Card offerup to 175,000 points
Amex Platinum — up to 175,000 points
$8,000-$12,000 (varies by applicant) in 6 months · 895 annual fee · Amex once-per-lifetime restriction applies
Credit cards
The welcome offers worth the spend, what each one really needs, and the statement credits about to expire.
Standing credits worth setting up once
These do not change edition to edition, which is precisely why they get missed. Each is read from the issuer's own terms, with the date we checked.
Chase Sapphire Reserve · Lyft ride credit$10 a monthbenefit runs to September 2027
Also earns 5x points on Lyft rides, bikes, scooters and in-app subscriptions.
Your Sapphire Reserve has to be the default payment method in the Lyft app. Unused credit expires at the end of each month and does not roll over — it is $10 twelve times, not $120 once. One credit per card account per month.
Amex Platinum · Uber Cash$15 a month, and $35 in December — $200 a year
Add the Platinum to your Uber account and pick it at checkout with Uber Cash toggled on. US rides and orders only. It expires at the end of each month and does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-15 against help.uber.com · americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · CLEAR Plus membership$219 a year
Pay for a CLEAR Plus membership with the card, on auto-renewal. Taxes and fees are not covered. It resets on the calendar year, not your card anniversary.
Checked 2026-09-15 against americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · Uber One membership$120 a year
Pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership with the card. Separate from the monthly Uber Cash, and claimed on the calendar year.
Checked 2026-09-15 against americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · Airline fee credit$200 a year
Pick one airline in your Amex account first — it pays nothing until you do, and you can only change the choice in January. Covers incidental fees like checked bags and inflight food, NOT the fare itself. Calendar year.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · Fine Hotels + Resorts / The Hotel Collection credit$300 a half-year
Prepaid bookings through Amex Travel only, and The Hotel Collection needs a two-night minimum. $300 in each half of the calendar year; the first half does not roll into the second.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · Digital entertainment credit$25 a month
Enrollment required. Only the participating partners count, and the list changes — check the benefit page before assuming a subscription qualifies. Expires monthly.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · lululemon credit$75 a quarter
Enrollment required. US retail stores and lululemon.com — outlets are excluded. $75 a quarter, and an unused quarter is gone.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Platinum · Walmart+ membership$12.95 a month
Covers one auto-renewing monthly Walmart+ membership, up to $12.95. The annual plan is not covered — it has to be the monthly one.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Chase Sapphire Reserve · Travel credit$300 a year
Applies automatically to the first $300 of travel each ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY year — not the calendar year, which is the trap. Broad definition: airlines, hotels, car rentals, trains, tolls, parking.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Chase Sapphire Reserve · The Edit hotel credit$500 a year
Up to $250 back per prepaid two-night booking through The Edit, and up to $500 a year — so two bookings, not one big one. Book through Chase Travel's The Edit collection.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Chase Sapphire Reserve · StubHub and viagogo credit$150 a half-yearbenefit runs to December 2027
$150 January to June and $150 July to December. The halves do not combine.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Chase Sapphire Reserve · DoorDash promos$25 a month
Requires the complimentary DashPass to be activated. Arrives as promos inside DoorDash, not a statement credit: a $5 restaurant promo plus two $10 promos for grocery and retail. Unused promos die monthly, and the grocery ones are the ones people forget.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Chase Sapphire Reserve · Peloton membership credit$10 a monthbenefit runs to December 2027
Statement credit on an eligible Peloton membership, up to $120 a year.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Capital One Venture X · Capital One Travel credit$300 a year
Only on bookings made through Capital One Travel — it does not apply to travel bought anywhere else, which is the trap. Primary cardholders only.
