THIS WEEK'S BIGGEST BARGAIN

2020 Olympics: Tickets Are Scarce, But Packages Are Available Now
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo are less than a year away--they are scheduled for July 24 to August 9--and event tickets are already scarce. The first several tranches sold out immediately and another batch isn't due to be released until the spring. The official U.S. Olympic ticket vendor, Cosport, is showing a sellout, too, but it is peddling an array of (naturally) overpriced packages that include event tickets. The so-called "flex" event option starts at around $4,600 a person based on double occupancy. They include four nights accommodations in a 3-star hotel and a choice of tickets to five events. The step-up, with accommodations at the 4-star Keio Plaza Hotel, has an entry price of about $5,600 a person based on double occupancy. Those packages include three nights of accommodations with your choice of tickets to four events. If that does not suit, you can get on the Cosport mailing list--the subscription form requires lots of data, including phone number--and wait for a better offer. Or, you know, visit Tokyo after the Olympics, when history shows that lodging and airfare prices will plunge. Information: the Cosport TOKYO PACKAGES page.

THIS WEEK'S OTHER BIG DEALS

Amex Membership Rewards: 40 Percent Avios Transfer Bonuses
The allure of Avios as a frequent flyer currency has always eluded me, but I know several JoeSentMe members use it quite successfully. So this one's for you. Until October 1, American Express Membership Rewards offers a 40 percent bonus on transfers to Avios for the British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus plans. (All three carriers, like the Avios program, are owned by the International Airlines Group.) That means 1,400 Avios points for each 1,000 Membership Rewards points transferred. If you've figured out how to win with Avios, now's the time to bulk up--although transfers on spec are never a wise idea. Have a specific use for the transferred points in mind. The 40 percent bonus offer will appear when you log into your Amex account and click on Membership Rewards transfers. The minimum transfer is 1,000 Amex points.

Air New Zealand: We Still Want You to Go to the South Pacific Cheap
Sometimes it's fun to follow these extraordinary deals as airlines test and figure out how to fill an aircraft. As you surely know by now, Air New Zealand has regularly promoted cheap business class fares to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands using its nonstop flight from Los Angeles. The eye-opening initial price was just $1,998 roundtrip. The deal has been regularly revived at fares from $1,800 and $2,500 roundtrip. Now it's back at a higher price--$2,698 roundtrip--if you travel on select dates through May. The higher price is justified by the fact that Air New Zealand now operates the route with its latest lie-flat business class beds. But if the price bump puts business class out of your wheelhouse, Air New Zealand has a fantastic alternative: $1,398 in its well-liked premium economy. And if you're looking for deep discounts, it's $698 roundtrip in coach. The catch, as always, is that there's still one flight a week in each direction, departing late Saturday nights from LAX and late Friday nights from Rarotonga. Still, for a South Pacific trip at such a low price, those aren't tough conditions. Tickets must be purchased by August 30. You even earn frequent flyer miles. If you want background, Will Allen booked and flew Air New Zealand to Rarotonga 18 months ago. Read his report here. Information: the Air New Zealand FLIGHTS TO COOK ISLAND page.

Hotels: Maybe You'll Find Rate Savings With a Credit Card
Airline fares have been relatively flat in recent months, but hotel and resort rates continue to rise, precipitously in some destinations. Possible solution: hotel discounts offered by your credit card. Of course, all the specials below come with some caveats. Most hotels in the programs are in the luxury category. You must book directly at the card's special Web site. And you should always check that the rate you're paying is competitive with other offers.
      American Express Platinum Cards feature a Fine Hotels & Resort collection that covers more than 1,000 properties around the world. Bundled with the FHR rates are space-available room upgrades; check-in as early as noon based on availability and guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout; breakfast for two; free WiFi; and property-specific food and beverage credit or other amenity.
      Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection from Chase says it offers daily breakfast for two, free WiFi, as-available upgrades and check-in/check-out privileges. The program covers about 900 lodgings worldwide and guests receive a unique additional amenity--free meals, golf or spa treatments, airport transfers--from each property.
      Visa Signature cards claim to offer special rates at more than 900 properties. Perks include space-available upgrade; free WiFi; free breakfast for two; a $25 food and beverage credit; and late checkout.

