American Express Membership Rewards is dropping Etihad Guest as a transfer partner on June 20, 2026, removing one of the lesser-used redemption paths from the largest flexible points program in Canada.

This change affects Canadian Amex MR cardholders only, and you have until June 19, 2026 to move points across at the existing 1,000:750 ratio. After that, the option disappears from the transfer page entirely.

Etihad Guest was never a marquee partner for Canadian Amex MR. The 4:3 ratio meant 50,000 MR points became just 37,500 Etihad Guest miles, well below the 1:1 you get with Aeroplan, The British Airways Club, and Air France KLM Flying Blue. But it had a few specific use cases worth knowing about before the door closes.

What’s Changing

Effective June 20, 2026, you can no longer transfer Membership Rewards points to Etihad Guest from a Canadian Amex MR account. The last day to initiate a transfer at the existing 1,000:750 ratio is June 19, 2026.

Note that the US Amex MR program is also losing Etihad Guest, but the timeline runs to June 30, 2026 at a 1:1 ratio. Canadians get an earlier cutoff and a less favourable ratio on the way out.

Affected cards include the Cobalt Card, Gold Rewards Card, Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, and Business Gold Rewards Card. Anything that earns transferable Membership Rewards points is in scope.

Why the Loss Is Smaller than It Looks

For Canadian cardholders, Etihad Guest sat near the bottom of the transfer chart for a reason. At 4:3, every Membership Rewards transfer carried a 33% premium compared to the 1:1 you get when moving MR points to Aeroplan or Flying Blue.

Etihad Guest’s most useful trick for Canadians was booking short-haul Air Canada or American Airlines flights through its distance-based partner chart. Flights under 500 miles cost just 6,000 Etihad Guest miles in economy, roughly 8,000 MR points, which often undercut Aeroplan or American Airlines AAdvantage when those programs were showing peak dynamic prices.

For most Canadians, the practical hit amounts to one niche use case shrinking. Booking Etihad Airways itself with MR points still works through Aeroplan and Flying Blue at the same 1:1 rate as before, and those paths were already the better deal.

How to Use Your MR Points Before June 19

If you’ve been sitting on a stash of MR earmarked for a specific Etihad Guest redemption, the next six weeks are your runway. Pull the trigger on the booking, then transfer just the miles you need.

If you don’t have a specific itinerary in mind, don’t speculatively transfer at 4:3 just to lock in the partnership. You’ll end up with stranded miles in a program you don’t otherwise use, with no good way to top them up after June 20.

One alternative path remains if you want to reach Etihad Guest after the deadline. Marriott Bonvoy still transfers to Etihad Guest at 3:1 (with a 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 transferred), and you can move Canadian Amex MR to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1.2 ratio. The math is poor. 50,000 MR points becomes 60,000 Bonvoy points, which becomes 25,000 Etihad Guest miles, but the path is there if you need it.

Booking Etihad Airways After June 20

Etihad Airways isn’t disappearing as a redemption option for Canadian Amex MR cardholders. The direct path to Etihad Guest miles is what’s going away, not the ability to fly Etihad on points.

Aeroplan remains a partner of Etihad Airways and continues to book Etihad flights for Canadian Amex MR cardholders at a 1:1 transfer ratio. Aeroplan moved Etihad to dynamic pricing in March 2025, so Toronto–Abu Dhabi business class typically starts at around 75,000 Aeroplan points one-way and can climb above 100,000 points on peak dates.

Flying Blue is the second route. Air France KLM Flying Blue added Etihad as a redemption partner in late 2023 and prices Toronto–Abu Dhabi business class at 89,500 Flying Blue miles, which is a useful backup when Aeroplan is showing dynamic prices well above 90,000 points. We wrote about that addition here.

Both Aeroplan and Flying Blue accept Membership Rewards transfers at 1:1, which is a better effective rate than the 4:3 transfer to Etihad Guest ever offered.

AAdvantage Is Still the Best Way to Book Etihad Airways

One option Canadian Amex MR cardholders can’t reach directly, but absolutely should know about, is American Airlines AAdvantage. AAdvantage remains the strongest program for booking Etihad Airways awards, particularly in first class.

AAdvantage prices Toronto to Abu Dhabi first class on the new A380 Apartments at 115,000 miles one-way, Abu Dhabi to London first class at 62,500 miles, and Abu Dhabi to Singapore first class at 50,000 miles, all without fuel surcharges. No other program comes close on Etihad first class.

The catch for Canadians is access. There is no direct transfer path from Amex MR to AAdvantage, and the only direct Canadian bank route into the program is RBC Avion at a 1:0.7 ratio. With a 15% transfer bonus (which RBC has run periodically), the effective rate climbs to roughly 1:0.8, which is workable for a high-cents-per-point redemption like Etihad Apartments.

If you split your earning between Amex and RBC, or have an Avion stash sitting around, AAdvantage is the redemption to chase for Etihad first class.

What Canadian Amex MR Looks Like After June 20

Even with Etihad Guest gone, the Canadian Amex MR transfer chart still runs deep. The 1:1 partners that matter most for Canadian travellers are Aeroplan, The British Airways Club, and Air France KLM Flying Blue.

Hilton Honors transfers at 1:1 with periodic bonuses, and Marriott Bonvoy comes in at a favourable 1:1.2. Asia Miles, Delta SkyMiles, and a handful of European programs round out the chart at the same 4:3 rate that Etihad Guest used to occupy.

Compared to the US version, the Canadian list is thin. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer both sit on the US Amex MR chart and would be obvious additions here, since reaching either currently means routing through Marriott Bonvoy.

For our full breakdown of where Canadian Amex MR points belong, see our guide to American Express Membership Rewards in Canada.

Conclusion

If you have a stash of Membership Rewards points and a confirmed Etihad Guest redemption you’ve been planning, transfer by June 19 and book the ticket. If you don’t, skip this one entirely.

The smarter long-term play for booking Etihad Airways with Canadian Amex MR was already through Aeroplan or Flying Blue at 1:1, and that doesn’t change on June 20. If you’re chasing Etihad first class, American Airlines AAdvantage via RBC Avion remains the program to know. Losing Etihad Guest as a direct partner is a small inconvenience, not a hit to the program’s value.

The bigger ask is that Amex Canada uses this retirement as an opportunity to add something new. Amex in other markets has been quietly adding Accor Live Limitless to its transfer chart over the past couple of years, and that might be a realistic next move for Canada too.

Singapore Airlines has selected Starlink as its next-generation inflight Wi-Fi provider, with installations beginning in Q1 2027. Free access will be available to all passengers in eligible cabins, with one small hoop for those in premium economy and economy.

Two caveats are worth noting. The rollout takes nearly three years to complete, and a sizeable chunk of the fleet is excluded entirely.

What Was Announced

Singapore Airlines confirmed on May 4, 2026 that it has selected SpaceX’s Starlink to deliver inflight connectivity at speeds of up to 1 Gbps per antenna. That’s an order of magnitude faster than the satellite connections most carriers offer today, and it puts the airline in the same bucket as American, United, Emirates, and Lufthansa Group, all of which have signed Starlink deals.

Installations begin in Q1 2027 and are expected to wrap up by the end of 2029. The total fleet getting the upgrade is around 53 aircraft, which works out to roughly one-third of the airline’s total passenger fleet.

Which Aircraft Gets Starlink

Starlink installations are concentrated on Singapore Airlines’ long-haul Airbus fleet. Three aircraft types are in scope:

• Airbus A350-900 Long Haul: 34 aircraft
• Airbus A350-900 Ultra Long Range: seven aircraft
• Airbus A380-800: 12 aircraft

Most transpacific flights from Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Newark (EWR) are operated by an A350-900 Ultra Long Range, and all seven of those aircraft are in scope. The A380 still runs on a handful of premium routes, including the Frankfurt to New York fifth-freedom flight.