Checked 2026-09-16 against capitalone.com
Hilton Aspire · Hilton resort credit$200 a half-year
Purchases made directly with a participating Hilton RESORT — an ordinary Hilton hotel does not count. $200 in each half of the year, and the first half does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Hilton Aspire · Flight credit$50 a quarter
Flights bought directly with an airline or through Amex Travel. $50 a quarter, so it is four separate chances at $200, not one.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Hilton Aspire · CLEAR Plus membership$219 a year
Pay for CLEAR Plus with this card. Calendar year. If you also hold a Platinum, the two do not stack — one membership, one credit.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Chase Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel hotel credit$100 a year
Hotel stays booked through Chase Travel, each ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY year rather than the calendar year.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Chase Sapphire Preferred · DoorDash promo$10 a month
Needs the complimentary DashPass activated. A $10 promo each month for grocery and retail orders — not restaurants, and it does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Amex Gold · Uber Cash$10 a month
Add the Gold Card to your Uber account first: the $10 arrives as Uber Cash, not as a statement credit, and it only appears once the card is on the account. Spendable on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the US when you pay with an Amex card. It does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Gold · Dunkin' credit$7 a month
Enrolment required, and it pays only at US Dunkin' locations. Up to $7 a month, which does not carry into the next month.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Fine Hotels + Resorts credit$300 a half-year
Prepaid bookings through Amex Travel on the Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection rate. The Hotel Collection needs a minimum two-night stay. $300 in each half of the year, and the first half does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Hilton credit$50 a quarter
You have to be a Hilton for Business member and enrol; if you have no Hilton for Business account, enrolling creates one. Purchases made directly with Hilton.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Airline fee credit$200 a year
Pays nothing at all until you choose your one qualifying airline for the calendar year, and it covers incidental fees — bags, seats, lounge day passes — not the fare itself.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · CLEAR Plus membership$219 a year
An auto-renewing CLEAR Plus membership, excluding taxes and fees. It is the membership or nothing: there is no partial use.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Wireless credit$10 a month
Enrolment required. Purchases made directly with a US wireless telephone service provider, so a phone bill paid through a third party does not count.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Indeed credit$90 a quarter
Enrolment required. Purchases with Indeed on the card, up to $90 each quarter and $360 across the year.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · ChatGPT Business credit$300 a year
Enrolment required, and the subscription auto-renews. US purchases of ChatGPT Business on the card.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Adobe credit$250 a year
Not a running balance: you get the whole $250 back only after spending $600 or more directly with Adobe in the calendar year, and nothing before that. Enrolment required.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Platinum · Dell Technologies credit$150 a year, plus a further $1,000 once you spend $5,000 or more with Dell in the same calendar year
US purchases made directly with Dell. Enrolment required.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Gold · Flexible Business credit$20 a month. FedEx leaves the partner list on 1 October 2026; after that it is Grubhub and office supply stores only
Enrolment required. Up to $20 a month at Grubhub, office supply stores and — until 1 October 2026 — FedEx. It does not roll over, so it is $20 twelve times rather than $240 once.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Gold · ChatGPT Business credit$300 a year
Enrolment required, and the subscription auto-renews. US purchases of ChatGPT Business subscriptions on the card.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Gold · Squarespace credit$150 a year
Enrolment required. US purchases with Squarespace; subscription purchases auto-renew.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Amex Business Gold · Walmart+ membership$12.95 a month
Pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership with the card and the fee comes back, plus applicable taxes. An annual Walmart+ plan does not qualify, and Plus Ups are excluded.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Delta SkyMiles Platinum (Amex) · Rideshare credit$10 a month
Enrolment required. US rideshare purchases with selected providers, up to $10 a month and $120 across the year. It does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against americanexpress.com
Chase Ink Business Preferred · DoorDash credit$10 a monthbenefit runs to December 2027
Nothing arrives until you activate the DashPass membership, and activation closes on 31 December 2027. The $10 is for grocery and retail DoorDash orders, not restaurant orders.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Chase Ink Business Cash · Instacart credit$20 a monthbenefit runs to December 2027
Activate the Instacart+ membership first — three months are complimentary, then it renews at $99 a year. The $20 is loaded into your Instacart Business account rather than paid as a statement credit, and it stops if the membership lapses. The benefit ends 31 December 2027.
