Michael's Miles Round-Up

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Happy Friday Reader!

Listen to this segment on: Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Let’s talk about how to minimize the cash component of when you book an award flight. You’ve probably noticed or heard that some flights to and from Europe can cost you hundreds, nearly a thousand, dollars in fees in addition to the points price.

So it's worth asking, what makes up these fees? Well, it's a mix of a few things: government taxes, airport charges, fuel surcharges, booking fees, and a handful of other fees.

And the amount you can expect to pay varies based on the airline you're flying, the transfer partner you're booking through, the airport you're flying to or from, and even the airport you're connecting through.

So the big ways to save on these fees are adjusting which program you book through and which airports you touch.

To start, here are some transfer partners that generally let you bypass carrier-imposed surcharges like fuel surcharges:

• Air Canada,
• Avianca LifeMiles,
• Singapore Airlines (on its own flights)
• And U.S.-based airlines like: United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, and Delta.

Now, in terms of airports and countries that limit fuel surcharges (to varying degrees), Upgraded Points names over a dozen, which are listed below.

I've also seen some flights from Brazil have minimal extra charges. But the thing is that the surcharges are typically only limited when you're departing from that country, not necessarily when you’re arriving there.

And then there's one very niche example within the U.S.: Minneapolis, of all places. Check it out:

These are KLM flights booked with Virgin Atlantic miles. You pay over $150 in taxes and fees on economy flights from anywhere else in the U.S. to Europe, but if you fly from MSP, you only pay $5.60. No idea why, but it has been this way for a couple of years now.

But again, it's only from MSP, only on KLM flights, and only when using Virgin Atlantic miles. The savings still hold if you continue on to other cities, too. For example, MSP-AMS-FCO (Rome) is only $36.

It's theoretically possible to book Air France flights from MSP with Virgin Atlantic miles, but I've never seen availability myself, nor have I seen any business class availability.

One last point to leave you with: you still need to compare your options because the low-tax option isn’t always the lowest-points option. Is paying lower taxes and more points better than paying higher taxes and fewer points? Sometimes it's clear, other times not so much.

That's why I created my Award Redemption Analyzer, which is available as a standalone purchase, but also included in The Redemption System. Also, if you ever thought it'd be useful to have a database of sweet spots that tells you the lowest points price and estimated taxes to get various places (a Sweet Spot Explorer, if you will), that's also included in The Redemption System.

You've got the points.
Here's the process for actually turning them into the flight you want.

• Chase appears to be adding lifetime language to their Southwest Business Cards. Sad.
• Bilt adds Amtrak as a transfer partner at a 2:1 ratio. Pretty cool.
• Citi added Japan Airlines Mileage Bank as a transfer partner September 20 with a limited-time 30% transfer bonus.
• The Citi Strata Premier and Elite cards appear to have shifted from 48-month to lifetime eligibility, eliminating future bonus eligibility after receiving it once. Details.​
• The Chase Freedom Flex has been updated so that it no longer charges foreign transaction fees, and you now get a 10% points boost on select hotels with Chase Travel, but it also lost its cellphone protection coverage.
• Earn 2x-3x points for paid IHG stays booked via their app from October-December, starting with your second stay. Register by 9/30.​
• Bilt introduced some ambiguous terms regarding downgrading "within 30 days of annual fee posting" and the possibility of clawbacks on bonuses and credits. Read terms.​
• Alaska Airlines offers 50,000 bonus points for new or refinanced mortgages through Rate mortgage lender partnership.

Point Sales:

Purchasing points on sale is a way to access travel sweet spots at a cash discount, especially useful for those who can't earn points quickly through credit cards (those living outside of the U.S.) or those who want to fast-track specific luxury redemptions.

I recommend only purchasing points with a redemption in mind, or if you're topping off an account. ​
​
Air Canada up to 100% bonus as low as 1.35 cents each, exp 9/25​
American Airlines up to 40% bonus as low as 2.26 cents each, tiered
​Avianca LifeMiles up to 145% bonus as low as 1.35 cents each, exp 9/25
​Choice Hotels up to 40% discount as low as 0.62 cents each, exp 10/22
​Delta SkyMiles up to 50% bonus as low as 2.51 cents each, exp 10/31
​Finnair Plus up to 50% bonus as low as 1.45 cents each, exp 10/5
​Hilton Honors up to 100% bonus as low as 0.50 cents each, exp 9/25
​IHG up to 100% bonus as low as 0.5 cents each, exp 10/5.
​JetBlue up to 120% bonus as low as 1.47 cents each, exp 10/1
​Lufthansa up to 50% bonus as low as 1.39 cents each, exp unk.
​Southwest up to 50% discount as low as 1.50 cents each, exp 10/2
​United MileagePlus up to 95% bonus as low as 1.93 cents each, exp 9/30
​Virgin Atlantic up to 70% bonus as low as 1.47 cents each, exp 10/4
​World of Hyatt up to 20% discount as low as 2.08 cents each, exp 10/5
​Wyndham up to 90% bonus as low as 0.68 cents each, exp 10/21

This is my favorite award search tool and how it works!

Here are some of the best sign-up bonuses that I've found. I've included referral links to the offers I have access to. For offers not linked, I'd recommend applying through other channels to support creators' work.