Excluded aircraft are just as notable:

• Airbus A350-900 Medium Haul: 24 aircraft
• Boeing 777-300ER: 22 aircraft
• Boeing 787-10: 28 aircraft
• Boeing 737-8 MAX: 21 aircraft

That’s nearly 100 aircraft that won’t see Starlink at all, including most of the regional and intra-Asia fleet. If your itinerary includes a Boeing 787-10 or 777-300ER segment, you’ll be on the existing connectivity setup well past 2029.

Who Gets It for Free

Free access is structured the same way as today’s Wi-Fi. There’s no charge if you’re flying in Suites, first class, or business class, and PPS Club members get unlimited free Wi-Fi in any cabin.

For premium economy and economy passengers, free access requires a KrisFlyer membership. KrisFlyer is free to join and signing up takes a couple of minutes, so this isn’t a real barrier. It’s worth doing before you fly anyway, since you’ll also earn redeemable miles on the flight.

Where’s the Catch

Two things take the shine off this announcement. First, the rollout takes almost three years, which is unusually slow for a Starlink deployment compared to other carriers that have moved faster on similar installs.

Second, only about a third of the fleet is included. The Boeing 787-10, 777-300ER, and 737-8 MAX collectively handle most of Singapore Airlines’ regional and medium-haul flying, and none of those flights will see Starlink under this program.

How Canadians Can Reach a Starlink-Equipped Flight

Most Canadians who fly Singapore Airlines do so via Aeroplan, which lets you book Singapore Airlines as a Star Alliance partner. The airline no longer flies to Vancouver, so you’ll connect through a US gateway like Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Newark (EWR), or New York (JFK).

Those transpacific flights are exactly the routes that get Starlink. The Airbus A350-900 Ultra Long Range operates Singapore Airlines’ longest services, including the world’s longest scheduled flight from Singapore to Newark, and all seven of those aircraft are covered.

For Canadians collecting KrisFlyer miles via Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1, the Wi-Fi access is automatic when booking in Suites, first class, or business class. For premium economy or economy, sign up for KrisFlyer (it’s free) before your flight and you’re set.

Conclusion

Personally, I’m a huge fan of fast inflight Wi-Fi. Once Starlink rolls out, I’d happily pick a Starlink-equipped A350 or A380 over a Boeing-operated alternative, even if the schedule is a bit less convenient. Being productive on an ultra-long-haul flight is a different experience entirely with proper bandwidth.

If you’re flying Singapore Airlines on a transpacific or transatlantic A350 Ultra Long Range or A380 sometime after Q1 2027, this is good news. You’ll get fast, free Starlink connectivity, and the KrisFlyer signup requirement for economy is a non-issue.

Just don’t expect the same on a regional flight or a Boeing-operated route any time soon. The slow timeline and limited fleet coverage mean Singapore Airlines is bringing Starlink to a smaller slice of its flying than the headline announcement suggests.

Porter Airlines is more than doubling its winter sun network for 2026/27, announcing four new destinations, fresh international service from Alberta, and an all-inclusive package partnership with Transat.

All told, that’s nearly 5,000 flights to sun destinations next winter, an increase of more than 150% over the previous season. The expansion brings Porter’s warm-weather network to over 40 routes for 2026/27.

Four New Destinations and 15 New Routes

Porter is adding service to Aruba, Montego Bay (Jamaica), San José (Costa Rica), and Los Cabos (Mexico), with 15 new routes launching across six Canadian gateways between October 30 and December 20, 2026.

Porter Airlines new sun and US routes for winter 2026/27 (peak season frequency)

Route	Peak Frequency	Launch Date
Toronto–Aruba	5x weekly	Oct 30, 2026
Toronto–Los Cabos	3x weekly	Nov 16, 2026
Toronto–Montego Bay	5x weekly	Nov 23, 2026
Toronto–San José	4x weekly	Dec 2, 2026
Ottawa–Aruba	2x weekly	Nov 7, 2026
Ottawa–Montego Bay	2x weekly	Nov 25, 2026
Ottawa–Los Cabos	2x weekly	Dec 18, 2026
Hamilton–Montego Bay	2x weekly	Dec 20, 2026
Halifax–Fort Lauderdale	4x weekly	Dec 17, 2026
Halifax–Cancun	3x weekly	Dec 18, 2026
Edmonton–Puerto Vallarta	3x weekly	Nov 3, 2026
Edmonton–Phoenix	Daily	Nov 6, 2026
Edmonton–Los Cabos	4x weekly	Nov 16, 2026
Edmonton–Las Vegas	4x weekly	Nov 16, 2026
Calgary–Phoenix	Daily	Dec 20, 2026

Of the new launches, Porter will be the sole operator on Aruba and Los Cabos from Ottawa, as well as Montego Bay from Hamilton.

The bigger story for Western Canada is that this expansion includes Porter’s first international flights from Alberta. Edmonton picks up four new sun and US destinations, while Calgary adds daily Phoenix flights to round out the Western additions.

All-Inclusive Sun Packages with Transat

Alongside the network expansion, Porter and Transat are launching a new line of vacation packages that bundle Porter’s nonstop sun flights with Transat-curated hotels.

This first wave of packages covers Nassau, Grand Cayman, Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta from Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton, for travel on or after November 1, 2026. Both all-inclusive and room-only options are available, depending on the property.

Distribution runs entirely through Transat’s channels, including the transat.com booking site and the Transat travel agency network, rather than through Porter’s website.

This product extends the joint venture that Porter Airlines and Air Transat first announced in late 2023, which has since seen the two carriers align schedules across their largely complementary North American and international networks.

Aircraft and Onboard Experience

All of the new sun routes are operated by Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 jets, configured with 132 seats in a two-by-two layout. With no middle seats anywhere on the aircraft, the economy product holds up better than most on medium-haul flights.

Both PorterClassic and PorterReserve fares are available on the new routes. PorterClassic is the standard economy product, while PorterReserve is Porter’s all-inclusive economy fare with extra legroom, fresh meals, premium pre-mixed cocktails, and more flexible ticket conditions.

Every passenger gets complimentary fast Wi-Fi, along with Porter’s standard food and beverage service that includes Canadian snacks and complimentary beer and wine served in glassware.

Booking and VIPorter Redemptions

Flights to the four new sun destinations are available now on flyporter.com and through travel agents, for both cash and VIPorter points. Porter indicates that one-way redemptions to sun destinations start from as low as 10,000 points, plus taxes and fees.

Transat package products are bookable separately through transat.com and the Transat travel agency network, with availability for the November 1, 2026 onward window.

Conclusion

If you’re a VIPorter member based in Toronto or Ottawa, this is the most useful schedule expansion the program has ever produced. Three of the four new destinations are bookable on Porter-operated metal, which sidesteps the partner premium that Air Transat redemptions carry through VIPorter (21,500 points and up for the Caribbean).

For Edmonton and Calgary, the win is more incremental. Phoenix and Las Vegas are well-served by other carriers, but Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos out of Edmonton give Porter a credible Western Canadian sun foothold for the first time, with VIPorter as the primary loyalty hook.

My read on the Transat partnership is that it’s aimed at the package-shopping audience that Porter doesn’t reach through flyporter.com. If the November 1 launch produces decent booking data, expect the destination list to grow before next winter is over.

Best rate guarantees are offered by the world’s large hotel groups to entice travellers to book directly with the hotel chain instead of via third-party sites.

