The 2023 Bonvoyed Awards | Ep234 | 12-23-23

As we close out 2023, we take a moment to honor those loyalty programs that have dishonored their own members with the biggest snafus, most member-unfriendly changes, or other painful devaluations. 

00:00 Intro

01:58 Giant Mailbag

04:51 Card Talk: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy & Bountiful cards

https://frequentmiler.com/bonvoybevy/

https://frequentmiler.com/bonvoybountiful/

10:41 What crazy thing . . . did Air France / KLM Flying Blue do this week?

https://frequentmiler.com/amazing-business-class-to-europe-from-13500-miles-one-way/

21:44 Award Talk: Bilt adds Avianca LifeMiles

https://frequentmiler.com/now-transfer-bilt-rewards-to-avianca-lifemiles/

24:48 Award Talk: IHG allows free point transfers between members....well, *some* members

https://frequentmiler.com/ihg-offering-diamond-elite-members-free-points-transfers-to-other-members-but-not-the-other-way/

27:27 Finnair Plus announces new award charts and info

https://frequentmiler.com/finnair-plus-announces-award-chart-changes-to-take-effect-in-march-2024/

38:19 Main Event: 2023 Bonvoyed Awards

The Nominees....

39:19: Marriott Bonvoys free night certificates

https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-rules-for-extending-free-nights/

41:19 Hyatt / MGM marriage goes bust

https://frequentmiler.com/hyatt-farewell-cheap-mattress-runs-status-matching/

43:51 Wyndham vacates their high-value Vacasa bookings

https://frequentmiler.com/wyndham-vacasa/

45:41 Delta dumps their devastation

https://frequentmiler.com/delta-elite-shortcuts/

47:52 Chase guts their Pay Yourself Back program

49:07 Air Canada Aeroplan's Etihad alliance goes astray

52:00 Hotels.com becomes 5x less rewarding

https://frequentmiler.com/huge-devaluation-of-hotels-com-rewards-new-one-key-program-only-giving-2-back/

56:15 Nominee recap

56:42 Nick's pick for 2023 Bonvoyed Award

59:24 Greg's pick for 2023 Bonvoyed Award

1:02:41 Question of the Week: What is the best thing to do with 80,000 Membership Rewards points before we cancel Player 2's Amex Gold card?

Music credit: Annie Yoder