The Extra Mile, July 31: Testing Amex’s New Transfer Partner, AA’s Ugly Move & More

👀 4 Things to Watch for With Amex’s Newest Partner

On Wednesday, I told you all about American Express quietly adding Leading Hotels of the World’s Leaders Club as a new 4:1 transfer partner. I ran the math on a few properties and came away convinced this was a genuinely exciting option for anyone sitting on a stash of Membership Rewards points. In fact, I was so convinced that I decided to put it to the test for myself.

I’ve got a trip to Japan later this year, and the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, stood out for its traditional luxury, location, and value: just under 20,000 Amex points a night for a hotel that would otherwise run close to $500 in cash.

So I transferred the points, booked three nights, and picked up a few things I wished I’d known beforehand.

Here’s what I learned:

• Transfers are instant … even when you mess up: I fumbled the math on my first transfer and came up short – a byproduct of the 4:1 ratio. I refreshed my Leaders Club account, found the points already sitting there, then topped it off with a second transfer that went through just as fast. Consecutive transfers in quick succession usually raise fraud flags, but that wasn’t the case here.
• Taxes and fees are very much not included: This one stung a bit. My three-night stay added roughly $300 in taxes and fees on top of the points I’d transferred. I was still getting 2 cents per point in value, but it wasn’t quite the screaming deal I’d pictured. Be sure to double-check taxes and fees on paid nights before you book (or transfer points).
• Sterling Club enrollment hinges on matching emails: The American Express Platinum Card‘s complimentary Sterling Club status includes five pre-arrival upgrades a year, bonus earnings, and SIXT Platinum status – but enrollment only works if the email on your Amex account matches your Leaders Club profile. If you signed up years ago with an old email, you’ll have to call Leaders Club (800-745-8883) to update it before enrolling through Amex.
• Pre-arrival upgrades don’t apply to award stays: Sterling Club’s five annual upgrades are for paid rates only – book with points, and you’re not eligible going in, though you should still have a shot at an upgrade on arrival. Other perks, like daily continental breakfast for two and early check-in/late check-out consideration, should still apply.

None of these are deal-breakers on their own, but they do tame my excitement about this new partnership a bit. Getting this kind of value from Amex points for hotel stays is pretty unheard of – Amex’s hotel partners have historically been the weak link compared to its airline transfer options.

At the end of the day, I went in thinking this would be a slam dunk and walked away feeling more like I made a layup. Plan accordingly if you’re eyeing this new partnership.

Read our full story here

– Jackson Newman, senior editor

🤝 Deal of the Day: The 100K Chase Point Bonus Offer Lives!

Heat scale (out of 3): 🔥🔥🔥

Why we love it: The 100,000-mile Chase Sapphire Preferred card sign-up bonus still lives … but only in referral links. Lucky for you, we’ve got some!

If you still want to earn the best credit card sign-up bonus ever, you still have time … but not much of it. These links are likely to expire soon.

Use our referral link for a 100,000-point bonus offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card!

– Gunnar Olson, Thrifty Traveler Premium deal analyst

📡 On Our Radar

Welcome to On Our Radar – a weekly look at the news and trends we’re watching lately!

🪓 United Axes Short Chicago Flights After Losing Annual Gate Wars

According to our friend Ishrion Aviation, United is bailing on 10 new routes from O’Hare (ORD) after announcing them last year. It’s a big loss for travelers in these small communities, who already have limited options and competition, and who find themselves pawns in a much bigger battle at ORD.

Every year, the city of Chicago reallocates gates to airlines based on how much flying they do in the year prior. For that reason, American and United have to one-up each other by flying as much as possible to prove to the city that they should get more gates.

The easiest and cheapest way to do that is to fly short, regional flights on small planes to places like Champaign (CMI), Kalamazoo (AZO), Lansing (LAN), La Crosse (LSE), Bloomington (BMI), Tri-Cities (TRI), Erie (ERI), Rochester (RST), Marquette (MQT), and Wausau (CWA), which were all just cut by United after losing three gates to American in this year’s gate wars, according to a report from Crain’s Chicago.

Last year, United got the better of American, but this time, AA got the gates. The way I see it, United’s “taking its ball and going home” looks like cutting flights to many of these communities.

In the interest of fairness, I have to allow for the possibility that United just didn’t see the demand on these routes to turn a profit and made a business decision to cut them even before they started. But the timing here – right after they lost – stinks …

🇮🇸 Icelandair Wants to Compete with Partner Alaska at SEA

I know last week’s “On Our Radar” was entirely devoted to Iceland, but forgive me if I go back one more time, because Icelandair is doing something interesting.

In last week’s schedule updates, Icelandair added four more weekly flights from Seattle (SEA) to Reykjavik (KEF) in May 2027, bringing the total to 16x weekly. Last year, Icelandair operated 14 weekly flights on that route in May and throughout the summer months. (Icelandair flies the route daily the rest of the year.)

What’s interesting is that Icelandair’s partner, Alaska, flies the same route from SEA, but only once a day and only in June, July, and August. Icelandair and Alaska aren’t the closest of partners, but it is interesting that Icelandair is flooding the market to earn customers.

Either way, it’s a great route to watch for hot deals in summer 2027!