HOTEL POINTS & PRICE PROMOTIONS

Destination Hotels: Up to 35 Percent Off
You probably have never heard of Destination Hotels, a small firm that manages about three dozen upscale sun-and-ski hotels and resorts around the country. With its low profile and generic name, chances are you never even realized the firm existed until it was purchased last year by Hyatt. Destination joins World of Hyatt on August 20, but the chain has unleashed an interesting early-booking sale that predates the Hyatt debut. If you book by October 31, you can knock as much as 35 percent off nightly rates. Use the code COUNTDOWN to score the best deals. There are blackout dates and capacity controls, of course. The promotion claims the cheapest prices are available if you book by September 5. But if you can pick around the restrictions and the varying availability dates, there are some juicy deals. And a reminder: You won't receive Hyatt points until the Destination properties officially become part of the Hyatt loyalty program. Information: the WINTER BECKONS page.

World of Hyatt: 500-Point Bonuses at New Hyatt Properties
Hyatt is desperate to convince business travelers that it is growing even as it's being lapped by hotel chains that are already eight or ten times larger. Besides adding a bevy of small chains to World of Hyatt in recent months, Hyatt is trying to draw attention to new Hyatt-branded properties. At two dozen new hotels, Hyatt is dangling 500 additional bonus points per night. That includes properties in the United States (Poughkeepsie, New York; Anchorage; and Cupertino and San Jose, California), Europe (Venice, Milan and Vienna) and Asia (Chiba, Japan, and Beijing). Depending on hotel, the nightly bonus is valid through July, August or September. Information: the 500 REASONS TO STAY page.

Marriott Bonvoy: One Promotion That Won't Rule Them All
Marriott Bonvoy seems to have worked out most of the kinks in the merger of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest. It's also adverting the program aggressively. One thing it's not doing: inventive, noteworthy promotions. The newest is extremely weak: a 1,500-point bonus on stays of two nights or more. That sure doesn't sound like Endless Earnings, the moniker Marriott has adopted for the summer promotion. You can earn on stays between July 2 and September 16 if you register in advance by September 2. Needless to say, this won't change your lodging choices, but it's better than a proverbial stick in the eye. Information: the ENDLESS EARNINGS page.

Best Western: The Annual $20 Kickback Summer Promotion
Best Western has once again rolled out its Rewards Rush promotion for summer stays. It's simple, modest, but, you know, better than a stick in the eye. When you stay at a Best Western before September 2, you will get a $20 Best Western gift card valid for stays within 120 days after issuance. You can only receive one $20 kickback during the promotional period. Advance Registration is required. INFORMATION: the LIMITED TIME OFFER page.

Omni Hotels: 20-25 Percent Discounts for AAA Members
Like many chains, Omni Hotels offers a discount for AAA members. The saving is usually modest--about 5 or 10 percent--but Omni is now breaking from the pack. Use the chain's prepaid AAA rates and the saving is 20 percent at hotels in San Diego, San Francisco and Atlanta. It's even more--25 percent--in Washington, Chicago, Boston, New York, Dallas, Providence, Montreal and Toronto. INFORMATION: the Omni AAA SPECIAL PROMOTION page.

Hyatt: A Free Extra Night at Park Hyatts--If We Feel Like It
When a fairly simple offer--get a free night's stay if you purchase a multi-night stay--has more than 500 words of terms and conditions, be wary. So it is with Hyatt's newest promotion for its top-tier Park Hyatt properties. The offer seems simple enough: Book two or more nights at participating properties and you'll receive an additional night at no extra charge. That works out to a 33 percent discount at the Park Hyatt hotels requiring a two-night minimum; a 25 percent discount at properties offering a free fourth night; and a 20 percent discount at the hotels offering a free fifth night. Then it gets complicated. The lengthy T&Cs don't even tell you when you can claim the free night, when there are blackouts or virtually anything else. You'll have to go hotel-by-hotel to figure it all out. Complicating matters more, you'll only get the free night if your stay is prepaid. Still, Park Hyatts are fine hotels and you may score a nifty discount on a multi-day stay if you plan carefully and hack your way through the restrictions. Information: the NIGHT ON PARK HYATT page.

Hilton Honors: Stay a Lot, Get a Lot of Low-Value Points
With the possible exception of Delta SkyMiles, no major frequency currency is worth less than Hilton Honors points. Which explains why Hilton basically offers double-point promotions on a year-round basis. The latest iteration offers double points starting with the second stay between May 6 and September 8. Then there's the added fillip: a stair-step accelerator offering 10,000 points on the 10th stay, 15,000 points on the 15th stay and 20,000 points on the 20th. What's it all mean? A lot of low-value points for a lot of Hilton stays in four months. Advance registration is required, of course. Information: the GO MORE, GET MORE POINTS page.

