Quick Hits: Southwest Companion Pass Season Is HERE, New Rumored Chase Partners & More!

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This week’s Quick Hits kicks off with the Southwest Companion Pass season officially underway, giving travelers a chance to start planning one of the most valuable companion benefits in domestic travel. DeAndre also covers a new Hyatt promotion offering 3,000 bonus points for every three qualifying nights, targeted Southwest members unexpectedly receiving 5,000 Rapid Rewards points, and a useful American Airlines app feature that can automatically move travelers into a preferred window or aisle seat when one becomes available.

One of the biggest updates comes from Alaska Airlines and Atmos Rewards. Members can now choose how they want to earn rewards based on miles flown, ticket price, or flight segments for flights beginning January 1. Alaska also announced that eligible Bank of America cardholders will eventually be able to transfer points into Atmos Rewards, with a new debit card and upgrades to the Atmos Rewards Visa Business Card also on the way. Hilton is making news too, with a 10,000 point promotion and rumors of an even higher elite status tier called Black Diamond.

The episode wraps with several opportunities for point travelers. Chase may be preparing to add Qantas and Cathay Pacific as 1:1 transfer partners, while some Sapphire Preferred cardholders are seeing targeted 75,000 point offers to upgrade to the Sapphire Reserve. Even bigger for families, Philippine Airlines is showing as many as eight business class award seats on some flights to Manila, while American Airlines has strong award availability to Peru with as many as seven seats on select dates. DeAndre also shares updates on the BoldlyGo community ahead of Points Travel Festival Chicago and previews his upcoming anniversary trip to Hawaii.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro: A Thank You to the BoldlyGo Community

(01:05) Southwest Companion Pass Season Is Officially Here

(02:13) Hyatt's New 3,000 Point Bonus Promotion

(02:59) Southwest Is Giving Some Members 5,000 Free Points

(03:39) American Airlines Can Now Automatically Find You a Better Seat