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Aeroplan Points Cover Annual Fee at 2 Cents
Chase raised the Pay Yourself Back rate for the Air Canada Aeroplan card's annual fee from 1.25 cents to 2 cents per point as of October 4, 2026, according to Doctor of Credit. Covering the new $195 fee now takes 9,750 points instead of 15,600. The 1.25-cent rate on travel purchases is unchanged through December 31, 2026.
Chase Launches $350 IHG Premier Select Card
Chase and IHG launched the IHG One Rewards Premier Select card with a $350 annual fee, a 60,000-point anniversary free night and up to $300 a year in IHG dining credits. The three existing IHG cards were refreshed: the Premier fee rises from $99 to $150 and the renamed Business card goes to $200, with existing cardholders seeing new fees in 2027.
Chase Hyatt Transfers Drop to 4:3 on October 1
Starting October 1, 2026, Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cardholders who opened their accounts before June 15 will transfer Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt at 4:3 instead of 1:1. Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business keep the 1:1 ratio. Transfers still run in 1,000 point increments.
BofA Points Will Transfer to Atmos in 2027
Alaska Airlines said on September 29, 2026 that customers with eligible Bank of America card products will be able to transfer points into Atmos Rewards in 2027. Alaska also plans to refresh the Atmos Rewards Visa Business Card in late 2026 with 10x on purchases through Atmos Rewards for Business, lounge passes and free same day confirmed changes.
U.S. Bank Launches Two Business Cash Cards
U.S. Bank launched the Business Essentials Visa and Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature on September 28, 2026. Both earn a flat 2% cash back, rising to 2.5% and 3.5% with qualifying business checking balances. The no annual fee Essentials offers $500 after $5,000 in 150 days, and the $295 Plus adds 5% on its top category up to $200,000 a year with a $1,000 bonus after $15,000.
Venmo Card Drops Top Category for Fixed 3%
The Venmo Credit Card has replaced its automatic 3% top category and 2% second category with fixed 3% rates on dining, entertainment and Pay with Venmo purchases, plus an extra 1% on split dining and entertainment bills. Groceries, gas and travel now earn 1%. Doctor of Credit reported the change on September 25, 2026 and says existing cardholders keep the old structure for now.
Capital One Relaunches Discover it Secured
Amex Business Gold Swaps FedEx Credit for UPS
Bilt Hyatt Transfers Drop to 4:3 in 2027
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Aeroplan Points Cover Annual Fee at 2 Cents
Chase raised the Pay Yourself Back rate for the Air Canada Aeroplan card's annual fee from 1.25 cents to 2 cents per point as of October 4, 2026, according to Doctor of Credit. Covering the new $195 fee now takes 9,750 points instead of 15,600. The 1.25-cent rate on travel purchases is unchanged through December 31, 2026.
Capital One Relaunches Discover it Secured
Capital One reopened applications for the Discover it Secured card on October 5, 2026, now called the Discover it Secured Cash Back Credit Card. Refundable deposits start at $49 for a credit line of at least $200, with no annual fee, 5% rotating categories and first-year Cashback Match. Applications had been paused since June 2, 2026.
Amex Business Gold Swaps FedEx Credit for UPS
The American Express Business Gold card's up to $20 monthly flexible business credit now covers shipments at UPS.com instead of FedEx, as of October 1, 2026. Grubhub and U.S. office supply store purchases still qualify, and enrollment is still required.
Bilt Hyatt Transfers Drop to 4:3 in 2027
Starting January 1, 2027, Bilt points will transfer to World of Hyatt at 4:3 instead of 1:1, so 1,000 Bilt points will become 750 Hyatt points. The change applies to all members and all Bilt cards, including Palladium. Transfers at 1:1 continue through December 31, 2026.
Chase Launches $350 IHG Premier Select Card
Chase and IHG launched the IHG One Rewards Premier Select card with a $350 annual fee, a 60,000-point anniversary free night and up to $300 a year in IHG dining credits. The three existing IHG cards were refreshed: the Premier fee rises from $99 to $150 and the renamed Business card goes to $200, with existing cardholders seeing new fees in 2027.
Chase Hyatt Transfers Drop to 4:3 on October 1
Starting October 1, 2026, Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cardholders who opened their accounts before June 15 will transfer Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt at 4:3 instead of 1:1. Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business keep the 1:1 ratio. Transfers still run in 1,000 point increments.
BofA Points Will Transfer to Atmos in 2027
Alaska Airlines said on September 29, 2026 that customers with eligible Bank of America card products will be able to transfer points into Atmos Rewards in 2027. Alaska also plans to refresh the Atmos Rewards Visa Business Card in late 2026 with 10x on purchases through Atmos Rewards for Business, lounge passes and free same day confirmed changes.
U.S. Bank Launches Two Business Cash Cards
U.S. Bank launched the Business Essentials Visa and Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature on September 28, 2026. Both earn a flat 2% cash back, rising to 2.5% and 3.5% with qualifying business checking balances. The no annual fee Essentials offers $500 after $5,000 in 150 days, and the $295 Plus adds 5% on its top category up to $200,000 a year with a $1,000 bonus after $15,000.
Venmo Card Drops Top Category for Fixed 3%
The Venmo Credit Card has replaced its automatic 3% top category and 2% second category with fixed 3% rates on dining, entertainment and Pay with Venmo purchases, plus an extra 1% on split dining and entertainment bills. Groceries, gas and travel now earn 1%. Doctor of Credit reported the change on September 25, 2026 and says existing cardholders keep the old structure for now.