Marriott Rewards: 2,000 Bonus Points a Stay at Select Courtyards
I asked on Twitter recently how to tell the difference between the various Marriott-branded select-service brands when they all use similar bathroom amenities, soft goods and other material. Apparently Marriott Rewards also gets that it doesn't offer much differentiation these days. Its "solution?" A 2,000-point-per-stay bonus when you book select Courtyard by Marriott properties. Use code 53M to grab the extra points. No, that won't change your world, but never walk away from extra points. Information: the COURTYARD 2K EVERYDAY page.

GLOBAL AIRLINE DEALS TO CONSIDER

Aer Lingus: Two-for-One Business Class From Three Cities
The rapid expansion of Aer Lingus and lots and lots and lots of business class seats to Europe this summer means one thing: tactical opportunities to cash in on a discount. If you can fly from Newark, Hartford or its newest gateway of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Aer Lingus is promoting a 2-for-1 business class deal. You can fly to Ireland in August and return by September 15. The restrictions? Purchase a nonstop business class fare from one of three gateways, pay the applicable taxes on the free ticket and fly together. No changes permitted after booking. The deal can only be scored via the Aer Lingus Exclusive Offer Desk (877-351-6665), which operates Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm Eastern Time.

Finnair: Cheap Business Class for a Year? How About Russia?
Finland remains what it has always been: a middle ground between Europe and Russia. And Vantaa Airport in Helsinki remains what it always has been: a fabulous place to change planes en route to Russia. See where I'm going with this? Finnair is offering great deals in business class over its Helsinki hub to Russia. Prices are valid for travel for the next year if you can hit the admittedly stiff (up to 60 days) advance-purchase restriction. Sample fares: Yekaterinburg for $2,295 roundtrip; Moscow for $2,294; and St. Petersburg for $2,299. Oddly, if you're headed to Helsinki, the nonstop roundtrip price is $3,481. Ticket are nonrefundable and no stopovers are permitted. Information: the Finnair FLIGHT OFFERS page.

KLM: Under-the-Radar Business Class Sale Rates Worldwide
Even though KLM kicks in most of the profit of the combined Air France/KLM, the Dutch side remains distinctly under the radar when it comes to publicity. In other words, prepare to fly over its Amsterdam/Schiphol hub if you're looking for business class bargains. From New York/JFK, sample prices include $2,059 roundtrip to Frankfurt, $3,148 to Accra, Ghana, and $2,716 to Delhi. From Miami, it's $2,353 to Barcelona roundtrip and $2,541 to Delhi. From San Francisco, it's $2,358 roundtrip to Madrid and $2,919 to Chennai, India. There are similar sale prices from all 12 of KLM's U.S. gateways. The KLM site offers a handy month-by-month bar chart of the fares and then day-by-day breakdown of availability. It's a slick way to find the lowest fares. Information: the KLM BEST OFFERS page.

Air Canada: Double and Triple Miles on Summer Flights
Haven't seen this one before. Air Canada is promoting double or triple Aeroplan miles all summer on a fairly hefty collection of intra-Canada and transborder routes. The offer is double miles on coach fares and triple miles on premium fares on both Air Canada mainline and Air Canada Rouge flights. The applicable routes? Fly from any Canadian city to/from eight Canadian and 16 U.S. destinations, including New York, Vancouver, Chicago, Boston, Calgary and Maui. The requirements? Register and book by July 12 for flights until September 30. A roundtrip or two one-way flights also is required. Information: the Air Canada TAKE SUMMER FLIGHTS page.

Hainan Airlines: You're Not Going to China at These Insane Fares?
There are precious few bargains to Europe this summer, but if you're looking for someplace, how about China? Hainan Airlines is basically giving away seats to fill planes on its fast-expanding network. Best of all, Hainan Air doesn't just fly to Beijing and Shanghai, but also operates nonstop to places such as Xi'an, Chengdu, Changsha and Chongqing. Coach fares start as low as--wait for it--$376 roundtrip from Los Angeles to Shanghai. Business class seats start at just $2,319 roundtrip from Los Angeles, $2,710 from Chicago, $2,818 from Boston and $2,855 from New York/Kennedy. Seats at those prices are limited, of course, but they're available in decent numbers. Travel is valid through September 30. Information: the Hainan Airlines OFFERS page.