Checked 2026-09-16 against creditcards.chase.com
Citi Strata Elite · Annual hotel benefit$300 a year
One hotel stay of two nights or more, booked through cititravel.com. It is a single booking, not a balance you draw down across the year.
Checked 2026-09-16 against citi.com
Citi Strata Elite · Splurge credit$200 a year
Pays nothing until you pick your brands: up to two from 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training and Live Nation. Exclusions apply on American Airlines and Live Nation.
Checked 2026-09-16 against citi.com
Citi Strata Elite · Blacklane credit$100 a half-year
Bookings with Blacklane, the chauffeur service. $100 between January and June and $100 between July and December, so the first half does not roll over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against citi.com
Citi Strata Premier · Annual hotel benefit$100 a year
Once a calendar year, and only on a single hotel stay of $500 or more before taxes and fees, booked through cititravel.com or by phone. Applied at the time of booking rather than afterwards.
Checked 2026-09-16 against citi.com
Bilt Obsidian · Bilt Travel hotel credit$50 a half-year
Two nights or longer, booked through the Bilt travel portal or the Bilt app, and you have to toggle the credit on at checkout — it does not apply itself. $50 between January and June and $50 between July and December. Cancel a qualifying booking and that half's credit is gone.
Checked 2026-09-16 against bilt.com · biltrewards.com
Bilt Palladium · Bilt Travel hotel credit$200 a half-year
Two nights or longer through the Bilt travel portal, and you have to opt in during the booking flow. $200 between January and June and $200 between July and December, with the booking processed before the half closes. Nothing rolls over.
Checked 2026-09-16 against bilt.com · biltrewards.com
Bilt Palladium · Bilt Cash$200 a year
Credited to your Bilt Rewards account on 1 January, not to your card statement, and spent inside Bilt. It expires on 31 December and only $100 carries into the next year. The account has to be open and in good standing on 1 January or you get nothing for that year — Bilt do not prorate. This is separate from the welcome bonus.
Checked 2026-09-16 against bilt.com · biltrewards.com
US Bank Altitude Go · Streaming credit$15 a year
Earned by a streak, not by spending: eleven consecutive calendar months of eligible streaming purchases on the card, after which $15 is credited automatically within two billing cycles. The account has to be in good standing, neither past due nor over limit.
Checked 2026-09-16 against usbank.com
Photo: Hvvjvik · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Weekly Kickoff · Tuesday, November 10, 2026
1 / 5
Card offerup to 100,000 points
Amex Gold — up to 100,000 points
$8,000 in 6 months · 325 annual fee · Amex once-per-lifetime restriction applies; may be excluded if you hold/held Platinum
Card offer85,000 points
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy — 85,000 points
$5,000 in 6 months · 250 annual fee
Card offer75,000 miles (standard)
Capital One Venture X — 75,000 miles (standard)
$4,000 in 3 months · 395 annual fee · Some applicants report elevated targeted offers
We may earn a commission if you apply through this link. How this works
Card offer100,000 points + 25,000-point companion award
Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite — 100,000 points + 25,000-point companion award
$6,000 in 90 days · 395 annual fee
Cards
The welcome offers worth the spend, then the credits you already own and should use before they lapse.
