A new tradition: The 2024 TPG staff holiday wish list
It's easy to get swept up in the magic — and madness — of the holiday season. Between decorating, gathering gifts and prepping for the new year, there's so much to plan and keep track of at the end of December. And that's just those of us who don't travel for the holidays and have to contend with things like crowded airports and long security lines.
At TPG, the end of the year is typically a time when many of us inventory the cards we have in our wallets and double-check which perks and benefits we haven't taken advantage of yet. This helps us strategize what cards we'll apply for in the coming year and plan for future trips.
This got some of us thinking: What if making a wish list wasn't just for the kiddos this year? And so our 2024 holiday wish list was born.
Related: Our 2025 credit card predictions
Card-specific wishes
Because so many of us are frequent travelers, we're no strangers to cobranded hotel credit cards. Some of our favorites include the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees).
Most of these cards are part of a suite of products geared toward those who might stay at Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt properties — whether it's often or simply one or two nights a year.
Each card offers different ways to earn bonus points on stays with their respective hotel chains, among other perks like free night award certificates and room upgrades. While these perks are great, we think there's some room for improvement. Some things we'd love to see in 2025 include:
- A premium World of Hyatt card enter the market
- Bonus categories on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (apart from current ones for booking through Capital One Travel)
- A more flexible $300 Capital One travel credit when booked through Capital One Travel
- A premium Bilt Mastercard® (even if that means tacking on an annual fee) that offers perks and solid earning rates
- Lounge access (preferably Delta Sky Club lounge access) — without caveats — for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card members
- The ability to consistently earn elevated reward rates (instead of on a rotating quarterly basis) on a Chase or American Express card for home improvement purchases or at home improvement retailers (like paint, lumber, appliances, garden supplies and light bulbs from places like Lowe's or The Home Depot, for example)
- The return of the restaurant credit to credit card Priority Pass memberships
- Any credit card issuer come up with a premium rewards card for people who don't live in a city (for example, Gopuff, Uber and Lyft credits are essentially useless for those who live in a far-flung suburb or rural area)
- Extension of Lyft benefits on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees)
- Ability to join the waitlist for Chase lounges online (rather than at the door)
- Annual/anniversary loyalty bonuses on American Express cards
- More bonus categories on The Platinum Card® from American Express
The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Our 2024 credit card predictions and trends — what we got right and wrong
Loyalty program and points and miles wishes
When it comes to airline and hotel loyalty reward programs, TPG staffers would love to see things like:
- Hyatt getting rid of Club Access Awards for Globalists and replacing them with something more useful
- More useful benefits at Hyatt's Explorist status level
- Wells Fargo Rewards and/or Citi ThankYou Rewards adding Air Canada Aeroplan as a transfer partner
- Free breakfast for IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members
- Guaranteed late checkout of at least 2 p.m. for Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond and IHG Diamond Elite members
- IHG letting you apply suite upgrade certificates online instead of needing to call 14 days before your stay
- Hyatt offering a true award calendar that shows availability instead of just pricing
- Hyatt eliminating expiration of free night awards
- Delta bringing back rollovers for Medallion Qualification Dollars
- A fifth or sixth night free on Hyatt award stays (even if it's only for cardholders or elite members)
Related: How to travel safely with Christmas presents
Additionally, some staffers mentioned that they'd like the ability to convert Citi ThankYou Rewards points to AAdvantage miles, while others disagreed because doing so could devalue AAdvantage miles. We'd also like to see Capital One add one of the big four U.S. airlines as a transfer partner in 2025.
Bottom line
The credit card, loyalty program and points and miles landscape constantly evolves. At TPG, we're always speculating about what's in the pipeline regarding our loyalty programs and the perks featured on the cards in our wallets — especially at the end of each year.
As we all prepare for a busy holiday season, we figured we'd take a crack at making our own holiday wish list to see what might stick in the coming year. Here's to hoping a few of our wishes come to fruition.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.