Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Monday!

Today we have a fun mix: Dan's newest Riyadh Air video, an IHG points sale, and a very useful award availability alert between Europe and Florida.

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

Last week we talked about Dan's first Riyadh Air video, where he tried the economy cabin during the airline's first week of public flights. The big takeaway was that Riyadh Air already looks extremely polished: the branding, the purple cabin design, the mood lighting, the crew uniforms, the entertainment screens, and the meal presentation all felt much more premium than you would expect from a brand-new airline on day four.

But economy was only part one.

Now Dan has released the second video, where he tries Riyadh Air premium economy and business class. And this one is very interesting.

Riyadh Air is not trying to be a normal airline. It is Saudi Arabia's new global premium carrier, built with serious funding, clear ambition, and an obvious goal of competing with Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad. So the question is simple: does Riyadh Air look like it could eventually turn the ME3 into the ME4?

From this first look, the answer is complicated, but very interesting.

The premium economy cabin might be the most beautiful premium economy cabin Dan has ever seen. The colors, stitching, purple tones, privacy shields, marble-style finishes, and mood lighting all look incredible. Riyadh Air clearly understood design.

But comfort is where things get more mixed. The legroom and width are not necessarily best in class, and premium economy passengers share lavatories with economy, which is not ideal when you are paying a premium. On the other hand, the soft product is very impressive: pre-departure drinks, hot towel, Saudi coffee, and dates. Probably the best premium economy pre-departure service I have seen anywhere.

Then there is business class, and this is where Riyadh Air starts to feel serious.

The cabin is stunning. High walls, beautiful lighting, dark colors, fabric finishes, and a very private seat. The front-row Business Elite seats feel much closer to First Class than business class. Even if Riyadh Air does not serve alcohol and is not trying to copy Emirates exactly, it still needs something visually memorable and premium to compete.

The seat is very private and comfortable in bed mode, though a bit tight in certain positions. There are no individual air vents, which is disappointing on a brand-new premium airline, and storage could be better. But the overall design, service flow, and meal presentation look very nice!

Dan's bigger takeaway is probably the most important part of the video: Riyadh Air seems built to make money. The 787-9 has a dense layout with only 24 standard business class seats, 4 Business Elite seats, 39 premium economy seats, and a large economy cabin. That tells us something. This airline is not just trying to be a flying billboard for Riyadh. It is trying to be a profitable premium airline.

That may make it less extravagant than Emirates or Qatar in certain ways, but potentially more disciplined and sustainable.

The long-haul test is still the real test. But this is a fascinating start.

IHG One Rewards is back with another points sale, running through July 16, 2026, with up to a 100% bonus on purchased points.

At the best rate, you can buy IHG points for around $5 per 1,000 points. That is generally as good as IHG sales get.

Key details:

Should you buy? If you have a specific redemption in mind, yes. If not, I would wait. These sales come around fairly regularly throughout the year.

IHG uses dynamic award pricing, so there is no fixed chart. Value varies a lot depending on the property, dates, and cash rates. It tends to work best at expensive luxury properties like Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, and Kimpton, where cash rates are high and award pricing can be relatively attractive.

One extra angle worth knowing: if you hold an eligible IHG credit card, you get the fourth night free on award stays. Book four nights, pay three in points. That can make buying points significantly more attractive when stacked correctly.

But as always: compare the cash rate to the award rate before buying anything.

I am seeing scattered business class award availability from Munich to Orlando on Discover Airlines, with some dates showing up to 9 seats available.

This is a very useful route for families, couples, or anyone planning a Florida trip. The flight is nonstop, takes around 10 hours 45 minutes, and through Air Canada Aeroplan it prices at:

75,000 Aeroplan points + CA$277 in taxes

Discover Airlines is Lufthansa Group's leisure airline, so this is not going to be a cutting-edge flagship business class product. The long-haul fleet is mainly Airbus A330s with a lie-flat business class cabin, mostly with the same product you will find in Lufthansa older business class. The seat feels older than the newest products out there.

But let's be clear about what this actually is. Nonstop, lie-flat, and bookable with points. For Munich to Orlando, that can be truly valuable, especially for anyone heading to Disney, Universal, or a Florida beach trip! It also works well for travelers connecting through Munich from elsewhere in Europe.

The most exciting part is the seat count. Seeing one or two business class seats is nice. Seeing up to nine seats on some dates is much more useful because it opens the door for families and groups traveling together.

This is not the redemption you book because it is aspirational. You book it because it solves a real travel problem. And 75,000 Aeroplan points for nonstop lie-flat business class to Florida is exactly the kind of practical award space worth flagging.

Availability is scattered rather than wide open every day, so search date by date and be flexible if you can.

That's it for today. Riyadh Air's premium cabins are finally here, IHG points are on sale, and Discover has very useful business class space from Munich to Orlando.

More deals, news, and trip ideas coming your way on Wednesday.

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master