If you’re wondering whether a travel rewards credit card is right for you, consider your travel goals and financial needs. Then, determine which card fits your lifestyle the best and whether it’s worth paying its annual fee.
If your goal is to save on travel, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card might be a great fit since you can redeem your rewards for travel or transfer them to Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners. This card comes with a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Here’s what makes the Capital One Venture Rewards card worth it.
Capital One Venture Rewards welcome offer
For starters, new Venture Rewards cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. Plus, new cardholders will receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in the first year. This is a limited-time offer.
If you’re able to leverage Capital One’s 15-plus airline and hotel partners, TPG’s February 2025 valuations peg this welcome bonus as worth up to $1,638.
Earning miles with the Capital One Venture Rewards
One of the top reasons many people love the Capital One Venture Rewards is its straightforward earning structure of at least 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on anything you buy.
You also don’t have to worry about miles expiring as long as you keep your account open, and there’s no limit to how many miles you can earn.
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One factor that makes this card so appealing is that there aren’t numerous categories to track. Cardholders will earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. All other purchases will net 2 miles per dollar.
It’s an ideal card for busy people who want to simplify their earning strategy and redemption options. It’s also a great card to fill in any gaps that may exist in your reward-earning strategy.
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Redeeming miles with the Capital One Venture Rewards
You can redeem miles at 1 cent apiece with the fixed-value option toward eligible travel expenses charged to the card. For example, say you reserved an Airbnb for $750 for an upcoming vacation.
You could redeem the 75,000 miles earned from the welcome bonus to offset the Airbnb purchase and cover the entire stay with the miles earned on your Capital One Venture Rewards.
AIRBNB
This particular redemption option comes in handy when you don’t want to jump through hoops to find award availability or if you like to stay at non-chain hotels. This is also a popular redemption approach when you find cheap airfare and prefer to save your other valuable transferable points for more aspirational redemptions.
*Benefit available to accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard product, subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions in the World Elite Mastercard Guide to Benefits. See Account Terms or Application Terms for more details. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
These benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards card can help provide peace of mind while you travel.
The card also offers an up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, making the airport security and immigration process quicker.
Bottom line
The Capital One Venture Rewards is a favorite among travelers for a few reasons.
Its simple earning structure of at least 2 miles per dollar makes it easy to maximize every purchase. The ability to redeem miles directly for travel at a fixed rate and to transfer miles to various airline and hotel partners makes it extra versatile.
Then, there are the value-added benefits like relatively robust travel and purchase protections, making this card a great one to carry in your wallet.
It’s a strong all-around choice for travelers, both frequent and otherwise, and well worth the $95 annual fee (see rates and fees).
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
In light of Anthony Edwards saying during All-Star weekend that he doesn’t want to be the next face of the league, this reporter asked James on Thursday if that role was something James even wanted – or whether it was just bestowed upon him.
James made it clear that the ceremonial position is no longer as alluring as it once was, an alarming fact considering the level of sacrifice it takes to achieve, including cultivating a flawless image, immense self-discipline to avoid controversy and, oh, just being the best player in the world.
“Channing Frye said it … why do you want to be the face of a league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s–t on everybody?” James said. “When you have that responsibility, that’s just weird.”
James is used to being scrutinized. He was labeled “The Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated when he was 17 years old. From then on, he was criticized for nearly every pass and shot he took. Ahead of James breaking the all-time scoring record in 2023, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked for his favorite James memory. Instead of talking about a game-winning play, a thunderous dunk or a fadeaway jumper over three defenders, Popovich mentioned James’ composure despite pundits’ criticism.
“They would just deal with the negative,” Popovich said. “And it was sort of a fake negative in a way. The guy was doing everything great.”
Well, in James’ eyes, things have worsened over the years, now reaching a breaking point.
Many NBA players — including James and Kevin Durant — believe that the discourse around the game has plummeted. Instead of the incredible talent of Steph Curry being celebrated, or the fact that James, at age 40, is playing as though he were two decades younger being praised or Durant’s skills being heralded, people just want to focus on the negative.
There are too many 3s. The game is boring. Current players have ruined the sport. Versions of these statements are regularly said on national broadcasts.
Some NBA players found it particularly egregious when former NHL defenseman P.K. Subban recently went on ESPN’s “First Take” and ripped the NBA, including taking a shot at James for missing his first All-Star Game two weeks ago (breaking a streak of 20 straight appearances) because of foot and ankle soreness. Subban said “you don’t get my respect” if you don’t play banged up.
To put things in perspective, James isn’t one to take games off. He has played in 301 of 335 possible back-to-backs over his career, including all seven this season, according to ESPN.
Regardless of whether his points were fair, it’s weird that a former hockey player was given airtime to criticize one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. Sure, the NHL is coming off of a successful 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, while the NBA has struggled to make their signature weekend engaging. But would James ever go on ESPN to rip the NHL? No chance.
Somehow, ripping the NBA has become a sport that’s seemingly more celebrated than the game within the four lines.
Criticism is fair. Players know that.
But there’s a strong belief within NBA circles that the dip in NBA TV viewership has nothing to do with a decline in talent, but, rather, it stems from the self-sabotaging dialogue around the sport. Sure, drama gets views. However, there’s a thin line between manufacturing intrigue and telling fans that the product they’re watching isn’t worth their time.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith felt as though James’ comments were directed towards him, and he defended himself Friday. Smith believes that NBA players can’t handle any criticism.
He went on to point out what he perceived as James’ missteps throughout the years, including calling James announcing his decision to take his talents to Miami in an over-the-top TV special,”self-aggrandizement at its height.”
Smith also blamed James for fueling Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to rally NBA owners to get former NBA commissioner David Stern to nix a trade that would’ve sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011. Smith said Gilbert was “salty about how LeBron James handled it and how stars were getting out of control.”
But let’s be real: if James’ biggest hiccup over the last two decades was a flashy TV special, he’s doing pretty dang well considering the intense microscope he has been under. So, why is his name still dragged through the mud every day on TV?
James isn’t the only recipient of criticism that players deem unfair.