Bilt Opens Card Upgrades in Beta
Bilt began offering product upgrades on its Bilt Card 2.0 lineup on September 18, 2026, as a phased beta for select cardholders. Blue holders may upgrade to Obsidian or Palladium, and Obsidian holders to Palladium, with no new application or hard inquiry. The old annual fee is refunded in full or prorated, and upgrades are limited to one per 12 months.
Kroger Relaunches Its Card With Imprint
Kroger launched a new no annual fee Mastercard on September 23, 2026, run by Imprint and issued by First Bank & Trust. It earns up to 5x points on Kroger pickup and delivery, 4x on Kroger fuel, 3x in Kroger stores and 2x on dining, utilities and travel, and includes a free Boost Essential membership. It replaces the U.S. Bank Kroger cards that closed to applicants in May.
Bilt Points Now Transfer to Amtrak at 2:1
Bilt and Amtrak announced a loyalty partnership on September 23, 2026 that lets members move Bilt Points into Amtrak Guest Rewards at a 2:1 ratio. Transfers run in 1,000 point increments, with a 1,000 Bilt Point minimum for most members and 2,000 for Blue Status. Amtrak is Bilt's first rail partner and its 26th travel partner.
Freedom Flex Adds Points Boost on Hotels
Chase said on September 21, 2026 that Freedom cardmembers can now use Points Boost on select hotel bookings through Chase Travel, making points worth up to 10% more on those stays. The feature had been limited to Chase's premium travel cards, and it is live now rather than on a future date.
Chase Reopens Freedom to Flex Product Change
Chase is again allowing product changes from the original Chase Freedom, a Visa, to the Chase Freedom Flex, a Mastercard. Chase suspended Visa to Mastercard product changes last year. Doctor of Credit reported the reversal on September 22, 2026, days after the Freedom Flex refresh went live.
Sapphire Reserve DoorDash Credit Triples
Chase is raising the Sapphire Reserve monthly DoorDash restaurant credit from $5 to $15 on October 1, 2026, and has extended the card's DoorDash benefit through the end of 2029. The increase arrived with five limited time anniversary travel offers worth up to $1,050 combined.
Freedom Flex Drops Phone Protection, FX Fee
As of September 20, 2026, the Chase Freedom Flex no longer carries cell phone protection, and its 3% foreign transaction fee is gone. Claims are covered only for losses through September 19. Chase notified cardholders by email, and a new card design is already showing in the app.
Chase Reveals Q1 2027 Freedom Categories
Chase's Q4 activation emails also listed the first quarter 2027 rotating categories for the Freedom Flex and the original Freedom: grocery stores and top streaming services, running January 1 through March 31, 2027. Chase normally waits until the quarter is close, and grocery now runs for six straight months.
Citi Strata Bonus Now Once Per Lifetime
Citi quietly rewrote the welcome bonus terms on its Strata cards on September 20, 2026. The old language barred a bonus if you had received one in the past 48 months. The new language bars a bonus if you currently have or previously had the card, making each Strata bonus a once per lifetime event.
Citi Adds Japan Airlines Transfer Partner
Citi added Japan Airlines Mileage Bank as a ThankYou transfer partner on September 20, 2026. Cards with an annual fee transfer at 1:1 and no annual fee cards transfer at 1:0.7. A 30% launch bonus runs through October 24, 2026, lifting those rates to 1,300 and 910 JAL miles per 1,000 points.
Rumor: Chase Applies 3/24 to Business Cards
Chase reconsideration agents have been telling business card applicants since September 16, 2026 that a new rule denies sole proprietors with three or more new accounts in the past 24 months, down from the long standing 5/24 threshold. Doctor of Credit and Travel on Points have both collected data points citing the same date and the same wording. Chase has not announced any change.
Chase Points Can Now Fund Investing Accounts
Chase announced Invest Your Points on September 16, 2026, letting Sapphire, Freedom and Ink cardholders redeem Ultimate Rewards points for cash deposited into an eligible J.P. Morgan investing account. The rate is 1 cent per point, the same as a statement credit or direct deposit, so there is no bonus for choosing it.
Sapphire Reserve Business Edit Credit Doubles
Chase is doubling the Sapphire Reserve for Business annual credit for The Edit from $500 to $1,000 on January 1, 2027, paid as four statement credits of up to $250 each instead of two. Separately, the card's 3X rate on social media and search engine advertising gets a $1 million cap per account anniversary year starting November 15, 2026.
Amex Opens Amsterdam Centurion Lounge Sept 17
American Express opens its first Centurion Lounge in continental Europe at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 6:00 a.m. on September 17, 2026. The roughly 6,000 square foot room sits between Concourses E and F on the non-Schengen side and runs daily until 9:30 p.m. It is the 33rd Centurion Lounge worldwide, open to Platinum Card and Centurion Card Members flying out the same day.
Amex Platinum Cruise Credit Needs Amex Travel
As of September 15, 2026, the Platinum Card's Cruise Privileges Program onboard credit of up to $300 per stateroom applies only to sailings booked through American Express Travel. Cruises booked with an independent travel advisor, an online travel agency or another third party no longer qualify. The American Society of Travel Advisors has asked Amex to meet and to delay the change.