Recap Week ending 4/12/26

Hyatt has a pending devaluation that is set to occur sometime in May with an official date to be announced later by Hyatt. Oh, remember the fake devaluation post as well?

Is May 7 the date? A Redditor received an email from Park Hyatt Beaver Creek saying the changes take effect that day. However, a World of Hyatt spokesperson told Thrifty Traveler this isn’t correct and the date will be provided shortly.

Regardless, book sooner rather than later if you can. Aspirational property costs might be 67% higher in less than a month while all-inclusives are facing a similar fate.

It feels like a death by a thousand cuts this year with American Express. We are losing the Saks credit given the financial situation of Saks Global, Amex has tightened up how we can use some credits (airline credits, maybe Resy?), some transfer partners are no longer 1:1 rates (Cathay Pacific), and Amex is even losing a transfer partner (Etihad on June 30).

Now, Amex is revoking the ability to use your Platinum card to access select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa Group airlines. This will take place starting October 1. More details on OMAAT.

Oh, and American Express hasn’t had a transfer bonus (from their end) at all this year.

It pains me to write this, as the more people who know about it, the harder it will be for me. But starting today, Marriott will be offering the ability to get two tickets to the World Cup Final for the cost of… just 1 Marriott point! This is part of Marriott’s 1-Point Drop series to promote various partnerships that Marriott has. Marriott (and other loyalty programs) offer ways to redeem points for experiences, generally thorugh a bidding/auction process. These 1-Point drops are first-come, first-serve and tests to see if you are a world-record holder in clicking really fast. It also helps save 2 million points, which is what this cardmember exclusive auction went for this weekend.

The wording also indicates there will be multiple 1-Point Drops for World Cup Finals tickets. Marriott also indicated there will be access to all 104 games (likely through bidding/auction). Good luck!

FYI: Qatar also lets you bid using Avios for experiences. There are many World Cup games where bidding ends on April 21 that aren’t bid super high at the moment.

Fly Iberia business class, starting at 40.5k or 59k points each way, depending on peak vs. off-peak dates. Tax/fees start at $127 each way. Fly between Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York (JFK/EWR), Orlando, DC (IAD), Toronto, and Madrid.

Flights between DFW MIA, and MCO are priced at 50.5k or 74k points depending on peak vs. off-peak.

How to book
British Airways: Starting at 40.5k points + $127-200 in tax/fees. $55 change/cancel fee
Transfer partners: Amex, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Wells Fargo directly, or Citi, and Rove indirectly through other Avios partners

Iberia: Starting at 40.5k points + $127-200 in tax/fees. €25 change or cancel fee for Iberia flights
Transfer Partners: Amex, Bilt, Chase, Wells Fargo directly, or Capital One, Citi, Rove indirectly through other Avios partners

Japan Airlines: 42k one-way or 80k round-trip for BOS, NYC, DC, YYZ or 60k one-way or 85k round-trip for ORD, DFW, MIA, MCO + $121-200 in tax/fees
Transfer Partners: Bilt, Rove
Note: JAL does not have as much availability vs. booking with BA or IB

Some of these flights are also bookable through AA or Alaska as well, but only on some routes and on some of the dates.

Don’t have Rove Miles yet? Sign up with my referral and get 1,500 Miles to start (better than public offer of 500 miles). You can learn more about Rove on my blog post here as well.

Dates w/2+ seats

BOS-MAD (40.5k or 59k points)
July: 2
November: 7, 9, 10, 22
December: 4, 8, 29, 30
January 2027: 1-7, 10, 12, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28-31
February: 1-3, 6-8, 10, 15-18, 20-28
March: 1-4, 7, 8, 10, 13-24, 26-31
April: 1, 3-6
MAD-BOS (40.5k or 59k points)
April: 15
November: 5, 7-9, 11, 15, 20, 21, 25-27
December: 3, 4, 7, 10, 15, 16, 20, 21-28
January 2027: 8, 11-21, 23, 25, 27, 29-31
February: 1-13, 16-18, 20-22, 24, 26, 28
March: 1-5, 7-11, 13, 15-19, 21-31
April: 1-6

ORD-MAD (40.5k or 59k points)
May: 4
November: None
December: None
January 2027: 1, 22, 30
February:
March: 27-30
April: 5, 6
MAD-ORD (40.5k or 59k points)
May: 2, 5-9, 12, 15-17, 20, 21
December: 10
January 2026: 15, 25, 29, 30
February: 3-6, 10
March: 1, 4, 11, 24, 25
April: 1, 2, 4, 6

DFW-MAD (50.5k or 74k points if off-peak vs. peak)
December: 8, 29
January 2027: 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 21, 23, 26, 28
February: 21
March: 20, 25, 27-29
April: 4, 5
MAD-DFW (50.5k or 74k points if off-peak vs. peak)
April: 15, 21, 22, 30
May: 1, 6, 14, 20, 23
June: 19
November: 7
December: 3, 26
January 2027: 12, 21, 23, 26, 30, 31
February: 2, 4, 7, 28
March: 2, 4, 6, 9, 25, 27-31
April: 1, 2, 4-6

MIA-MAD (50.5k or 74k points if off-peak vs. peak)
November: 10
December: 2, 4, 9, 11, 30
January 2027: 1, 6, 19, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31
February: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16-19, 23-26, 28
March: 1-4, 10, 11, 16, 17, 24-26, 28, 29, 31
April: 1-6
MAD-MIA (50.5k or 74k points if off-peak vs. peak)
November: 6, 13, 18, 22
December: 2-4, 8, 9, 11, 17, 23, 24, 30
January 2027: 1, 6, 18-20, 22-29, 31
February: 2, 4, 7-10, 14, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26
March: 1-3, 7, 9, 10, 12-16, 18, 20, 22, 24-26, 28, 29, 31
April: 2-6

EWR-MAD (40.5k or 59k points)
July: 4
March 2027: 28-31
April: 1, 3-6
MAD-EWR (40.5k or 59k points)
March 2027: 28-31
April: 1-6

JFK-MAD (40.5k or 59k points)
November: 6
December: 3, 30
January 2027: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 19-25, 27-31
February: 1, 3-6, 9, 16, 17, 19-28
March: 1, 2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 17, 19-31
April: 1-6
MAD-JFK (40.5k or 59k points)
April: 22, 23
May: 1, 2
September: 1
November: 25, 26
December: 2, 8-10, 12, 18-24, 29
January 2027: 14, 19, 22, 23, 25-28
February: 1-12, 14, 15, 17-19, 24, 25, 27
March: 1-6, 8-10, 12, 14-20, 22, 24-31
April: 1-6

MCO-MAD (50.5k or 74k points if off-peak vs. peak)
August: 22
September: None
October: 29, 31
November: 5, 12, 14, 26
December: 10, 24, 31
January 2027: 6, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 28
February: 4, 20, 22, 27
March: 1, 15, 18, 22, 25, 27
April: None
MAD-MCO (50.5k or 74k points if off-peak vs. peak)
November: 19, 23
December: 3, 5, 10, 17, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28
January 2027: 7, 14, 16, 28, 30
February: 1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 27
March: 1, 6, 11, 25, 27, 29
April: 5

YYZ-MAD (40.5k or 59k points)
July: 12, 19
August: 10
March 2027: 28, 29
April: 3-5
MAD-YYZ (40.5k or 59k points)
July: None
August: 26
March 2027: 28, 29, 31
April: 2-5

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