Are the Lakers still LeBron’s team? | The Facility
Smith and Charles Barkley have both laid into Durant for his leadership skills. But those who know him best believe that’s bogus. When asked about that narrative, Anthony Edwards told FOX Sports, “I think it’s bulls–t.” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue agreed, telling FOX Sports, “How can you question his leadership? He plays every night. He wants to play 42, 43 minutes a night. And he’s a winner. You can’t question that.”
Meanwhile, Durant told FOX Sports in April 2023 that he believes he’s constantly disparaged because he doesn’t give pundits any real fodder. “You can’t clearly see the flaws in my game,” Durant said. “Or in my personality, off-the-court stuff, I don’t have any major blemishes. So, you’ve got to find something.”
As for James, he’s sick of it all.
In fact, he took to X on Friday to say he’s happy that this conversation is in the news.
“It ain’t about “face of the game” and it ain’t about one person or one show, it’s about the culture of basketball, the most beautiful game in the world,” James wrote. “Our game has never been better. Incredible young stars from all over the world and some older ones.
“Steph Curry should be all we are talking about today. Let’s discuss how great OKC and The Cavs have been this season with 2 completely different styles and break down why and how they have. Of course, if players don’t perform we need to discuss that too and break that down.”
James isn’t just screaming into the void.
He tried to do something to change the narrative around the game by launching the “Mind the Game” podcast alongside now Lakers coach JJ Redick. His goal was to honor and dissect the game in a more thoughtful way than he felt like it was being discussed.
The podcast was canceled when Redick got the Lakers gig last summer. But James would like to see the game looked at through that prism more often.
Really, the NBA is thriving by the metric that what counts most. Let’s not forget that Disney, Comcast and Amazon recently agreed to an 11-year TV rights deal that will net the league roughly $76 billion, setting an NBA record for both length and total value of a contract.
And James is right, there’s so much to be in awe of right now.
James is playing at an unprecedented level for someone in his 22nd season, shattering every record in the books. Curry, who is widely considered the greatest shooter of all-time, is coming off of a 56-point performance against Orlando on Thursday. And Durant recently defied logic by showing that a player could actually play better after suffering a torn Achilles’ in 2019.
James is likely a season or two away from retiring. Curry and Durant, who are both 36, aren’t far behind him.
Why aren’t we enjoying three of the best players of all-time while they’re around?
Not to mention, there are 10 teams in the Western Conference with a record of .500 or better. The Warriors, who won four championships in eight years, are looking like they could be contenders again. The Lakers have won 16 of their last 20 games. The Cavaliers and Thunder are having historical seasons. And during Super Bowl week, the biggest story line in sports was Luka Doncic getting traded to the Lakers.
There’s a lot to be excited about.
And the future of the league looks promising, with young superstars Edwards, Victor Wembanyama and Doncic all trying to win their first championships and put their names in the history books.
This much is for sure: It’s not good if any one of those guys decides they don’t want to fill James’ shoes as the next face of the league.
Something needs to change. But as things stand right now, James understands why Edwards wants to excuse himself from that race.
“I feel Ant,” James said. “I understand, I completely understand. This is weird energy when it comes to that.”
When James was asked if he wanted to be the face of the league, he said, “I didn’t ask for it.” But he acknowledged that when it happened, he also embraced the responsiblity that came with that honor.
“I’ve always taken that seriously and [understood] from the beginning what being a professional was all about and what being a role model is all about,” James said. “So try to hold that with the utmost respect and honor.”
James did his part.
Now it’s time for the rest of us to do ours.
We need to celebrate the talent around us before it’s too late.
If guys like Edwards want to snuff out their own light for fear of being burned, perhaps we need to take a cold, hard look at why that’s happening.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
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The size of the military delegation to China’s rubber stamp parliament is falling and may shrink further, as leader Xi Jinping’s purges cast a shadow over Beijing’s biggest annual political event.
The military delegation at the annual plenary session of the National People’s Congress, which opens on Wednesday, will number 267, down from the 281 appointed in 2023. Fourteen have been removed because of corruption investigations.
Of the 2,997 appointed to the NPC in 2023, 2,942 remain.
The military delegation — including representatives from the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police — has suffered a greater reduction in size than any other provincial delegation, government or industry segment represented in the NPC and an advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), according to an FT review of the delegate list, NPC announcements and official media reports.
The data underscores that Xi’s crackdown on what the Chinese Communist party commonly calls “discipline violations” is taking a heavier toll on the armed forces than other parts of society.
The corruption purges come as Communist party leaders are expected to prioritise the economy this year in what is known as the “two sessions” — the CPPCC and NPC annual meetings.
Beijing will be concerned that rising US tariffs will hit China’s booming exports, which in the past two years have offset a deep property slump in the domestic economy.
China’s leaders are expected to announce another ambitious GDP growth target of 5 per cent this year to be fuelled by larger stimulus measures.
But the removal of military personnel from the NPC and CPPCC due to anti-corruption investigations is a reminder of Xi’s longer-term focus on optimising China’s military as the country competes with the US for dominance around Taiwan and the South China Sea.
“The reduced numbers of the military delegation will not have an impact on the NPC, but they certainly highlight Xi’s continued push to assert his control over the armed forces,” said Lin Ying-yu, a professor at Taiwan’s Tamkang University who researches the Chinese military.
This year’s increase of official military spending, expected to be included in the budget on March 5, and Xi’s address to military delegates on March 7 are the key military events.
Despite disrupting the leading echelons of the entire PLA, the crackdown has had no noticeable effect on the military’s capabilities and operational tempo. The army continues to raise the pressure on Taiwan and deploys to locations ever farther from China.
Beijing removed 10 military NPC delegates prior to last year’s two sessions after Xi began to crack down on the Rocket Force, the PLA arm responsible for missiles including nuclear ones, and the weapons procurement bureaucracy.
Since last March, four more top military officials have lost their status as NPC delegates after getting entangled in the widening investigations: former defence minister Li Shangfu and former PLA deputy commander Deng Zhiping were recalled in September.
In December, Deng’s predecessor as PLA deputy commander You Haitao and Li Pengcheng, former navy commander in the PLA’s southern military region, were stripped of their mandates, too.
The PLA’s presence at next year’s plenary session is likely to be even smaller: Miao Hua, the Chinese military’s top political commissar, was ensnared in the crackdown when he was suspended from his duties as a member of the Central Military Commission, the organ headed by Xi that holds the top command over the armed forces, and head of the CMC’s political work department in November. The NPC has not announced his removal as a delegate, but Miao is not expected to attend.
