The Points Daily Briefing: Southwest card, AAdvantage miles, Qatar fares, Amtrak deal

Today we cover Southwest's 80,000-point card bonus, Audible for under $4, free AAdvantage miles for AT&T customers, $919 Qatar roundtrips from Chicago to Almaty, and discounted Amtrak eGifts.

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Today’s stories

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, Earn 80,000 Points After Spending $1,000

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is offering 80,000 points after $1,000 in spending in the first 3 months, with a $99 annual fee. The catch: it's an email offer, so you only see it if you've opted into Southwest emails and received one. Apply by December 2, 2026 and get the bonus, and those points count toward a 2026 Companion Pass valid through December 31, 2027, even if you hit the spend in early 2027. If you want a Companion Pass, that's the reason to check your inbox.

Source: M2M

Final Hours To Grab $20 In Credit & 4 Months Of Audible For Under $4

Audible is offering $20 in credit plus a $0.99-a-month intro rate, and today, October 27, is the final day. Prime members get 4 months at $0.99 a month. Non-Prime members get 3 months at the same price. After that, it renews at $8.99 a month, so cancel before then if you're only here for the credit. If you're curious about Audible, this is a cheap way to find out.

Source: M2M

Act Fast! 5,000 Free AAdvantage Miles for AT&T Customers

AT&T customers can get 5,000 AAdvantage miles just for linking their AT&T and AAdvantage accounts, but only the first 65,000 eligible customers get that amount. After that, the bonus drops to 2,500 miles, so the sooner you link, the better. Log into AT&T & More Benefits and head to the Explore section. It takes about 30 seconds, which makes it one of the easier ways to pick up miles.

Source: DoC

Qatar Airways: Chicago – Almaty, Kazakhstan. $919. Roundtrip, including all Taxes

Qatar Airways has Chicago to Almaty, Kazakhstan, at $919 roundtrip, taxes included. Travel runs late January through early May 2027, with Monday through Thursday departures and returns only. You need a 7-day minimum stay and must buy at least 14 days ahead. One stopover is permitted on the Doha routing, which turns a long haul into a two-for-one. If Kazakhstan has been on your radar, this is the price to act on.

Source: TFD

Costco.com is selling $100 Amtrak eGift + $20 Amtrak eGift for $99.99

Costco.com is selling a $100 Amtrak eGift card plus a $20 Amtrak eGift card for $99.99, a 16.7% discount. That's a rare price cut on U.S. train travel. The cards work at Amtrak.com, in the app, or in person, but exclude food and beverages and tickets sold by third-party providers. The limit is 5 units per membership every 14 days. If you ride Amtrak regularly, this beats paying full fare. It's also worth weighing against transferring Bilt rewards points to Amtrak.

Source: FM

Delta: Washington D.C. – New Delhi, India. $748 (Basic Economy) / $898 (Regular Economy). Roundtrip, including all Taxes

Steal of the Day: Delta has Washington D.C. to New Delhi roundtrip for $748 in Basic Economy or $898 in Regular Economy, taxes included. The $898 fare adds advance seat assignment, a normal size carry-on and one checked bag. The $748 fare allows no seat assignments, no changes, no cancellations, and charges $85 each way for a first checked bag. It is valid for early May 2027 or late August through mid September 2027, with a Sunday stay required. If you need a bag, price the $898 fare first and book on Delta.

Source: TFD

Discover Referral Offer Gives New Cardholders Up to $300

Card of the Day: Discover it Cash Back. Eligible new applicants can earn up to $300 through a referral offer, a $100 referral bonus plus a $200 statement credit after spending $500 in the first three months. Discover also matches all the rewards you earn in your first year, with no cap, and there is no annual fee. The catch is you have to apply through an eligible referral link. If you were already planning to open this card, use a referral link and pick up the bonus.

Source: Milestomemories

Full episode transcript

Hello! Today is Tuesday, October 27th. This is The Points Daily. Here's what matters. Today we cover Southwest's 80,000-point card bonus, Audible for under $4, free AAdvantage miles for AT&T customers, $919 Qatar roundtrips from Chicago to Almaty, and discounted Amtrak eGifts. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is offering 80,000 points after $1,000 in spending in the first 3 months, with a $99 annual fee. The catch: it's an email offer, so you only see it if you've opted into Southwest emails and received one. Apply by December 2, 2026 and get the bonus, and those points count toward a 2026 Companion Pass valid through December 31, 2027, even if you hit the spend in early 2027. If you want a Companion Pass, that's the reason to check your inbox. Audible is offering $20 in credit plus a $0.99-a-month intro rate, and today, October 27, is the final day. Prime members get 4 months at $0.99 a month. Non-Prime members get 3 months at the same price. After that, it renews at $8.99 a month, so cancel before then if you're only here for the credit. If you're curious about Audible, this is a cheap way to find out. AT&T customers can get 5,000 AAdvantage miles just for linking their AT&T and AAdvantage accounts, but only the first 65,000 eligible customers get that amount. After that, the bonus drops to 2,500 miles, so the sooner you link, the better. Log into AT&T & More Benefits and head to the Explore section. It takes about 30 seconds, which makes it one of the easier ways to pick up miles. Qatar Airways has Chicago to Almaty, Kazakhstan, at $919 roundtrip, taxes included. Travel runs late January through early May 2027, with Monday through Thursday departures and returns only. You need a 7-day minimum stay and must buy at least 14 days ahead. One stopover is permitted on the Doha routing, which turns a long haul into a two-for-one. If Kazakhstan has been on your radar, this is the price to act on. Costco.com is selling a $100 Amtrak eGift card plus a $20 Amtrak eGift card for $99.99, a 16.7% discount. That's a rare price cut on U.S. train travel. The cards work at Amtrak.com, in the app, or in person, but exclude food and beverages and tickets sold by third-party providers. The limit is 5 units per membership every 14 days. If you ride Amtrak regularly, this beats paying full fare. It's also worth weighing against transferring Bilt rewards points to Amtrak. Steal of the Day: Delta has Washington D.C. to New Delhi roundtrip for $748 in Basic Economy or $898 in Regular Economy, taxes included. The $898 fare adds advance seat assignment, a normal size carry-on and one checked bag. The $748 fare allows no seat assignments, no changes, no cancellations, and charges $85 each way for a first checked bag. It is valid for early May 2027 or late August through mid September 2027, with a Sunday stay required. If you need a bag, price the $898 fare first and book on Delta. Card of the Day: Discover it Cash Back. Eligible new applicants can earn up to $300 through a referral offer, a $100 referral bonus plus a $200 statement credit after spending $500 in the first three months. Discover also matches all the rewards you earn in your first year, with no cap, and there is no annual fee. The catch is you have to apply through an eligible referral link. If you were already planning to open this card, use a referral link and pick up the bonus. That's your daily. For details and links to every deal we covered, visit thepointsdaily.com and subscribe to get The Points Daily in your inbox every weekday.