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What’s better than earning status? Getting it for free. And American has been offering lots of travelers free status recently. Last week, American sent email and mail invitations to certain AAdvantage members inviting them to try out status through May 31, 2016 — with a free challenge to keep this status through February 2017.Yesterday, some Hilton elites received a similar offer. American Airlines is offering targeted, complimentary American Airlines Gold or Platinum status through June 17th....

Just when you thought they might finally be done, Air Belgium is back with a new business plan. The troubled start-up carrier announced over twitter that it has been issued an operating permit by the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority to commence flights to Zhengzhou, China, from its home airport of Brussels - Charleroi.While Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, is home to almost 10 million people, this route would be the first non-stop service connecting Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) with Europe, or any city outside of Asia except Melbourne, Australia, for that matter....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.20,000 Membership Rewards for spending $1,000+ with Air France, $60 back when spending $200+ at Hyatt and 20,000 Membership Rewards points for spending $1,000+ with ANA.Today, a valuable new Amex Offer just posted to certain Amex accounts: 4,000 Amex Membership Rewards points when you spend at least $200 with JetBlue:Found a great JetBlue flight deal? Good news, you don’t have to spend the $200 all in one transaction....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders can now see their Ultimate Rewards points bonuses display per transaction in their statement, so you can see exactly how many points you’re earning with each purchase and track your bonuses easier, which allowed me to see that I earned 2X points on my Chase Experiences purchases with my Sapphire Preferred, and is a good reminder that tomorrow is the First Friday of November for 3X dining bonuses using your Sapphire and Sapphire Preferred, so keep an eye out to make sure you’re earning all the bonus points you shouldEarning 2X on Chase ExperiencesEarlier this month when Chase Sapphire announced a series of Sundance Film Festival packages for Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire cardholders, I decided to purchase the Opening Weekend package immediately....

Accio tickets to the Scottish Highlands!After a seasonal break, the Jacobite steam train (a.k.a. the train used as a stand-in for the actual Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films) is back in business, People reports. And no, you won’t have to pass through Platform 9 3/4 to get there.The Jacobite steam train has been in operation for over 100 years. Known originally for its scenic views of the Scottish Highlands, the old rail line only got attached the Harry Potter-verse after it was featured as the Hogwarts Express in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and every other Potter film going forward....

Each month, airlines around the world launch and announce dozens of new flight routes and service changes — and today, TPG Assistant Editor Matt Zuzolo shares just a few of the latest flights that will take to the skies this month or in the near future. Keep in mind that exact flight details (e.g., flight schedules, aircraft and more) could change based on travel dates.NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2016You can now fly to Doha from Los Angeles on Qatar Airways....

A Florida man celebrating his upcoming wedding on a cruise to the Bahamas died Friday after falling on board the ship.Christopher McGrory, 29, was taking a Bahamas Paradise Cruise with his friends to celebrate his bachelor party. Reports say that around 8pm on Friday, McGrory fell from a high deck on the 1,680-passenger Grand Classica ship, hitting the deck below, according to the Palm Beach Post. He did not fall overboard....

There are plenty of nervous flyers. We get it, airplanes can be a bit scary if you aren’t familiar with what’s going on.So if plumes of smoke, for example, appear in the cabin while you’re on board, we get why that might freak you out. This happened on two flights in the past week alone. One was on a Delta flight as it waited to depart Jacksonville (JAX). Cellphone footage shows thick fog inside the New York-bound plane as alarmed passengers look on....

Air traffic controllers across France have announced plans to strike for several days leading up to the peak holiday travel rush.Staffers will walk off the job beginning at 8pm local time on Thursday until 7am on Saturday. Widespread disruptions to flights are expected on Friday. French ATC handles more flights than any other European country. Its key location makes it a crossroads for flights to and from northern Europe and the Mediterranean....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Citi is a TPG advertising partnerTPG reader Charles tweeted me to ask:@thepointsguy– “I have 52k Citi ThankYou points earned from my Citi Prestige card. What’s the best strategy for using them to go to Hawaii in July?“You’ll soon be on your way to Hawaii using your Citi ThankYou points! Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.One of the best perks of the Citi Prestige card is the $250 you get toward airfare each year, which you can use toward buying a ticket....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.This is the final 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.TPG reader Ian tweeted me to ask:@thepointsguy– “Is it worth getting the British Airways Visa and collecting Avios if I already have the Southwest Companion Pass for 2015/16? I typically fly more on Southwest than American/BA.“The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most amazing airline perks out there (if you fly Southwest, of course). The pass can give you free travel for a companion for up to almost two years if you know how to maximize it....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas ReviewWhile there’s no shortage of high-end hotels in Sin City, there aren’t too many hotels on the Strip without casinos. Among the few non-gaming hotels is the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, sitting high above the busy street within MGM’s CityCenter complex, offering easy access to The Shops at Crystals and the Aria Resort. Spread across floors 3-24 are 335 rooms and 57 suites, which really isn’t a lot for a Vegas hotel (floors 24-47 are occupied by private residences)....

Aircraft fleet woes continue for Boeing, with the Guardian citing unnamed pilots who have voiced concern over the safety of the 787 Dreamliner after learning that an engine firefighting system has the potential to malfunction.On Feb. 19, 2019, the FAA issued an airworthiness directive (AD) based on reports of the warpage of internal engine fire handle components on the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10. If the handle components fail, it could prevent the fire extinguisher agent from being released....

Just in time for National Park Week, much of the famed Kīlauea Iki Trail has reopened one year after the devastating volcanic eruptions at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.In May 2018, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and flowing lava caused massive destruction at the park, which is home to the Kīlauea Volcano — one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The damage was so severe that officials threatened to arrest locals and visitors that didn’t evacuate the area....

A new article by Wired says your next loyalty program might just be for public transportation. Over the past few years, most public transportations systems have seen a decline in ridership and are looking for new ways to gain those customers back. Now, a number of public transportation systems in the United States are looking at how reward programs might play into gaining back ridership.The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, also known as BART, implemented two pilot programs between 2016 and 2019 to test if riders would be willing to accept cash rewards for changing the time of their commute to off-peak hours....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score=“62” ground-experience=“5” cabin-seat=“10” amens-ife=“7” food-bev=“18” service=“22” pros=“Great flight crew, even when faced with many cranky passengers” cons=“Outdated cabin, no physical IFE system and lackluster Wi-Fi performance” /]I’ve flown Alaska Airlines up and down the West Coast and to Hawaii, but the carrier, in part thanks to its takeover of the now-extinct Virgin America, has been expanding eastward....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Associate Editor Brendan Dorsey.When building out the perfect wallet to maximize your spending and travel benefits, it usually makes sense to hold more than one credit card. So when Marriott finally absorbs the SPG loyalty program and transforms into a new rewards scheme next month, TPG reader Richard wants to know which credit cards it makes sense to hold on to…[pullquote source=“TPG Reader Richard”]After August 1, is there any reason to hold both an AMEX SPG and the Chase Marriott Premier Plus Visa?...

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.Since 2002, the Transportation Security Administration has been collecting the Passenger Fee (also known colloquially as the “September 11 Fee”) from passengers at the time of the initial ticket purchase. The fee was first established to strengthen airport travel security following the 9/11 attacks....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.With the launch of the new unified Marriott/SPG/Ritz-Carlton program just around the corner in August, we’ve been keeping a close eye on developments, detailing the pros, cons and other ways the new program will affect your points and miles plans.It seems our readers have been thinking about it a lot as well. TPG Lounge member Rick L. recently posed this question to the rest of the group:“So what are you doing with your SPG points prior to the August 1 Marriott changeover?...