Observers are watching out for three more military delegates who have recently disappeared from public view: Li Qiaoming and Wang Chunning, the commanders of the PLA and the People’s Armed Police, as well as Yuan Huazhi, the PLA navy’s political commissar, were absent in key meetings in December and January, according to Chinese state media footage.
Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT) and Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ) have announced a strategic collaboration to enhance cash services across the United States. The partnership leverages Green Dot’s extensive network of over 95,000 retail locations nationwide, enabling convenient cash deposits for Marqeta’s customers.
The collaboration addresses the persistent demand for cash services, particularly among low-to-moderate income (LMI) and mature consumers aged 55-plus, who still prefer cash transactions according to Federal Reserve data. Through this partnership, customers can access cash deposit services at major retailers including Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven, and CVS.
The Green Dot Network, powered by Arc, provides comprehensive coverage with 96% of the U.S. population living within three miles of a service location. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide while offering affordable financial services, particularly beneficial in underbanked communities where traditional banks are reducing their physical presence.
Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT) e Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ) hanno annunciato una collaborazione strategica per migliorare i servizi di contante negli Stati Uniti. Questa partnership sfrutta la vasta rete di oltre 95.000 punti vendita a livello nazionale di Green Dot, consentendo depositi di contante convenienti per i clienti di Marqeta.
La collaborazione risponde alla persistente domanda di servizi di contante, in particolare tra i consumatori a basso e moderato reddito (LMI) e quelli più anziani di 55 anni, che secondo i dati della Federal Reserve preferiscono ancora le transazioni in contante. Grazie a questa partnership, i clienti possono accedere ai servizi di deposito di contante presso importanti rivenditori, tra cui Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven e CVS.
La Rete Green Dot, supportata da Arc, offre una copertura completa con il 96% della popolazione statunitense che vive entro tre miglia da una sede di servizio. Questa iniziativa mira a colmare il divario digitale, offrendo servizi finanziari accessibili, particolarmente utili nelle comunità sottobancarie dove le banche tradizionali stanno riducendo la loro presenza fisica.
Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT) y Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ) han anunciado una colaboración estratégica para mejorar los servicios de efectivo en los Estados Unidos. La asociación aprovecha la extensa red de más de 95,000 ubicaciones minoristas en todo el país de Green Dot, lo que permite depósitos en efectivo convenientes para los clientes de Marqeta.
La colaboración aborda la demanda persistente de servicios de efectivo, especialmente entre los consumidores de ingresos bajos a moderados (LMI) y los mayores de 55 años, quienes según los datos de la Reserva Federal todavía prefieren las transacciones en efectivo. A través de esta asociación, los clientes pueden acceder a servicios de depósito en efectivo en importantes minoristas, incluidos Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven y CVS.
La Red Green Dot, impulsada por Arc, proporciona una cobertura integral, con el 96% de la población de EE. UU. viviendo a tres millas de una ubicación de servicio. Esta iniciativa tiene como objetivo cerrar la brecha digital mientras ofrece servicios financieros asequibles, especialmente beneficiosos en comunidades desatendidas donde los bancos tradicionales están reduciendo su presencia física.
그린닷 (NYSE: GDOT)과 마르케타, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ)는 미국 전역에서 현금 서비스를 강화하기 위한 전략적 협력을 발표했습니다. 이 파트너십은 그린닷의 95,000개 이상의 소매 위치의 광범위한 네트워크를 활용하여 마르케타 고객을 위한 편리한 현금 입금을 가능하게 합니다.
이 협력은 연방준비제도 이사회(Federal Reserve) 데이터에 따르면 여전히 현금 거래를 선호하는 저소득 및 중간 소득(LMI) 소비자와 55세 이상의 성숙한 소비자들 사이에서 지속적인 현금 서비스 수요를 해결합니다. 이 파트너십을 통해 고객은 월마트, 월그린, 7-Eleven, CVS와 같은 주요 소매점에서 현금 입금 서비스를 이용할 수 있습니다.
Arc에 의해 지원되는 그린닷 네트워크는 미국 인구의 96%가 서비스 위치에서 3마일 이내에 거주하는 포괄적인 커버리지를 제공합니다. 이 이니셔티브는 디지털 격차를 해소하고, 특히 전통적인 은행이 물리적 존재를 줄이고 있는 저소득 커뮤니티에 유용한 저렴한 금융 서비스를 제공합니다.
Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT) et Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ) ont annoncé une collaboration stratégique pour améliorer les services de trésorerie aux États-Unis. Ce partenariat tire parti du vaste réseau de plus de 95 000 points de vente de Green Dot à l’échelle nationale, permettant des dépôts de trésorerie pratiques pour les clients de Marqeta.
La collaboration répond à la demande persistante de services de trésorerie, en particulier parmi les consommateurs à revenu faible à modéré (LMI) et les consommateurs âgés de 55 ans et plus, qui préfèrent toujours les transactions en espèces selon les données de la Réserve fédérale. Grâce à ce partenariat, les clients peuvent accéder à des services de dépôt de trésorerie chez des détaillants majeurs tels que Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven et CVS.
Le réseau Green Dot, alimenté par Arc, offre une couverture complète avec 96 % de la population américaine vivant à moins de trois miles d’un point de service. Cette initiative vise à réduire la fracture numérique tout en offrant des services financiers abordables, particulièrement bénéfiques dans les communautés sous-bancarisées où les banques traditionnelles réduisent leur présence physique.
Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT) und Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ) haben eine strategische Zusammenarbeit angekündigt, um Bargeldservices in den Vereinigten Staaten zu verbessern. Die Partnerschaft nutzt das umfangreiche Netzwerk von über 95.000 Einzelhandelsstandorten von Green Dot im ganzen Land, wodurch bequeme Bargeldeinzahlungen für die Kunden von Marqeta ermöglicht werden.
Die Zusammenarbeit adressiert die anhaltende Nachfrage nach Bargeldservices, insbesondere bei einkommensschwachen bis moderaten (LMI) und reiferen Verbrauchern ab 55 Jahren, die laut den Daten der Federal Reserve immer noch Bargeldtransaktionen bevorzugen. Durch diese Partnerschaft können Kunden Bargeldeinzahlungsdienste bei großen Einzelhändlern wie Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven und CVS nutzen.
