Let’s face it, the Choice Hotel brands don’t have the best reputation here in the United States. In fact, two of them made TripAdvisor’s list of the America’s Dirtiest Hotels.But as is often the case, American budget hotel chains can offer some pretty nice properties overseas, and even a few luxury hotels here at home. This seems to hold true with Choice Hotels, which offer some incredible values in Europe, especially for families....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Check out Married Up for wedding inspiration, planning tips and more.One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about how award travel has affected their lives — the exotic vacations they’ve planned, the trips they’ve made to be with family and friends, the premium seats and suites they’ve experienced and so much more, all made possible by points and miles....
Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader David, who nearly missed an international connection:A few years ago, I was traveling to Bohol in the Philippines. We booked one round-trip flight to Manila (MNL), and another (on a different airline) from Manila to Tagbilaran (TAG), leaving about three hours after our first flight was scheduled to land. I assumed that would be plenty of time, since we were arriving and departing from the same airport....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Earlier today, we told you about the 325 SPG properties that are changing categories, but Marriott’s making big changes to non-SPG hotels as well, from EDITION to Ritz-Carlton. These category adjustments are also taking effect on March 7, 2017.With this year’s changes, nearly 1,100 properties in the entire Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton Rewards programs are moving up or down in categories or tiers, with 60% moving up in category or tier and 40% moving down....
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.Tuesday night, on the strength of an incredible game from all-star pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the Washington Nationals beat the Houston Astros 7-2 to force a game seven in the World Series. The series is a best of seven, meaning that Wednesday night’s game in Houston will be winner-take-all....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Getting a new travel rewards credit card is a great way to earn a solid chunk of points with a welcome bonus, but a number of issuers offer incentives to upgrade existing cards as well. TPG reader Kristopher recently received such an offer and is wondering which route to take…[pullquote source=“TPG reader Kristopher”]Question about the Amex Platinum (I currently have the Premier Rewards Gold)....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Lifestyle Editor Shayne Benowitz recently gave Silvercar a spin, an Audi-only, on-demand car rental service catering to the next generation of travelers, which is currently the TPG Thursday Giveaway, for a whole year’s rental, a $9000 value! Here’s her review of the new premium service.For travelers in search of luxury rental cars and on-demand concierge service, Silvercar’s Audi-only, app-centric service may be the solution....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Today I want to share a story from TPG reader Yang, who used a variety of award travel strategies to trim expenses during a Fourth of July trip:Over Fourth of July week this summer, a good friend and I traveled to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Salt Lake City for a total of 10 nights....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.It’s no secret that people go crazy over the Maldives — with crystal clear blue waters and white sandy beaches, not to mention some of the most gorgeous hotels you’ll ever see. What’s not to love?Well, get ready to add something new to your bucket list: There’s a new pop-up “culinary theater” that’s going to showcase some of the best names in fine dining from around the world, each of whom has earned two or three Michelin stars for their respective restaurants....
New York’s Standard Hotel has become the target of a pair of thieves who specialize in snatching plastic from unlocked rooms while guests are sound asleep.The first reported incident took place on Oct. 2 just before 2am, according to a Canadian victim who, in a sleepy haze, simply thought the duo were hotel staff. The thieves made off with two IDs and a debit card from the Canuck, who didn’t realize what took place until the following morning....
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information.The fastest way to accumulate a meaningful amount of points and miles is by opening new travel rewards credit cards to earn the intro bonuses they offer. However, if you keep at this long enough and apply for a lot of cards, you are almost certain to get rejected on a credit card application eventually. So the question becomes: Are there any long-term ramifications if you get declined for a credit card?...
Few businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic as much as those in the travel industry. Airlines have posted quarterly losses in the billions of dollars and have made plans to significantly trim their teams and drastically cut their fleets.As with most U.S. airlines, United has already extended elite status through early 2022, reduced requirements for new status and implemented temporary change-fee waivers, given the uncertainty facing travelers at the moment....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.As I mentioned in a post last week, I have been thinking about getting a Delta American Express card for a while now, and earlier this week, I finally applied for and was instantly approved on the spot for a new Platinum Delta Amex.Some of the reasons I wanted a Delta Amex include the fact that to earn/maintain Medallion status in 2014 onward you will either have to spend $2,500-$12,500 on the airline or $25,000 per year on a co-branded Amex; and that though I might not requalify for Platinum Medallion status based solely on flying this year because I’ve been doing so much award travel and shifting much of my travel to American, I can earn bonus MQM’s through spending on either the Platinum or Delta Reserve Amex....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.On Monday, I reported about an under-the-radar summer business class sale to Europe with fares to London as low as $2,500 or so. Fast on the heels of that news, however, British Airways has just announced an official business class sale of $2,012 fares from several US gateways to London and Manchester this summer.It’s not quite as good as the airline’s 3-day $1,952 sale celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee back in May, but almost....
What kind of AvGeek are you, really, if you haven’t done at least a bucket-list flight? More than a few remain on my list, I’m sad to say.Here are 11 AvGeek bucket list flights — and you’ll note that a lot of them involve flying on small planes that can get in and out of remote areas of the world.1. Fly the world’s shortest commercial flightLoganair is a small regional Scottish carrier with the distinction of running the shortest commercial flight — just shy of two miles in distance from takeoff to touchdown, between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray, in the Orkney isles, Scotland....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.One of the less-heralded perks of many credit cards is exclusive, early or discounted access to special events. For instance, Amex has offered cardholders cheap Hamilton tickets; AA Citi cardholders have access to exclusive concerts; and Ritz-Carlton offered cardholders access to The Cayman Cookout. And after being such a hit last year, Chase brought its Seaport Summer series back to NYC this summer....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Welcome to TPG’s “Credit Card Chronicles,” where we’re asking our readers to anonymously submit a week’s worth of their expenses — and what credit card they used to purchase them — to help us help you have a better idea of how to maximize your everyday spending.All “chronicles” will be reviewed by a TPG points and miles pro who will give you their tricks, tips and advice to help you make the most out of your purchases....
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....
It’s flu season and whether your family is planning one trip this winter or you’re a road warrior, you should consider a preventative flu shot. This is especially true given how easy illness spread on planes. To help you check this task off your to-do list, airports across the country are opening facilities that offer the flu shot and much more.“With the holidays around the corner, more people are traveling and visiting families and friends....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Dynamics Inc., first announced the Wallet Card back in January, and it was billed as the world’s first “smart” credit card. Now the company is detailing some new features that will be part of the card when it debuts later this year.The biggest update is the two-way communication that Wallet Card will facilitate, so banks and customers can communicate in real time via the card....
