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Points strategies, fare-deal breakdowns, and the stories behind the sweet spots — written by the team that watches award space all day. Updated every week.
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Annual Marriott Bonvoy free-night certificates expire faster than most cardholders use them. Here are the highest-cents-per-point redemptions for each tier this month.

May is when summer transatlantic saver availability either opens up or locks down for the next four months. The 2026 picture is unusually mixed — some routes are wide open while others are already fully closed.

May 2026 has the heaviest transfer-bonus density of any month in 12 months across the major flexible-points programs. Here is what is active and what to time.

Cinco de Mayo weekend pushes US-Mexico award demand to its second-highest spike of the year. Here is what saver inventory looked like across the four major Mexico hubs in 2026.

United Airlines is rolling out lie-flat seating in economy on select widebody routes starting 2027. Forbes broke the story; here is the points + cash strategy for the next 18 months as deployment unfolds.

Spirit Airlines has ceased operations and been delisted from search inventory. If you have a booking, here is the rebooking + refund + points-recovery path Pointify recommends step by step.

Venice Marco Polo (VCE) sees minimal direct US service. The award path is almost always via Munich, Frankfurt, Paris, or Rome — and the cheapest option depends on which alliance you book through.

Florence Peretola (FLR) has limited direct US service — most travelers route through Rome, Milan, Frankfurt, or Munich. Here are the actual mile costs and which alliance to book through.

Porto (OPO) has limited direct US service. The cleanest awards route through Lisbon on TAP Air Portugal, Munich on Lufthansa, or Madrid on Iberia. Here is the practical 2026 picture.

Edinburgh (EDI) sees direct US service from JFK, Newark, and Boston seasonally. Outside summer, the cheapest path is via Heathrow on Oneworld or via Reykjavik on Icelandair. Here is the math.

Budapest (BUD) has no direct US service. The cheapest paths route through Munich on Lufthansa, Helsinki on Finnair, or Vienna on Austrian. Here is which alliance wins for the typical 2026 booking.

Cairo (CAI) is served by EgyptAir Star Alliance, plus connecting service via Frankfurt, Istanbul, Doha, and Dubai. Here are the cheapest 2026 award paths and which transfer-program currency wins.
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