6 great miles and points buying opportunities available as of May 10, 2026

Since the pandemic, travel has made a strong comeback. As this happens, hotel and flight rates are sky-high, especially in the luxury segment. However, fortunately, almost all major travel outlets often sell miles and points with bonuses or at a discount, which can make for a good deal on the rates these airlines and hotels offer.

It would be a great time to update all the hotel miles and points that are currently for sale, so you can stock up on the right ones for your travels and start planning your trips for the times ahead.

Airline Miles bonus sales

Air Canada Aeroplan is offering up to 30% discount on purchased points (Through May 13, 2026)

You have until Wednesday, May 13, 2026 –  only four days left – to take advantage of Aeroplan’s current points sale. Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty programme is offering a discount of up to 30% on purchased points, with a minimum buy-in of 10,000 points. The structure is as follows:

  • Buy 10,000–19,000 points for a 15% discount
  • Buy 20,000–79,000 points for a 20% discount
  • Buy 80,000–99,000 points for a 25% discount
  • Buy 100,000–250,000 points for a 30% discount

Aeroplan continues to be one of the most versatile Star Alliance programmes, with redemptions available on more than 40 partner airlines and a published award chart that still offers outsized value on premium-cabin partner redemptions. For instance, a Business Class redemption between Europe and India on a Star Alliance partner can start at around 60,000 Aeroplan points one way, making buying points during a promotion worthwhile.

Air Canada Aeroplan charges 0.0375 CAD (approximately 0.027 USD or INR 2.55) per point at the standard rate. If you purchase the maximum 250,000 Aeroplan points with the 30% discount, you’ll pay approximately CAD 6,562.50 (USD 4,725 or INR 4,46,182), which works out to about 1.89 USD cents or INR 1.81 per Aeroplan point.

Buy Aeroplan points with up to a 30% Discount


Southwest Rapid Rewards is offering up to 45% discount on purchased points (Through May 30, 2026)

Through Saturday, May 30, 2026, Southwest Airlines is offering a discount of up to 45% on Rapid Rewards points, with a minimum purchase of 3,000 points and a cap of 60,000 points per transaction. At the top tier, that works out to approximately 1.5 USD cents (INR 1.42) per Rapid Rewards point.

Southwest is largely a US domestic and short-haul international carrier, so this offer is most relevant if you’re planning travel within the United States or to nearby destinations like Mexico and the Caribbean. Worth picking up if you have a confirmed itinerary in those regions; otherwise, it’s a pass for most Indian travellers.

Buy Southwest Rapid Rewards points with up to a 45% Discount


JetBlue TrueBlue is offering up to 125% bonus on purchased points (Through June 10, 2026)

Through Wednesday, June 10, 2026, JetBlue Airways is offering a tiered bonus of up to 125% on TrueBlue points purchased, with a minimum buy of 5,000 points and a maximum of 200,000 points per transaction. The structure is as follows:

– Buy 5,000–14,000 points for a 100% bonus (USD 0.0161 per point)
– Buy 15,000–200,000 points for a 125% bonus (USD 0.0143 per point)

If you max out the offer, you’ll receive 450,000 TrueBlue points (200,000 base plus 250,000 bonus) at a rate of approximately 1.43 USD cents (INR 1.35) per point.

For Indian travellers, the relevance of TrueBlue is limited unless you’re connecting through New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale or Los Angeles for onward JetBlue domestic flights. JetBlue’s Mint cabin remains one of the more comfortable narrow-body business class products in North America.

Buy JetBlue TrueBlue points with up to a 125% Bonus


United Mileage Plus is offering 30% discount on purchased miles (through December 31, 2027)

Through December 31, 2027, at 11:59 PM Central Time, United Mileage Plus is offering a discount on purchased miles. The promotion I was offered provides a 30% discount at the top end, as long as you buy more than 7,000 miles in one go.

When you buy United Mileage Plus miles, you usually pay 3.5 US cents per purchased mile, plus a 7.5% excise tax charged in the US.  To unlock the best price, you need to purchase 7,000+ miles in one transaction, pre-bonus. The pricing works out to USD Cents 2.45 / INR 2.27 per Mile.

In 2026, a new restriction was imposed. You can now purchase up to 50,000 miles from United (including the bonus) in any 90-day period, while you can still purchase up to 200,000 miles throughout the year.

One of the great features of United Mileage Plus is that United does not pass on fuel surcharges to its customers. Another great feature is that United Mileage Plus miles don’t expire. So, you get to keep your miles no matter what. You can use them to redeem on Star Alliance member airlines. Air India is back in the fold as we write this.

Buy United Mileage Plus miles with a 30% Discount 


Hotel Points bonus sales

Hilton Honors is offering a 100% Bonus on the purchase of points (Through May 29, 2026)

Through Friday, May 29, 2026, Hilton Honors is offering a flat 100% bonus on the purchase of points, starting at a minimum buy of 5,000 points and capped at the standard 160,000 points per account per calendar year (pre-bonus). With the 100% bonus applied, that means you can effectively pick up 320,000 Hilton Honors points per account in this round.

At the top end, the cost works out to approximately 0.5 USD cents (INR 0.47) per Hilton Honors point — which is squarely in “buy if you have a use case” territory, particularly given Hilton’s dynamic pricing on awards. Hilton lets you combine points across accounts at no cost, so if you have a high-value redemption in mind (Conrad Maldives, Waldorf Astoria Maldives, Conrad Bora Bora, etc.), you can stack purchases across family member accounts.

Buy Hilton Honors Points with a 100% Bonus


Marriott Bonvoy is offering a 40% bonus or 30% discount on points (Through June 23, 2026)

Through Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Marriott Bonvoy is offering a choice of either a 40% bonus or a 30% discount on points purchased, with a minimum of 2,000 points and a maximum of 150,000 points per transaction (excluding the bonus). With the 40% bonus structure, the effective cost works out to approximately 0.89 USD cents (INR 0.84) per Marriott Bonvoy point.

If you max out at 150,000 base points with the 40% bonus, you’ll end up with 210,000 Bonvoy points at a cost of approximately USD 1,875 (INR 1,77,056).

For Indian travellers, Marriott Bonvoy remains the most useful hotel currency thanks to its extensive footprint and the 5th-night-free benefit on award stays. The points are particularly handy at the high end — think St. Regis Maldives, W Maldives, JW Marriott Phu Quoc and the like — where the cash rates have run away in the post-pandemic environment.

Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points with a 40% Bonus or 30% Discount


Which credit card should you use to buy miles and points?

Typically, these point purchases are processed through Points.com, rather than directly by the hotel or airline. However, you will almost always pay in USD/EUR/GBP, not INR. The best cards for earning a bonus are the Axis Bank Olympus, American Express Platinum Charge Card, and Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card, as they offer an international spending bonus. Beyond these, consider any card that offers a reduced foreign exchange conversion rate or helps you meet minimum spend requirements, such as Scapia.

So what points are you shopping for your next trip out of town? Anything we missed?


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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