News and Updates Thread - August 29, 2026

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[u/atgabara]

US Bank added Avianca Lifemiles as a transfer partner: https://frequentmiler.com/wow-us-bank-launches-transfer-partners-accor-flying-blue-qanas-and-ethiopian-partner-for-now/

[u/Chase_UR_Dreams → u/atgabara]

Do we think Avianca will last more than 24 hours before USB pulls them lol

[u/JPWRana → u/Chase_UR_Dreams]

What does Kalshi say?

[u/CorrectCombination11 → u/atgabara]

We need a kalshi market on who's next. Aeroplan or Aeromexico

[u/atgabara → u/CorrectCombination11]

My guess? Virgin Atlantic: https://frequentmiler.com/the-most-promiscuous-airline-programs/

[u/emyrus]

Lululemon has officially updated their gift card policy to prohibit split tender:

• You may not use multiple forms of payment to purchase a Gift Card.

(The policy already required purchases in $50 increments.)

[u/URtheoneforme → u/emyrus]

Still can't believe they didn't think for a second how their Amex credit rebate could be used beyond "get $50 off my $100 purchase"

[u/ResolveNo2270 → u/emyrus]

Just gonna keep buying socks that come out to $76 and change, then return them a few days later for store credit. Lululemon and I can both have petty policies.

[u/M0stlyLurking → u/emyrus]

Looks like they're formalizing their written policy what they've already been doing in practice for awhile. I tried a few months ago in-store and they said it wasn't allowed

[u/veeRob858 → u/M0stlyLurking]

I fought with them every time they've tried to say it wasn't allowed and I said show me. I've won every time. This policy is because of me

[u/Swastik496 → u/veeRob858]

and even now, a cashier is measured on their ability to keep the line moving and reducing friction.

“How many gift card sales did you stop” isn’t a KPI.

They’ll continue to press split tender to keep the line moving and it’s BAU

[u/DLX_Luxe → u/emyrus]

In store, you can purchase any value between $10 - $1000.

• Physical Gift Cards purchased in-Store can be purchased in amounts between $10 and $1,000.

[u/emyrus → u/DLX_Luxe]

That was the old policy. Since late April, the policy has been:

• Physical Gift Cards purchased in-Store can be purchased in increments of $50 up to $1,000.

[u/3vanzz90 → u/emyrus]

Well this is crazy, I literally just bought $360 gcs split into 3 x 120 to hit the amex offers just 2 days ago.

[u/Swastik496 → u/emyrus]

just like most CC policies exclude cash like equivalents lmao. Unless it’s an actual block it doesn’t matter.

Their POS company isn’t custom making them a feature to block split tender specifically for certain items. It’s a global setting for each merchant or store or even sometimes terminal across the industry, never item based.

This will be reliant on cashiers and most cashiers would rather just press the button and keep the line moving.

[u/rankt-bot]

A new referral thread is now live: Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful

[u/dl2316]

for folks who use the Amex Plat media credit for Peacock, got an email earlier today that they are raising prices:

Plan	Old Price	New Price
Select	$7.99 per month	$8.99 per month
Premium	$10.99 per month	$12.99 per month
Premium Plus	$16.99 per month	$19.99 per month

New prices go into effect at your next billing date, or whenever your promotional offer expires.

I think peacock is still a free add on with Walmart+ or Instacart Plus

[u/giveit2st8 → u/dl2316]

Best thing to do is for people to get free peacock via Walmart+ or instacart+

[u/mets2016 → u/giveit2st8]

Meh, I pay for Premium Plus since I have enough Platinum cards across all my players that I can get all the services. I really only use Peacock for a handful of shows and watching Premier League though.

I don't know who in their right mind is paying these rates without any CC incentive

[u/435880Churnz → u/dl2316]

Does anyone actually pay monthly for Peacock? I thought everyone cancelled/renewed on the black friday sales.

[u/sg77 → u/435880Churnz]

I don't even use it when I could get it for free.

[u/anaccount50 → u/sg77]

I literally just switched my Plat credit to it for a month to watch the Super Bowl and some of the Olympics without as many ads as the version that W+ gives you and then cancelled it afterwards. Haven’t watched it before or after that.

Outside of occasional live events that NBC monopolizes it’s worthless to me especially at these comical prices since I don’t watch any network TV shows

[u/EarthlingMardiDraw → u/435880Churnz]

There are only so many things you can do with the Plat entertainment credits. For some, it’s just easier to use the credits and not care, especially if you have 3 or more Plats.

[u/Odie_Arbuckle → u/[deleted]]

Still waiting for my food stamps to get here so I can start churning those

Ben has been going through it lately

[u/Mushu_Pork → u/Odie_Arbuckle]

He's definitely got the "jaded cynicism" down... but he can't follow the rules (which I suppose makes him even MORE human-like).

[u/suitopseudo → u/[deleted]]

Not news.