La Compagnie: Rewriting the Rules--and the Prices--of Paris Travel
La Compagnie seems to have beaten the all-business-class airline curse and is nearing its fifth year of flying between Newark and France. Now owned by larger French carrier (XL Airways), it has even taken delivery of its first new aircraft, the Airbus A321neo. Unlike the older Boeing 757s in its fleet, the neo aircraft has lie-flat beds and the most modern bells and whistles, even free WiFi. The aircraft is flying one of LaCompanie's two daily flights between Newark and Paris/Orly. Although La Compagnie is not bargaining on neo flights, fares are astoundingly low on its seasonal B757 Newark-Nice run and its one daily B757 Newark-Orly service. You'll find rates as low as $1,300 roundtrip to Nice and, on select days, as low as $1,000 roundtrip on Newark-Orly. You'll have to poke around to find those fares, but they're available in decent numbers. Even if you can't find that $1,000 roundtrip to Paris, normal promotional rates start at $1,300. Information: the La Compagnie SPECIAL DEALS page.

Etihad: Two-Day Free Stay in Abu Dhabi Through the End of the Year
Etihad Airways doesn't seem to have much of a future. It is dwarfed by its Dubai-based neighbor Emirates, its strategy of buying into weakened European airlines collapsed and the royal family that owns the carrier is losing patience with endless losses. Which is a long-winded way of explaining why Etihad is desperate to figure out an angle to get Americans to fly over Abu Dhabi. The current angle: free two-night stopover in Abu Dhabi, including lodging at several of the city's excellent hotels. The stayover needs to be booked by December 1 for travel until December 31. That offer is for coach flyers, by the way. Business and first class travelers and customers in Etihad's The Residence, the over-the-top private double cabin, have their own offer. Information: the Etihad STOPOVER IN 2019 page.

Qatar Airways: Price-Fixed Business Class 'Sale' Apparently Permanent
Several times this year Qatar Airways has offered up putatively price-fixed business class sales to destinations around the world. Either it worked or Qatar Air's marketing team is out of ideas because the promotion has apparently become a comparatively permanent part of the carrier's fare structure. In case you've forgotten, Qatar claims that is has set a fixed-price business class fare structure: $2,450, $2,950, $3,450, $3,950 or $4,450 roundtrip. But, of course, there's much less there than meets the eye. Qatar falls back on "starting at" verbiage that means every ticket is, um, "market price." Still, there is a smattering of seats at each price point. Sample fares: $2,450 roundtrip on Atlanta or Miami to Delhi; $2,450 from New York/JFK to Tbilisi, Georgia; $2,950 on Los Angeles-Da Nang, Vietnam, or Chicago-Manila; $3,450 on DFW or Atlanta to Johannesburg or Miami-Hong Kong; and $3,950 between Philadelphia and Kathmandu. The best prices are available for midweek travel between July 29 and January 1. A seven-day minimum stay is required and there's a still, 90-day advance purchase requirement. And a reminder: All trips operate via Doha, Qatar Air's hub. Information: the Qatar Air BUCKET LIST EXPERIENCE page.

Alaska Airlines: Double Miles on Coast-to-Coast Flights Through 2019
Alaska Airlines continues to try to forge a new identity on the coast-to-coast flights it assumed in the Virgin America buy. Shorn of their white seats with 55-inch pitch and mood lighting, Alaska's flights are relying on a more-than-generous 41-inch pitch and lots of upgrades. Now another tactic: double miles on transcontinental flights until the end of the year. The only restriction: advance registration before your first transcon run. The double-miles offer is valid between Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose and East Coast airports from Boston to Fort Lauderdale. That includes New York (Kennedy and Newark) and Washington (BWI, Dulles and National) airports. The deal is also offered on routes where Alaska Air had flights before it purchased Virgin America. Information: the DOUBLE MILES COAST2COAST page.

British Airways: AARP Deal, Reduced Again, Extended Through 2020
British Airways isn't only hacking away at the quality of its in-flight product and its reputation as a premium carrier. It's also reducing the classic deals you can use to get discounts. Take its long-standing AARP deal. BA once offered as much as $400 off roundtrip. Now first and premium economy class discounts have been axed and we're left with $200 roundtrip off BA's outdated business class and $65 off its newly "densified" coach class. Also gone: the opportunity to twin the AARP discount with other BA promotions. Still, $65 or $200 off is better than a stick upside your head. And the current deal is now valid for travel until the end of 2020 if you book by January 31, 2020. The cost of entry: the $12 fee required to join AARP. And you must enter through the AARP portal to score the discounts. Information: the EXCLUSIVE AARP MEMBERS page.

