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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Airlines have been raking in fees from checked bags over the last few years, adding up to a whopping $4.1 billion in 2016 alone. For many travelers, checking bags amounts to added hassle to an already stressful traveling experience, and it’s especially frustrating when you have to wait at baggage claim for what seems like an eternity after a long flight....

If Elon Musk didn’t have enough on his hands with his space exploration, tunneling and Hyperloop companies — the Tesla CEO is doubling down on the car company’s ambitions to create an Uber and Lyft competitor.Musk spoke on Tesla’s third quarter earning’s call about Tesla’s self-driving future.“Tesla will operate its own ride-hailing services and compete directly with Uber and Lyft, obviously.” Musk said, according to CNBC.The electric vehicle company will use self-driving cars as the basis for its ride-hailing fleet....

United Airlines and then American shared their plans for Tokyo’s convenient Haneda Airport (HND) earlier Thursday, and now it’s Hawaiian’s turn — the Honolulu-based carrier hopes to introduce three more daily flights of its own.With United’s six proposed routes and American’s four, Hawaiian now brings that total up to 13 — of 12 available slots. And Delta hasn’t formally submitted its own bid, with the deadline yet to come. Someone won’t be going home happy....

Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Jane, who missed an important stipulation when buying hotel points:I was on vacation in Japan with my boyfriend, and we decided to spend an extra night in Hiroshima. Our initial plan was to go back to Tokyo to meet a friend, but she canceled the day before, so we didn’t have a hotel for that night and needed to book one immediately....

If you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple this holiday season, get ready to go to infinity and beyond.On Saturday, Nov. 9, acclaimed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama just opened yet another exhibit at the David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea. And it’s already making a huge splash with both tourists and locals.According to the gallery’s site, “viewers navigate an all-encompassing environment of organic-looking, cloud-like forms whose reflections envelop its audience and reinforce an impression of perpetuity and infinity....

The newest addition to our Insider Series is TPG Contributor “Vic Vector,” an air traffic controller at a major ATC facility in the United States. In his first installment, he’ll clarify and establish the basic roles and duties of air traffic controllers.What comes to mind when you think of air traffic control? Whatever image you just came up with, I’m willing to bet it’s somewhat inaccurate.So … let’s knock out the basics, shall we?...

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about all the positive ways award travel has affected their lives. That being said, while I love hearing about your successes, I think there’s also a lot we can learn by sharing our mistakes, and I’m calling on readers to send in your most egregious and woeful travel failures....

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.Earlier this summer, I took advantage of the incredible Iberia Avios promotion and had a bunch of Avios burning a hole in my pocket. I couldn’t manage a premium-cabin long-haul redemption, so I decided to use them on a trip south of the border during early September, well before the Dec. 1 deadline for redemptions.BookingI was looking for a getaway on Labor Day weekend that departed from Seattle (SEA) late on a Thursday and returned Sunday or Monday....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.When I needed to visit Accra, Ghana, for a Peace Jam conference, I decided to stay at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra. While Accra may not be at the top of people’s dream destination list, the Kempinski offers a stay at one of the more luxurious properties in the city.BookingI booked my superior room at the Kempinski Gold Coast City on Hotels....

It’s easy to give ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines a hard time about its nickel-and-dime approach to flying. But when it comes to supporting the communities it serves, and the increasingly crucial Black Lives Matter movement, Spirit is ponying up in a big way.The airline has announced it will be donating $250,000 in air travel across nine organizations dedicated to the pursuit of social justice and civil rights in cities where the company operates....

At TPG, we paused traveling to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Local and federal governments around the globe are now debating the appropriate levels of isolation and distancing. Before booking that next trip, we recommend you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions. TPG is continuing to publish deals, reviews and general travel news to inform and prepare you for that trip, whether it is next month or next year....

Virgin Australia, a Delta Air Lines partner that flies down under from Los Angeles, announced it would suspend all international flights through at least June 14.The carrier’s draw-down came shortly after Qantas, Australia’s largest carrier, made a similar move.In a statement, Virgin Australia said the cuts are “in response to expanded government travel restrictions and increased impacts from COVID-19 on travel demand.“Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline news....

A number of countries, from the United States to the UK, have sent a variety of aircraft — from a Boeing 747 freighter, normally used to ferry consumer goods and other products, to the world’s largest charter jet — to repatriate citizens stranded in Wuhan, China following the region’s coronavirus crisis.This weekend, it was Sri Lanka’s turn, and the country tapped its flagship carrier’s largest plane, a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330, for the honor of bringing students home....

For years, Fiji Airways has exclusively flown Airbus A330s between the United States and its hub in Nadi, Fiji, with a dated 2-2-2 angle-flat business-class seat. Although that will continue flying from San Francisco, the aircraft will soon be phased out on the carrier’s Los Angeles-Fiji route. Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, the airline will begin flying a brand-new Airbus A350-900 between LAX and Nadi, offering a far superior 1-2-1 lie-flat business class....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.American Express is targeting some of its cardholders for an upgraded offer, complete with additional bonus points. Some users on Reddit are reporting that they’re seeing upgraded offers for a number of cards, but most seem to be for the Hilton Honors portfolio of cards.If you’re targeted for an upgrade offer on any of your existing Amex cards, you’ll be eligible for a “sign-up bonus” of sorts, as well as receiving the card with no hard credit pull....

Although it’s always a great time of year to be traveling, this winter is a particularly exciting moment to take flight. And not just because of all the airfare sales to seize between Thanksgiving and Christmas. More so because there’s a handful of hot new openings and restaurant revamps, many of them happening at some of your favorite hotel properties across the globe. From succulent seafood on the shore to dry-aged ribeye in the Rockies — and everything in between....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.The brand new Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card has officially launched with a public offer of 100,000 bonus Marriott points after $5,000 in spending in the first three months. These 100k points are valued by TPG at an impressive $900 and this limited-time offer is set to run until October 31, 2018. Also, if you have other Marriott or SPG cards, there are some very good reasons you may want to apply for this brand new card before Sunday, August 26, as new restrictions will then be in place on who can get the bonus....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Each Saturday, we round up news stories that you might have missed from the week before. Here’s the top miles, points and travel news you might have missed on TPG this week.5 Ways Families Can Easily Earn 5x Points on the Chase FreedomCheck out how your family can maximize Chase Freedom’s 5x points back this quarter.The Best Time to Take Your Dream Hawaiian Vacation Is Right NowWith plentiful, cheap flights, Hawaii is easier to get to than ever....

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....