Here’s the latest miles, points, travel, and deals news:
Capital One Adds Three Partners
Capital One just expanded its transfer network by adding Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and I Prefer Hotel Rewards as new partners, bringing the total to 22 transfer options – more than any other major credit card rewards program.
You can transfer Capital One miles to Japan Airlines at a 2:1.5 ratio (1,000 Capital One miles become 750 JAL miles), but there’s a 30% bonus through October that makes the ratio nearly 1:1, and JAL is notably the only major transferable currency partner besides Bilt that offers access to this Oneworld airline.
Qatar Airways transfers at a straightforward 1:1 ratio and uses Avios currency that you can move freely between British Airways, Iberia, and other partner programs, though Capital One already had British Airways as a partner so this mainly eliminates one transfer step.
I Prefer Hotel Rewards accepts transfers at 1:2 ratio for boutique hotel stays starting at 15,000 points per night, but the value typically falls short compared to major hotel chains like Hyatt or Marriott, making this the least appealing of the three new options.
The additions went live September 23, 2025, and work with popular Capital One cards like Venture X, Venture, VentureOne, and Spark Miles, with new JAL members only waiting seven days to redeem awards instead of the usual 60-day restriction.
$750 Business Card Offer
The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card is offering its best-ever welcome bonus of $750 cash back when you spend $6,000 within 180 days of account opening, with no annual fee attached.
You’ll earn uncapped 3% cash back on gas stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants, plus 5% on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through their travel portal, along with a $100 annual credit for software subscriptions.
Southwest Launches Debit Card
Southwest announced it’s rolling out the Southwest Rapid Rewards Debit Card through Sunrise Banks, offering a welcome bonus of 2,500 Rapid Rewards points after you make two recurring deposits and spend $100 within the first 90 days.
You’ll earn 1 point per dollar on Southwest purchases, dining, and subscriptions, while everything else earns just 1 point per $2 spent, plus up to 7,500 anniversary bonus points based on your annual spending. (HT: Frequent Miler)
Alaska’s 30% Latin America Sale
Alaska Airlines is offering 30% off flights between the contiguous US or Canada and Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Costa Rica with promo code LATIN30, but you need to book by September 24, 2025 at 11:59pm PT for travel through March 4, 2026.
The deal comes with day-of-week restrictions (departures Sunday through Wednesday when heading to these destinations, Tuesday through Friday when returning) plus several blackout periods around holidays, and it only applies to paid fares — not award tickets.
Breeze Airways 35% Sale
You can score 35% off Breeze Airways base fares with promo code NATURE when you book round-trip flights by September 26, 2025, for travel between October 7, 2025, and February 3, 2026, though extensive blackout dates apply including Thanksgiving week, late November, most of the December holidays, and early January.
Citi Extends Strata Spending Deadline
New Citi Strata Elite cardholders who received Form 4506-C tax return requests after approval have had their accounts locked during the verification process, which can take up to 30 days to complete.
Reports indicate that Citi has proactively extended welcome bonus spending deadlines by one month for affected cardholders, so you should log into your account on desktop to check if you’ve received a similar extension.
Spirit Adds Free Checked Bags
Despite ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, Spirit Airlines rolled out its promised new perk for Free Spirit Travel More MasterCard holders on September 23, 2025, allowing primary cardholders to check up to two bags under 50 pounds for free when booking flights online or through the app with their card.
You’ll need to link your card to your Free Spirit account (which takes up to seven days), and the benefit only covers the primary cardholder rather than other travelers on your reservation, but this perk can easily offset the card’s annual fee and represents a significant value given Spirit’s typically expensive checked bag fees.
American Adds Boston, Cuts Miami
American Airlines will launch three-daily flights between Boston and Buffalo starting March 8, 2026, using Embraer E175 aircraft and breaking JetBlue’s monopoly on the 396-mile route that American last operated in July 2017.
Meanwhile, American is cutting its Miami to Sacramento service on January 5, 2026, after less than two years of operation
