American Airlines basic economy comes with some serious restrictions.

Like many airlines, the American Airlines basic economy fare is the carrier's lowest-priced fare class. But the lower price comes at a cost: You give up free seat selection, earning some (though not all) American AAdvantage miles, and most importantly, the ability to change or cancel your ticket for free if plans change – or if prices drop. 

But just how bad are these restrictions? Let's take a deep dive into what you get and don't get when flying on an American Airlines basic economy ticket.

What You Get with Basic Economy

When American Airlines first rolled out its basic economy offering years back, it was among the worst in the skies.

It was so restrictive that, like United basic economy, you couldn't even bring a carry-on bag on board with you – just a backpack. And there was no way to pick a seat – even for a fee.

Luckily, American relaxed its carry-on baggage restriction years ago, allowing travelers to stow a bag overhead when buying basic economy tickets. And while AA has made a handful of improvements to its basic economy fares, there have been some other recent changes that aren't so good.

Here's a current look at what you get with an AA basic economy ticket:

• Baggage: Basic economy includes a carry-on bag and personal item for free; $35 each way for a checked bag when you pay online – or $75 each way to Europe and Asia. Basic economy tickets purchased on or after Nov. 13, 2024, include one free checked bag for flights to Australia and New Zealand.
• Seat Selection: Available for a fee at time of booking, typically starting at $10 each way. Otherwise, seats are automatically assigned.
• Boarding: Final boarding group (Group 9).
• Earning AAdvantage Miles: Yes, you will earn American Airlines AAdvantage award miles at a rate of 2x miles per dollar, which is significantly less when compared to earning at least 5x points per dollar with an AA main cabin economy fare.
• Earning Status: Yes, but you'll only earn 2x Loyalty Points per dollar compared to at least 5x points per dollar with a main cabin economy fare.
• Upgrades: Yes, American basic economy fares are eligible for paid upgrades as well as complimentary upgrades with AAdvantage elite status.
• Ticket Changes and Cancellation: You can only cancel for a full refund within 24 hours of booking. Otherwise, AAdvantage members who book basic economy can cancel roundtrip domestic flights for a credit, minus a $99 fee – to qualify, your AAdvantage number must be in your reservation. International basic economy fares cannot be canceled, period.

When choosing one of these fares, American practically begs you to skip it and instead opt for a standard main cabin fare. And while the price tag can vary, you can typically count on paying an additional $35 each way to avoid basic economy on a domestic flight – and much, much more when traveling internationally.

This kind of upsell effort is common across the major airlines: The entire point is to draw you in with a cheaper fare, then hit you with a bunch of restrictions designed to upsell you to a pricier main cabin economy fare. But AA takes things a step further by initially hiding these bare-bones fares under the cover of a regular “Main” cabin ticket in its search results online at AA.com and on its smartphone app.

So while you'll initially see a $337 price tag on this roundtrip flight from Phoenix (PHX) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) explicitly labeled as a main cabin ticket, click through and you'll see that's for an American Airlines basic economy fare – that better main cabin fare actually costs another $50.

On the bright side, American has made basic economy slightly less painful over the years by allowing travelers to purchase a seat assignment right away. Previously, you had to wait until seven days before your flight. Now, you can pay up for a seat assignment when you're booking your flight. 

And for years, American basic fares were among the worst because they could not be changed nor canceled, period. They've gotten some flexibility back thanks to recent changes from AA, but with some major caveats:

• Only domestic basic economy fares qualify for cancellations. International fares still cannot be canceled for a travel credit
• You must have booked with your AAdvantage account directly through American – not through a third-party site or travel platform
• You'll forfeit $99. So if you paid $299 for a roundtrip basic economy ticket to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), you'll only get a $200 travel credit if you cancel

Read more: What You Get with Basic Economy Fares (& Why You Should Avoid Them)

How to Beat Basic Economy

Basic economy is a pain no matter what airline you're flying. But flying American Airlines basic economy can be a little less painful with the right strategies – and the right cards in your wallet.

Get a Free Checked Bag and Priority Boarding with a Co-Branded Credit Card

Co-branded airline credit cards can be a powerful weapon to beat basic economy on any carrier. And with American, you’ve got two good options that give you nearly identical benefits.

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® both get you a free checked bag on any domestic AA flight – along with up to four other travelers booked on the same itinerary. And unlike some other airline co-branded cards, you don’t need to actually pay for your flight with the card to get the benefit. It automatically applies once the card is attached to your AAdvantage account.

But let us stress: This free baggage benefit only applies to domestic flights.

That’s huge, as checked bags cost at least $35 each way for domestic flights within the U.S. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard‘s annual fee of $99 is waived for the first year, which means you have a full year to take advantage of free baggage before paying a single annual fee.

Read our full review of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard!

Learn more about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (Full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).

The AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard’s annual fee of $99 isn’t waived for the first year. But even at that price, it could pay for itself after checking bags on just two round-trip flights each year.

Read our full review of the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard!

Learn more about the Barclays AAdvantage World Elite MasterCard (Full disclosure, this is a personal referral link).

But if you’re living the carry-on life, you may need overhead bin space, too. And considering basic economy fares on American board in the final Group 9, there’s no guarantee you’ll get it. Both co-branded cards also move you all the way up to Group 5, even when flying basic economy.
 

Pay For a Seat Assignment

American allows even basic economy flyers to pay extra for a seat, starting right when you book your flights. The American Airlines seat selection fee will vary wildly by flight, but at times they can be quite reasonable. The fee for a seat typically starts at $10 or $12 for a middle seat and just a few bucks more for an aisle or window seat. Seats closer to the front of the plane will generally cost more than those at the rear.
 

Just beware that if your basic economy fare isn’t a nonstop flight, you’ll have to pay separately for each segment of the trip.

And don’t count on getting a better seat for free by talking to a gate agent shortly before departure – a favorite trick among frequent flyers. You still have to pay up to move to a better, empty seat before boarding. Of course, this may vary by agent.

So if you want to ensure you're not stuck between strangers, your best bet is likely to pay up for a seat assignment right when you book – or long before your flight takes off.

Worried about sitting next to your children? American guarantees seats together, even with basic economy fares!

Or Get an Even Better Seat for Free

Feeling bold? You might be able to score an extra legroom seat for free.

Buying one of American's Main Cabin Extra seats – which typically come with an extra 3-4 inches of legroom – will generally cost you a lot more than your standard seat, at $40 or more each way. But a quirk in how American Airlines assigns these seats as its planes fills up could land you a spot there without paying a dime.

If you haven't already paid for a seat, American Airlines will automatically assign you one when you check in. And if no standard economy seats are left by the time you check in, American will put you in a Main Cabin Extra seat. See where we're going with this?

So by waiting to check in for your flight until the economy cabin is full, you can automatically be placed in a Main Cabin Extra seat for free. It's a bit of a gamble, and it certainly won't work every time – only when your flight is filling up. But it's worth trying out on your next American Airlines basic economy flight.

Read more on how patience can pay off with extra legroom when flying American basic economy.
 

