The Points Tool You've Always Wanted

IHG has refreshed its monthly list of new and recently updated hotels available for 15% off award stays, adding another batch of eligible properties through February 28, 2027. Booking deadlines now range from October 31, 2026 through February 28, 2027, depending on the hotel. Highlights this month include new voco properties in Budapest and Guadalajara, a Vignette Collection hotel in Hainan, China, and new Hotel Indigo and Crowne Plaza properties, along with a Holiday Inn Express in Kanab, Utah, near Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. If you hold an IHG free night certificate, the discount could also bring some properties below the 40,000-point cap, making them eligible for redemption. You can view the full list of participating hotels here.

Marriott has launched another Homes & Villas promotion that can potentially stack with two existing offers. Register and book by September 30, 2026, and you'll earn double elite-night credits on eligible stays of at least two nights completed by December 15. The stay must cost at least $1,750 before taxes and fees. Stays during November 21-30 also earn 2X Marriott Bonvoy points. This should stack with the existing Homes & Villas promotion offering 2,000 bonus points per night, up to 10,000 points per stay, as well as the targeted Amex Offer for $350 back after spending $1,000. The spending requirement is high, but stacking all of these offers could make Homes & Villas particularly appealing for an eligible stay.

Citi Travel is targeting some cardholders with an offer for $75 off a prepaid hotel booking of $400 or more through the Citi Travel portal. Book by September 30, 2026, with no minimum stay requirement. The $75 discount is applied directly at checkout and can stack with Citi’s existing hotel credits. Strata Premier cardholders can combine it with the card’s $100 annual hotel credit on stays of $500 or more, while Strata Elite cardholders can stack it with the card’s $300 hotel credit on eligible two-night stays of $400 or more. The offer is targeted and only available on the card that received it.

As has been rumored for a while, Southwest Airlines has made it official. The airline is getting into the airport lounge business for the first time, with its first lounges expected to open in late 2027. Construction is already underway on locations at Austin (AUS), Baltimore (BWI), Honolulu (HNL), and Nashville (BNA), with at least seven additional lounges planned over the following several years. Southwest is partnering with Chase on the lounge network, and Chase plans to launch a new premium Southwest credit card in 2027 that will include lounge access. They haven't released any more regarding this new card, like how much the annual fee will be, what other benefits will accompany it, the guest policy, or whether there will be additional ways to access the lounges. This continues a major shift for Southwest after moving away from free checked bags and open seating earlier in 2026. There are currently five Southwest credit cards available through Chase: three personal cards and two business cards.