AA miles stay valuable, New Amex card tease, Gulf ghost airport hub
Talking Points - Issue 30
This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate disclosure
Just got back from Latin America. Ended the trip in Rio, where the weather had other plans. Four days of rain, zero beach, zero samba in the streets, zero Christ the Redeemer. The silver lining? A suite at the Grand Hyatt, booked on points, with club-level access and an embarrassing amount of free food and drinks. The hotel became the resort. The storm became background noise. Worth every point.
Key Points
✈️ AA CEO puts AAdvantage miles on record: At an investor conference this week, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom publicly committed to keeping AAdvantage miles more valuable for travel redemptions than any competitor, and noted co-brand card acquisitions under the new Citi partnership are already at all-time highs. For anyone sitting on AAdvantage miles wondering if the floor was going to drop: this is as close to a public commitment as you’ll get.
🏖️The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica joins World of Hyatt: The historic 1933 Art Deco property — right across from the beach on Ocean Avenue, steps from the Santa Monica Pier, has joined Hyatt’s Unbound Collection as a Category 6 property. Award nights start at 21,000 points off-peak, with cash rates starting around $500/night. For Hyatt loyalists, this is a true beachfront redemption option in LA with loads of swagger.
✈️ Sri Lanka is pitching its ghost airport as a Gulf hub: With Middle East instability disrupting Emirates and Qatar Airways, Sri Lanka is offering Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, a billion-dollar facility that’s been largely empty since 2013, as an alternative hub. Good geography, significant operational hurdles. For an airport with more weeds than passengers, it’s a fascinating “when life gives you lemons” moment.
💳 Amex teasing a new business card: American Express hinted at a new card on Instagram this week. A leaked image suggests it’ll be called the Graphite Business Cash Unlimited Card — $250 annual fee, 2% cash back everywhere. The existing Blue Business Cash already offers 2% (capped at $50k in spend), so the “Unlimited” in the name is the only real intrigue for big-business spenders.
Pro Tips
The airport security situation is bad right now. Here’s how to actually get through
The government shutdown has now dragged past 30 days, and TSA is operating with significant staffing shortages. Regular security lines at major airports are measured in hours. TSA PreCheck lines are a mess, too. If you’re traveling soon, don’t assume PreCheck alone will get you through quickly.
The two options actually moving people right now:
TSA Touchless ID has its own dedicated lane, and almost nobody is using it yet. It requires an active PreCheck membership. Enroll through your Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, or United app by uploading your passport info. No new membership, no extra cost. PreCheck holders who skip this are waiting in line for no reason.
Clear+ pairs biometric verification with PreCheck to skip even the document check. At airports where both are available, it’s the fastest option by a wide margin. The $209/year membership is fully covered by the Amex Platinum, Amex Business Platinum, Amex Green, and Hilton Honors Aspire cards.
Fresh Picks
Chase Freedom Unlimited — $250 bonus (referral only):
$250 cash back after $500 spend in 3 months
1.5% back on everything, 3% on dining and drugstores
$0 annual fee
Apple Card - $75 bonus + 5% on Grocery (targeted):
$75 after first purchase (any amount) + 5% back on groceries for 6 months (up to $500 total)
Targeted. Check your inbox for: “Your credit limit offer is ready to preview”
$0 annual fee
IHG Premier Business — 200,000 points:
140k IHG points after $4k spend in 3 months. Extra 60k points after total $9k spend in 6 months (worth ~ $1,200)
Annual free night certificate, IHG Platinum elite status, $50 United Travel Bank cash
$99 annual fee
Amex Business Platinum — up to 300,000 points:
Up to 300k MR points after $20k spend in 3 months (worth ~$5,400)
Search “Amex Business Platinum” in Chrome incognito, click the first result with 300k in description
$895 annual fee
Hot Take
Bilt Palladium’s hotel credit beats Amex Platinum’s in one key way.
Amex gives you $300 semi-annually, but only at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties. Great options, but you’re working from their list, not yours.
Bilt gives you $200 + up to $100 in Bilt Cash (optional), usable at any hotel in the portal. I booked two nights, stacked both credits, and paid $56.24 out of pocket — at the hotel that actually worked for my trip.
If you have Bilt Gold status, you can apply up to $100 of Bilt Cash per month to a hotel booking at dollar-for-dollar value ($1 BC = $1). That beats using Bilt Cash for housing payments (~$0.60) or the points accelerator (~$0.45).
The flexibility is the point. Amex’s list is curated, which is a polite way of saying it’s limited.
Threads
Weekly highlights. Follow @liverewarded:
1,500 Free Bonvoy points with zero spend
Don’t apply for a new rewards card until you read this
Normal week. Normal spend. My points receipt.
RIP to InKind stacking
Citi to end ThankYou point pooling
Got questions? I’ve got answers. Stuck on a points strategy? Confused about which card to get next? Want me to cover a specific topic that’s been bugging you? Send me your questions – I read every message, and you might get your 15 minutes of fame if featured in a future Talking Points.
Live rewarded,
Jason
Editor’s note: Opinions shared in this article are solely the author’s and do not represent the views of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other organization. The content has not been evaluated, approved, or endorsed by any of the mentioned entities. These are recommendations, not financial advice. I may receive a commission if you click through any of the links in this article.