As we celebrate the official/unofficial kickoff of summer, I also want to take time this Memorial Day to remember those in the U.S. military who paid the ultimate sacrifice to help preserve our freedom.

A triple play for Hilton this week. Let’s get into it.

Starting May 26, Hilton will be releasing various experiences across America to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary. In patriotic fashion, these US-focused experiences can be redeemed for just 250 Hilton points. There are some really cool experiences up for grabs including being able to participate in the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo; access to Roswell’s UFO festival; or a memorable trip to see America’s national parks in Utah. More drops are also anticipated later this summer. Check out the experiences here on Hilton’s Experience site.

Hilton Summer Promo. Register here. Get more points for stays between June 1 through August 15. Get 2k bonus points for stays that are 1-3 nights long and 4k bonus points for stays that are 4+ nights. Not the best, but free points is free points.

Hilton credit cards with NLL. If you are trying to open an Amex Hilton card (any of them except business card), you can avoid pop-up jail and get the sign-up bonus with these no lifetime language (NLL) links. You can also get another Hilton card if you already have one. Check out Danny Deal Guru’s site here for the links. The site breaks down what each card’s benefits are. Personally, I am a big fan of the Hilton Aspire. I have 3 of them despite the $550 annual fee but do your own research and open the cards that best suit your needs and goals, not just because some influencer said to open it.

There’s a new promotion with multiple Chase cards (Sapphire Preferred & Reserve and Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, and Freedom Flex cards) where you can earn an additional 10x Chase points per dollar when using Paze to pay. Up to $1,500 in spend per month and allegedly through December 31, 2026.

Paze is a digital wallet that Chase offers that you can either preload or connect a credit card to use when at checkout, similar to how many merchants let you use Paypal to checkout.

Some notable merchants you can use Paze to check out with include Newegg (gift cards sold here), United Airlines, Shoprite, and Sephora.

More details from Doctor of Credit here.

In an email on May 22, giving us less than a week’s notice, British Airways will be raising the cash price of award bookings on May 27. Even better, no real detailed information on how much the already-high tax/fee component of BA’s awards will go up by!

The change in pricing is a mystery and BA’s website only gives a few examples of how pricing would increase on their site here. Weirdly, the updated email implies a round-trip business class ticket between NYC/LHR would only be $670 in tax/fees vs. around $820 right now. Others have indicated tax/fees are lower on some days but I couldn’t find any examples.

So what to do? Best ways to book BA now and going forward is through partners that don’t pass on all the surcharges. Cathay Pacific and JAL are the two standout award programs that will likely save you a few hundred bucks to get across the pond. However, BA will always have more availability due to their guaranteed Avios award seating when flights are released (4 biz, 2 PE, 8 econ).

Kimpton Hotels, which is part of IHG, has a fun quirk where you tell the front desk a secret password during check-in and you will get some extra perks (welcome gifts, free breakfast, swag, etc.). There isn’t always an active “password” year-round but there’s one for the summer now!

“In bloom and out of office” is the new password. Valid for stays at Kimpton Hotels from May 22 through August 31, 2026.

Fly Iberia business class from select North America cities to Madrid for as low as 40.5k points (off-peak dates) each way. Otherwise pricing is 59k points for peak dates. Most dates are in late Spring 2027. There are also some dates in June-July 2026. So a chance to book that summer trip you’ve been pushing off! I have seen some of these early July dates have more than 2 seats available to and from Madrid, particularly on the ORD route.

Flights from DFW, MCO, and MIA are priced starting at 50.5k points or 74k points depending on peak vs. off-peak when using BA/IB.

Reviews
A321 MAD-IAD (One Mile at a Time)
A330 MIA-MAD (WelcomeAboardHD)
A350 newer interior MAD-BOG (Head for Points)

How to book
British Airways: Starting at 40.5k points + $127-200 in tax/fees. $55 change/cancel fee
Transfer partners: Amex, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Wells Fargo directly, or Citi, and Rove indirectly through other Avios partners

Iberia: Starting at 40.5k points + $127-200 in tax/fees. €25 change or cancel fee for Iberia flights
Transfer Partners: Amex, Bilt, Chase, Wells Fargo directly, or Capital One, Citi, Rove indirectly through other Avios partners

Japan Airlines: 42k one-way or 80k round-trip for BOS, NYC, DC, YYZ or 60k one-way or 85k round-trip for ORD, DFW, MIA, MCO + $121-200 in tax/fees
Transfer Partners: Bilt, Rove
Note: JAL does not have as much availability vs. booking with BA or IB

Some of these flights are also bookable through AA or Alaska as well, but only on some routes and on some of the dates.