The pitch is straightforward. If you find a cheaper rate elsewhere on the internet, the hotel chain will match it and usually layer on an additional discount or a points kicker. A successful claim also lets you keep all the elite benefits you’d otherwise forfeit by booking through a third-party site.

The reality in 2026 is that successful claims have become much harder to land than they used to be. This article walks through how each major program works on paper, and closes with a candid look at why these programs are worth knowing about in case you happen to spot a lower rate, but not really worth actively hunting for.

Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee

Marriott has a generous Best Rate Guarantee program. Not only will Marriott match any eligible rate found, you’ll additionally have a choice of a further 25% discount on your booking (20% discount for Design Hotels properties) or 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee applies to all Marriott branded hotels, with some exclusions. Some specific properties that don’t participate are:

• The Ritz-Carlton Residences
• The Ritz-Carlton Club
• Marriott, Sheraton, and Westin Vacation Club properties
• Marriott’s Grand Residence Club
• All-inclusive properties
• Homes & Villas by Marriott International
• Elegant Hotels

One important change to be aware of is that as of 2025, you must be a Marriott Bonvoy member to file a claim, and your reservation must be associated with your Bonvoy number. The good news is that signing up for Bonvoy is free, so this is more of a procedural step than a true barrier.

In order to take advantage of Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee, you’ll need to follow three simple steps:

1. Make a reservation with Marriott directly
2. Find a lower rate elsewhere
3. Submit a Best Rate Guarantee claim form

1. Make an eligible booking

Qualifying reservations must be booked through one of the following channels:

• Online at Marriott.com
• Through the Marriott Bonvoy app
• Over the phone by calling Marriott
• Directly with the hotel

You won’t be able to make a booking with any other third-party website and then submit a Best Rate Guarantee. Only bookings made through official Marriott channels are eligible.

2. Find a lower rate

Next, you’ll only need to find a lower rate elsewhere. Even though you aren’t required to actually book the lower rate, it may make sense to do so if it’s refundable, just in case your claim is denied.

(Note that Marriott will not reimburse you for any costs incurred due to cancellation of a reservation.)

Marriott may decline your claim if the lower rate you found does not meet specific criteria. The lower rate must be for:

• The exact same hotel
• The exact same room type
• The exact same date(s)
• An eligible rate found on a non-Marriott website or non-Marriott app

There are many ineligible rates to be aware of, including privately available rates.

The comparable rate has to be publicly available, meaning it can’t be a rate that is only accessible through negotiated corporate rates, paid memberships to other programs, senior or group rates, negotiated rates for extended stays, or government-subsidized rates.

Furthermore, rates that have different rules regarding cancellations or refund policies aren’t eligible for the Best Rate Guarantee. 

Rates for Marriott properties that have their own standalone websites, or their own mobile app, are also not eligible for the Best Rate Guarantee. An example of this might be rates found exclusively on the Design Hotels website or Design Hotels mobile app.

Basically, if the rate isn’t easily accessible to the public, or if it’s part of a package rate or an exclusive deal, it won’t be eligible for the Best Rate Guarantee. A full list of ineligible rates may be found on the Marriott Best Rate Guarantee page.

When comparing rates, Marriott will use the lowest available Marriott rate to compare against the lower rate found elsewhere. The rate difference also has to be meaningful enough to qualify. Marriott may deny claims if the lower rate is within 1% of the original Marriott rate (or within 2% if the two rates are in different currencies).

Ultimately, Marriott has to be able to independently verify the rate you found. While screenshots can be used to assist the claim, they cannot be used for validating the lower rate if Marriott is unable to find it on their end.

3. Submit the claim

After making your booking with Marriott directly, you have 24 hours to find another rate and submit the claim form.

On the form, you’ll have to provide:

• Your contact information
• Your Marriott Bonvoy number
• Your Marriott reservation information, including the rate at which you booked
• The comparison rate information, including the rate and exactly where you found it

In addition to submitting the claim form within 24 hours after making the original booking, the form must be submitted at least 24 hours prior to the standard check-in time of the Marriott hotel.

The name on the claim form must match the name on the confirmed Marriott reservation. You wouldn’t be able to fill out a claim for a friend or family member in order to receive the 5,000 Bonvoy points for your own account; they’d have to fill out the form themselves.

You can only submit one claim per reservation, regardless of how many nights you’re staying.

After you submit your claim form, you’ll have to wait until someone processes and verifies the claim. Marriott will review your claim and contact you within 24 hours of receiving your claim form with the decision.

Should you choose the 25% discount or 5,000 points?

Using our target valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 (CAD) cents per point (cpp), you should take the 5,000 points only if the 25% discount would mean a savings of less than $40 (CAD).

In other words, if the new lowered rate is greater than $160 total for all nights combined, you’d be better off choosing the 25% benefit. If it’s less than $160, you’d be better off choosing the 5,000 points.

If you’re using the Best Rate Guarantee benefit for a Design Hotel brand, then you’ll only be eligible for a further 20% discount after the rate is matched. In this case, the 5,000 Bonvoy points would only be the better choice if the matched rate is less than $200 total for the entire stay.

Note that once you make your choice, you won’t be able to go back and change it after your claim has been submitted.

If you’ve chosen the points, they’ll be awarded within 7–10 business days after you check-out from the approved reservation.

Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee

Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee is very similar to Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee. Hilton will match the lower price found, and in addition, you’ll get 25% off the cost of your stay.

Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee applies to all Hilton-branded hotels, with a few exclusions to keep in mind:

• All Hampton by Hilton hotels in mainland China
• Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) properties in mainland China
• SLH and other Partner Accommodations in Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, and Portugal

The SLH carve-out is a relatively new wrinkle. Hilton brought the Small Luxury Hotels collection into the Hilton Honors fold in 2024, so SLH bookings made through Hilton are otherwise eligible for the Price Match Guarantee outside of the regions listed above.

The three steps for claiming Hilton’s Price Match guarantee are almost identical to Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee:

1. Make a reservation directly with Hilton
2. Find a lower qualified price elsewhere
3. Submit a Price Match Guarantee claim form

1. Make an eligible booking

The Hilton reservation must be found or booked through one of five channels:

• Any official Hilton website
• Any official Hilton call centre
• The Hilton Honors app
• Directly at a Hilton hotel
• Directly through an accredited travel agent

Additionally, the original rate booked must be the lowest rate in order to be eligible for the Price Match Guarantee.

Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee differs from Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee in that you don’t actually have to make the original booking, you simply need to find a rate as part of your submission. Furthermore, bookings found or made through an accredited travel agent are valid.

2. Find a lower price

The lower rate must be found through a third-party platform, and not through an official Hilton channel. The lower rate must be identified either before you book or within 24 hours after you make your reservation.

Again, the third-party rate must have the same terms, including room type, breakfast offering, dates, number of guests, refundability, etc., as the original Hilton rate.

The booking must be viewable and bookable by anyone without any additional booking limitations or restrictions.

3. Submit your claim

You can submit a Hilton Price Match Guarantee claim online. Alternatively, you can submit a claim over the phone by calling the Hilton contact centre.

Similar to Marriott, you must submit a claim no more than 24 hours after booking. However, unlike Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee, Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee can be submitted even if you are within 24 hours of your stay.

Claims submitted online will be validated within 48 hours, while claims made over the phone will be validated immediately.

If you submit a claim for a rate you haven’t booked yet and your claim is approved, you will receive an email with instructions. Afterwards, you will have 24 hours to make a booking with the adjusted rate.

Hilton may deny claims if the qualifying lower rate is 1% or less than the original price found or booked.

Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee

Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee program is similar to Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee in that successful applicants are offered a choice of benefits.

Hyatt members who are able to find a lower rate elsewhere will have their booking rate matched to the lower rate. Guests are then given a choice of either 5,000 World of Hyatt points or a further 20% discount on their booking.

Similar to other hotel chains, Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee rate is eligible for earning Hyatt base points and Elite Qualifying Nights. World of Hyatt elite members, including Globalists, will also receive all applicable benefits.

Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee applies to most Hyatt brands, with the following exclusions:

• Hyatt Residence Club
• Hyatt Vacation Club
• Destination Residences
• Any residential or extended-stay apartments
• M life Rewards destinations
• Mr & Mrs Smith properties
• UrCove by Hyatt

One notable change since the original version of this article: Hyatt’s long-running partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World ended in 2024, and SLH has since moved over to Hilton Honors. In its place, Hyatt added a partnership with Mr & Mrs Smith for boutique luxury bookings. You can earn and redeem World of Hyatt points at Mr & Mrs Smith properties, but those bookings are not covered by Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee.

Following the same format as Marriott and Hilton, here’s how you make a claim for Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee:

1. Make a reservation with Hyatt
2. Find a lower price
3. Submit your claim

1. Make an eligible booking

Similar to Marriott, the reservation must be made first before you are able to submit a claim.

Eligible bookings are those made through Hyatt.com, hyattinclusivecollection.com, or bahiaprincipe.com. Reservations made on any other site won’t be eligible for a Best Rate Guarantee claim.

2. Find a lower price

Within 24 hours of making your reservation, you must find a lower rate elsewhere on the internet that is at least $1 (USD) less than the lowest rate available through Hyatt’s eligible booking sites. The lower rate must be:

• At the same hotel for the same room type
• For the same number of guests
• For the same dates and length of stay
• Under the same guarantee and cancellation policy
• Booked under the same conditions

There are a number of ineligible rates that don’t qualify for Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee. These include:

• Rates through auction sites such as Priceline or Hotwire
• Package rates
• Rates booked on websites that require a paid membership
• Discounted, unpublished, privately available, or negotiated corporate rates
• Rates booked through travel agencies
• Rates booked on third-party websites that do not provide an immediate email confirmation after the booking is complete.
• Rates that are government funded in whole or in part

If the hotel’s rate is in a different currency than the rate booked through Hyatt, Hyatt will convert both rates to a common currency of their choosing. If, after conversion, the lower rate is within 3% of the original rate, then the lower rate will not qualify for the Best Rate Guarantee.

3. Submit a Best Rate Guarantee claim

Claims must be submitted within 24 hours of the original booking and can be submitted either online or by calling Hyatt. 

Claims cannot be submitted within 24 hours of the first available check-in time for the original reservation. Furthermore, only the guest whose name is on the reservation can make a claim.

You’ll need to provide the specific URL where the lower rate can be found. In addition, you can also include a screenshot of the lower rate if you are submitting a claim online.

Hyatt will respond to your Best Rate Guarantee claim within 24 hours.

Note that, in rare situations, Hyatt may apply the Best Rate Guarantee if a third-party rate is actually higher than the original rate booked through Hyatt.com.

This is only done if the third-party rate includes an on-property benefit with monetary value that is not included in the equivalent original room rate booked through Hyatt.com.

Should you take the 20% discount or 5,000 points?

With World of Hyatt points being worth more than Marriott points, and the 20% option less than Marriott’s 25%, there are more situations in which choosing the points could make the most sense.

Using our target valuation of 2 cents (CAD) per World of Hyatt point, taking the 5,000 points is the better choice if the 20% discount is less than $100 (CAD).

In other words, if the matched rate is less than $500 for all nights combined, you’d be better off choosing the 5,000 points. If the matched rate is more than $500, you are better off choosing the 20% benefit.

Similar to Marriott, once selected, the reward choice may not be changed after it’s finalized. If you choose the points, they’ll be awarded one week after checking out.

Other Hotel Chains’ Best Rate Guarantees

Almost every major hotel chain has some form of price-matching or best rate guarantee program. While they’re all worth looking into if you have a cash booking, some aren’t quite as lucrative as the ones we have already covered.

IHG Best Price Guarantee

IHG’s Best Price Guarantee is different from the three previously mentioned.

Instead of offering a discount on top of the matched rate, IHG will match the rate and then award the successful applicant with 5x the IHG One Rewards points on the room rate, up to a maximum of 40,000 points. Note that the Best Price Guarantee doesn’t apply at IHG hotels in mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong, or Taiwan.

Best Western Low Rate Guarantee

Best Western’s Low Rate Guarantee doesn’t offer any points or discounts on the lower rate; however, they will still match the rate and give the successful applicant a $100 (USD) Best Western gift card. Best Western limits the program to one gift card per household per 30 days, so it isn’t a vehicle for stacking claims across multiple stays in quick succession.

Accor Best Price Guarantee

Accor will match any equivalent third-party rate that you find within 24 hours of making a booking, provided the claim is submitted at least 48 hours before your arrival.

If your claim is successful, you’ll get a 10% discount on the lower rate at Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel properties, or a 25% discount on the lower rate at all other Accor-branded properties. The discount applies to the room rate only, so taxes, resort fees, and other surcharges aren’t included in the calculation.

Should You Actually Pursue a Best Rate Guarantee?

Best rate guarantee claims used to be a fairly reliable way to save money on a paid stay. The success rate isn’t what it once was, and there are a few structural reasons why a claim that looks like a slam dunk often gets denied.

The first problem is timing. By the time a support agent picks up your case, often hours or even days later, the lower OTA rate has already moved, and the agent ends up comparing against a different number than the one you screenshotted.

The second problem is OTA personalization. Sites like Agoda, Booking.com, and Expedia adjust the rates they display based on your location, your login state, your device, and your booking history. The agent reviewing your claim is almost certainly not seeing the same page you saw.

Agoda in particular runs into a third issue. The platform automatically applies a publicly available promo code during checkout, and there’s no way for the customer to opt out. Hotel support agents will frequently deny these claims on the grounds that the rate “uses a promo code,” even though it isn’t a private discount the customer chose to apply. It’s just the public Agoda rate that anyone shopping for the same dates would land on.

The fine print has also tightened across the board. Hotels now demand exact-match cancellation policies, exact-match inclusions, and narrower rate-difference thresholds. Every new requirement is another opportunity for an agent to find a reason to deny.

Successful claims do still happen. The Marriott approval shown earlier in this article was from a 2-night stay in late 2021 where the combined rate dropped from 313.73 GBP to 235.30 GBP, plus a further 25% discount on the matched rate. Wins like that are now the exception rather than the rule.

The one genuine upside that survives in 2026 is on the elite-benefit front. If you do happen to land a successful claim on a stay you would otherwise have booked through an OTA, you also recover all the elite perks you’d have lost. That includes free breakfast, room upgrades, late checkout, points earning, and elite-qualifying night credit.

The bottom line is that actively hunting for best rate guarantee opportunities probably isn’t worth the time anymore. Just know these programs exist, and pull the lever if you happen to spot a noticeably cheaper rate on an OTA. It isn’t a money-saving strategy worth working at as a routine.

Conclusion

Best rate guarantee programs are still on the books at all the major hotel chains, and they still work occasionally. But the days when these were a reliable side-quest for saving money are largely behind us. OTA pricing personalization, tightened claim terms, and the slow shift toward dynamic rates have all made modern claims much more frustrating to land than they once were.

