Weekend Edition / Dear Ohad...

Dear Terminally Tired,
You know the saying “If someone shows you who they are, believe them”? Delta has been showing us who they are for years—and they are a high-spend, high-maintenance partner who only wants you if you’re swiping your Amex like a hedge fund manager.

The new thresholds for status are brutal unless you're flying weekly or expensing your life. If you’re not hitting $35K on your Reserve card just to keep Silver, what are we even doing here?

Loyalty should be a two-way street, not a toll road. If you want lounge access, grab the card. If you want lie-flat flights, use points. But chasing Medallion in 2025 is like chasing someone who already blocked your number.

Move on. You deserve better.

Dear Boise Belle,
Ah yes, the Marriott-to-Hyatt pipeline. Welcome. Here's your survival kit.

While Hyatt’s footprint is smaller, their value is anything but. You earn more valuable points, get consistent elite recognition, and they don't act like breakfast is a precious family heirloom they’re afraid to part with.

Hyatt Place, Caption by Hyatt, and even SLH partnerships are everywhere stateside if you know where to look. It might take slightly more planning, but Hyatt is the travel equivalent of dating someone who texts back, pays the bill, and remembers your dog’s name.

Dump Bonvoy. Join Hyatt. Send me a postcard from the club lounge.

Dear Frustrated,
You’re not alone. Every time Amex Platinum adds another random “Uber Eats Golf Pants” credit, I roll my eyes hard enough to earn elite status.

Here are your drama-free travel MVPs:

• Capital One Venture X: Lounge access, $300 annual travel credit, 2X everywhere, and just $395. It's giving "cool older sibling who actually takes you somewhere."
• Citi Strata Premier: 3X on dining, gas, groceries, airfare, and hotel. No lounge access, but the transfer partners are strong, and the annual fee is modest.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred: Old reliable. Still good for beginners. Still not trying to be fancy.

Skip the platinum tax unless you’re using all the perks. These cards give you what you want—no guessing, no drama, no Amex therapy sessions.

Dear Portal Petrified,
Booking through a portal is like going to a diner. It’s easy, the menu’s long, and the food’s... fine. But if you want filet mignon on a hamburger budget, you transfer those points.

Using Chase, Amex, Capital One, or Citi? Transfer to airline and hotel partners when you're aiming for serious value. Think:

• Business class to Europe for 50K instead of 250K
• Five-star Hyatt stays for 12K points a night
• First class to Asia that doesn’t cost a second mortgage

Use the portal for low-cost domestic flights or cheap hotels. But if you’re spending 100,000 points to sit in coach between Newark and Detroit, I’m filing a wellness check.

Dear Snoozer,
Love this question. There are so many hidden gems that don’t get TikTok clout because they don’t come with a glass of Krug. But they’re real.

Here’s the insider scoop:

• Iberia Business Class to Madrid for 34K Avios (off-peak). Great product. Low surcharges.
• Turkish Airlines to Hawaii for 7.5K miles each way in economy (from the U.S.).
• Hyatt Category 1-4 hotels for 5K–15K per night. Some of these are beachfront or city center gems.
• Flying Blue Promo Awards—constantly rotating and sometimes drop business class to Europe to under 50K.

Redemption doesn’t have to mean splurging. Sometimes it means flying smart and laughing all the way to the Maldives.

Dear Aspiring QSuite Royalty,
Yes—and this is where the magic happens. Airline partnerships are like loopholes in the Matrix. You don’t need Qatar miles to fly Qatar. You just need the right plug.

Here’s how it works:

• Transfer Amex points to Qatar Privilege Club (which uses Avios). You can book QSuites for ~70K one-way to the Middle East or Asia.
• Transfer to Virgin Atlantic to book ANA First Class for 110K round-trip. Insane value.
• Use Air Canada Aeroplan to book on partners like Emirates, Etihad, or Singapore Airlines—all without using their native programs.

It’s like shopping at Whole Foods using Trader Joe’s gift cards. You just need to know where to swipe.

Dear Smaug,
You know what they say—points aren’t like wine. They don’t get better with age. They get devalued.

Airlines and hotels aren’t shy about gutting their programs when you’re not looking. One day your points get you business class to Paris. The next, they get you a middle seat and a Stroopwafel.

Here’s what to do:

• Use some for a big trip now.
• Keep a stash for emergencies or last-minute bookings.
• Stop waiting for the “perfect” redemption. It doesn’t exist.

Points are a tool, not a trophy. Spend them. Enjoy them. And for the love of all that’s sacred in travel, never redeem for gift cards.

Until next time: earn hard, burn fast, and never let a loyalty program tell you what you're worth.
Got a travel dilemma? Send it to ohad@upnonstop.com and let’s air it out.