets you oneworld Emerald
• Delta SkyMiles Diamond Medallion, Platinum Medallion, and Gold Medallion, gets you SkyTeam Elite Plus
• United MileagePlus Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, and Premier Gold, gets you Star Alliance Gold

Personally I think oneworld Emerald status is the most valuable of those by far, so let me share why.

What are the benefits of oneworld Emerald status?

The oneworld alliance has three elite tiers — Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. Emerald is the top tier status, and is typically earned with having high level status in a oneworld frequent flyer program.

What are the perks of oneworld Emerald status? Here are the high-level benefits, roughly in the order that I value them:

• Access to first & business class lounges
• Access to preferred and pre-reserved seating
• Priority boarding
• Extra baggage allowance
• Access to first class check-in
• Fast track at select security lanes
• Priority baggage handling
• Priority on waitlists and when on standby

Below I wanted to go into a bit more detail on the benefits above that I value most.

Lounge access with oneworld Emerald

The single best perk of oneworld Emerald status is the lounge access benefit, as members receive access to oneworld first & business class lounges when traveling on a oneworld flight the same day in any cabin. They’re allowed to even bring one guest with them (also traveling on a oneworld flight).

Now, there are a few things to be aware of:

• Those earning oneworld Emerald status through American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan only get lounge access when traveling outside of North America, while other oneworld Emerald members get lounge access even when traveling domestically; in other words, non-AAdvantage and Mileage Plan oneworld Emeralds can even use American Flagship Lounges when traveling within the US
• Certain lounges are excluded from this benefit, including the Chelsea Lounge New York, British Airways Concorde Room, Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge Doha, Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge Doha, and Qatar Airways Premium Lounges outside of Qatar

As far as I’m concerned, this leaves some really phenomenal oneworld Emerald lounges, including some that I’d rank among the best first class lounges around the world.

This ranges from Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class Lounge Hong Kong…

…to Qantas’ First Lounge Sydney.

Preferred & pre-reserved seating with oneworld Emerald

I wish this weren’t actually a benefit that I valued, but unfortunately some airlines in oneworld charge for seat assignments, even in business class. For example:

• British Airways charges for seat assignments in business class
• Qatar Airways sells unbundled business class fares, which don’t allow seat assignments in advance for non-elite members

While I’d probably otherwise usually book away from airlines with policies like this, oneworld Emerald status makes this a non-issue, as I can continue to select seats in advance for free.

Do note that each airline has a different policy when it comes to assigning oneworld Emerald members priority economy seats. Some will assign extra legroom economy seats for free (for example, American gives oneworld Emerald members with joint venture partners free Main Cabin Extra seats), while others won’t.

Priority check-in & boarding with oneworld Emerald

As a oneworld Emerald member you can generally check in with international first class, and also board with international first class. Personally I love this perk, because when I review flights it’s handy to be able to board business class when first class boards, so I can snap pictures of the cabin before it gets too full.

Note that the exact policy of each airline differs. For example:

• While British Airways and Cathay Pacific let oneworld Emeralds board with international first class, American only lets oneworld Emeralds board after all premium cabin passengers
• Those who earn oneworld Emerald through American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan can only use American’s Flagship First Check-In when flying on select international flights

Extra baggage allowance with oneworld Emerald status

While I only travel with hand luggage a majority of the time, for those times where I check luggage, the extra oneworld Emerald baggage allowance comes in handy:

• For tickets that have a weight limit, you get an extra 20kg of luggage
• For tickets that have a piece system, you get one additional bag

For example, while American Airlines domestic first class passengers get two free checked bags up to 70 pounds each, as an Executive Platinum member (oneworld Emerald) I get a third free checked bag with the same weight limit.

How does oneworld status compare to others?

Why do I prefer oneworld Emerald status to top tier status with Star Alliance or SkyTeam? First of all, the oneworld alliance is the only one to have a true “top tier” alliance-wide status. For example, Star Alliance Gold is the highest Star Alliance status, and you generally get that with mid-tier airline status. Big picture:

• Star Alliance Gold doesn’t get you access to international first class lounges with any airlines, while I consider that to be the single best oneworld Emerald perk (and please, no one tell me that Lufthansa Senator Lounges are in fact first class lounges)
• SkyTeam Elite Plus is just generally uncompetitive; for example, SkyTeam Elite Plus members with non-US airlines don’t even get lounge access when traveling domestically within the US, while elite members with oneworld and Star Alliance do

Bottom line

While there’s value to airline status in general, I find that reciprocal alliance perks really shine with oneworld Emerald. Any time I consider giving up on status with American Airlines, I’m reminded of how much I’d miss oneworld Emerald status. There’s something about the peak experiences that the status allows that makes me really value it.

It sure is nice to fly American business class out of LAX and use the Qantas First Lounge, or to fly Cathay Pacific business class on a regional flight out of HKG and use the Cathay Pacific First Lounge.

Anyone else love oneworld Emerald as much as I do? And anyone disagree with my take, and prefer status with Star Alliance and/or SkyTeam?

• Today (March 14) is the last day to register for the Q1 2024 bonus categories, so you can maximize 5x points through the end of the month
• Chase has just revealed the Q2 2024 bonus categories, and registration will open for that tomorrow (March 15)

Note that these same bonus categories are also valid for the Chase Freedom Card, which is no longer open to new applicants.

Why I love the Chase Freedom Flex

The Chase Freedom Flex Card is easily one of the best no annual fee cards out there, as it offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, for up to $1,500 of spending per quarter. Most people use this as a cashback card, meaning the 5x points really translates into 5% cashback in these categories.

The card has other bonus categories as well, as it offers 3x points (or 3% cash back) at drugstores and on dining.

The best part is that in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review), Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (review), or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review), points earned on this card can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points, and be transferred to the Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partners, or can be redeemed at a favorable rate through the Chase Travel Portal.

Since I value one Ultimate Rewards point at significantly more than one cent, that’s my preferred use of those points.

Chase Freedom Flex Q2 2024 bonus categories

For the second quarter of 2024, the Freedom Flex Card will be offering 5x points on the first $1,500 spent with Whole Foods, hotels, and restaurants. As far as key dates go:

• You need to register between March 15 and June 14, 2024
• If you register, you can earn 5x points between April 1 and June 30, 2024

I’ll post again once registration opens for next quarter.

Chase Freedom Flex Q1 2024 bonus categories

For the first quarter of 2024, the Freedom Flex Card is offering 5x points on the first $1,500 spent with grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), fitness clubs and gym memberships, and self-care and spa services. As far as key dates go:

• You need to register between December 15, 2023, and March 14, 2024 (so this is your last chance)
• If you register, you can earn 5x points between January 1 and March 31, 2024

How to register your Chase Freedom Flex

Registration is easy — just go to the registration page and enter your last name, billing zip code, and the last four digits on your card, and you’ll be registered.

Chase Freedom Flex bonus category inclusions

Sometimes there are questions about what’s included in the Chase Freedom Flex Card 5x points bonus categories, so let’s cover Chase’s definition of each of these categories for Q1 2024.

Here’s how Chase defines the grocery stores category:

Merchants in this category include supermarkets, merchants that offer a full-service grocery line of merchandise including a deli and bakery as well as smaller grocery stores. Some merchants that sell grocery items are not included in this category; for example, larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods and groceries, such as warehouse clubs, discount stores and some smaller merchants such as drugstores, and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items. Purchases made at gas stations from merchants who also operate grocery stores are not included in this category. Delivery service merchants will be included if they classify as a grocery store merchant.

Here’s how Chase defines the fitness clubs and gym memberships category:

Merchants in this category include health clubs, exercise, or athletic facilities requiring membership and offering access to services related to physical fitness, such as fitness clubs, fitness centers, fitness studios, gyms, aerobics, cardio fitness and other services such as yoga and cross fit training. Merchants that specialize in offering personalized or therapeutic services such as massage therapy, dietary and weight management counseling and personal training are not included in this category. In addition, some merchants that sell a wide variety of general goods, which may include fitness or athletic apparel, sporting goods, dietary food, health food or similar supplements are not included in this category. Also, certain lodging, hotel, motel, resort and central reservation services offering access to third party facilities that include fitness clubs or gyms are not included in this category unless they classify as a fitness club or gym membership merchant.

Here’s how Chase defines the self-care and spa services category:

This category includes self-care and spa services, such as massages, spa treatments, manicures, tanning, and barber and salon services, purchased at merchant locations that specialize in providing these services. These services are typically provided by licensed professionals, however, services provided by medical professionals will not qualify. Purchases of self-care and spa services at merchants that classify their location in another category, for example spa services purchased in a hotel, will not be included unless the merchant classifies the transactions in this category. Purchases of related products and services, for example hair and skincare products purchased at a salon or an overnight stay at a spa, will also not be included unless the merchant classifies the transactions in this category.

My take on Chase Freedom Flex Q1 2024 bonus categories

Everyone has different spending patterns. Personally I quite like the Q1 2024 bonus categories, mainly because I’m happy to be able to earn 5x points at grocery stores. I’ll probably spend $1,500 there over the course of the quarter without much effort, so that’s easy enough!

How to make Chase Freedom Flex points more valuable

To recap, you earn points on the Chase Freedom Flex, and each point can be redeemed for one cent cashback.

