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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.I have a love-hate relationship with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. While it is a tremendously good idea to celebrate the mothers and fathers in our lives, the absolute last thing that a busy parent needs is the pressure to put something special together on a specific date for both their partner and parents. Love it or hate it, Father’s Day is coming up in just a few days, and it is better to be over-prepared than start the day empty-handed....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.IHG’s InterContinental Hotels brand has launched a Discover More rate that’s valid at 43 participating InterContinental properties in North, Central and South America. When you use this rate to book at one of the participating properties, you’ll get a $100 credit toward an “in-hotel experience” on stays of two nights or more.The Discover More rate is valid for stays between October 15 and January 31, but you must book at least one day in advance of arrival and no later than December 31....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.I love sharing my travels, as you may be able to tell from my Instagram and Snapchat (thepointsguy), but that only shows a small portion of the actual journey. So on a recent trip home from Vietnam, I decided to record the whole thing on my GoPro and have an experienced editor make it into a clip I could share with you all....

Have you ever had a meal so divine that you were left wondering what kind of magic was occurring in the kitchen when it was made? At Scully St James’s, a restaurant located near Piccadilly Circus in London, you can ruin the mystery. Every Tuesday, the restaurant brings two people into the kitchen to help prepare and cook. In return for the session, helpers get to enjoy a lunch on the house....

2020 has been unlike any other in recent memory — from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to the continued protests for racial justice. While virus-related travel restrictions are starting to lift (albeit with many caveats), we’re still seeing policies in most countries and states that prevent many travelers from freely entering. And there’s still progress to be made for a more inclusive society.That’s what led TPG’s founder and CEO, Brian Kelly, to welcome award-winning journalist and television host Oneika Raymond to his most recent Future of Travel webinar....

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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here.Since mid-February, the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express and the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express have been offering elevated welcome offers. Instead of the standard 25,000-point offer, the personal and business cards are currently running bonuses that can net you up to 35,000 Starpoints. You only have a week left to apply before the elevated offer expires, though....

In the wake of the second 737 MAX 8 crash in less than five months, which resulted in the death of all 157 passengers on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight, at least one online travel agency (OTA) is moving to assuage travelers’ fears.Kayak.com is the first OTA to announce that it’s offering travelers the option to filter their search by aircraft type. A spokesperson for Kayak said, “We’ve recently received feedback to make KAYAK’s filters more granular in order to exclude particular aircraft models from search queries....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Ever been dreading a flight because of a long connection? These eight airports around the world offer a better way to pass the time — a free city tour, so you can get a brief taste of the place you’re passing through. Here’s what you need to know.Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, South KoreaThe Korean tourism board offers several free, guided tours of Seoul for passengers with a 5-24-hour layover....

If you happen to be in Italy next week (or can book a last-minute European vacation), we’ve got some good news for you: your museum visits could be free.Italy’s Minister of Culture, Alberto Bonisoli, has declared March 5 to 10, “La Settimana dei Musei” (i.e. Museum Week), during which access to all of Italy’s state museums, monuments and archeological sites will be complimentary. That includes Rome’s Galleria Borghese and Colosseum (typically €18 and €12, respectively); the Galleria degli Uffizi and Boboli Gardens in Florence (during the high season — March 1 through Oct....

Delta giveth, and Delta taketh away. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate — it’s John Wayne Airport doing the taking — but it’s a loss for New Yorkers regardless. In May of this year, Delta made a fairly big deal about a new route between New York (JFK) and Orange County (SNA). When announced, it was set to become the only nonstop from New York-JFK to John Wayne Airport, enabling those in the Big Apple to fly direct to Disneyland (or an Anaheim Ducks game, if that’s more your style)....

In episode five of TPG Talks, we were joined by our two TPG staff experts who have been covering travel changes since the coronavirus pandemic began. TPG Travel Analyst Zach Griff and TPG Editor-at-Large Zach Honig walked us through the current practices of how airlines, hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs) are approaching travel changes, cancellations and refunds.If you’re facing issues with changing or canceling an upcoming trip, make sure to watch the replay of this TPG Talks webinar and ensure that changes or cancellations don’t cost you, then join the conversation in the TPG Lounge if you have further questions....

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....

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.Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A340 aircraft won’t see the boneyard just yet. The carrier has detailed new plans to keep its fleet of A340 aircraft around until at least near the end of March.As reported by RoutesOnline, Virgin will operate the A340-600 aircraft on the following routes between 1 and 28 March 2020:London Heathrow (LHR) to Lagos (LOS) — daily service 1 to 27 March (except 21 and 23 March)London Heathrow (LHR) to Newark (EWR) — one time service on 11 MarchLondon Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK) — daily service 1 to 28 March (VS25/VS26 frequencies)As always with airline operations, the above schedules and frequencies are subject to chance....

Aer Lingus has been upping its game recently with a brand refresh and the delivery of new aircraft. The Irish airline has a total of eight Airbus A321LR aircraft on order for leasing and has already taken delivery of four, which are in operation and are set to replace the carrier’s 757s on some transatlantic routes.The carrier previously announced that it would fly its Airbus A321LR aircraft on the short hop between Dublin and London, and it seemed the perfect opportunity for me to jump on board and take a close look at the business-class cabin on this narrow-body aircraft....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Although Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards are two of the most valuable loyalty currencies (TPG values them at 2 and 1.9 cents each, respectively), there are a few reasons why Chase is usually given a slight edge. Some of these have to do with the points themselves, including near-instant Ultimate Rewards transfers and uniquely valuable partners like Hyatt, while some have more to do with the card offerings themselves....

JetBlue’s recent announcement that in 2021 it will begin flying to London from both New York JFK and Boston has made waves. The expectation is that JetBlue will do to the North Atlantic market what it already did to the US transcon a few years ago: lower the average fare, while introducing an award-winning premium product.JetBlue has a tough job ahead in a crowded market, but by deploying brand-new, fuel-efficient Airbus A321LR single-aisle aircraft, it might be able to carve out a profitable niche for itself and maybe revolutionize the premium market with a new version of its business class, Mint....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers hereWere you busy traveling to exciting locations yesterday (on points or miles, of course)? Never fear — we’ve got your back with a recap of the previous day’s top stories, including news, reviews and more.The Inside Scoop on the Amex Centurion (Black) CardTPG Points and Miles Editor Sarah Silbert lifts the shroud of secrecy that’s always covered perhaps the most coveted top-tier card of all: The Centurion Card from Amex....

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.This weekend, other travelers’ losses can be your gain – especially if you’re planning to hit the slopes this season.On Saturday, Alabama’s Unclaimed Baggage Center is having its annual winter and ski gear sale. Meaning that this weekend, you can sift through up to 9,000 discounted items, including unclaimed skis, snowboards, helmets, jackets and more – all courtesy of various US airlines baggage departments....

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 3/21/19: Due to overwhelming interest in purchasing seats, it may take some time for UAM to respond to requests.One of the best flights of my life was United’s final 747 journey from San Francisco to Honolulu. So I wonder what the airline’s 747-400s are up to over at their Tupelo, Mississippi retirement community....