News You Can Use – New Uber Users Save $20, Earn $25 Best Western Gift Card, Book IHG Hotels Today, & More!

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1.   New Uber Users Can Get 1st Ride Free (Up to $20) and More!

Link:   Get a Free Uber Ride up to $20 (New Users Only)

American Airlines and Uber are now partners!  And they’re offering a free ride to new Uber users (up to $20) who sign-up using promotion code “RIDEAA“.

This is a better deal than Emily’s Uber referral link, which gets you up to $15 off your 1st ride.

If you’re a Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator cardholder (not available for new sign-ups), you’ll earn 2 bonus American Airlines miles per $1 you spend on Uber through July 31, 2016.

And folks with American Airlines Executive Platinum status will receive a promotion code in March 2016, worth up to $25 off an Uber ride.  Even if they’ve used Uber before!

2.   Earn a $25 Best Western Gift Card After You Stay Twice

Link:   Best Western Spring 2016 Promotion

If you like Best Western hotels, be sure to register for their spring promotion.  You’ll earn a $25 Best Western gift card for every 2 separate stays.

This is a nice bonus if you stay at Best Western hotels frequently.  There are some conditions:

• You must register for the promotion before your 1st eligible stay to receive the gift card(s) and check-in by May 8, 2016
• You can earn up to 5 Best Western gift cards (10 separate stays) with this promotion
• Gift cards will be delivered via email ~2 to 3 weeks after your 2nd completed stay and are valid for 120 days

Not all countries are participating.  Check the terms & conditions and FAQs for more details.

3.   Reminder – Last Day to Book IHG Hotels at Current Rates

I wrote IHG would be changing award prices at ~400 hotels effective tomorrow, February 17, 2016.

~200 hotels are increasing in price, including:

• Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan – increasing 5,000 points to 50,000 IHG points per night
• InterContinental Paris – Le Grand – increasing 10,000 points to 60,000 IHG points per night
• InterContinental London Park Lane – increasing 10,000 points to 60,000 IHG points per night
• InterContinental Hong Kong – increasing 10,000 points to 60,000 IHG points per night

So if you’re planning a stay at an IHG hotel that’s increasing in price, book today to lock-in the lower rate.

Even if your plans aren’t firm, you may be able to cancel and get your points back if you change your mind.  Check the hotel’s cancellation policy to be sure!

4.   Choice Hotels No Longer Allowing Scandinavian Award Nights

The Lazy Traveler’s Handbook reports Choice Hotels has stopped allowing award redemptions at its Nordic Choice hotels in Scandinavia.

Folks on FlyerTalk confirm these changes.  However, Ascend Collection hotels in Scandinavia appear to NOT be affected.

Using Choice Hotels points for otherwise expensive stays in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark was a terrific deal!  Some of these hotels only cost 10,000 Choice Hotels points per night.

I’m not sure if this is a temporary or permanent change.  Choice Hotels has NOT given members written notice of these changes, but I’ll update y’all if I hear more!