Offers worth the spend 6 open
| Card | Bonus | Spend | Fee | Ends | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex PlatinumpublicAmex | up to 175,000 points | $8,000-$12,000 (varies by applicant)6 months | 895 | — | Apply ↗Rates & FeesTerms apply. |
| Amex GoldpublicAmex | up to 100,000 points | $8,0006 months | 325 | — | Apply ↗Rates & FeesTerms apply. |
| Marriott Bonvoy BevypublicAmex | 85,000 points | $5,0006 months | 250 | — | Open the offer ↗ |
| Capital One Venture XpublicCapital One | 75,000 miles (standard) | $4,0003 months | 395 | — | Apply ↗ |
| Atmos Rewards Summit Visa InfinitepublicBank of America/Alaska | 100,000 points + 25,000-point companion award | $6,00090 days | 395 | — | Open Atmos Rewards ↗ |
| Chase Ink Business PreferredpublicChase | 100,000 points | $8,0003 months | 95 | — | Apply ↗ |
Amex Platinum: Amex once-per-lifetime restriction applies
Amex Gold: Amex once-per-lifetime restriction applies; may be excluded if you hold/held Platinum
Capital One Venture X: Some applicants report elevated targeted offers
Advertiser disclosure: we may earn a commission if you apply for a card through the links on this page. It never affects which cards we show or what we say about them. How this works
Credits to use
Amex PlatinumResy Dining CreditSelect Resy + select Tock venues
$100/quarter ($400/yr)by resets quarterly
Amex PlatinumUber CashUber rides & Eats, US
$15/mo + $20 Dec bonusby monthly
Amex GoldDining CreditGrubhub, Five Guys, Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder
$10/mo ($120/yr)by monthly
Read the full edition
Tuesday, November 11, 2026 Edition — Weekly Kickoff *(Checked and written Monday night/Tuesday, November 10, 2026)*
Hey friend — welcome to this week's Kickoff, your full rundown of everything live right now in points, miles, cards, and dining. Grab a coffee, this one's a good one: there's a fat Hilton transfer bonus, a Marriott promo that closes THIS WEEK, and a fresh five-city dining lineup headlined by a Michelin three-star in Chicago.
🔥 WHAT'S HOT — ACT FAST
These either close within days or just launched. Don't sleep on them.
- Marriott Bonvoy Fall Promo — register by Friday, Nov 13. Earn up to 4,500 bonus points per qualifying 2+ night stay (Sept 22–Nov 22 stay window). Register here
- Marriott Homes & Villas bonus — book by Nov 13. Up to 12,000 bonus points on a rental of $1,500+, stays through March 31, 2027.
- Citi ThankYou → Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, 10% bonus — ends Nov 14. Smaller bonus, but it's the one closing soonest.
- World of Hyatt Thompson 2x points — last day is today, Nov 10 (11:59pm CT). Only useful if you're already mid-stay at a Thompson property tonight; otherwise this one's gone by morning.
- Brand new: Fanatics joins American Express as a transfer partner. Not a travel partner, but notable — MR points now convert to Fanatics FanCash at 1,000 points = $10, and it's the first non-travel partner Amex has ever added. Mostly a curiosity for sports-merch shoppers, not a redemption strategy.
✈️ TRANSFER BONUSES LIVE RIGHT NOW
| From | To | Bonus | Ends | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards | Hilton Honors | 40% (1:2.8) | Nov 24, 2026 | Best transfer bonus on the board this week — see This Week's Move |
| Amex Membership Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 30% (1:1.3) | Nov 30, 2026 | Price the Virgin award before you transfer |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | IHG One Rewards | 80% | Dec 3, 2026 | Check Chase Travel cash pricing first — sometimes it beats the boosted transfer |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Avios (BA / Iberia / Aer Lingus) | 30% | Dec 1, 2026 | Avios sweet spots shine on short-haul partner awards |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Wyndham Rewards | 30% | Dec 3, 2026 | Niche, but free if you're already sitting on Wyndham plans |
| Citi ThankYou | Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 40% | Nov 30, 2026 | Bonus miles post *after* the promo ends — don't count on them for a booking needed this month |
| Citi ThankYou | Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 10% | Nov 14, 2026 | Smallest bonus here, but closes first |
| Capital One Miles | Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 20% | Nov 30, 2026 | No cap, no enrollment needed |
| Capital One Miles | Copa ConnectMiles | 30% | Dec 1, 2026 | New partner (added Nov 2) — base ratio is weak (1,000→750) even with the bonus |
Bilt: No transfer bonus running this cycle. November's Rent Day skipped the usual transfer-bonus perk in favor of gift-card redemption boosts (25–100% by elite tier) and up to $150 off hotels through Bilt Travel.
