Here’s the latest miles, points, and travel news:
Sapphire Reserve Benefit Boost
Chase is making life easier for Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve Business cardholders starting January 1, 2026, with the biggest change involving The Edit credit — you’ll no longer have to wait six months between using each $250 portion of your $500 annual benefit, meaning you could burn through your entire credit on January 1st if you book two separate stays.
Chase is also rolling out a brand-new $250 annual credit for prepaid hotel bookings through Chase Travel at select partner brands including IHG Hotels & Resorts, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Pendry Hotels & Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Virgin Hotels, Minor Hotels, and Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.
You’ll still earn Ultimate Rewards points on any amount you spend beyond the credit coverage, plus you’ll rack up hotel loyalty program points on the full purchase amount, which means elite night credits and status benefits remain intact.
Both benefits require prepaid bookings with a two-night minimum stay through Chase Travel, so you can’t game the system with cheap one-night airport stopovers, but $250 can still cover a decent chunk of most hotel stays.
Aer Lingus Expands to Raleigh
Aer Lingus will launch nonstop flights between Dublin and Raleigh-Durham International Airport starting April 13, 2026, operating five times weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays during summer months with reduced frequency in winter.
The Irish carrier will deploy its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft featuring 16 lie-flat business-class seats on this route, marking their 26th North American destination and continuing their expansion into mid-sized U.S. markets following recent launches to Nashville and Indianapolis.
You can book these flights using transferred points from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Bilt Rewards directly to AerClub, or transfer Capital One miles to British Airways and then move the Avios to Aer Lingus, while the airline also plans to increase frequencies on existing routes including daily Orlando service and 10 weekly Boston-Shannon flights for summer 2026.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Reopens in December
Park Hyatt Tokyo will officially reopen on December 9 after an extensive renovation that completely reimagined the iconic property from floors 29-52 of Shinjuku Park Tower, with reservations opening September 24 at noon local time (September 23 at 11 p.m. EDT for those in the U.S.).
The revitalized hotel now features 171 accommodations designed by Parisian studio Jouin Manku, including new 915-square-foot Park Suites with views of Mount Fuji and a French brasserie by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, with award bookings starting at 35,000 points for off-peak nights and going up to 80,000 points for premium suites.
Air Canada Upgrades Regional Fleet
Starting October 2025, you’ll get free gate-to-gate Wi-Fi on Air Canada’s Q-400 flights between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Ottawa or Montreal, making these the first turboprop aircraft to offer inflight connectivity through Intelsat 2Ku technology sponsored by Bell.
Through mid-2026, you can expect 25 of Air Canada Jazz’s 39 Q-400 aircraft to receive new Expliseat ergonomic seating with integrated device holders and refreshed cabin interiors that match the airline’s current branding, maintaining the existing 78-seat configuration while creating a more consistent experience across the fleet.
JSX Debuts Luxury Turboprops
JSX will launch its first ATR-42-600 turboprops in California this November, featuring 30 all-premium seats configured for routes up to two hours in length.
The turboprops offer significant operational advantages over JSX’s current Embraer fleet, requiring half the runway length, burning half the fuel, and potentially doubling the number of airports the carrier can access — including future service to Telluride Regional Airport in Colorado and Truckee Tahoe Airport in California.
JSX plans to start conservatively with just two leased aircraft, adding two more in early 2026, before potentially finalizing a letter of intent for up to 25 new ATRs if passengers embrace the propeller-powered premium experience.
