Award News

U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve cardholders, brace yourselves! Some significant changes are coming to your card benefits, and they're going live on December 15, 2025. While there's some potentially good news on the horizon with the promise of points transfers to airline and hotel loyalty programs, the immediate changes are mostly negative. Think of it as U.S. Bank taking away some of your candy, but possibly offering a different kind of treat later. The biggest hit? Your points will now only be worth 1 cent each when redeeming for travel, down from the current 1.5 cents. Ouch! Plus, that sweet $325 travel credit is now restricted to bookings made through the U.S. Bank travel center, so you won't be able to use it on just any travel or dining purchase. Mobile wallet purchases will also be capped at 3x points on the first $5,000 spent each billing cycle, then drop to 1x. On the bright side, the card will earn 10x points on hotels and car rentals and 5x points on flights booked through the U.S. Bank travel portal. The addition of transfer partners could be a game changer depending on the transfer ratios and participating programs. Keep an eye out for updates as the transfer partner programs have not yet been announced!

Heads up, Amex users! It looks like the days of easily adding authorized users to your American Express cards without a Social Security Number (SSN) are officially over. Word on the street is that Amex is now requiring an SSN at the time of application. In the past, this wasn't always the case, and some folks (especially those into maximizing Amex Offers) added tons of authorized users to their accounts. Why does this matter to you? Well, if you were planning on racking up extra rewards or taking advantage of Amex Offers by adding family or friends without their SSN, those plans are likely dashed. This also impacts those without SSNs, though Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) are still accepted. It's just another sign that banks are tightening up their rules, so it's always good to stay informed!

Big changes are hitting Chase Ultimate Rewards, especially for Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardholders! The reliable 1.5 cents per point redemption on the Sapphire Reserve is going away in late October 2025. Instead, Chase is rolling out "Points Boost," which *could* give you up to 2 cents per point via the Chase Travel Portal, but it's not guaranteed across all travel. Sapphire Preferred and Ink cards get similar boosts, potentially up to 1.75 cents, on *select* travel. Here's the deal: If you have a Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card *before* June 22, 2025, any points you had before October 26, 2025, will retain their original 1.5x (Reserve) or 1.25x (Preferred) value for *two years*, until October 2027. Plus, you *also* get access to Points Boost during that time! So, transfer your points to your Sapphire Reserve ASAP to lock in that 1.5x value for as long as possible! But if you transfer points between accounts, it may take up to a billing cycle for them to be moved into the eligible points bucket. One more thing: Chase will automatically use your oldest points first, regardless of whether they have the 1.5x boost. This means if you transfer 100k points *without* the boost to Hyatt, then you transfer *another* 100k points with the boost, then redeem 100k points to Hyatt, you will no longer have any points with the 1.5 redemption ability anymore. Knowing all of this lets you maximize your redemptions!

Heads up, deal hunters! It looks like there's a fresh batch of promo codes popping up for delivery services, potentially saving you some serious cash on your next order. These codes are scattered across different regions, with some even being nationwide! Here's the gist: Keep an eye out for codes like "TINSEL10" for $10 off $25 nationwide and others that offer discounts ranging from $5 to $25, depending on your location and order total. Many of these are location-specific like codes for Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Texas, and New York. Some codes are YMMV ("your mileage may vary"), meaning they might not work for everyone. Why should you care? Because who doesn't love saving money on things you were already planning to buy? Whether it's a late-night snack, a forgotten grocery item, or even some last-minute holiday goodies, these promo codes can help ease the strain on your wallet. Just remember to check the fine print and make sure the code applies to your area and order before getting too excited!

Starbucks lovers, listen up! From December 16th, 2025, you can snag a free $5 Starbucks eGift card when you buy $25 worth of Starbucks eGift cards online. Think of it as a little caffeine-fueled holiday bonus! The deal runs until December 19th, 2025, or until 400,000 bonus cards are given out, so act fast! The catch? You won't know if the offer is still live until you try it. If you successfully get the bonus, be a good travel buddy and let others know in the comments! One important note: These purchases are processed through Blackhawk Network. This is relevant if you're trying to trigger a specific bank offer that requires direct purchases. Unfortunately, this Starbucks deal won't count. Still, free coffee is free coffee, right?

eBay's running a flash sale offering 20% off select last-minute gifts with the code HOLIDAYRUSH. Sounds tempting, right? It could be a lifesaver if you're still scrambling for that perfect present. Here's the thing: eBay deals can be hit or miss. Before you jump in, do a quick price comparison on other sites like Amazon or even directly from the retailer. This way, you can be sure you are actually getting a good deal and not just falling for clever marketing. Happy shopping (and saving)!

Adidas fans, listen up! There's a sweet deal happening right now where you can snag a $100 Adidas eGift card for only $75. That's like getting a 25% discount on your next pair of sneakers, workout gear, or whatever else you're eyeing on Adidas.com or in their stores. You're limited to buying two gift cards, but hey, that's still $50 in free Adidas money! Why does this matter to you? Well, if you're planning on buying anything from Adidas anyway, this is basically free money. It's an easy way to save a chunk of change, especially since discounts on Adidas gear beyond the typical 20% are pretty rare. While there aren't any obvious ways to stack this deal with other offers (like using a specific credit card for extra cashback), it might be worth checking if your Chase card has an Adidas-specific offer. If it does, you could potentially save even more! Go get your discounted Adidas gear!

U.S. Bank is pulling the plug on its Smartly Checking Deals (or Smartly Shopping Deals) program, effective January 31, 2026. If you're a U.S. Bank Smartly Checking customer, you'll want to know about this. The bank is notifying account holders via their statements that the program is ending. This program offered a sweet 10-20% cashback on purchases in popular categories. Why does this matter to you? If you've been relying on those extra savings when shopping through the Smartly Deals program, it's time to adjust your strategy. Mark your calendars for January 31, 2026, as the last day to take advantage of those deals. This news comes alongside the end of 100 free trades in February 2026 and negative changes for the Altitude card, hinting at potential cost-cutting measures by U.S. Bank.

Hey Award Trailblazers! American Airlines is giving away easy AAdvantage miles again! If you got an email invitation (check your inbox!), the AAdvantage eShopping portal is offering a sweet deal: download their browser button, spend $25 or more through the portal, and you'll snag 1,000 bonus miles. Why should you care? Well, 1,000 AAdvantage miles might not sound like a trip to Bora Bora, but they add up! Plus, deals like this are a super simple way to keep your AAdvantage account active and prevent your existing miles from expiring. The deal seems to be available to the general public until December 17th. These "button bonuses" are great because they don't require a ton of spending to trigger the bonus. Just make sure you click through the AAdvantage eShopping portal *after* installing the button to make your purchase, and those extra miles will be winging their way to your account!

OK, crypto fans, listen up! The crypto platform OKX is doing another airdrop, meaning they're giving away free crypto just for holding at least $1,000 worth of crypto on their platform. The first round seems to be SEI tokens, and they're giving away a million of them which works out to about $130,000 total. You'll need to opt-in to be eligible. Why should you care? Well, free stuff is always good, right? Many of you likely already have OKX accounts from past referral bonuses and deposit matches, so this could be an easy way to snag some crypto without doing much. However, the devil is in the details. Stablecoins like USDC/USDG don't count towards the $1,000 minimum, which is what many people hold on the platform. Before you jump in, remember the golden rule: do your own research! Crypto is volatile, and while free tokens are tempting, make sure you understand what you're getting into. Check out the promo link to see if this airdrop aligns with your crypto strategy.