However, if you have this card in addition to one of the cards that accrues Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer these points to Ultimate Rewards. Cards that accrue Ultimate Rewards Cards include the:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Ink Business Preferred

So 5% cashback converts into 5x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar with one of the above cards.

Bottom line

The Chase Freedom Flex is one of the best no annual fee cards out there, thanks largely to the ability to earn 5x points in rotating quarterly categories.

This is your last chance to register for the Q1 2024 bonus categories, allowing you to earn 5x points with grocery stories, fitness clubs and gym memberships, and self-care and spa services. Then registration will shortly open for the Q2 2024 bonus categories, whereby you’ll be able to earn 5x points with Whole Foods, hotels, and restaurants.

What do you make of the Q1 and Q2 2024 Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories?

Save on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club awards

With a new sale from Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, members can save 50% off the number of points required for award tickets on Virgin Atlantic flights to and from the United States.

As you’d expect, there are some terms to be aware of:

• This is valid for bookings made between March 14 and March 20, 2024
• This is valid for travel through June 30, 2024
• This is valid exclusively for travel on Virgin Atlantic, and not for travel on partner airlines
• This applies for all cabins and for both peak and off-peak season
• The discounted pricing should already be reflected when you search availability
• The sale applies to all Virgin Atlantic routes to and from the United States, including London (LHR), Manchester (MAN), and Edinburgh (EDI), flights
• Only the number of points required is reduced by 50%, and not the taxes, fees, and carrier imposed surcharges

Virgin Atlantic points are easy to come by

Even if you’re not collecting points directly with Virgin Atlantic, keep in mind that these points are easy to come by through transferable points currencies:

• Amex Membership Rewards partners with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Bilt Rewards partners with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Capital One partners with Virgin Red
• Chase Ultimate Rewards partners with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Citi ThankYou partners with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

On top of that, Virgin Atlantic often sells points with a bonus, which can be an opportunity to acquire them at a reasonable cost.

Is this award sale a good deal?

This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen a promotion like this from Virgin Atlantic, as we typically see similar offers from the program about once per quarter (we saw four such sales in 2023, and already saw one earlier in 2024).

This promotion is for a larger percentage discount than the past offers we’ve seen, though the travel window is also a bit shorter than for some past deal. I’d say that this is a deal that could be worth considering, though there are of course some things to be aware of.

For context, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club awards between the United States and United Kingdom cost the following number of points, depending on the route and season:

• 10,000-25,000 points one-way in economy
• 17,500-37,500 points one-way in premium economy
• 47,500-67,500 points one-way in Upper Class business class

Being able to redeem so few points for a one-way Upper Class ticket is a solid deal. Now, in fairness, the carrier imposed surcharges are significant. But still, this is a huge discount, and for many people could be worth a speculative booking.

Bottom line

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has a generous promotion on award redemptions, as you can get 50% off the points required for award tickets for travel to and from the United States. This is a great deal, especially since the discount is applied at the time that you book, so you don’t have to wait for some points refund after the fact.

If you have any travel to plan for next few months, then I’d say this is an opportunity worth considering.

Do you plan on taking advantage of Virgin Atlantic’s award sale?

We’re slowly seeing international airlines resume flights to Israel. A couple of weeks ago, United became the first US airline to resume Israel flights, and now a second airline has revealed plans to resume this service.

Delta will resume New York to Tel Aviv route in June 2024

Delta has announced that it will resume daily flights between New York (JFK) and Tel Aviv (TLV) as of June 7, 2024. The route will be operated with the following schedule:

DL234 New York to Tel Aviv departing 11:40PM arriving 5:35PM (+1 day)
DL235 Tel Aviv to New York departing 11:55PM arriving 5:10AM (+1 day)

The 5,677-mile flight is blocked at 10hr55min eastbound and 12hr15min westbound. Delta will use an Airbus A330-900neos for the route, featuring 281 seats, comprised of 29 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, 56 extra legroom economy seats, and 168 economy seats.

Delta claims that the decision to resume Israel lights follows an extensive security risk assessment, and that the company continues to closely monitor the situation in Israel in conjunction with government and private-sector partners.

It’s worth noting that up until now, Delta had actually been selling its Israel flights for travel as of May 1. But that seemed to be more of a placeholder resumption date for this service, rather than a firm plan. Meanwhile the airline is now formally claiming this service will launch in June.

To be honest, I’m a bit confused by the way that Delta is going about resuming this service. It goes without saying that demand between the United States and Israel is there, and United’s route is currently performing incredibly well.

The way United went about resuming service made sense to me — the airline did a security assessment, and then made preparations to launch service within a couple of weeks. Meanwhile Delta claims to have done a security assessment, and now plans to resume service in about three months.

Is Delta not resuming service to Israel sooner because it doesn’t have the available aircraft, because it doesn’t think the demand is there, because it doesn’t think it’s safe, or what?

Delta & EL AL have an intriguing partnership

With Delta resuming flights to Israel, I can’t help but point out an interesting development we saw last year. In June 2023, Delta and EL AL announced a new strategic partnership. Of course the timing of that wasn’t great, since it was supposed to launch in late 2023, around the same time that Delta pulled out of Israel.

As we see more airlines returning to Israel, I’m very curious to see what this partnership looks like in practice, and how Delta evolves its Israel route network in light of this.

Historically, Delta has been heavily focused on joint venture partners and airlines that it invests in, so I wonder if we could see more ties between the two airlines. The partnership between Delta and EL AL has come in handy in recent months, given that EL AL has been the only airline flying between the two countries.

It’s possible that we don’t actually see a whole lot more, and that Delta has simply decided that this is the best way to compete with United in Israel, as United has historically been by far the biggest US carrier in Israel.

Bottom line

Delta has announced plans to resume daily flights between New York and Tel Aviv as of June 2024. Delta is the second US airline to announce plans to bring back these flights, as United has resumed Israel flights as of March 2024. I do find the amount of notice being provided here to be curious, and I wonder why Delta is only launching these flights in three months.

What do you make of Delta resuming flights to Israel?

My single favorite thing about oneworld Emerald status is that you get access to oneworld first class lounges, even if you’re traveling in economy. Now, some lounges are excluded from this arrangement, like the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge and British Airways Concorde Room. However, many incredible lounges are eligible, including some of my favorite first class lounges in the world.

In this post I thought it would be fun to share what I consider to be the best oneworld Emerald lounges, roughly ranked in order. Suffice it to say that visiting some of these lounges is almost a rite of passage among oneworld Emeralds, for those earning status like American AAdvantage Executive Platinum and Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K.

So below are my favorite oneworld Emerald lounges, and I’m curious to hear how many OMAAT readers have visited all of them. Let’s get into the list, starting with my favorite.

Cathay Pacific The Pier First Lounge Hong Kong (HKG)

Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong is such an incredible lounge. I pinch myself every time I’m in this lounge as a oneworld Emerald member, because it’s such a nice space.

I love the design of the lounge, the amazing plane views, the a la carte restaurant, the bar with great coffee and cocktails, the private cabanas for relaxing, and even the complimentary massages.

While Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge is also excellent, personally I prefer this lounge, with the exception of the amazing shower suites at The Wing.

Qantas First Lounge Sydney (SYD)

Along with Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class Lounge, the Qantas First Lounge Sydney is my other favorite oneworld Emerald lounge.

The lounge has a gorgeous design with amazing apron and runway views, as well as delicious a la carte dining, barista coffee, and even complimentary spa treatments. I could spend hours here and not get bored.

The Qantas First Lounge Melbourne is also excellent, though I’ll only be including one of Qantas’ Australia lounges on the list, since they’re quite similar, and the Sydney lounge does have the edge.

Qantas First Lounge Singapore (SIN)

If there’s one thing that Qantas does a great job with, it’s the carrier’s oneworld Emerald lounges. They’re not just in Australia, but there are also a couple abroad. I really love the Qantas First Lounge Singapore, which has stunning decor, and almost feels like an exclusive restaurant. The lounge has amazing food, with Qantas classics like the salt & pepper squid, as well as some local specialties, like laksa.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo (HND)

The Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda is another treat for oneworld Emeralds. The lounge is probably the largest first class lounge that oneworld Emerald members have access to. I love how the lounge has so many distinct zones, from a bar with Japanese specialty drinks, to a sushi restaurant, and much more. Bring your appetite to the lounge, to enjoy dishes like sushi and beef curry with rice.

Qantas First Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)

In the United States, we’re used to airport lounges with cubed cheese and boxed wine. In that sense, the Qantas First Lounge Los Angeles is a real breath of fresh air, as it’s the best elite lounge in the United States, in my opinion.

Much like the other Qantas First Lounge locations, the lounge is heavily focused on dining, with a restaurant quality selection of food and drinks. What a treat to be able to use this prior to an American Airlines flight!

Finnair Platinum Wing Helsinki (HEL)

While Finnair doesn’t have a first class product, the airline has the Finnair Platinum Wing especially for oneworld Emerald members. This has to be one of the coziest lounges out there, as it has lots of comfortable seating, a la carte dining, excellent coffee, and even a sauna, which is a mighty unique airport lounge amenity! Nothing quite like sauna-ing it up with your fellow oneworld Emeralds, eh?

