While everyone was chasing the Sapphire Preferred’s headline bonus this summer, Chase quietly rolled out another 100K offer that’s arguably just as good … and it’s still available. Also today: the best ways to fly business class to Southeast Asia on points, a new (pricey) way to book Starlux award flights, and a moment of silence for Alaska’s connection-trick loophole.
💼 The 100K Point Card Bonus Nobody’s Talking About
While everyone was chasing the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s monster offer this summer (pour one out, as that ended last week), Chase quietly rolled out something arguably just as good … and seven weeks later, it’s still flying mostly under the radar.
Blame two things: it’s a business card, which naturally doesn’t get as much attention, and it’s been sharing the spotlight with the Sapphire Preferred’s headline-grabbing bonus.
But right now, both the *Ink Unlimited* and the *Ink Cash* are offering $1,000 cash back after you spend $8,000 in the first four months of having either card.
Neither charges an annual fee. That’s the biggest bonus either of these cards has ever offered, and Chase hasn’t announced an end date yet – though the last time this deal ran, back in September 2025, it only stuck around for about two months, so it likely doesn’t have much time left.
You might be saying to yourself, “But I don’t have a business?!” You don’t need an LLC or a storefront to qualify for a business card. If you’ve ever done freelance work, sold something on Etsy or Facebook Marketplace, or driven for a rideshare app, you’ve got a business in the eyes of the bank – and that’s enough to apply and earn the bonus.
And here’s why this bonus is better than it looks. That $1,000 comes in as Chase Ultimate Rewards points, not literal cash. If you already carry a card like the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, or even the Sapphire Reserve for Business, you can combine those points and transfer them to Chase’s travel partners. That turns a flat $1,000 into things like several round-trip flights to Hawaii, a business-class seat to Europe, or potentially tons of free hotel nights with Hyatt.
Lastly, getting approved won’t count against your Chase 5/24 status – though you’ll need to be under 5/24 in order to get it.
The Sapphire Preferred deal got the headlines. Nearly two months later, these offers are still available and worth just as much.
– Nick Serati, Thrifty Traveler co-founder
🎙️ New Pod Alert!
🇯🇵 Japan & Delta SkyMiles Deals: So Hot Right Now
⛩️ Kyle joins the show from the Park Hyatt Tokyo on this special Japan-themed episode. While the sun slowly rises behind him, Kyle first revisits his scorching hot take about the rise of SkyMiles before the guys dig into where to go in Japan, how to get there, and where to stay on your next trip.
Tune in now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
🤝 Deal of the Day: Premium Economy to Japan from 40k Miles
Heat scale (out of 3): 🔥
Why we love it: One of the best ways to fly to Japan isn’t in biz class and it isn’t in the back: It’s Japan Airlines Premium Economy.
Book these seats for 40k Japan Airlines miles each way, or for 50k Alaska or American miles, too! Best availability this fall and winter.
Sign up now to get all the details on this deal & don’t miss the next flight deal alert.
Already a member? Log in to see all your deals. (Not seeing it? Remove your airport filters to see every deal.)
– Gunnar Olson, Thrifty Traveler Premium deal analyst
🪓 Alaska Axes Partner Award Booking Loophole
The Thrifty Traveler company flag is flying at half-staff today. We’d ask that you give us space and grace to grieve – and please, hold the casseroles until we’ve had time to process this sudden loss.
What in the world am I talking about? Well, Alaska Airlines just closed one of our favorite loopholes for saving big on partner award flights to Europe – and we’re … we’re not taking it well.
For the past couple of years, you could drop the price of a business class partner award ticket across the Atlantic by booking a connection – on either side of the pond. Sometimes that extra (shorter) flight would book into economy, other times domestic first class or European business class – but in all cases, it amounted to savings of 10,000 points or more!
Let’s look at an example to help illustrate this a little better. If you wanted to fly American Airlines “Flagship” business class from Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR), it would cost you 55,000 Atmos Rewards points in each direction.
But if you added a connection from your home airport – even tiny, regional ones like Sioux Falls, SD (FSD) – the price inexplicably dropped to just 45,000 points.
Fly further and pay less? It made no sense … but sometimes it’s best not to ask questions and just take the deal you’re given. This was one of those situations.
Unfortunately, it looks like Alaska wised up because now that flight to London with a connection is pricing out at the same 55,000-point price as the nonstop from Chicago.
While you couldn’t drop the price of longer AA business class awards from the West Coast under 50,000 points, it amounted to even bigger savings – cutting the nonstop price of 70,000 points down to just 55,000 each way.
And it wasn’t just American Airlines flights that this trick worked on. You could do the same thing on the other side of the Atlantic, flying a partner like Aer Lingus nonstop to Dublin (DUB), then connecting on to Amsterdam (AMS) or Paris (CDG), for example.
