Posts

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Giveaways, freebies, contests, bonuses, drawings; all of these incentives continue to hold great power in attracting attention to a brand. However, there’s one thing that continues to perplex me in 2018: How do some of these promotions actually make it to customers before anyone at the company puts a hand up and says, “This is probably a bad idea” or “Do you understand just how popular this is going to be?...

Whether it’s your first time flying in international first class or your fifth, the experience is sure to be luxurious, with fancy food options, incredible seating and over-the-top service meant to make it a memorable flight. On the heels of last week’s post about your favorite international business-class products, we asked our TPG Lounge readers to share what they felt was the best international first class product. Here’s what they had to say....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Yesterday was a rough day for flights headed through the Midwest US. Winter storm “Caly” dumped more than six inches of snow in at least eight states, grounding flights across the region. FlightAware’s cancellation statistics tallied 1,842 canceled flights in the US on Sunday, mostly due to the winter storm.Chicago was hardest hit, with a combined 1,407 canceled flights into or out of O’Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW) — accounting for nearly half of all scheduled flights....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Just a reminder that the limited time offers for the American Express Delta cards are ending tomorrow; if you’ve been thinking of signing up, now is the time. The current bonus is 50,000 Delta SkyMiles after spending $1,000 in the first three months on the Gold Delta SkyMiles American Express, the Gold Delta SkyMiles American Express Business Card and the Platinum Delta SkyMiles American Express (personal version only), which also offers 15,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs)....

US airlines are predicting a 5.2% raise in air passenger traffic during the peak Christmas and New Year’s travel days, a trade group said in its holiday air travel forecast Tuesday.Airlines for America said that US carriers will shuttle at least 2.5 million people each day during the peak holiday stretch, which spans the 18 days between Dec. 20 to Jan. 6. That adds up to a total of about 45....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Update 3/13/17 3:30pm: American has already canceled 1,900 flights on Monday and Tuesday, including all Tuesday flights to/from New York, all Tuesday flights after 8am to/from Philadelphia, and all Tuesday flights before 5pm to/from Boston.British Airways has canceled all Tuesday flights to/from New York and Philadelphia and Tuesday inbound flights to Boston.Southwest has canceled 1,300 flights between Monday and Wednesday....

The US government shutdown — which is already throwing a wrench in airport security lines as well as impacting the personal lives of employees — has claimed its first inaugural. Alaska Airlines had intended to begin flying from Paine Field – Snohomish County Airport (PAE) in Everett, Washington, on Feb. 11, 2019, and will now be pushing those first flights by almost a month.In a blog post, the airline notes that “several key groups within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which conduct crucial certification and oversight work required for the start of commercial air service at Paine Field, are subject to furloughs because of the government shutdown....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.On Tuesday, I talked about the Top 10 Current Travel Credit Cards that I covered in one of my Frequent Traveler University seminars last weekend in Tysons Corner. But I wanted to get my readers’ feedback on their top travel credit cards, so I decided to host a contest for readers who commented on the post with their top all-around favorite travel credit card and why for the chance to win 10,000 Ultimate Rewards points....

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.Last month, United unveiled its brand-new aircraft livery. While it could take up to seven years to repaint the entire fleet, at least one repainted aircraft — N37267, a Boeing 737-800 — is flying passengers around the US....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.In the time I’ve spent mastering the art of award travel, I’ve learned that there are many ways to get from A to B, but they’re far from equal. One airline or hotel might suit you where another won’t, and the same goes for rewards credit cards. Having a card that meets your particular needs is an important step toward traveling the way you want, so today TPG Contributor Nick Ewen walks us through some important questions to consider when preparing for your next application....

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 how award travel has affected their lives — the exotic vacations they’ve planned, the trips they’ve made to be with family and friends, the premium seats and suites they’ve experienced and so much more, all made possible by points and miles....

For more TPG news and deals delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter here: https://thepointsguy.com/mailing-list//Frontier has added 22 new routes to its service ahead of the busy holiday travel season, including its first flight from Newark (EWR).Frontier expanded to Newark (EWR) after Southwest announced that it would be leaving in August. Beyond the expansion, Frontier has also significantly increased its availability from Miami, Las Vegas and Phoenix....

Frontier Airlines is suspending its service from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, saying it will end its only route from the city on July 6, Seacoastonline reports. Frontier had just launched its Portsmouth-Orlando route in December.Frontier suggested the change was due to poor sales.“In this instance, demand did not materialize to support the service,” Frontier spokesman Zach Kramer said in a statement to Seacoastonline on Monday.Portsmouth International Airport (PSM) is also served by Allegiant Airlines, which offers a similar nonstop routes between PSM and Orlando Sanford (SFB)....

Japan Airlines has been in the news a lot this year, but not for reasons that would make its PR department proud. In October, a pilot was arrested at London Heathrow (LHR) for showing up to fly a Boeing 777 to Tokyo with a blood alcohol limit 10 times the UK legal limit. The pilot pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and was fired by JAL. This was one in a series of such events for JAL over the past year....

At least 22 aviation, marine, rail and highway accidents that resulted in a total 32 fatalities were not investigated during the government shutdown, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Monday. The shutdown could have also compromised perishable evidence in crashes that happened while the government was closed.NTSB investigators returned to work on Monday after the majority of the agency’s employees were furloughed in the US government shutdown. As its full workforce returned to the office, the NTSB released some of the dire consequences the closure of the government had on crash investigations during the 35-day shutdown....

The ongoing name dispute between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Orlando-Melbourne International Airport (MLB) came to a head on Tuesday.After a series of failed negotiations, meetings and attempts to settle the score that has been heating up since 2015, MCO airport officials are suing MLB over its name, claiming trademark infringement and false advertising in the US District Court, according to USA Today.MCO alleges that MLB’s use of “Orlando” is confusing and misleading to travelers....

Lake Michigan has never looked so sharp.Although spring has officially sprung, it’s been an undeniably frigid winter in the northern US. And in the aftermath of a record-breaking polar vortex (which also inspired its own array of unique photo opportunities), Lake Michigan is still showing the effects. Hence why, due to some rapid shifts in temperature, the water beneath the lake’s surface has been pushing against the solid surface to form a jagged shard-like “stacked pattern” along South Haven’s pier in Michigan....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Cruising is a travel trend that doesn’t appear to be slowing down — more travelers are hitting the waves than ever before. Fancy mega-ships, affordable rates, all-inclusive pricing and a set-it-and-forget-it travel itinerary make it all the more enticing to take on the open seas. But for first-timers, booking a cruise can get a bit choppy. TPG Contributor Julie Loffredi tells us what every cruiser should know … before pulling out that credit card....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.As it does from time to time, Emirates is currently offering a discount on award flights to/from the United States and other international destinations. As part of this current promo, you can score a 50% discount on economy saver awards from many of the carrier’s North American gateways, including New York, Boston, San Francisco and more.To take advantage, you need to book by September 9 and travel between October 1 and November 30, 2017....

Spanish officials are looking for the owner of a 29-year-old McDonnell Douglass MD-87, according to a public notice submitted to the Boletin Oficial del Estado (Gazette of Spain). The notice, which is requesting the help of the public to locate the abandoned aircraft’s owner, was submitted by the airport director at Spain’s largest airport. However, locating an owner is extremely unlikely, as reports indicate that the passenger jet has been sitting at Madrid-Barajas Airport for almost a decade....