Das Green Dot Netzwerk, unterstützt von Arc, bietet umfassende Abdeckung, wobei 96% der US-Bevölkerung innerhalb von drei Meilen von einem Service-Standort leben. Diese Initiative zielt darauf ab, die digitale Kluft zu überbrücken und gleichzeitig erschwingliche Finanzdienstleistungen anzubieten, die insbesondere in unterversorgten Gemeinschaften von Vorteil sind, in denen traditionelle Banken ihre physische Präsenz reduzieren.
Positive
Extensive retail network coverage reaching 96% of US population
Strategic partnership with Marqeta expands customer base
Addresses underserved market segments (LMI and 55+ age groups)
Fills gap left by traditional bank branch closures
Negative
Heavy dependence on physical retail locations
Focus on cash transactions in increasingly digital economy
Insights
This partnership between Green Dot and Marqeta represents a strategic move that addresses a critical market gap in the fintech ecosystem. The collaboration leverages Green Dot’s extensive physical infrastructure—95,000+ retail locations covering 96% of the US population within three miles—to enhance Marqeta’s digital payment platform with essential cash handling capabilities.
The timing is particularly advantageous as traditional banks continue to close physical branches, creating service voids in underbanked communities. Federal Reserve data confirms that cash remains the preferred transaction method for both lower-to-middle income consumers and those over 55, indicating this isn’t merely a legacy service but addresses a persistent market need.
For Green Dot, this arrangement potentially increases utilization of their existing retail network infrastructure across major chains like Walmart and Walgreens, creating incremental revenue without significant additional investment. For Marqeta, which provides card issuing and payment processing infrastructure to businesses, the addition of cash handling capabilities fills a functional gap in their otherwise comprehensive digital payment platform.
This collaboration exemplifies the evolution of banking-as-a-service models where specialized providers combine complementary capabilities to create more complete financial ecosystems. The partnership enables both companies to create value through operational specialization rather than competing directly, potentially improving margins and service quality simultaneously.
New Collaboration Enables Convenient and Affordable Cash Deposits at Green Dot’s Network of 95,000+ Locations Nationwide
PROVO, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Green Dot Corporation (NYSE: GDOT) and Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ: MQ) today announced a new relationship enabling Marqeta to provide customers with convenient and affordable cash services, an important function for the many businesses and consumers transacting with cash today. Green Dot’s expansive money movement network (the “Green Dot Network,” powered by Arc) enables convenient access to deposit cash to bank accounts at more than 95,000 locations nationwide.
“We are proud to collaborate with Marqeta to bring our shared vision of delivering seamless and affordable financial services to life for more businesses and consumers across the US,” said Crystal Bryant-Minter, SVP of Money Movement at Green Dot. “This collaboration demonstrates the power and potential of fintechs coming together to deliver better value and experiences to our customers, and we’re excited to continue building on this relationship for years to come.”
The cash economy remains strong, with cash being the preferred method of transacting for LMI and mature (age 55-plus) consumers, according to the Federal Reserve. This relationship addresses the demand for essential cash services while bridging the digital divide among cash-preferred consumers, allowing consumers and businesses to conveniently and affordably deposit cash into digital bank accounts.
“Through our collaboration with Green Dot, we’re expanding access to essential cash services for our customers and their users across the US,” said Rahul Shah, Chief Product Officer at Marqeta. “Collaborating with Green Dot further strengthens our financial services capabilities and reinforces our platform’s ability to deliver comprehensive financial services that provide our customers with the flexible and efficient solutions they demand.”
Marqeta’s platform enables businesses to build financial solutions, enabling them to embed financial services into their branded experience and unlock new ways to grow their business and delight users. Marqeta’s cash load offering is one more addition to its suite of financial services offerings, enabling businesses to offer tailored financial solutions to their customers.
For over 25 years, Green Dot has expanded access to modern banking and payment tools for consumers and businesses. Powered by Arc, the Green Dot Network of more than 95,000 retail locations nationwide offers cash-in and cash-out capabilities in stores including Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven, CVS and more. As traditional banks continue closing brick and mortar locations across the U.S., particularly in underbanked communities, the Green Dot Network provides seamless access to cash services for almost all U.S. consumers, with 96 percent of the U.S. population living within three miles of a Green Dot Network location. The Green Dot Network’s money movement capabilities also enable partners to offer their customers the ability to move funds digitally between bank accounts.
About Green Dot
Green Dot Corporation (NYSE: GDOT) is a financial technology platform and registered bank holding company that builds banking and payment solutions to create value, retain and reward customers, and accelerate growth for businesses of all sizes. For more than two decades, Green Dot has delivered financial tools and services that address the most pressing financial needs of consumers and businesses, and that transform the way people and businesses manage and move money.
Green Dot delivers a broad spectrum of financial products to consumers and businesses through its portfolio of brands, including: GO2bank, a leading digital and mobile bank account offering simple, secure and useful banking for Americans living paycheck to paycheck; the Green Dot Network (“GDN”) of more than 90,000 retail distribution and cash access locations nationwide; Arc by Green Dot, the single-source embedded finance platform combining all of Green Dot’s secure banking and money processing capabilities to power businesses at all stages of growth; rapid! wage and disbursements solutions, providing pay card and earned wage access services to more than 6,000 businesses and their employees; and Santa Barbara Tax Products Group (“SBTPG”), the company’s tax division, which processes more than 14 million tax refunds annually.
Founded in 1999, Green Dot has managed more than 80 million accounts to date both directly and through its partners. Green Dot Bank is a subsidiary of Green Dot Corporation and member of the FDIC. For more information about Green Dot’s products and services, please visit www.greendot.com.
View source version on businesswire.com:
Media Contact:
Alison Lubert
alubert@greendotcorp.com
Source: Green Dot Corporation
FAQ
How many retail locations does Green Dot’s network cover in the GDOT-Marqeta partnership?
Green Dot’s network covers more than 95,000 retail locations nationwide, including Walmart, Walgreens, 7-Eleven, and CVS stores.
What percentage of US population lives within 3 miles of a Green Dot Network location for GDOT services?