🏨 HOTEL PROMOTIONS
| Program | Promo | Registration | Stay/Earn Window | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | Up to 4,500 pts/stay (2+ nights) | By Nov 13, 2026 | Sept 22–Nov 22, 2026 | Register |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Points purchase, 55% bonus | N/A | Through Nov 23, 2026 | — |
| Marriott Homes & Villas | Up to 12,000 pts on $1,500+ rental | Book by Nov 13, 2026 | Stays through Mar 31, 2027 | — |
| Hilton Honors | Buy points, up to 120% bonus | N/A | Through Nov 21, 2026 | Buy points |
| Hilton Honors | Global per-stay bonus: 3,000 pts (Luxury/Lifestyle/Resort), 1,000 pts (other brands) | None | Through Dec 31, 2026 | — |
| Hilton for Business | Double elite night credits (up to 5 bonus nights) | Enroll before checkout | Nov 2–Dec 31, 2026 | — |
| World of Hyatt | Global 3,000 pts per 3 nights (max 36,000) | Register anytime before first stay | Sept 29–Dec 15, 2026 | World of Hyatt offers |
| IHG One Rewards | 5,000 bonus pts per 2 paid nights (select US/UK brands) | By Dec 31, 2026 | Nov 9–Dec 31, 2026 | — |
🛫 AIRLINE SWEET SPOTS
Act fast — closes tomorrow: American AAdvantage's economy award sale books through Nov 11 for travel Jan 11–Feb 28, 2027: domestic from 7,000 miles one-way, Mexico/Caribbean from 8,000, Europe from 21,000, Asia/Australia/NZ from 25,000. Book here
Evergreen premium-cabin sweet spots from DFW (static partner award charts, last verified Sept 8, 2026 — these move slowly, so still solid reference points):
- American AAdvantage partner chart, DFW → Cancún/Los Cabos, Business: 30,000 miles one-way
- Air Canada Aeroplan fixed partner chart, DFW → Reykjavík, Business: 60,000 miles one-way (Icelandair/partner metal)
- Air Canada Aeroplan fixed partner chart, DFW → Naples/Rome, Business: 75,000 miles one-way (Lufthansa Group/Turkish/ANA)
- Lufthansa Miles & More fixed chart, DFW → Athens/Rome/Naples, Business: 55,000 miles one-way
No fresh fare-drop alerts from the tracker this week (none logged for DFW, CHI, or HOU), so the AA sale above is the move if you want to lock something in before it closes.
💳 CREDIT CARD DINING & TRAVEL CREDITS
Dining Credits By Card
| Card | Credit | Amount/Period | Where It Works | Enroll? | Expires/Resets | How to Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum | Resy Dining Credit | $100/quarter ($400/yr) | Select Resy venues + select Tock venues (added Sept 2026) | Yes | Resets Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct 1 — miss a quarter, it's gone | Book & pay through Resy (or qualifying Tock listing) with the Platinum card |
| Amex Platinum | Uber Cash | $15/mo + $20 Dec bonus (up to $200/yr) | Uber rides & Uber Eats (US) | Yes | Monthly; unused cash expires | Add Platinum as the selected payment method in the Uber app |
| Amex Gold | Dining Credit | $10/mo ($120/yr) | Grubhub/Seamless, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder | Yes | Monthly — Goldbelly & Wine.com dropped off the list earlier in 2026 | Pay with the Gold card at an eligible merchant |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Dining/DoorDash perks | Varies | DoorDash DashPass + credits | Some enrollment | Check current terms | Activate DashPass benefit in account |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (Amex) | Dining Credit | $25/mo ($300/yr) | Any restaurant-coded purchase, US & abroad | Reportedly none required — confirm in your account | Monthly, doesn't roll over | Just pay with the card at a restaurant-coded merchant |
| Hilton Honors Surpass (Amex) | Quarterly Hilton credit | ~$50/quarter | Direct charges at Hilton-portfolio properties (dining, room service, spa) | No | Resets Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct | Charge dining/incidentals directly to the hotel folio, paid with Surpass |
