Earn points by the campfire

☀️ Good morning and welcome back to Daily Drop — your support group for people who refresh Google Flights like it’s Instagram.

Let’s get into the good stuff:

• 🌲 Marriott steps into the woods: cabins, trail towns, and perks

• 💳 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue

• ✈️ Flying Blue Promo Rewards

• 🛍️ How to get Amazon Prime for cheap or free

🌲 Marriott steps into the woods: cabins, trail towns, and perks

Marriott just launched its new Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy, plus a new Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors hub that helps you find nature-forward stays and activities.

The collection debuts with two names you’ll start seeing a lot: Postcard Cabins (designy tiny cabins in the woods) and Trailborn (boutique hotels in mountain/park towns).

Beyond the branding, the Outdoors hub lets you search 450+ hotels, 50,000 Homes & Villas listings, and curated tours/activities by what you want to do (ski, hike, paddle, dive, etc.).

These properties are integrated with Marriott Bonvoy — you can earn and redeem points and receive elite recognition on stays (yay).

Where you’ll see them

Postcard Cabins: 1,200 cabins across 29 U.S. outposts, ranging from California to Florida, and beyond.

Trailborn is growing in gateway spots like the Grand Canyon, Blue Ridge, and Wrightsville Beach.

A real-world example

I’m back in my home state of New Hampshire this month, and there’s a Postcard Cabins “Blake Brook” outpost near Epsom, right down the road from me.

It runs around $177 a night or 40,000 points, so it’s not the cheapest experience.

Still, getting some nice outdoors time with a comfy furnished cabin could be worthwhile, especially considering you’ll be earning points and elite night credit while roasting s’mores.

Bottom line

This is Marriott Bonvoy leaning into the “outdoorsy but comfy” lane in a very mainstream way.

I think it’s awesome to have so many unique accommodation options that still let us play the points and miles/hotel loyalty game.

If you’ve been curious about glamping-adjacent options but wanted elite nights and points to count, this is your green light.

💳 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue

For a limited time — through October 31 — you’ll get a 20% transfer bonus from Membership Rewards points to Flying Blue (the joint program of Air France and KLM).

That means every 1,000 Membership Rewards points becomes 1,200 Flying Blue miles.

Flying Blue has always been one of those sneakily valuable programs — not just for transatlantic or international flights, but for quirky regional routes all over the world.

For example, you can book short domestic Delta flights for as few as 5,000 Flying Blue miles in economy.

With the 20% bonus, that works out to just 4,200 Membership Rewards points – a great opportunity to transfer a big stash of points to use over time.

Or take something a little more off the beaten path:

Last year, I booked a flight from Madagascar to Kenya on Kenya Airways for 13,000 Flying Blue miles when the cash fare was running over $700 (flying in Africa is expensive, y’all).

I know that sounds pretty niche, but the point is this:

Whether you’re flying around the U.S., exploring niche regions like Africa, or planning a bigger international trip, Flying Blue is always worth a look — especially with a 20% transfer bonus until October 31.

If you need Membership Rewards points, you’re in luck — there are some current elevated offers to help you boost your stash:

And the cherry on top? Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards just dropped today, so the timing couldn’t be better…

✈️ Flying Blue Promo Rewards (October)

Every month, Flying Blue drops a fresh set of Promo Rewards — discounted award tickets that can save you 25% on flights between the U.S. and Europe.

The new batch just landed, and if you’ve been sitting on Flying Blue miles (or eyeing that 20% transfer bonus), this is where things get good.

What’s on the board this month

You can book these Promo Rewards through October 31, 2025, for travel all the way until March 31, 2026.

That means plenty of flexibility to plan a winter escape, spring break, or a shoulder-season hop across the Atlantic.

On the U.S. side, there’s a long list of eligible routes, including cities like Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), and more.

Economy flights will run you just 18,750 miles one-way after the discount — a great deal, especially for those longer West Coast routes.

But the crown jewel this month is in Premium Economy: flights between Boston (BOS) and Europe for only 30,000 miles one-way (or just 60,000 miles in business, but that’s the normal rate).

That’s a discounted rate that opens up a more comfortable transatlantic option for barely more than what economy usually runs.

Why this matters

Flying Blue already punches above its weight for award pricing, and Promo Rewards take it to another level.

Combine this with the 20% Membership Rewards point transfer bonus through October 31, and you’re looking at one of the most efficient ways to cross the Atlantic this fall or winter.

For example, with the bonus in play, that 30,000-mile Boston–Europe Premium Economy ticket would only cost you 25,000 Membership Rewards points.

That’s an absurd value for a premium seat across the pond.

Bottom line

It’s not often we see the stars align with a transfer bonus and discounted flights to Europe launching on the exact same day, so don’t let this opportunity go to waste.

🛍️ How to get Amazon Prime for cheap or free

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days are coming up next week, and if you don’t already have a Prime membership, there are a few ways to get covered — without paying the full $139 annual fee.

The fastest option is to start a 30-day free trial. That’s enough to carry you through the sales, with free shipping and Prime-exclusive discounts.

If you’re a student, you can snag a six-month $0 trial with Prime Student, followed by a half-price subscription.

And if you’re between 18 and 24, Prime for Young Adults offers the same six months free plus ongoing discounted pricing.

There’s also Prime Access for folks on qualifying government assistance programs. It comes with a 30-day trial and then runs just $6.99/month.

Already have a family member with Prime? You can share benefits using Amazon Family — one adult in your household can extend Prime shipping and perks to another adult, plus teens/kids.

And finally, if you want to stack some extra savings, this co-branded card offers 5% back on Amazon purchases with no annual fee (Prime membership required), which is great for frequent Amazon shoppers.

That’s all for today, my friends. It’s always nice when two deals align so perfectly, like today with Flying Blue.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for even more deals tomorrow 🤞

Ciao,

42.9956° N, 71.4548° W

With contributions by Tiffany Eastham, McKay Moffitt, and Benji Stawski