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———

JetBlue is finally getting domestic first class, but it's bad news for everyone else in the back of the plane. The airline's new BlueFirst cabin will have bigger recliner-style seats and Bluetooth connectivity. But to make room, JetBlue is cutting about two inches of legroom from regular economy, which has long been one of its biggest selling points.

If you're still figuring out a last-minute Labor Day getaway, don't panic. International airfare is actually down about 4% compared to last year. We share why it can pay to let the price pick your destination by searching broadly on Google Flights or Seats.aero. Plus, United's app can now help you get on standby for an earlier flight if your travel plans get disrupted.

Flying Blue also has new Promo Rewards for September, with flights between the U.S. and Europe starting around 19,000 miles one-way in economy or 30,000 miles in premium economy. The discounted awards can be booked for travel through Feb. 28, 2027, and it's worth booking before Sept. 8, when new award ticket options with more restrictions take effect.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:17 Last-Minute Labor Day Travel

1:18 United's New Standby Feature

2:14 JetBlue's New BlueFirst Cabin

3:45 Flying Blue Promo Rewards and New Award Fares

4:37 Sign-Off

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Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which Departure Digest will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Departure Digest is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies, or all available credit card offers. The content in this episode is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

———

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———

Bilt's September Rent Day transfer bonus could get you to London for just 3,000 Bilt points. On Sept. 1, Bilt Rewards is offering up to a 100% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red, with the size of the bonus depending on your Bilt status. Virgin Atlantic awards from the East Coast to London can be as low as 6,000 points one-way in economy, so a full 100% bonus could cut the points cost in half.

United is also offering a shortcut to airline elite status, with a special challenge for members in New York and Chicago. Members can get matched elite status for 120 days, then lock it in through next year by completing just two qualifying flights.

And Google is making it easier to see award pricing for programs including Alaska, American, and Hilton through AI Mode. It's helpful when it works, but the results can be hit or miss.

Sign up for a free Bilt Rewards account: https://go.departuredigest.com/bilt-rewards

United’s New York status match: https://promo.united.com/offers/statusmatchnewyork

United’s Chicago status match: https://promo.united.com/offers/statusmatchchicago

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:19 Bilt's September Rent Day Perks

2:00 United Status Match Shortcut

3:35 Google AI Mode for Points Pricing

4:15 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which Departure Digest will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Departure Digest is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies, or all available credit card offers. The content in this episode is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

———

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———

Today's episode is a deep dive into Rove, one of the easiest ways to earn more travel rewards without opening another credit card. Rove is a free program that lets you earn a separate currency called Rove Miles using the cards you already have, including up to 25x miles on hotels. The real standout is Rove's Loyalty Eligible hotel rate, which can let you earn Rove Miles while still earning hotel points and elite night credits, plus rewards from your credit card.

Rove Miles can also be transferred to a bunch of airline and hotel partners, including Flying Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, and Lufthansa's Miles & More. We get into how those transfer partners work and why Miles & More can sometimes offer wildly cheap award flights, including economy tickets between North America and Europe for as little as 88 miles (though taxes and fees can still be significant).

We also look at a few Amex Offers worth checking, including targeted deals on Hilton, Hyatt, Lufthansa Group flights, and more.

Read the full Rove Miles guide: https://www.departuredigest.com/p/rove-miles-guide

Join Rove and get a 1,000-mile welcome bonus: https://go.departuredigest.com/rove

Timeline

0:26 New Travel Amex Offers

1:11 Rove: How It Works

1:52 The Rove Triple Dip

2:39 Rove Transfer Partners

3:01 The 88-Mile Europe Award

3:53 Sign-Off

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Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which Departure Digest will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Departure Digest is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies, or all available credit card offers. The content in this episode is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

———

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