Quick Hits: Southwest Breaks More Hearts, Hyatt Makes Life Easier, & More!

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts. Smart Travel Podcast This week's Quick Hits kicks off with DeAndre Coke reflecting on an incredible weekend at Points Travel Festival Chicago, where he connected with BoldlyGo community members, hosted an unforgettable group dinner, and spoke to a packed room of points and miles enthusiasts. After sharing a helpful clarification about Hyatt's current bonus points promotion, he dives into some major loyalty program changes, starting with Rove adding JetBlue TrueBlue as a new 1:1 transfer partner with a limited-time 20% bonus. Bilt has also added JetBlue, raising speculation about a potentially massive Rent Day transfer bonus. The biggest news comes from Southwest Airlines, which is making a significant change to its popular Companion Pass program. Starting in 2027, credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward earning the Companion Pass. Instead, travelers will need to qualify through Southwest's new Platinum Elite status, requiring 140,000 qualifying points or 100 flights. However, there's still one final opportunity to take advantage of the existing credit card strategy by opening an eligible Southwest card before December 2. Southwest is also introducing new international award partners, including Etihad, Icelandair, and China Airlines. Elsewhere, World of Hyatt members can now transfer points between accounts online, while Explorist and Globalist members have access to an Air Canada Aeroplan elite status challenge. Japan Airlines has launched a 30% award discount, creating opportunities to book economy flights between Japan and North America for fewer than 19,000 miles or business class flights between Japan and Europe for as little as 38,500 miles. Combined with current Citi ThankYou and Rove transfer bonuses, these deals could become even more attractive. DeAndre also covers a potential change to how the IRS processes credit card payments and exciting new Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines nonstop routes from Seattle to Osaka and Tahiti, both scheduled to launch in 2027. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro: Points Travel Festival Chicago and the BoldlyGo Community (02:45) Hyatt's 3,000 Bonus Points Promotion Explained (04:02) Rove and Bilt Add JetBlue as a Transfer Partner (05:03) Southwest's Major Companion Pass Changes for 2027 (06:12) Southwest Adds New International Award Partners (06:32) Hyatt and Aeroplan Introduce an Elite Status Challenge (08:00) Hyatt Finally Allows Online Points Transfers (08:34) Japan Airlines Award Sale and Massive Transfer Bonuses (09:50) IRS Credit Card Payment Changes (11:00) New Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Routes to Osaka and Tahiti Key takeaways: Southwest Companion Pass Changes in 2027: Credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward earning the Companion Pass. Travelers will instead need Platinum Elite status, requiring 140,000 qualifying points or 100 flights. One Final Companion Pass Opportunity: Opening an eligible Southwest credit card by December 2 could still allow travelers to use the welcome bonus toward a Companion Pass valid through the end of 2027. Southwest Adds International Award Partners: Etihad, Icelandair, and China Airlines are joining Southwest's international award partner lineup, creating new potential redemption opportunities. Rove Adds JetBlue TrueBlue: Rove now supports 1:1 transfers to JetBlue with a 20% transfer bonus through November 14. Bilt Adds JetBlue: Bilt has introduced JetBlue as a 1:1 transfer partner. DeAndre speculates that a future Rent Day promotion could feature an unusually large JetBlue transfer bonus, although nothing has been confirmed. Hyatt's 3,000 Point Promotion Is More Flexible Than Expected: Members earn 3,000 bonus points for every three qualifying nights in total, even when those nights are spread across different stays, up to 36,000 bonus points. Hyatt and Aeroplan Status Challenge: Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members can enroll in a 90-day Air Canada elite status challenge. Eligible paid flights are required, and participants do not receive temporary status during the challenge. Hyatt Finally Allows Online Points Transfers: Members can now transfer Hyatt points between accounts online, with separate annual limits of 525,000 points sent and received. Japan Airlines Award Sale: JAL is offering a 30% discount on select awards, including Japan to North America economy flights for under 19,000 miles and Japan to Europe business class for as little as 38,500 miles one way. Bookings must be made by October 31, with restrictions and potential fuel surcharges. Citi and Rove Transfer Bonuses: Citi ThankYou is offering a 30% transfer bonus to Japan Airlines through October 24, while Rove is offering a 50% bonus through October 31, potentially reducing the points needed for discounted JAL awards. IRS Credit Card Payment Changes: A newly published rule allows the IRS to contract directly with card processors, although fees would still apply and no implementation date has been announced. New Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Routes: New nonstop Seattle to Osaka service is planned for May 2027, followed by Seattle to Papeete, Tahiti, in June 2027. Both routes are expected to use Hawaiian Airlines A330 aircraft with lie-flat business class seats. Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads Get a travel insurance quote here Resources: Become a BoldlyGo Member on Patreon Rakuten $50 Bonus Invite Join Symphony today BoldlyGo LIVE! Miami 5-7 Registration Podcast Library Become a BoldlyGo blog contributor Start here to learn how to unlock nearly free travel Sign up for our newsletter! BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook Group Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game: Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links Get Autopilot: Never Overpay for a Flight or Hotel Again Get Creddy for 50% off the Annual & Lifetime Plans Card Pointers (Saves the average user $750 per year) Zil Money (For Payroll on Credit Card) Travel Freely Point.me FlightConnections.com Thrifty Traveler Premium LTH Online Points & Miles In Depth Course: Use coupon code "BOLDYGO" for a 50% discount! Connect with DeAndre Coke: Instagram: BoldlyGo.world TikTok: BoldlyGo.world Website: BoldlyGo.world YouTube: BoldlyGoWorld YouTube: BoldlyGoTravels Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network . For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Ads.