Breaking Points: Credit Card News

If you have the Citi AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard, you can claim an easy 25,000 AAdvantage miles. American Airlines is offering a 25,000-mile bonus for joining AAdvantage Business and entering promo code JOINA7. Normally, businesses must have at least five active travelers and spend $5,000 per calendar year to qualify, but those requirements are waived for Citi AAdvantage Business cardholders. Even existing cardholders can claim the bonus. Go here, log in to your AAdvantage Business account, go to Settings, enter JOINA7 in the Promo Code field, save your changes, and the bonus should post shortly after refreshing your account.

Rakuten is offering its highest-ever referral bonus through September 30, 2026. New members who sign up through a referral link and spend at least $50 will earn a $50 bonus, 5,000 Amex Membership Rewards points, or 5,000 Bilt points, depending on their earning preference. The person referring them also receives the same bonus. We generally recommend earning points instead of cash back through Rakuten. We generally value Bilt points more than Membership Rewards, but you'll need at least Bilt Silver status to transfer Bilt points to partners at a 1:1 ratio. Without Silver status, transfers are only 2:1, so Amex Membership Rewards will usually be the better choice.

Marriott and United have long had a partnership, and they have a new promotion out for members enrolled in their Preferred Partnership Program. You must hold Marriott Titanium or Ambassador Elite status or United Premier Gold or higher to participate. Earn 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and 1,500 United MileagePlus bonus miles each time you complete <em>both</em> a paid Marriott stay and a paid United flight. The flight and stay do not have to be part of the same trip, but both must occur during the promotion period. Register by August 31, 2026, and complete eligible paid travel by September 30, 2026. If you already qualify for the Preferred Partnership Program and have paid Marriott and United travel planned, this is an easy promotion to register for.

Southwest is targeting some cardholders with a 30% bonus on all Rapid Rewards points earned from purchases made between July 1 and September 30, 2026. You must spend at least $3,000 during the promotion and register here to be eligible. Bonus points are capped at 20,000 and count toward Companion Pass qualification, but not A-List or A-List Preferred status. Keep in mind this is a 30% bonus on the points you earn from spending, not 30x points. For example, spending $3,000 on a 1x purchase would earn 3,000 base points plus 900 bonus points. This isn't a promotion we'd shift spending for, but it's a nice bonus if you were already planning to use your Southwest card during the promotion period.

American Airlines Vacations is offering up to 11x AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on vacation packages booked between July 1 and September 30, 2026, for travel through July 31, 2027. There is no minimum spend or minimum stay requirement, and the promotion is valid on all destinations booked through AA Vacations. The biggest catch is that the miles and Loyalty Points earned are split equally among everyone on the reservation rather than being credited solely to the primary traveler. The earning rate is based on the highest elite status held by anyone on the booking, so everyone benefits if one traveler has status. Be sure every traveler has an AAdvantage account, or their share of the miles and Loyalty Points could be lost.