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Through the end of the year, American Airlines is offering up to 50,000 bonus AAdvantage miles for completing qualifying partner activities as part of its “Be a Holiday Hero” promotion. You must register at this link to earn the bonus miles, and while AA claims that “Earning is as easy as 1-2-3,” there are a few more steps.There are four tiers in this promotion:Multi-tasker: Earn 2,000 bonus miles when you download the AA mobile app and earn 10,000 miles with participating partner activity....

British low-cost carrier EasyJet is the latest airline to recommend its crews ditch the phrase “ladies and gentlemen” when addressing passengers.This summer, one traveler wrote to the airline on Twitter, suggesting that EasyJet “do better” in making in-flight announcements more gender-inclusive. The airline seemed to take the comments to heart, saying after some back-and-forth that it would pass the feedback along.Now, EasyJet has told CNN Travel that it intends to act on that promise....

Emirates’ president Sir Tim Clark has shared in a podcast that its upcoming Boeing 777X aircraft will be fitted with basically the same business-class product that it features on its fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft.Business class on Emirates’ A380. Photo by Emily McNutt / The Points GuyThe hard product on the upcoming 777X will sport a 1-2-1 configuration, which means every passenger will have direct aisle access, and should feature signature Emirates touches like the at-seat minibar and expansive IFE system controlled by a large tablet at the seat....

Last year, the membership-based FoundersCard launched a new, exclusive way for cardholders to get status with American Airlines. And this year, cardholders are also eligible for a status challenge to the AAdvantage Platinum level. To complete the challenge, members will need to earn 12,500 elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) during a three-month trial period beginning in August. Those who meet the requirements will retain Platinum status through January 31, 2018.Here are the complete details:Enroll in the status challenge by 11:59pm CT (12:59am ET) on July 31, 2016You’ll get AAdvantage Platinum status from August 22-November 22, 2016To keep the Platinum status through January 31, 2018, you must be enrolled in American’s Business Extra Program and earn 12,500 EQMs during the three-month challenge period....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.One of the foundational elements of the points and miles hobby is that you should maximize every online purchases by going through a shopping portal. This doesn’t just apply when buying stuff online; you also can score bonus points, miles or cash back on hotel reservations and flight purchases by using these shopping portals.A new offer popped up this weekend that makes it especially valuable to book through a portal....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.For my first trip to Hawaii, I knew I wanted to indulge in plenty of beach, golf and lava spotting, and while there were plenty of beautiful properties to choose from, the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island drew me in because of a recent renovation and a solid points rate through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Priority Pass is an independent lounge network that’s grown to include over 1,000 lounges in airports across the world, and even recently added a restaurant in London Gatwick (LGW) to its roster. The program normally costs between $99 and $399 to join, but a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership is offered as a benefit on a number of premium credit cards, such as the Platinum Card from American Express, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Citi Prestige, among others....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.This is the seventh installment of my series on maximizing British Airways miles. Since so many of you got in on the super-lucrative 100,000 mile BA Visa sign-up bonus (see details of the current 100K offer), it would be beneficial to check out: General tips, Post 1 – Booking BA Awards, Post 2 – Booking Partner Awards, Post 3 – Oneworld Alliance, Post 4 – Taxes and Fees, Post 5 – Household Accounts, Post 6 – Companion Ticket, Post 7 – Using ExpertFlyer for Partner Award Availability, Post 8 - The Art of the Stopover, Post 9 - Leveraging Miles and Cash Redemptions, and Post 10 - Using Qantas....

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....

