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July 10, 2026 | View Online
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I was lucky enough last week to enjoy a complimentary stay at one of the best resorts in Malaysia. I had inquired about looking around the property for research for my book and they responded by throwing me into the best villa in the place, made my face out of chocolate, got me a seven-course dinner in their cave restaurant, and even chucked in a champagne breakfast for good measure.
Next week, I'll be stepping into a Qsuite for 25 hours (a seat I've been dying to try for years now) as I fly to the US for our team retreat in Utah.
It's all a bit mad, and I'm eternally grateful for the opportunities I get working in travel.
While I'm feeling so overcome with gratitude, take advantage and shoot me any questions you have about points, miles, and loyalty programs. You've probably got a day until I go back to my self-absorbed self.
Let's get to the points:
Cheers,
Steven
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| CARD OF THE WEEK
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The Best Co-Branded Cards Around
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My flights next week are a bit all over the place. We managed to get me on a Qatar flight to Dallas, via Doha, because the rates to LA or SLC were too much. I used a few of my own points to grab a quick domestic flight to LAX with American, then I'm hopping on a flight to Utah with Delta.
The American Airlines flight would have cost me almost $50 in luggage fees if I didn’t have one of its co-branded cards. I also wouldn’t have had enough points to transfer from my only Citi account if I hadn’t earned that bonus. It’s never good to rely solely on airline cards, as they severely limit you. But having one or two carefully chosen cards can save you money directly, and take some of the pressure off of your big hitters. Here are a few excellent options — some with impressive bonuses.
The Delta Mid-Tier Powerhouse
This one is in with a shout at being the best all-round co-branded card. People swarm to Delta (usually with no good reason other than liking that one flight they had one time). But this card usually makes up for that impulsive decision. It’s simple, affordable, has free checked luggage, and a solid bonus of up to 90,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending just $3,000 within six months. It’s a truly solid option, even if you only fly Delta twice a year.
The Card For Putting Up a United Front
Excuse the terrible pun; this card is brilliant and worthy of more than that. While its introductory bonus doesn’t stretch as far as the previous effort, this United co-branded card waives the first year’s annual fee, gifts the usual free luggage, and even slips you into the priority boarding line. If you’re even a casual United customer, this one is a no-brainer.
The Cheap As Chips American Card (first card listed in the article)
This is the card I have in my own wallet that grabbed the free luggage on my Texas-Cali flight! Again, it’s a solid option, coming in cheaper than the other two with a similar introductory offer to the United choice. I rate AAdvantage Miles a little higher than both Delta and United, and they can be hard to earn without a Citi card, so I’d put preference on this one if you want a solid injection of useful points.
The Back-of-the-Wallet Southwestern Savior
Get over the fact you can’t pick a seat anymore. Southwest still represents a solid and affordable option for most travelers, and its points are still roughly tied to the cash value of a flight. That means that while you won’t get amazing value on redemptions, you’ll never get bad value. That makes a solid chunk of Rapid Rewards a Godsend for last-minute flights for funerals, graduations, shotgun weddings, quick escapes, annoying Bachelor parties you’ve been guilted into…the list is endless.
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| MENTAL HEALTH
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Therapy May Be More Accessible Than You Think
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What if getting therapy was easier than you thought?
For eligible BetterHelp members, insurance options may be available — meaning more ways to access online therapy.
Your mental wellness is worth it.*
*Insurance availability and coverage may vary by state, plan, provider network, and therapist availability.
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| STEVEN'S TIPS
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The Small Print On Owning Multiple Cards
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This is a complicated and oft-forgotten aspect of the credit card world. And it can bite your strategy in the ass if you don’t do your due diligence before you dive in. Each card issuer has its own rules on how often you can open cards, how many cards you can open, what order you can open cards, and if you can get all the benefits after opening specific cards.
I fell victim to this with a premium Delta card, opening an upper-mid tier card for the bonus, only to find that my previous ownership of the premium card had disqualified me from the new card’s bonus. I won't go into crazy detail here, as this could be an article in itself (maybe I’ll do that), but I’ll highlight some of the main policies from each issuer.
American Express
Amex has got far stricter on its policies in recent years after a long time being pretty laid back about things. At the top of its list are two big points: the one bonus per card per lifetime, and the family card accrual rules. You can assume these rules apply to Delta cards, too, as they’re operated by Amex.
The first is simple. If you’ve ever owned the card before, you can’t get the bonus again if you open it again further down the line. It doesn’t matter how long ago (although some people have reportedly fallen through the cracks). I closed Amex’s premium card three years ago, so I couldn’t earn the new bonus even if I opened it and hit the spending requirement.
The second is more annoying. If you open up a premium card, you’ll no longer be able to earn the bonuses on the cards below it. In short, if you want to earn all the possible bonus points Amex offers, you’ll need to work up from this card, to this one, and finally to this one: in that order. If you start at the top, you lose all the intro bonuses below it. Plan accordingly.
Chase
Chase has actually loosened up things a little on its cards, making it possible to hold multiple cards at one time, among other things.
But one major rule still remains. One rule to bind them all.
The 5/24 Rule. In short, if you’ve opened five or more credit cards with any bank within 24 months, you’ll be denied by Chase, regardless of credit score or anything else. That has some serious implications for when you should open cards. If you’ve got your eye on one of Chase’s revamped cards, but have other cards in your sights that may have solid bonuses, you need to make a big call. It’s the bane of most points and miles enthusiasts’ existence.
Citi
Citi is refreshingly relaxed on its rules. It does impose limits, but, generally, you can still earn bonuses on the same card if you haven’t opened the same one in the past 48 months, and it stops you from applying for too many cards at one time. That last one is basically a way to avoid pesky people trying multiple cards before credit scores update.
Capital One
Cap One is also pretty relaxed, just limiting customers to having two of its cards at any one time, and you can only be approved for one Capital One card in any given six-month period. It’s also pretty strict on accepting applications if there are any hard inquiries on your credit score. I’ve had trouble applying for cards with them in the past in this case.
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The Best Auto Insurance for College Students
August is creeping closer, which means those of you with graduating youngsters are about to venture forth into the world of college-kid-parenting. Based on my own parents’ experience, it’s pretty hands-off and chilled-out besides the brutal financial burden, constant fear of getting a disastrous call about something dumb your kid’s done, and struggling through the immense identity crisis left in the wake of an empty nest. But hey, at least you don’t have to worry about getting good auto insurance for them. We’ve got you sorted.
Check out the best auto insurance for college kids here.
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| TRAVEL HACKING NEWS
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World of Hyatt Help Out Elites A Little
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I’ve way overwritten today, so I’ll keep today’s news section super short.
World of Hyatt is trying to brighten the mood a little after its recent devaluation and system overhaul. If you remember, and you should, Hyatt shook up its award chart, ditching its simple three-tiered system for a five-pronged strategy that grants the company a little more power to bump award rates up and down as it sees fit.
So far, it’s not been too bad, but that may change as time goes on.
For now, the program has tightened some rules that will please elite members and cardholders, allowing them to access award availability up to thirteen months in advance. For the casual Hyatt member, it’s bad news, as you’ll be losing the benefit, but it’s a good reward for those with some real skin in the game.
It’s not a huge change, but those capable of using it will now enjoy a little extra availability for their bookings, which (hopefully) will mean they can grab some of the solid lower rates with less competition.
Alright, that’s all from me today. Bye-bye.
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