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For the latest update on Hurricane Dorian, check thepointsguy.com/hurricane.Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is evacuating the university’s fleet of aircraft ahead of Hurricane Dorian. The university operates a fleet of around 64 aircraft used for instructional and training flights. Embry-Riddle’s main campus is located in Daytona Beach, Florida, which is expected to experience hurricane conditions early next week.According to data from Flightradar24, the evacuation began early Saturday morning. The university’s fleet, which includes 51 Cessna 172s and various other small propeller aircraft, is being relocated outside of the storm’s track....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here.Around this time each year, Starwood launches a program called “Paradise is Closer,” giving SPG members an opportunity to redeem points for a handful of the chain’s priciest properties at a discounted rate.https://vimeo.com/205457770Some of these hotels are truly out of reach of most travelers — the St. Regis Maldives, for example, will run you upwards of $1,500 per night even in the off season, with peak rates climbing to $2,900, before factoring in taxes and fees....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Ride-hailing companies have been coming up with schemes to ditch your car for good, and Lyft seems to be dead set on that. Starting today, Lyft is launching an “All-Access Plan” for riders across the country where they can subscribe to a monthly plan for a set amount.The Uber rival has been piloting a program like this for months now, but this is the first time it will be available to the general public and everywhere Lyft operates in the US....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score=“74” ground-experience=“7” cabin-seat=“18” amens-ife=“11” food-bev=“18” service=“20” pros=“A surprisingly comfortable seat made better by Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, and much of the meal beat the expectations of a domestic flight. Don’t miss the dessert cart!” cons=“Horrendous inflight Wi-Fi and a 2x2 configuration that means no aisle access for half the cabin, while storage is minimal in the seat itself....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.The Points Guy recently hosted a PeaceJam conference in Accra, Ghana, and I got to join in on the action. Being based in Madrid, I found that the most direct way of getting there would be to fly with TAP Air Portugal and connect at its hub in Lisbon (LIS). When searching for a flight, I noticed that TAP operated its narrow-body Airbus A320 aircraft — mainly used for short-haul flights within Europe — on the LIS-ACC route....

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.In-flight Wi-Fi has come a long way, but there’s still room to improve. As the available products continue to advance, more and more airlines are installing the newest and fastest technology to provide a better experience for passengers — and in many of the most recent cases of airlines offering high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi, one name has come up a lot: ViaSat....

Southwest issued what it is calling an “Operational Emergency” this week after having more than double the normal number of aircraft in its available fleet out for maintenance. A memo obtained by The Chicago Business Journal was issued by Lonnie Warren, Southwest’s senior director of tech ops production, and had some stern words for the airline mechanics.In the memo, Warren declared what he called “a state of operational emergency”. The memo went on to say that Southwest has “been experiencing an unusually high number of out-of-service aircraft over the last few days....

During the COVID-19 crisis, our team has temporarily ceased taking review trips. However, we are still publishing reviews from trips taken just before the lockdown, and articles — like this one — based on review flights we’ve taken before the pandemic. Please note that if you fly during the coronavirus pandemic, you will encounter a very different experience, both on the ground and on board, from what was experienced during the review flights that formed the basis for this story....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Get CLEAR for a discounted rate of $149 for 12 months using code TPG149 or get a 2 month free trial of CLEAR using code TPG2MCLEAR is one of the best ways to ensure you never wait in line when going through airport security. But, your membership can be used at other venues as well. CLEAR has a presence at several sporting venues, and it has plans to continue growing....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.‘Tis the season to be grateful, and the TPG staff members (especially TPG himself) definitely are. Beyond family, friends and of course turkey, here’s a roundup of all the things in the travel industry the TPG team is thankful for this Thanksgiving. Feel free to share yours with us in the comments section at the bottom.Global Entry Grace Period"I’m thankful for the 6-month automatic Global Entry extension you get when you apply for renewal before your current membership expires, because otherwise I would have lost my Global Entry a month ago while I wait for them to process my renewal....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Official Application Link: The Platinum Card from American Express (60,000-point bonus offer)Last week, the Platinum Card from American Express made its debut. Effective immediately, cardholders could sync their Uber accounts to take advantage of the $200 annual credit, and began earning 5x points on hotel reservations made through amextravel.com. Plus, new cardholders could apply for an increased 60,000-point bonus offer after spending $5,000 in the first three months....

For those who like to travel to Japan, you’ll most likely find yourself flying either All Nippon Airways (ANA) or Japan Airlines (JAL). If you like to keep your onboard beverage authentic, you’ll most likely be drinking sake.Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage derived from fermented rice that can be served warm or cold (or on two chopsticks over a Natty light, if you’re a college student) and is considered a menu staple for both airlines....

It’s a universal affliction for travelers: the dreaded flight delay. They might make you want to scream, throw things, maybe punch a wall or two, craft some angry tweets – we’ve all been there. However, most of us manage to keep it together in such situations. And then, there is the woman at the JetBlue desk at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), who, when faced with a delay, had a meltdown of epic proportions....

Freestanding bathtubs and marble surfaces certainly glam up hotel guest rooms, but for most down-to-earth travelers, such perks aren’t necessities. Given how little time is usually devoted to holing up in these spaces, it only makes sense that over the last decade the no-frills micro-hotel is on the rise — particularly in Asia and real estate-cramped New York City. Tiny rooms stripped down to the coffeemaker- and refrigerator-free essentials translate to gentler rates — leaving more cash for, say, cultural and culinary excursions....

Talking Points is in the C-Suite this week.Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, welcomed the Chief Marketing Officer at American Express, Elizabeth Rutledge, on the podcast to chat about the the changes she’s both seen and led in her 25-plus years with the company. She explains her role in leading Amex’s charge card portfolio — you can thank her for your beloved Platinum and Gold card, the message behind American Express’s brand platform — “Powerful Backing” — and the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion: “You need to have diverse perspectives around the table in order to make great work and in order to drive growth,” she said....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Frontier Airlines is having a one day sale today with flights starting at $19 for many of their routes, including flights from Atlanta, GA; Chicago-O’Hare; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Houston-Bush; Miami, FL; New York (LGA); Philadelphia; Phoenix, AZ; San Francisco; Trenton, NJ; and Washington-Dulles for dates this February.Frontier is offering a one-day sale with $19 fares....

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 that 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.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.Delta SkyClubs are among the best domestic airline lounges in my opinion. With free wifi, booze and decent snacks, it’s a great way to escape the crowded terminal and kill time before your flight.Luckily, I get access as a Delta Diamond and as an Amex Platinum cardholder, but if i didn’t I’d want to have some day passes - especially for when flights are delayed and I want to avoid long re-booking lines (the lounges have dedicated reservations agents who can help you out immensely when you are in a jam)....

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.An American Airlines flight departing from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) on Wednesday, January 31, experienced a disturbance onboard as the plane began its descent into Charlotte, NC. A passenger onboard, who was seated in the rear of the plane, reportedly charged towards the cockpit from her seat and attacked three airline crew members during the flight after being restrained....