What Ran in March 2026
The March 2026 buy-points cycle separated cleanly into "fund the account" and "scroll past the email." A few programs ran genuinely useful bonuses. Most priced points above what we value them at.
The test, always: the bonus percentage on the subject line means nothing. Post-bonus cost per point is what matters, compared against a redemption you've actually pulled up in the booking engine.
The Hotel Side: Hilton and IHG Did the Work
Hilton ran a 100% bonus through March 14, capped at 80,000 purchased points: 160,000 points for $800. That's a flat 0.5 cents per point, which is exactly where I value Hilton points. The math doesn't tell you to load up. It tells you that if you had a specific Hilton redemption coming, this was the right time to top off. Fifth-night-free on award stays makes Hilton points stick, and a five-night stay at a property pricing 80,000 points a night turns this purchase into an obvious yes.
IHG matched with a 100% bonus, 5,000-point minimum, capped at 600,000 points for $3,000. Same 0.5 cents per point. Same logic. IHG's award pricing is all over the place, so this one was strictly a "have the redemption pulled up first" promo. If you didn't, you were speculating, and speculation is how points balances die in expired accounts.
Wyndham ran an 80% bonus pricing points at 0.72 cents, technically below my 0.9-cent valuation. Real value, but only if you actually use Wyndham. Vacasa rentals and the occasional Caribbean all-inclusive are the only redemptions where I'd touch it.
The Airline Side: Aeroplan Was the One
Aeroplan's 100% bonus spilled into the early-March planning window for anyone booking summer Europe or fall Asia in business class. Post-bonus pricing came in at 1.37 cents per point against my 1.5-cent valuation. That's a real discount on a currency that does real work. Aeroplan's partner award chart for Star Alliance business class is still one of the best in the game, and the stopover trick (if you know, you know) makes the math even better.
The catch: Aeroplan is a transfer partner of Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bilt. If you've got flexible points in any of those, transferring is almost always the move. The buy promo only made sense as a top-off.
Everything else on the airline side was a trap.
JetBlue offered 125%, the highest headline number of the cycle, and priced TrueBlue at 1.43 cents. TrueBlue is essentially revenue-based, worth what JetBlue's cash fares say it's worth (1.3 to 1.5 cents). You're paying retail for a currency with no upside. Skip.
Alaska's rebranded Atmos Rewards ran a 100% bonus pricing points at 1.88 cents. I value them at 1.6. Hard pass on a program still figuring out its post-rebrand award pricing.
Southwest's "50% discount" priced points at 1.5 cents against a 1.3-cent valuation. American's 40% discount priced AAdvantage miles at 2.26 cents against a 1.4-cent valuation. That's retail with a sticker on it. Etihad and Copa landed in the same bucket.
The pattern: programs with weak transfer partner relationships ran the best-looking percentage bonuses because they need direct sales. Programs with strong transfer partners (Aeroplan, the Avios family) priced more reasonably because they know you can route around them.
What Was Actually Worth Chasing
Two situations made any of these promos worth your money.
First is the top-off. You've got 188,000 IHG points, the redemption you want costs 200,000, and buying 12,000 at the bonus rate beats earning them through credit card spend. Buy the exact gap, not a point more.
Second is cash-versus-points arbitrage. A confirmed Aeroplan business class seat to Tokyo costs 87,500 points. Cash fare on the same flight is $5,800. Buying 87,500 points at 1.37 cents costs about $1,200. You save $4,600 and book the seat at award rates. That's a yes.
Anything else, including buying speculatively or because the bonus number is high, is how points enthusiasts end up with 400,000 Wyndham points and no clear use case.
What to Watch in the April-May 2026 Cycle
Hyatt stayed quiet in March, which is its pattern. It tends to follow Hilton and IHG with a Points + Cash promo a few weeks later, usually targeted to recent bookers. If you're a World of Hyatt member with stay activity, watch your inbox. Targeted Hyatt offers historically run 25-30% off Points + Cash bookings, and at Hyatt's redemption rates that's the most efficient way to stretch the currency.
Avianca LifeMiles tends to run a 100% buy bonus in the April-May window, often as a 48-72 hour flash sale. LifeMiles is the program where buying actually makes sense. Star Alliance business class to Europe runs 63,000 miles each way, which at the post-bonus rate is a serious discount on a $4,500 cash fare. Set a Google alert for it.
Singapore KrisFlyer typically follows with a smaller bonus. Worth it only if you've got a Singapore Suites or business class redemption already targeted. Marriott will probably run something. Skip it unless you're sitting on a confirmed redemption.
How I'm Approaching the Next Cycle
Same playbook every time. Check the balance against the next confirmed booking. If there's a gap and the post-bonus cost-per-point lands at or below my valuation for that currency, buy the exact gap. If transfer partners are an option, transfer instead. If I don't have a redemption pulled up in the booking engine, I close the promo email.
The buy-points game is one of the few corners of this hobby where the right move is almost always do nothing. The promos that actually move the needle are rare, and recognizing them requires ignoring the bonus percentage and running the post-bonus math against your own valuations and confirmed redemptions. Everything else is noise.
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