BOS-MAD
November: 9
January 2027: 1-6, 21, 25, 28, 30
February 2027: 1-3, 7, 8, 14, 16-18, 20-23
March 2027: 1, 4, 7, 21, 24, 28
April 2027: 6, 7, 26-28, 30
May 2027: 2-5, 7-14, 16-18

MAD-BOS
August: 19
November: 7, 10, 20
December: 4, 7, 10, 15, 16, 20-24, 26-28, 30, 31
January 2027: 6, 14-17, 19-21, 23, 25, 27, 29-31
February 2027: 1-11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28
March 2027: 1-5, 9, 10, 15-20, 24-29, 31
April 2027: 2-9, 13, 14, 19-21, 26-28, 30
May 2027: 3-6, 9-18

DFW-MAD
July: 6, 7, 26
January 2027: 7, 16, 21, 23, 26
May 2027: 14-16, 18, 19

MAD-DFW
July: 1, 3, 7, 9
August: 20
January 2027: 17, 23, 26, 30, 31
February 2027: 2, 4, 7, 18, 28
March 2027: 4, 6, 29-31
April 2027: 1
May 2027: 3, 6, 7, 9, 15-17, 19

EWR-MAD
April 2027: 6
May 2027: 1-3, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15-18

MAD-EWR
March 2027: 29-31
April 2027: 1, 7-10, 12, 13, 21, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30
May 2027: 3, 4, 7, 9-14, 17, 18

IAD-MAD
August: 4
February 2027: 15, 17
March 2027: 29
April 2027: 20, 22, 27, 30
May 2027: 6-9, 12-15, 17, 18

MAD-IAD
October: 30
December: 14
January 2027: 25
February 2027: 10, 15, 17, 19
March 2027: 5, 10, 17, 19, 31
April 2027: 7, 8, 13-15, 17, 23, 27, 28, 30
May 2027: 1, 3-5, 10-13, 16, 18

JFK-MAD
January 2027: 1, 14, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28-31
February 2027: 1, 3, 4, 9, 17, 19-24
March 2027: 1, 2, 9
April 2027: 30
May 2027: 1, 3, 4, 6, 11-14, 16, 17

MAD-JFK
May: 29
June: 18
December: 8-10, 18-24
January 2027: 14, 18, 23, 25-28
February 2027: 1-5, 7-12, 18, 24, 25, 27
March 2027: 1-5, 10, 15, 16, 19, 24, 25, 27, 30, 31
April 2027: 6-8, 13, 14, 19, 21, 22, 28-30
May 2027: 3, 5, 6, 8-13, 15-18

MCO-MAD
August: 24
December: 14, 24, 28
January 2027: 7, 14, 23, 28
February 2027: 4, 13
March 2027: 1
April 2027: 26
May 2027: 1, 3, 10, 12, 17, 19

MAD-MCO
August: 26
December: 5, 10, 23, 24, 26
January 2027: 28, 30
February 2027: 1, 4, 8, 11, 13
March 2027: 13, 29
April 2027: 7, 10, 12, 26
May 2027: 3, 10, 15, 17, 19

MIA-MAD
June: 21, 23, 30
January 2027: 7, 10, 17, 20, 23, 27
February 2027: 2, 3, 6, 10, 16-19, 23, 24, 26, 28
April 2027: 30
May 2027: 1-6, 9, 11, 12, 15-18

MAD-MIA
July: 7
August: 26, 27
October: 6
December: 8, 9, 23, 24
January 2027: 19, 20, 22, 25, 27-29
February 2027: 4, 8-10, 13, 17, 23, 24
March 2027: 2, 9, 10, 12, 25, 28
April 2027: 6-8, 11, 13-16, 20-24, 29, 30
May 2027: 1, 3, 5-7, 10-18

ORD-MAD
June: 22, 23, 28-30
July: 1-8
January 2027: 1
May 2027: 3, 18

MAD-ORD
June: 16-19, 23-25
July: 1-3, 5-8
January 2027: 25
February 2027: 3, 4
March 2027: 1, 4
April 2027: 8
May 2027: 12-14

YYZ-MAD
April 2027: 4, 12, 16, 18, 19, 24, 25, 30
May 2027: 2, 3, 9, 12, 15-17, 19

MAD-YYZ
August: 26
March 2027: 28, 31
April 2027: 5, 7, 9, 24, 26, 28, 30
May 2027: 1, 3, 7-9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19

Need help finding deals? (affiliate link)
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About Find Flights for Me.

I started the idea of Find Flights for Me back in 2023 to help educate and inspire people to use their credit card points more effectively, with a focus on using points to fly business and first class flights.

When I’m not working on Wall Street or searching for flight deals, you can find me planning for my upcoming wedding, enjoying local restaurants, helping my parents book their next trip, traveling internationally, or visiting friends/family in NYC, Philadelphia, or DC.