A big week for transfer bonus chasers and Hilton loyalists — Chase dropped a 55% bonus to Marriott Bonvoy that nearly everyone should pay attention to, while American Express brought back no-lifetime-language offers on its personal Hilton cards. On the bad news front, Emirates delivered a meaningful award devaluation that affects anyone planning a premium redemption through their partners. Here's everything that mattered May 18–24.

Transfer Bonuses & Partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy: 55% Through June 30

This is the headline of the week. Chase is offering a 55% transfer bonus from Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy through June 30, turning the standard 1:1 rate into an effective 1:1.55. That's one of the largest Chase transfer bonuses on record, and if you've been sitting on UR points eyeing a Marriott redemption, this is the window. Marriott valuations are modest at around 0.7 cents per point, but at 1.55x that's closer to 1.09 cents per UR — not a slam dunk, but worth running the math if you have a specific Bonvoy redemption in mind.

Chase Ultimate Rewards → Southwest: 30% Through June 5

Chase is also running its largest-ever Southwest transfer bonus simultaneously — 30% through June 5. If you need Rapid Rewards points for a domestic redemption this summer, this is the rare moment where it actually makes sense to transfer Chase points to Southwest. Don't sleep on it — the June 5 expiry is coming up fast.

Citi ThankYou → Wyndham: 25% Through June 13

Citi ThankYou points transfer to Wyndham Rewards at 1:1.25 through June 13 instead of the standard 1:1. Wyndham is a legitimate target for road-warrior hotel stays and Go Free award nights, and this bonus improves an already-solid transfer rate. If you're a Citi Strata Premier holder sitting on ThankYou points, worth a look.

Citi ThankYou → I Prefer Hotel Rewards: 30% Through June 13

Also new this week: a 30% transfer bonus from Citi ThankYou to I Prefer Hotel Rewards (Preferred Hotels & Resorts) running through June 13. The standard rate normally converts 1,000 ThankYou points into 2,000 iPreferred points — with the bonus that jumps to 2,600. Niche audience, but if you have a Preferred Hotels stay on the books, this is a nice sweetener.

Rove → Air Canada Aeroplan: 25% Through June 6

Rove Miles continues its launch promotion, offering a 25% bonus to Aeroplan through June 6 as a celebration of adding Aeroplan as a 1:1 transfer partner. Aeroplan is one of the most flexible programs in the world, with access to Star Alliance partners and some genuinely competitive sweet spots. Rove now has 18 transfer partners total after recently adding Japan Airlines, SAS, and Virgin Atlantic.

Expiring This Week — Act Now

Three transfer bonuses are expiring imminently and deserve a final call-out:

  • Chase Ultimate Rewards → Air France/KLM Flying Blue: 20% — ends May 27 (this Tuesday). Flying Blue regularly offers flash sales and Promo Awards, making it a strong Chase transfer target even without a bonus.
  • Amex Membership Rewards → Hilton Honors: 20% — ends May 30. Hilton points are worth about 0.5 cents each, so the math doesn't usually favor this transfer, but if you're close to a free night, this gets you there faster.
  • Capital One → Qantas Frequent Flyer: 20% — ends May 31. Qantas points have solid utility on AA and Alaska metal for domestic redemptions and international business class on Oneworld partners.

Hilton NLL Offers & Elevated Signup Bonuses

AmEx Hilton Personal Cards: No-Lifetime-Language Offers Are Back

No-lifetime-language (NLL) offers for the personal American Express Hilton cards resurfaced this week — meaning previous cardholders who normally wouldn't qualify for a signup bonus can earn one again. If you held a Hilton Honors American Express Card, Hilton Honors Surpass, or Hilton Honors Aspire in the past and didn't think you could get the welcome offer again, now is the time to check CardMatch or your targeted mail. These NLL windows don't stay open forever.

Hilton Elevated Offers Through July 29

Alongside the NLL news, AmEx elevated the public signup offers on all three personal Hilton cards through July 29:

The no-annual-fee personal card offering 100K + $100 after just $2K spend is genuinely exceptional — that's a floor of roughly $500+ in Hilton value for a light spend requirement on a free card. If you've never held a Hilton card, the Surpass at 130K/3K spend is the sweet spot for most travelers.

Credit Card & Program News

Shell Performance Elite World Mastercard Launches

A new co-branded card hit the market this week: the Shell Performance Elite World Mastercard. It's positioned as a fuel and road rewards card, joining a growing field of gas-station co-brands. The launch offer is modest — $50 statement credit after $500 spend in 2 months — so this is a card to evaluate on its ongoing benefits rather than its welcome bonus. Details are still emerging on the full rewards structure.

