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Deals11 min read

May 2025 Deals Roundup: 5 Worth Booking, 2 to Skip

Flying Blue economy to Europe for 18,750 miles one-way leads this month's roundup. We do the full cpp math so you don't have to.

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MileIntel
May 13, 2026
Recent
28 articles
A southwest airlines jet flying over a city01News

United's 737 MAX to Glasgow: Premium Plus in Name Only

United launched its first-ever 737 MAX nonstop to the UK on May 8, 2026. The 'Premium Plus' cabin is a domestic recliner—not lie-flat—on a 7-hour red-eye.

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MileIntel
10 minMay 12
waves crashing on a beach02Deals

NEW-WAY, AMD-NEW & TIP-TOE: Real Fare Codes or Travel Myth?

These three cryptic fare codes are circulating in travel forums. Here's what our research found—and which real sweet spots to book instead.

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MileIntel
16 minMay 10
Close-up of an old airplane's cockpit interior.03News

Do Long-Haul Pilots Really Sleep in Secret Bunks?

Yes, pilots sleep in hidden crew rest compartments on long-haul flights — but in-flight sleep is only 70% as restorative as ground sleep, making bunks a mitigation, not a fix.

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MileIntel
7 minMay 8
An emirates airbus a380 airplane takes off.04News

Emirates A380's 14 First Class Seats: The Real Trade-Offs

Emirates packs 14 First Class suites onto its A380, but elite-only restrictions since May 2025 and devalued transfer ratios make this award harder than ever to book.

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MileIntel
7 minMay 7
Modern lounge area with couch and floor lamps.05Guide

Hyatt Award Chart Devaluation 2026: Lock In Rates Before May 20

Hyatt's 5-tier award chart launches May 20, 2026. Category 8 peaks jump 67%. Here's exactly what to book now and where the new sweet spots are.

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MileIntel
6 minMay 6
a very tall building with a clock tower06News

United's 737 MAX to Glasgow: No Lie-Flat, Monopoly Pricing

United launched its first 737 MAX nonstop to the UK on May 8, 2026. The Glasgow route has no Polaris lie-flat — and United is the only U.S. carrier flying it.

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MileIntel
10 minMay 5
Airport sign showing flight information and bag tracking07News

Southwest's Boarding Rewrite: Seat Anxiety Became Bin Chaos

Southwest rewrote its 8-group boarding system twice in 90 days after assigned seating launched Jan. 27, 2026—replacing gate anxiety with a worse overhead bin crisis.

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MileIntel
10 minMay 4
black and gray car dashboard08From the Cockpit

How MileIntel's Transfer Graph Actually Works

Wells Fargo just added Cathay Pacific as a transfer partner. Here's why that's a hard engineering problem — and how we built the system to handle it.

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MileIntel
6 minMay 3
Hyatt centric building overlooking a city at dusk09Guide

Suite Arbitrage: Maximize Premium Suites Before Hyatt's May 20 Devaluation

Hyatt's May 20 devaluation hits standard rooms hardest. Here's how to lock in premium suite awards at current rates before the 5-tier chart takes effect.

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MileIntel
6 minApr 30
A white airplane model next to a computer keyboard.10News

Expedia Spent $279M on Acquisitions in Q1 2020, Airbnb Booked $70M Tiqets Gain

Expedia burned $279M in cash on acquisitions while Airbnb logged a $70M paper gain on Tiqets — two very different bets made weeks before COVID erased travel.

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MileIntel
8 minApr 27
airplane parked near passenger pathway11Guide

KLM Flying Blue Miles: Best Deals & Sweet Spots in 2026

Flying Blue devalued in 2025 and raised surcharges in 2026—but smart redemptions still deliver real value. Here's exactly where the deals are.

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MileIntel
10 minApr 24
a group of credit cards sitting next to a cell phone12Analysis

2026 Airline Earning Penalties: Ranked by Budget Traveler Impact

All three major U.S. legacy carriers now earn zero miles on basic economy. Here's how each program ranks and what budget travelers should do now.

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MileIntel
10 minApr 23
a large airplane flying in the sky13From the Cockpit

Mergers Break Loyalty Programs. Here's How MileIntel Catches It.

The Allegiant-Sun Country merger follows a familiar pattern that costs loyalty members thousands. Here's how MileIntel's upgrade monitor and status tracker catch it.

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MileIntel
7 minApr 23
Tropical resort with pools and palm trees by the ocean14From the Cockpit

The Alert I Wish Existed Last Week (Building It Now)

Hyatt just hiked peak-night costs by up to 67%. Members found out too late. Here's the fork in the road I faced building MileIntel's alert system.

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MileIntel
6 minApr 18
man standing on cliff near falls15Deals

Best Travel Deals Roundup: April 2026 Transfer Bonuses & More

The hottest travel deals of April 2026: transfer bonuses expiring in days, buy-miles sales up to 125%, and why you must book Hyatt before May.

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MileIntel
6 minApr 14
people walking on a building16Analysis

Airline Sale Fares in 2026: How to Actually Win

Airfares are down 10% internationally in 2026, but dynamic award pricing is eating your points. Here's how to find real value during airline sale seasons.

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MileIntel
8 minApr 14
a couple of tall buildings sitting next to each other17From the Cockpit

Citi ThankYou Devaluation: The $300 Warning We Almost Missed

Citi ThankYou cuts Choice Privileges transfers 25% and Preferred Hotels 50% on April 19. Here's the math, what to do now, and why we almost missed it.

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MileIntel
7 minApr 9
a large jetliner flying over a runway at an airport18Analysis

United MileagePlus 2026: What the Overhaul Means for You

United MileagePlus is splitting its 100M members in two. Non-cardholders lose 40% of base earning starting April 2. Here's exactly what to do.

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MileIntel
8 minMar 28
A large passenger jet flying over a runway19News

Qantas Flight Reward Finder: Full Breakdown and Hidden Gaps

Qantas's free Flight Reward Finder is useful but hides critical gaps: QF metal is only 8.8% of results, there's no carrier filter, and Emirates surcharges can top $720.

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MileIntel
8 minMar 27

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