Before you head out for the weekend, we’ve got a jam-packed newsletter for you with a hot tip on beating high airfare, a great way to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards, and a look at the best cards to swipe at the pump. Let’s get into it!
🇺🇸 Airfare Is Up, AAdvantage Rates Aren’t
🤒 The antidote to high airfare might be sitting in your American AAdvantage account.
Airfare is up nearly 30% year-over-year, and if you’re doing some searching on Google Flights, that definitely feels true. (Even if it’s not always true!)
Even as airlines ask for $400 or more for a short roundtrip domestic flight, the rate you’ll pay with American Airlines AAdvantage miles has stayed the same. It’s a high airfare cheat code and it’s one reason I always make AA miles a part of my points-earning strategy.
(Plus, AA miles rates always book into Main Cabin – giving you seat assignment and making the fares completely refundable and risk-free!)
Here’s an example of the power of AA miles:
If you search for a spring break flight next year from Atlanta (ATL) down to Key West (EYW), Delta and American want you to fork over $400 for a Main Cabin ticket. Ouch.
But if you run the same exact search with AA miles, you’ll see the same low mileage rates you would have seen a year ago – before jet fuel costs and airfare shot up like they did.
Just 14,000 miles roundtrip and $11.20 in taxes and fees will get you there instead of $400 … which can really add up if you’re traveling with a family.
It’s not just short domestic flights, either. Here are some other AA deals that can save you thousands on airfare.
- 🇯🇵 Tokyo, Japan for 70,000 AA miles roundtrip
- 🛺 Bangkok, Thailand for 75,000 AA miles roundtrip
- 🏖️ Fiji for 56,000 AA miles roundtrip
- ☘️ Aer Lingus Biz Class to Ireland (& Europe) for 57,500 AA miles each way
- 🥂 American Airlines Biz Class to London, Athens, Madrid, and more for 77,000 AA miles
- 🤩 And so much more!
Check out our full breakdown of how to use AA miles to beat high airfare and for more examples of the best AA miles deals we’ve found.
– Gunnar Olson, flight deal analyst & travel reporter
🤝 Deal of the Day: Fjords of Norway from $427 Roundtrip
Heat scale (out of 3): 🔥
Why we love it: Want to experience Norway’s Fjords for less? (Of course you do!)
These low fares are flying into Bergen (BGO) under $587 roundtrip from several U.S. cities with 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
📡 On Our Radar
Welcome to On Our Radar – a weekly look at the news and trends we’re watching lately!
🚵 Delta & United to Serve Moab, Utah … Will Fares Drop?
Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY), right next to scenic Moab, Utah, will get new service from Delta and United starting in October, which should open up the tiny airport to some better flight deals.
Moab is an increasingly popular outdoor destination situated between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. But until now, only tiny Contour Airlines flew from Denver (DEN) and Phoenix (PHX) to CNY.
When CNY’s Essential Air Service (a government subsidy program to guarantee air service to small, remote airports) contract came up this year, SkyWest (a subsidiary of Delta and United) swooped in to connect CNY to Salt Lake City (SLC) and Denver (DEN) for Delta and United, respectively.
That service starts Oct. 1 and will include 12 weekly round-trips combined between the two airlines. But because these flights will connect to major hubs for both airlines, I expect there to be some competition between them to carry customers, and therefore some lower fares than we used to see with Contour.
Flights are not on sale as of now, but keep an eye on Moab (CNY) in the coming months.
🤠 Delta’s Austin Hublet is Trying Stuff Out
I’ve written a few times about Delta adding tons of flights to Austin (AUS), so much so that it’s becoming a small hub (a hublet?) Their aspirations for the airport seem big … but it’s not been linear growth for Delta in AUS.
This week, Delta made a big deal about its newest Austin route to San Jose (SJC) – connecting the two major tech hubs. More quietly, Delta also added another daily flight from AUS to Orlando (MCO) – the third daily Delta flight between the two cities.
But Delta also subtracted some routes from Austin – quietly nixing service to Memphis (MEM) and New Orleans (MSY).
I’m certain Delta is still all-in on Austin, but the airline is savvy enough to know when a route isn’t working. I’d guess those flights will be back someday.
In the meantime, Delta is trying stuff at Austin, and they’ll be On Our Radar as they do.
💙 Target JetBlue Mint for Your Coast-to-Coast Flights This Winter
JetBlue is increasing its capacity on coast-to-coast flights this winter by quite a bit – making the lie-flat option ripe for good deals and points and miles award space.
Boston (BOS) to San Francisco (SFO) flights, for instance, are up by 16 flights per week this December through April, now running six times a day! But that’s not all …
JetBlue upped Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – Los Angeles (LAX) and FLL – San Francisco (SFO) by one more flight per day, too. And at the same time, it is starting a brand new FLL – San Diego (SAN) route with lie-flat Mint seats, too.