– Gunnar Olson, flight deal analyst & travel reporter

🤬 American Airlines Kneecaps its 24-Hour Cancellation Policy

The 24-hour rule is an absolute godsend: A federal law that requires airlines to issue full refunds if you cancel a flight within 24 hours of booking. But there’s some wiggle room in the fine print for the airlines … and American Airlines just took full advantage of it.

While the rules make it clear that refunds are absolutely mandatory, there’s an exception: Carriers don’t have to honor that requirement for flights booked within seven days of departure. Some airlines are far more generous, but guess what American Airlines just changed its policy to?

View from the Wing was the first to spot that American tightened its 24-hour rule policy big time, only honoring it for tickets booked at least a full week in advance.

That’s a major change: Previously, AA flyers could book as little as two days before departure and still cancel for a refund. No more. So say sayonara to last-minute backup tickets with American, I guess?

At this point, American’s stinginess with the 24-hour rule is the norm – not the exception. Really, there are just two airlines whose policies are more consumer-friendly:

• Alaska/Hawaiian: Must book at least 24 hours before departure
• Allegiant/Sun Country: Must book at least a week prior to departure.
• American: Must book at least a week prior to departure.
• Delta: Applies to all bookings – even same-day!
• Frontier: Must book at least a week prior to departure.
• JetBlue: Must book at least a week prior to departure.
• Southwest: Must book at least a week prior to departure.
• United: Must book at least a week prior to departure.

So really, it’s just Alaska (and Hawaiian) and especially Delta that go the extra mile with the 24-hour rule at this point.

Some other airlines might do you a solid if you book a flight within a week of departure and need to scrap it, ask nicely, and cross all your fingers and toes … but that’s no guarantee.

– Kyle Potter, executive editor

🍻 Minneapolis: Join Us for a First Class Happy Hour!

Mark your calendars, and join the Thrifty Traveler team on Thursday, September 24, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Utepils Brewing in Minneapolis for our First Class Happy Hour!

Get your tickets for a casual evening where travelers can connect, swap stories, and have some fun!

We’ll have drinks, travel-themed games and giveaways, plenty of travel talk, and a live Q&A with members of our team! Bring your questions and get to know the people behind Thrifty Traveler!

And because no happy hour is complete without one, your first drink is included with your ticket. Cheers to that!

Whether you live nearby or are making the trip to Minneapolis, we hope you’ll join us for a fun evening with fellow travelers!

Get Your Tickets Here

– Kat Erdahl, community marketing manager

🎙️ On the Pod: The State of Award Availability

✈️ We dig into where things are at and what’s ahead in points and miles, including the state of award availability and the best uses of your points and miles as we enter the second half of 2026.

Tune in now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

🦬 First Time In Fargo: A 24-Hour Travelogue

I just got back from my first-ever visit to Fargo, North Dakota, where we taped the Thrifty Traveler Podcast Live from TEDx Fargo. I knew I’d like Fargo, and my bosses (who were born and raised there) knew I’d like it, too. So they asked me to give a mini review of my 24 hours in a city that’s so much more than woodchippers and snowdrifts.

What’s the vibe? Fargo feels like a campus. The downtown is walkable, and Ubers are easy and inexpensive, too. It’s all watering holes, restaurants, art, and music, with tons of outdoor emphasis and patio seating everywhere (It’s surely a little different in winter …).

Best Bite: Küchen and ice cream from Wurst Bier Hall. An unexpectedly delicious dessert after a sausage, fries, and a beer. Honorable mentions to the Jasper Hotel’s pancakes and my Korean Beef Bowl from Little Brother.

Best Drink: Marge’s Bar – an unpretentious, tiny alleyway cocktail room off Broadway served me a Mango Jam Jar Margarita after the live show that’ll have my imagination for a long time. Ghost pepper tequila, Grand Marnier, lime, mango jam, and soda water. What a delight.

Fargo Airport (FAR): A spacious, modern new concourse spills out into a baggage claim area where you’re immediately greeted by a zero-turn mower and a pontoon boat on display next to the carousels. It all really sets the tone right when you land.

Best Scene: We gathered at a place called “The Grove” where a group of artists and good-time seekers gathered in a wooded area by the Red River, illuminated by string lights and big personalities. It’s not the kind of place an outsider like me can or should disclose. If you know, you know, I guess …

The cost: Fargo is seriously inexpensive. We never had an Uber ride cost more than $20. Our bill for cocktails at Marge’s for four people (six total cocktails) was $60, including tip. My kind of town!

The verdict: My co-host Kyle Potter warned me that Fargo loves itself, and that people there aren’t shy about declaring it the best. Maybe that mindset is just contagious, but I really felt the energy. Until we meet again, Fargo!

– Gunnar Olson, Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal analyst

✈️ Other Travel Tidbits

• 🧳 After nixing its beloved free baggage policy last year, Southwest will now begin boarding planes five minutes earlier … because so many more passengers are bringing carry-on bags instead. (PYOK)
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Bilt is rolling out new authorized user features, including the ability to add teens as young as 13 with full parental controls. Members in Bilt’s Close Friends program can now set individual spending limits, choose which merchant categories each card can access, and more. (Danny the Deal Guru)
• 🍬 Wyndham is selling a Route 66-themed candy set for $19.26 that comes with 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points. It goes on sale August 20, but only 100 sets are available, so expect it to sell out fast. (Wyndham)