In this podcast episode, we’ll talk about last-minute uses for dining credits, AA bonvoying us, but too late to earn a Bonvoyed award, and we pick 2025’s Deal of the Year.
2025 Deal of the Year
Watch here:
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Giant Mailbag
(01:24) – PSA for Dining credits
(04:17) – Vote for your favorite soon: polls close 12/31
(04:52) – Our Bonvoyed of the year picks
(05:14) – The People have spoken
Bonvoyed
(11:02) – AA: No more miles or Loyalty Points on Basic Economy fares with American Airlines
Main Event: 2025 Deal of the Year
(13:58) – Last year’s “Deal of the Year” (2024)
(17:58) – 2025 Candidates for “Deal of the Year”
(18:15) – Airline & Hotel Deals
Read more about Japan Airlines here.
(19:23) – Learn more about Nick’s JetBlue 25 for 25 journey here.
(20:23) – Learn more about Wyndham’s promo here.
(21:11) – Credit card deals
Learn more about the Alaska Atmos Summit card here,
(23:19) – Learn more about the American Express Platinum cards here.
(27:50) – Learn more about the targeted American Express Business Platinum offer here.
(28:48) – Learn more about the (now dead) Rakuten deal here.
(30:55) – Learn more about the Citi Strata Elite recovery here.
(33:43) – Learn more about Citi’s addition of American Airlines as a transfer partner here.
(35:36) – Other deals
Learn more about the Rakuten portal, earning Bilt points here.
(37:17) – Our picks for “Deal of the Year.”
Question of the Week
(45:12) – Anyone having trouble using Hyatt Suite Upgrade awards when using a third party like The Edit by Chase Travel℠ or Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts®?
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Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder
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Regarding the dinning gift card before end of the year.
There are many DP showing that gift card processed by toasttab.com are recognized as purchase in the restaurant, and trigger credit.
Amex Platinum refresh has to more applicable for folks as deal of the year. I understand JetBlue 25 for 25 is great for some people, but as Nick said, not many people could really take advantage of it. Per Greg, Amex just rubbed it in Chase’s face!
If deals were segregated into categories — card, portal, airline, hotel — and factored for breadth of reader applicability, I’d guess the Amex Platinum refresh would win the card category.
Another thought is not to a specific program or card issuer but the concept of expanding transfer partners. To me, this has been a big win for consumers. (Along this line, if Wells Fargo were to add a few key transfer partners, the Autograph/Autograph Journey could be just the thing for those longing for the old CSR.)
Ugh, it hurts my soul, but I have to vote for the Amex Platinum refresh. I hate the annual fee. I hate more complex coupons I have to keep track of.
But then I saw the list of coupons…
To quote Eddie Murphy’s character in Trading Places: “I believe I can hang out with you fellas for a little while.”