Cathay Pacific First Lounge London (LHR)

While nothing can compete with Cathay Pacific’s lounge presence in Hong Kong, the carrier also has a great first class lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 3. In addition to having comfortable seating, the lounge also has a la carte dining, with an impressive food and drink selection.

If you’re flying American out of London and are a oneworld Emerald member, this is so much better than visiting the American International First Lounge.

American & British Airways Soho Lounge New York (JFK)

American & British Airways both operate out of Terminal 8 at New York JFK, and they have three shared lounges — the Chelsea Lounge, the Soho Lounge, and the Greenwich Lounge. The Soho Lounge is primarily for oneworld Emerald members, and it’s quite pleasant. It has views of the apron, comfortable seating, an extensive buffet, and a limited selection of a la carte dining options.

Malaysia Airlines Platinum Lounge Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

While Malaysia Airlines no longer has first class, the airline does have an exclusive lounge for oneworld Emerald members. To be honest, it’s far from my favorite lounge in the world, but it’s still nice to have a much quieter space than the main lounge. The lounge has plenty of private seating, and otherwise the main point of differentiation is a la carte dining.

Bottom line

I love having oneworld Emerald status, because it provides access to some amazing lounges that you’d otherwise have to be flying first class to visit. There are some incredible oneworld Emerald lounges out there, and now that the world has fully reopened, it’s once again practical to visit most of these lounges.

To oneworld Emeralds, which lounge is your favorite? How many of the above have you visited?

Spend $250+ with select IHG brands, get $50 back

There’s a targeted Amex Offers deal for stays at mainstream IHG brand properties over the next few months:

• Save $50 when you spend $250+ across one or more transactions (up to 20% back)
• This is valid when you pay for your stay between March 14 and June 15, 2024
• This is valid for stays at Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, EVEN Hotels, avid hotels, Atwell Suites, and Garner Hotels; all other brands (like Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, InterContinental, Kimpton, etc.) are excluded
• This is valid for stays at properties in the United States, including US territories
• The terms state that you need to book directly with IHG to take advantage of this
• You can combine this with any promotion being offered directly by IHG, including any IHG One Rewards global promotion
• Registration is required

There’s a renewed interest in IHG’s loyalty program

The past couple of years ago been pretty good for IHG One Rewards, which is IHG’s loyalty program. The new IHG One Rewards program was launched in 2022, and offers a significantly better value proposition than the previous IHG Rewards Club program.

The value of elite status, including IHG Platinum and IHG Diamond status, has been improved considerably. On top of that, there’s a lot of value to the Milestone Rewards program, which can offer you club lounge access, suite upgrade awards, and more.

Bottom line

With a new targeted Amex Offers deal, you can save $50 when you spend $250+ at select IHG brands, including Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and more. This has the potential to be a very good deal, so if you have any upcoming IHG stays, be sure to register.

Do you plan on taking advantage of this Amex Offers deal?

Alaska Airlines says goodbye to the airport kiosk

Alaska has updated its travel advisories page, to outline a new restriction on how you can get your boarding pass at the airport. You’re of course encouraged to get your boarding pass prior to getting to the airport using your own smartphone. But if you don’t show up at the airport with a boarding pass, you’ll no longer be able to print it at one of the kiosks. Rather, you’ll have to see an agent.

Here’s how the airline explains this:

Our airport kiosks no longer print boarding passes—this means you’ll need to check in and access your boarding passes through the Alaska Airlines mobile app, from a computer, mobile device, or print them at home. If you’re checking bags, you’ll use our new bag tag stations to print bag tags, add a bag, or pay for your checked baggage. If you are unable to obtain your boarding pass before arriving at the airport, please see an agent for a paper version.

How Alaska Airlines is changing the airport check-in experience

Alaska is overhauling the airport check-in experience in a pretty bold way, and kiosks no longer printing boarding passes is a small part of that. Alaska is investing $2.5 billion in its airport lobbies, with the goal of getting passengers from the check-in hall and through security in five minutes or less.

Here are the key aspects of this:

• Passengers will be encouraged to check-in using their smartphone, and the airline is hoping that 90% of people will eventually check-in via this method
• Alaska will no longer have traditional airport check-in kiosks, but will instead replace those with new bag tag stations, where passengers will be able to pay for and tag checked bags using iPad tablets, and put the bags on the belt themselves
• There will still be customer service agents available, should you need help

This whole plan is essentially based on Alaska’s belief that most passengers will not only embrace using these self-service options, but will be able to use them without too much friction. I’m sure Gen Z passengers won’t have any issues with that, while I imagine some Baby Boomers may feel differently.

Only time will tell if this makes the airport check-in experience faster, or simply increases wait times to see an agent.

Bottom line

Alaska Airlines is changing the airport check-in process. In the near future we’re going to see airport kiosks fully eliminated, though in the meantime, kiosks no longer print boarding passes. The airline encourages passengers to check-in prior to arriving at the airport. If you need a boarding pass once at the airport, you’ll have to see an agent.

What do you make of Alaska’s updates to airport check-in?

Hyatt & SLH are ending their collaboration

Since 2018, World of Hyatt and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) have had a loyalty collaboration. With this, World of Hyatt members have been able to earn and redeem points at SLH properties when booking through Hyatt channels.

This is an opportunity that many members have appreciated. SLH has hundreds of affiliated luxury properties, so this was a way to leverage a big hotel loyalty program for stays at some special properties not otherwise participating in such a program.

Unfortunately as of May 15, 2024, Hyatt and SLH will be terminating their relationship, in what they describe as a mutual decision. As far as the winding down of this partnership goes:

• Members with upcoming stays with a check-in date on or before May 15, 2024, will still enjoy the benefits associated with this partnership, such as earning points and elite nights, and having access to select perks
• Stays with check-in dates after May 15, 2024, will still be honored, but World of Hyatt benefits won’t apply, so you won’t be able to earn points or elite nights, and won’t receive any additional perks
• Through August 31, 2024, those with the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review) will continue to earn 4x points or every eligible dollar spent at SLH properties

The reason we knew this partnership was ending is because recently Hilton Honors and SLH announced an exclusive partnership. We still don’t know what the details of that will look like, but presumably that’s launching shortly after the Hyatt partnership ends.

Hyatt is instead focusing on Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Unfortunately this is the third major World of Hyatt partnership to end in the past several months, as we also saw Hyatt cut ties with MGM Rewards and Lindblad Expeditions. In this case, I suspect the partnership ending is a bit more deliberate on Hyatt’s part.

In 2023, Hyatt acquired Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which is a luxury hotel booking platform, affiliated with 1,500+ hotels. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is almost like a specially branded version of Virtuoso, offering extra perks (like free breakfast, room upgrades, etc.) for stays at select luxury hotels.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith doesn’t manage any properties, but rather just gets a commission on bookings, and is really good at marketing itself. Clearly Hyatt wanted in on the action.

In the near future, Hyatt should reveal details of how Mr. & Mrs. Smith will be integrated into World of Hyatt. Presumably these properties will be bookable through Hyatt’s website, and it will be possible to earn and redeem World of Hyatt points for stays at all of these properties.

It’s anyone’s guess what the execution and value proposition will be like. You’ll certainly get some extra perks when booking through Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Hopefully points can be earned at the standard rates, just like at Hyatt properties. However, I suspect points redemptions will be at a fixed value for each point, since Hyatt is having to pay out of pocket for these hotel stays.

Bottom line

World of Hyatt and Small Luxury Hotels of the World are terminating their partnership as of May 15, 2024. That’s only part of what’s happening, though — Hilton will be launching a partnership with SLH, while Hyatt will be integrating Mr. & Mrs. Smith into its own booking platform.

What do you make of Hyatt & SLH cutting ties?

I hadn’t visited this lounge in many years, and frankly it was significantly nicer than I remembered. I really like this lounge, though I’m conflicted as to whether I just really like it, or love it.

On the plus side, this lounge is massive, and contains several distinct seating and dining concepts. The food and drink selection is phenomenal, the views are great, and the lounge has lots of amenities. At the same time, the lounge can get super busy during peak hours, and lacks the exclusivity or personalized service of many of the world’s top first class lounges. It’s definitely one of the better oneworld Emerald lounges out there, though.

Let’s get into the review, and then I’m curious to hear what y’all think of this facility.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda location

The Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda is located in Terminal 3, which is where all international oneworld flights depart from. The lounge is located near gate 112, just a short walk from immigration. When you clear immigration (or are in the center of the terminal), just turn left.

You’ll then see the entrance to the lounge on the left. The lounge is primarily located on level four, so you’ll need to go up one level either via the escalator or elevator.

There you’ll see the entrance to the lounge, which I find to be quite pretty, with its minimalist design.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda hours

The Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda is currently open daily from 6AM until 1:50AM. This covers virtually all the oneworld airline departures from the terminal. You can expect that the schedule will be adjusted if flight schedules change, as it’s normal for airlines to tweak lounge hours.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda entry requirements

The Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda is a standard oneworld Emerald and oneworld first class lounge. In line with oneworld lounge access policies:

• The lounge can be accessed by oneworld Emerald members traveling in any cabin on a oneworld flight
• The lounge can be accessed by any same day oneworld international first class passenger, not only on Japan Airlines, but also on airline partners

This lounge is absolutely massive, but can also get busy during peak hours (which would be early in the morning and late at night). I wouldn’t say it’s ever crowded, due to the size of the lounge, but at times it definitely feels more like a business class lounge in terms of the sheer number of people.

