This season coincides with holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. At TPG, that means we make a list of the top places to visit and check them twice.
We also reflected on how our credit card strategy served us over the past year and what changes we will make in 2026. This includes what benefits and bill points we missed and how we plan to use them in the future.
While taking stock of our credit card-specific benefits, some TPG employees started thinking about the broader loyalty program landscape, and what we love about — and wish we could tweak — our favorite credit cards and airline and hotel programs.
Here’s a look at our staff’s wish list this holiday season.
Related: Why the holidays are the perfect time to start earning points and miles
Credit Card Wish List for 2026
More points for groceries and travel
For most of us, groceries are an unavoidable recurring expense.
That’s the case for TPG credit card writer Augusta Stone, who “definitely wants to see Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See Rates & Fees) Add in-person groceries to the 3 points per dollar spent category (not just online). ” She’s willing to pay an annual fee of $150 (up from the current $95).
Likewise, TPG travel writer Rachel Craft would like to see more cards offer above-standard earn rates on general travel purchases like vacation rentals and parking. She noted that earning more than 2 points per $1 spent on these purchases is increasingly important, and she also welcomes Chase Sapphire Reserve® (See Rates and Fees) Rate of 3 points per $1 spent before regular travel resumes.
More lounges—and more flexible lounge access
When it comes to lounge access, Augusta would like Capital One to expand to the South or Southeast — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) or Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) would be her top choices.
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In the meantime, I would personally like to receive lounge passes, e.g. Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card All at once (instead of receiving two each quarter).
Augustana also called for clearer welcome offers. She finds targeted “check your offer” tools more frustrating than helpful, and would rather issuers provide a simple upfront offer rather than a series of offers that applicants may or may not qualify for.
Premium Hyatt Card and broader rewards categories
A continuation of last year’s wish list: I’d still like to see the premium World of Hyatt card come to market. With Hyatt publicly stating plans to expand its co-branded card portfolio next year, that desire feels more realistic than ever.
At the same time, I also welcome a richer welcome offer on top of the existing ones World of Hyatt Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) – Similar to a flat 75,000 point bonus instead of the current “up to” 60,000 point structure (30,000 points after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening; plus you typically earn 2 points per $1 spent within the first six months of account opening, with a maximum of 1 point earned and a maximum of 30,000 points spent within the first six months of $15,000).
TPG Chief Writer Katie Genter, one of our most seasoned travelers, would also like to see issuers loosen restrictions on foreign shopping reward categories. She specifically wants American Express to expand its U.S.-only bonus categories globally.
Related: Best Credit Card Welcome Bonuses
Loyalty Program and Points and Miles Wish List 2026
Hotel loyalty increases
Katie would like to see hospitality projects provide more consistency across their portfolio.
For example, even if a Courtyard by Marriott in the U.S. offers breakfast, elite members still can’t select it as a welcome amenity. Instead, Platinum Elite members and above either receive modest food and beverage points or a small point bonus — a discrepancy she’d like to see addressed so that benefits are consistent across brands.
Katie also wants the hotel group to standardize points earning and elite stay points for its low-cost brands. She often sees similarly priced hotels, such as Four Points Flex and Moxy, offering vastly different revenue rates, which can make it harder for travelers to predict their rewards and status progression.
Elite status challenges and promotions
Katie completed the ambitious Turkish Airlines Million Mile Challenge this year and would like to see more airlines introduce creative status challenges and promotional earning opportunities for passengers.
Related: SAS EuroBonus Challenge — How I traveled around the world in 3 weeks to earn 1 million points
Key transfer partners we hope to retain
On the point transfer front, TPG senior writer Ben Smithson hopes Citi Appreciation Rewards will continue to have American Airlines AAdvantage as a transfer partner in 2026, as this is a valuable relationship for many travelers.
Take a look back at our 2025 wish list
Many of our employees’ wishes continue from last year, including the launch of the premium World of Hyatt Card.
Having said that, some of our wishes have already come true (or will launch in early 2026).
The main transfer partner we wanted – and got
One of the biggest wins came on July 27, when Citi announced that some cards now allow transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage at a ratio of up to 1:1. This is an important milestone for travelers who rely on AAdvantage miles.
We requested and received a hotel loyalty upgrade
On the hotel front, Hilton has made significant upgrades to its elite structure. Starting January 1, 2026, Hilton Honors members will be eligible for a new premium tier: Diamond Reserve. One of its key perks is a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, a perk many TPG employees requested last year.
A more robust rewards ecosystem for homeowners – coming soon
Finally, some employees want to launch a premium version of the Bilt card that offers better benefits and a higher earning rate (even if that means paying an annual fee for said product).
This sparked discussion among TPG team members that homeowners who wanted to earn points on their mortgages were missing a card, and Birt and/or Santa once again delivered on that promise. In early February 2026, Bilt will launch Bilt Card 2.0, a set of three new cards that will replace the current Bilt Mastercard®.
TPG founder Brian Kelly is an advisor and investor in Bilt. Bilt Mastercard information is collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Bilt Cash to replace milestone rewards in 2026
bottom line
Whether it’s more generous hotel deals, more transfer options or a more robust premium card product, many of the improvements we hoped for last year are starting to take shape. If recent developments are any indication, we’re optimistic that more of our 2026 aspirations will be realized in the year ahead.
Related: Why flexibility and maximizing travel tools are key to a successful incentive travel strategy in 2026