Caught in the crossfire is the cancellation of the flights from Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Diego (SAN), which were both 2x daily.
For your trip across the country this winter, watch Google Flights for cheap fares or use your points and miles to book Mint with Qatar Avios from ~75,000 miles each way or with JetBlue TrueBlue points from ~37,000 to 90,000 each way.
– Gunnar Olson, flight deal analyst & travel reporter
🌺 Is This the Best Use of Southwest Rapid Rewards … Ever?
I’d pretty much written off Southwest and its Rapid Rewards program. I certainly have never transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards that way.
But I’m singing a (slightly) different tune after stumbling into a real gem of a redemption.
Let me explain.
Like many airlines, Southwest uses dynamic award pricing for its frequent flyer program … which basically just means “the higher the cash price, the more points you’ll pay.” That severely limits how much value you can get from your points – under 1.5 cents apiece is the norm … and it’s often closer to just 1 cent.
But there’s one glorious exception to that system: Redeeming Southwest points for flights within the Hawaiian islands, you can get double or even quadruple the usual value!
Unlike every other corner of the planet, Southwest uses an ironclad award chart for these island-hopping flights: No matter the route, nonstop or connection, time of year, or price, it’s always 4,000 points each way.
Oddly enough, it’s that same 4,000-point rate for both a Basic fare and a better Choice ticket that includes a free seat assignment. Do yourselves a favor: Skip basic economy.
Read our full story on how these awesome redemptions work!
On basically any domestic flight, 4,000 points would only be enough to cover a flight that’s $45 – maybe $50, if you’re lucky.
But a $95 one-way from Kauai (LIH) to Honolulu (HNL) next year? That’s 4,000 points.
If you procrastinated or forgot to book that same flight later today … when the airline is charging as much as $250. Still just 4,000 points!
OK, so a 45-minute flight from island to island might not be the sexiest use of points in the world. Then again, I suppose that hinges on how you feel about Hawaii. Personally, I’m a fan. I am pro-Hawaii.
But for an airline program that doesn’t have a whole lot to get excited about, points-wise – well, unless you’re an ultra-frequent flyer in a major Southwest stronghold with the Companion Pass – getting this kind of value is absolutely stellar.
Like I said, I’m changing my tune: I’ll be transferring a few thousand Chase points tonight.
Aloha!
– Kyle Potter, executive editor & soon-to-be Kauai visitor
🎙️ On the Pod: Travel Positivity
✈️ This week on the pod, Gunnar and Kyle outline all the things that are going well in travel right now: flight deals, new routes, big improvements for airport security, bigger and better lounges, massive credit card offers, and more.
Tune in now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
⛽ The Sapphire Preferred Just Became the Best Card for Gas
Gas prices have been brutal this year. The national average hit $4.55 per gallon in May, and while you can’t control what happens at the pump, you can make sure you’re getting rewarded every time you fill up.
Chase quietly made that a lot easier last week. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – already one of the best all-around travel cards on the market – now earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent at gas stations and EV charging stations. If you’ve been pulling out a different card at the pump, there’s no longer a reason to.
The move puts the Sapphire Preferred on equal footing with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, which has been a go-to for gas rewards for years. But the Preferred has an edge: an arguably stronger transfer partner lineup and an ecosystem most travelers are already plugged into. If the Sapphire Preferred is your primary travel card, it’s now your gas card too.
Not carrying a Sapphire Preferred yet? The timing is notable. The card is currently offering 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months – a record-high welcome offer – all for a $95 annual fee.
A few other cards worth knowing about if you want to maximize gas spending:
- Capital One Venture X: A reliable 2x miles on everything, including gas, with premium perks that punch well above its price point.
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 4% cash back on gas (up to $7,000/year) for Costco members who drive a lot.
Read our full breakdown of the best credit cards for gas station purchases here.
– Nick Serati, co-founder
✈️ Other Travel Tidbits
- 🏨 Wyndham Rewards is devaluing its points program on September 15, adding a new top tier of 45,000 points per night – up from the current 30,000-point ceiling. The current three-tier structure (7,500 / 15,000 / 30,000) becomes four tiers (5,000 / 15,000 / 30,000 / 45,000). (Wyndham Rewards)
- ✈️ American Airlines has expanded its cash Instant Upgrade program to nine international markets, including Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, and several other European countries. The option – available only on aa.com – lets customers pay by credit card for upgrades on revenue fares. (View from the Wing)
- 🧳 United Airlines may be working to eliminate the bag re-check requirement for international connecting passengers. Pulling it off would require coordination with both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and foreign airports. (JonNYC via X)
- 💸 The average U.S. domestic airfare hit $428 in the first quarter of 2026 – the highest Q1 fare on record, according to new Bureau of Transportation Statistics data. That’s up 5.7% from Q4 2025 and up 7.7% from a year ago. (Bureau of Transportation Statistics)
