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United has four published elite tiers: Premier Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K. But there’s also a higher “unpublished” level, and it’s become increasingly difficult to score that coveted Global Services nod.Although the criteria for admission is a highly guarded airline secret, each year invited members discuss their travel stats, helping to paint a picture of exactly what’s required to qualify for United’s incredibly rewarding highest tier.For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter....

This summer may have already seen the hottest June on record in Europe, but the scorching heat isn’t over yet. Though the continent cooled down for a while, a new series of heatwaves is turning large swaths of Europe into a sauna. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK have seen record temperatures this week.“Every heatwave occurring in Europe today is made more likely and more intense by human-induced climate change,” said a study published by scientists at World Weather Attribution on the regarding the record-breaking June 2019 heatwave in France....

I love Austin conditionally. The breakfast tacos and BBQ, live music, endless options for entertainment and chill vibes are awesome. The humidity, allergens, crowds and road traffic are not.The next two weekends will bring a significant increase of the latter three as more than 130 bands and their half a million groupies descend upon downtown Austin for the 17th annual Austin City Limits music festival. ACL is held in Zilker Metropolitan Park, a 350-acre plot of grassy land overlooking the downtown skyline....

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.The inaugural TPG Awards ceremony earlier this month was an incredible evening. From the perfect setting onboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum to the special awards given to Captain “Sully” Sullenberger and Leymah Gbowee to Bebe Rexha’s fantastic performance, it was a great way to celebrate everything that TPG and our readers love: credit cards, loyalty and rewards programs....

Ten years ago I took a new job that was going to require me to become a “road warrior”. As a points and miles enthusiast, I was looking forward to the prospect of getting to travel a lot for work, and of course the first step was to choose an airline to maximize returns from the time spent on the road.From my base in Eastern North Carolina, my options for airports were limited....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here.Earning airline miles using the traditional method (actually flying) is just one option for growing your account balance. While it’s increasingly harder to earn miles from flying, airlines make it relatively easy to accrue miles without flying — whether through top credit card offers or by utilizing shopping portals and dining rewards programs. If these methods leave you short of your travel goals, you can also purchase miles directly from an airline....

A highly anticipated hotel is getting a world class chef to head up its flagship restaurant. The TWA Hotel, any AvGeek’s dream, has announced that Jean-Georges Vongerichten will be running its Paris Café restaurant when the hotel opens this Spring.Vongerichten is a world-renowned chef who owns dozens of restaurants across the world including ABC Kitchen, Perry St. and Jean-Georges in New York City.The Paris Café will be located inside the TWA Terminal that’s currently being renovated....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.The East Coast of the US has been the recipient of severe weather within the past day. With the news already bad, it doesn’t appear to be getting much better.Air travelers around the country have been facing supreme delays and cancellations on Monday. As of 5:00pm, there have been 4,979 delays on flights within, into or out of the United States....

Ride-hailing companies are vying to be the number one choice for commuters, pitching their flexibility and low cost as a path to a better commute compared to public transit or driving a person vehicle.While cities aren’t willing to give in to ride-hailing companies over public transit just yet, they are working more and more with groups like Uber and Lyft to provide a connection with public transit.Now, one city is teaming with Lyft to pay for part of commuters’ rides to and from its bus stations....

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.Emirates shared some pretty big news this week, including the reveal of its insane new first-class suites and the rather unfortunate continuation of their 2-3-2 configuration in business class. The airline placed a huge order for Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and recently took delivery of its 100th A380, with another 42 on the way....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.In the latest installation of our “By the Sea” summer destination series, TPG Contributor Drew Limsky is in the mood for lobster and the great outdoors — so he takes us to Bar Harbor, Maine.Bass Harbor Head lighthouse in northern Maine’s Acadia National Park. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.Lightly populated with year-round residents, vacation spot Bar Harbor is located on Maine’s beloved Mt....

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.“Everyone does it. At all airlines. Literally everyone.” So what is… “it”… exactly? Selling non-revenue “buddy pass” travel benefits, apparently, at least according to one United employee, who shared this slightly tongue-in-cheek anecdote on the condition of anonymity....

It’s back. From now until now through Feb. 24, you can spot the “Firefall” at Yosemite Park.It’s sort of what it sounds like. While not a waterfall made of actual fire (though we admit, that would be pretty cool) the “Firefall” is a temporary effect that occurs to the water at Horsetail Falls in early spring. Located on the eastern edge of El Capitan, the Firefall illusion occurs at sunset when the light reflects on the water causing it to take on an orange, flame-like glow....

It’s the nine-year anniversary of The Points Guy!On this day, nine years ago, Brian Kelly wrote his very first blog post. But there’s quite a lot that’s happened between now and then.First and foremost, we’d like to thank you, our readers. We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you. And in honor of this special date, we’re sharing nine things you may not know about The Points Guy — and the guy behind it all....

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.Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.You know the fear while waiting for your bag to arrive at baggage claim—everyone’s grabbing their bags, except you, and you’re left convinced yours ended up on a different path across the world....

A lot of my content is geared towards the 5 major US airline frequent flyer programs (American, Continental, Delta, United, US Airways). Collectively, they have millions of members and constitute a majority of domestic flights.However, many frequent flyers have been switching to low cost carriers (like Southwest and AirTran) and boutique carriers (like Virgin America and JetBlue). Note: I refuse to call JetBlue and Virgin America low cost carriers, because their fares are routinely more expensive than legacy airlines and they generally provide better service (like a boutique hotel)....

When the Concorde flew for the first time, 50 years ago to the day on Saturday, it was seen as the herald of a new era of supersonic transport. That did not turn out to be a sound prediction. Only 20 of the joint Anglo-French airplane were made, and only Air France and British Airways bought the 14 that entered commercial service.Of those 20, one crashed, one was scrapped, and 17 are preserved and can be visited, or seen from very close in museums or open-air exhibitions....

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....

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 that 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....

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 11:00pm Eastern Time within one day of booking....