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Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.Air Astana Flight KC1388 landed safely at Portugal’s Beja Airport Sunday afternoon after declaring a “general emergency” and experiencing “uncontrollable” aircraft issues in-flight, according to the International Flight Network. The aircraft began squawking the code 7700 shortly after takeoff indicating an emergency....

This winter, I spent the night at the Icehotel in northern Sweden, though I probably only slept for an hour during my stay at the world’s first permanent ice hotel.But that doesn’t mean I had a lousy time. The opposite is true, actually.There are a handful of ice hotels around the world, from traditional igloo designs to structures that are frankly more art gallery than hotel. During the winter, for example, you can spend a night inside Quebec City’s Hôtel de Glace, among one-of-a-kind ice sculptures....

There’s no better feeling on Amtrak than not having to battle it out for overhead storage space or a seat with a table. Assigned seating is major benefit of booking a first-class Acela Express ticket, which is specific to the route that runs between Washington and Boston.Now, if you’re traveling in business class on the popular Northeast Regional route, you will soon have assigned seating. Beginning January 11, 2020, business class passengers will have the ability to select their preferred seat, which will allow families, friends and colleagues to sit together....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.The world’s longest flight will return to Newark Airport (EWR) on October 11, covering a distance of roughly 9,500 miles with just under 19 hours of flying time. Singapore Airlines will operate the flight to Changi Airport (SIN) with its two-cabin Airbus A350-900ULRs, with just 161 seats in total — 67 in business class and 94 in premium economy....

Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.An Airbus A330 operated by Brussels Airlines suffered one of the rarest of occurrences for twin-engined aircraft today: a failure of both engines in flight. The aircraft landed safely after one engine failed and was restarted, and then the other failed as well....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking....

One of the biggest frustrations when it comes to flying is the dreaded flight delay or straight up cancellation — especially when it’s unexpected.Delta and JetBlue are being proactive and issuing weather waivers to passengers ahead of expected bad weather on the east coast on Tuesday, August 13. The decision came after the National Weather Service issued a “Hazardous Weather Outlook” alert, which states that there’s potential for severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and torrential downpour… All things we’d much rather deal with at home, on the ground....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.While many travel rewards cards offer barely distinguishable benefits, some stand out for offering unique perks. TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Richard Kerr takes a look at one such benefit: cell phone protection through select Wells Fargo cards.Lately, Wells Fargo has been making a bit of noise in the rewards-earning space with new card offerings and a valuable Go Far Rewards Program....

With a new Air Force One coming soon to take the place of the current 30-year old jets, there’s a dispute brewing between Congress and the White House on what the new planes should look like. President Donald Trump wants to change the current blue-and-white livery to something bolder in red, white and blue. But Congress isn’t going with that plan.Trade publication Defense One reported that the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee has drafted legislation requiring the new plane’s livery to “comply with the criteria set forth in a report of the Boeing Company titled ‘‘Phase II Aircraft Livery and Paint Study Final Report’....

As TPG’s travel reviews editor, it’s my job to, well, travel.Predictably, I rack up a lot of miles in the air – I’m on pace to reach at least 160,000 miles for the year. And I’m accustomed to routings that would make any sane person quiver. Seriously, though, you should see the looks on people’s faces when I tell them that I flew from New York to Sydney by way of Toronto, Atlanta, Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei....

When the British travel company Thomas Cook and its airline collapsed last week, the British government was faced with a huge problem: tens of thousands of its citizens stranded overseas, who had to be brought back. Traveling on tickets issued by an airline that no longer existed, some of them got passage from other carriers that decided to honor Thomas Cook tickets. But that left thousands waiting for a lift back to Britain....

Low-cost carrier Norwegian Air doesn’t expect to resume long-haul international flights until summer 2021. While 95% of the airline’s aircraft are currently grounded, the carrier is pleading with investors for a lifeline before it runs out of cash in mid-May.In a presentation to bondholders released on Monday, Norwegian indicated that it plans to ramp up its operations in phases in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis. Most notably, the airline doesn’t expect to resume its European short-haul and long-haul operations until April 2021 at the earliest....

On a typical week, Argentinian soccer player Lionel Messi makes $630,000, so it’s not so surprising that he’s been renting a $15 million decked-out Gulfstream V jet. Talk about #goals.The jet reportedly has two bathrooms and 16 seats that can be folded down to make eight beds. The interior is simple yet completely luxe. Neutral tones, medium glossy wood, gold accents and large round windows make for a timeless design.Image from Goal....

The third-longest runway at New York’s JFK airport will reopen this weekend after seven months of reconstruction costing $355 million. The runway handles roughly one-third of all arrivals into JFK, so this means a major easing of air-traffic congestion at the busiest airport in the U.S. by international traffic.What’s more, runway 13L/31R will reopen right on schedule on Saturday, according to an email from a spokesperson at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK as well as LaGuardia and Newark airports....

Emergency landings are fairly common in aviation. They can happen for any number of reasons, from a sick passenger to a minor mechanical malfunction.On Monday, Delta Air Lines Flight 1425 from Atlanta to Baltimore had to land at North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport when one of its engines failed mid-flight.The MD-88 operating the flight was carrying about 150 passengers when the incident happened.CNN reported that those aboard heard a loud noise and saw smoke coming into the cabin....

“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.Qualifying for airline elite status is a time-consuming and expensive proposition, as it requires you to carefully keep track of your elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) and/or elite-qualifying segments (EQSes) as well as your elite-qualifying dollars (EQDs). All three US legacy carriers use a similar elite qualification system, though if you’re flying with United or Delta as opposed to American you’ll be earning PQMs and MQMs, respectively....

Ever daydreamed about having your own private island paradise? For less than the price of a Manhattan apartment, your dream can become a reality. Isola delle Femmine, a protected island off the coast of the Sicilian city of Palermo, is for sale.The aristocratic Bacci family has owned the 15-hectare island since the 1600s, but like many of Italy’s old aristocratic families, they can no longer afford to maintain the property. Fifteen hectares works out to about 37 acres, or the equivalent of approximately 30 football fields....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.American Express recently came out with a toolbar that alerts you to deals whenever you visit a website that offers a bonus when you use your American Express card. For example, when I go to Apple.com, a box pops up that I’ll earn 4x Membership Rewards points for using my American Express card at the Apple store online....

The world’s longest commercial flight, SQ 21 from Newark to Singapore, is blocked at 18 hours and 30 minutes and covers a distance of over 9,500 miles. When I flew this route a few weeks ago, I had lots of time to let my mind wander, so I compiled a list of 18 thoughts, each corresponding to the over 18 hours I spent aboard the Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900ULR.Hour 1: Why did I preboard this flight?...

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Ever since Southwest Airlines began servicing commuters in Texas, it’s now become one of the largest airlines in the skies. There are many reasons why Southwest has continued to grow it’s network internationally, with sweet perks like the Companion Pass, fun flights and excellent customer service — both on the ground and in the air — that keep passengers coming back for more....