Emirates Devalues Its Award Chart

Emirates Skywards quietly pushed through meaningful devaluations affecting first class, business class, and partner upgrade pricing. If you've been holding Skywards miles for a premium Emirates redemption, the cost just went up — in some cases significantly. This is a good reminder that miles programs can move without warning, and holding large balances in any single airline currency carries real risk. Diversifying across transferable currencies (Chase UR, Amex MR, Citi TY) provides a meaningful hedge against exactly this kind of hit.

Targeted: AmEx Blue Cash Preferred Upgrade Offer

Holders of the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday card are seeing targeted upgrade offers to the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: a $150 statement credit after $1,000 spend, plus the first-year annual fee waived. The BCP earns 6% on U.S. supermarkets (up to $6K/year) and 6% on select U.S. streaming services — if you spend meaningfully on groceries, the upgrade math works even without the bonus.

Tip: Apple Pay Can Route Around Merchant Card Bans

An interesting tactical note that circulated this week: when specific cards get blacklisted by a merchant (like fitness brand Whoop), routing payment through Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or PayPal can sometimes bypass the merchant-level ban since the payment appears as a different instrument. Useful to know if you've ever had a preferred card mysteriously declined at a specific retailer.

Signup Bonuses

United℠ Business Card: 100K Miles After $5K Spend

The United℠ Business Card is sitting at an elevated 100,000 miles after $5,000 spend in 3 months — a solid United Business offer. United miles are worth roughly 1.5 cents each via the right redemptions, making this worth approximately $1,500. Good timing with summer travel planning underway.

TD Business Solutions: $400 Back After $3K Spend

The TD Business Solutions Credit Card jumped to a $400 statement credit after $3,000 spend in 3 months — a significant increase from its standard offer. Cash back business card options don't get a ton of press, but $400 for $3K spend is a strong return for small business owners who prefer simplicity over points complexity.

Fidelity Rewards Visa: $150 After $1K Spend

The Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature Card is offering a $150 statement credit after $1,000 spend in 3 months. If you're a Fidelity account holder looking for a simple 2% cash back card with a decent intro offer, this is worth a look.

Korean Air SKYPASS Visa Cards: New Lineup

A full lineup of Korean Air SKYPASS co-branded Visa cards became available this week, covering four tiers from the no-annual-fee entry card up to a business product:

Korean Air's SkyPass miles have solid utility for SkyTeam redemptions including Delta flights and Korean Air's premium international routes. The Select tier at 60K/5K is the most interesting welcome offer in the lineup.

Card Curator Take

The Chase UR → Marriott 55% bonus is rare enough that it deserves a decision, not just a mental note — if you have a Bonvoy redemption queued up or a hotel stay you've been putting off booking, work out the math before June 30. Meanwhile, the Hilton NLL situation is genuinely time-sensitive: no-lifetime-language windows close without warning, and the combination of elevated public offers and NLL availability on the same cards at the same time is unusual.

The Emirates devaluation is a reminder to keep your miles working rather than aging in an airline account. If you're holding Skywards miles, evaluate your options now while the redemptions you originally valued them for still exist. The broader trend of surprise devaluations across programs only reinforces the case for keeping the bulk of your stash in flexible transferable currencies. Use Card Curator to see how your current card lineup stacks up and where transfer bonuses could be put to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy transfer bonus and when does it expire?

Chase is offering a 55% transfer bonus from Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy through June 30, 2026 — one of the largest Chase transfer bonuses on record. That converts the standard 1:1 transfer rate to an effective 1:1.55, so 10,000 Chase points become 15,500 Marriott points. The deadline is June 30, 2026.

What are no-lifetime-language (NLL) Hilton credit card offers?

NLL offers are targeted signup bonuses on American Express Hilton cards that waive the usual "you must not have had this card before" restriction, allowing former cardholders to earn a welcome bonus again. They typically appear via CardMatch, targeted mailers, or incognito browser sessions. They're not guaranteed to be available to everyone, so check before applying.

Is the Emirates Skywards devaluation significant, and what should I do with my miles?

Yes — Emirates raised the miles required for first class, business class, and partner upgrades on several routes, with some categories seeing double-digit percentage increases in cost. If you have Skywards miles and a specific redemption in mind, book it soon before prices climb further. If you don't have a clear use case, consider whether transferring or pooling with other programs makes sense for your travel goals.

Use Card Curator to track how these changes affect your wallet.