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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:First Impressions of the TWA Hotel — Spectacular, But Needs WorkDespite a few hiccups, the aesthetics are all there.Planes, Trains and a Bus: We Raced From NYC to DC to Find Which Was FastestSpoiler alert: the Megabus didn’t win.American, Delta, Hawaiian and United Get Tentative Approval to Serve Tokyo-Haneda Next YearRead TPG Senior Points and Miles Writer Darren Murph’s breakdown, which explains why this could be a big deal....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Citi is a TPG advertising partnerPart of what makes transferable currencies so valuable is their flexibility — your points aren’t trapped in just one program. Even better, sometimes airlines and hotels partner with transferable point programs to offer a transfer bonus.We just learned about a new transfer bonus that’s appealing for those looking to top off their Hilton Honors account....

What if you could get off a cruise in Miami and take a comfortable high-speed train all the way to inside the gates of the Walt Disney World complex in Orlando? According to Sir Richard Branson, this is not a dream, but the plan. Thursday in Miami, Branson helped reveal the newly renamed Virgin MiamiCentral station, displaying the Virgin Trains USA branding for the very first time.In 2018, Virgin Trains invested in the Brightline train service that already operates Miami - Ft....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Don’t look now, but getting to French Polynesia via points just got a little easier. Fa’a’ā International Airport (PPT), the main gateway into the 100+ islands that make up French Polynesia, has historically been a real bear to access via points. With limited flights on only a handful of carriers, it took some serious hoop-jumping (and a bit of luck) to score low-level availability....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.It’s day four of TPG Intern Kevin Song‘s week-long Admirals Club tour, with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard, and he’s visiting one of his favorite cities in the United States and where he went to high school, Boston.Boston Logan International Airport is on the smaller side compared to other major international airports. Conveniently situated across Boston Harbor, it’s just minutes away from downtown....

Our Spring Break trip to the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cancun couldn’t have been a better fit for our family. From the big two-story suite we scored, to the awesome pools and beaches, to the pretty good included food and drinks, it was basically a resort paradise that costs nothing out of pocket when you book using Hyatt points or Hyatt credit card sign-up bonus nights. You can check out all those details and more at the links below....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.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, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to travel....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.When it comes to earning travel rewards, many points and miles enthusiasts pay great attention to credit cards, and little or none at all to other methods. However, focusing on just one strategy can keep you from maximizing your earnings. So today, TPG Contributor Jason Steele discusses banking relationships that can help you boost your loyalty account balances, avoid fees, and more,Travel rewards have become one of the foundations of the credit card industry....

I don’t like deciding between two destinations as I think if you have narrowed the whole wide world down to two spots, odds are they are probably both worth visiting at some point. However, since I don’t think anyone has yet figured out how to visit two places at the same time, I totally get that ultimately you still have to pick one…or at least just one at a time.Along those lines, two resorts that many Mommy Points readers often decide between are the Hyatt Hill Country Resort and the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort....

This post was updated with a statement from Delta Air Lines.Talk about an emotional rollercoaster.There are multiple reports into The Points Guy from readers and from social media of members of Delta SkyMiles loyalty program being “accidentally” awarded Delta’s highest tier status Delta Diamond Medallion, and then having it taken away.Some people who didn’t earn any status at all appear to be walking away with a pretty generous “I’m sorry” gift from Delta: entry-level Silver Medallion status....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.If you want to fly to Asia on miles, now is the time. Delta is back with another sale on award flights, this time on flights to multiple Asian destinations.You can fly for as few as 50,000 SkyMiles round-trip from the US to China, Hong Kong or Japan. You’ll have to book by March 20 with outbound flights available from March 13 through May 24, 2018 (the return flight can depart after May 24)....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.For today’s Destination of the Week, TPG contributor Melanie Wynne takes us to the Caribbean to a multicultural island boasting wide sandy beaches and tropical rainforests. It is time to take your high school Spanish out for a spin as you explore the city’s powerful Colonial past and the breezy, colorful and elegant cultural scene it offers today....

If you’ve always fantasized about driving a 27-foot-long hotdog on wheels, Oscar Mayer has a dream job for you.The purveyor of meats is accepting applications for the role of official “Hotdogger.” According to the company’s website, this person will be responsible for driving the iconic Wienermobile across the country, and will serve as a goodwill ambassador (making television and radio appearances; going on grocery store and military visits; appearing at charity functions)....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.From time to time, loyalty programs and credit card issuers sponsor major events around the world — and, more often than not, members are invited to attend, either for free or a (typically) reasonable fee. For example, last year I had a blast at Vegas Uncork’d and I almost scored free PGA Tour tickets from United. TPG’s had a blast at the Cayman Cookout, a Ritz-Carlton production, and I’ve been dying to go myself....

Air Canada has been plagued with major booking system issues in recent weeks following a recent software update. Aeroplan, the operator that handles Air Canada’s bookings, has been both unbookable and unresponsive for many frustrated travelers.In fact, TPG staffers recently conducted an experiment to see how quickly each person could reach a live operator or if it was even possible. Out of 11 callers, only one staff member got a human on the other line — by calling the French-language call center — and was promptly placed on hold for more than half an hour before giving up....

Multiple sources are reporting that Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is on the verge of severing ties with American Airlines to join Star Alliance and add United Airlines as a partner airline. Etihad and American’s current partnership includes the ability to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles between airlines regardless of which airline frequent flyer program the traveler is a member of.As of Sunday morning, TPG contributor Max Prosperi managed to find guest award availability on an Etihad Airways flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) on Tuesday, Feb....

TPG reader Stephanie tweeted me to ask:@thepointsguy– “I know you’ve been to Cuba a few times in the last few months and was wondering if you felt safe while there? I really want to go but safety is my biggest concern.“I just got back from my second trip to Cuba in 2015, and while it’s a complex country, I loved it there. I find it rather annoying that I still can’t use my credit cards, but there are ways around that (more info on how to do this in related posts below)....

[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score=“79” ground-experience=“7” cabin-seat=“19” amens-ife=“11” food-bev=“22” service=“20” pros=“Delicious food, (mostly) warm and friendly service” cons=“Somewhat dated hard product, sluggish Wi-Fi” /]Garuda Indonesia has a rich history. During its peak in the 1980s and early 1990s, the airline launched Indonesia onto the global stage, connecting its Jakarta hub to a network cities all of the world, in addition to an expansive intra-Asian network.Years of subsequent financial hardships and political turmoil in the late ’90s and early 2000s forced the airline to drastically reduce its service and stabilize its operation....

[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score=“72” ground-experience=“16” cabin-seat=“18” amens-ife=“8” food-bev=“16” service=“14” pros=“A great lounge experience at LHR, extremely friendly service and uniquely Kiwi themes.” cons=“No Wi-Fi, poor boarding experience and less-than-ideal seating configuration.” /]To the average traveler thinking of nonstop routes between the U.K. and the U.S., Air New Zealand isn’t the first carrier that comes to mind. But the flag carrier of New Zealand operates a fifth-freedom route from London Heathrow to Auckland, New Zealand, via Los Angeles (LAX)....

Hanalei Bay on the Hawaiian island of Kauai was closed to swimmers for 24 hours following an alleged tiger shark attack Monday.According to the Kauai Fire Department, an unnamed off-duty firefighter was surfing in an area of the Hanalei Bay called “the bowl” when he was bitten by a tiger shark estimated to be about 13 feet long. The man sustained multiple deep lacerations to his leg and was transported to the hospital where he is recovering, according to the fire department....