96% of the U.S. population lives within three miles of a Green Dot Network location.
What specific services will the GDOT and Marqeta partnership provide to customers?
The partnership enables convenient and affordable cash deposit services into digital bank accounts, along with digital fund transfer capabilities between bank accounts.
Which consumer demographics are primarily targeted by the GDOT-Marqeta cash services partnership?
The partnership primarily targets low-to-moderate income (LMI) consumers and mature consumers (age 55-plus) who prefer cash transactions.
Apple finally brought back its entry-level phone, the iPhone 16e. The three-year gap from the previous model release gave Apple time to implement a big refresh, including the addition of Apple Intelligence, supported by the A18 chipset, an Apple modem, a larger battery capacity, more storage options, and Face ID, to name a few.
The best part — it is all packaged into a $599 price tag, hundreds of dollars cheaper than the base iPhone 16 model.
Also: Adobe Photoshop finally launches a mobile app – and it’s free
To find out how the iPhone 16e compares to the rest of the lineup, I switched out my iPhone 16 Pro, which I have been using every day since its release in September, to the iPhone 16e. My findings: I am equally as impressed as I am bewildered. I will go in-depth below.
1. The software ft. Apple Intelligence
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
From the software standpoint, the iPhone 16e delivers everything it promises. The transition from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone 16e was absolutely seamless because both have the same silicon, which allows them to run the latest iOS to its full capacity, including all of the Apple Intelligence features.
This means that despite the lower price tag and not having as many GPU cores as other A18 variants in the iPhone 16 lineup, the iPhone 16e still enabled me to access all of the same Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools, Notification Summaries, Image Playground, Clean Up, and my favorite, Genmoji.
Also: 3 ways Amazon just leapfrogged Apple, Google, and ChatGPT in the AI race
Most importantly, when the full suite of Apple Intelligence features rolls out, iPhone 16e users will have access to it in its entirety. Users with an iPhone 15 model or lower cannot access it.
Apple Intelligence is meant to be a “personal intelligence” system grounded in your personal information and context. It can retrieve data from across your apps and reference the content on your screen. iPhone 16e users will have access to this advanced assistance while still saving a couple of hundred dollars on the initial device.
2. Cameras (or lack of)
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The front camera of the iPhone 16e is the same as the other iPhone 16 lineup: a 12MP front-facing camera, meaning that your selfies will be exactly the same. However, a quick glance at the back of the iPhone 16e reveals that the camera system is significantly more primitive than that of the iPhone 16 Pro.
Also: Visible will give you the new iPhone 16e for free. Here’s how.
The iPhone 16e features a 48MP wide camera on the back with an integrated 2x Telephoto, which, although an upgrade from the previous model, might be a deal-breaker for photo enthusiasts. As expected, I found that the iPhone 16 Pro’s dual‑camera system produces more polished photos than the 16e’s dual-functioning camera. My biggest struggle has been not having the 12MP Ultra Wide camera, which I constantly use on the iPhone 16 Pro to take .5x photos.
Because of the lower-grade camera, some of the more advanced features found on iPhone 16 Pro, such as shooting ProRaw or cinematic video, are unavailable. However, the smartphone can still take beautiful photos, so if you are not looking to take the highest-quality photos and just want to capture memories, this is still a solid option.
3. Missing Dynamic Island/Camera Control
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The biggest difference in the form factor of the iPhone 16e, other than the slightly smaller 6.1-inch size, is the lack of a Dynamic Island and Camera Control button. Even though the lack of these two elements makes it look more like the iPhone 14 and, therefore, a bit dated, their absence didn’t impact my day. In fact, it made me think about when I use either of the features, and the answer is rarely.
Also: Missing MagSafe on your iPhone 16e? Here’s how to easily add it: 2 ways
On the iPhone 16 Pro, I do enjoy using the Camera Control button to open the camera and snap photos more conveniently without having to click the shutter button in the middle of the screen. However, because the iPhone 16e includes a Control Button, all I did was map the camera to it and was able to use it the same way I rely on Camera Control.
Honorable Mentions
The iPhone 16e has some other compelling features not mentioned above, including:
Its lightweight: Having a phone in my back pocket as light as the iPhone 16e is so refreshing after carrying around much heavier models for years. The iPhone 16e weighs 5.88 ounces (167 grams), and the iPhone 16 Pro Max weighs 7.03 ounces (199 grams).
Apple C1 Modum: The iPhone 16e also features Apple’s first in-house 5G modem, the Apple C1. This modem is a step away from the traditional Qualcomm processor and is meant to grant users a fast and reliable 5G connection. In the long run, it should optimize battery life. In my experience, my service has been exactly the same, which is the intended goal.
Battery Life: The iPhone 16e offers up to 26 hours of video playback, which is the metric Apple uses to measure battery life. This means that older model users will see a massive improvement. For example, iPhone 11 users will get six more hours of battery life with the upgrade. The iPhone 16 offers up to 26 hours of video playback, only a bit more.
Overall, it is a solid phone for people willing to forgo some of the bells and whistles of the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup. From my testing, the biggest sacrifice will be the ultra-wide lens and advanced photography and videography features, but if you are not interested in photography, this may not be an issue for everyday shots.
Wi-Fi for $35 on a cross-country flight? That’s currently the going rate on American Airlines.
However, changes might be on the way. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline is officially trialing free Wi-Fi beginning next week, the airline announced internally on Friday and also confirmed with TPG.
The test will cover just three routes (in both directions): Charlotte to Raleigh, North Carolina; Miami to Chicago; and Charlotte to Jacksonville, Florida.
It wasn’t immediately clear why these routes were chosen, and American also didn’t say how long the test would last. The internal memo says that “through this test, we’ll be assessing customer take rates for inflight Wi-Fi, evaluating our provider and aircraft capacity, and – perhaps most important – measuring the impact to customer satisfaction via NPS scores.”
American says that this test will be used to determine how much bandwidth is consumed and whether it has the technical capability to roll out free Wi-Fi more broadly. It also says that it is responding to competitor pressure with this move.
