Don't sleep on this new transfer bonus

☀️ ¡Buenos días, friends! Aaaaand welcome back to Daily Drop, where we collect miles and points (and unhealthy emotional attachments to loyalty programs).

Today you’re stuck with me (McKay) while Mike works on some fun articles for the site.

Let’s get right into today’s top hits:

• 🍬 New transfer bonus (with some wild sweet spots)

• 👯‍♀️ Double the cards, double the perks?

• 🌏 Southwest goes global (kinda)

• ❤️ Meme

🍬 New transfer bonus (with some wild sweet spots)

If you’ve got Membership Rewards points, it’s time to peek at the LifeMiles chart.

Now through November 30, American Express is offering a 15% transfer bonus when you send your Membership Rewards points to Avianca LifeMiles, the quirky (but incredibly valuable) Star Alliance program.

For those of us who suck at math (so… 🙋‍♀️), this means 1,000 Membership Rewards points gives you 1,150 LifeMiles instantly.

What you could book with this cheeky bonus:

• Domestic U.S. flights on United for just 8,700 MR points one-way

• Business class to Europe (on SWISS, Austrian, Lufthansa, or TAP) for 69,000 MR points

• Lufthansa First Class to Europe for 113,000 MR points (caviar and champagne included) 🍾

Like I said, LifeMiles isn’t without its quirks.

The site can be pretty clunky, and award searches sometimes glitch. It has a bad habit of showing “ghost” seats, so try searching specific airlines or nearby airports.

But when it works, it’s honestly one of the best deals in the game.

And, you’ll want to double-check before transferring, because once your MR points move over, there’s no going back… ever. Dun dun duuuun.

The good thing is that Avianca doesn’t tack on the insane surcharges you’ll find with some other programs.

Plus, LifeMiles awards are bookable online (no phone agents, no hidden fees), when the site decides to… you know… work. 🙃

Bottom line: A 15% transfer bonus might not sound super crazy, but when you’re already getting great rates and avoiding surcharges, it’s a killer way to get more value out of your Membership Rewards stash.

So, if you have a trip in mind (especially an expensive domestic flight on United or Star Alliance redemption to Europe or Asia), this bonus makes it worth checking out LifeMiles.

At the same time, programs like Aeroplan offer some of the same flights at better rates, so be sure to explore your options.

The offer ends November 30, so if you’re a procrastinator, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.

👯‍♀️ Double the cards, double the perks?

I've got some ground-breaking, earth-shattering, mind-blowing news for you today (sarcasm).

You don’t always need a brand-new card to upgrade your travel game.

Sometimes, all you need is one tiny addition: an authorized user.

Adding someone to your account can score you some serious perks, like lounge access, better earning potential, and credit-building (for your friend or family member) — all without another application.

Like all good things in the points world, there’s a little strategy involved.

Some cards charge serious fees for authorized users, and others (like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card) are about to change their rules entirely (but more on that in the deep dive). 🫠

For example, adding your partner to the American Express Platinum Card® could mean they get their own Centurion Lounge access and travel protections, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives authorized users their own Priority Pass and DashPass perks.

Yup… DashPass. 🥲

In this article, we walk you through when it’s worth paying extra, when to skip it, and which cards give your authorized users the best benefits, including some that might surprise you.

🌏 Southwest goes global (kinda)

Ayoooo. Southwest just added Philippine Airlines to its growing list of global partners — giving you dozens of new travel options across the Pacific (yay!).

Some key takeaways:

1. The two airlines now offer interline tickets, meaning you can book one ticket for both airlines (e.g., Honolulu → L.A. → Manila).

2. PAL travelers can now connect to Southwest in major U.S. hubs, while Southwest flyers can continue on PAL to cities like Manila, Tokyo, Sydney, and Dubai.

3. You’ll even get rebooking protections and checked-bag transfers between carriers.

Basically, you can hop a Southwest flight to L.A., then board a PAL jet straight to Manila, Sydney, or Dubai — all without juggling separate tickets.

This is a pretty big deal for Southwest, which has historically been a domestic-only player. It’s their fourth overseas partnership, and more seem to be in the works, including some “transatlantic surprises” for 2026.

Between that and the airline’s upcoming cabin redesign and new extra-legroom seating, Southwest is keeping its name in headlines (and this newsletter).

My Take: This doesn’t mean you can book Southwest flights all the way to Asia (yet), but it does make long-haul connections way smoother.

Some of the downsides:

• Currently, there are no implications for award earning or redeeming… so don’t expect to use Southwest points to fly to the Philippines. 😉 

• Since Southwest doesn’t fly to New York JFK or Guam (both of which PAL flies to), you won’t be able to book connecting itineraries with Southwest through them.

• You can only book these joint itineraries through PAL’s website or third-party booking platforms like Expedia – not through Southwest directly.

Anyway, this is still a really cool development. Y’all gotta admit… Southwest is kind of “that girl” right now (and I’m here for it!).

❤️ Meme

Pheeewww, that’s gonna do it for today, friends. I hope you enjoyed learning more about a new and exciting transfer bonus, the authorized users debate, and Southwest’s new partnership.

Now back to my fourth (I mean… second) cup of coffee for the day. 😅

Lots of love,

40.7128° N, 74.0060° W