The right mental model in 2026 is to keep these programs in the back of your mind. If you happen to notice a meaningfully cheaper rate on an OTA after booking direct, it costs almost nothing to file a claim. But chasing them isn’t a strategy worth investing real time in anymore.

To mark 50 years of Air France flying between Toronto and Paris, the airline has set up a temporary pastry boutique on Bloor Street West built around its Business Class dessert menu.

Called La pâtisserie, the storefront is open from April 25 through May 17 at 151 Bloor Street West. It’s the airline’s first pastry pop-up anywhere in the world, and it landed in Toronto rather than Paris specifically because of the Canadian milestone Air France is celebrating.

Hours run from 12pm to 6pm Sunday to Thursday, and from 12pm to 7pm Friday and Saturday. The boutique and Salon de thé don’t require a reservation; only the studio space at the back is bookable.

Inside, you’ll find five signature pastries by French chefs Yann Couvreur and Laurent Le Daniel, the same creations served onboard Air France business class, alongside a coffee and tea service.

A Pop-Up Designed Like the Cabin

The space is meant to feel like Air France business class at street level, with finishes and palette borrowed from the cabin and subtle nods to the airline’s history in Toronto.

Most visitors will spend their time on the boutique side, where you can browse the daily selection, pick up pastries to take away, or settle in at the Salon de thé to enjoy them on the spot.

Laurent Le Daniel earned the Meilleur Ouvrier de France distinction, France’s top award for craftspeople, in 1997. Yann Couvreur runs his own pastry boutiques in Paris. Both chefs’ creations have featured on Air France business class for years.

Pricing on the pop-up menu sits at $9.90 (CAD) per pastry, with three creations by Le Daniel (Lemon Delight; Raspberry and Montélimar Nougat; Chocolate and Caramel) and two by Couvreur (Mango Coco; Hazelnut).

Celebrating 50 Years in Toronto

Air France timed the pop-up to the anniversary of its first commercial flight to Toronto. On May 21, 1976, a Boeing 747 touched down at Pearson, opening the first non-stop service between the two cities. At launch, Air France was the only airline operating the route, with three weekly flights.

The schedule has grown considerably since. This summer, Air France is operating two daily flights out of Toronto. The wider Canadian network pairs that with 28 weekly flights from Montreal, seven each from Ottawa and Vancouver, and four from Quebec City, for a total of 60 flights per week between Canada and Paris.

For Toronto-based travellers, that frequency now makes Air France one of the more practical non-stop options to mainland Europe, particularly if you’re looking to spend points outside the Star Alliance ecosystem.

Earning and Redeeming Flying Blue Miles

Air France’s loyalty program is Flying Blue, and Canadians can earn miles through several routes.

American Express Membership Rewards is the most efficient transfer partner: Amex Canada moved the ratio to 1:1 in January 2026. Marriott Bonvoy also feeds Flying Blue at 3:1, with a 5,000-mile bonus on every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred.

Transfer bonuses appear several times a year. Amex Canada ran its first-ever 25% bonus earlier this month. Separately, a recurring 10,000-mile flight bonus applies to paid Air France or KLM departures from Canada.

For redemption, Toronto–Paris in business class remains one of Flying Blue’s stronger sweet spots, especially during the program’s monthly Promo Rewards windows when select dates are discounted.

Conclusion

Honestly, I wouldn’t go out of my way for the pastries alone. For anyone already in downtown Toronto though, La pâtisserie is a low-effort way to spend an hour with something most travellers never see on the ground.

The bigger angle, in my view, is who you bring. Most Canadians don’t fly global business class often, and the pop-up is a rare chance to show a friend who isn’t yet into Miles & Points what an airline like Air France actually puts behind its premium product. Who knows, the conversation might even land you a referral signup on your American Express Platinum Card.

Iberia Club just kicked off a redemption sale for spring and summer travel, with up to 30% off Avios on award flights from Madrid. Bookings need to be made by May 10, 2026, and travel needs to wrap up by September 15, 2026, which lines up neatly with Iberia’s brand-new Toronto–Madrid route launching in June.

The discount applies to flights from Madrid to a long list of destinations across Europe, North America, Latin America, and Africa, sorted into 30%, 20%, and 10% tiers. Most are valid in both business class and economy, with a handful of long-haul routes available in only one cabin.

Avios are the easiest premium-cabin currency for Canadians to earn outside the Aeroplan ecosystem, so a sale this broad is worth a closer look.

The Deal

The promotion runs on award bookings made through ib.com or the Iberia Club service centre, with the following structure:

• 30% off on selected European routes including Madrid–London, Madrid–Rome, Madrid–Athens, Madrid–Lyon, and Madrid–Manchester, in both business class and economy
• 20% off on a mix of European routes plus several Latin American destinations such as Madrid–Lisbon, Madrid–Brussels, Madrid–Toronto, Madrid–Miami, and Madrid–Buenos Aires, mostly valid in both cabins, with some long-haul routes restricted to a single cabin
• 10% off on the broadest list, including Madrid–Paris, Madrid–Frankfurt, Madrid–Mexico City, and Madrid–New York

Booking window: now through May 10, 2026. Travel window: now through September 15, 2026. The discount applies to the Avios portion only. Taxes and fees are unchanged, and Iberia Group Air Shuttle, Vueling, and LEVEL flights are excluded.

The promotion can’t be combined with other Avios redemption offers running during the same window, so any redemption-side discount you might have stacked won’t apply on top. Anything on the earning side, like a transfer bonus or credit card welcome offer, is fair game.

The Routes That Matter for Canadians

Most of the discounted city pairs are intra-European or domestic Spanish routes, useful if you’re already in Madrid and want to get somewhere else cheaply. A few long-haul routes are directly relevant if you’re flying transatlantic from Canada.

Madrid–Toronto sits in the 20% tier for economy and 10% for business class. With Iberia launching its nonstop Toronto service in June, this is the headline route for Canadian readers, and the only city pair on the list with a direct Canadian gateway.

Madrid–London at 30% off is the cheapest short-haul Avios redemption on the list, and a useful piece if you’re stitching together a positioning hop or a side trip from a transatlantic itinerary you’ve booked separately.

Other long-haul routes worth flagging:

• Madrid–Buenos Aires, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro: 10–20% off depending on cabin. Iberia is one of the strongest carriers between Europe and South America, and these routes rarely show this kind of Avios discount
• Madrid–Bogotá, Lima, and Santiago de Chile: 10% off, with Bogotá including premium economy
• Madrid–Mexico City and Madrid–Monterrey: 10% off in both cabins

What This Deal Is Worth

To put a number on it, take a one-way Madrid–Toronto economy redemption. Iberia’s saver award price on the new A321XLR is 16,000 Avios off-peak. Apply the 20% discount and you’re at roughly 12,800 Avios for the same seat, saving 3,200 Avios per one-way.

Round-trip in economy, that’s 6,400 Avios saved, enough to cover an intra-European hop on the back end at the discounted 30% rate.

The business class math is where this sale stands out. Toronto–Madrid prices at 40,500 Avios off-peak in saver inventory, already one of the better lie-flat redemptions across the Atlantic. Apply the 10% discount and you’re at roughly 36,450 Avios for a nonstop business class seat to Madrid. Round-trip, that’s 8,100 Avios saved.

One caveat: Iberia’s award pricing varies by date and demand, and saver inventory isn’t always available on the dates you want. Pull up a search on ib.com before you decide whether the discount makes the math work for your specific dates.

How to Earn Avios

If you don’t already have an Iberia Club or British Airways Club balance to draw from, the Canadian earning paths are limited but workable.

