Last weekend, I wrote about tracking paid flights via Google Flights. In response, a reader mentioned that Points Path is also great at this. On Wednesday night, I started tracking a single upcoming trip with Points Path. On Thursday morning, I woke up to a notification that the price had dropped by 15,000 points.
On Friday afternoon, I got another email noting that the price had dropped again. I cancelled and rebooked and saved almost 20,000 total miles in the span of less than 48 hours, thanks to tracking those flights via Points Path.
Another reader commented about the value they are getting from Autopilot, a tool I recently wrote about that automatically re-prices your flights, getting you flight credits. Sure enough, just this week, Autopilot also got me a $31 United flight credit that cost me less than eight bucks.
I love these tools not just because they saved me miles/money, but because of the way that they automate at least part of the process (the whole thing in the case of Autopilot). I’ve been increasingly happy to use things that alleviate my mind’s natural tendency to repeat excessive searches that distract me, either from tasks that need to get done or from being present with my family. If I can automate stuff like that, I’m really happy to do so.
If you’ve been on autopilot this week, though, you’ve missed a lot. In this week in review, learn about Hyatt’s major award chart changes, Bilt’s incredible Rent Day transfer bonus coming tomorrow, everything you need to know about application rules, and a lot more.
This week on the Frequent Miler blog…
Bilt Rent Day for March: Get a 25%-125% transfer bonus to Japan Airlines
Tomorrow (March 1st), Bilt will offer what will be an unprecedented transfer bonus to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank. Capital One, the only other program currently partnered with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, offers transfers at less than a 1:1 transfer ratio. With the Bilt Rent Day transfer bonus, Bilt members will be able to get a 25%-125% transfer bonus. If you have Bilt cash and a fair number of Bilt points, buying up one level for the transfer bonus could easily be the best possible use of Bilt Cash. I said it on the podcast, but if you had 100,000 points to transfer (perhaps you got the last couple of Rakuten payouts and a Palladium bonus?), buying up for $135 in Bilt Cash would buy you an additional 25,000 Japan Airlines miles. I’d be a buyer at that level if it was real cash. With Bilt Bucks, it’s a terrific deal for those with a decent chunk of points to transfer. Just beware of that 3-year hard expiration policy with JAL.
Mayday: Hyatt to launch a brutal new World of Hyatt chart in May 2026
This week, World of Hyatt narrowly avoided going fully dynamic with its award chart, but it took something between a small step and a giant leap in that direction with a new set of charts that creates 40 different redemption levels between Category 1 and Category 8, and gives similar treatment to the all-inclusive and Miraval charts. An astute reader points out that this is exactly what Marriott did before moving to a fully dynamic award chart (Marriott actually had 6 prices for each category!). Hopefully, Hyatt does not move in that same direction long-term, but there is no doubt that the variance within each category feels much less like an award chart and more like preparation to understand that pricing will vary with demand.
Breaking news: Hyatt takes us to the heartbreak hotel | Podcast | 2-25-26
With Greg on vacation, Tim and I put out a “breaking news” podcast episode this week, where we discussed the Hyatt changes, our reactions to them, and our plans moving forward.
Is it time to use all our Hyatt points? (on Nick’s mind)
Readers have had strong reactions to this week’s Hyatt news, and reasonably so. Hyatt is a program that many of us have known and loved for a long time, and things are changing. That’s both uncomfortable and disappointing. But is it time to cut and run? I don’t think so. We’ll have to continue to track median award pricing as we move into this brave new World of Hyatt, but I suspect that there will still be enough opportunities for value that I’ll end up staying a fair number of Hyatt nights each year, it just won’t be my aspirational chain of choice for much longer.