"***" = Different from last week

Flexible Points Cards:​
-Chase Sapphire Preferred $95 - 75k, after $5k spend.​
​-Chase Sapphire Reserve $795 - 100k after $6k spend.
-Chase Sapphire Reserve Business $795 - 200k after $30k spend in 6 months
-Chase Freedom Unlimited $0 - 20k/$200 after $500 spend in 3 months
-***Chase Freedom Flex $0 - 25k/$250 after $500 spend in 3 months
-Chase Ink Unlimited $0 - 100k points after $8,000 spent in 4 months
-Chase Ink Cash $0 - 100k points after $8,000 spent in 4 months
-Chase Ink Business Preferred $95 - 100k points after $8,000 spent in 3 months.

​
-AMEX Gold $325 has an offer for "as high as" 100k
​-AMEX Business Gold $375 - "as high as" 200k Targeted Offer after $15,000 spent in 3 months. Try copying and pasting link into Private/Incognito browser. ​
​-AMEX Platinum $895 - "as high as" 175k after $12k spend
-AMEX Business Platinum $895 - "as high as 300k" after $20,000 spent in 3 months; Also here's a 200k No Lifetime Language link.
​
-Capital One Venture X $395 - 75k points after $4,000 in 3 months.
-Capital One Venture $95 - 75k + $300 travel credit after $4,000 in 3 months.
-Capital One Venture Business $95 - 100k after $10k in 3 months.
-Capital One Venture X Business $395 - 150k bonus, after $30,000 in 3 months.
-Capital One Savor $0 - $250 cash back (25k points) after $500 in 3 months
-Citi Strata Elite $595 - 75k points, $595 annual fee
-Citi Strata Premier $95 - 60k points, $95 annual fee

Hotel Cards​
​-Amex Hilton Honors $0 - 70k + Free Night Certificate after $2000 spent in 6 months. Ends 1/13/27​
-Amex Hilton Surpass $150 - 130k + Free Night Certificate after $3000 spent in 6 months. Ends 1/13/27​
-Amex Hilton Aspire $550 - 200k after $6000 spent in 6 months. Ends 1/13/27​
- Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant $650 - 150k plus $250 statement credit after $6,000 spend in 6 months. Ends 9/30
​- Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy $250 - 125k plus $150 statement credit after $5,000 spend in 6 months. Ends 9/30
- Chase Marriott Boundless Card $95 - 4 Free Night Certificates (worth 50k points each) + $100 in Airline Credits* after $3,000 spent in 3 months. *Get $50 in statement credits semi-annually after spending $250 on eligible airline purchases.

Airline cards:​
-***Chase Southwest Premier Business - 80k miles after $3,000 spend in 3 months.
- Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select $99, waived first year - 80K miles after $3,500 spend in 4 months.
- Citi AAdvantage Executive Mastercard $695 - 125k miles after $15,000 in 5 months.
-Delta SkyMiles Gold $150, waived first year - "as high as" 80k miles + $250 statement credit after $3,000 spend in 6 months. Ends 11/4.
(Business version also available)
-Delta SkyMiles Platinum $350 — as high as 90k miles + $300 statement credit after $4,000 spend in 6 months. Ends 11/4
(Business version also available)
-Delta SkyMiles Reserve $650 — 50k miles + two domestic round-trip Comfort certificates after $10,000 spend in 6 months. Ends 11/4
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business​ $650 — 200k miles after $20,000 spend in 6 months. Ends 11/4

Boston (BOS) - Europe: Premium Economy for 30k Miles
Chicago (ORD) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
Detroit (DTW) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
Los Angeles (LAX) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
Minneapolis (MSP) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
Minneapolis (MSP) - Europe: Business for 45k Miles
Montreal (YUL) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
New York (JFK) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
New York (JFK) - Europe: Premium Economy for 30k Miles
San Diego (SAN) - Europe: Economy for 30k Miles
San Francisco (SFO) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
San Francisco (SFO) - Europe: Premium Economy for 30k Miles
Vancouver (YVR) - Europe: Premium Economy for 30k Miles
Washington (IAD) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles

**Miami (MIA) - Europe: Economy for 18.75k Miles
​**San Jose (SJC) - Europe: Premium Economy for 37.5k Miles
​**Toronto (YYZ) - Europe: Premium Economy for 30k Miles

**These awards are only available for Flying Blue Extra subscribers, this subscription starts at 379 EUR per year.

- Book by the end of September for travel dates up to February 28th, 2027. Includes reversed routing.
(Here's how to book it step by step.)

- Flying Blue Promo Awards are 25% discounted fares offered by KLM & Air France. Offer changes every month, and is released on the first weekday of the month. Above are U.S.-based routes, click here for other international-based deals.

Singapore Krisflyer Spontaneous Escapes

(Deals don't work with reversed routing, ex: JFK-FRA)​
​
New York (JFK) - Frankfurt (FRA)
Frankfurt (FRA) - New York (JFK)
Premium Economy - 39.9k

Singapore (SIN) - New York (JFK)
Premium Economy - 59.15k

Singapore (SIN) - Seattle (SEA)
Economy - 30.8k​
​

​- Book by the end of September, for travel dates from October 1 to 31st, 2026. See details and blackout dates here.​
​
​Krisflyer Spontaneous Escapes are 30% off last-minute award tickets on Singapore Airlines on specific routes. Offers are typically released on the 15th of every month. Here's how to search on Singapore's website.

American Express:
​Avios 30% - Ends 9/27
​Hilton 30% - Ends 10/14​
​
Capital One:​
​Japan Airlines 30% - Ends 9/30

Chase: ​
​Aeroplan 20% - Ends 9/30
​Marriott 70% - Ends 10/15

Citi:​
​Avianca 25% - Ends 10/24
​JAL 30% - Ends 10/24

Rove:​
​Copa Airlines 40% - Ends 9/30

Have a good weekend!
​
​Michael​
​Nurse Michael Travels