Presumably most of the passengers in the lounge are oneworld Emerald members and not first class passengers, given the relatively small Japan Airlines first class footprint.

I do find it interesting just how many oneworld Emerald members seem to pass through the airport, since I don’t find the Cathay Pacific First Lounges Hong Kong (whether The Pier or The Wing) to get this crowed.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda layout

Usually when I review lounges, I do one section about the seating and layout, and then one section about the food and drinks. I’m going to be approaching this review a little differently, as the Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda is broken up into several different zones, each with its own food and beverage concept.

The lounge is spread across two levels, and features the following areas (don’t ask me about JAL’s capitalization choices with these various concepts):

• JAL’s Table is the largest part of the lounge, and it’s also the main dining area; this part of the lounge tends to get busiest, though frankly it’s also the part of the lounge that I’d most recommend skipping
• RED SUITE is a small area near JAL’s Table, and it’s probably the most elegantly designed part of the lounge
• JAL’s SALON is on the upper level, and is focused on serving Japanese artisinal beverages, from cocktails, to sake, to tea; note that this part of the lounge is only open over select hours, in the mornings and evenings
• Sushi Tsurutei is all about serving sushi, and almost feels like a restaurant; this part of the lounge is only open during peak periods, in the mornings.

A vast majority of guests in the lounge seem to go to JAL’s Table and RED SUITE, so if you’re visiting during a peak period, I’d highly recommend instead hanging out at JAL’s SALON or Sushi Tsurutei.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda JAL’s Table

JAL’s Table is the biggest part of the Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda. When you enter the lounge, just turn right and walk down the beautiful hall, and you’ll find yourself there.

JAL’s Table is the primary dining area of the lounge, and it’s typically where you’ll find the most guests. I’ve gotta say, design-wise I don’t love this part of the lounge. It feels to me a bit like a (luxurious) cafeteria. with the heavy use of communal tables, plus the lack of variety in seating.

JAL’s Table has a larger counter where food is freshly prepared, and that’s complemented by a small selection of self-serve food, including things like mini sandwiches, soup, and pastries.

A majority of the food here is a la carte. Unfortunately there’s not traditional table service, but rather each table has a QR code that you have to scan to place your order, and then dishes will be brought to you. I was there over breakfast hours, and options included everything from a beef bowl, to vegetable penne, to a veggie burger, to beef curry, to eggs. You can find part of the menu below.

I decided to order the beef curry with rice as well as the granola with mixed berries and yogurt (a weird combo, I know!), and both were excellent.

In addition to the food, this part of the lounge has a large self-serve drink selection, including everything from liquor, to beer, to wine, to soda, to coffee, to tea.

While it’s technically not part of JAL’s Table, there are some additional seating areas around this section, including rows of seats facing one another, as well as some semi-private chairs in a quiet room.

This part of the lounge also has some private phone rooms, a smoking room, and lockers.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda RED SUITE

RED SUITE is located immediately next to JAL’s Table, and is the most elegant part of the Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda.

This is a sanctuary that almost feels more like a cigar bar than anything else. In particular, I love how the room has a bunch of aviation memorabilia, so it’s worth a visit even if you don’t sit here. There’s also a foosball table.

While the RED SUITE doesn’t have any food, it does have a champagne and sake bar, which you can help yourself to (Joseph Perrier Brut is the champagne on offer in the lounge).

Over select hours (typically in the mornings and evenings), the RED SUITE also offers a complimentary shoe shine service, which I know many guests take advantage of.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda JAL’s SALON

JAL’s SALON is what I’d consider to be the bar area in the Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda, though with a Japanese twist. This is located inside the entrance to the lounge and to the left, and then up a floor (on level five).

A vast majority of guests never visit this space (and presumably don’t even know it exists), which is great, since it means it’s typically empty. This area is only open over select hours, in the mornings and evenings.

I don’t find the design of this space to be particularly inspiring, as it mainly just consists of rows of seats in rows, as well as some communal tables.

The real reason to come here is because of the beverage selection, which is heavily focused on products from Japan. JAL’s SALON has everything from craft beer, to Japanese whiskey, gin, and other beverages. There’s also Japanese tea, and apparently a hand-drip coffee service (which I wasn’t aware of, but am now reading about on Japan Airlines’ website — I’m super bummed I missed it!).

While here, I indulged in a signature cocktail, the Kokutu Espresso Martini, which was celebrating the inauguration of Japan Airlines A350-1000 service (the flight I was on!).

This cocktail was excellent, and was presented on a tray in a cool glass.

In addition to the bar, JAL’s SALON also has a self-serve drink selection, with a coffee machine, beer machine, liquor, and more.

The fifth floor also has some massage chairs, available on a first come, first serve basis. Did you really pass through a Japanese airline lounge if you didn’t spend at least a few minutes in one of these? 😉

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda Sushi Tsurutei

Sushi Tsurutei is probably my favorite part of the Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda. This place almost feels like a sushi restaurant, with the catch being that it’s only open in the mornings.

This is located inside the entrance to the lounge and to the left, and much like JAL’s SALON, a vast majority of people seem to miss this. Just as an example, when I visited around 9AM, nearly every seat was taken in JAL’s Table, while two seats were taken in Sushi Tsurutei.

Sushi Tsurutei has dozens of tables, with much lighter tones than the rest of the lounge.

The highlight of this space is the sushi bar, where you can have sushi freshly prepared for you.

There’s also a small self-serve buffet, with many of the same options you’ll find in the main part of the lounge.

Much like at JAL’s Table, food has to be ordered via a smartphone using the QR code on each table, and then the food will be brought to you. Below you can find part of the menu.

I ordered one of the sushi sets, and it was excellent. I would have ordered more, but I was trying to save my appetite for the feast I’d enjoy onboard my flight to New York.

Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda bathrooms & showers

The Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda has a couple of sets of bathrooms (one on the fourth floor, and one on the fifth floor), which I found to be spotless. The men’s room had sinks, urinals, and stalls, with the toilets having bidets.

The lounge also has several shower suites, which can be reserved through the lounge’s app (the same one through which you order food).

The shower suites are functional though perhaps not overly luxurious, and feature a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower, with toiletries in reusable containers.

Don’t forget to close the seat to the toilet lid, though!

Bottom line

The Japan Airlines First Lounge Haneda Airport is an excellent facility for oneworld first class and oneworld Emerald passengers. The lounge is huge and is spread across several distinct zones, with an impressive selection of food, drinks, and amenities.

I like this lounge a lot, particularly if you’re visiting over the hours where JAL’s SALON and Sushi Tsurutei are open. Those space have great sushi and cocktails, and are consistently quiet.

However, there’s no denying that this lounge doesn’t feel quite as exclusive or personalized as some other top international first class lounges in the world.

What do you make of the Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport?

Buy $100 gift card, get $20 bonus card

Best Western is selling e-gift cards with up to a 20% bonus:

• The promotion is valid for gift card purchases made between March 8 and March 18, 2024
• With each $100 Best Western gift card purchased, you get a $20 bonus card
• Each person can purchase up to five Best Western gift cards through this offer (for a total of a $100 bonus)
• While the main gift cards purchased don’t have an expiration date, the bonus gift cards expire on August 31, 2024
• You can purchase gift cards in USD, CAD, EUR, or GBP, and then they can be used worldwide
• Best Western gift cards are transferable
• Gift cards can’t be used as a form of reservation guarantee, and you also can’t use them for pre-paid rates

This promotion is a great deal

If you stay at Best Western properties with any frequency, then taking advantage of this offer should be a no-brainer. Getting a 20% bonus for buying a gift card in advance is an excellent deal, assuming you can use the bonus gift card before it expires.

When you stay at Best Western properties, make sure you take advantage of any loyalty program promotions to get the best value.

Bottom line

Best Western is offering a $20 bonus gift card for every $100 worth of gift cards purchased. If you spend money regularly with Best Western, then I’d absolutely recommend taking advantage of this. That’s especially true when you consider that the non-bonus gift cards don’t expire, and you can even transfer them to others.

Anyone plan to take advantage of this Best Western gift card promo?

Bilt Rewards cuts American AAdvantage as of June 2024

View from the Wing reports that Bilt Rewards and American AAdvantage will be winding down their partnership as of June 2024, three years after it launched. Per a Bilt spokesperson:

Bilt and American have agreed to wind down our partnership beginning in June. We appreciate everything we’ve been able to accomplish together since Bilt’s launch in 2021.

We can only speculate as to what happened in the background to cause this. I would assume that American AAdvantage chose to cut ties with Bilt Rewards, and not the other way around:

• American AAdvantage has intentionally not partnered with any major transferable points currencies, instead trying to push spending onto its own co-branded Citi and Barclays credit cards
• In the past couple of years, American AAdvantage introduced the Loyalty Points concept, whereby credit card spending counts toward elite status
• I’m curious if American just wasn’t getting the results it hoped from this partnership, or what; I know Bilt is trying to position itself as a company that is going to revolutionize the way people shop and dine locally (given the program’s focus on rent payment), and perhaps American wasn’t seeing how it fits into that vision

Is Bilt losing American as a partner a big deal?

