When To Use Hotel Credit Cards Vs Chase Sapphire On Large Purchases

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Associate Editor Brendan Dorsey.The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are among the best credit cards in the travel game. But TPG reader Justin wants to know which card to reach for when he’s making large purchases…[pullquote source=“TPG Reader Justin”]A lot of us have both the Chase Sapphire and some hotel cards (for me, Ritz-Carlton credit card)....

May 3, 2022 · 4 min · 760 words · Junita Fleming

Why Cape Town South Africa Is My New Favorite Destination

For today’s first Sunday Reader Question, I thought I’d answer a question that I get all the time, which is: What is your favorite destination?Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a lot of them. I’m a huge fan of Madrid, and I’ve been to all sorts of other exotic, fascinating destinations like the Seychelles, Cambodia and more.But I have to say that my all-time favorite trip was the one I took this past January to South Africa....

May 3, 2022 · 3 min · 486 words · Albert Burnette

Why I Bike To My Flights From Washington National Airport

View this post on Instagram BWI Trail cycle. #BWI #airport #trail #southwest #cycling #bikedc #instacycling A post shared by Ned Russell (@airbus777) on Jul 5, 2016 at 8:28am PDT View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram BWI Trail cycle. #BWI #airport #trail #southwest #cycling #bikedc #instacycling A post shared by Ned Russell (@airbus777) on Jul 5, 2016 at 8:28am PDT View this post on Instagram Bike is by far the way to get to Washington National Airport (if you don’t have a lot of bags, or kids in tow) - just 20 minutes from downtown DC!...

May 3, 2022 · 1 min · 195 words · Thomas Gilliam

You Can Now Smoke Weed At Vancouver Airport

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.Look out Los Angeles, Vancouver is coming for you for the title of “dankest airport.” On Wednesday, Canada became the world’s second country to legalize recreational marijuana, and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has decided to join in on the action....

May 3, 2022 · 2 min · 308 words · Randolph Zayas

American Airlines Retrofits Its 100Th Widebody Aircraft With Premium Economy

While international airlines have offered premium economy service for years, American Airlines was the first US-based airline to introduce a true Premium Economy product in May 2017. Now, the world’s largest airline has surpassed 100 internationally configured aircraft with a Premium Economy cabin.Aircraft TypeRetrofit (Delivered)In processLeft to retrofitA330-20015—-B787-920—-B777-200452–B777-300ER20—-B787-81–19Total101219The final two Boeing 777-200 left to be retrofit (aircraft registrations N759AN and N795AN) entered the shop at the end of November. With these out of service, all 777-200s operating going forward will have the following configuration:37 Business (1-2-1 arrangement)24 Premium Economy (2-4-2)66 Main Cabin Extra (3-4-3)146 Economy (3-4-3)Coincidentally, the last AA 777 entered the shop on the same day that United finally unveiled the details of its “Premium Plus” premium economy service, which is set to launch at the end of March 2019....

May 2, 2022 · 2 min · 391 words · Shawn Lafave

Construction Is Underway At Jfk S Twa Terminal Hotel Site

Here at TPG, we’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of JFK’s new TWA Flight Center Hotel — announced just last year, the site has sat mostly idle until now. Work has officially begun on the new hotel in partnership with JetBlue, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and MCR Development.The Eero Saarinen-designed terminal will undergo a conversion into a hotel with more than 500 rooms, while respecting Saarinen’s original design of course....

May 2, 2022 · 2 min · 215 words · Eduardo Alan

Deal Alert Nonstop Flights To Paris From 256 Round Trip

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....

May 2, 2022 · 3 min · 635 words · Rosemary Dial

Earn 100K Points With The Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Since early February, both the personal and business versions of the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card have been offering elevated sign-up bonuses of 80,000 points, but the business card now has an even higher offer. Currently, you can earn a whopping 100,000 Marriott Rewards points when you sign up for the Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card and spend $5,000 in the first three months....

May 2, 2022 · 4 min · 767 words · Ervin Perry

First Glimpse Of Air France S New Airbus A350

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.Air France’s brand new A350 has been spotted on Twitter, fresh out of Airbus’s paint shop in Toulouse, France.The plane boasts a simple update to the airline’s classic livery, which passengers can expect to see on the runway in Toronto as soon as November, operating daily nonstop flights to Paris....

May 2, 2022 · 2 min · 244 words · Jamie Panetta

From Hgtv To Hospitality Chip And Joanna Gaines Are Opening A Hotel

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.Home renovation celebs Chip and Joanna Gaines are pretty much the Jay-Z and Beyoncé of the television home improvement world. And now, loyal viewers of the couple’s hit show “Fixer Upper” have a new shot at being a part of the Gaines Empire....

May 2, 2022 · 3 min · 433 words · Harry Vann

How The Next Generation Acela Trains Are Coming Together In Upstate New York

There’s a new Acela coming to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, and it will make the running time between New York and Washington, DC about 15 minutes faster. Beginning in 2021, passengers between Boston and Washington will ride on Next-Generation Acela, the train that will slowly start to replace the original Acela two years from now. The Next-Gens are faster — going up to speeds of about 160 mph — will offer new amenities and dining options, and use 20% less energy than the current model....

