Fly to Asia for 20k points

🥱 Good morning and welcome back to Daily Drop, your one true travel Seoulmate (it’ll make sense in a minute).

Let’s get into it:

• ✈️ Two-for-one flights to Seoul (or just 20K points)

• 🎉 Our card reviews just got better

• 🛡️ Protect Your Reputation Before It’s Too Late

• 🏨 Save 15% on IHG award nights

• 🔄 Current transfer bonuses

✈️ Two-for-one flights to Seoul (or just 20K points)

Alaska Airlines just launched a deal that almost doesn’t feel real. For today only, you can fly to Seoul with a friend for basically half price.

Here’s how it works: If you book by 11:59 p.m. PT tonight (September 12) and use the code SEOULBOGO, you’ll get a buy-one-get-one ticket to Seoul.

The second traveler just pays the taxes and fees.

I tested it out on the new nonstop Seattle (SEA) → Seoul (ICN) flight this November, and the math is wild: $457 for two people to fly one way across the Pacific. 👇

That’s INSANE for flying two people from the U.S. to Asia…

But that’s not all — Alaska is also discounting award tickets. Instead of the usual 37,500 points, you can book a one-way economy flight to Seoul for just 20,000 Atmos points + $6.

No BOGO here, but still an insanely cheap way to get there.

This deal is particularly appealing because Alaska’s generous change/cancellation policy holds up. So you could lock in flights at this rate, and only lose out on the small booking fee if you need to cancel later.

A few quick details before you start packing your bags:

• Travel window runs through December 15, 2025

• Valid only on Alaska/Hawaiian flights (no partner airlines)

• BOGO tickets must be booked for exactly two people in the same reservation

• First class, business class, and some economy class fares are excluded

Bottom line: Whether you’re paying in cash or points, this is one of the cheapest ways we’ve ever seen to get from the U.S. to Asia.

Check out the sale page here and jump on this deal before it disappears later tonight. Curious to learn more about this program?

🎉 Our card reviews just got better

We gave our card scoring formula a glow-up so the results feel fair, practical, and actually useful. Instead of chasing shiny perks, we ask the same thing you do: “Will I really use that?”

Here’s what changed (and why it matters):

• Net annual fee, not sticker shock. We subtract the credits you’ll actually use to show the real cost of holding a card. “Coupon-book” perks that are fiddly or easy to forget don’t get full value. 🙃

• ROI over hype. Welcome offers are ranked by bang-for-buck on the minimum spend, not just the biggest headline number.

• Balanced results. Transferable points still shine, but straightforward cash-back cards get the credit they deserve, too.

What this looks like in practice:

• Annual fee & credits: Easy, automatic travel credits push a card up; hard-to-use perks drag it down.

• Welcome offers: Bonuses with strong ROI rise in the rankings.

• Rewards & protections: Useful everyday earn rates, strong cents-per-point value, and perks like cell phone coverage or primary rental insurance all carry real weight.

👉 Bottom line: Our reviews now take a more holistic approach. With dozens of credit cards across the Daily Drop team (yes, our wallets are heavy), they’re grounded in real-world experience — and our ratings reflect what actually delivers value, not just what looks good on paper.

SPONSORED BY INCOGNI

🛡️ Protect Your Reputation Before It’s Too Late

Thinking of applying for a new credit card? Lenders don’t just check your credit score — they can also dig into your broader personal data.

And it’s not just banks: hiring managers, landlords, or even total strangers can pull up personal details you never agreed to share.

How’s that possible? Data brokers. 

These companies collect and sell your information to data brokers — everything from property records and relatives’ names to political affiliations and past addresses. One outdated or inaccurate profile can create unnecessary red flags, jeopardizing your next opportunity.

That’s where Incogni steps in. It automatically scrubs your data from people-search sites, Google results, Whitepages, directories, and hundreds of broker databases. And with custom removals, you can target any site exposing your info.

You submit a link to Incogni with the website with your information, and an expert handles the request. The best part is you can track the whole process on your dashboard, and Incogni will handle any objections on your behalf.

Use code DAILYDROP today to get an exclusive 60% discount on Incogni annual plans.

🏨 Save 15% on IHG award nights

IHG One Rewards just launched a promo that makes those fall getaways cheaper.

Through September 16, IHG is offering select members (co-branded cardholders + Platinum and Diamond elites) 15% off award nights for stays through November 18.

That might not sound huge, but here’s how it plays out in real life:

The Crowne Plaza Seattle usually costs 38,000 points per night. With this sale, it drops to 32,300 points — saving you nearly 6,000 points for the exact same stay.

That’s perfect for those of you who are eyeing those discounted Alaska flights to Seoul and need a place to crash before the long journey. 😉

A few important details:

• The discount applies to stays of up to three nights

• It does not stack with IHG’s “4th night free” benefit for cardholders

• Only valid when booked by September 16 for stays through November 18

In my opinion? This is great. I’ve long believed that IHG’s 4th night free cardholder perk is the best hotel deal in the biz.

Being able to get a similar discount (though smaller) on shorter stays will definitely make me look ahead and potentially lock in some cheap IHG stays.

Bottom line: If you’re an IHG cardholder or elite, this is a great deal.

If you don’t yet have an IHG card, I’d recommend looking into it. I personally have the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and always tell people it’s my single favorite credit card. 👇

And with that, my friends, I bid you adieu.

I hope you enjoyed this juicy week of travel content, and I look forward to seeing you bright and early Monday (maybe even from a different continent 😉).

Ciao,

6.9175° S, 107.6191° E

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