On the one hand, I’d say that Bilt Rewards losing American AAdvantage as a partner is a massive deal. Bilt had been the only transferable points currency to partner with American AAdvantage, so that was one of the unique selling points of the program.

At the same time, I know many Bilt Rewards members didn’t actually transfer any points to American AAdvantage (I know I certainly didn’t). That’s because one of the awesome things about the Bilt Rewards program has been the monthly Rent Day promotions, where we’ve frequently seen transfer bonuses. The size of the transfer bonuses has varied based on your Bilt elite status, and have typically been anywhere from 75% to 150%.

We’ve seen these kinds of bonuses for transfers to partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. I think most savvy people with Bilt Rewards points have used their points this way, rather than transferring them to American AAdvantage, where we never saw a transfer bonus.

So yes, this is definitely a loss, and eliminates a competitive advantage of the program. But at the same time, at least for me it doesn’t change the fundamental value proposition of the program, due to the transfer bonuses we’ve seen to other programs. Here’s to hoping those continue. I also understand that for many people, AAdvantage transfers were a key part of the program.

Bottom line

As of June 2024, Bilt Rewards points will no longer be transferable to American AAdvantage. Bilt was uniquely positioned with this partnership, since none of the other major transferable points currencies allowed these transfers.

I suspect there’s a reason that American wanted to give Bilt a chance on transfers when it first launched, but presumably American now puts Bilt in the same category as other transferable points currencies, for some reason.

What do you make of Bilt Rewards losing American AAdvantage as a partner?

Fifth freedom flight basics

In the context of commercial aviation, a fifth freedom flight is one where an airline from one country flies between two other countries, with the right to transport passengers between them. These kinds of flights aren’t allowed in all cases, but rather have to be part of an air services agreement between countries (or part of a larger aviation treaty).

I’ll share more routes below, but just to give one example, Emirates operates a flight from Dubai to Milan to New York, so the flight between Milan and New York would be a fifth freedom flight. Why? Because an airline from the United Arab Emirates is operating a flight between Italy and the United States, and the airline can even sell tickets for travel between New York and Milan.

If an airline simply stops in an extra country to refuel, or if the airline doesn’t have the right to pick up or drop off passengers in a country, then it wouldn’t be considered a fifth freedom flight.

Why airlines operate fifth freedom flights

There are a few reasons airlines may choose to operate fifth freedom routes.

One reason is because a destination can’t practically be reached nonstop, so a stop is necessary along the way:

• For example, Emirates flies from Mexico City to Barcelona to Dubai (with the first flight being a fifth freedom flight)
• This is done because a 777 can’t easily fly nonstop from Mexico City to Dubai without a significant weight restriction, due to Mexico City Airport being at a high altitude (which reduces takeoff performance)
• In other words, the only way for Emirates to fly to Mexico City is through a third country, so the airline might as well figure out a lucrative second market

Another reason is because a fifth freedom market is determined to be lucrative, even if there are no operational limitations:

• For example, Emirates flies nonstop from Dubai to New York, but also operates flights from Dubai to Milan to New York
• This isn’t because the airline can’t fly nonstop (it can and does), but rather because the economics of the Milan to New York flight make sense
• The market between Dubai and Milan is large, the market between Milan and New York is large, and the market between Dubai and New York is large, so this gives the airline lots of opportunities to fill seats and maximize revenue

A last main reason is because an airline wants to serve a certain destination, but there’s not enough demand to operate directly there:

• For example, SWISS flies from Zurich to Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires
• Clearly the airline didn’t see sufficient demand to fly directly from Switzerland to Argentina, but sees value in offering connecting service there as part of an existing Brazil flight
• Presumably the icing on the cake is the ability to exclusively transport passengers between Brazil and Argentina

Why passengers should care about fifth freedom flights

There are three main reasons passengers should care about fifth freedom flights.

First of all, as an avgeek it sure is fun to fly an “exotic” airline between other countries, whether we’re talking about flying Singapore Airlines from New York to Frankfurt, Gulf Air from Singapore to Bangkok, or Ethiopian Airlines from Buenos Aires to Sao Paulo.

Next, in many cases fifth freedom flights are more reasonably priced. Airlines operating fifth freedom flights often have to price more aggressively, since they may not have the pricing power of an airline based in that country, in terms of frequencies, name recognition, etc. For example, you might find that Gulf Air is significantly cheaper between Singapore and Bangkok than Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, etc.

Lastly, in many cases fifth freedom flights can offer a significantly better passenger experience, since these flights are often operated by long haul aircraft. For example, Singapore Airlines flies between Milan and Barcelona, so you could enjoy the carrier’s excellent A350 business class on this short route.

It looks a bit better than the typical intra-Europe business class products out there, eh?

As another example, who wouldn’t want to fly Emirates first class between Newark and Athens? It’s certainly better than anything offered by a US-based airline in the market!

Controversy with fifth freedom flights

Historically fifth freedom flights haven’t been without controversy:

• In many cases the “home” airlines in a country have been opposed to other airlines launching fifth freedom routes, since they don’t like the competition
• Fifth freedom flights from Gulf carriers have been especially controversial, given accusations of government subsidies
• Many governments have refused to grant airlines permission to operate fifth freedom flights, even in situations where an air services agreement would otherwise allow it

For example, for a long time we saw airlines in the United States rally against Emirates’ flights between Europe and the United States, and it took Emirates a couple of years to get approval from the Mexican government to launch a flight between Mexico City and Barcelona.

Are fifth freedom flights becoming obsolete?

Great question. 😉 The way I view it, fifth freedom flights are less necessary than they used to be, so now they’re primarily being operated for different reasons. Airlines are now largely operating fifth freedom flights based on where they see demand, rather than due to operational requirements (there are of course exceptions).

For example, for decades Cathay Pacific operated a fifth freedom flight between New York and Vancouver. This route was initially launched at a time when Cathay Pacific only flew between Hong Kong and New York via Vancouver, due to aircraft range.

Eventually the airline also started nonstop flights between Hong Kong and New York, but at that point the airline was so well established in the market between New York and Vancouver that it stuck around. Unfortunately the route was terminated in 2020, and had apparently been losing money for quite some time.

While the operational needs for these kinds of flights is largely limited, airlines increasingly see business cases for operating these routes, to the extent that governments will allow.

Fifth freedom flights from the United States

What fifth freedom flights can you take to & from the United States? Off the top of my head, here are the ones that are either available, or are launching soon:

• Emirates flies from New York to Milan, Newark to Athens, and Miami to Bogota (all routes continue to Dubai)
• Ethiopian Airlines flies from New York and Newark to Lomé (both routes continue to Addis Ababa)
• Singapore Airlines flies from Houston to Manchester, Los Angeles to Tokyo, and New York to Frankfurt (all routes continue to Singapore)
• Qantas flies from from New York to Auckland (the route continues to Sydney)

Bottom line

A fifth freedom flight is when an airline based in one country operates a flight between two other countries. Personally I love fifth freedom flights, since they can often represent a great deal, offer a superior experience, and even give you a bit of flair.

I’ve taken tons of fifth freedom flights over the years, and always seek them out when possible.

Have you flown any fifth freedom routes? What are your favorites?

It’s worth keeping in mind that the Boeing 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 10 haven’t yet been certified. Up until recently, the goal was for these jets to be certified in the coming months, though at this point that no longer seems realistic. This has the biggest implications for Southwest and United, since the two airlines are relying on the 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 10 (respectively) for fleet renewal and growth.

With this latest reality, United’s management is preparing for a fleet strategy that doesn’t include the 737 MAX 10. United hinted at this some time back, but has now made more concrete plans.

United Airlines building plan without 737 MAX 10

United Airlines is Boeing’s biggest customer, and the airline has hundreds of Boeing 737 MAXs on order. In addition to the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 (which are already in service), the airline also has 150 737 MAX 10s on order. This is the largest variant of the aircraft, and is a key part of United’s plan to increase capacity in many markets.

During a Squawk Box interview in late January 2024, United CEO Scott Kirby made some interesting comments about Boeing, and in particular about the 737 MAX 10. Among other things, he said:

• “I have a lot of confidence in the people of Boeing, but they’ve been having these consistent manufacturing challenges, and they need to take action”
• “We’re now best case five years behind on the original delivery of the MAX 10, and as we’ve gone through the last year, internally at United, we’ve grown increasingly to believe that best case, the MAX 10 just gets pushed further and further to the right, so we’ve already started working on alternative plans”
• “I think the MAX 9 grounding is probably the straw that broke the camel’s back for us, we’re gonna at least build a plan that doesn’t have the MAX 10 in it”

The 737 MAX 10 has been delayed by years, and up until recently, it seemed like certification was imminent. At this point it’s pretty clear that there’s no timeline for the 737 MAX 10 entering service.

For United, the 737 MAX 10 was going to have the best per-seat costs of any narrow body jet. On top of that, United was planning on installing flat beds on some 737 MAX 10s, using them as the new aircraft for premium transcontinental routes (in the same way American will use A321XLRs, and Delta will use A321neos).

United tells Boeing to stop building 737 MAX 10s

United CEO Scott Kirby has taken his stance on the 737 MAX 10 a step further. Yesterday, he stated that United has asked Boeing to stop building the 737 MAX 10 for the carrier, and to instead focus on building 737 MAX 9s. At this point the 737 MAX 10 isn’t in United’s fleet plan in the coming years, and the airline is no longer counting on the jet.