| Hilton Honors Aspire (Amex) | Semi-annual resort credit | $200 (semi-annual) + separate $50/quarter airline credit | Hilton resort portfolio | No | Jan 1 & Jul 1 | Book a qualifying resort stay |
| Citi Strata Elite | Splurge Credit | $200/year, your choice of 2 brands | American Airlines is the easiest-confirmed option; dining not guaranteed | Choose brands in account | Annual | Set your 2 brands, then spend there |
| Citi Strata Elite | Citi Nights | 6x points (vs. 3x) | Restaurants, Fri 6pm–Sat 6am & Sat 6pm–Sun 6am ET | No | Ongoing | Automatic — just use the card during those windows |
| Bilt Rewards | Dining multiplier | Not a credit — up to 3x points | Participating restaurants via Bilt Dining | N/A | N/A | Bilt doesn't offer a dining *credit*, just elevated earning |
| Capital One Venture X | — | None currently | Priority Pass restaurant credits were discontinued Jan 2023 | — | — | Nothing to trigger — this one's a myth that persists online |
We couldn't confirm a standalone Capital One Venture X dining *credit* — if you've seen one claimed online, it's likely confusing Venture X with Amex Gold benefits. The two get mixed up a lot in aggregator content.
🎁 CARD OFFERS WORTH THE SPEND
| Card | Bonus | Min Spend/Window | Annual Fee | Public or Targeted | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum | Up to 175,000 MR points | Reported $8,000–$12,000 in 6 months (varies by applicant — Amex personalizes this) | $895 | Public, but amount varies by applicant | Check your offer |
| Amex Gold | Up to 100,000 MR points | $8,000 in 6 months | $325 | Public (varies by applicant) | Check your offer |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (Amex) | 85,000 points | $5,000 in 6 months | $250 | Public | Check your offer |
| Capital One Venture X | 75,000 miles (standard offer) | $4,000 in 3 months | $395 | Public — some applicants report seeing elevated targeted offers | Check your offer |
| Bank of America/Alaska Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite | 100,000 points + 25,000-point companion award | $6,000 in 90 days | $395 | Public | Check your offer |
| *Chase Ink Business Preferred (business card)* | 100,000 UR points | $8,000 in 3 months | $95 | Public | Check your offer |
Eligibility traps to know before you apply:
- Chase 5/24: If you've opened 5+ personal cards (any bank) in the last 24 months, Chase will generally decline new personal-card applications — this is unwritten but widely confirmed. Most Chase business cards don't count toward your 5/24 total, but you still need to be under 5/24 to get approved.
- Amex once-per-lifetime: You generally won't get a welcome bonus on a card you've held before — community consensus pegs "lifetime" at roughly 7 years, though Amex doesn't publish a number. The restriction applies to the *bonus*, not the card itself.
- Citi 48-month rule: You can't earn a new welcome bonus on a Citi card if you've gotten a bonus on the *same card* (or close family of it) in the past 48 months.
We couldn't confirm a live current public offer for Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve this week — reporting is mixed and mostly dated to mid-2026, so check your Chase account or chase.com directly before applying on either Sapphire card.
🍽️ DINING CITY SPOTLIGHT: Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, Boston & San Diego
New quarter, new rotation group — this is the first edition under our refreshed 20-city pool (more on that below). Resy credit-badge status (✅) comes straight from Thom's database as of Sept 15, 2026 — that check is a bit older than we'd like (56 days), so treat ✅ as "qualified as of mid-September" rather than "verified today." Michelin and CSR (Chase Sapphire Reserve) status pulled from the same database, snapshotted Sept 9, 2026.
Dallas (hometown pick 🤠)
- Mamani — Michelin 1 star, also on the CSR dining list. Reservable via OpenTable.
