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The MileIntel Blog

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Airline miles intelligence, loyalty program strategy, and the sharpest thinking in travel rewards.

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News8 min read

Delta's LAX-HKG Route Looks Like Delta 2018. Here's What Happened Then.

Delta launched daily LAX-HKG flights on June 6, 2026, pricing Delta One awards at 85,000 SkyMiles. The route looks attractive — until you check Delta's Hong Kong track record.

MileIntel

June 9, 2026

Recent

48 articles

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01Guide

Is Aeroplan Still Worth It in 2026 After the June Devaluation?

Aeroplan's June 2026 devaluation raised partner business class to Asia by 17% and first class to Europe by 20%. But 5 sweet spots survived intact — and one actually got cheaper.

MileIntel

6 minJun 7

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02News

BermudAir's 14 New Routes Look Like Skybus 2007. Here's What Happened Then.

BermudAir just announced 14 new winter routes on 4 aircraft with zero loyalty program — and a recent airport-fee lawsuit settled via payment plan. The math deserves scrutiny.

MileIntel

10 minJun 6

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03Analysis

The 777X vs A380 Long-Haul Trade-Off, Ranked

The 777X promises a better long-haul experience than the A380. We tested that claim across five dimensions: route access, cabin comfort, economy seat width, award strategy, and timeline.

MileIntel

9 minJun 5

04Guide

Air Canada 787-9 Business Class in 2026: The 4-Step Optimal Booking Path

Aeroplan's June 2026 devaluation pushed transatlantic partner awards to 75,000 points. Avianca LifeMiles books the same seat for 63,000. A complete, step-by-step comparison.

MileIntel

6 minJun 4

05Deals

5 Car Rental & IHG Redemption Mistakes Most People Make This Summer

Airline miles for car rentals yield as little as 0.5 cpp. The Pay Yourself Back loophole and IHG's 4th Night Free flip that math entirely. Here's what to do instead.

MileIntel

8 minJun 3

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06News

Alaska Mileage Plan: 85,000 Miles for a Recliner to Reykjavik

Alaska's new Seattle-Reykjavik route spans 3,622 miles on a domestic-configured 737 MAX 8. First class starts at 85,000 miles — for a recliner seat on an 8-hour flight.

MileIntel

9 minJun 2

07Analysis

Why the Airline Name Suffix Tells You Almost Nothing in 2026

Air, Airlines, Airways — the suffix on an airline's name reveals almost nothing about loyalty value. We compare Flying Blue, AAdvantage, and Avios on the dimensions that actually matter.

MileIntel

6 minJun 1

08Deals

How to Book ITA Business Class for Under 72,000 Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue members can book ITA Airways business class for 72,000 miles transatlantic or 20,000 miles intra-Europe — but awards must be issued by November 15, 2025.

MileIntel

6 minMay 31

09From the Cockpit

I Built a Devaluation Alert System. It Wasn't Ready for Aeroplan.

I thought our alert pipeline was solid. Then Aeroplan restructured its entire award chart in under 2 weeks and exposed every gap I'd ignored.

MileIntel

5 minMay 30

10Analysis

5 Transfer Bonuses Ranked by Real CPP Value in 2026

Five active transfer bonuses, scored on a consistent 4-dimension framework. The 55% Marriott bonus ranks last. The ranking will surprise most r/awardtravel readers.

MileIntel

6 minMay 29

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11News

The BA Amex Companion Voucher Now Works on Avios Holidays

On May 20, 2026, BA and Amex made the Companion Voucher usable on British Airways Holidays packages paid with Avios, returning 25% of the Avios spent. It sidesteps the voucher's biggest problem: scarce reward seats.

MileIntel

4 minMay 28

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12Opinion

Stop Earning Airline Miles. Earn Transferable Points.

In 2026, hoarding airline-specific miles is a slow bleed. Earn transferable points instead — they let you route around any single program's worst day. Earn flexible, burn specific.

MileIntel

6 minMay 28

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13Guide

The Hyatt 5-Tier Award Chart Trade-Off, Explained

Hyatt's new 5-tier award chart is live as of May 20, 2026. The real-world impact for most travelers is a 10% average increase, not the alarming 67% headline figure.

MileIntel

6 minMay 28

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14News

United's 737 MAX Transatlantic Move Looks Like Its Azores Play. Here's What Happened Then.

United launches EWR-Santiago de Compostela on a 737 MAX 8 starting May 27, 2026. Economy saver awards start at 40,000 MileagePlus miles. Here's the full breakdown.

MileIntel

6 minMay 26

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15Deals

5 EVA Air Award Deals Worth Booking This Summer 2026

EVA Air business class to Asia runs $4,000–$6,000 cash. These 5 award paths show you exactly how to close that gap, including the group-booking angle most guides skip.

MileIntel

6 minMay 23

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16News

Why Southwest's 20 New June Routes Miss the Real Story

Southwest launches 20 new routes on June 4 and June 6, 2026 — but overall capacity falls 1% YoY, 11 international routes are cut simultaneously, and dynamic pricing means award costs will exceed the 1.3¢ baseline on high-demand new routes.

MileIntel

9 minMay 22

17Guide

Is the KLM Flying Blue Transfer Bonus Still Worth It in 2026?

Flying Blue's 20% transfer bonus from Chase expires May 27, 2026. Before you transfer, read why the 2025 devaluation may have already spent it for you.

MileIntel

10 minMay 21

18Analysis