Cheap Points Travel Just Got Better
This is the June 7, 2026 edition of the LazyPoints Weekly newsletter. It goes out by email every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. Pacific–unless I oversleep–and is archived here on the blog. Want it straight to your inbox each week? Sign up here.
If you want to use points to unlock flights to far-flung destinations for the lowest possible cost, two relatively small changes this week could have big implications for value travel.
First, Alaska Airlines launched Members Day, a recurring monthly promotion that, among other things, will offer those deep Global Getaways discounts much more often. Then, Amex and Delta lightly refreshed their co-branded credit card lineup, adding a second free checked bag on domestic flights, plus rideshare credits on the Delta Gold card that kick in after renewal.
More Global Getaways Could Change the Game
This week’s promotion included offers like round-trips to Finland for 30k points, Tahiti or Paris for 40k, and Thailand for 50k. With negligible fees. Those are fantastic deals, and in line with what we’ve seen in the past. If the deals stay this good and land even more often, it suddenly starts looking pretty easy for even a lazy traveler to snag a cheap award without too much effort (or spending—you could earn one of those 40k flights with a Bilt Palladium welcome bonus or after a year of spending around $1150 per month while earning 3x).
I think this could be one of the best deals in points for economy travelers, but I still want to see how these sales evolve. Alaska's old "quarterly" schedule wasn't exactly punctual, the last booking window was extremely tight, and more predictable deals could mean inventory disappears faster. Plus, Atmos is also raising the nonrefundable booking fee if you don’t have a Summit card (maybe to fund these extra offers?), so that will eat into the value of these deals somewhat.
It’s Much Easier to Save on Delta Awards Now
Delta SkyMiles have a bit of a bad reputation in the points world. They’re dynamically priced, meaning redemption costs are often high, especially on in-demand routes or in premium cabins. But if you’re just looking to fly affordably, apart from Global Getaways, few deals can rival Delta’s incredible flash sales.
Those flash sales tend to be short and lightly advertised (if at all), so I rely on my Thrifty Traveler subscription to catch them. But in the past three months, even as fuel and flight costs have climbed, I’ve gotten alerts for Taiwan and Hong Kong for 30k SkyMiles round-trip, Australia and New Zealand for 50k, and Japan for 80k. No fuel surcharges. (Although these are basic economy prices.)
With a Delta card, those prices dropped to 25k, 43k, and 68k, respectively. Having a Delta card can really take these flash sales to the next level—especially if you upgrade to a Delta Main booking—but keeping one in your wallet hasn’t always been easy.
This new rideshare credit makes it a lot easier to justify having one. Use just five of the monthly rideshare credits plus the annual hotel credit and you've already broken even on the fee. That’s before factoring in the other benefits like the checked bag perk and the $200 flight credit unlocked after spending $10,000.
Oh, and to top it off? They’ve brought back the card’s best-ever bonus of up to 90,000 SkyMiles. 🔥🔥
Lazy Take 🦥
Prices may be rising, but the landscape is looking good for cheap points travel. Delta is still offering ultra-cheap award fares, and the new credits make it easier than ever to justify keeping a Delta card around for an even bigger discount. But Alaska’s Atmos Rewards is making a push for the lazy, cheap crown thanks to now-monthly award sales. Whichever points ecosystem you prefer, it looks like a great time for cheap, easy points travel.
This week on the blog 📝
I explained the pros and cons of Bilt’s “Point Accelerator,” the tool I use to earn 3x on (most of) my Bilt Palladium purchases.
Quick Points of the Week ⚡
Reminders 🗓️
The second quarter is ending. Check your quarterly or semi-annual credits to see if you can use them before the end of the month.
