Breaking Points: Credit Card News

Bilt addred another new way to use Bilt Cash, as it is now partnering with Equinox. Members can now redeem Bilt Cash for spa treatments, personal training, and Studio Pilates sessions. The amount corresponds to your elite status level with Bilt and can be used twice per year. Blue members can use up to $75 each time, Silver members $100, and Gold or Platinum members $150. New Equinox members who join through Bilt can also choose between 10,000 Bilt points, a complimentary personal training session, or a 50-minute spa service. This is a niche benefit that will only be usefult for people in larger cities with an Equinox presence, but it adds another potentially useful way to redeem Bilt Cash, especially for existing Equinox members or anyone already considering joining.

Japan Airlines will reduce fuel surcharges starting September 1, 2026, reversing part of the increase it implemented in July. For flights between Japan and the U.S., surcharges will drop from about $410 to $315, a savings of roughly $95 per ticket. If you’re planning to book a JAL award or paid ticket and your travel dates are flexible, it may be worth waiting until September 1 to book, especially if you’re traveling with multiple people.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts has a partnership with Sixt, and every time you rent a car from Sixt, I Prefer members will earn 5,000 bonus points. There are a few requirements: You must book through the Preferred Hotels Sixt offer and add your I Prefer number to the reservation. The rental must cost at least €25 or the equivalent in local currency before taxes and fees, but there is no minimum rental length. This can be a good return on short, inexpensive one-day rentals. We value I Prefer points at around 0.5¢ each, making the 5,000-point bonus worth roughly $25. You can also stack the bonus with eligible card-linked Sixt offers from programs like Amex or Citi.

Flying Blue is the latest airline to add "Light" fares, essentially basic fares, to its lowest-priced Air France and KLM awards starting September 8, 2026. These new Light fares will be available in all cabin classes and cannot be changed or refunded. They also come with fewer benefits, including reduced baggage allowances, no advance seat selection without paying, and no lounge access even when flying business class. The next step up will be a Standard award with the same benefits Flying Blue awards generally offer today, but expect to pay roughly 25-30% more miles when Light pricing is available. For example, New York to Paris business class will cost 60,000 miles as a Light award when Saver pricing is available, while the Standard fare will cost 75,000 miles and include the same benefits that today's 60,000-mile Saver award offers. The good news is that Light fares will only apply to the lowest-priced Air France and KLM awards, while higher-priced awards will continue to book as Standard when no Saver awards are available. Partner awards are also unaffected. Platinum elite members will still retain benefits like free changes and cancellations even when booking a "Light" fare. Overall, this is a devaluation for anyone who values the flexibility of Flying Blue's lowest-priced awards, as comparable Standard awards will now cost around 25-30% more than they do today.

Wyndham Vacation Resorts is offering three-night award stays for the price of one night at participating properties. Since Wyndham awards cost 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points per night, you'll pay just 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points total for all three nights. Wyndham credit cardholders can save another 10-25% on award bookings, so Wyndham Earner Premier cardholders with the 25% discount could pay just 5,625, 11,250, or 22,500 points for the entire stay. The big catch is that you must attend a Wyndham timeshare presentation during your stay. Timeshare presentations aren't for everyone, but if you're comfortable sitting through the presentation and saying no, three nights for as little as 5,625 points is an excellent deal.