Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Wednesday!

Today we have three very different things: a new all-business class airline route, a hotel points sale that is more useful than most people think, and a cash fare that genuinely made me stop and look twice.

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

Starting April 21, 2027, La Compagnie will fly nonstop between Newark and Düsseldorf up to five times per week. The flights will operate on a new Airbus A321neo LR with just 76 seats, all of them business class.

Every seat converts into a fully flat bed, though I have to be honest: I do not know why these airlines keep using older business class layouts when there are significantly better options available now, even for single-aisle aircraft.

You also get lounge access, free high-speed Wi-Fi, two checked bags, and the much calmer experience that comes from flying on a plane with only 76 passengers. That last part is underrated.

The one thing to know is that the seats are in a 2-2 configuration, so not everyone has direct aisle access. If you are traveling alone, I would go for an aisle seat. For couples, the configuration actually works quite well since you are naturally sitting next to each other.

What makes this route particularly interesting is the destination itself.

New York to Düsseldorf has not had a nonstop option recently, so La Compagnie is not just adding another airline to an already crowded transatlantic market. It is bringing back a nonstop connection while offering a completely different product from a traditional carrier. For anyone based in or near Newark who travels to western Germany or the Netherlands, this is very worth watching.

Choice Privileges has launched another points sale. Through October 22, you can get up to a 40% discount when buying points, with the best pricing kicking in when you buy at least 14,000 points.

At the best tier, the cost comes down to around $6.20 per 1,000 points.

Choice is probably not the first hotel program that comes to mind when thinking about buying points. But there are two parts of the world where I think these points can be genuinely useful.

The first is Europe, particularly Scandinavia.

Choice has a large portfolio of hotels across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Hotels in cities like Oslo and Stockholm can get very expensive, especially on peak summer dates. There are situations where a hotel costing several hundred dollars per night in cash can instead be booked for 20,000 to 35,000 Choice points.

At today's sale price:

That can make an expensive Scandinavian stay feel much more manageable. And Choice goes beyond the brands you probably associate with the name. Through its partnership with Preferred Hotels and Resorts, you can also redeem Choice points at a selection of independent luxury hotels around the world.

Japan and elsewhere in Asia are also worth checking, where some hotels can be significantly cheaper in points than in cash.

I would not buy Choice points just because they are on sale. But if you are planning a trip to Scandinavia or Asia, search the hotels first, compare the points price against the cash rate, and you might be surprised.

Okay, this one is ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!.

I found Gulf Air business class from Doha to Manila for $1,133 roundtrip. Including a 9-hour long-haul flight. Roundtrip.

The outbound is around 11.5 hours total with a connection in Bahrain. The return is just under 15 hours because of a longer layover on the way back.

But forget the connection for a second.

$1,133 roundtrip in business class between the Middle East and Southeast Asia is an extraordinary price. We talk all the time about using points to get into business class for less, but this is a perfect example of why you should always check cash fares too. Sometimes paying cash is simply the better deal.

And Gulf Air is not an airline I would hesitate to fly.

On its Boeing 787-9, Gulf Air uses the Apex Suite in business class. The cabin is technically in a 2-2-2 configuration, which usually does not excite me, but the Apex Suite is different. The window seats are staggered in a way that gives them their own pathway to the aisle, so even window passengers get direct aisle access without climbing over anyone. The seats are also very private, convert into fully flat beds, and have excellent footwell space. Gulf Air also provides pajamas on long-haul flights.

This is roughly the price people regularly pay for premium economy across much shorter distances. If my dates worked and I needed to travel between the Middle East and Southeast Asia, I would book this without hesitating.

That is probably the biggest lesson from today's post.

Do not only search points. Do not only look at airlines you already know. And do not assume a program like Choice is useless just because you do not normally stay at Choice hotels.

The best deals often appear when you look slightly outside the obvious options.

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master

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