Points & Miles
Dictionary.

Shorthand for a widely reported Chase approval restriction: opening five or more personal credit cards across banks in 24 months can make approval unlikely for many Chase cards.

The Mostly Points translationThe only countdown where getting older is the goal.

Count newly opened accounts, not applications. Closing a card does not erase its opening date. This is a reported policy, and being under 5/24 does not guarantee approval.

The seats or hotel rooms a loyalty program lets you book with points or miles for your dates. A seat for sale does not automatically mean it is available through your preferred points program.

The Mostly Points translationYes, the plane has seats. No, your miles cannot necessarily sit in them.

Search the program you plan to book through and check the number of travelers before moving points.

A published table showing how many points an award costs, often organized by distance, region, cabin, hotel category, or season.

The Mostly Points translationA menu with prices. A surprisingly comforting concept.

A chart can explain the price without guaranteeing that an award is available on your dates.

Points-and-miles slang for a frustrating Marriott Bonvoy experience, such as a painful award price or an expected benefit that fails to materialize.

The Mostly Points translationSame hotel. Same room. Twice the points. You've been Bonvoyed.

It's a community joke, not an official term. Benefits depend on the program, property, and availability; an empty suite is not automatically a promised upgrade.

A way to compare an award with paying cash: subtract the award's cash charges from the comparable cash price, divide by the points used, then multiply by 100.

The Mostly Points translationA $500 stay minus $50 in award charges, divided by 25,000 points: 1.8¢ per point.

Compare a trip you would actually buy. A huge sticker price does not automatically mean huge savings.

A change that makes your rewards buy less. An award might require more points, a transfer ratio might worsen, or a useful redemption option might disappear.

The Mostly Points translationYour points balance stayed the same. Its vacation got smaller.

Points are useful for planned trips, but they are not a savings account with a guaranteed value.

Award prices that can change with dates, demand, or other program factors instead of sticking to one fixed points price.

The Mostly Points translationYesterday's deal would like you to know it has moved on.

Check nearby dates and the cash price. The lowest points price is not always the best use of your rewards.

Taking a break from applying for new credit while existing accounts and inquiries age. No actual plants required.

The Mostly Points translationToday's points strategy: close the application tab and go outside.

Keep paying on time and managing balances. Waiting alone does not guarantee a higher score or a future approval.

The eligible purchases required within a set time to earn a welcome offer. The amount, deadline, and exclusions come from the specific offer.

The Mostly Points translationA spending target, not permission to develop a new shopping hobby.

Use purchases already in your budget and pay statements in full. Fees, cash advances, and returned purchases may not qualify; read the offer terms.

An award that appears in a search result but cannot actually be booked, sometimes because the displayed partner inventory is out of date.

The Mostly Points translationThe business-class seat was real. Mostly in your imagination.

Verify availability through the booking program before transferring points. An initial search result alone is not a confirmed ticket.

A partner, spouse, or other willing teammate who coordinates a points strategy with you, often using their own cards and loyalty accounts.

The Mostly Points translationRelationship milestone: discussing which card pays for groceries.

Each person makes their own applications and manages their own obligations. Sharing or combining points depends on each program's rules.

The nickname for an Amex message saying you are not eligible for a welcome offer, even though you might still be eligible for the card.

The Mostly Points translationYou may enter the party. The welcome gift will not be joining you.

Read the exact message and offer terms before continuing. There is no guaranteed release date or universal trick that restores eligibility.

A flight you take to reach the airport where your main trip starts, often to access a better award or fare from another city.

The Mostly Points translationTaking a flight so you can take the flight.

Separate tickets can leave you responsible for a missed connection. Include the extra fare, bags, hotel, and time in the comparison.

A redemption where a program's pricing gives you unusually good value for a useful route, hotel, or type of trip.

The Mostly Points translationThe points price makes you double-check that you picked the right year.

Availability, fees, and your actual travel plans still matter. A great price for a trip you do not want is just trivia.

A limited-time promotion that adds extra rewards when you move eligible points to a participating loyalty program.

The Mostly Points translationHypothetically, a 20% bonus on a 1:1 transfer turns 10,000 points into 12,000 miles.

Check the base ratio, eligible accounts, deadline, and posting time. Extra miles are only helpful if you can use them.

An airline or hotel loyalty program that accepts points from an eligible rewards program. The transfer converts your rewards into the receiving program's currency.

The Mostly Points translationSame travel budget. Different kind of points.

Ratios and eligibility vary by program and card. Check bookable awards first; transfers to travel partners are generally final.

Rewards that can move to participating airline or hotel loyalty programs when your card and account are eligible. Keeping them in the original program preserves your choice of transfer destinations.

The Mostly Points translationPoints that have not picked their vacation destination yet.

Flexible does not mean transferable anywhere. Check eligible partners, ratios, and account requirements before planning a booking.

Extra rewards offered to eligible new cardholders after meeting an offer's requirements. SUB is short for sign-up bonus.

The Mostly Points translationThe headline is exciting. The spending deadline deserves equal attention.

Approval and bonus eligibility are separate questions. Compare the required spending, annual fee, and rewards you will actually use.