Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Friday!

Today we have a nice mix of route news, a points sale, and a very fun South America award example.

Here's what's inside today's post:

Alaska Airlines is continuing its long-haul expansion from Seattle, and the next two European destinations are Athens and Paris.

Alaska is clearly trying to make Seattle a more global hub, and these two additions are a meaningful step in that direction.

Seattle to Athens is planned to launch on May 12, 2027, operating three times per week on a Boeing 787-9.

Schedule:

This becomes Alaska's longest flight at just under 6,200 miles. Greece is incredibly popular in summer, and nonstop service from the West Coast to Athens is still very limited. I think this route is very interesting.

Seattle to Paris is planned to launch on May 25, 2027, operating five times per week.

Schedule:

Paris is less surprising since it is one of the most obvious European markets, but it is still exciting to see Alaska add it.

My main question is what award availability will look like.

If Alaska releases decent premium cabin space, this could be very interesting through Alaska Atmos Rewards or American AAdvantage. But I would not assume easy business class seats on every date. New long-haul routes often create some fun award opportunities at launch, but the good seats can disappear very quickly.

Alaska is becoming much more interesting for long-haul flyers, and Seattle is a great gateway if you live on the West Coast or can connect there easily.

JetBlue TrueBlue is selling points with up to a 120% bonus, bringing the cost down to around $14.70 per 1,000 points.

The offer runs from August 20 to October 1, 2026.

My take here is simple: I would rarely buy JetBlue points just to redeem on JetBlue flights.

TrueBlue is mostly revenue-based when booking JetBlue itself. That means the number of points you need is tied closely to the cash price. If you are buying points at $14.70 per 1,000 and redeeming them for roughly similar value, there is not much room to come out ahead.

But JetBlue points have become more interesting because of partner awards.

JetBlue now has redemptions on partners including Qatar Airways, Condor, United, and China Airlines. Some examples:

At $14.70 per 1,000 points, 70,000 points costs about $1,029 before taxes and fees. For Qatar business class, that can be very good value if you find saver availability.

I would not buy these points without a specific award already in mind. But if you see a Qatar or Condor award you want and the math works, this sale can be useful.

Now for the fun one.

I found direct business class award space from Buenos Aires to São Paulo on many dates, with two very interesting options:

Air Canada business class Route: EZE to GRU on flight AC91 Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes Price: 19,600 Aeroplan points + CA$107 in taxes. It is not normal to find an Air Canada award cheaper than a partner award on Aeroplan!

Turkish Airlines business class Route: EZE to GRU on flight TK16 Duration: 2 hours 35 minutes Price: 20,000 Aeroplan points + CA$146 in taxes

This is not the longest flight in the world. But I think it is a very cool redemption for a few reasons.

First, it is direct. Second, these are fun fifth-freedom options. You are not just flying a regional carrier between Argentina and Brazil. You are getting Air Canada or Turkish Airlines on a short international hop, which is a very different experience from what most people expect on this route.

Third, the pricing is completely reasonable. Around 20,000 Aeroplan points for business class on a direct flight is very fair. If you buy Aeroplan points at around $12.70 per 1,000 during a sale, 20,000 points costs around $254, plus taxes. For a business class flight between Buenos Aires and São Paulo, that is a great price.

Today's theme is optionality.

Alaska adding Athens and Paris gives West Coast travelers more ways to reach Europe without connecting through an East Coast hub. JetBlue points are not usually exciting for JetBlue's own flights, but they can work well for partner awards if you already found the space. And Buenos Aires to São Paulo for around 20,000 Aeroplan points is a good reminder that award travel is not only about ultra-long-haul redemptions. Sometimes the fun ones are short, direct flights that just make a trip smoother and more comfortable.

As always: check availability first, compare the cash price, and do the math before transferring or buying anything.

That's it for today. Enjoy the weekend, and more deals, news, and trip ideas coming your way on Monday.

Catch you in the clouds, 

Tomi from Points Master

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