November 20, 2017 View in browser
Chase Bank released several new travel perks for select high-end cards in its portfolio last week.

For those who own the popular Chase Sapphire and Reserve credit cards, which allow consumers to accrue a bank of points for either spend or travel, two new partners have been added to the mix. It's now possible to transfer Chase points to Aer Lingus' AirClub and Iberia's Iberia Plus programs.

Among business travelers, airline and hotel point transfers are one of the most highly-valued perks when considering a credit card. The Starwood Hotels & Resorts Preferred Guest loyalty program and its co-branded credit card have earned a cult following because they allow members to transfer Starpoints to three dozen partner airlines — often with a bonus for elite members. Although Chase's transfer partners aren't as widespread (nor does it have elite bonuses), its modest portfolio of nine airline and four hotel transfer partners is still useful.

It's worth noting, too, that both Aer Lingus and Iberia partner with British Airways, a legacy Chase partner. (They're all owned by the same company, International Airlines Group.) That meant in the past it was possible to book Aer Lingus and Iberia tickets using Chase points. But allowing direct transfers to the two new airlines removes some complexity from the system.

In addition to the updates for general credit card holders, last week Chase also added a new tool for Marriott and Slate co-branded cards. According to Doctor of Credit, the new Chase Offers program will give those customers select rebates on purchases at mainstream retailers like Whole Foods and Lowe's.

American Express has run a similar program for years called Amex Offers, which provides similar incentives for customers. Amex Platinum members can earn 10,000 bonus reward points for booking $500 of travel through the bank's travel portal, for example.

Chase's expansion into the same space on the Marriott and Slate cards may be an indication that it's ready to start competing more aggressively with American Express for high-spend business travelers. After Chase raised the bar last year with the launch of its Sapphire Reserve card, Amex responded with improvements to its flagship Platinum card. These new offerings from Chase only make the decision over what premium credit card to sign up for even more challenging.
Skift Forum Europe Update: Speakers, Venue, and Early Bird Tickets
As the year winds down, now is the best time to use your end-of-year budget on discounted tickets to Europe's leading travel event! Find out about our venue and speakers now, then save €300 on your ticket when you register.
Learn More
SKIFT STORIES AND MORE EXPERT INSIGHT
International First Class Fades Even as Emirates and Singapore Debut New Suites
The high-end one-upmanship would appear to herald a new golden age of luxury air travel, at least for those able to afford tickets that cost in excess of $10,000 per passenger. In fact, first-class cabins have been shrinking for two decades at least, under pressure from an increasingly competitive, price-focused global airline industry and the changing demographics of flying.

J.D. Power Finds U.S. Frequent Flyers Prefer JetBlue’s Loyalty Program
U.S. airline passengers generally prefer easy-to-understand loyalty programs, even though they tend to offer fewer perks and may require more points for redemptions than more complicated schemes from global legacy airlines, according to a new survey from J.D. Power, the rankings agency.

Hilton Opens Food Court to Public at Its Global Headquarters
The Tysons Corner mall in McLean, Virginia is known more for its Fortune 500 companies than its dining options. Now, one of those Fortune 500 companies, Hilton, is opening a multimillion-dollar, 10,000-square-foot food hall at its corporate headquarters.

Luxury Brands Cross Industry Lines for Loyalty Collaborations
The luxury space was once firmly separated into its different camps: Watches and perfume on one side, luxury safaris through Nairobi on the other. Those silos are breaking down, as we often cover at Skift, and luxury brands are reaching outside their sector in search of brands with a similar ideology and affluent customer base.

Hilton and Marriott Turn to the Internet of Things to Transform the Hotel Room Experience
When Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta took to the stage at the Skift Global Forum in September, one of the most headline-grabbing statements he made had to do with what he described as Hilton's "Connected Room."

Best Western's Plans for Loyalty, Tech & Expansion
Best Western Hotels & Resorts intends to grow its existing presence in the industry and embrace updated and new technologies, both consumer facing and on the back end. Executives outlined plans at the company's recent annual North American convention.
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Linked In Send via Email

For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab.

You received this email because you are subscribed to Business of Loyalty Newsletter from Skift.

If you'd like to unsubscribe from this email, click here

If you'd like to receive fewer emails, click here

If someone shared this email with you and you would like to subscribe, visit our newsletters page on Skift