As bummed as we are, it’s hard to be too upset when an airline closes a loophole like this. It was never supposed to work that way to begin with … and we knew it. But at the same time, it’s hard not to feel a little sad anytime a deal like this bites the dust.
So pour one out for the connection trick that never should have worked … but did anyway. It had a good run.
– Jackson Newman, senior editor
🌴 How to Fly to Southeast Asia Using Points & Miles
Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, Singapore, and many other Southeast Asian destinations are all over travel bucket lists, but to get the best deal on the looooong flights there, you’ll want to leverage your points and miles – especially if you want to fly up front.
Luckily, there are more options than ever. Here are a few of the best ones we’ve sent to our Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers this year.
💸 The Cheapest Way: Delta SkyMiles to Taipei or Hong Kong
If you time a SkyMiles flash sale right, you can fly to Taipei (TPE) or Hong Kong (HKG) on Delta starting at just 25,400 SkyMiles … roundtrip!
🇵🇭 The Newest Way: Philippine Airlines Biz Class with Alaska Atmos
Alaska and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have a new partnership giving U.S. travelers the best new way to book PAL Biz Class nonstop to Manila (MNL) this year or next … from just 75,000 Atmos each way!
🍾 The Fanciest Way: EVA Biz Class with EVA Miles
Travelers who’ve flown EVA rave about the service and quality of the airline’s business class cabin, but ways to book with EVA’s partners have dried up. Now, you have to use EVA’s own miles (transferable from Citi 1:1 and from Capital One on a 750:1000 ratio) to book these seats. But they’ll only cost you 75,000 or 80,000 each way.
🇻🇳 The Most Direct Way: Vietnam Airlines Biz Class
Vietnam has an awesome nonstop flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) with lie-flat business class seats in the front. You can make one of them yours for just 68,000 ANA miles or starting at 94,000 FlyingBlue miles!
🌌 The Coolest Way: Starlux Biz Class with Alaska Miles
Starlux’s galactic-themed marketing just works on me, plain and simple. It looks stylish and fun, and because you can book it from just 75,000 Alaska miles each way, it’s on my radar.
🤩 And More Ways!
Whether it’s Qatar’s QSuites, Cathay Pacific’s First Class, or several others, there are no shortage of great redemptions to fuel your trip to Southeast Asia next year.
Read our full breakdown of the best redemptions to Southeast Asia.
– Gunnar Olson, travel reporter & host of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast
🤩 Starlux Awards Now Bookable With Etihad Guest Miles
More than a year after Etihad and Starlux first announced their codeshare agreement, the partnership finally has teeth: You can now redeem Etihad Guest miles for Starlux awards, including connections across either airline’s network on one ticket.
Until now, Alaska’s Atmos Rewards has been the only realistic points option for booking Starlux – but Atmos points aren’t exactly easy to come by in bulk. Etihad widens the field, since Guest miles transfer in from Capital One, Citi, Bilt, and Rove (Amex dropped Etihad earlier this year, so MR points are out).
Now for the bad news: The pricing is … kind of rough.
Economy runs 75,000 miles one way, and business jumps to 139,999 – roughly double what Alaska charges for the same seats – and premium economy isn’t bookable at all (at least not online). On the plus side, taxes and fees are reasonable at just $34 one-way.
Wondering what all the hype is about? Check out our review of Starlux business class!
If you’re looking to book Starlux flights to other spots in Southeast Asia through Etihad, you can’t (yet) book onward connections. That’s a real bummer, since not everyone has Taipei (TPE) quite so high on their travel bucket list.
One other thing worth calling out: Etihad’s award change policy is brutal. You’ll lose at least a quarter of your miles if your plans change … and much more the closer you get to departure.
Take a step back, and this new partnership is all part of Starlux’s broader ambitions. The Taiwan-based airline has long wanted to join the Oneworld alliance, but Cathay Pacific – a founding member with veto power, and Starlux’s direct competitor – has reportedly stood in the way.
So for now, one-off partnerships like this one and Alaska’s are the only game in town for North Americans looking to book Starlux with points.
Get the full scoop on this new partnership!
– Jackson Newman, senior editor
✈️ Other Travel Tidbits
- 🛒 Amex has a new targeted offer for $20 back after spending $60 at Walmart.com, good through Sept. 2 and usable up to two times.
- 🧳 Australian budget airline, Jetstar, will start charging for overhead bin space starting February 2027, becoming the first airline to do so. (Associated Press)
- ✈️ Capital One is offering a 15% transfer bonus moving miles to Avianca LifeMiles through Aug. 31.
- 🏨 Chase Travel has added a new filter that shows only hotels participating in The Edit, making it easier to find eligible stays for the up to $500 credit for Sapphire Reserve cardholders. (Upgraded Points)
- 🏠 Qatar Airways Privilege Club cardholders can now earn 3 Avios per dollar on rent payments made through Bilt. (Bilt)
