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September 18, 2026 | View Online
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There’s a lot of talk about AI destroying humanity, and as I write this from the lobby of a Hyatt in Orlando at 1:30 AM, after an utter slog of a travel day, I’m not convinced we shouldn’t just let it.
Twenty-one hours in a metal tube with over 300 people playing their phones out loud, pushing their feet through the gap in the seats, leaving trash everywhere, and turning toilets into a hell pit are making the robots’ decisions easier. The lingering mist of body odor was excellent, too.
To top it off, Jess’ bag didn’t make it to JFK, I spent almost three hours in immigration, and my own suitcase was cracked upon arrival in Orlando.
Welcome to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Let’s get to the points:
Cheers,
Steven
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| CARD OF THE WEEK
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An Expensive Business Card Just Got Easier To Use
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Well, this is a nice surprise.
One of the more eye-wateringly expensive business cards out there is getting a significant upgrade next year, doubling its best perk, and making it far easier to recoup the annual fee’s value.
Starting January 1, 2027, cardholders will get up to $1,000 a year in credits for stays booked through The Edit, the card’s collection of more than 1,000 luxury hotels and resorts. That’s up from $500 this year. Instead of two $250 credits, you’ll get four separate credits of up to $250 each, usable throughout the year. Qualifying bookings need to be prepaid stays of at least two nights.
And before you roll your eyes at the word “luxury,” this doesn’t necessarily mean dropping $2,000 on a weekend just to claw back $250. I’ve been there with other cards and kick myself later.
If you’re spending on luxury anyway, great, but for anyone trying to be a bit more savvy, there are some reasonable hotels in The Edit. The Kimpton EPIC in Miami, for example, has been available for under $400 a night, while 1 Hotel Nashville has had rates starting around $370. You can even find properly affordable options, with recent examples including two nights at MGM Grand in Las Vegas for under $250, Eaton DC for around $299, and Hotel Zoe in San Francisco for roughly $380.
And then the during-stay perks make it interesting, too.
Each stay also comes with extras including:
Find four reasonably priced two-night stays you were already going to make, trigger $250 back on each one, then squeeze another $100 property credit and breakfast out of every stay, and you’ve just validated that card’s presence in your wallet for the year.
On top of that, they’re also expanding earning opportunities and throwing in some extra statement credits, too. I can’t go into detail on them all, so you’ll need to check them all out here.
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| UPGRADE YOUR EYEWEAR
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Your Next Favorite Pair of Glasses Is Waiting for You
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If your glasses have been stretched, scratched, or sliding down your nose all year, a fresh pair might brighten more than just your vision.
Zenni has more than 2,500 stylish options, plus Blokz for screen time and EyeQ Lenz for easy, comfortable clarity. Most pairs stay under $80, and you can take an extra 10% off with code SMARTPOINTS.
Zenni accepts HSA and FSA dollars, so hurry before they expire. Treat yourself to something you will wear every day.
Enjoy 10% off.
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| STEVEN'S TIPS
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$400 of Value In a 6,000 Point Redemption
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It’s sometimes hard to quantify the exact value of a stay or a flight. There are a number of reasons for this — sometimes it’s because you wouldn’t actually blow thousands of dollars on a business class flight, so you can’t call it a saving. But in this case, I saved on multiple fronts.
Even with the new changes to World of Hyatt’s program — more ties, less value — it saved Jess and me hundreds of dollars. But not how you think.
I redeemed this place for just 6,000 points. It would only have cost around $140 in cash, but I had the points so it made sense. But if we had booked the flights we originally planned, we wouldn’t have needed a hotel. We’re on Disney property from tomorrow. A flight landing tomorrow would have got us in plenty of time, but we still came a day early.
Why?
Because the flights were about $400 cheaper a day earlier.
So those points didn’t just save me a night in a hotel. They saved me $400 in flights. I was able to take advantage of the better fares with little to no financial burden or lack of comfort. This is a super strong tactic to use at the start and end of trips if your budget doesn’t line up perfectly with your plans.
With that said, I am using that hotel to stay up writing, so whether or not I sleep much remains to be seen.
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| WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE?
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The Best News From The Points World This Week
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Maybe a little boring, but it’s now almost 3 AM. Here’s a summary of some of this week’s interesting points and miles stories.
Chase launches a 70% Marriott transfer bonus: Through October 15, 100,000 Chase points become 170,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Great bonus, but I’d still only transfer with a specific redemption ready — and make sure the math works out. Read more
Qatar relaxes its family booking rules: Privilege Club members no longer need an eligible flight or card transaction before using Family & Friends or My List. Your account just needs to be at least 30 days old. We like this news. Read more
Singapore Airlines brings back 30% off awards: Spontaneous Escapes is offering 30% off select KrisFlyer Saver awards for October travel. U.S. options are limited, but there are still a few useful premium economy deals. Read more
Alaska rolls out choose-your-own earning: Atmos Rewards members can now choose to earn based on distance flown, dollars spent, or number of segments from 2027. That could make the program far more rewarding depending on how you normally fly. Read more
You can now invest your Chase points: Ultimate Rewards can now be deposited into eligible J.P. Morgan investment accounts at 1 cent per point. It’s flexible, although probably not the most exciting use of valuable Chase points. Read more
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