GROUND TRANSPORT BARGAINS

Avis/Budget/AAdvantage: Rent Three Days, Earn 500 Bonus Miles
Mileage earning from car rentals has had a strange history. In the early days of the frequency programs, they were gushers of cheap miles. Then the car rental firms realized they were paying plenty to the airlines for miles without moving the market since all the companies were doing the same thing. So for decades car rentals were earnings deserts. Lately, however, the airlines and rental firms have been working out relatively exclusive deals. The latest example? Avis and Budget, which are sister firms, will give you 500 American AAdvantage miles for a three-day rental. This is a revamp of a deal that Avis and Budget have been offering on and off for the last few years. This deal is valid for rentals that begin by August 14. Information: the 500 BONUS MILES page.

Marriott/Hertz: 2,000 Bonvoy Points for Multi-Day Rentals
With car rentals sagging in the face of widespread adoption of ride-sharing services, rental firms have been partnering up with airlines and hotels for big bonus offers. That's especially true of Hertz, which these days has a mediocre reputation thanks to repeated service glitches. If you can handle Hertz, it has teamed up with Marriott for a bushel of Bonvoy bonus points. On two-day rentals, you can earn 2,000 points. The deal is valid through the end of the year on rentals in North America, Puerto Rico, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Use discount codes CDP#154080 and PC#204918. The offer is valid through December 31.

United/Hertz: Worst-in-Class Providers Offer Really Big Bonuses
What do Hertz and United Airlines have in common? Lessee, both operations run poorly. A former top United exec was ousted as Hertz chief executive for doing a lousy job. And United once actually owned Hertz. Other than that? Both are desperate for new customers. The solution: gigantic bonuses for even two-day rentals. Until October 31, book a mid-size or larger Hertz car at United.com for at least two days and you'll receive a 1,500-mile bonus atop the 500-1,250 miles you'd normally earn as a member of MileagePlus. That means as many as 2,750 miles for rentals as short as two days. Sound familiar? It should. It's a re-introduction, extension and slight rejiggering of a promotion that the two companies have continually offered for about four years. Information: the BOOK YOUR CAR THROUGH UNITED.COM page.

National/Southwest: Quadruple Rapid Rewards for Weekly Rentals
Southwest Airlines and National Car Rental have teamed up to offer a bigger payoff for rentals if you need a vehicle. Instead of the standard 600 Rapid Rewards points, a two- or three-day National rental will earn 1,200 points. Rentals of 4-6 days will earn 1,800 points. Weekly or longer rentals will score 2,400 points. To score the points, use Contract ID code 5030510. Bonus points are valid on rentals until January 31, 2020, with one-day advance reservation. By the way, if this sounds familiar, it is exactly the same deal that ran all of last year. Information: the RAPID REWARDS PROMOTIONS page.

CREDIT CARD ACQUISITION BONUSES

Chase/Southwest: The Bonus Alone Gets You Close to a Companion Pass
The most prized frequency "win" in the current frequency landscape is a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass. But it's not an easy win because only flying miles and credit card spend count toward the required 110,000 Rapids Rewards points. Which is why the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card, introduced this week by Chase Bank, is such an extraordinary "get." The acquisition bonus of 80,000 points counts toward the pass. To score the bonus, you'll need to spend $5,000 in the first 90 days you have the card. That's not a big hurdle, of course, but this might be: You don't qualify for the card if you have Chase's other Southwest business card or have received a bonus for that card in the last 24 months. The annual fee is $199, for which you'll also receive 9,000 points each additional year you have the card, triple points for Southwest spend and double points for charges on various social media and communications services. You'll also earn some WiFi and boarding privileges. Information: the Chase EARN 80,000 POINTS page.