My revised Bilt 2 plan (Bilt 2, Take 2)
Speaking of changes, Greg wrote this week about his own changing plans, in this case regarding his plans for Bilt 2.0. Greg has (wisely) decided to hold off on making housing payments for a family member until things smooth out on that front. Instead, he’s earning 4% back in Bilt Cash and finding it more useful than he anticipated. Like Greg, we’re earning Bilt Bucks in my household, though we are perhaps less enthusiastic about the use cases for them so far. We’ll definitely use them for the accelerators to earn an effective 3x everywhere, and once my wife has built up a bigger Bilt balance, I imagine we’ll jump on elevating to a higher-level transfer bonus (she just won’t yet have enough points to make the Japan Airlines bonus worthwhile tomorrow). We’re far less likely to use Blade. We’ll probably use the Blacklane credit option, but I anticipate that we might not be able to use all of our Bilt Cash before year’s end. Still, Greg’s plans here look solid for his situation and certainly make the Palladium a solid option for unbonused spend.
Gems from our Giant Mailbag | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep347 | 2-27-26
With Greg on vacation this week, we took the opportunity to clear out some of our Giant Mailbag with an episode full of interesting tidbits from letters messages that hadn’t previously made it into the show. From tips about banking dining credits to resurrecting an expired Southwest credit to digital wallet organization, there are some nice little nuggets in this week’s show.
My subpar first experience with Southwest assigned seating
Earlier this week, I flew Southwest Airlines for the first time since the launch of assigned seating last month. My first experience with the system was subpar, and here’s why: as premium cardholders, my wife and I should have had access to any seat on the plane within 24 hours of departure. However, other passengers (like our 8-year-old son, who doesn’t have a card!) could see more available seats than we could. In our case, it ended fine, but I’ll be curious as to how this progresses on other reservations — hopefully, it was an IT issue that gets resolved.
Best uses for Virgin points | Coffee Break Ep94 | 2-24-26
On this week’s Coffee Break, Greg and I discussed some of the best uses for Virgin points. We have now seen a few 40% transfer bonuses to Virgin, which only make these sweet spots all the better. From cheap transatlantic flights to Delta for less than Delta charges and business class across the Pacific for a steal, we discuss all of the best Virgin points redemptions.
The Fairmont Empress, Victoria, BC (Fine Hotels + Resorts®): Bottom Line Review
If you’re looking for a good place to use an FHR credit in the Pacific Northwest, Tim reviewed the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, and it might be just the place. I hadn’t been familiar with Victoria until looking at a cruise that stopped there a year or two ago. We didn’t end up on that itinerary, but it really piqued my interest in checking this town out. If and when I get there, I can’t imagine a better-looking place to stay, and given Tim’s strong review, this will probably be at the top of my list.
Choice Privileges Complete Guide (2026)
Choice Privileges long flew under the radar. As the loyalty program of budget-friendly brands like Comfort Inn and Quality Inn, Choice isn’t always top of mind for those hunting out aspirational redemptions. However, with points transfers at a 1:2 ratio from both Citi and Wells Fargo, and solid value to be had for both budget hotels and midscale to higher brands like Cambria and Ascend Collection, there are some opportunities to get solid value for points. When you also consider the partnership with Preferred Hotels and a revamped loyalty program, Choice is making some noise in the space. See Stephen’s Complete Guide for everything you need to know about Choice.
Marriott Bonvoy Airline Transfer Partners
While Marriott points have not been on an upward trajectory in recent years, they have maintained transferability to many airline programs at 60,000 Marriott points to 25,000 airline miles in many cases. That’s a ratio that actually harkens back to the days of Starwood Preferred Guest. While this isn’t what I plan to do with most of my Marriott points, I could certainly see the appeal, particularly if you travel frequently for work and earn more Marriott points than you’re likely to use to good value for lodging.
Complete Guide to Credit Card Application Rules by Bank
Every bank has its quirks, and many of them constitute unwritten rules that you need to know before you start an application spree. In this updated post, Tim has collected (and continues to update) the rules for each bank. This is definitely worth referencing if you intend to apply for multiple cards, whether in close proximity or over time.
Credit card reviews
We maintain reviews of the popular credit cards on the market to help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each. The following card reviews have been published and/or updated this week:
- Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card Review (2026)
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card Review (2026)
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Review (2026)
That’s it for this week at Frequent Miler. Keep an eye on this week’s last chance deals to be sure you grab them before they’re gone.
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