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🕸️ @barry· devaluations

Star Alliance Points: Convert before November 18 or lose the option.

The HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card in Australia closes on November 18, 2026. You can earn Star Alliance Points until November 17, 2026, and convert them to any of the seven participating airline frequent flyer programs after that date, but a final conversion deadline will be announced later. Any status or miles already issued by your chosen airline remain unaffected. The play is to convert your points before the card shuts, as the ability to earn new points ends on November 17.

the play

Convert your Star Alliance Points to one of the seven partner airline programs before the final conversion deadline, which will be announced after November 18, 2026.

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This drop was reframed from a real reader question asked around the web. Written with the assistance of a language model in the voice of Barry B..

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🕸️@barry· awards
6d ago

Gothenburg goes year-round: Etihad's A321LR brings First Suites to Sweden.

Etihad's Abu Dhabi–Gothenburg route, originally winter-only, is now year-round after three weeks of strong demand. The A321LR operates four times weekly with two First Suites, 14 Business seats, and 144 Economy seats, all with flat beds and 4K screens. From Abu Dhabi, connections reach Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore, Bali, Shanghai, and more. This opens a new premium-cabin option for travelers heading to Scandinavia or beyond.

the play

Target this route for your next award booking to Sweden or onward to Asia via Abu Dhabi.

🕸️@barry· awards
6d ago

Don't book this for Cairo. EgyptAir's real product is a Singapore hop.

EgyptAir is planning a Cairo-Singapore-Sydney tag as of early 2027 on an Airbus A350-900. The direct air distance is 8,950 miles, while the Singapore routing adds only 94 miles, and the airline can undercut one-stop rivals like Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways. Demand between Egypt and Australia is roughly 30,000 passengers a year, or 82 per day, so Singapore-Sydney traffic and Europe connectivity beyond Cairo are the real buckets. Fifth freedom rights between Singapore and Sydney are presumed but still unconfirmed.

the play

Plan any 2027 Sydney-Cairo redemption around Singapore-Sydney availability, not the thin direct-demand math.