“With the creation of our new Customer Experience organization led by Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden, American Airlines is more committed than ever to enhancing every aspect of our customers’ travel journey,” a statement from American shared with TPG reads. “Staying connected in the skies is critical to today’s passengers and through this limited-time complimentary Wi-Fi test, we are exploring opportunities to build upon our high-speed Wi-Fi offerings to stay competitive in the industry and give our customers what we know they want.”
American has long been a major holdout on the free (or discounted) Wi-Fi bandwagon. Despite having most of its fleet outfitted with streaming-capable Wi-Fi, the carrier has been the stingiest when it comes to connectivity.
Flight passes routinely go for upward of $20, and the airline’s new pricing scheme that allows you to redeem miles for a pass is rarely a good deal. (As always, you’ll want to compare the redemption rate against TPG’s valuation of 1.65 cents per AAdvantage mile.)
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In fairness, American has trialed and then introduced time-limited, ad-sponsored Wi-Fi passes, though that connectivity is usually limited to 15 or 20 minutes of browsing.
In fact, back in 2017, American promised free messaging would be coming “soon” — but that day has yet to materialize.
At the time, Delta Air Lines became the first of the “Big Three” U.S. airlines — American, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines — to offer free messaging to all travelers. This allowed flyers to connect to the internet to use apps such as iMessage and WhatsApp without paying for a full Wi-Fi pass.
American announced the next day that it would match Delta’s move “soon” without providing a concrete timeline.
Even Southwest Airlines and United, which have much of their fleets outfitted with slower and less reliable Wi-Fi than American’s fleet, now offer free messaging.
While American may finally be gearing up to make Wi-Fi free, it’s playing a game of catch-up. JetBlue has long offered free internet access on board, and Delta is now doing it, too.
Alaska Airlines, Southwest and United all currently offer $8 Wi-Fi passes on many flights, and United will soon even make its connectivity free once it rolls out Starlink Wi-Fi.
American’s Wi-Fi infrastructure could theoretically support free Wi-Fi. Most of the airline’s mainline jets are connected to Viasat satellites, the same provider that Delta uses to enable free Wi-Fi.
Of course, Viasat will need to have enough bandwidth to support many more users, but the provider’s third-generation satellite constellation should be able to do it.
Even if American decides to flip the switch on free Wi-Fi, it still won’t offer seatback screens across its domestic fleet for using it. So, no matter what happens, make sure to bring your own entertainment device when flying with American.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should apologize after his meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office devolved into what Rubio described as a “fiasco,” while questioning whether the Ukrainian leader really wants peace in the country’s war with Russia.
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Rubio called on Zelensky to “apologize for turning this thing into the fiasco for him that it became,” after his White House meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance turned into a shouting match. “There was no need for him to go in there and become antagonistic,” he said Friday on “The Source.”
“When you start talking about that aggressively – and the president is a deal maker, he made deals his entire life – you’re not going to get people to the table,” Rubio said.
“And so you start to perceive that maybe Zelensky doesn’t want a peace deal. He says he does, but maybe he doesn’t,” Rubio added.
Rubio’s remarks underlined the serious damage that has been done to the US-Ukrainian relationship at the end of a week that also saw the leaders of the UK and France visit Washington to make the case to Trump that the US needs to mediate an end to the war that doesn’t prioritize Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interests over Zelensky’s.
America’s top diplomat spoke to CNN hours after attending the meeting, which ultimately ended absent a deal that would leverage Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals or bring Russia’s three-year war any closer to an end.
It instead saw Trump and Vance castigating the Ukrainian leader for what they saw as insufficient gratitude for the support the US has already provided for Ukraine and accusing him of over-playing his ability to negotiate.
Following the meeting, Trump ordered Zelensky to leave the White House despite a desire from Ukraine to continue the talks, scrapped a scheduled joint press conference and plunged the future of US assistance to the Ukraine war effort, along with Zelensky’s own future as a leader, into serious doubt.
Asked about comments by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham – typically a strong supporter of Ukraine – after the meeting that Zelensky should consider resigning, Rubio responded that Trump has “taken no position on that.”
“What he said today is, ‘Let him come back when he ready to do peace.’ That’s what he said,” Rubio said. The secretary added that Trump’s position on Putin remains to “trust, but verify.”
On Friday evening, Trump said he wants “anybody that’s going to make peace” to lead Ukraine, and added that Zelensky “may or may not be” capable of achieving it.
Rubio also took issue with Zelensky’s tone toward Vance during the meeting.
After the vice president said the path toward peace and prosperity “is, maybe, engaging in diplomacy,” Zelensky responded by rattling off a series of diplomatic engagements Putin participated in before his 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?” Zelensky asked. Vance in turn called Ukraine’s leader “disrespectful” for trying “to litigate this in front of the American media.”
Rubio said the meeting went “off the rails” after that interaction.
“That active, open undermining of efforts to bring about peace is deeply frustrating for everyone who’s been involved in communications with them leading up to today, and I think he should apologize for wasting our time for a meeting that was going to end the way it did,” the secretary said.
Rubio said Zelensky is welcome back to the White House when he is “ready to make peace and he’s serious about peace.”
“How are you going to get Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation to a table to discuss even the opportunity, whether even to explore whether there’s an opportunity for peace?” Rubio said. “You’re not going to do it by calling them names.”
Rubio said it was premature to think about whether Trump, Putin and Zelensky would eventually all meet for peace talks: “There’s a lot of work to be done before we get to this point. This is a complex war that has causes behind it that go back a number of years, it is a lot to navigate. A lot has been invested on both sides.”
“Tonight, people will die in Ukraine,” Rubio said. “Tonight, people will die in this conflict. We’re trying to bring an end to this conflict, which is unsustainable. It’s an unsustainable, bloody war that has to come to an end. And right now, the only leader in the world that can even have a chance of bringing about an end to this is named President Donald Trump, and we need to give him the opportunity to try and do that.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
When we invest, we’re generally looking for stocks that outperform the market average. And the truth is, you can make significant gains if you buy good quality businesses at the right price. For example, long term Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad (KLSE:HLFG) shareholders have enjoyed a 16% share price rise over the last half decade, well in excess of the market return of around 11% (not including dividends). On the other hand, the more recent gains haven’t been so impressive, with shareholders gaining just 12%, including dividends.
So let’s assess the underlying fundamentals over the last 5 years and see if they’ve moved in lock-step with shareholder returns.