Now, I don’t think this development will come as much of a surprise. It’s not like United could even take delivery of the 737 MAX 10 until it’s certified, so the situation has been fairly low risk for the airline. But it is interesting that United is basically just telling Boeing to build more 737 MAX 9s for the carrier, since those are certified and can actually enter service.

If the 737 MAX 10 is out of the picture for United (at least in the coming years), where does that leave the airline? Aircraft manufacturing is essentially a duopoly, so United’s options are limited:

• United could keep flying its existing aircraft for longer, and this would likely spell a longer life for the Boeing 757, among other aircraft
• United could order even more Airbus A321neos, which are the best direct replacement for the 737 MAX 10, and United already has 130 of these on order; the airline is currently in negotiations with Airbus for more of these jets
• United could simply swap Boeing 737 MAX 10 orders for more 737 MAX 9s and 737 MAX 8s, as those planes are already certified

I suspect that we’re probably going to see a combination of these strategies — United will probably order more A321neos, and will focus on continuing to take delivery of 737 MAX 9s. Once United gets to the end of its 737 MAX 9 order book, the airline may convert some 737 MAX 10 orders to 737 MAX 9s, or may just continue to focus on the A321neo.

I think one big question now is when United will make plans for its new premium transcon plane. Some 737 MAX 10s were supposed to feature flat beds and be used on routes like Newark to Los Angeles. I have to imagine that United may now instead create a premium A321neo configuration for these kinds of routes, since the airline needs a concrete plan there, and can’t wait forever.

Bottom line

United Airlines’ management is no longer counting on the Boeing 737 MAX 10 being certified any time soon, given Boeing’s latest 737 MAX issues. At this point, United is telling Boeing to just work on delivering the existing 737 MAX 9 order to the airline, rather than building any 737 MAX 10s.

Ultimately United has some flexibility here — I imagine we’re going to see more Airbus A321neos ordered, and for the next couple of years United can also focus on its existing 737 MAX 9 order with Boeing. If the 737 MAX 10 is certified in that timeline, we might still see the jet join United’s fleet. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if that doesn’t happen.

What do you make of United’s Boeing 737 MAX 10 situation?

Cathay Pacific overhauling regional business class in 2026

During its 2023 annual results presentation, Cathay Pacific made an announcement that regional passengers on the airline will no doubt appreciate. Starting in 2026, the oneworld airline intends to introduce a new regional product on its Airbus A330 fleet. For the first time ever, Cathay Pacific will be introducing purpose-built flat beds for business class on these flights.

For context, currently Cathay Pacific’s regional business class consists of recliner seats in a 2-2-2 configuration. These seats don’t recline very much and have a hard shell design, and personally I don’t find them to be terribly comfortable for relaxing or sleeping.

It’s worth emphasizing that Cathay Pacific also largely flies long haul aircraft on regional routes, so it’s very common to get flat beds on these routes. That’s because the carrier’s long haul Airbus A330s, Airbus A350s, and Boeing 777s, often operate shorter flights between longer sectors.

So you may very well find yourself on an A330 with flat beds, but the distinction is that those aren’t intended to be regional aircraft.

Cathay Pacific currently has a fleet of 42 Airbus A330s, split between the regional and long haul aircraft. What has long been remarkable about this fleet is just how many variants Cathay Pacific has, as the fleet has five different layouts:

• One regional configuration features 42 recliner business class seats and 265 economy seats
• One regional configuration features 24 recliner business class seats and 293 economy seats
• One long haul configuration features 39 flat bed business class seats and 223 economy seats
• One long haul configuration features 28 flat bed business class seats and 265 economy seats
• One long haul configuration features 38 flat bed business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 214 economy seats

I have to imagine that part of the goal with this retrofit might be to standardize the A330 fleet a bit, as having so many variants can’t be efficient. So I’m curious if we might also see some long haul A330s converted into regional ones, or what.

What flat bed business class could Cathay Pacific introduce?

I’d argue that just about any new business class product on A330s that offers a flat bed would be a significant upgrade over what’s currently offered on these flights. However, I am curious about exactly which direction the airline takes.

I think the most efficient flat bed product that Cathay Pacific could introduce would be the Collins Aerospace Diamond seat, which is also in a 2-2-2 configuration. This is similar to what you’ll find on Gulf Air’s Airbus A321LRs, for example.

However, arguably regional business class within Asia is more competitive than ever before, and nowadays many airlines offer flat bed products with direct aisle access as the standard product in the region. For example, Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 787-10s are intended exclusively as regional aircraft, and that’s the Stelia Aerospace Symphony seat.

Similarly, Starlux Airlines’ Airbus A330-900neos are also intended as regional aircraft, and that’s the Safran Skylounge Core seat.

Personally I think it’s likely that Cathay Pacific will try to introduce something competitive with what other airlines are using in the region, even if the product has a materially larger footprint than the current one.

Bottom line

Cathay Pacific plans to introduce a new regional business class product, which will debut on Airbus A330s in 2026. So far the airline has only revealed that these planes will feature flat beds, so it’s anyone’s guess what seat the airline ends up introducing. I have to imagine that this will represent a significant upgrade, given the competition in the region.

What are you expecting from Cathay Pacific’s new regional business class on A330s?

Cathay Pacific is known for its amazing lounges, which are among my favorite in the world, thanks to their elegant, residential feel. I had never been to the Tokyo Haneda location before, which is actually where the carrier’s new design concept was launched back in 2014. A decade later, this lounge is still going strong.

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Haneda Airport has an excellent selection of food and drinks, and is a very comfortalbe place to hang out. Best of all, it’s often quieter than the other oneworld lounges in the terminal. The only slight downside to the lounge is that it doesn’t have showers, and doesn’t have much in the way of exciting amenities.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda location

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Haneda Airport is located in Terminal 3, which is where all international oneworld flights depart from. The lounge is housed in the same complex as several other lounges, near gate 114. To find this, just turn left from the central security checkpoint, and walk for a few minutes. Then on the left you’ll see signage for lounges.

In this complex, the All Nippon Airways lounge is located on level four, the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge is located on level four and five, the Delta Sky Club is located on level five, and the Cathay Pacific Lounge is located on level six. So you’ll need to go up three levels, either via elevator or escalator.

Once up there, you’ll notice Cathay Pacific’s distinctive lounge facade.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda hours

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Haneda Airport has limited hours compared to the other lounges in the terminal. It’s currently open daily from 7:30AM until 5PM, meaning it’s always open at least a couple of hours before Cathay Pacific flights. The schedule isn’t quite as well suited for those traveling on partner airlines, where early morning and late night flights are more common.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda entry requirements

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Haneda Airport follows standard oneworld lounge access policies. This means that the lounge can be accessed by all departing oneworld first and business class passengers, as well as the alliance’s Emerald members and Sapphire members. Everyone can bring one guest with them, except business class passengers, who aren’t allowed guests.

While this lounge is primarily intended for Cathay Pacific passengers, those traveling on other oneworld airlines are warmly welcomed as well. If you’re in business class or are a oneworld Sapphire member, I think this is an excellent alternative to the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge, as the Cathay Pacific Lounge tends to be much quieter.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating & layout

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Haneda Airport is 990 square meters (~10,700 square feet), and can accommodate up to 190 guests. Unlike some of Cathay Pacific’s other lounges, there’s no dedicated first class and oneworld Emerald section, but rather everyone has access to the same space.

The lounge is primarily one, large rectangular room, with floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in lots of natural light. The space is broken up into several distinct zones, so let’s start at one end of the lounge.

The largest part of the lounge also has the most residential feel, and boasts all kinds of seating options that will make you feel like you’re in a swanky living room rather than in an airport lounge — it’s quite the contrast to the nearby TIAT Lounge.

I particularly love the chairs with ottomans by the windows, affording stunning views of the apron.

Tucked away behind this section of the lounge is the bar area, which has high-top seating, as well as some other options for lounging around.

Next to the bar is a business center, with a few iMacs, plus a workstation where you can use your own computer.

Moving toward the center of the lounge, you’ll find some more seats by the windows (this time without ottomans), as well as some semi-private seats facing in the direction of the apron.

This is adjacent to an area that has some communal tables with stools, as well as some tables that seem designed for just standing around (which I’m not sure I totally get, in the context of how people usually use lounges?).

Next to that is the other end of the lounge, featuring Cathay Pacific’s iconic noodle bar, which you’ll find at just about all of the carrier’s lounges. This includes a bunch of booths seating two people each, plus some communal tables.

Cathay Pacific does a breathtaking job with its lounge aesthetic, and the Haneda location is no exception.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda food & drinks

Personally I love the food selection in Cathay Pacific lounges around the globe, though the airline takes a bit of an unconventional approach. Unlike some other airlines, Cathay Pacific doesn’t have some massive buffet with every food imaginable. The airline very much emphasizes quality over quantity.

The most exciting part of the dining experience of any Cathay Pacific lounge is the noodle bar, where you can order from a selection of freshly prepared dishes.

The menu was a bit more varied than I’ve seen at some other Cathay Pacific lounges, with the choices of a Japanese breakfast, Chinese breakfast, dan dan noodles, won ton noodles, and french toast.

I of course had to indulge in the dan dan noodles… yum!

