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United’s very first 777-300ER is almost here! This particular aircraft model isn’t terribly exciting on the surface — other airlines, including American, have been flying the -300ER (or “77W”) for years — but United’s latest plane is the first to offer the new Polaris business-class seat, which represents a huge step up from what you’ll currently have when flying United.The new aircraft will have a whopping 60 Polaris business seats (the most of any United plane) and 306 economy seats:The airline will be installing the new seat on many of its existing long-haul aircraft, including the 777-200s and 767s, but initially it’s only going to be available on the yet-to-be-delivered 777-300ER....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Earning airline miles via paid flights is just one way to boost your account balance. Fortunately, airlines make it relatively easy to accrue miles without flying, whether through top credit card offers or by utilizing shopping portals. You can also purchase miles directly from an airline.When you do buy miles, it’s always nice to get a good deal....

I recently returned from a trip around the world that centered around a cheap Swiss first-class ticket I found from Kiev, Ukraine, to Zurich, Switzerland, to Bangkok, Thailand. I booked a separate ticket that got me from New York to Zurich, spent the night in Zurich, and flew on yet another ticket from Zurich to Kiev to catch the first-class itinerary. I specifically chose this circuitous routing to experience a new plane (well, at least for me): the Bombardier CS300 Airbus A220-300....

We’re all used to a crowded boarding area before catching a flight. But how would you feel if you showed up to your gate and didn’t find a single other passenger waiting to board? Most of us might think we were late, the plane had already left, or our flight had been cancelled.From time to time, airlines operate commercial flights with as few as one single passenger. For most of us — used to oversold flights, the hunt for volunteers and masses of people in the boarding area — this seems impossible....

A few years ago, a mom of young twins had her stroller taken from her on an American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Dallas. This set off a chain reaction that resulted in a yelling flight attendant, a mom in tears, a viral video and lots of news stories. Some might say the mom should have known better than to bring a stroller on the plane in the first place, but that begs the question of how one parent could possibly manage to carry twin toddlers and all their stuff on the plane without some type of contraption or assistance....

After a nearly four week delay, Aer Lingus has taken delivery of the airline’s first Airbus A321LR. The A321LR is a variation of Airbus’ A321neo, the aircraft manufacturer’s latest generation A321. In North America, the A321LR will serve new and existing Aer Lingus destinations in the United States and Canada.The Airbus A321LR. (Image courtesy of Airbus)Aer Lingus will receive 7 of the narrow-body aircraft, with four A321LRs to be delivered before the end of the year....

The United States isn’t known for its strong consumer protections when it comes to air passenger rights, but it doesn’t mean that American carriers aren’t subject to other nations’ laws that protect flyers. Still, US carriers are not fully complying with European Union law on compensation for delays, says AirHelp, a company that assists travelers in recouping compensation from airlines.Airhelp has released a study claiming that US airlines wrongfully reject between 22% and 32% of passengers’ claims under the European Union’s EC 261 rule....

British Airways has officially taken delivery of the very first of 18 new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft on order. On Saturday, G-XWBA made its way from the Airbus plant in Toulouse, France, to its new home at London Heathrow — one day later than originally planned, following a weather delay.Until now, the only glimpse we’ve had inside the A350 was through virtual reality, but now we’ve been on the aircraft, sat in the Club Suite and smelled that new-plane smell....

Update 2/17/2019: British Airways extended its schedule for the BOAC retrojet, including additional flights to the US. Here’s the full schedule that’s been released so far:Feb. 18 2019: BA 100 — Dublin (DUB) 8:30am Departure ⇒ London Heathrow (LHR) 9:55am ArrivalFeb. 19 2019: BA 117 — London Heathrow (LHR) 8:35am Departure ⇒ New York Kennedy (JFK) 11:30am ArrivalFeb. 19 2019: BA 172 — New York Kennedy (JFK) 8:55pm Departure ⇒ London Heathrow (LHR) 8:45am Arrival +1 dayFeb....

Capital One, one of the largest banking corporations in the US, revealed Monday that it is the latest company involved in a security breach affecting consumers. This time, over 100 million individuals in the United States and six million in Canada have been affected.The breach was, according to federal prosecutors cited by several media sources, the work of a single hacker, a Seattle-based woman currently in custody of the FBI.Capital One said “no credit card account numbers or log-in credentials were compromised....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend that you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency, such as Orbitz, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to travel....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend that you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency, such as Orbitz, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to travel....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Signs of fall and winter are slowly starting to show around the US, but not in Tucson! For today’s Destination of the Week, University of Arizona alum and TPG contributor Lori Zaino takes us almost south of the border to a city that boasts around 300 days of sunshine a year. Well known as a retirement community and a university town, our destination has so much more to offer than just that....

Airline schedules and travel plans aren’t set in stone, and any tool that gives you flexibility on the go can be a huge help. And one of the most convenient tools available is a user-friendly, comprehensive airline app. I’ve often found myself in situations that require me to look quickly for revenue or award flights, find rerouting possibilities due to bad weather or mechanical delays, or complete a simple task like reassign myself to a better seat — situations where a user-friendly app can be your best friend....

With the plan to return the Boeing 737 MAX to global service on an uncertain timeline, U.S. operators (American, Southwest and United) have extended the plane’s absence from their schedules into January.That means that the airplane will functionally be grounded on U.S. domestic flights through the busy holiday travel season. All three airlines have said that they expect disruptions to their schedules to be minimal — announcing the cancellation months in advance as they have, means that they should be able to reaccommodate most travelers whose flights will be affected....

New York’s Kennedy airport is one the of the nation’s busiest airports. With service to hundreds of destinations, there’s a high chance you can find a nonstop flight to wherever you’re going. And as the largest terminal in the airport, odds are that you’re flying from Terminal 4.Home to 33 airlines, this terminal is busy around the clock. Fortunately, there are numerous lounge options available for passengers to relax in before their flights....

Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Pradyot, who bought airline miles without considering all the angles:A friend and I wanted to travel for Thanksgiving from Atlanta to New York, and revenue fares were comparatively high for a college student’s budget. Upon realizing that I was 5,000 AAdvantage miles short of being able to get us both award tickets, I jumped on the opportunity to purchase those miles for $193 (with taxes) from American Airlines....

The CEO of the largest global airline alliance joins Talking Points this week. Jeffrey Goh has been at the helm of Star Alliance, which includes United Airlines, since 2017. He explains how one of his main goals is providing passengers with a more seamless end-to-end journey, through app advancements and offering additional benefits to its top-tier members.On this episode, tune in to learn how the alliance of two dozen airlines operates....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – The Hyatt Credit CardLast week, Hyatt Gold Passport debuted its new website, making the interface and experience of using the site more user-friendly for travelers. And now, like many of the major hotel chains, including IHG, Hilton and Marriott earlier this year, Hyatt has announced that it’s adjusting the award categories for many hotels within its portfolio....

Earlier this week, we saw American Airlines give out some disappointing holiday gifts to all of its members. Now, it’s Marriott’s turn to play Santa.On Friday morning, Dec. 4, many Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite members — travelers who stay 100 nights a year and spend $20,000 with the brand — received $100 to be used at the Bonvoy Boutiques.The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly was among those who found this voucher in his digital stocking this morning....