Breaking Points: Credit Card News

Amex revamped the personal Platinum card last fall, adding a $75 quarterly Lululemon credit worth up to $300 annually. For those who already shop at Lululemon, this is a nice extra that can be worth its full face value. But if Lululemon isn't a store where you'd normally spend money, it has become harder to extract value from the credit. Although the terms exclude gift card purchases, cardholders found that purchases of physical gift cards in-store or online were still triggering the credit. Earlier this year, stores began requiring gift cards to be purchased in $50 increments, eliminating the ability to buy exactly $75. Those with multiple Platinum cards could still purchase a $150 gift card and split the payment between two cards, triggering both credits. Lululemon has closed that loophole as well, adding terms stating that multiple forms of payment cannot be used to purchase a gift card. If you're using the credit for gift cards, you'll now need to buy a $50 gift card and leave $25 of the quarterly credit unused or buy a $100 gift card and spend $25 out of pocket.

Frontier announced major changes to its elite status qualifications and benefits, along with significant cuts to earning rates and a greater emphasis on purchasing bundles. Despite a few improvements, most of the changes are negative. Following the lead of other airlines, those who don't carry a Frontier credit card will be hit the hardest. Starting September 1, 2026, everyone will earn fewer miles and elite status points on flights. General members will go from earning 10X on eligible Frontier spending to just 1X on Basic fares and 6X on Economy, Premium, or Business bundles. Elite members will also earn fewer miles and status points, although Frontier cardholders will receive higher earning rates when purchasing bundles. Elite status is also changing for 2027: Silver will require 15,000 points instead of 10,000, Gold increases from 20,000 to 25,000, Platinum remains at 50,000, and Diamond drops from 100,000 to 75,000. Starting in 2027, elites will lose complimentary seat-selection benefits and change/cancellation-fee waivers on Basic fares, while complimentary UpFront Plus and upcoming first-class upgrades will require purchasing an eligible bundle. Platinum members will lose unlimited companion travel and instead receive two companion certificates, while Diamond members will receive unlimited companion travel. There are some positives, including improved upgrade windows and the lower Diamond threshold, but overall Frontier is making status harder to earn for many members while requiring bundled fares to receive benefits that elite status previously provided.

Rove Miles has rolled out its biggest expansion yet, adding several new ways to earn miles. Rove Dining lets you link a card and earn bonus miles automatically at more than 2,000 participating restaurants across 20+ U.S. markets, with earning rates varying by restaurant. Rove has also launched a gift card marketplace where miles post immediately. This is great if you need a small top-up, as you can purchase a gift card, immediately receive the miles, and then transfer them to one of Rove's 20+ airline and hotel partners. Rove has also announced new card-linked in-store shopping offers, a new mobile app, and redesigned browser extensions. The most exciting development may be the expansion of its best feature, the hotel platform. Rove offers Loyalty Eligible hotel rates that let you earn Rove miles while also earning hotel points, elite nights, and status benefits. Rove says these rates are now available at roughly 99% of properties within eligible hotel chains. Rove has expanded very quickly since its launch, and these additions provide several new ways to earn miles without having to book travel through the program. We have updated our Rove page to reflect all the changes and new features.

U.S. Bank has added Avianca LifeMiles as its fifth transfer partner at a 1:1 ratio. After announcing in 2025 that transfer partners were coming, U.S. Bank finally launched them in August 2026 with Flying Blue, Qantas, Ethiopian ShebaMiles, and ALL Accor. The catch was that only the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve could transfer points, and that card has been closed to new applications since 2024. The rollout was also messy, with some partners disappearing and later returning. Avianca LifeMiles is a strong addition and hopefully a sign that U.S. Bank is bringing more stability and more partners to the program. We'd still love to see the Altitude Reserve reopen for applications, transfer capabilities added to other cards, or a new transferable-points card introduced.

Bilt’s September 2026 Rent Day promotion includes a transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Bonus percentages are tied to Bilt status, with Platinum members receiving a 75% bonus, Gold 45%, Silver 35%, and Blue 25%. You can boost your bonus to the next tier by redeeming $200 in Bilt Cash, allowing Platinum members to receive up to a 100% bonus. Transfers are capped at 150,000 Bilt points for earning the bonus, and the offer is valid only on September 1, 2026. This promo doesn't excite us very much, particularly at the levels below Platinum, as there are regular transfer bonuses to Virgin Atlantic from other programs throughout the year. The 75% Platinum bonus could be excellent, but only if you have a specific redemption in mind. If you're flush with Bilt Cash, which expires at year end, spending $200 to reach the 100% bonus as a Platinum member or to move from Gold to Platinum could make sense. But again, this only makes sense if you already have a redemption in mind. We wouldn't transfer speculatively to Virgin Atlantic. While there are some excellent low-points redemptions, taxes and fees can be very high, particularly on flights to and from Europe.