Bottom Line

Basic economy has transformed the way airlines price their tickets. Offering these bare-bones fares allows American to compete with budget carriers on price while pitting flyers with new restrictions – largely in hopes that they’ll pay to upgrade.

Yes, these fares are a pain – and American Airlines is no exception. But with the right tools, credit cards, and knowledge, you can make them less painful and beat the worst of American Airlines basic economy fares.

We know two things to be true about summer 2025 travel right now: 

1. Domestic flight prices for June through September of 2025 are extraordinarily cheap right now, and that's unusual. Typically, domestic flight prices tend to bottom out between four and 12 weeks ahead of travel – not eight to 10 months beforehand. 

2. Airline executives have been promising capacity cuts in summer 2025 – meaning they plan to fly fewer seats between destinations next summer after many airlines underperformed last summer, leading to cheap fares that hurt the airlines' bottom lines. 

Knowing these two things can only lead to one conclusion: The airlines are going to cut capacity and increase fares for next summer, but they haven't yet, which makes right now a sweet spot for booking summer 2025 domestic flights. 

Why is This Happening? 

Remember last summer? Flight prices bottomed out big time as the airlines struggled to fill seats. The airlines prepared for another record-setting summer after 2022 and 2023 saw huge demand for cooped-up travelers ready to fly anywhere post-pandemic. 

Instead, they found travelers were returning to their normal travel patterns. The airlines didn't sell enough tickets way in advance of summer 2024, so they couldn't sell those last-minute summer fares at much steeper prices in the spring and early summer like they planned to. So they halved (or better) thousands of fares across the country to help scrape a few dollars back and fill those empty seats. We declared it the best summer ever for cheap domestic flights. 

It wasn't good for the airlines, even if it was amazing for us. And highly paid airline executives who like their jobs don't make mistakes like that two years in a row. 

To appease frustrated shareholders, executives at American, Delta, JetBlue, United, and Southwest all vowed to cull capacity in their quarterly earnings calls after the tough summer.

And according to their 2025 schedules, the number of flights and seats have already decreased significantly for next year. Data from Cirium, an airline analytics company, shows big decreases on American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, and United. On average, there will be a 6.2% decrease in available seat miles (a common airline industry metric that measures passenger capacity) among those five airlines in June through August 2025 compared to the same period last summer. Delta will see the highest decrease at 9% and Alaska will see the smallest at 3.2%. 

Think about it this way: Last year, the airlines had too much capacity and didn't sell enough tickets early on. Well, they're already working to solve the capacity problem with a 6% decrease…next comes their booking problem. 

Right now, the airlines are offering cheap summer 2025 airfare so that they can start offering the more expensive fares sooner, too. Our advice: Be one of the travelers that gets the flights while they're cheap, not one of the travelers whining about how expensive summer airfare is when you're searching in May or June. 

Thrifty Tip: If summer 2025 seems impossibly far away, book flexible main cabin tickets! Then, you can cancel for a voucher if your plans change, or you can rebook for the better price if I'm totally wrong about this trend and flight prices go down even further. 

Read next: Book Now or Wait if Flight Prices Drop? The Definitive Answer

Where Should We Go? 

I'm so glad you asked. 

We discovered this trend of cheap summer 2025 airfare while searching for great deals for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members. We search for fares from more than 200 U.S. airports every day, and found that this trend extends from coast to coast. In the past three weeks, we've sent a dozen or more flight deals with summer 2025 availability in them, most of which were in the U.S. 

Portland, Oregon … or Maine

We can start out west, where cheap flights to Portland, Oregon (PDX) this winter caught our eye and led us to round up some of the best fares.

But as we dug into the deal further, we saw that many of these fares held on not only through winter and spring, but through summer 2025, too. I'll use a little hometown bias on this search with a look at what it would take to fly myself from Minneapolis (MSP) to PDX next summer. 

As you can see, the getting was good on this deal! The very lowest fare of $179 roundtrip was available all throughout July and August, including some weekend-length trips! 

So as not to play favorites in the Battle of the Portlands, we sent a little love to travelers who prefer Portland, Maine (PWM), too! The East Coast Portland is a perfect summer adventure for travelers who love the national parks or a little lobster on the North Atlantic coast. 

Read our complete guide to visiting the U.S. national parks! 

These prices carried over to the summer months, too! You don't have to settle for an off-season trip to fly to PWM, as evidenced by this calendar view for travelers based in Washington, D.C. (DCA). 

Orlando, Florida

Summertime trips are especially important for travelers with kids. When you're tied to the academic calendar, summer might be your only shot at a true family getaway. And where better to take the kids than the most magical place on earth: Orlando, Florida (MCO). 

This deal included dozens of U.S. cities with quick, cheap fares under $248 roundtrip down to Disney. Because Disney is so popular in the winter months, some of the best fares could actually be found next summer. If you're willing to brave the Florida heat, there were some big summer savings for travelers all over the U.S. New Yorkers would especially like these fares. 

The Big Apple

If you can extend your summer into September, the prices get even better for our friends in NYC. 

Maybe the best feature of domestic flight prices is that they almost always work in reverse. And our subscribers know full well that New York City (JFK, LGA, EWR) can be a great cheap flights destination, too. 

For Texans looking to beat the Austin (AUS) heat, nonstop flights to NYC are looking pretty good for next summer. 

Nantucket, Anyone? 

Orlando and New York City are reliably cheap places to fly, even if summer fares are a little more rare. But some U.S. destinations aren't known for cheap flights, and we're seeing some sizzling summer fares there, too. Take Nantucket (ACK), for example. 

Its bougie reputation precedes it, but Nantucket isn't just an island for the rich and famous. Anyone can experience summer Americana on the dunes of ACK, and with peak summer prices under $248 roundtrip from more than 20 U.S. departure airports, it's as affordable as anywhere for a summer 2025 trip. 

LaGaurdia (LGA) passengers get the cheapest fare at just $177 for a July trip, but travelers as far away Madison (MSN), Milwaukee (MKE), and Minneapolis (MSP) all saw fares under $247 roundtrip, too! 

Bottom Line

Domestic flight prices for next summer are looking really good, but there's reason to believe that they won't stay good for much longer. 

If you can plan ahead, there are massive savings to be had for summer 2025 flights within the United States, because the airlines are making moves to raise prices for those peak summer travel months. 

These Delta companion certificates can be reason enough to keep a top Delta card in your wallet – even after annual fees on these cards went up earlier this year. Think of these certificates as a buy-one, get-one benefit for flights each year: Use them wisely, and you can get plenty of value, often outweighing the annual fee.

But it's gotten harder to use them over the last few years, running searches that turn up blank again and again. So while a BOGO flight once a year sounds nice, what good is this benefit if you can't even use it?

Trust me: It can be done – and we're here to help. Delta has made it a bit easier by introducing a price calendar feature when searching for flights using your Delta companion certificate. And now, these certificates are even more powerful, allowing you and a pal to fly not just within the mainland U.S. but out to Hawaii, down to Mexico, throughout the Caribbean, and beyond.

Whether you've already got a Delta companion ticket in your account or you're eyeing the latest big Delta credit card offers, we'll give you some hints to make sure you use them wisely.

What is a Delta Companion Certificate?

What's a Delta companion certificate? If you can use it, it's one of the best benefits of any Delta credit card – think of it as a buy one, get one free coupon for Delta flights. 

Exactly what you can get depends on which card you've got. Let's go over some basics:

• The *delta skymiles platinum card*‘s annual companion certificate is good for one main cabin roundtrip fare
• The *delta reserve card*‘s annual companion ticket can also be used for Delta Comfort Plus, Delta Premium Select, and first class airfare.

Keep in mind that you'll only get this perk after your first full year with either of these two Delta credit cards. That means you'll need to wait a year after opening one of these cards – then renew it again – to get a companion ticket.

But both of these companion certificates are far more powerful than they were just a year ago.
 

While adding a slew of new benefits and raising annual fees earlier this year, Delta expanded which destinations are eligible to use a companion certificate beyond just the continental U.S., to now include flights to Hawaii, Alaska, and even Central America and the Caribbean, too.

Just know, you may not be able to use your existing companion certificate for a trip to Hawaii or Mexico just yet. These expanded destinations are only available on certificates issued Feb. 1, 2024, and onwards. So if you've already got a certificate from the last year set to expire anytime before Feb. 1, 2025, you're stuck flying within the continental U.S. on this go around. 

One last restriction to keep in mind: You must book roundtrip flights. Even a multi-city reservation – into one city and home from another – will not work, nor will open-jaw flights. You can, however, fly in and out of different airports within the same city using a companion pass – like flying into Newark (EWR) and home from New York City-LaGuardia (LGA).

How Do these Delta Companion Tickets Work?

Once you've earned your companion certificate, pay close attention to the expiration date and be sure to use it before then. It's not enough to book before it lapses – you have to actually take and return from the trip before that expiration date. And remember: These companion tickets are a use-it-or-lose-it benefit!

One final important restriction to keep in mind: You have to charge the first fare (and the taxes and fees of the second) to an American Express card. It doesn't necessarily need to be the Delta Platinum or Reserve SkyMiles card. However, using a Visa, MasterCard, or any other credit card will not work.

Simple enough, right? But all this doesn't mean that you can buy any roundtrip ticket and use your Delta companion certificate to bring a buddy for free…

Which Fares Qualify?

While it can still be an incredible benefit, there are some serious strings attached to these Delta companion tickets that can make it hard to find and book the right fare. Unfortunately, you cannot use SkyMiles to book the first ticket: Paid fares only.

While you may only see first class, Comfort Plus, and economy seats when you walk on a Delta plane, airlines sell an alphabet's worth of different ticket types called fare classes – each with its own rules, restrictions, and price. And only a handful of the two-dozen-plus fares are eligible to use these companion certificates:

• With the Delta Platinum Card, you can only book fare classes L, U, T, X, and V in the main cabin.
• On the Delta Reserve Card, you can book all those fares plus fare classes I, Z, and W – first class and Comfort Plus tickets. For certificates issued Feb. 1, 2024 and onward, Premium Select fare classes A and G are also eligible.

Depending on where you live and when you're flying, these restrictions can make it more difficult to get a lot out of the companion pass. Delta Basic Economy fares are off-limits, and many of the fares that do qualify are often some of Delta's cheaper tickets.

Once you find a fare class that works, you should know that the paid fare will earn SkyMiles and Delta Medallion Status credits, but the free fare will not. If you've got Delta status, you will still be eligible for complimentary upgrades.

How to Use a Delta Companion Pass

Once you've earned a companion certificate, you'll get an email from American Express informing you that the certificate is now available. Log in at Delta.com, and you'll find it's been automatically placed in your Delta profile wallet under “Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers.”
 

Clicking on the certificate in your profile will allow you to begin the booking and redemption process. Unlike the Southwest Companion Pass, there is no need to designate your travel companion ahead of time: You can bring anyone with you.

Once you've found it, make sure your companion certificate applies, and voila – a nearly free plane ticket! You'll pay just the government-imposed taxes and fees in addition to the price of the first fare. The final amount will vary based on your destination.
 

That said, there are a few other quirks to keep in mind…

Can You Use a Companion Ticket Booking with SkyMiles?

No. Sadly.

Delta does not allow travelers to use SkyMiles to book the first ticket when applying a Delta companion certificate. It has to be a paid fare, and you have to pay with an American Express card.

Can You Use Delta eCredits?

Yes! This is one of the best developments we've seen recently. In the last few years, Delta added the ability to apply Delta eCredits to the paid ticket even when redeeming a companion fare.

To do so, just select your companion certificate as normal, then begin your search and select your flights. Once you make it to the checkout screen, select “Use eCredits” and Delta will allow you to pull in credits to offset the cost of your paid fare.

Delta allows you to apply up to four eCredits online during these transactions, though you might be able to use even more at once by calling Delta to book your tickets instead. You can even apply your companion's eCredits to cover the taxes and fees for that ticket.

So long as there's a balance left over, just finish up by paying with an Amex card and you're set!

Can Someone Else Use a Certificate?

Yes … usually.

While a cardholder may always prefer to use the perk that they're paying for, that's not always possible. Fortunately, there's no requirement on these certificates that the cardholder booking the flights is one of the people actually taking the trip.

For instance, a Delta Platinum cardholder could book a flight for their spouse and child using the companion certificate for one of the fares. 

Are there any other rules for using Delta's companion certificates? 

While we've already covered almost everything you need to know, there are some subtle items to note about the Delta Companion Pass.

• It's only eligible on Delta, Delta Connection carrier and Delta Shuttle flights – which excludes all other Delta-designated codeshare flights and flights on partner airlines.
• Companion tickets cannot be used on tickets with fees of more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments), and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights to the list of eligible destinations.
• Delta Companion Certificates are for new purchases only – they can't be applied to the cost of previously issued tickets.

What if I need to cancel my flight booked with a companion certificate?

If a wholly unused primary ticket or the companion ticket are cancelled, the companion certificate redeemed will be automatically reissued after the cancellation is processed and will retain its original expiration date.

Tips to Use & Maximize Your Companion Fare

In theory, these Delta companion certificates are worth their weight in gold. It's a BOGO ticket and an easy way to offset the annual fee on your top-dollar Delta SkyMiles card.

But in practice, redeeming these certificates can feel like a chore. We've heard from countless frustrated travelers who have tried to find flights to use this perk only to come up empty-handed time and time again.

Here's some advice on how to find the fares that work, then squeeze all the juice out of your Delta companion ticket when you can.

Select ‘My Dates are Flexible' When Searching on Delta

Delta now offers a price calendar function when you're searching for flights using a companion ticket, allowing travelers to pull up to a month's worth of flights in one quick glance. That change can help you zero in on flights that are eligible for this perk, especially when shifting by just a day or two from an initial search.

Just start the search process by going into your Delta profile and selecting the companion certificate you want to use. As you enter your travel dates, be sure to select the “My dates are flexible” box when starting your search with your Delta companion certificate.

Previously, if you chose dates that weren't eligible to use a Delta companion certificate, your search would show up blank. Here's what you get now instead.
 

With this calendar view, you can now see that returning just a day or two earlier makes these certificates available to use. Better yet, it also highlights the cheapest fares available over that initial one-week span. You can take things even further by selecting “Price Calendar” after you search, pulling up a full month's worth of flights for whatever trip length you set.

Using ITA Matrix is still more powerful (more on that in a minute), but this makes it much easier to put those certificates to use without leaving Delta.com.

A Next-Level Tip to Find the Right Fares

There's also a next-level tool that can easily help you zero in on flights that work: It's called ITA Matrix.

Think of it like Google Flights on steroids … and then some. While it's a fairly advanced platform, it has a ton of powerful features that you won't find on Google Flights or other sites. Most importantly, it allows you to search for specific fare classes … including the specific ones you need in order to use your companion certificate.
 

Let's say I'm trying to use my companion certificate for a few nights in New York City, but all my searches through Delta are coming up blank. Using some of ITA Matrix's advanced controls, I can tell it to show me exactly when the eligible flights are available.

First, head to ITA Matrix and plug in the basics of your trip. It helps immensely if you're flexible, so I'd recommend selecting “See calendar of lowest fares” rather than inputting exact dates.
 

Now it's time to tell ITA Matrix we only want to see flights that can be booked using your BOGO ticket. ITA Matrix allows you to search only for specific fare classes. Just click “Advanced controls,” and then copy and paste the following bits of code in the outbound and return extension code fields.

• Platinum cardholders booking economy fares, enter f bc=L|bc=U|bc=T|bc=X|bc=V
• Got the Reserve Card and want to make sure you're flying first or Delta Comfort Plus? Enter f bc=I|bc=Z|bc=W

In this case, I'm searching only for the main cabin economy fares that can be booked with a Platinum Card companion certificate by telling ITA Matrix to only show fares with the booking codes L, U, T, X, or V.
 

It may take up to a minute or so, but eventually, ITA Matrix will pull up a calendar with results. Click airlines and narrow down your results to only show Delta flights.

At $400 or even north of $500 per person, Delta flights aren't cheap over this span – but getting two tickets for the price of one takes the sting out of those fares. 
 

So from there, I head over to my Delta account, select my companion certificate, enter those dates, and hit search. Sure enough, it did the trick!
 

While you'll still need to be flexible, there's perhaps no better way to cut through the painstaking trial-and-error process of trying to find flights to use your Delta companion ticket than this.

Be Flexible & Plan Ahead

The closer you get to departure, the harder it's going to get to find flights that qualify for these companion certificates. If you're searching for a flight just a month or less in advance, your odds of finding something that will work are fairly slim.

We can't tell you exactly how far in advance you need to search, but you'll definitely have better odds by searching at least three to nine months out. In our experience, that's the sweet spot.

And remember: You have to book and take the trip before your companion certificate expires. If your return date falls beyond the expiration window, it won't work.

Book the Most Expensive Ticket You Can!

Start thinking big to make the most out of your Delta companion ticket. Cross-country routes and even some short-haul flights tend to be the most expensive and will get you the greatest value when redeeming your companion certificate. 

Here's the bottom line: Try to book a flight that costs $350 (see rates & fees) or more per ticket if you hold the Delta Platinum Card, or $650 or more (see rates & fees) if you hold the Delta Reserve. That's the key to making the annual fee on either the Platinum or Reserve Delta SkyMiles card worth it.

Regardless of any other benefits the cards provide, this one can cover the entire cost of your annual fee.

Pair it with an International Fare Deal

Consider using your Delta companion ticket to lower the costs of an international getaway.

Last year, we sent our Thrifty Traveler Premium members a jaw-dropping deal on flights to Tahiti (PPT): Just $498 roundtrip! That's a fantastic deal, less than half the normal price of flights to paradise.
 

But those cheap nonstop fares were only available from Los Angeles (LAX). If that's not your home airport, the cost of getting yourself and your travel buddy there to make the trek to Tahiti could make the deal look less attractive. Enter the Delta companion certificate.

Using your Delta companion ticket to book positioning flights is a smart move. It means you can book that cheap international ticket from a different city, then use your companion certificate to fly from your hometown to catch that international flight for less.

Bottom Line

Delta companion certificates are some of the best benefits on the card_name and the card_name.

Understanding the ins and outs of these companion tickets is critical to coming out ahead. Booking at least three months in advance, being flexible with your travel dates, and using the right tools are the key to maximizing Delta companion certificates. As these two-for-one tickets get even more valuable, it's time to learn how to put them to use.

This new offering awards 1x Bilt points for every $2 of a home's purchase price – meaning a $200,000 home purchase could earn you up to 100,000 Bilt points, which can later be redeemed for travel, experiences, and much more, according to a news release. Given the price of houses these days, it won't be hard to earn a significant sum of Bilt points if taking advantage of this new program. The only real catch here is that in order to earn points when buying a house, you'll need to use an eXP Realty agent for your purchase.

If you're unfamiliar with eXp, they're not your traditional brick-and-mortar realty office, operating on an entirely digital platform without any physical offices at all. But with over 85,000 agents operating in more than 20 countries, odds are you can find an eXp agent in most places where you're looking to buy a home … it just might not be your first choice. This means that if your longtime agent or good friend works for another firm, you'll be left deciding whether working with a new agent is worth a big influx of Bilt points.

To be perfectly clear: Working with an eXp agent doesn't necessarily mean you'll pay more for your house, get poor service, or be limited in your home-buying options. In fact, our travel reporter and flight deal analyst Gunnar Olson used eXp when buying his own home a few years back, and while he had a mostly positive experience, he was surprised to have to pay a $500 “admin fee.” It's an important reminder that as tempting as this new option to earn Bilt points may be, you'll ultimately want the best possible agent representing you when making a big purchase like this. 

In a statement, Ankur Jain, founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards, said this new initiative is about more than just earning points: “This is part of our broader mission to make the path to homeownership more accessible and rewarding for our members.” 

Besides giving Bilt members a new way to earn point, Bilt is also rolling out a new tool for renters to see homes within their budget, which the company hopes will help simplify the home buying process. With this new tool, Bilt converts home listing prices into more transparent estimates of all-in monthly payments that include things like property taxes and insurance – making it easier for renters to compare the monthly cost of homeownership to their current rent. 

This tool also factors in Bilt members' financial profile to determine indicative mortgage rates and types, allowing buyers to explore different downpayment scenarios and even have the option to apply Bilt points to the purchase price. Finally, it shows available homes across multiple cities based on monthly payment so you can see how your buying power stacks up in different locations.

How Else You Can Earn Bilt Points

Earning Bilt points when buying a house might be the fastest way to stack them up, but it's not the only option. 

Renters can still earn 1x point for every dollar spent on rent payments (up to $100,000 per year) – with no additional transaction fees. If you don't live in a Bilt Rewards Alliance property, you'll need to have the *bilt rewards card* to earn points on your monthly payment. So long as you make at least five purchases each billing period with your card, you’ll earn points on rent and your non-rent purchases as well.

The Bilt Mastercard isn't just for renters though  – it's a really good option for your everyday spending as well. With bonus point earning on travel and dining purchases, plus the ability to earn double points on Rent Day it's easy to rack up points in a hurry.

Here's a closer look at everything the card has to offer:

• 1x points per dollar spent on rent in the Bilt Rewards app (up to $100,000 per calendar year)
• 1x points per dollar spent on everyday purchases
• 2x points per dollar spent on travel
• 3x points per dollar spent on dining
• Earn double points on Rent Day (the 1st of the month), up to 10,000 bonus points per month (up to 1,000 points per month effective Oct. 1, 2024)
  • 6x points per dollar spent on dining
  • 4x points per dollar spent on travel
  • 2x points per dollar spent on everyday purchases
  • 1x points per dollar spent on rent
• Trip cancellation, interruption, and delay protection
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Cell phone insurance
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee!

Learn more about the *Bilt Mastercard*.

How to Use Bilt Points

Just because the points can be fairly difficult to earn doesn't mean they aren't useful – just the opposite. There are many ways to use Bilt points. And once you've got them, they're some of the most valuable points in the world of travel.

The easiest way to use them is to book through the Bilt Rewards travel portal, where each point will be worth 1.25 cents apiece. That means 10,000 Bilt points are worth $125 toward travel.

But you'll get the best value for your Bilt points by transferring points to one of its 14 travel partners, including World of Hyatt, Alaska Airlines, Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles, United Mileage Plus, and British Airways Avios, among many others.

Just keep in mind that unless you've earned Bilt status, you'll need to transfer a minimum of 2,000 points to get started.

Here's the full list:
 

If you prefer to use your points for something other than travel, Bilt recently introduced the ability to “cash out” Bilt Rewards points  (at a rate of .55 cents per point) by applying them as a statement credit to the outstanding balance on your Bilt Rewards Card. At approximately a half-cent per point, redeeming them this way represents poor value and should really only be done as a last resort.

Bottom Line

Bilt is already known for allowing renters to earn points on their monthly rent payments, but now Bilt is taking it one step further by allowing members will be able to earn points on their largest lifetime purchase – buying a home.

Bilt members can now earn 1x point for ever $2 of a home's purchase price – but there's a catch of course, you have to use an eXp Realty agent. But this new option means if you purchase a $400,000 house through Bilt, you'll earn a cool 200,000 points in the process.

It's an interesting comment, but is there really a market for this?

It's no secret that Delta prides itself on being a “premium” airline, and most would agree that the Delta Reserve is already a “premium” credit card. But as crazy as it sounds, there probably is a customer segment willing to pay an even higher annual fee in exchange for better perks and benefits.

With Delta set to limit Sky Club visits come February for high-end *amex platinum* and the SkyMiles Reserve cardholders, bringing back unlimited lounge access with a new, more premium credit card would make a lot of sense. For Delta diehards, paying $1,000 or even $1,200 per year for a co-branded credit card with perks above and beyond what's offered on the Reserve might be a no-brainer.

If other recent Amex card refreshes – including the revamped suite of Delta cards – are any indication of what to expect, a new higher end Delta card would likely lean heavy on hard-to-use statement credits from Amex partners and other third parties. The Reserve Card already comes with monthly rideshare and Resy credits – plus, an annual Delta Stays credit. A new, more expensive, Delta card would likely follow a similar format.

To be perfectly clear: Nothing revealed today indicates that a new Delta card is close to hitting the market – developing a new card like this often takes years. But you can bet that if Delta's president is musing about it publicly, the discussion is a lot more robust behind closed doors. 

In another telling sign from this morning's presentation, Delta made a point to highlight millennial and Gen Z customers as a key demographic. These generations have more wealth than prior generations at the same age and they aren't afraid to spend it on a more premium product … and that includes credit cards.

This is very similar to what we've been hearing from American Express during its recent quarterly earnings calls – not surprising given the close-knit relationship between the airline and bank. Just how close are the two? Consider this: Delta is expected to make more than $7 billion this year from its relationship with Amex. That's nearly double the amount generated just five years ago – and the airline isn't stopping there, with a long-term goal of growing that figure to $10 billion in the years to come. 

Given that ambitious revenue target, it would make total sense for Amex and Delta to go after the millennial wallets with a new, more premium credit card offering. 

Only time will tell what, if anything, comes of this but it certainly appears that a more expensive co-branded Delta card could be in the works.

Delta executives teased earlier this year that new fares might be coming to the business class cabin, but Wednesday, the airline announced it will start its new unbundling efforts in economy first. 

According to Delta President Glen Hauenstein, the airline is set to begin “segmenting” the main cabin, meaning there will be more, different fare options for travelers that have fewer or more perks and add-ons depending on how much you pay. 

The cabins are already somewhat segmented on Delta, as travelers have the opportunity to choose restrictive basic economy fares, more inclusive (and more expensive) Main Cabin fares, and the Comfort Plus and First Class cabins. 

And then there's a little extra segmentation in Main Cabin, with a “Refundable” option that is even more expensive. 

But there's more coming. 

Hauenstein said the airline will add “good, better, and best” fare types in all of its cabins in the coming years, but that the economy and Comfort Plus cabins will start testing out the new unbundled offerings first, with main cabin and Comfort Plus tests beginning in 2025. 

The airline is only, “experimenting with this,” Hauenstein said, but noted that travelers may see some of these fares in the new year.  Delta is testing what consumers want in their bundles and will begin adding on additional attributes. 

“Pay more to get more,” Hauenstein said of how the fares will work. 

What About Premium Economy, First, & Biz Class?

Hauenstein said the highest potential revenue for Delta with these unbundled fares would be in domestic first class and Delta Premium Select, but those changes would come after the 2025 testing of main cabin and Comfort Plus. 

But in July, Hauenstein pointed to November's Investor Day as when more details about an unbundled business class cabin would be revealed. Instead, he only announced testing on further segmentation in the economy cabin. 

But in its presentation, Delta said segmentation was coming for all cabins of service, leading us to think about what that would look like exactly.

What would a “basic” business class ticket look like with Delta? What would you get – and what would you lose?

If Delta were to do this, it would be the first U.S. carrier to offer such business class fares. You can look overseas to see what Delta might do: Sell business class tickets (still for $3,000 or more roundtrip) that don't let you pick your seat for free nor even get you into a lounge beforehand. 

That's exactly what airlines like Lufthansa, Emirates, and even Qatar Airways have done as they've unbundled business class tickets to sell a pared-down fare at a slightly cheaper price. 

Why would Delta – or any airline – sell business class fares for thousands of dollars apiece yet cheap travelers out of seat selection or lounge access? Because they can … and more importantly, because it makes the airline more money.

Don't expect a big bargain on a lie-flat seat as a result. This would merely add insult to injury for the Delta flyers already paying thousands of dollars (or hundreds of thousands of SkyMiles) to book a Delta One seat.

Today, anyone buying a $3,000-some Delta One ticket gets to pick where they sit for free and visit a Delta Sky Club before boarding – or, better yet, the exclusive new Delta One business class lounge in New York City (JFK). Whenever these unbundled fares go live, Delta could start selling them for $3,000, charging another few hundred bucks for the fully inclusive business class fares – or charge basic business buyers separately for seat assignment or lounge access.

Assuming Delta excludes lounge access from business class fares, that could also be part of its strategy to ensure its Delta One Lounge in New York City (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) – and future business class lounges planned for Boston (BOS), Seattle (SEA) and the rest of Delta's interior hubs don't get swamped. Wednesday, executives said all of the airline's Delta One Lounges will be open by 2030. 

While its first business class lounge in New York is getting top marks from travelers since opening last month, it's also reportedly regularly packed inside. 

Delta might be the first to sell unbundled fares at the front of the plane. But in the monkey-see, monkey-do airline industry, it's likely only a matter of time before this setup spreads to the likes of American and United.

Bottom Line

Delta Air Lines will begin testing new fare types in main cabin and Comfort Plus in 2025, offering less-inclusive fares at lower price points and amenity-rich fares at higher price points in both cabins. 

While it appeared Delta would announce a segmentation of its business class cabin, the airline said it would start with economy, with the first tests beginning in 2025. 

In its annual pitch to investors, Delta said it can increase its profit margins by continuing to lean into premium offerings (i.e. Comfort Plus, Premium Select, domestic first class, and Delta One). The airline said it plans to grow its “premium seat mix” in 2025, meaning the percentage of “premium” seats on the plane compared to basic economy and main cabin. 

According to the airline, 85% of its additional seats in 2025 will be categorized as “premium.” 

To do so, the airline is adding two premium-focused aircraft – one large Airbus A350 and one small Airbus A321 – that will continue to push the airline toward more fancy seats and fewer economy offerings. 

More Premium Seating on New Premium Planes

According to an Investor Day presentation released by the airline, Delta projects that its premium cabin revenue (i.e. Comfort plus, Premium select, first class, or Delta One) will eclipse its main cabin and basic economy revenue by 2027. And in an effort to boost premium profits even more, the airline is introducing new aircraft with more premium seating. 

Delta said it plans to introduce a A350-1000 aircraft that is about 50% premium seating on a yet-to-be-named long-haul routes as well as a narrow-body A321neo plane with lie-flat Delta One seats as well. 

While few details were released about the rest of the fleet, Delta's presentation said more “cabin modification programs” will “increase premium offerings” across its fleet. 

The announcement that more of its planes will get premium seating is big news, because as Delta travelers know, not all Delta One seats are created equal…not even close. In fact, most of Delta's up front seats are total relics. And if you're shelling out thousands of dollars or hundreds of thousands of Delta SkyMiles for one of these seats, you should at least know what you're getting. 

Overall, the Delta One seats on all of Delta's planes are comfortable, but the A330-200s and A330-300s are relics compared to Delta One Suites on the A350 and A330-900neos.

The Delta One Suite onboard the airline's Airbus A350s and A330-900neos are as good as business class gets with Delta … and it should be in the conversation for among the best business class seats in the world, period.

Read our full review of flying Delta One suites from Tokyo-Haneda (HND) to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)!

But many of Delta's lie-flat seats look more like this…

The colors and finishes look out-of-date, to say the least. The seat back screens and controls feel ancient compared to Delta's newer jets. These are the Delta One seats you can find on many A330-200s and A330-300s right now, and are likely to be a focal point of this refurbishment. 

Exactly where and when these updated premium offerings will exist has not been announced as of publication. 

More Comfort Plus Seats Coming for Domestic Flights

Delta counts its Comfort Plus seats among its premium offerings. On domestic flights, these seats are essentially a souped up version of economy: you'll get priority boarding, a few extra inches of legroom, plus premium snacks and complimentary coffee, beer, wine, and spirits on most flights. 

On Wednesday, Delta President Glen Hauenstein said the airline plans to “significantly” increase the number of Comfort Plus seats on domestic flights, saying these seats are sold out more often than not these days. 

But the airline plans to do this without changing the total number of seats on the plane. That means we're likely to see Delta begin selling those exit row seats with more legroom as Comfort Plus – similar to how American markets its exit rows as “main cabin extra” fares. 

Delta has clearly convinced its customers that these Comfort Plus seats are worth paying up for, even they're still technically in the economy cabin. It's what's kept average consumers chasing status year after year, in hopes of scoring these upgrades – even if that loyalty is likely costing them money in the long run. 

Unbundling its Fares

For a few months now, Delta has not-so-subtly pointed to unbundling its premium cabins, meaning there would be several fare choices within Delta One, First Class, Premium Select, and Comfort Plus that segment out perks like lounge access, seat selection, and more. 

In its presentation to investors on Wednesday, the airline said there will be “further segmentation aligning value to price” with fares in 2025. 

Translation? Basic business class fares are coming … but maybe not as soon as originally thought. 

Delta executives teased earlier this year that new fare types might be coming to the business class cabin, but Wednesday, the airline announced it will start its new unbundling efforts in economy first. 

Hauenstein said the airline will add “good, better, and best” fare types in all of its cabins in the coming years, but that the economy and Comfort Plus cabins will start testing out the new unbundled offerings first, with main cabin and Comfort Plus tests beginning in 2025. 

The airline is only, “experimenting with this,” Hauenstein said, but noted that travelers may see some of these fares in the new year.  Delta is testing what consumers want in their bundles and will begin adding on additional attributes. 

Either way, one thing is certain: More fare types will be coming to a Delta checkout page near you. 

Read more: Delta to Test New Main Cabin & Comfort Plus Fares in 2025

This is a developing news story. Check back for updates. 

We hear it again and again and again, from beginners to even so-called travel experts and social media influencers. You've probably heard it too – it's practically common knowledge.

The Claim: Use Incognito Flight Searches To Find Lower Prices

“You should search incognito for flights or clear the cookies on your internet browser because the website is tracking what you're looking for and will jack up the price.”

The Reality: Incognito Mode Will Not Help

Let us say this unequivocally: Searching for flights incognito does nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nor does clearing your cookies. And we are experts at airfare and finding cheap flights.

At Thrifty Traveler, we find flight deals for a living and send them to Thrifty Traveler Premium members. We're manually searching all day, every day for cheap flights. If airlines were tracking our searches, we'd never find cheap flights. And trust me, we do.

Pssst… that thing you've heard about booking on Tuesdays is wrong, too – there's no best day to book flights, either!

It sounds like it makes sense, right? The idea that you're being tracked is an easy explanation for why the price of a flight you were looking at changed an hour later when you went to go book. Searching flights incognito makes travelers feel like they've got the power – like they're beating the airlines.

But it's just not true. Airlines are not tracking your searches. Neither is Google Flights – the best search platform for finding good deals on airfare – or most other search engines and online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia, Hopper and Priceline. There is no evidence that sites are raising flight prices the more you search for a specific trip or by a previous search.

So what's the answer behind the constantly changing flight prices, then? Why did that ticket you were looking at suddenly jump in price?

Explaining Changes in Airfare

The reality is that airfare pricing is fickle, and it's always changing. Airlines are constantly altering their prices as tickets sell and demand changes.

One simple explanation behind a sudden change in price is something called the airfare's fare class. While you just see economy and first class when you walk on the plane, airlines sell an alphabet soup's worth of tickets called fare classes – and it’s literally an alphabet, as most airlines have a fare class for every letter.

Here's a look at just some of United Airlines' fare classes, for example.

There are close to two dozen or more different fare classes for even a standard economy seat, each with its own set of rules for upgrades, earning miles, and more. Basic economy fares – the bare-bones tickets without seat assignments or checked baggage – are represented by an entirely different fare class. Even award fares booked with miles have a distinct classification.

Here's the important part: Every fare class has its own price. So when the cheapest fare class sells out – or an airline simply decides to remove that fare class – the price will jump up to the next, higher-priced class.

So let's say you're looking at roundtrip flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Las Vegas (LAS) on Google Flights and you see a good deal for $158 roundtrip. Little do you know, there's only one ticket remaining at that lowest price.

So when you go back an hour – or even just a few minutes later – you might find that price is gone, and it's not because Delta is tracking your searches. That cheapest ticket likely just sold. Or Delta decided to pull it.

That's it. These quirks with airfare classes and pricing explain 90% or more of the frustrating fluctuations you may see.

In some cases, you might be searching through Google Flights and click through to book a good deal only to find the price has shot up. But again, it's not that you're being tracked. Instead, because flight prices are changing constantly, sometimes Google Flights will briefly display an out-of-date price that has since changed due to cached data.

Those mismatches typically get fixed within minutes, if not seconds. But every once in a while, it may look like Google Flights or your airline have tried to pull a fast one on you.

What About Using a VPN to Find Cheaper Flights?

Right after searching incognito and clearing your cookies, using a VPN (virtual private network) to disguise the location you're searching from might just be the most frequently repeated travel tip for finding cheap flights. In this case, it can sometimes work … but not for the reasons you may think.

It's not about how you're searching: It's about where you're searching from. Some flight search platforms and even individual airlines can charge drastically different amounts based upon the point-of-sale – or at least where the website thinks you're buying a ticket.

Whether you use a VPN or simply navigate through an airline's website to select a different location, it can result in some savings … or additional costs. For example, when I needed to book flights from Bogota (BOG) and Cartagena (CTG) and back a few years back, searching from the U.S. yielded a price of about $60 one-way.

But after switching my location on Avianca's site to Colombia itself, it pulled up the exact same flights at 199,930 Colombian pesos – dropping to about $46 USD each way.

If you're trying this money-saving method, make sure you've got a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees!

But don't assume that searching from the home country (and paying in its currency) is always the key to savings. For example, these long-haul flights from New York City (JFK) down to Buenos Aires (EZE) on Aeromexico clock in just over $1,000.

By switching my point of sale to Argentina itself, the exact same flights cost 229,637 Argentine pesos. That works out to more than $1,719 USD – an extra $700!

Let me be clear: This is incredibly hit or miss. You could run 100 searches around the globe and only run into this issue once or twice. It just depends on where you're flying – and where you're buying.

Is it worth trying? Yes, especially if you don't like the prices you see on a flight abroad, change your point of sale or fire up a VPN and compare the prices.

But though this technique can help at times, it's by no means a silver bullet to saving on flights.

Bottom Line

If you really want to know how to find cheap flights, you need to know the facts.

You can search incognito for flights if you want, but it's not doing you any good. And stop wasting your time clearing your cookies, too. These tips have been passed around for years even by so-called experts. But they're simply not true.

Well, if the card's sign-up bonus has been holding you back from applying, we've got good news: You can now earn an elevated 65,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months by applying through a special link on the Chase-owned dining review website, The Infatuation. That's 5,000 more points than the standard offer, and since Chase points can easily be redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at a rate of 1.5 cents each, it makes this bonus at least $75 more valuable than the one available directly from Chase, or through sites like ours. Doctor of Credit was the first to spot this increased bonus (via Reddit). 

To be perfectly clear: There's nothing in it for us if you apply for this bigger bonus, it's simply a better offer. 

But as nice as an additional 5,000 points is, this isn't the biggest offer we've ever seen … or even close to it. Just last spring, Chase offered a limited-time 75,000-point bonus on the Sapphire Reserve – and more recently, we saw a better offer on the more affordable *chase sapphire preferred*. Still, more Chase points are always a good thing … especially if you were already considering adding this card to your wallet. 

Here's what you need to know about the Sapphire Reserve, this bonus offer, and whether or not it's worth applying for.

Check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve! 

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).

Benefits Overview

When looking at the Chase Sapphire Reserve, it's clear to see why this card is so popular. From it's solid point-earning to lounge access and more, there's a lot to love. 

While this is by no means meant to be a complete benefit breakdown, here are some of the card's best perks and benefits. 

Welcome Offer

Earn 65,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Considering Chase points can easily be redeemed for 1.5 cents each through Chase Travel℠, this bonus is worth a minimum of $975 when redeemed for travel. But you can likely do even better than that by kicking those points over to one of Chase's transfer partners for to book flights or hotels instead.

After meeting the $4,000 minimum spending requirement, you'd have at least 69,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which is enough for a roundtrip business class ticket to Europe when booked through Chase's partner Iberia. Considering these flights routinely go for $4,000 or more, I'd say this a pretty valuable offer. 

Earning Points

The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3x points per dollar on dining and a broad-ranging travel category that covers everything from airfare to hotels, subways to toll charges, and more. And it gets even better if you book travel directly through Chase Travel: You'll earn 10x points per dollar on hotels and rental cars, and 5x points per dollar on flights. 

Chase Dining and Peloton purchases also earn 10x. All other eligible purchases earn 1x point per dollar spent. 

Lounge Access

It also comes with top-notch perks like access to the growing list of Chase Sapphire Lounges – as well as a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which will get you into another 1,300+ lounges around the world.

If you frequent an airport with one of these new Chase Sapphire Lounges, that alone could be reason enough to hold the Sapphire Reserve year after year. Each space is unique but they all feature tasty food options, a full-service bar, and unique amenities like showers and wellness areas.

Sapphire Reserve cardholders get unlimited complimentary access for themselves and up to two guests each visit. 

Annual $300 Travel Credit

One of the Sapphire Reserve's biggest selling points is its annual $300 travel credit – and unlike other banks, this perk couldn't be easier to use. Simply swipe your card for any travel purchase and Chase will automatically reimburse you up to $300 per year in the form of a statement credit. Yes, it's really that simple.

Annual Fee

The card's $550 annual fee is not insignificant. Even with the annual $300 travel credit offsetting more than half of it, you're effectively paying $250 per year for lounge access and a strong return on your travel spending. 

What About the Sapphire Preferred?

They may earn the same points and share the Sapphire name, but there are major differences between the Sapphire Reserve and the *chase sapphire preferred* that leave travelers asking: “Which Sapphire card is right for me?” Critically, Chase only allows you to hold one or the other – not both.

In general, we recommend travelers get started with the Sapphire Preferred because of its more modest, $95 annual fee and nearly identical bonus offer. Now that the Sapphire Reserve comes with 5,000 more points, the math has shifted slightly – but in most cases, it still isn't enough to justify paying $455 more in annual fees. 

The Sapphire Preferred comes with nearly identical travel protections to that of the Sapphire Reserve, and still earns 3x points on dining purchases. Where it differs most is in the amount of points you'll earn on travel (2x, instead of 3x) and the added perks like lounge access. 

If you don't frequent airports with Sapphire Lounges, you'd probably be better off going with a two-card combination of the Sapphire Preferred and *venture x* instead. This would still get you access to Priority Pass lounges – and Capital One Lounges – and cost you less per year in annual fees. Along the way, you'd earn two sign-up bonuses and have access to multiple transferable point currencies.

If you don't mind juggling two different cards, this is a really solid alternative! 

Read more: The Perfect Two-Card Combo for Most Travelers

Should You Apply?

If you're in the market for a new premium travel rewards credit card, this offer is certainly better than the standard bonus.

There's no telling if or when Chase will run another limited-time offer on the Sapphire Reserve that's better than this, but it also wouldn't be a total shock to see something pop up again next spring. Traditionally, the bank has increased the bonus offer on the Sapphire Preferred in April or May and last year, the Sapphire Reserve's bonus got a boost, too. 

The next thing you’ll need to be aware of is something called the Chase 5/24 Rule, which is a restriction rolled out years ago in order to limit card applicants from opening credit cards for the sole purpose of earning the bonus rewards.

Here’s what it boils down to:

• If you have opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months from any bank (not just Chase), you will not be approved for Chase credit cards, regardless of your credit score or history with Chase Bank.
• The rule does not count credit inquiries, but rather card products you have applied for and been approved for. That also means mortgages and other lines of credit don’t count.

The rule is not officially published through any of Chase’s platforms. Case in point: If you ask about it in a Chase branch or on the phone with a Chase customer service representative, employees have likely not heard of it.

Finally, you will not be eligible if you earned a sign-up bonus on either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve in the last 48 months: four full years! The four-year restriction starts from the date you earned the bonus points – not the date that you opened or closed either card. Still, that opens a window for travelers who've previously had the card to earn this new bonus.

Bottom Line

There's a new bonus offer on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® allowing applicants to earn 65,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months – that's up from the standard 60,000-point offer available through sites like ours. The key to getting a bigger bonus is using a special link only available through The Infatuation. 

Just keep in mind that while this new offer is no doubt better, it isn't the biggest bonus we've ever seen – and for a lot of travelers, the Sapphire Reserve might not even be the best card for you.

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).

“I can't come home this time. I already have plans.”

But before you make that call or send that text, you need to make those plans. And while it might be too last minute to book the absolute cheapest flights for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas, it's not impossible if you use one simple tool: Google Flights Explore. 

This whole process will take you about five minutes and can show you if you can still find a cheap flight somewhere other than home this holiday season. It's just four easy steps. 

Step 1: Open Google Flights & Enter Your Dates

The key to you finding something great is to use Google Flights Explore, which is most easily accessed on the front page of Google Flights. It couldn't be easier to get started from this home page. 

Once you get there, make sure your home airport is in the “Where from?” and then put in your desired dates into the “Departure” and “Return” boxes on the right side. Most importantly, you're going to leave the “Where to?” section completely blank. 

Once that information is in there, you're going to click “Explore” to begin your search. 

Thrifty Tip: For the best fares, avoid picking Sunday as your return date. Sunday is always the most expensive day to fly, not to mention the busiest and most annoying at the airport. That's doubly true for Thanksgiving weekend. You'll save hundreds by flying home Saturday or Monday instead. 

Step 2: Set Your Filters

When you click “Explore” you'll be taken to a big messy map containing tons of airfare all over the country. Let's clean that up. 

To do so, just click on any destination city to start and hit the button that says “View flights” on the left side of the screen. It doesn't matter which flight you choose, this doesn't have to be the flight you'll take. We just need to set some parameters. 

From there, a results page will appear, where you can go ahead and set your desired filters. The filter bar is at the top of the page beneath the departure city. You can filter out airlines you don't like, you can filter for nonstop flights only, and you can decide how many bags you want and much more. 

I'd caution against getting too picky this last minute, though. I'd start by filtering for fares that include a carry-on bag and maybe “1 stop or fewer.” Filtering for a carry-on bag will exclude the extra bare-bones fares you don't want to book. 

Once your filters are set, we're going to go back to that Explore map which will now take into account our desired filters. 

Step 3: Search the Map!

To get back to the map from the search page, all you have to do is type “Anywhere” into the destination box. 

That will automatically give you a world map that matches your filters! From there, just zoom in on the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, or wherever you'd want to go over the holidays to hone in on your search. 

When I zoomed in on this search from Seattle (SEA), I found a few interesting fares that are inexpensive for being just over a week away for Thanksgiving. To airports like Denver (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS), and Phoenix (PHX), there were plenty of flights in and around $300 roundtrip! 

After a gloomy fall in the Pacific Northwest, maybe some Arizona sunshine is exactly what the doctor ordered for your Thanksgiving break.

Step 4: Book Your Trip

Now that you've found the fare and destination you're looking for, let's book some flights. Click “View flights” on the left side again, and head to the page with your results. Once you get there, choose the flights you want and book directly with the airline! 

And just like that, you've got plans for the holidays!

“Mom, I'm so sorry, but I already have plans to go to Phoenix this Thanksgiving.” 

Bonus Step: Consider Using Points & Miles, Too

If cash prices seem out of hand, but you have some points and miles saved up, you can use a similar method to find some cheap award tickets, too. 

Note: This isn't a perfect search, because award tickets aren't always tied to the cash price, but it can give you a good sense of availability on most programs. Let's say, for instance, you've got some Delta SkyMiles to burn. Go back to Step 2 and include a filter for “Delta.” 

Then, finish up Step 2 by typing “Anywhere” as your destination to get a map that only includes Delta fares. 

Then repeat Step 3 by looking around the U.S. (or wherever you'd like to fly) and find some of the cheaper rates, which often correlate to better availability for your SkyMiles. 

dOn this search, for example, there were some solid fares to Las Vegas (LAS), so then I take my search over to Delta.com and search for SEA-LAS SkyMiles fares for the same dates I had in my Google Search. 

Note: Make sure to click that “Shop with Miles” button on the bottom left. 

And when you search for Delta SkyMiles fares, Delta even gives you a handy calendar to see if changing your trip length by one day will save you some points and miles. (Remember my note about flying on Sundays? This definitely applies to points and miles flights, too!)

For 28,000 miles roundtrip (or just 23,800 with Delta's Takeoff 15 benefit for SkyMiles credit cardholders), you can make this trip happen for just $12 in taxes and fees this Thanksgiving, too! 

This method is worth a try if you've got miles with nearly any U.S. carrier, from Delta, United and American to Southwest and Alaska – or flexible credit card points you can transfer to them. Find a cheap flight, then check the price in miles to see if it's cheap, too. 

Bottom Line

Need to go anywhere but home this holiday season? There's one easy way to find a last-minute cheap flight so you can say you already have plans for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Christmas. 

By flexing the power of Google Flights Explore, your next trip is cheaper and easier to book than you might think.