Credit Cards: The Big Acquisition Bonuses Keep on Coming
As we've discussed frequently in recent months, the smash-and-grab strategy may be the only way to "win" the increasingly rigged frequency game. As you know, that entails taking a credit card for the big acquisition bonus, charging just enough to earn it, then moving on to another card. If you've been "playing," here are three more high earners with modest requirements:
      Bank of America/Sonesta Hotels: The under-the-radar Sonesta chain is out with its first card and the offer from Bank of America is rich: 60,000 points for spending just $1,000 in the first 90 days. You can also earn 5,000 more points for adding an authorized user in the first 90 days and a 30,000-point bonus if you spend $7,500 over the course of the first year. The $75 annual fee is waived in the first year. What do Sonesta points buy? Some of its limited-service extended-stay hotels are available for as little as 15,000 points. It has excellent resorts in sun zones (Arizona, the Caribbean, Texas, Hilton Head, Latin America) and prices are mostly in the 25,000-50,000 points nightly range. (It also has hotels in Boston, New Orleans, San Francisco and Philadelphia.) Information: the Bank of America SONESTA WORLD MASTERCARD page.
      Chase/Marriott: Marriott has both American Express and Chase pumping out cards under the Bonvoy brand. The latest is from Chase and is called the Marriott Bonvoy Bold. This one has no annual fee and you'll earn 50,000 points when you spend $2,000 in the first three months. Fly in the ointment: Chase and Amex collaborate and you may not get the card if you have one of several existing Bonvoy cards. If you care about ongoing earnings, the card offers three points per dollar on Marriott charges, two points for other travel charges and one point for everything else. Information: the 50,000 BONUS POINTS card.
      Citibank: Citi ThankYou points are flexible, transferring to a wide variety of airline programs including JetBlue, Singapore, Air France/KLM and others. Citi's basic card in the category, Citi Premier, is now offering 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months. The card, with a $95 annual fee, offers three points per dollar on travel and gasoline charges, two points for restaurant and entertainment spend and one point on everything else. Information: the CITI PREMIER CARD page.

Hawaiian Airlines: 60,000- to 70,000-Mile Bonuses
Big credit card acquisition bonuses aren't just for the big airlines and the big banks. Hawaiian Airlines partners with Bank of Hawaii to promote the Hawaiian credit cards and the numbers are huge. You'll earn 60,000 miles for taking a personal card and spending $2,000 in the first 90 days. The business card offers 60,000 miles if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. You'll earn another 10,000 miles if you also acquire an employee card and make a purchase on it. The $99 annual fee is waived for the first year if you choose the personal card. The fee does apply on the business card, however.

Chase: Honest, Sapphire Preferred Is Better Than Capital One Venture
The decision of Capital One to get into the points-to-airline transfer game has rattled Chase Bank, whose Ultimate Rewards points are the gold standard of bank currency. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has suddenly upped its acquisition bonus to 60,000 points and it is clear that Chase wants to make sure you don't defect to the Capital One Venture card. How do we know? The promotion page for the acquisition bonus is literally a comparison chart between Chase and Capital One. You should have a Sapphire Preferred card, so grab one now if you don't have one. Sixty thousand points is too good to pass up. The annual fee is $95, which Chase's chart admits isn't as good as Capital One's first-year fee waiver. Information: the EARN 60,000 BONUS POINTS page.

American Express: Lots of Points to Take a Hilton Card. But, Um...
American Express really, really wants you to take one of its four Hilton cards. And the lure, as always, is a bigger acquisition bonus: from 75,000 to 150,000 Hilton Honors points. The problem? Hilton Honors points have little value, even in the ridiculously devalued travel world. Getting a half-cent return is often a victory in Honors, which is now completely revenue-based and ludicrously overpriced for everything but a standard room. (And sometimes not even then...) But if you find value in Hilton, at least one of these four cards will be useful and perhaps two should be on your radar. The no-fee Hilton Honors Amex will give you 75,000 points for $1,000 of spend in the first three months. The sweet spot is 125,000 points, available for Amex's two Hilton cards with a $95 annual fee. Information: the Amex UPGRADE YOUR STAY page.

Chase: 80,000-Point Bonus to Take an Ink Business Card
As the airline frequent flyer programs get less generous, smart travelers are banking their miles with banks. Chase Ultimate Rewards points, for example, offer a 1:1 transfer to United, Southwest, several international airlines and some hotel chains, too. There seems to be less risk by banking points with Chase and moving them to your programs as the good deals--or award availability--warrant. One of the current stars in the wide Chase portfolio? The Ink Business Preferred Card. For the $95 annual fee, you'll receive an acquisition bonus of 80,000 points when you spend $5,000 during the first three months. You'll also earn three points per dollar spent on travel expenditures; shipping charges; payments for Internet, cable and phone services; and certain advertising purchases. Information: the 80,000 BONUS POINTS page.