Back near the center of the lounge, you’ll find more of a cafe-style concept, where there’s a staffed station where you can select from a variety of options, ranging from cold cuts, to quiche, to salads, to croissants, to pudding, to fresh fruit, and more.

Many will also appreciate the staffed bar, where you can get anything from a cocktail, to a glass of wine, to a barista coffee.

There’s also a self-serve drink station with some water, soda, an espresso machine, and a beer machine.

While I spent most of my time at Haneda Airport in the Japan Airlines First Lounge, there were two major advantages to the Cathay Pacific Lounge. First of all, I got to enjoy an excellent barista made cappuccino, as there’s no barista coffee in the Japan Airlines Lounge. That’s something I really value.

The other thing I really appreciated is the bottled water. This probably sounds silly, since usually I’m someone who avoids bottled water, and is happy drinking filtered water. But one thing that frustrates me about the Japan Airlines First Lounge is that the drinking glasses are tiny, and you have to pour water out of a pitcher each time. It’s damn near impossible to stay hydrated there, so I downed a couple of bottles of water in this lounge.

The staff in the Cathay Pacific Lounge were also excellent, and were extremely friendly. Interestingly they were almost exclusively Filipino, which is quite the contrast to the Japan Airlines Lounge, where everyone is Japanese.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda bathrooms

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Haneda Airport has bathrooms, which are elegantly appointed. These have three sinks, three stalls, and three urinals.

Unfortunately the lounge doesn’t have any showers, but if you need one, you can visit the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge one level down.

Bottom line

The Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda is excellent, which is no surprise. Cathay Pacific has phenomenal lounges, and this location has beautiful decor, a high quality selection of food and drinks, and friendly service.

If you’re flying oneworld, and especially if you don’t have access to the Japan Airlines First Lounge, I’d highly recommend visiting this lounge. The only catch is that the lounge doesn’t have showers, in case that’s something you value.

What do you make of the Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport?

In recent years we’ve seen business credit cards become more compelling than ever before, as credit card issuers increasingly try to create products that meet the needs of small business owners.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review) continues to be one of the most rewarding business cards out there. There’s not another business card that offers a combination of a huge welcome bonus, generous return on spending, and useful perks, all while having such a low annual fee.

For those of you who have small businesses but don’t yet have this card, below are eight reasons the Ink Business Preferred is the all-around best Chase credit card.

1. 100K Ultimate Rewards points

The Ink Business Preferred Card is offering an incredible welcome bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months. The value proposition of this bonus was improved some time back, as you previously had to spend $15,000 to earn the bonus, while now you need to spend just over half of that.

I value Ultimate Rewards points at ~1.7 cents each, so to me, 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points are worth ~$1,700. This is a huge reward, and among the best welcome bonuses on any business credit card.

2. 3x points bonus categories

The Ink Business Preferred Card offers triple points in several useful categories that your business may spend quite a bit in, including:

• Travel
• Shipping purchases
• Internet, cable, and phone services
• Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines

You earn triple points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the above categories each account anniversary year (which means Chase isn’t using a January 1 through December 31 calendar, but rather it’s based on your account year).

Based on my valuation of points, that’s like earning a return of ~5.1% on spending in those categories, which is exceptional.

3. Cell phone protection benefit

With how expensive smartphones are nowadays, there’s a lot of value to having a credit card with cell phone protection, and that’s something that the Ink Business Preferred Card offers.

The Ink Preferred offers up to $600 per claim in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees listed on your monthly cell phone bill when you pay it with your Ink Preferred. You can have a maximum of three claims in a 12 month period, and there’s a $100 deductible per claim.

On top of that when you charge your cell phone bill to the Ink Preferred, you’ll be earning triple points on that purchase.

4. Rental car coverage

The Ink Business Preferred Card offers primary collision damage waiver (CDW) coverage for rentals of most types of vehicles in most countries. This is one of the best credit card rental car coverage & insurance policies you’ll find.

There aren’t any countries that are specifically excluded from coverage through Chase cards, but the benefits guide does note that “coverage is not available where it is prohibited by law or by individual merchants, or is in violation of the territory terms of the rental agreement.” You’ll want to decline the rental car company’s collision or loss options.

You can confirm coverage for a particular trip by contacting the benefits team at 877-631-0919. Coverage is primary globally when renting for business purposes, while it’s primary internationally for personal rentals, and secondary in the United States for personal rentals.

When renting a car you’re also potentially earning triple points on your car rental by charging it to the Ink Preferred, since this qualifies as travel.

5. Travel & purchase protection

In addition to the cell phone and car rental coverage, the Ink Preferred offers other purchase and travel benefits, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Trip cancelation and interruption coverage, of up to $5,000 per trip
• Extended warranty protection, for up to a year on eligible purchases

You’ll want to read the cardmember agreement for exact terms, but this has the potential to be extremely valuable for purchases as well.

For example, I really like the trip delay coverage. If your trip is delayed by 12 hours or more, you can get up to $500 reimbursed for hotel accommodation, meals, and transportation. You just need to pay for the travel with your card, or with your Ultimate Rewards points.

6. $95 annual fee

The Ink Business Preferred Card has a reasonable $95 annual fee. That’s especially affordable when you factor in all the perks and bonus categories.

As a point of comparison, I also really like the American Express® Business Gold Card (review), which is the Amex business card with the best bonus categories. However, that card has a $375 annual fee (Rates & Fees), so that’s more than three times as much.

7. Flexible travel rewards

The Ink Business Preferred Card earns Ultimate Rewards points, which are one of the most valuable points currencies out there.

Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to over a dozen loyalty programs, including 11 airline programs and three hotel programs:

There’s so much value to be had maximizing those programs. For example, you could transfer 35,00-45,000 points to World of Hyatt for a free night at Ventana Big Sur, which is an Alila property that often costs $2,000+ per night…

Alternatively, you could transfer miles to one of the Ultimate Rewards airline partners so you could redeem for ANA’s incredible first class, when a one-way ticket would often cost $10,000+.

What makes Ultimate Rewards points even better is that you can also redeem them at an efficient rate toward a travel purchase through the Chase Travel Portal. You can redeem Ultimate Rewards points for 1.25 cents each toward the cost of a travel purchase through the Ultimate Rewards website.

If you have the Ink Preferred in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, then all your Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for 1.5 cents each toward a travel purchase, getting you even more value from your points.

8. Pool points with four no annual fee cards

While the Ink Business Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review), and Chase Sapphire Reserve (review) are valuable alone, they also make other cards more valuable.

Chase has four fantastic no annual fee cards that can help you earn more Ultimate Rewards points. I’m talking about the:

• Chase Freedom Flex^SM Credit Card (review)
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review)
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (review)
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (review)

By having a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, like the Ink Preferred, you can convert the points earned on the cards (where one point is ordinarily worth a penny) into Ultimate Rewards points, which I value at ~1.7 cents each. Just having this card makes other cards more valuable as well.

Getting approved for the Ink Preferred

If you want to be approved for a Chase Ink Business Card there are some general restrictions to be aware of:

• The Ink Preferred is subjected to Chase’s “5/24 rule,” meaning you typically won’t be approved for the card if you’ve opened five or more new card accounts in the past 24 months (many business card applications don’t count toward that limit); that being said, there are increasingly data points that this is no longer enforced
• You are eligible for the Ink Preferred if you have the Ink Unlimited and/or Ink Cash, as all three cards are considered separate products (I have all three cards, for example)
• While there’s no hard limit to how many Chase credit cards you can have, there is often a limit to how much total credit Chase will extend you
• Generally, I recommend only applying for one Chase business card every 30 days at most

Bottom line

There are a lot of great business cards out there. However, in terms of well-rounded business cards, it’s tough to beat the Ink Business Preferred Card, between the 100K bonus points, reasonable $95 annual fee, 3x bonus points in select categories, and great coverage, including on travel, car rentals, and cell phones.

Arguably the Ink Business Preferred is also the ideal card to use as a “hub” for your Ultimate Rewards points, in particular to maximize the value of other no annual fee cards. Assuming you can complete the minimum spending, I’d highly recommend applying for the Ink Business Preferred.

If you have the Ink Business Preferred, what has your experience been with the card?

The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: American Express® Business Gold Card (Rates & Fees).

We’re currently seeing a huge limited time welcome offer on Marriott’s most premium credit card, offering nearly twice as many points as the previous offer. If you’re at all interested in this card, this would be an ideal time to apply.

Earn 185K Points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

For applications through Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card has a welcome offer of 185,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 within the first six months.

I value Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each, given all the great ways there are to redeem them, so I would value 185,000 Bonvoy points at $1,295. This is the best points offer that we’ve ever seen on this card.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card eligibility requirements

If you’re applying for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, the general Amex application restrictions apply. For example, you’re limited to having a total of five Amex credit cards (not including hybrid cards), regardless of whether they’re personal or business. The good news is that I find Amex cards to anecdotally be pretty easy to get approved for.

Beyond that, since both American Express and Chase issue cards for Marriott, there are some pretty complicated restrictions regarding eligibility for this card, so see this post for more details.