In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.
Over half a decade, Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad managed to grow its earnings per share at 12% a year. The EPS growth is more impressive than the yearly share price gain of 3% over the same period. Therefore, it seems the market has become relatively pessimistic about the company. This cautious sentiment is reflected in its (fairly low) P/E ratio of 6.28.
You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).
KLSE:HLFG Earnings Per Share Growth March 1st 2025
We know that Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? Check if analysts think Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad will grow revenue in the future.
When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad’s TSR for the last 5 years was 31%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. And there’s no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!
It’s good to see that Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 12% in the last twelve months. Of course, that includes the dividend. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 6%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. Before deciding if you like the current share price, check how Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad scores on these 3 valuation metrics.
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Malaysian exchanges.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content?Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
As I write this on Friday, more than 1.3 million people are actively playing Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam. So far only around 13,000—or 1%—have stopped playing long enough to review it, but those who have are largely frustrated. Steam reviews sit at a disappointed “mixed,” largely citing performance issues as the reason.
And I get it. Even though I’ve had a blast playing Monster Hunter Wilds for the last two weeks on a pre-launch build, I’ve had to look past some bizarrely low-res textures and frequent framerate dips to enjoy my hunting time.
After Capcom’s big talk about weather systems and a dynamic, changing world, I kept waiting for something in Wilds to truly wow me; for its ambitions to dramatically and meaningfully change the experience in some fundamental way. Because if Monster Hunter Wilds did manage that feat, I’d be willing to overlook the pop-in, the weird half-transparent vignetting on geometry, and the lackluster framerate even in fairly sparse environments. But that hasn’t happened. So as much fun as the hunting may be, I’m left wondering why this game runs so dang badly.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
In 2017, I played Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on a Wii U at a comically low 1152×648 resolution (on my 4K TV!) and it barely managed to run at 30 fps at the best of times. I didn’t care one bit. I was entranced. I played it for hours a day after work for a straight month. The world was packed with so much to discover and used physics and sound simulation and wind and weather in meaningful, open-ended ways that encouraged me to experiment and discover things for myself. Its ambitions far exceeded both my expectations and the reasonable limits of its hardware.
So, yeah, I was pretty psyched when I could play an emulated version of Breath of the Wild at 4K, 60 fps on PC a year later, but nothing could’ve stopped me from loving that game even when it was being held together by the combined spit and chewing gum of 300 Nintendo developers doing something they’d never attempted before.
If Monster Hunter Wilds made the same sort of leap over anything Capcom had ever attempted before, I’d forgive it practically anything—even its graphics permanently looking like those glitched beta abominations. But Wilds isn’t making that kind of moonshot, and without it I’m left with the frustrating sense that we’ve been in this exact mess before.
Monster Hunter: World caught flak for issues with its PC version struggling to hit 60 fps even on top-end hardware, and it was released some six months after the console version. Capcom worked on patches for it for months until it was up to par. But in 2018 it at least looked closer to what you’d expect a big budget, demanding game to call for than Wilds does in 2025. Base appearances only matter for so much though, right? Breath of the Wild’s relatively simple graphics wouldn’t have justified it creaking along at 23 frames per second in the heat of the action, but everything going on under the hood did. If only Capcom had a really ambitious but poorly performing open world game to compare to…
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Oh, right: Dragon’s Dogma 2.
This time a year ago Capcom released Dragon’s Dogma 2, an open world RPG built on the same RE Engine powering Monster Hunter Wilds (or at least a version of it; beneath the name, I’m sure there are substantial differences between them). And what happened? When it reached 13,000 user reviews, the score was Mostly Negative. That time the top complaint was microtransactions (something that comes up in Wilds reviews, too), but performance was right up there.
(Image credit: Capcom)
Capcom had an explanation: “A large amount of CPU usage is allocated to each character and dynamically calculates the impact of their physical presence in various environments. In certain situations where numerous characters appear simultaneously, the CPU usage can be very high and may affect the frame rate,” the developer said at the time. It took a patch in June, and then another in September, for the CPU load to be meaningfully reduced.
Players were right to criticize Dragon’s Dogma 2’s performance when there was clearly optimization work to be done. But as PC Gamer’s Fraser Brown wrote at the time, it was a shame to see its launch colored by those issues, because both “Dragon’s Dogma 2 and its players deserve better.”
“I confess I don’t get too bent out of shape about frame rate dips, or even the odd stutter, if the rest of the game is good enough,” Fraser wrote last March. “One of my all-time faves, Dishonored 2, had a host of performance issues at launch, and it didn’t stop me from becoming absolutely besotted with it. Games are more than their frame rates. But it’s perfectly reasonable to expect a £50 game from a major studio to run smoothly on modern hardware. These issues did not suddenly crop up on launch day, or when review code went out. Capcom knew what state the game was in.
“The whole situation kinda sucks, because few of the criticisms are actually about the game itself. The conversation surrounding it should be focused on tossing goblins, climbing on dragons and the absurdly good combat. But that’s all been entirely overshadowed by optional purchases and frame rates. And that’s all on Capcom.”
Here we are again a year later with the exact same complaints, about a game that actually seems less ambitious. Monster Hunter Wilds is doing a lot of things the series hasn’t done before: Simulating night and day, making its big environments seamlessly roamable without frequent loading screens, completely remaking the surroundings when the season shifts from fallow to plentiful. But from what I’ve played, those things aren’t fundamentally changing what we spend most of our time doing, which is hitting big monsters with big weapons. That part of the game is great, maybe the best it’s ever been.
Yet Wilds undercuts its new environments by giving you a mount that just autopilots you from one place to another. And its ecosystem is little more than window dressing: we’re not suddenly seeing shocking emergent behavior from monsters or having to interact with nature in new ways to hunt them down.
Monster Hunter Wilds PC – Profound Perf Problems Must Be Addressed – YouTube
I expect to keep finding little ways Monster Hunter Wilds is impressive as I play more, and there are moments where it’s genuinely a beautiful game—I love how lush its environments can be in the season of plenty, and some of its cutscenes that play with lighting are genuine jaw-droppers. I love the art style in general when it’s not hampered by textures dropping to 2007 resolutions a few feet away from the camera.
