Generous reader Caveman is donating two United Club passes that expire June 30, 2017–bout a year and a half from now–to one lucky winner.

United has lounges all over the world. The clubs are a pleasant place to relax in a comfortable chair, use free wifi, and enjoy free snack and drinks. Here are the amenities. One-time entry goes for $59, so this giveaway could be worth up to $118.

There are two ways to enter this contest:

Comment on this post for a chance to win the passes.

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® now offers 50,000 bonus American Airlines after spending $5,000 in the first three months.

Quick Facts

Sign Up Bonus: 50,000 American Airlines miles after $5,000 in spending in the first three months
Admirals Club Membership: Full access to 90+ affiliated clubs and free guest access for two people each time you go.

Update 6/26/16: Singapore is ending its Barcelona <-> Sao Paulo route. The last flight is October 20, 2016. Singapore will continue to fly Singapore <-> Barcelona, but that isn't much consolation. Award space is great Barcelona <-> Sao Paulo through October 20.

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Fly between South America and Europe for 17,425 miles one way year round. Or for only 58,225, fly one of the world's nicest First Classes.

Delta has devalued its miles with no notice (again.)

Effective immediately, awards for travel from November 1, 2016 on are going up in price from the United States to the Middle East in Business Class.
USA to Middle East
Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen

Is: 40k/70k each way in economy/Business
For Travel October 1 to October 31: 35k/70k
For Travel November 1 on: 35k/85k
Change: 5,000 fewer Delta miles each way in economy to the Middle East starting October 1, 15,000 more miles

Choice Privileges operates mostly motels in the United States, but some nicer hotels abroad like the $325-per-night Clarion Hotel in Stockholm.

Choice just launched a promotion offering a free night after two stays. This is a typical promotion among hotels that can often be worthy of a mattress run (i.e. booking two cheap one night stays you don't need to get a free stay at an expensive property later), so I looked into it.

If you have a Citi ThankYou® Premier Card, check your email for the subject line "Earn 5 additional ThankYou® Points on stays within the Hilton Portfolio | Enroll in one click!"

The Citi ThankYou® Premier Card already earns 3x points on gas and travel, including of course hotel stays, so once enrolled you will earn 8 total ThankYou Points per dollar on Hilton stays, the normal 3 plus the bonus 5.

The 8x is valid through May 31, 2016 on your first $1,000 spent at Hilton hotels, including all these brands.

I value ThankYou Points at 1.9 cents

I stayed two weeks at an Airbnb in Santiago, Chile at the start of the month. That's not uncommon for me, since I am a nomad. Here's where I slept every night of 2015 for reference.

When your Airbnb stay ends, you and the host have two weeks to review each other. The first review is hidden until the two weeks are over or both reviews are made.

In 2014, American Express changed its churning rules so that you could only get the bonus on a personal credit card once per lifetime.

Now the rule has been extended to business cards.

This follows the general trend of tightening the giving of bonuses by banks. For instance, Chase is about to institute a rule that you'll be denied for a credit card automatically if you've opened five other credit cards in the last 24 months.

I expect to see further tightening, and I expect the changes to be profitable for the banks.

Today only, February 26, 2016, you can buy IHG Rewards Club points and get up to a 100% bonus on the points purchased.

IHG is the loyalty program of these brands, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn.

IHG points normally cost 1.15 to 1.35 cent each.

1,000 – 10,000 points for $13.50 per 1,000 points
11,000 – 25,000 points for $12.50 per 1,000 points
26,000 – 60,000 points for $11.50 per 1,000 points

If you buy 26,000 IHG points by tomorrow–the smallest number that gets the lowest price–you’ll receive

The Hilton HHonors Signature Card's sign up bonus has expired. Click here for the top current sign up bonuses.

Hilton has two no annual fee credit cards--one issued by American Express and one by Citi. Both have limited time increased sign up bonuses.