- Lucia — Michelin Bib Gourmand, James Beard 2026 nominee (Outstanding Pastry Chef, Maggie Huff). ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit. Book via Resy.
- Barsotti's — Michelin Selected. ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit. Book via Resy.
Chicago
- Smyth — Michelin 3 stars (one of the country's few). Book via Resy — credit-badge status not confirmed as qualifying in our database, so don't assume the Resy credit applies here; check the venue page for the badge yourself.
- Alinea — Michelin 2 stars. Book via OpenTable.
- Galit — Michelin 1 star. ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit.
- Monteverde — Michelin Selected, James Beard 2026 nominee (Emerging Chef, Bailey Sullivan). ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit.
Las Vegas
- Restaurant Guy Savoy (Caesars Palace) — Michelin 1 star. No online booking — call direct.
- é by José Andrés — Michelin 1 star. No online booking.
- COTE Vegas — ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit. Book via Resy.
- Kabuto Edomae Sushi — Michelin Selected. ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit.
Boston
- Asta — Michelin Selected. ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit.
- La Padrona — Michelin Selected. ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit.
- Somaek Korean — Michelin Selected. ✅ Qualifies for the Amex Resy credit.
San Diego — thinnest of the five this edition; our database doesn't carry CSR or Resy-credit status for this city yet, so treat these as Michelin-confirmed picks only, with credit-badge status unverified:
- Morning Glory — Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Callie — Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Kingfisher — Michelin Selected.
📊 VALUATION CHANGES
One flag this week: Chase Ultimate Rewards. Third-party valuations (The Points Guy, November 2026) now peg UR at 2.05¢/point, noticeably above our 1.8¢ baseline — a real bump, likely reflecting the strong run of transfer-bonus activity to IHG, Avios, and Wyndham this fall. We're keeping our conservative 1.8¢ baseline below for the cheat sheet since that reflects realistic redemption value for most readers (not best-case transfer-and-stretch scenarios), but it's worth knowing the ceiling is higher right now if you're an aggressive transferer.
No other program shifted by 0.1¢ or more against our reference set this week.
💰 POINTS VALUE CHEAT SHEET
| Program | Value (¢/point) |
|---|---|
| Citi ThankYou | 1.9 |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1.8 |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 1.8 |
| World of Hyatt | 1.55 |
| American AAdvantage | 1.4 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | 1.3 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1.2 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 0.8 |
| Hilton Honors | 0.5 |
🎯 THIS WEEK'S MOVE
Transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Hilton Honors now — the 40% bonus (through Nov 24) turns every 1,000 MR points into 2,800 Hilton points. That's enough runway to meaningfully stretch a points balance toward a Waldorf Astoria or Conrad stay that would otherwise run several hundred dollars a night in cash. Price your dates on hilton.com *before* you transfer (Hilton award pricing is dynamic, so there's no fixed "chart" to check against) — transferring on spec is the one way to turn a good bonus into a bad decision.
📌 A note on this edition
A few housekeeping notes, in the spirit of full transparency:
- This is the first edition under a refreshed 20-city dining rotation (the old pool expired Sept 30). Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio each still get a guaranteed hometown slot every single edition — that didn't change.
- Resy credit-badge data (✅) is from a database check run Sept 15, 2026 — 56 days old. We're labeling it rather than presenting it as live; it's the best signal available, but if you're planning a specific visit, double-check the venue's Resy page for the "Qualifies for Resy Credit" badge yourself.
- Michelin and CSR dining-list data is from a Sept 9, 2026 database snapshot — also older than we'd like, labeled accordingly above.
- We weren't able to reach Wikimedia Commons from this session's network to source a lead photo this week, so this edition ships without one. Noted for Thom to fix the network allowlist if he wants photos back next time.
Always verify terms directly with the issuer or program before booking or applying — offers, award charts, and credit terms change without notice, and targeted offers vary by account.
*Travel Point is an independent points & miles newsletter. Not affiliated with any airline, hotel program, or card issuer. All offers subject to change — verify before you book.*
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