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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Business travelers are some of the most frequent flyers out there, and at the beginning of each year, they have to decide which airline to book. In addition to taking all of the factors discussed last year into consideration, this year we created a simple decision matrix to narrow down your choices and give you the confidence that you’re making the best decision as we approach 2017....

Indonesian officials said Wednesday that search-and-rescue teams have likely found the Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that plummeted Monday into the Java Sea.The Indonesian Navy says a 72-foot-long object has been located on the seabed of the search area and could possibly be part of the plane’s fuselage, which measures a total of 105 feet in length. The object was first found by searchers on Tuesday night. Navy officer Haris Djoko Nugroho told the AP that after clearer sonar images of the item are obtained, divers will be deployed to inspect it....

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.Barely a year after its launch, Marriott is shuttering its Marriott Rewards MORE shopping portal program.The world’s largest hotel group announced the program’s sunset, simply posting a banner on the Marriott Rewards MORE landing page stating, “Marriott Rewards MORE ends November 15, 2018....

When you think of American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners, you’re likely to think about British Airways Avios, Delta SkyMiles, Etihad Guest or Singapore KrisFlyer. With a transfer bonus that just popped up, you might want to get to know Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program a little better.American Express and Asia Miles are teaming up to offer a targeted transfer bonus when transferring Membership Rewards points to Asia Miles. It seems that 30% is the maximum targeted bonus, although some card members are being targeted for 10% or 20%....

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 Silver Line is slowly creeping to Dulles Airport (IAD) in what would be the first rail connection between downtown Washington, DC and Washington-Dulles Airport. Travelers have had to rely on buses or cars for all or part of their journey to the United Airlines hub, which serves more than 20 million passengers per year....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Taking advantage of limited-time offers on top travel rewards credit cards is a great way to boost your account balances and unlock valuable redemptions, and today a popular card has launched an increased sign-up bonus. You can now earn a bonus of $150 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening when you apply and are approved for the Chase Freedom card (No longer open to new applicants)....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.The Points Guy is introducing a brand new review format that includes numerical scores for each section of the experience. These scores were used to determine the winners at the 2018 TPG Awards, where Emirates First Class on the A380 was named the Best International First Class of the year.[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score=“93” ground-experience=“7” cabin-seat=“25” amens-ife=“13” food-bev=“23” service=“25” pros=“Opulent suites, flawless service, top-tier food and beverage options” cons=“Underwhelming lounge at JFK and frustratingly slow Wi-Fi” /]2018 has been a year of firsts — in the most literal sense....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.TPG reader Bill sent me a message on Facebook to ask about earning points:“Would it be better to get a United card and earn miles, or get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and transfer those points to United?”Deciding which credit card to use is an important step in maximizing your return on everyday spending. A lot of cards offer bonus categories that can help you earn rewards more quickly, but it’s helpful to think about what those rewards are worth and not just how many you can accumulate....

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.Silvercar has been expanding at a steady (but modest) clip, with New York City and now Las Vegas as recent outpost additions. But with giant competitors (some of which offer generous perks to elites), the rental agency has a lot of catching up to do....

Southwest and American Airlines are in a regulatory feud about Cuba routes.In filings with the US Department of Transportation obtained by the Charlotte Business Journal, American Airlines is requesting to shift its Charlotte (CLT) to Havana (HAV) route to depart out of Miami (MIA) because the CLT flight is only operating at 55% capacity, meaning each flight is only about half full. American already has routes out of Miami to Havana....

The Bahamas want you to know they are still open for business, according to a report by My Sunny Coast. The chain of some 700 islands was battered by Hurricane Dorian last week, leaving major devastation in its wake. However, not all of the islands were damaged and some of the most popular destinations, including Atlantis on Paradise Island, were unharmed by the storm.The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation (BMOTA) urged travelers to keep their travel plans to islands that were not affected and remain open, including Nassau and Paradise Island in Northwest Bahamas, along with Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Andros, Bimini and The Berry Islands....

The government shutdown hasn’t stopped people from visiting national parks, and across the US, the administration’s decision to leave the parks open while the government that cares for them is shut down has created havoc. In Hawaii, one of the most visited parks in the US, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is still seeing a strong influx of visitors.With the shutdown leaving the park without any visitor services, no one is collecting entrance fees....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Today we’re meeting another TPG reader who has begun working toward a travel goal she’s set for herself in 2018. Over the first two weeks of January we’ve already met…Heather P., who’s planning to open her first travel rewards credit card in 2018.Bryan O., who’s working toward an around-the-world award on Singapore.Kim C., who wants to use points and miles to book her honeymoon....

Joining us on episode three of TPG Talks was Gene Sloan, TPG’s Senior Reporter for Cruise and Travel. Gene has been covering the travel industry for over 20 years and is one of the most knowledgeable people in the United States on the cruise industry.With COVID-19 stopping almost every cruise vessel in the world from operating, there’s a lot of consider from both a health and business standpoint about what the future of cruising holds....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Episode 2 of TPGtv was all about my journey to Accra, Ghana, to spend time with PeaceJam, a wonderful non-profit organization that’s changing the world by having Nobel Laureate teachers educate youth. Episode 3, which you are about to watch, features my review of the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel (where we stayed in Accra), plus a memorable trip to the legendary Kane Kwei fantasy coffin shop....

The United States is calling for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to implement a new standard for airlines worldwide to collect Passenger Name Records. This push from the US comes from a 2017 U.N. Security Council Resolution that created new requirements for countries to deter terrorist travel.ICAO — a body not exactly known for its rapid decision making — sets global standards in civil aviation. Those rules and regulations are only made mandatory by its 192-member body when they pass domestic legislation that follows ICAO’s standards....

The past few years have seen many airlines introduce a basic economy product. So, it wasn’t a big surprise when Hawaiian followed suit last year, announcing the bare bones fare class would be instated in 2019.Now, in a new report, one well-respected Wall Street analyst wants the airline to launch the product as soon as possible, rather than sticking with the current timeline to launch later this year.Analyst Helane Becker from Cowen Equity Research said in a Wednesday report that for Hawaiian, “basic economy can’t come soon enough....

Last Friday, an issue with the pressure in the cabin of a Southwest Airlines flight forced the aircraft to return to its airport of origin, Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport (BDL). Part of the reason the flight turned around, the Hartford Courant reported, was because passengers’ ears were in pain.At least one passenger was bleeding from the ears, and emergency medical professionals met the flight when it landed. Several passengers were treated at the airport....

Checked Rome, Florence and Venice off your bucket list? Then it might be time to plan a trip to Matera, the capital of Italy’s Basilicata region and this year’s European Capital of Culture.Matera has mostly been off the tourist radar for several reasons. First of all, it’s a bit isolated. Basilicata doesn’t have its own airport and Italy’s high speed trains don’t service the city, so to get there, you’d have to fly to Bari and drive or take a high speed train from a major city like Rome to Salerno and then switch to a regional train....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MastercardWere 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.Aer Lingus Passenger Bites Someone then Dies — What’s the Weirdest Thing You’ve Witnessed on a Plane?...