The Points Daily — September 2, 2026
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Alaska Airlines Slashing Awards to International Cities by Up to 50%
Alaska Airlines has opened a limited-time award sale covering London, Athens, Tokyo, and other international destinations at steep discounts. Economy awards start at 20,000 miles one-way; book by September 5. The travel windows vary by city—most cities are January 5 through February 28, but Tokyo flights must be booked and traveled through November 18.
Why it matters: If you're holding Alaska miles and have flexible dates, this is genuine value. Tokyo at 27,500 miles one-way is genuinely cheap. The split travel window is annoying, but it's the real constraint here.
TPD take: Tokyo is the standout. If you can book Japan within the next two months, pull the trigger. For Europe, the January–February window matters less unless you're already planning winter travel. Don't book a trip just for the sale.
Source: AW
Brussels Business Class Available From 60K Aeroplan Points One-Way
Brussels Airlines is pricing business class from New York or D.C. to Brussels at 60,000 Aeroplan points one-way through April, plus $57 in fees. You get a lie-flat A330 seat. Economy on the same route costs 32,500 points—so business is just 27,500 more for an overnight transatlantic.
Why it matters: Aeroplan points transfer from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bilt, making this accessible if you've accumulated transferable points. The math works cleanly for a one-week Europe trip.
TPD take: This is a solid transatlantic business redemption, especially if you've already got Aeroplan points sitting around. $57 in fees is reasonable. Don't buy points to chase this; only book if you already have them or can earn them cheaply through a sign-up bonus.
Source: UP
Chase Sapphire Reserve DoorDash Credit Increasing to $15 Monthly
Chase Sapphire Reserve is adding a $15 monthly DoorDash credit starting October 1, up from the current $5. The credit works on anything: restaurants, groceries, or retail. The card will keep its free DashPass and two $10 monthly discounts on non-restaurant orders.
Why it matters: $15 monthly is meaningful and usable. It covers most small food orders or part of a grocery run.
TPD take: This makes the Sapphire Reserve's food-spending category tangibly better. $15 × 12 months = $180 in annual DoorDash credits, which nearly covers the $350 annual fee if you actually use it. The catch: DoorDash now requires a $20 minimum on pickup orders, so the credit doesn't go as far as it used to.
Source: DoC
United's App Now Finds Earlier Flights During Disruptions
United's app now lets you join a standby list for up to 3 earlier flights after you've been rebooked on a later one, and you keep your confirmed seat unless you accept a move. United monitors the flights in the background and texts you if a seat opens.
Why it matters: Labor Day travel is running 3.4 million passengers through United over 6 days starting tomorrow. This tool lets you recover from disruptions without losing your original seat.
TPD take: Useful, not revolutionary. The feature removes friction from the manual standby process, but it's only helpful if earlier flights actually open up—which depends on the specific disruption. It's a nice-to-have during peak travel, not a game-changer.
Source: UP
American Airlines Sets Final Dates for Premium First Class Elimination
American Airlines is eliminating premium first class on 777-300ER aircraft by November 19, 2026, and on A321T aircraft by March 28, 2027. The cabin was never differentiated meaningfully from business class and was often stuffed with employee upgrades.
Why it matters: If you've been hoarding miles to redeem for American first class, you have roughly 14 months before the product disappears entirely.
TPD take: American's premium first was weak from launch. If you're holding miles for this, convert them to another program or use them on a different American product. The cabin won't be missed.
Source: OMAAT
Steal of the Day: Air France KLM Flying Blue Miles at 45% Discount
Air France KLM is selling Flying Blue miles at up to a 45% discount through September 16. This is solid only if you have a specific booking queued up and the points price beats the cash fare.
TPD take: Only buy if the math is done. Buying speculatively is a losing trade.
Source: PoT
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