It’s easy to get caught up in the magic and madness of the holiday season. Between decorating, collecting presents, and preparing for the new year, there’s a lot to plan and keep track of at the end of December. It’s just those of us who don’t travel during the holidays and have to contend with crowded airports, long security lines, etc.
At TPG, the end of the year is typically a time when many people take stock of the cards in their wallets and take a fresh look at perks and perks they haven’t yet taken advantage of. This will help you strategize which cards to apply for next year and plan future trips.
Hearing this, some of us thought, “What if making wish lists this year wasn’t just for the kids?” And thus our 2024 Holiday Wish List was born.
Related: Credit card predictions for 2025
Card-specific wishes
Many of us travel frequently and aren’t all that familiar with partner hotel credit cards. Among our favorites are: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and world of hyatt credit card.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card information was independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been verified or provided by the card issuer.
Most of these cards are part of a suite of products aimed at people who frequently stay at Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt properties, or who spend one or two nights a year.
Each card offers different ways to earn bonus points on stays at their respective hotel chains, including perks like free night certificates and room upgrades. While these perks are great, we think there is room for improvement. In 2025, we hope to:
- Premium World of Hyatt card enters market
- bonus categories of Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (Excluding those currently available for booking through Capital One Travel)
- More flexibility with $300 Capital One Travel Credit
- premium BUILT MASTERCARD® Offers perks and a guaranteed rate of return (even with an annual fee)
- Lounge Access (Preferably Delta Sky Club Lounge Access) — No Notes — Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card member
- Ability to earn higher rewards rates on a continuous basis (rather than quarterly rotation) on home equipment purchases with Chase or American Express cards. or Home improvement retailers (paint, lumber, appliances, garden supplies, light bulbs, etc., such as Lowe’s and The Home Depot)
- Return restaurant credit to Priority Pass member on credit card
- All credit card issuers offer premium points cards for people who don’t live in cities (for example, Gopuff, Uber, and Lyft credits are basic for people who live in far-flung suburbs or rural areas). ).
- Lyft Benefits Extension Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- You can join the Chase lounge waitlist online (not in person)
- American Express Card Annual/Anniversary Loyalty Bonus
- Other bonus categories American Express Platinum Card®
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Related: Credit card predictions and trends for 2024 — what went right and what went wrong.
Loyalty programs and points and mile preferences
When it comes to airline and hotel loyalty rewards programs, TPG staff likes to see:
- Hyatt eliminates Club Access Awards for Globalists and replaces them with something more convenient
- Get even more benefits with Hyatt’s Explorer status level
- Add Air Canada Aeroplan as a transportation partner with Wells Fargo Rewards and/or Citi Thank You Rewards
- Complimentary breakfast for IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members
- Guaranteed late checkout from 2pm for Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond and IHG Diamond Elite members
- IHG now allows you to apply for a suite upgrade certificate online without having to call 14 days in advance of your stay
- Hyatt offers a true benefits calendar that shows availability, not just pricing
- Hyatt eliminates expiration date for free night awards
- Delta Airlines reinstates rollover of Medallion eligibility dollars
- 5th or 6th night free on Hyatt award nights (even if you are a cardholder or elite member only)
Related: How to travel safely with Christmas presents
Additionally, some staff members said they would like to be able to convert Citi Thank You Rewards points into AAdvantage miles, but others objected as doing so could reduce the value of AAdvantage miles. The company also expects Capital One to add one of the four major U.S. airlines as a transfer partner in 2025.
conclusion
The landscape of credit cards, loyalty programs, and points and miles is constantly evolving. At TPG, we’re always speculating about the pipeline for loyalty programs and rewards listed on cards in our wallets, especially at the end of each year.
As we gear up for a busy holiday season, we thought we’d create our own holiday wish list to see what sticks around next year. I hope some of our wishes come true.
Related: 11 things the TPG team is looking forward to in 2025
