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Thanks to a new Amex Airbnb partnership, you can now book Airbnbs through Amex Travel and earn bonus points on those stays. And if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, your up-to-$600 annual hotel credit is now called the lodging credit and now covers eligible Airbnb Luxe homes, too. Those stays can also come with up to $250 for Airbnb Experiences. The bad news is that starting in 2027, you’ll need to book at least two nights to use the credit, so say goodbye to the one-night fancy hotel splurge.

In other Airbnb news, the company is cracking down on checkout chores. For bookings made on or after Nov. 20, hosts can’t make you strip the beds or take out the trash, which seems fair when you’re already paying a cleaning fee.

Meanwhile, Air China just launched a Copenhagen-to-Reykjavik flight. It sounds like a typo, but it’s a great example of a fifth freedom route. These flights can get you a much nicer seat on a shorter trip, and they can be cheaper, too. We explain what they are and how to book them.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:17 Amex Travel Adds Airbnb Stays

1:45 Airbnb’s New Checkout Chore Rules

2:38 What Are Fifth Freedom Flights?

4:15 Sign-Off

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Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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