Spirit refunds 'most' passengers, but points and vouchers in major jeopardy | Had elite status with Spirit? These airlines are offering a status match
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The Points Daily
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Tuesday, May 5, 2026
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| 🦨 STINKER | | Spirit card refunds rolling out; points, vouchers likely gone | | Spirit has refunded most passengers who paid by card, but points and vouchers are looking dicey. Card payments have legal protections that loyalty currencies don't, so Spirit's prioritizing the money they're legally required to return first. Points and vouchers are essentially unsecured debt in bankruptcy proceedings, which puts them behind the janitor's paycheck in the pecking order. If you've got Spirit points, assume they're gone and be pleasantly surprised if they're not. | | source → |
| 🔥 FIRE | | Lost Spirit elite status? Carriers are offering matches now | | Spirit's shutdown left a bunch of elites without status, and other airlines are swooping in with status match offers. It's a smart move by the carriers—they're fishing in a pond full of suddenly homeless frequent flyers who already proved they'll stick with one airline for perks. If you had Spirit status or were a Saver$ Club member, act on these offers now while they're live. | | source → |
| ✅ SOLID | | Rakuten Big Give: 15-20% back on travel, Saks this week | | Rakuten's Big Give Week is live with 15-20% cash back at popular travel brands, plus Saks if you're feeling fancy. Bilt elite members can grab 15-20 Bilt points per dollar instead of cash back, which adds flexibility if you're collecting those. These elevated portal rates don't stick around long, and 15-20% is genuinely strong for major travel merchants. Stack this with today's card of the day, the IHG card if you're booking hotels, to double dip the portal bonus and the card points. Don't forget you can also get $50 back on $50 spend when you click on our Rakuten link at thepointsdaily.com/go/rakuten. | | source → |
| ✅ SOLID | | Swiss: Zurich business class from 60K points | | Swiss business class availability is showing up at 60K points for flights to Zurich, which is a solid rate for lie-flat seats to Europe, especially when most carriers are pushing 80K or higher for the same route. The availability looks decent across multiple dates, which means you've got options instead of being stuck with one random Tuesday in February. It's worth a look if you've got a Switzerland trip in mind. | | source → |
| ✅ SOLID | | Copa: D.C.–Cali from $346 roundtrip | | Copa's running Washington D.C. to Cali, Colombia for $346 roundtrip in basic economy or $496 for regular economy with the usual perks. That's solid pricing for a route that doesn't see cheap fares very often and worth a look if Colombia's on your list. | | source → |
| 🔥 STEAL OF THE DAY | | Steal of the Day: The Uber app is offering 15% off gift cards with a $500 max purchase and one-per-customer limit. This is YMMV, so check your app to see if the offer appears. It's a solid discount if you're a regular Uber user—buy the gift card and use it for future rides to pocket the savings. | | source → |
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| 💳 CARD OF THE DAY | | Card of the Day: The IHG One Rewards Card is offering targeted cardholders 3,000 bonus points for $1,000 in spending. It's a modest bonus that won't change your life, but if you're already putting spend on the card, free points are free points. | | Apply here → (referral link) |
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