More value 📈
T–Mobile customers get a free alcoholic drink on Delta. With fewer flights offering free Wi-Fi to T-Mobile users, the wireless company is filling the void with free booze on Delta. Bourbon cream, here I come. 🥃 (Thrifty Traveler)
Devaluations 📉
Alaska to eliminate points on saver fares. All the legacy carriers have now axed points on the cheapest fares. (TPG)
Alaska increases fees on partner awards. If you missed it above, it’s going to cost more to redeem Atmos points on partner airlines, at least if you don’t have a Summit card. (AwardWallet)
JAL, ANA to raise fuel surcharges (again). Japan has been hit hard by rising fuel costs, and those prices are being passed on to award tickets. (Japan Today)
Notable Transfer Bonuses ⬆️
Citi → Avios (Qatar), 30% bonus. If I had Citi points, I’d rather keep them for AAdvantage redemptions. (View From the Wing)
Amex → Flying Blue, 25% bonus. Not for me with those fees; I get way more value with Delta. Business class travelers might feel differently. (Thrifty Traveler)
Rumors 👀
Alaska interested in BoA points transfers. I’m more scared than excited by this possibility—BoA’s lineup isn’t too interesting, and I’d hate to see anything interfere with Atmos’s Bilt partnership. (Doctor of Credit)
Lazy prediction 🔮
A new Amex Green card in the works? The Green Card will be renamed the “Classic Green Card,” so maybe I get no points for guessing that there might be a “new” version on the way. The current version is one of the most disappointing and underwhelming products on the market, so I’m hopeful. (Upgraded Points)
Recommended 👍
Best points for domestic flights? Not my niche (I almost never use points domestically) but Frequent Miler and View From the Wing have some thoughts.
Sign up bonuses of the week 🎯
Links marked with an * are affiliate or referral links, meaning we may earn if you apply via our link.
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select is offering 80,000 miles after spending $3,500 in the first four months after opening the account, plus waiving the first-year fee. The card itself doesn’t offer great earning rates, and only offers Turo credits to offset the annual fee, although it could pay for itself if it saves you money via the free checked bag benefit. But the main draw here is the miles. From many airports, 80,000 would be enough for a first-class one-way to Tokyo, a business-class one-way to Europe, a round-trip to Japan, or two round-trips to Europe. 🔥🔥
Chase’s $95-fee, Marriott co-branded Boundless is offering 125,000 + 1 free night+ $100 in airline credits after spending $3,000 within three months of account opening. The free night is redeemable for up to 50,000 points. This bonus is one of the best ever on this card in my opinion, and well above what we’ve seen on this card over the past few years (some people would vote for 5 free nights as the best). The card itself is unspectacular long-term, but the free night each year can justify the annual fee. 🔥
Other great sign-up bonuses this week
50,000 points+ $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status on the Bilt Palladium (our take: 🔥🔥🔥🔥)
100k points + 25k companion discount on the Atmos Summit (our take: 🔥🔥🔥🔥)
150k points on the Chase Sapphire Reserve* (our take: 🔥🔥🔥) ending soon
185k points on the IHG Premier (our take: 🔥🔥🔥)
175k points on the Hilton Aspire (our take: 🔥🔥)
125k points on the IHG Traveler (our take: 🔥)
100k points on the JetBlue Premier (our take: 🔥)
100k points and $100 on the Hilton Honors (our take: 🔥)
60k points on the Choice Privileges Mastercard (our take: 🔥)
90k miles on the Citi AA Globe (our take: 🔥)
150k points on the Morgan Stanley and Schwab Platinums (our take)
100k miles on the Citi AA Executive (our take)
Up to 100/175k on the Amex Gold/Platinum (our take)
Lazy Pick ✅ (Affiliate)
Have cats, love travel? We have had a PETKIT PuraMax self-cleaning litter box for over a year now and, combined with an automatic feeder, it has allowed us to travel with fewer check-ins from friends, family, or petsitters. The litter box also collects usage data, which came in handy recently when we had to take one to the vet with a health issue. I was reluctant to splurge so much on 💩, but the investment really paid off.
The above links are from Amazon, where we bought ours. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Be sure to shop around for the best deal, and don’t forget to factor in the rewards you could earn from a shopping portal.
Enjoy the weekend! 🦥
Speaking of cats, the TSA wants you to keep any sneaky felines out of your luggage.