Hey points people, Alex here – welcome back to Credit Card Hacking 101: Maximizing Your Points.

Let’s jump straight into what’s hot this week, because there are some big-time deals and a couple of moves you absolutely don’t want to miss.

First, welcome offers. LazyPoints reports that Citi has cranked up bonuses on two American Airlines cards: around 80,000 miles on the AAdvantage Platinum Select with a waived first-year fee after reasonable spend, and a huge 100,000 miles on the AAdvantage Executive after higher spend. That’s business-class-to-Europe or Japan territory if you redeem smartly. Meanwhile, One Mile at a Time highlights Chase’s Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card bringing back its “five free nights” offer, each up to 50,000 points, plus up to $100 in airline statement credits this year. Think long weekends, not one aspirational overwater bungalow – but for families and road trips, that can be massive value.

On the no-annual-fee side, Doctor of Credit and The Points Guy flag that Chase Freedom Unlimited’s boosted $300 welcome bonus for just $500 spend is set to end shortly, with some branches also offering 5% back on gas and groceries for the first year. If you’re a beginner, that’s a perfect starter card to pair with a Sapphire later.

Now, let’s talk trends. Read the Joe reports that rewards are shifting from pure travel to “access-driven lifestyle platforms.” That means being able to burn miles on exclusive experiences: backstage tours, celebrity events, unique concerts. The takeaway for you: before cashing out points for gift cards, always check if your program quietly added any high-value experiences that beat simple flight redemptions.

Quick spotlight on tech: this week, several blogs have been talking about updated AI tools that stack offers for you automatically. Apps like CardPointers and MaxRewards have rolled out smarter AI-based recommendation engines that scan your wallet, see current promos, and tell you in real time which card to use at which store – and they’re getting better at combining temporary issuer offers with category bonuses. Set one up, link your cards, and you’ll stop leaving easy points on the table.

Listener story time. A listener wrote in after using an award search tool plus an AA mileage bonus from a Citi card to book a one-way business-class ticket from the US to Tokyo that would’ve cost over $4,000 cash. They stacked the sign-up bonus, timed an off-peak date, and used partner space rather than booking directly with American. The key move: they checked multiple partners and cabins before locking in, which cut the mileage cost by almost a third compared to their first search. That’s the mindset: don’t book the first award you see.

Let’s wrap with Pro Tips This Week:

For beginners:

• If you’re new, consider starting with a simple combo: a no-fee card like Freedom Unlimited for everyday cash back, plus one flexible-points card when you’re ready. Don’t chase every shiny bonus – pick one goal trip and work

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.