The most direct option is the RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite^†, the only Canadian credit card that earns Avios directly. It comes with a welcome bonus of 60,000 Avios and category bonuses on British Airways purchases, which makes it a natural fit if you’ve decided Avios redemptions are part of your strategy.

Beyond that card, the other Canadian earning paths are:

• RBC Avion to British Airways Club at 1:1. RBC’s proprietary Avion currency transfers to Avios, and they periodically run transfer bonuses of up to 30% that stretch the math further
• Marriott Bonvoy to Iberia Club or British Airways Club at 3:1. You get a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 transferred, which works out to a 60,000 Bonvoy to 25,000 Avios conversion. Slow, but useful if you’re sitting on a Bonvoy stash

One thing to flag: Canadian Amex Membership Rewards do not transfer to British Airways Club or Iberia Club. That’s a US-only path. So if you’re an Amex Cobalt or Platinum cardholder hoping to move MR points over, your only route is through Marriott Bonvoy as an intermediary.

Once Avios are in any one program (Iberia Club, British Airways Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, Finnair Plus, or Qatar Airways Privilege Club), they can be moved between accounts via the Avios Combine feature, with a few rules and timing windows to navigate.

If you’re starting from zero and need a faster top-up, British Airways Club currently has a 40% bonus on purchased Avios running until April 27. Buy them into your British Airways account and combine over to Iberia Club to use them on this sale.

Conclusion

If you already have an Avios stash and your travel plans intersect with Madrid before September 15, this is an easy yes, particularly if you can land availability on the new Toronto nonstop. A 36,450-Avios one-way business class seat across the Atlantic is hard to argue with.

If you’re sitting on RBC Avion points without a specific plan, this is a reason to convert a chunk over and lock in a summer trip while the discount is live. The transfer is instant, and the booking window closes on May 10.

If you don’t have Avios and weren’t already considering this currency, the sale isn’t enough on its own to justify chasing it from scratch. The earning paths take weeks, the August and early September dates will go first, and you’re better served by booking your way into Avios for next year’s promotions instead.

Marriott Bonvoy x United RewardsPlus: Everything You Need to Know

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Hilton Honors is back with another targeted promotion for 2026, and this time the offer is structured around how often you stay rather than how many nights you book.

The new Stay More Earn More 2026 promotion rewards eligible members for completing up to five qualifying stays within a six-month window, with the bonus growing each stay you complete. Stack all five and you’ll walk away with 15,000 bonus Hilton Honors points on top of the points and elite credit you’d earn from the stays anyway.

Like most of Hilton’s recent rotating promos, this one is targeted, so the first thing to check is whether you actually have an offer waiting in your account.

The promotion uses an escalating bonus structure that pays out more the longer you stick with it. Once registered, you have six months from your registration date to rack up the qualifying stays.

The bonus structure stacks up across each stay as follows:

Stay	Bonus Points	Cumulative Total
1st stay	1,000	1,000
2nd stay	2,000	3,000
3rd stay	3,000	6,000
4th stay	4,000	10,000
5th stay	5,000	15,000

Complete the full set and you’ll bank a total of 15,000 bonus points. That is also the cap, so a sixth or seventh stay during the window does not earn anything extra.

A few key terms to keep in mind:

• Eligibility: targeted to select Hilton Honors members only – check your inbox or sign in to your account to confirm whether you have the offer
• Registration deadline: December 31, 2026
• Stay window: six months from your individual registration date
• Eligible brands: all Hilton brands participate
• Stay definition: consecutive nights at the same property count as one stay
• Bonus posting: 6–8 weeks after each completed stay
• Elite tier qualification: these bonus points do not count toward elite status

One detail worth highlighting: if you already have a Hilton booking on the calendar, it counts as long as you register before checking out. Stays you’ve already completed before registering are out of luck.

Is the Bonus Worth Chasing?

At face value, 15,000 Hilton Honors points sounds healthier than it actually is.

Hilton points are a soft currency, which is why we value them at roughly 0.7 cents per point in CAD. That puts the maximum bonus at about $105 CAD in real-world value, assuming you complete all five qualifying stays.

Spread that across five separate hotel stays and you’re looking at an average of about $21 CAD per stay in promo value. Not bad as a passive top-up, but nothing that should change your travel plans on its own.

The other catch is the escalating structure. The first two stays only earn a combined 3,000 bonus points – about $21 CAD – so you really need to be committed to all five stays for the math to look interesting. If you bow out at three stays, you’ve left more than half the total bonus on the table.

Who Should Take Advantage?

The promo lines up nicely with members who were already going to stay at Hilton properties anyway. If you have a couple of weekend trips or a multi-city work itinerary on the calendar between now and the end of 2026, registering is essentially free money.

It’s a harder sell if you’d need to manufacture stays just to qualify. Five qualifying stays in six months is a real commitment, and the bonus value won’t cover even a single high-category Hilton room night on its own.

Where it gets more interesting is in two specific scenarios:

• Existing Hilton loyalists: if you’re already on track for elite status or chasing a property credit, layering this bonus on top costs you nothing extra.
• Diamond Reserve hopefuls: with the new Diamond Reserve tier requiring 80 nights or 40 stays plus US$18,000 in eligible spend, frequent Hilton stayers chasing top-tier status can pick up these bonus points as a side benefit on the way there.

If neither of those describes you, the more interesting Hilton play right now is probably the recent 100% bonus on purchased points, which can effectively price Hilton points at around 0.5 cents per point in USD.

Other Ways for Canadians to Earn Hilton Honors Points

Hilton’s earning ecosystem is a bit awkward in Canada because there is no co-branded Hilton credit card available north of the border. That makes paid stays the cleanest path for most readers.

Here are the realistic options:

• Paid stays at Hilton properties: base members earn 10 points per US dollar spent, scaling up to 20 points per dollar at Diamond, with milestone bonuses kicking in past 40 nights
• Buying points during 100% bonus sales: Hilton runs these promotions almost monthly and they price points at around 0.5 cents per point in USD – usually the best Canadian-accessible way to top up a balance fast
• Amex Membership Rewards transfers: Canadian Amex MR transfers to Hilton Honors at 1:1, which is not a great rate – sending the same MR points to Marriott Bonvoy at 1:1.2 is usually a better hotel transfer
• US Hilton credit cards (cross-border): the Hilton Aspire, Surpass, and Business cards earn 12–14x at Hilton properties and come with automatic Gold or Diamond status if you have a US address and credit history
• Rove Miles: booking Hilton stays through Rove Miles at the loyalty-eligible rate lets you stack Rove Miles on top of your usual Hilton Honors points, elite night credit, and on-property perks – just expect the Rove side to post as a slow rebate roughly six weeks after the stay

For the average Canadian, the cleanest play is still to focus on paid stays during paid-stay promotions like this one, and treat point-buying as a top-up tool when you have a specific redemption in mind.

The 2026 Stay More Earn More promotion lands in a different spot than Hilton’s last few rotating offers.

The Summer 2025 promotion paid out a flat 1,000 bonus points per stay, which was simpler but lacked an upper ceiling. A frequent traveller could in theory earn well past 15,000 bonus points across the summer if they had enough stays on the calendar.

The new structure does the opposite. It caps the total bonus at 15,000 points but front-loads more of the value into the back half of the offer, with the fifth stay alone earning more bonus points than the first three combined.

Older Hilton “double points” style promos from previous years gave 2x base points on every eligible stay with no cap, which was more generous in absolute terms. The trend over the last two years has been toward more controlled, targeted offers with hard ceilings, and Stay More Earn More 2026 fits that pattern.

