Posts

The path to becoming an airline pilot contains many hurdles and hoops that cadet pilots must jump over and through. By the time they take to the controls of their first commercial flight, they will have completed hundreds of hours of flying in both aircraft and simulators and be the proud owner of an official pilot’s license.However, recent news in the world of aviation has uncovered that some pilots may have been flying on “fake” licenses or cheated in exams to obtain their license....

Tickets were supposed to go on sale last week. But with less than four months until bands were expected to take the stage for Woodstock 50, the music festival has allegedly been canceled after investors pulled their financial backing on Monday, citing concerns over event management competency.Billed as a 50th anniversary revival of the namesake festival, Woodstock 50 was scheduled for Aug. 16 to 18 in Watkins Glen, New York, about 150 miles from the original 1969 location....

While the most well-known hotel-to-airline transfer program is Marriott Bonvoy, a number of airlines have partnerships with hotel loyalty programs that let you transfer hotel points into airline miles. While it’s rarely a good value, it can be useful for cleaning out hotel points that you can’t use or to top off an airline account if you’re just shy of a great redemption.Back in mid-September, American Airlines launched a 25% bonus when transferring hotel points from four hotel programs to the American Airlines AAdvantage program....

Following the tragic and sudden passing of Luke Perry, fellow actor Colin Hanks shared a story on Instagram about the former “90210” and “Riverdale” star that revealed a heart-warming and sort of genius trick to calming down screaming kids on an airplane.“I only met him once but the story is too good not tell given today’s sad events,” said Hanks in the post. Perry died suddenly after suffering a massive stroke on Monday, March 4, and celebrities and fans alike have been posting tributes to the actor on social media to mourn the loss....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.American Express Membership Rewards is offering a 30% bonus on transfers to British Airways Avios points from now until January 31, 2012. The bonus is hard coded into the transfer ratio, so 1,000 Amex points = 1,300 Avios points and they transfer instantly. And remember, you can transfer Amex points to anyone else, so this might be a good time to top up your family or friends’ accounts to get them to levels needed for awards....

AirAsia X, a Southeast Asian low-cost carrier, will end scheduled flights from Bali (DPS) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) in January 2019.The carrier’s daily service from Denpasar to Narita, on an Airbus A330, will no longer exist in the new year because of the “challenging operational environment” in Indonesia due to the series of natural disasters that occurred close to Bali. The airline’s CEO Nadda Buransiri shared this development in the company’s 2018 third-quarter financial results....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Some destinations are so fascinating that they inspire us to re-visit them, again and again. TPG Contributors (and husband and wife) Mitch Berman and Susanne Lee have traveled to Beijing, China together several times since 1989, and this is how they’ve seen the city change.Susanne was one of the rare solo independent travelers to China in 1980, when Beijing was emerging from the paranoia and isolation of the Cultural Revolution....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Nick Ewen and his family recently spent one night at the Andaz 5th Avenue in New York City. Read on for his impressions. (All photos are by the author.)I grew up just outside New York City and when my wife and I decided to take Evy up to see the family for Christmas, we thought it would be a great opportunity to spend a night in the city....

If you are booking a cruise with Princess Cruises, check your current offers from Amex. Right now targeted card members are being offered $225 back after spending $750 or more with the cruise line. The offer is valid for reservations booked between May 3 and June 30, 2019. The reservation must be booked online at the US website only or by calling the reservation line.The fine print on this offer is a bit more restrictive than most....

Each airline’s calculations for setting airfares are a complicated process.Carriers look at many factors to hit the pricing sweet spot that can appeal to a wide swath of customers while driving major profits. Some, obviously, struggle with their calculations to the point that it helps lead to their demise, like WOW air.But aviation economists say there are three factors outside of airlines’ control that help determine the cost of your ticket....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Last week, Chase introduced the much-anticipated Sapphire Reserve Card, and I was fortunate enough to receive my card a couple days later. The perks are absolutely fantastic (we detail them here), and include a $300 travel credit issued each calendar year.Unlike with competing premium travel rewards cards, however, the Reserve card’s $300 credit applies to any travel purchase, so I decided to take it for a spin with United’s “award accelerator” option....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.We often publish stories from readers that illustrate how points and miles can help you get where you want to go. However, it’s important to learn from our mistakes as well as our successes, so I’m calling on you to send us your most epic travel failure stories. Email them to info@thepointsguy.com and put “Reader Mistake Story” in the subject line....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.This week TPG reader Stephen asked a question via Twitter:"@ThePointsGuy how much do you value Ultimate Rewards Points vs Starwood points? I know you value Starwood at about 2.5 cents"In this day and age of airline programs and hotel programs constantly moving the needle, changing how many points or miles you need for an award it can be hard to come up with one set number for what a mile or point is worth....

We recently learned of Delta’s plans to install a new Delta One seat onboard its Boeing 767-400s, starting later this year. United is also in the process of retrofitting its 767s with Polaris cabins, and the airline is even adding extra business class seats to several of the planes, creating a biz-class-heavy jet to be used on routes with lots of premium traffic, like the one TPG Editor-at-Large Zach Honig flew from Newark to London Heathrow in March....

You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Or in this case, the Apple Store keeps the Apple Card away.Reports are surfacing that the card is being declined at various Apple stores, and not because the terminals are faulty. Kate Kozuch, a writer at Tom’s Guide and an Apple aficionado, recently tried to purchase a new iPhone via the Apple Upgrade Program at the Apple Store at Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York....

The Boeing 777 just turned an important milestone: 25 years from its first commercial flight. The story that began on June 7, 1995, when United Airlines flew its first 777 from London Heathrow to Washington Dulles, has turned out to be one of the great successes in commercial aviation. The Triple Seven is now the best-selling wide-body airplane ever, and it’s second only to the ubiquitous 737 as the best-selling Boeing jet....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.You know what they say: Sweet dreams are made of cheese, who am I to disa-brie?No truer statement in the English language exists, and now the NoMad Hotel in New York City is taking it one step further — the trendy hotel will be bringing back its famous prix-fixe fondue menu starting this Sunday, Nov. 11, according to Condé Nast Traveler....

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....

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: Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American ExpressDelta and American Express are teaming up to offer select cardholders of co-branded Delta cards a new, useful perk....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers hereI’m getting a ton of traffic and emails today about the current 75,000 point Amex Business Gold deal and people asking whether they should do an impromptu round of applications if they applied for this deal today.The point of applying for multiple credit cards in a single day, also known as the app-o-rama, is that the different issuers won’t see all of the other inquiries you have because the credit reporting agencies usually have a day or so lag between posting the inquiries....