Breaking Points: Credit Card News

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.

Atmos Members Day is back with another round of discounted award fares, offering up to 50% off select international redemptions. You only have a few days to book these, as September 5, 2026 is the deadline for eligible travel dates that vary by destination. Highlights include one-way awards starting at 20,000 points to London and La Paz, Mexico, 25,000 points to Athens, 25,500 points to Apia, Samoa, 27,500 points to Tokyo, and 30,000 points to Taipei. Most destinations are valid for travel between January 5 and February 28, 2027, while Tokyo is valid for travel between September 2 and November 18, 2026. You can view the full list of destinations and eligible travel dates here.

September 25 Update: We checked again more than two weeks after the new fare structure launched, and September Promo Rewards are still pricing as discounted Standard fares rather than Light fares. We're very curious to see if this remains the standard for Promo Awards once October's are announced.

September 10 Update: Following Flying Blue's September 8 introduction of Light, Standard, and Flex awards, these Promo Rewards are pricing as Standard fares rather than the more restrictive Light fares we initially expected. That means they include a checked bag and standard seat selection at check-in, while changes and refunds are available for a €70 fee. We found September Economy Promo Rewards pricing at 18,750 miles even when the corresponding Light fare costs 25,000 miles and the regular Standard fare costs 30,000 miles. We are not sure whether this is intentional on Flying Blue's part, but we will keep an eye on the pricing throughout the month and will be very interested to see how Promo Rewards price in October.

Flying Blue has released its September 2026 Promo Rewards, offering up to 25% off select Air France and KLM award flights between Europe and North America. Economy awards start at 18,750 miles each way from East Coast cities like New York, Washington, and Miami; Midwest cities like Chicago and Detroit; and West Coast cities including Los Angeles, while Montreal is also available for 18,750 miles and San Diego for 30,000 miles. Premium economy awards start at 30,000 miles each way from Boston, New York, Toronto, San Francisco, and Vancouver, while San José is also included in this month's promotions. Business class options include Minneapolis and Mexico City for 45,000 miles each way. Book by September 30, 2026 for travel through February 28, 2027. If you're interested in any of these awards, we'd recommend booking before September 8, when Flying Blue introduces its new Light awards. After that date, these lowest promo prices will come with reduced benefits, including no changes or refunds, reduced baggage allowances, no advance seat selection, and no lounge access even in business class. To get the same benefits Flying Blue awards offer today, you'll need to book a Standard award, which is expected to cost roughly 25-30% more miles. Promo Rewards are valid on Air France- and KLM-operated flights to or from Europe and can include connecting flights within Europe through Paris or Amsterdam.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders will receive a new $15 monthly DoorDash credit starting October 1, 2026, replacing the current $5 monthly credit on restaurant orders. Unlike the old credit, the new $15 benefit can be used on eligible restaurant, grocery, retail, and other DoorDash orders. This is in addition to the two existing $10 monthly credits for eligible grocery, retail, and non-restaurant purchases. DoorDash added a $20 minimum for pickup orders a few months ago, which made the $10 credits harder to maximize, so the more flexible $15 credit should be easier to use. Chase has not announced whether the Sapphire Reserve for Business will receive the same change.

Best Western has launched two promotions for stays through December 31, 2026. First, you can earn 2X Best Western Rewards points on qualifying stays worldwide from September 8 through December 31. Register for this offer first, and there is no limit on the number of bonus points you can earn. A separate promotion offers a $31 Best Western bonus card for each qualifying stay in the U.S., Canada, or Caribbean. You can use this promo up to four times for a total of $124. The bonus is awarded once per stay, not per night. You must register and book these stays by September 7, and the $31 bonus cards expire March 1, 2027. The terms state that neither promotion can be combined with other offers, although Best Western promotions like these have reportedly stacked in the past, so it's possible you could earn both on eligible stays beginning September 8. You may also be able to stack additional savings from shopping portals or card-linked offers.