May 2, 2022 · 5 min · 871 words · Jean Mcelroy

How To Cope With Losing Elite Status

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here: Delta Reserve for Business Credit CardToday is one of the most significant days of the year for frequent travelers, a day both feared and revered- a judgement day of sorts. March 1 of every year marks the resetting of the elite ranks, dropping those who failed to meet the requirements in the previous calendar year. So for example, if you had Platinum status on American last year but only flew 30,000 miles in 2010- you’d fall to Gold status today....

May 2, 2022 · 4 min · 813 words · Gladys Winston

Marriott Strike Has Ended In All Cities Except For One

Marriott workers in Hawaii have finally put down their picket signs. The 2,700 Marriott workers in the UNITE HERE Local 5 union had been on strike since Oct. 8, and an agreement was finally reached with the hotel company on Nov. 27. The contract, which will give the Local 5 union better pay and protections (especially for female employees) was approved with 99.6 percent in favor. The strike involved five hotels in various parts of Hawaii and affected countless travelers....

May 2, 2022 · 2 min · 359 words · Elizabeth Edwards

Miami International Airport May Soon Get A 5 Billion Makeover

Miami International Airport officials are prepared to spend up to $5 billion on a swanky makeover, according to airport leaders who will reveal extensive renovation and expansion plans later this week. The projected updates will take between 5-15 years to complete in full, with a projected final completion date in 2035.The biggest projected changes include eliminating one concourse, updating certain gates to accommodate wider-body aircraft and adding two hotels, which will be directly connected to Miami Airport (MIA) itself via the MIA Mover train system as well as the terminals....

May 2, 2022 · 3 min · 584 words · Reed Bowes

Royal Caribbean S New Quantum Ultra Class Cruise Ship Sets Sail Next Fall

Royal Caribbean’s first Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship, the Odyssey of the Seas, will set sail next fall. Starting in November 2020, the Odyssey of the Seas will operate four- to eight-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, with ports of call throughout the Caribbean. The ship will be the cruise line’s 27th ship overall and the first Quantum Ultra-class ship in North America.“As part of the Quantum Ultra Class, Odyssey of the Seas will represent the next evolution of Royal Caribbean’s groundbreaking and high-tech Quantum Class,” the cruise line noted in a press release....

May 2, 2022 · 3 min · 540 words · Jacqueline Mcdermott

Sheep S Brain For Honored Guests And Other Experiences You Ll Find In Kazakhstan

The Points & Miles Backpacker is a weekly column appearing every Monday. TPG Contributor Brian Biros, who has backpacked the globe for the past 15 years, discusses how to fund this adventurous, budgeted and increasingly popular form of travel with points and miles. He’ll also explore all things backpacking-related. Read his story here and high-level approach here. On the first Monday of every month, he explores an off the beaten path location....

May 2, 2022 · 7 min · 1374 words · Jose Leonard

Summer Business Class Sale To Europe

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Business class airfare to Europe are generally outrageously priced, so I rarely even search for them - for me it’s either paid coach (and hopefully upgraded) or business/first class redemptions using my miles and points. However, summer (as well as Thanksgiving) is usually a good time to buy business class seats since there are fewer business travelers and a lot more economy class leisure travelers....

May 2, 2022 · 5 min · 1043 words · Deanna Frisch

11 Ways To Save Money When Booking Flights With Cash

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Whether you’re working toward a revenue requirement for elite airline status or you can’t find award availability for your travel dates, sometimes you have to pay for a ticket with cash rather than miles or points. As TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Jason Steele explains, there are several ways to keep costs down when you’re booking paid airfare — read on for the details....

May 1, 2022 · 8 min · 1523 words · Clifford Dao

A Planned Catering Strike Could Leave Passengers Flying Through Heathrow With An Empty Stomach

Passengers flying through London’s Heathrow airport (LHR) at the end of May might want to pack a few snacks for their next flight should a planned strike by the Unite union move forward.Drivers for Alpha LSG, an airport catering company, are set to go on strike at midnight on May 22 through May 26, which is a busy holiday travel weekend in the UK. The strike would “disrupt the supply of food, drink and duty free products for 29 international airlines,” including Qatar Airways, Qantas, American Airlines, Etihad and Singapore Airlines, according to the Independent....

May 1, 2022 · 2 min · 252 words · Thomas Hodges

Beijing Might Ban Uncivilized Tourists From Entering Its Parks

Travelers visiting Beijing should always remember that Big Brother is watching.According to CNN, the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks is considering creating a blacklist to ban “uncivilized visitors” using facial recognition software.The proposal was triggered by a torrent of domestic tourists visiting for the three-day Tomb Sweeping Festival (or Qingming Festival) which has led to an uptick in unruly behavior. A report by Chinese state media says that tourists have been seen climbing trees, picking flowers and damaging plants, as well as fishing in park lakes....

May 1, 2022 · 2 min · 339 words · Janet Stade