Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Friday!

Today we have a very practical edition: one cash fare, one reader question, and one example of when buying hotel points can actually make sense.

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

There are some interesting Oneworld business class fares from Spain to the United States right now.

From Madrid and Barcelona to cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York, with the cheapest options starting around $1,800 roundtrip for Boston and Chicago.

Here are a couple of good examples.

From Barcelona to Boston, I found business class roundtrip pricing around $1,900. The outbound had one stop via JFK, and the return had one stop via London Heathrow, and flights are operated by British Airways and American Airlines.

From Madrid to Chicago, I found nonstop business class for around $2,700 roundtrip, peak summer. That is more expensive, but also much cleaner: nonstop both ways, around 8 hours outbound and 7 hours back.

If you are just trying to cross the Atlantic in business class for the lowest possible price, the Barcelona option is very interesting. But if you care about simplicity and not dealing with connections through New York or London, Madrid to Boston nonstop on Iberia may be worth paying more for.

If you are Europe-based and planning a US trip, check this quickly. Fares like this can disappear fast.

Ander asked a very relevant question. He is flying from Australia to Europe later this summer and wants to know which route works best, especially given concerns around Middle East connections.

My honest answer: if your priority is certainty right now, I would avoid the Middle East.

That is not at all a safety comment. But the issue is reliability. If airspace changes, flights can be delayed, rerouted, or canceled. And if you are traveling from Australia to Europe for fixed plans, being stuck halfway through the trip is not something you want to deal with.

So if Ander wants the most predictable option, I would route through Asia. The most practical choices:

Singapore is probably the cleanest answer. Australia to Singapore, then Singapore to Europe. Good product, reliable hub, easy connections, and lots of European city options.

Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific is another great option. If availability and pricing work, Hong Kong is one of the most logical ways to connect Australia and Europe while avoiding the Gulf entirely.

Bangkok via Thai Airways can work well too, especially if the price is good or award space shows up.

Kuala Lumpur via Malaysia Airlines may not be the flashiest product, but it may make sense

China is becoming more interesting and is worth checking. Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern connect Australia and Europe through Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou. Pricing is usually meaningfully cheaper than other options, even if these routings are not everyone's first instinct.

The simple version: fly through Asia. It is the most reliable option right now. And check China if you want to save some money!

Earlier this week we talked about Hilton selling points with up to a 100% bonus, bringing the best price down to $5 per 1,000 points.

Here is a real example of when that actually makes sense.

I found standard award availability at Grand Hotel du Palais Royal, an SLH Hotel in Paris, for 135,000 Hilton points per night.

The dates I checked: November 16 to 21, 2026. Five nights, 2 adults.

Because Hilton elite members get the fifth night free on award stays, this prices as four nights of points:

135,000 points x 4 nights = 540,000 Hilton points

If you buy those points at $5 per 1,000, that is:

540,000 points = $2,700

The cash rate for the same stay was €3,517, which at current exchange rates works out to roughly $4,100.

So the math looks like this:

That is a very good result for a five-night Paris stay.

One important catch: Hilton caps how many points you can buy per account during a promo, usually around 480,000 points, including the bonus (though there are ways to bypass that). Worth knowing before you start.

When you have a specific hotel, standard award availability, a five-night stay, and a high cash rate, buying Hilton points can absolutely be the right way to go.

That's it for today. Spain to the US has some great business class cash fares, Australia to Europe is best routed through Asia right now if you want to avoid Middle East uncertainty, and Hilton points can work very well when the math lines up properly.

More deals, news, and trip ideas coming your way on Monday. Enjoy your weekend!

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master