Conclusion

If you’ve already got a Hilton-heavy travel calendar between now and the end of 2026, spend two minutes registering and treat the promotion as a quiet bonus layer on top of your regular earning.

If you don’t, this isn’t a reason to start booking Hilton stays you wouldn’t otherwise take. The 15,000-point cap puts a hard ceiling on the upside, and Hilton points are simply not valuable enough to justify chasing the offer for its own sake.

Registration runs through December 31, 2026, but your six-month stay window starts ticking the moment you register. If your Hilton stays are loaded toward the back half of the year, hold off on registering until your first stay is closer – that way you keep the full window in play when you actually need it.

Day-use hotel rates aren’t talked about much in Miles & Points circles, but they can be a useful tool in the right scenario.

The idea is simple. You book a hotel room for part of the day, usually six to nine hours during business hours, at a discount off the overnight rate, then check out before the evening guests arrive.

If you’ve ever faced a nine-hour layover in Toronto and felt stuck between a noisy lounge and an overnight stay you don’t really need, day-use rates fill that gap. The use cases extend beyond travel, too. Content creators book day-use rooms as filming locations. Job seekers use them to prep for high-stakes interviews. Anyone who needs a quiet, well-equipped space for a few hours can get one for the cost of a couple of restaurant meals.

The catch is that day-use isn’t a uniform product. Some chains have direct online booking, others have retreated from launch programs, and the Canadian market in particular has noticeable holes.

Here’s how to think about using day-use rates strategically.

When Day-Use Rates Make Sense

The most obvious use case is a long international layover. If you’re routing through Toronto or Vancouver with eight or nine hours between flights, an airport hotel for the afternoon is a real upgrade over a sleep pod or a lounge.

Cruise embarkation is another sweet spot. Most cruise lines don’t let you board until early afternoon, but flights into the embarkation port often arrive in the morning. A day-use room near the cruise terminal lets you shower, repack, and store luggage without paying for an unused overnight stay.

Beyond travel, the picture gets more interesting. Content creators routinely book day-use rooms as filming locations because a high-floor room with a city view photographs better than most home setups, and you don’t have to clean up afterwards.

Same logic applies to any high-pressure professional moment that needs a clean environment. Final-round job interview prep. A key sales call from a city you don’t live in. An audition or self-tape session. A video meeting where your home Wi-Fi can’t be trusted.

If your alternative is a noisy coffee shop or a coworking day pass, a hotel room can be the better option once you factor in the privacy, the desk, the bathroom, and (occasionally) the bed.

How the Major Chains Handle Day-Use

Day-use isn’t a uniform product across the major chains. Two have direct online booking (Accor and Hilton), one has retreated from a launch program (Hyatt), and two leave it largely to individual properties (IHG and Marriott). Points-earning varies just as widely.

In most cases, your best move is to start with the chain’s own website. If nothing surfaces, calling the property directly is the next step.

Accor

Accor offers a direct day-use product called Room for a Day, bookable on all.accor.com across the brand portfolio (Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, ibis, and others). According to Accor’s own page, these bookings earn full ALL Accor Live Limitless points, which puts Accor ahead of most chains where points-earning on day-use is unclear.

At the ibis Bangkok IMPACT, for example, a Standard Room booked for the day runs THB 1,200 (about $50 CAD) with no prepayment and free cancellation until 11:59pm the day of the stay. Pricing varies widely by property and brand, but the booking flow is consistent across the portfolio.

Hilton

Hilton has a similarly accessible day-use product, surfaced as “Day Use” in the standard booking flow on hilton.com. No special phone call or workaround required.

At the Hilton Zurich Airport, for example, a day-use rate of CHF 162 covers the 9am to 6pm window and is bookable directly online. The trade-off is that Honors-member discounts don’t apply to day-use rates, and points-earning on these stays varies by property. If you want Hilton Honors points or elite night credit on a day-use stay, confirm with the property before booking.

Hyatt

Hyatt’s Work from Hyatt program was once the loyalty-friendliest day-use offering in the industry. At launch, participating properties offered full World of Hyatt points earning and qualifying nights credit toward World of Hyatt elite status. It was the only major chain program to explicitly count day-use stays toward elite status.

Today, the program has largely retreated. Most properties no longer market it, and finding participating hotels takes real effort. Worth asking the front desk about if you’re booking a Hyatt anyway, but don’t plan a strategy around it.

IHG

IHG follows the call-the-property model. There’s no chain-wide day-use product, but individual InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn properties may quote day rates by phone, especially near airports.

IHG One Rewards points earning on these direct bookings is inconsistent. Some properties code them as standard stays. Others treat them as a non-qualifying corporate rate. Ask before booking if the points matter to you. As an alternative, DayUse.com lists a number of IHG properties for day-use bookings, though those third-party bookings won’t earn IHG One Rewards points.

Marriott

Marriott has the largest hotel footprint of any chain, but the smallest standardized day-use presence. A Day Use rate code (ZDY) does exist at participating properties, but availability is inconsistent, and the rate isn’t surfaced reliably in the standard booking flow. Calling ahead is often the fastest way to find one.

Points-earning on ZDY rates depends on how the individual property codes the stay. Confirm before booking if Marriott Bonvoy points or elite nights matter to you.

Booking Through DayUse.com

If calling individual properties sounds like a lot of work, the third-party platforms exist to consolidate day-use inventory in one place. The catch is that bookings made through them almost never earn hotel loyalty points or qualifying nights, regardless of which chain owns the property. So if elite status matters to you, the platforms are a poor fit.

If status doesn’t matter and you just want a quick, discounted day room, DayUse.com is the place to start. The platform lists more than 7,000 properties across roughly 25 countries, with discounts of 30 to 75% off overnight rates. Booking windows vary by property; some hotels offer single six-to-nine-hour blocks, while others split the day into shorter three-hour slots.

A typical Montreal search returns 3-star independents like Hotel Newstar Montréal starting at CA$75, with three booking windows to choose from (12pm to 3pm, 3pm to 6pm, or 6pm to 9pm).

Canadian coverage is the platform’s weak spot. Properties are concentrated in Montreal and Quebec City, with thin inventory in Toronto and Vancouver. That’s the opposite of what most Canadian travellers would expect from the country’s two biggest cities.

Accor properties also appear on DayUse.com through a third-party partnership across multiple brands. These third-party bookings don’t earn ALL points the way Accor’s direct Room for a Day product does, so book through all.accor.com if loyalty matters.

Bonus: ResortPass for Pool and Spa Access

ResortPass deserves a separate mention because it isn’t really a day-use room booking platform. It focuses on amenity access (pools, spas, cabanas, and day rooms) at thousands of properties, mostly in the US, Caribbean, and Mexico.

Canadian inventory is limited but does include Toronto and Vancouver, plus a handful of other cities. If you want pool and spa access for the day rather than a room to work in, ResortPass is the platform to check first.

The Day-Use Inventory Gap in Canada

Canadian travellers end up in an awkward spot. Toronto and Vancouver are the two cities where day-use makes the most sense, with long-haul layovers at both and Alaska cruise embarkation in Vancouver. Yet they have the thinnest day-use inventory of any major Canadian market.

DayUse.com is heavy on Montreal and Quebec City but light on the rest of the country. ResortPass covers Toronto and Vancouver but with limited property counts. The chains’ direct day-use products are uneven across Canadian inventory.

The practical workaround is calling each hotel of interest directly. Be specific about your timing and ask for the day-use or short-stay rate (the term “day-use” is more recognized than “day rate” in the industry). Even when nothing surfaces online, individual properties will sometimes quote a rate by phone.