But I don’t see it replicating the way Dragon’s Dogma 2 had ideas and ambitions that made the performance issues more forgivable. As PC Gamer’s Lincoln Carpenter wrote about it in our Game of the Year awards, it’s “dense with charming design idiosyncrasies” that gave its open world (and those CPU-draining NPCs!) a flavor unlike other RPGs. It came closer to that Breath of the Wild threshold where ambition outweighs practical quibbles.
And that was the long-gestating sequel to a cult game that famously didn’t sell that well more than a decade ago. Wilds is the sequel to Capcom’s bestselling game of all time.
Monster hunters are used to fighting increasingly challenging versions of the same monsters in these games over and over again, but the expectation is that remembering their tells and dodging their attacks will become second nature as we learn from our mistakes. Developing games is certainly a hell of a lot harder than playing them, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating to watch another Capcom launch walk right into the exact same haymaker.
It’s becoming an annual tradition. Each February or March, World of Hyatt announces its annual category changes about a month before implementing them. As soon as Hyatt releases the list of category changes, loyalists — myself included — carefully examine the list to see if properties we love or hope to eventually visit will soon require more or fewer points for a stay.
Each year, some travelers bemoan the decline of the World of Hyatt program after the category change announcement. But, as TPG director Carly Helfand said while discussing this year’s changes, “Every year I notice at least one that I’ve enjoyed staying at that’s getting cheaper, which also makes it a little more bearable. This time it’s the Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa — it’s a really good option in wine country.”
Like Carly, I also look through the list to find appealing properties that will drop a category. Plus, although points costs have increased significantly over the years for some properties, I believe there’s still plenty of value in redeeming Hyatt points. Here’s why.
Hyatt still has an award chart
Over the years, many loyalty programs have moved to dynamic award pricing. Dynamic award pricing isn’t inherently bad, but it usually leads to the program’s points or miles eventually decreasing in value. And it almost always makes getting outsize value from your rewards more difficult.
The excellent news is that Hyatt didn’t decide to remove or change its award chart this year. World of Hyatt knows its award chart is a differentiator, especially when competing against programs with larger footprints.
Since World of Hyatt uses an award chart, you can predict how much you’ll need to redeem for upcoming stays. Plus, having an award chart means you can often escape peak pricing during events or high season.
Hyatt Place Melbourne / Palm Bay in Florida. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
World of Hyatt uses peak, standard and off-peak pricing for each category, but I’ve booked far more off-peak award nights than peak award nights. The difference between off-peak and peak award rates is also minimal: just 3,000 points for Hyatt Category 1 properties, 6,000 points for Hyatt Category 4 properties and 10,000 points for Hyatt Category 7 properties. Even once you consider that Hyatt points are worth much more than most other hotel points, this is a less significant difference than you’ll find in most other hotel loyalty programs.
However, I expect we’ll continue to see Hyatt bring select brands and properties in at dynamic award rates, as we saw with Mr & Mrs Smith and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. If this is what Hyatt needs to do to maintain an award chart for most of its properties, I won’t fret over it. If I choose to stay at these properties, I’ll opt to earn Hyatt points instead of redeeming them.
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Alila Kothaifaru Maldives. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Hyatt’s annual award category update is reasonable
Let’s be honest: It’s reasonable for World of Hyatt to update the award category for some of its properties once a year.
Sure, it’s been sad to see some properties slowly climb in category each year. And I’m personally bummed to see that the only Category 1 Park Hyatt — the Park Hyatt Chennai — will finally move up to Category 2. But as occupancy, average daily rates and other factors shift for a property, it’s only reasonable for its category to shift.
Park Hyatt Chennai in India. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
I also appreciate how Hyatt handles its annual category changes, especially as many other loyalty programs make no-notice devaluations. Hyatt usually announces its planned category changes about a month before they go into effect, so members have ample time to accrue Hyatt points and book any final stays they want at the current award rates. Plus, Hyatt refunds points for any bookings that drop in award category between when you book and when you stay.
In short, if we want the World of Hyatt program to maintain its award charts, we must accept that properties will sometimes change categories. Hyatt announces and handles these category changes in the best possible way, which I appreciate.
TPG’s February 2025 valuations peg the value of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each. However, I personally think this valuation is incredibly conservative, as I’ve gotten an average of 3.91 cents per point when redeeming Hyatt points for stays within the last year.
Alila Fort Bishangarh in India. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Three properties I’ve redeemed Hyatt points at within the last year will increase in category on March 25: Lindner Hotel Prague Castle, Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin and Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport. Interestingly, none of these properties gave me an above-average redemption rate when I stayed.
For example, this February, I redeemed 40,000 points for an eight-night stay at Lindner Hotel Prague Castle that would have otherwise cost $1,124. This meant I got a modest redemption rate of 2.81 cents per point. However, once this property moves to Category 2, I would need to redeem 64,000 points for the same stay. This would drop my redemption rate to 1.75 cents per point, barely above TPG’s February 2025 valuation of Hyatt points.
The good news is that all of my highest redemption rates within the last year were at properties that aren’t changing in category on March 25, such as the Lindner Hotel Cologne Am Dom, Hyatt Place Austin Airport, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa and Hyatt Place Dallas / Las Colinas. And I’ve booked some excellent redemptions for later this year in South Africa and Sweden that will give me more than five cents per Hyatt point.
Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
So, although you may find these category changes decrease your redemption rate at some properties, I suspect you’ll still get good redemption rates overall. This is particularly true if you’re willing to occasionally book paid rates at World of Hyatt properties or use another program for some stays. I still see World of Hyatt as one of the best Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners. And I suspect I’ll eventually transfer my Bilt Rewards Points to World of Hyatt — especially if we ever see a Hyatt transfer bonus on a Bilt Rent Day.
One year, a TPG staffer proclaimed that his Hyatt free-night certificates felt nearly worthless after the annual category change announcement. He’s certainly allowed to feel this way, but I didn’t agree at the time and don’t agree now. I still get ample value when redeeming World of Hyatt points and free night certificates.
Get your award bookings in by March 25 at the current rates for any properties that are jumping a category. But also take some time to consider what properties you want to redeem Hyatt points at this year. For example, I’m considering all the properties I fear might increase in category. This year seems like a great time to visit, as they could go up in category next year.
