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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Have you been trying to plan a trip to London? You’re in luck — Delta’s offering a flash sale on flights from select US cities to London Heathrow (LHR). Economy round-trip award tickets start at 48,000 SkyMiles plus taxes and fees in the Main Cabin.In order to take advantage of this promotion, you must purchase your ticket by November 15, 2017 at 11:59pm Eastern....

Each Saturday, we round up the top miles, points and travel news that you might have missed on TPG this week. Here’s what you need to know.Vote for the 2019 TPG Awards winners, earn some sweet swag for yourselfPhoto by Patrick T. Fallon for The Points GuyYou scream, I scream, we all scream for — err, free travel goodies. Wanna attend this year’s VIP black-tie gala, win $500 worth of airline credit or score a two-night hotel stay on TPG’s dime?...

While flying from Barcelona to Düsseldorf earlier today, Germanwings Flight 4U9525 crashed in a remote, snowbound area of the southern French Alps, and all 150 people aboard are feared dead. This is the first recorded air disaster for the Cologne-based airline, a short-haul subsidiary of Lufthansa, and the 12th Airbus A320 to experience a fatal accident since the aircraft went into service in 1988.The crash of Flight 4U9525 is the first air disaster for Germanwings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa....

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.Uber is currently offering $10 off a ride to new and existing members, but you likely need to have an Android smartphone (and pay with Android Pay) in order to take advantage. Assuming you meet those requirements, you can save 10 bucks off your next ride by entering promo code ANRDOIDPAY directly within the app....

If you’ve ever fantasized about having a fairytale, castle wedding but are a bit strapped for cash – you’re in luck. Roccascalegna Castle, in the Abruzzo region of Italy, is now in the market for private events with a price tag of only €100 ($114).The castle itself is about a 7,500 square-foot venue that includes its very own chapel, a tower that can host a reception or any cocktail party you can dream up, and, you know, some former dungeons and torture rooms that boast the perfect lighting for intimate dinners or brunch....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.I’ve done a few posts recently (here) about how useful British Airways Avios are for family travel when you use them to fly domestic (or quasi-domestic to Canada, Caribbean, etc.) short-ish routes on BA partners like American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. They come with some amazing hidden powers (AA Priority Access, potential free checked bags on AA, and more), plus there are no fees for last minute reservations and very affordable cancellation penalties....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Rachael, who missed a critical step in earning points for a purchase. Here’s what she had to say:I was purchasing flowers for a family friend, and decided to check evreward.com to figure out which shopping portal would earn me the most bonus miles. After shopping around, I decided that my own targeted Amex Offer was the best deal — if I spent $50 or more at 1-800-Flowers, I’d get a bonus of 1,500 Membership Rewards points....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.TPG reader Jimmy sent a message on Facebook to ask about two premium credit cards:“I travel nearly every week, mostly on Delta. Which card offers better value in those circumstances: Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve?”Using the right credit card is an easy way to maximize the points and miles you earn on spending, but there are other factors to consider when choosing a card for travel purchases....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Update: The 50,000 point sign up offer for the American Express Premier Rewards Gold card is no longer available through the Card Match Tool.They say timing is everything, and that certainly holds true for those of us who use credit card sign-up bonuses to fuel our mileage and point balances. There isn’t an exact science of when to apply for what cards and when because the sign-up bonuses change often....

Is it really the end for cruises to Venice? Quite a few major media outlets over the past few days have suggested as much, citing a translation of comments by an Italian transport minister.NBC’s Today show, for example, and the largest newspaper in the UK, stated flat out that cruise ships had been banned from the iconic destination.But you may not want to cancel your plans for a Venice cruise just yet....

Low-cost carrier Norwegian Air has reached an agreement to sell five of its Airbus A320neo aircraft to help pay off some of its debt and strengthen its financial situation.The airline said Friday that the five narrowbody aircraft are currently leased out under the airline’s leasing arm, Arctic Aviation Assets, and not operated by Norwegian. Delivery of the aircraft will take place in late 2018.“Sale proceeds will be used to repay debt and to increase the Company’s liquidity,” Norwegian said in a statement to the Oslo Stock Exchange....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score=“62” ground-experience=“9” cabin-seat=“16” amens-ife=“12” food-bev=“15” service=“10” pros=“Excellent fare, larger seat with more personal space, much-improved IFE, substantial meals with liquor included, Saks Fifth Avenue pillow and blanket, full Polaris amenity kit.” cons=“Poor service, no menus, overcooked food, useless leg rest, lavatories shared with coach.” /]Some two years after introducing its Polaris business-class product on international flights — you know, the “real” Polaris, with the new 1-2-1 seats — United Airlines has launched Premium Plus, a true premium-economy product now available on select long-haul international routes....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.After nearly a decade using Sprint as my cell phone carrier, my latest Sprint contract just expired. I’ve gotten rather poor service on Sprint — both in terms of reception and customer support — but the price I locked in years ago has been keeping me around. Now, the question is whether or not to switch. And, if so, which carrier I should switch to....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.For the next Award Redemption of the Week, I want to share a story from TPG reader Alex, who used Alaska miles to book a trip in Emirates business class:A few months back I went on a trip that took me from New York to Dubai and then onto Jordan and Israel, where I joined a tour group....

TO THE POINT: Scandinavian’s new lie-flat A330 business class is absolutely fantastic. The pros: ultra-private seats, excellent flight attendants and top-notch food. The cons: award availability can be a bit hit or miss.This trip began with an insane Star Alliance business-class fare — that in and of itself was the score of the century. However, after a couple of (very manageable) delays, I managed to tweak the itinerary to include some products I really wanted to try....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.This week TPG reader Lev tweeted:"@thepointsguy I’m at 80K Delta MQMs so far this year. Is reaching for Delta Diamond Elite Status vs. aiming for Delta Platinum Elite Status more worthwhile than before, given the planned 2015 changes? (I live by JFK airport.)“The general trend that I’ve seen with airline elite status is that it’s getting watered down at the lower and mid-tier levels, but beefed up at the top levels....

International tourists keep pouring into Thailand – 38.27 million in 2018 – with over 20 million of them stopping in Bangkok, the country’s bustling capital city. The beaches of Phuket continue to attract visitors and influencers. And there’s Ko Phi Phi, which had to close itself to tourism following Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2000 film, “The Beach.“But the Thai government wants people — especially its own citizens —to know that there are many other places in the 198,117-square-mile country to see....

With increasing and restrictive checked-baggage fees, passengers are doing everything they can (although there are ways to avoid them) to take as much cabin baggage onboard as possible. But space on an aircraft, especially a narrow-body, means that there simply isn’t overhead bin space for each passenger. Ryanair, for example, can fit more than 180 seats on its 737 aircraft but guarantees space only for 90 cabin bags.So for most passengers and their cabin bags, it’s first come, first served....

If you’re jonesing for a (really good) burger but don’t want to leave your room, there’s one hotel in the world offering you fresh Shake Shack for room service.As reported by Points, Miles and Martinis, the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel across from Millennium Park boasts the world’s only Shake Shack in-room dining service, according to the hotel’s website.The unique Shake Shack stall is located on the ground floor of the hotel....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Each Saturday, we round up news stories that you may have missed from the week before, including several that already appeared on The Points Guy, and some more that we haven’t covered yet. If you’re an avid TPG reader, scroll down for the new stuff. Here’s the top miles, points and travel news you may have missed this week:Top 10 Travel Rewards Cards for December 2015In order to make the most of sign-up bonuses with travel rewards cards, you have to keep up with their ever-changing offers....