Con artists have been around since the beginning of time. But, while they used to swindle unsuspecting students or disoriented tourists, these scammers are now targeting a new community: Instagram influencers.Last week, reports emerged that someone posing as Wendi Deng Murdoch, the former wife of media magnate Rupert Murdoch, was duping popular social media figures into spending thousands of dollars while on “photography assignments” in Indonesia.Carley Rudd, a travel photographer with more than 60,000 followers on Instagram, was the first to bring to light the rampant scam after publishing a blog post about her experience....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.TPG reader Kyle tweeted me with this question:@thepointsguy– “Is it worth paying $499 to boost up to American Airlines Gold Status? I just received a targeted offer but I’m not sure if I should use it.“Elite status is getting pretty watered down these days, especially at the lower tiers. Instead of giving lower-tier elite members free upgrades and prime coach seats, airlines are taking those benefits away and selling them to whoever will pay for them....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Citi is a TPG advertising partnerYou have one week left to enter for a chance to win up to 1 million Citi points through Citi’s current sweepstakes. To enter, you simply need to complete the form here at thankyou.com/sweepstakes by August 31. You just need to have an active Citi ThankYou account to be eligible.As a reminder, there will be three tiers of prizes:Grand prize (1 winner): 1 million Citi ThankYou pointsSecond prize (3 winners): 500,000 Citi pointsThird prize (10 winners): 100,000 Citi pointsYou won’t be able to transfer any points you win through this sweepstakes to Citi’s airline partners, but you can book airfare, hotels, rental cars and more through the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal....

When the online brokerage firm Robinhood announced Thursday its plan to offer checking and savings accounts earning 3% interest and insurance up to $250,000 it got everyone’s attention. The financial sector was up in arms over the new offering, and for potential customers close scrutiny turned out to be a good thing in gaining transparency about the new product.Robinhood has since retracted the initial offering and says it is reviewing and rebranding the potential new product....

The aircraft wreckage of soccer star Emiliano Sala’s downed flight has been located, the scientist leading the search effort said Sunday, according to an AP report.Two weeks ago, the 28-year-old athlete was flying on a Piper PA-46 aircraft from Nantes, France, where he played for the city’s team. The light aircraft was only carrying Sala — who was on his way to join the Premier League Club Cardiff team — and the pilot, David Ibbotson, when it lost contact with radar and disappeared over the English Channel....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here.I get a ton of e-mail from readers asking for advice on how to maximize their points earning, whether it’s for personal use, business or both. This week, we’re featuring a new Points Intervention series where I help individuals and small-business owners get their awards earning on track.Intervention: Carissa Reiniger Episode 5This week I’m working with Carissa Reiniger, a small-business owner who hasn’t been using points and miles to her advantage....

As of March 31, Qatar now has its TPG Award-winning business class product on eight daily flights to seven US destinations: Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, New York JFK (x2) and Washington Dulles.That leaves just three US routes ( Atlanta, Miami and Philadelphia) that aren’t being served with the Qsuite product – one of which was supposed to get Qsuites on June 2. Unfortunately, recent Qatar tweaks to the US routes has delayed that launch....

For those who experience wanderlust through the quest to try new foods, the loss of intrepid traveler Anthony Bourdain was devastating — and not just for those who love to travel for food experiences, but the culinary world in general. And now, there’s a new way to relive the food adventures Bourdain inspired.Only weeks after Bourdain’s death, a bill was introduced in New Jersey to create an Anthony Bourdain Food Trail in the state....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Cold weather and the holiday season may seem far away, but if you’re planning to get away this winter, it’s better to book sooner than later. Luckily, there are plenty of great points properties to consider for travel in December — TPG Intern Michael Spelfogel takes a look at some of the most luxurious picks in the Starwood portfolio below....

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and for most of us that means hustle and bustle and ‘to do’ lists that never end.TPG fans and aviation aficionados of all kinds are sometimes hard to please when it comes to gifts (unless, of course, there’s extra points under the tree).Some of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten were vintage aviation objects. Among my treasures? Vintage AA lapel pins donated from a friend who works at American Airlines, and a vintage photograph of one of the first American Airlines freighter planes....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Spring is just around the corner — and with it, warmer weather. Until then, whether you love the cold or hate the cold, there’s no better time to get away. For cold climate dwellers, a vacation can help break up the interminable grayness, while for residents of warmer areas, like Hawaii, Miami or Los Angeles, it can provide an excuse to romp like a kid in the snow....