Award News

Word on the street (and in the Wall Street Journal!) is that Saks Fifth Avenue might be heading for bankruptcy after missing a debt payment. This is HUGE news if you're sitting on Saks gift cards or, more importantly for award travelers, have credits from your American Express Platinum card that can be used at Saks. Why should you care? Well, if Saks does file for bankruptcy, those gift cards and credits could become worthless, or at least a major hassle to redeem. And nobody wants to lose out on "free" money from their Amex Platinum! Vendors are already reportedly holding back merchandise due to unpaid bills, which is another bad sign. So, the bottom line is: if you have any Saks credits or gift cards burning a hole in your digital wallet, now's the time to use them! Treat yourself to something nice, and avoid the potential headache of dealing with them in a bankruptcy situation. Don't delay!

Heads up, reward chasers! The activation links are LIVE for the first quarter of 2026's 5% bonus categories on cards like Chase Freedom/Flex, Discover it, and more. This means you can now officially register your cards to earn those sweet bonus rewards between January 1st and March 31st, 2026. Make sure you activate ASAP, as you won't get the bonus without doing so! So, what's up for grabs? Chase Freedom/Flex is offering 5-7% back on Dining, Norwegian Cruise Line, and the American Heart Association (up to $1500 spend). Discover it is giving 5% back on Grocery Stores, Wholesale Clubs, and select Streaming services (again, up to $1500). Dining is always popular and includes most restaurants, including delivery services, so you can plan ahead. Grocery and wholesale clubs are great because they sell gift cards to other merchants. Why does this matter? Because maximizing these quarterly bonuses is a cornerstone of earning serious rewards. By strategically spending within these categories (and hitting that $1500 limit on each card), you're essentially getting free money back on purchases you'd likely make anyway. Don't leave money on the table - activate those cards and start planning your spending! Also, be sure to check the fine print to see what qualifies for the bonus categories.

Alright, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders, listen up! There's been a tweak to the "Pay Yourself Back" (PYB) feature for Q1 2026, and it's not exactly good news. PYB basically lets you redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for statement credits against purchases in specific categories. Here's the skinny: Gas stations, fitness clubs/gym memberships, and your annual fee will still get you 1.25 cents per point. Select charities remain at 1.5 cents per point, which is nice. However, the big bummer is that grocery stores are GONE from the list. This matters because grocery redemptions were a popular way to use points for everyday spending. If you have the business version of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your PYB options are even more limited to select charities at 1.25 cents per point. Basically, if you were relying on using your points for groceries at a decent value, you'll need to rethink your strategy. Keep an eye out for other potential changes to other Chase cards, and we will update you as soon as possible!

Chase's "Pay Yourself Back" (PYB) feature, which lets you redeem points for statement credits on certain purchases, has been extended and even tweaked for some cards! This is big news because it effectively boosts the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, giving you more flexibility in how you use them. Many of these categories have been extended through Q1 2026 or through December 2026. Here’s the gist: if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can still redeem points for 1.25 cents each towards gas, gym memberships, and the annual fee, and an even better 1.5 cents per point towards select charities. Aeroplan cardholders get 1.25 cents per point on travel (up to 200k points per year) and the annual fee, plus .8 cents per point for dining, groceries, gas, home improvement, select department stores, select utilities, Amazon, and Whole Foods. United cardholders can get between 1.35 and 1.6 cents per point towards the annual fee (depending on the card) and 1 cent per point for United flights over $50. Southwest cardholders can only redeem points toward the annual fee at 1 cent per point. Finally, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card lets you redeem points for 0.8 cents each towards airline and Marriott purchases (up to $750 a year). For those with the Sapphire Preferred, you can redeem for 1.1 cents per point for the annual fee and 1.25 cents per point for select charities. The Sapphire Reserve for Business, Freedom, and Ink cards also offer select charities at 1.25 cents per point. Make sure you check your specific card's terms and conditions to see what categories are eligible and how long the offer lasts, but this is a great way to offset some of those everyday expenses using your points!

Big news for Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholders! Starting in 2026, Chase is making some sweet enhancements to the "The Edit" hotel credit. Instead of having to use your two $250 credits in separate halves of the year, you can now use both $250 credits anytime throughout the year. This gives you way more flexibility to combine them for a single luxurious vacation or even book multiple rooms for friends and family traveling together. But wait, there's more! For 2026 only, Chase is also throwing in a one-time $250 statement credit for prepaid hotel bookings of two nights or more through Chase Travel. The best part? You can earn points in the hotel loyalty programs on these stays! The hotel brands included in this offer are: IHG Hotels & Resorts, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Pendry Hotels & Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Virgin Hotels, Minor Hotels, and Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts. Why should you care? Well, these changes make the Sapphire Reserve even more valuable! What's more, you may be able to combine The Edit credit with the new one-time credit *and* your existing $300 travel credit on the same booking. That's a potential triple stack of savings! So, if you were on the fence about keeping your card, these new perks might just seal the deal. Time to start planning those hotel stays and maximizing your rewards!