Earning Loyalty Points on Day-Use Stays

If points and status matter to you, the rules are simple but worth restating. Third-party platforms like DayUse.com and ResortPass almost never earn hotel loyalty points or qualifying nights, regardless of which chain owns the property.

Direct bookings vary by chain. Accor is the clearest exception. It explicitly says its Room for a Day product earns ALL Accor Live Limitless points across the portfolio. Hilton’s day-use rate flags as “Honors Discount Not available” in the booking flow, suggesting it’s treated differently from a standard stay. Hyatt’s Work from Hyatt program once explicitly credited day-use stays toward elite status, but it has largely retreated since launch. Marriott’s ZDY rate codes vary by property. Confirm with the property before counting on points or qualifying nights for any non-Accor day-use booking.

For most travellers, this means accepting a trade-off. If you want the discount and convenience of a third-party platform, you forfeit the points. If you want the points, your best bet is Accor’s direct Room for a Day product, with the other chains as a property-by-property gamble.

For more on weighing points versus cash on hotel stays generally, our guide on whether to book hotels with cash or points walks through the framework in more detail.

Conclusion

Day-use hotel rates won’t replace overnight bookings, and they’re not always the right answer. In the right scenarios (long layovers, cruise embarkation days, filming projects, high-stakes work moments), they can save you a lot of money or unlock a better experience for the same money.

If I’m being honest about my own habits, I underuse them. The Canadian inventory gap is part of the reason. Most of my long layovers route through cities where the day-use market is thin and the hotel chains don’t price aggressively for half-day stays.

That should change. Remote work has settled into a permanent shift, content creation is a real profession now, and hotel chains are quietly looking for ways to monetize empty rooms during the day. Accor and Hilton already have direct day-use products with online booking; if Marriott and Hyatt follow suit with similarly accessible offerings, the math gets a lot more attractive for Canadians, too.

United MileagePlus is running its strongest sale of the year so far, offering an 80% bonus on miles purchased through its buy-points portal.

You can earn up to an 80% bonus when you buy 2,000 miles or more through May 4, 2026.

As is standard with United’s buy-miles promotions, offers may vary by account, so it’s worth logging in to confirm the exact bonus you’ve been targeted for.

Buy United MileagePlus Miles with an 80% Bonus

To check your offer, head over to the promotion landing page and log in with your MileagePlus credentials.

United typically charges 3.5 cents per mile (USD) when buying directly from the program. With the 80% bonus applied, the effective rate drops to 1.94 cents per mile (USD).

That sits above our current valuation of 1.2 cents per MileagePlus mile (USD), so this isn’t the kind of promotion you should jump on for speculative balance-building. It’s a useful tool when you have a specific premium-cabin redemption lined up that delivers well above the acquisition cost.

For context, United’s last buy-miles sale ran with roughly a 52% bonus, working out to around 2.3 cents per mile. The 80% offer is a real step up from that, and it’s within striking distance of the best rate we’ve ever seen, which was a 100% bonus that brought the cost down to about 1.88 cents per mile.

If you’re not in a rush, sales of this calibre come around fairly often with United, and the 100% bonus does occasionally resurface. But if you have a redemption lined up between now and the next sale window, this is a solid offer to take advantage of.

How many United miles can you buy?

United caps purchased miles at 200,000 base miles per calendar year, with a sub-limit of 50,000 base miles per 90-day window. Bonus miles earned through promotions sit on top of those caps.

If you were able to spread purchases across the full year and max out the cap with the 80% bonus, you’d end up with 360,000 miles for a total cost of $7,000 (USD).

Within a single 90-day window, the math works out to 90,000 miles for $1,750 (USD). With this promotion ending May 4, most members will only realistically have time for one purchase before the bonus disappears.

Which credit card should you use to buy United miles?

United sells miles through Points.com, the same external vendor used by most major loyalty programs. The transaction doesn’t code as a travel purchase, so there’s no benefit to using a co-branded United card.

Instead, the best practice is to use a card with a strong base earn rate, or one where you’re working through the minimum spend requirement on a welcome bonus.

The charge will hit your statement in US dollars, so a US-issued credit card avoids the FX fees you’d otherwise pay on a Canadian card.

Who Should Buy United MileagePlus Miles?

Buying miles speculatively isn’t something we recommend, especially with a program like United where prices on its own metal increasingly lean dynamic. The picture is different when you have a specific redemption in mind that prices well above the acquisition cost.

Premium Cabins on Star Alliance Partners

The strongest case for buying United miles continues to be partner award redemptions. United gives you access to all of Star Alliance, and partner awards are typically priced more reasonably than United’s own metal.

Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA, EVA Air, and Singapore Airlines are all bookable with MileagePlus miles, and several of these carriers don’t release business class space to other partner programs as readily as they do to United.

A round-trip Polaris business class redemption to Europe or Asia frequently comes in at 140,000–160,000 miles, against cash fares that can easily exceed $5,000 (USD). At those values, miles bought at 1.94 cents apiece still come out comfortably ahead.

Topping Up for an Imminent Redemption

The cleanest case for buying miles is when you’re a few thousand miles short of a booking you’ve already lined up. If award space is sitting there waiting, the difference between making the booking and walking away is worth the premium over our valuation.

Just confirm the award space is bookable before purchasing, and remember that miles posted through a buy-points sale are non-refundable.

Other Ways to Earn United MileagePlus Miles

If you’re thinking about buying miles for general balance-building rather than a specific redemption, the better path is usually through credit card sign-up bonuses.

United® MileagePlus® Neo World Elite® Mastercard (Canada)

Canada finally has a co-branded United card, courtesy of Neo Financial’s partnership with United, which launched earlier this month.

The card earns up to 25,000 MileagePlus miles in the first year, with 5,000 miles after your first transaction and another 15,000 miles after spending $3,000 (CAD) within three months. There’s also a 5,000-mile renewal bonus on each anniversary as long as the account stays active.

At an annual fee of $89 (CAD), that’s a much cheaper way to earn 20,000–25,000 miles than buying them outright at this promotion’s rate.

Marriott Bonvoy Transfers

Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to United MileagePlus at a rate of 3:1, with an enhanced 10,000-mile bonus when you transfer in increments of 60,000 Bonvoy points. That works out to 30,000 miles per 60,000 Bonvoy transferred, an effective 2:1 ratio thanks to the Marriott–United RewardsPlus partnership.

That makes United the most generous of Marriott’s airline transfer partners, and combined with the Canadian-issued Amex Marriott Bonvoy cards, this is a strong indirect path to building a MileagePlus balance.

US-Issued Chase Cards

If you have access to US credit cards, Chase’s United co-brand lineup includes the United Explorer, Quest, Club Infinite, and Business cards, all of which run welcome bonuses ranging from 50,000 to 100,000+ miles depending on the cycle.

Recent buy-miles offers from United have stacked up like this:

Bonus	Cents per mile (USD)	End Date
Up to 80% bonus	1.94	May 4, 2026
Up to ~52% bonus	2.30	March 30, 2026
Up to 100% bonus	1.88	(historical best)

Conclusion

An 80% bonus is the strongest United buy-miles offer we’ve seen in some time, and it pulls the per-mile cost close to the program’s historical low.

But even at 1.94 cents per mile, you’re paying above our valuation of MileagePlus miles. The math only works in your favour if you’ve got a premium-cabin redemption on partner metal lined up, or you’re a few thousand miles short of a specific booking.

If neither of those is true, sit this one out. United runs sales near-monthly, and the 100% bonus tends to surface a few times a year if you’re patient.

If you do have a redemption in mind, make sure to purchase your miles before May 4, 2026 while the 80% bonus is live.