Why the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card is worth it

Not only does the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card have a generous welcome offer, but this is a card that’s worth keeping in the long run. It’s a card I’ve had for years, and plan to hold onto. The card has a $650 annual fee (Rates & Fees), and for that you receive huge perks:

• The card offers Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status for as long as you’re a cardmember; this is where status really gets valuable, and offers perks like suite upgrades and free breakfast at most brands
• The card offers 25 elite nights toward Marriott Bonvoy status annually, which can help you earn a higher elite tier, like Titanium status or Ambassador status, or qualify for Choice Benefits
• Both the Platinum status as well as the elite nights that you earn with the card count toward Marriott Bonvoy lifetime status
• The card offers an anniversary free night award every year, valid at a property costing up to 85,000 points per night (this can also be topped off with up to 15,000 additional points)
• This card offers up to $300 per year in restaurant credits, in the form of a $25 credit each month
• The card offers a Priority Pass Select membership, which can get you airport lounge access (Enrollment required)

To me this card is absolutely worth it. You’re getting $300 per year in restaurant credits (I just buy $25 in Starbucks gift cards every month), which I consider to be worth close to face value. Then for that you’re getting Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status, a valuable free night award, and much more.

Read a full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card.

Bottom line

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card has an elevated welcome offer of 185,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 within the first six months. This is an amazing offer, the best points offer we’ve seen on the card.

The card offers Bonvoy Platinum status for as long as you have the card, an anniversary free night award, up to $300 in annual restaurant credits, and more. If you stay at Marriotts with any frequency and don’t have this card, you’re potentially missing out on quite a bit of value.

Do you plan on picking up the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card?

The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees).

JetBlue offering 20% off award tickets

JetBlue is offering a 20% discount when you redeem TrueBlue points for flights:

• This is valid for bookings made by March 13, 2024
• This is valid for travel between May 1 and June 12, 2024; blackout dates of May 23 through May 27, 2024, apply
• Mint tickets are excluded from this sale
• There’s no registration required, but rather the rate shown will automatically reflect the discount

Even if you’re not sure you’ll be able to travel, keep in mind that JetBlue has no change or cancelation fees on most types of fares, so you can always book a TrueBlue ticket now, and then cancel it later. Similarly, if you’ve already booked any travel, you can see if the price hasn’t changed (or has only gone up a bit), in which case it could make sense to rebook.

This is lucrative for a revenue based program

JetBlue TrueBlue is a revenue based frequent flyer program. This means that the number of points required for a ticket is based on how much a ticket would cost in cash. Because of that, there’s ordinarily not a way to get outsized value with JetBlue points, since the points cost is correlated to the cash cost of a ticket. To be able to redeem TrueBlue points for more value is awesome.

For example, take a $141 fare from Palm Beach to New York (Blue Basic fares aren’t bookable with points, so this would be for the Blue fare).

If you booked a ticket with this fare on a date where the promotion doesn’t apply, you’d pay 8,800 TrueBlue points plus $5.60 in taxes & fees. That gives you a value of 1.54 cents per point, after subtracting the taxes & fees.

Meanwhile if you booked this on a date during the promotion period, you’d pay 7,000 TrueBlue points plus $5.60 in taxes & fees. That gives you a value of 1.93 cents per point, after subtracting the taxes & fees.

Suffice it to say that’s a much better value. Also keep in mind that if you have a JetBlue credit card, you can get up to a 10% rebate on award redemptions, stretching your points even further.

The only other potential better uses of JetBlue TrueBlue points would be redeeming on Qatar Airways, which is a fairly new redemption option.

Bottom line

If you’re going to be traveling in May or early June, then it’s definitely worth considering JetBlue’s TrueBlue award sale. At the moment you can get 20% off an award redemption, except on Mint flights. Usually it’s hard to get outsized value with a revenue based frequent flyer program, so promotions like this can really make a difference.

Do you plan on taking advantage of this JetBlue award sale?

The Citi Premier^® Card continues to have a great welcome bonus, which is a solid deal on one of my favorite mid-range credit cards. In this post I wanted to recap the details of this offer, for those who are considering applying.

Earn 60,000 ThankYou points & more with the Citi Premier

The $95 annual fee Citi Premier Card is offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 within the first three months. On top of that, for a limited time, the card is offering 10x ThankYou points on hotels and rental cars when booked through the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.

Citi ThankYou points can either be redeemed for one cent each toward a variety of travel purchases or gift cards, or can be transferred to Citi ThankYou airline and hotel partners. In other words, 60,000 points can get you at least $600 worth of travel or gift cards, or 60,000 airline miles. Personally I like to convert those points into airline miles for first and business class travel, to get the most value.

Citi’s general application rules apply, and on top of that the welcome bonus isn’t available if you’ve received a bonus on this exact card in the past 48 months. Eligibility for the bonus on this card is unrelated to whether you’ve received a bonus on any other Citi credit card.

Why the Citi Premier Card is worth having

Beyond the initial bonus of 60,000 points, the Citi Premier Card can be worth having on an ongoing basis for a variety of reasons. Among other things:

• The Citi Premier has the most well rounded bonus categories of any mid-range card, as it offers 3x ThankYou points on airfare, dining, gas, groceries, and hotels, all with no foreign transaction fees
• Having the Citi Premier Card allows you to maximize the value you get from the no annual fee Citi Double Cash® Card (review), which is one of the best cards for everyday, non-bonused spending; this card can earn you up to 2x ThankYou points per dollar spent on everyday purchases
• The Citi Premier offers a $100 hotel credit every calendar year, valid on a single hotel stay of $500 or more that’s booked through the Citi Travel portal; for some this alone will more than justify the annual fee

Bottom line

The Citi Premier Card is offering a bonus of 60K ThankYou points. On top of that, through June 30, 2024, you can earn 10x ThankYou points on hotels and rental cars booked through the Citi Travel portal.

Beyond the bonus, this card has a great value proposition in the long run, with 3x points categories, an annual hotel credit, and more. If you don’t yet have the Citi Premier Card and are eligible, I’d consider applying with this offer.

What’s your take on the value proposition of the Citi Premier Card?

Honestly, this lounge is only worth visiting if you have no other lounge options. The benefits of this lounge are that it’s open 24/7 (unlike all other lounges in the terminal) and that you’re in Japan (meaning everything is clean, and everyone is polite)… but not much else

TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda location

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport is located in Terminal 3, which is the airport’s largest international terminal. To access the lounge, you’ll first need to clear security and immigration. Once you’re through there, you basically can’t miss the lounge. Just take the escalator immediately behind the checkpoint to level four, and the entrance to the lounge is right there.

You’ll notice that just outside the lounge, there’s a well organized queuing system, for situations where the lounge is at capacity. Unfortunately that’s a reality of Priority Pass lounges nowadays…

TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda hours

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport is open 24/7, and it’s the only lounge in the terminal that doesn’t close. That’s useful for those who may have a short overnight and who don’t want to leave the terminal (or can’t enter Japan, for whatever reason).

TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda entry requirements

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport has very clear signage at the door with entry requirements (which is hardly surprising, given that we’re talking about Japan). For one, the lounge is open to Priority Pass members, with usage allowed for up to three hours. There are of course many premium credit cards offering Priority Pass memberships.

On top of that, this is used as the contract lounge for several airlines, including China Southern, Garuda Indonesia, Hainan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, ITA Airways, Juneyao Air, and more.

TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda seating & layout

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport isn’t very big, and has quite a boring and uninspiring design. The main seating area of the lounge consists of just one big room, though it’s not perfectly rectangular. Instead the lounge is almost in the shape of a half hexagon, or something.

All the seating in the lounge faces the windows, and it includes a variety of individual chairs.

The below pictures basically show you all the seating in the lounge, going from the very right to the very left (when facing the windows).

As an aviation geek, I appreciate how the lounge has apron views throughout, and there’s no shortage of plane spotting at the airport.

The only other parts of the lounge are a small smoking room off to the side…

…as well as a luggage storage area.

TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda food & drinks

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport has a self-serve buffet located inside the entrance to the lounge and to the left, and it’s quite sad.

The food selection was comprised of edamame, fried chicken, grilled rice balls, potato chips, soft pretzel dogs, scones, instant noodles, fried noodles, and ice cream.

The drink selection included a soda machine, a juice machine, a coffee machine, a selection of tea, a beer machine, and a water dispenser. The whole selection feels like what you might find in a convenience store, rather than a lounge.

Then there was also a selection of liquor, plus one white wine, one red wine, and one sake, and that was probably the most impressive part of what was on offer.

This lounge definitely doesn’t impress in the fresh food department.

TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda bathrooms & showers

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport bathrooms are located off a corridor in the back left of the lounge.

The men’s room had three sinks, two stalls, and three urinals, and was spotless.

The lounge also has a few shower suites, located in the same area.

The shower suites each contain a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower, but aren’t otherwise particularly luxurious. Toiletries are in reusable containers.

Bottom line

The TIAT Lounge Haneda Airport is the only Priority Pass lounge in Terminal 3. The lounge is open 24/7, has nice views of the apron, is clean, and has showers. However, that’s about the extent of what’s good about this lounge. The design is rather drab, the food and drink selection is lackluster, and there’s not much in the way of amenities.

If this is the only lounge you have access to, absolutely use it, because it’s better than being in the terminal. But this doesn’t compare to any of the better lounges in the terminal, including the Cathay Pacific Lounge and Japan Airlines First Lounge, which I visited subsequently.

What do you make of the TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport?