Weekend Edition / Dear Ohad...
This week in miles & points: You blinked, United’s flash sale was gone, Qantas just yanked value, Southwest is testing free Wi-Fi, JetBlue renamed everything, and Choice Hotels quietly gives insane deals - here’s what actually matters for your points right now...
JetBlue says “TrueBlue Travel” now… is that a new airline?
--Confused in Queens
Dear Confused,
Nope, same airline - different booking game. JetBlue just rebranded its old Paisly site into TrueBlue Travel, letting you earn/redeem for hotels, cars, and activities without even flying JetBlue. Through August 8, you get double elite “Tiles” on hotel and car bookings for travel before Nov 30.
ProTip: If you’ve got a fall trip, book the hotel/car combo now. Double Tiles = elite status without a single flight.
United had some crazy-cheap award sale to Asia? I missed it AGAIN.
--Slow in Seattle
Dear Slow,
Yep, it was 35K round-trip to Southeast Asia and 10K domestic—poof in hours. United now drops these with almost no warning.
ProTip: Keep the United app logged in with push alerts on, and follow at least one award-sale tracker. If you see a deal, don’t think—just book.
Qantas made my points worth less overnight… should I just give up?
--Mad in Melbourne
Dear Mad,
Don’t toss ’em yet. Classic Reward prices jumped ~15–20% (Sydney–Melbourne now 9.2K), but they also dumped 400K “points-only” seats and made some Jetstar routes cheaper.
ProTip: Burn Qantas points on those new points-planes or partners. Paying more for the same long-haul seat? Hard pass.
Which hotel program isn’t a total scam right now?
--Over It in Omaha
Dear Over It,
Surprise - IMHO it's Choice Privileges. With Radisson and Preferred Hotels in the mix, you can book boutique and upscale stays that go for $400+/night for 25K–35K points.
ProTip: Earn via Citi ThankYou transfers (1:2 on promos) and aim for the high-cash-rate partners. Easy wins, no drama.
Southwest says free Wi-Fi this week - what’s the catch?
--Streaming at 30,000 Feet
Dear Streaming,
No catch, just a test run. From August 8–14, Rapid Rewards members get free in-flight Wi-Fi (normally $8/device). They’re measuring engagement and system load - if it works, expect to see more of it.
ProTip: If you’re flying Southwest this week, log in with your Rapid Rewards number and test it. Stream away - you’re the beta tester.
Until next week - may your Tiles pile high, your flash sales last more than 10 minutes, and your miles survive the month.
Got a dumb-sounding question with a smart answer hiding inside? Email newsletter@upnonstop.com and I’ll dig it up next Sunday.
