The Points Daily – September 14, 2026
Today's briefing: Limited Apple miles bonus expires today, Hyatt's all-inclusive Bahia Principe properties are on sale, Epic Pass pricing locks in before November, and Flying Blue's new award structure is creating confusion.
This page archives today's show notes. The Points Daily newsletter is the timely morning briefing—subscribe below for tomorrow's edition.
Last day to earn 4x bonus airline miles on Apple purchases
What happened: Alaska, United, American, and Delta shopping portals are offering bonus miles on Apple purchases today only. Alaska pays 4 miles per dollar and American pays 3.5 miles per dollar—the only two worth pursuing in this group. The offer excludes iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, and new Apple Watch models.
Why it matters: This stacks on top of whatever your credit card pays, but only if you're already planning to buy. The exclusions eliminate the newest, most expensive items.
The TPD take: If you're buying an older iPhone or Mac today anyway, take the bonus. Don't manufacture a purchase to chase it.
Source: OMAAT
Bahia Principe all-inclusive properties up to 50% off through September 17
What happened: Bahia Principe is discounting stays across its 22 all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and Spain through September 17, with travel available through end of 2027. First child stays free. Direct booking required—Hyatt portals and loyalty benefits don't apply, even though these properties joined the Hyatt Inclusive Collection in March.
Why it matters: The discount can be substantial on all-inclusive stays, but the tradeoff is giving up Hyatt points earn and World of Hyatt status perks.
The TPD take: Run the math if you were already planning to book. The savings might exceed the points value, but know what you're surrendering.
Source: TFM
Epic Pass discounts available now for 2026-2027 ski season
What happened: Vail is selling Epic Passes for the upcoming season with a new 20% discount for teens and young adults on most pass types. A single-day walk-up ticket at Beaver Creek runs $230–$356; an Epic day pass purchased now caps cost at $144–$171 on peak dates. Pricing increases again before November close-out.
Why it matters: Passes often pay for themselves in one or two days. Locking in now eliminates the risk of higher walk-up pricing and avoids November's final price increase.
The TPD take: If you're hitting a Vail property this season, buying now is straightforward math.
Source: TPG
Flying Blue award pricing overhaul creates confusion and inflexibility
What happened: Flying Blue's new award structure launched this week with non-refundable, non-changeable awards for most members. Promo Awards, historically the program's best value, show inconsistent pricing with no clear pattern. The program framed this as "choices that better align with your travel needs" without showing concrete pricing examples.
Why it matters: Loss of flexibility is a substantial downgrade to program value, especially if you book speculatively or need to adjust plans. Opaque pricing makes it difficult to evaluate whether any award tier actually saves money.
The TPD take: This is a mess. Wait for clarity or third-party analysis before booking. Flying Blue owed members transparency from day one.
Source: TFM
Steal of the day: OnePay referral bonus
OnePay is offering $50 cash back for new accounts and $200 for each referral by existing users—an unusually lopsided split that signals this is mostly a referral play. Limited-time offer with no hard deadline listed. If you already use OnePay, this is an easy ask for people in your network who would actually use the service.
Source: M2M
Card of the day: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
The $99 annual fee delivers free checked bags for you plus 8 companions on the same reservation—which pays for itself if you fly Southwest twice a year with someone else. Add 3,000 anniversary points, 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points annually, and 25% back on inflight purchases. It's the cheapest way to reclaim perks Southwest stopped giving everyone for free.
Source: AW
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