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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Many of you know that I’m the proud parent of a sweet, styling, jet-setting little Blue French Bulldog named Miles. He travels with me whenever it’s feasible, and I love having him along. TPG Contributor Nick Ewen is also a dog owner, and like me, he’s encountered some inhospitable policies from hotels that advertise themselves as pet-friendly. Today he targets those hotels in his series The Weekly Wish, and explains how they could do better....

Almost five pounds of the deadly opioid fentanyl was discovered by Transportation Security Administration agents in checked bags that were flying into Nashville’s Airport (BNA) this week.TSA found a large package in the checked luggage of passenger Reem Ibrahim. The security officers believed it was marijuana, and they also found two kilogram-sized bundles wrapped in plastic. TSA alerted the Drug Enforcement Administration, who warned law enforcement on the ground in Nashville about the suspicious suitcases....

In previous years, United Airlines has offered to extend expiring Global Premier Upgrades (GPUs) for members who requalified for status — a quick call to the MileagePlus Service Center would get you a three-month extension on up to two GPUs, making them valid through April 30 rather than Jan. 31.With this year’s switch to PlusPoints, however, the carrier warned that an extension most likely wouldn’t be available. I just gave MileagePlus a call and had no trouble extending the deadline for 80 PlusPoints, however — equivalent to two expiring GPUs!...

In its earnings announcement Tuesday evening, United Airlines said that it was ordering 19 used Boeing 737-700s — expanding its -700 fleet by almost 50%. It’s the smallest 737 model operated by the airline, at 126 seats versus 166 for the 737-800 model and 179 for the 737-900 and MAX9.But, the airline made clear, the order has nothing to do with its grounded 737 MAXs.A United spokesman said that the planes are the latest result of the company’s continued opportunistic purchases of used aircraft, consistent with the airline’s strategy over the past 18 months....

Imagine returning home after a long flight and realizing you’ve accidentally left behind your engagement ring. One San Francisco woman is thanking two United Airlines employees who went the extra mile to return some precious jewelry.According to View from the Wing, Brit Morin misplaced her wedding and engagement rings while traveling on United flight 1908 from Newark (EWR) to Jackson Hole, Wyoming last week. Luckily, the ring was found by a United gate agent and given to a pilot headed to San Francisco....

The TPG teams (myself included) fly frequently across the Atlantic, and therefore often find ourselves feeling dazed and confused from the effects of jet lag. It affects us all in different ways, and many TPG frequent travelers have their own tips and tricks about how to best survive a time change.For many, flying a day flight from the U.S. to Europe is the best way to combat the effects of jet lag....

While I’m no fan of “gate lice” — a frequent-flyer term for people who crowd the boarding area when a flight starts boarding — I do enjoy boarding the plane as early as I can. Throughout my years of traveling, I’ve found this makes flying much less stressful and gives me the smoothest travel experience.On the other hand, my coworker — TPG writer Zach Griff — recently published an article on why he always boards the plane last, regardless of where he’s sitting on the aircraft....

View this post on Instagram Our flexible change policy has been extended to cover all customers due to travel until 10 January 2021. To find out more about exchanging your booking for a voucher and changing your travel plans due to the ongoing #COVID19 uncertainty, visit ba.com/confidence A post shared by British Airways (@british_airways) on Oct 21, 2020 at 12:45pm PDT View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram...

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.In his travel photo essays, TPG Contributor (and professional photographer) Patrick T. Fallon includes tips on exploring destinations, redeeming miles, gaining elite status and improving your own photography while traveling. Between TPG posts, follow his photo work and travels on Instagram. (All photos by the author.)With the need to earn a few more Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) to maintain my American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum status, I decided to take a run from Los Angeles to Barcelona via Miami — adding 14,078 EQMs round-trip — for a very welcome week of visiting friends and relaxing in Catalonia....

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.This week, Air Caraïbes took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900. The French leisure airline also has two more of these planes on order, in addition to three Airbus A350-1000’s, which will make it easier for the carrier to expand both the number of routes and frequency between Paris and the Caribbean....

Airbus has landed a helicopter on top of the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere and outside of Asia, the 22,841-foot Aconcagua in Argentina. The feat is significant because this is the first time a twin-engine helicopter has landed at this altitude, Airbus Helicopters said in a statement on Wednesday.However, this is not the highest-ever landing for a helicopter. That record belongs to Frenchman Didier Delsalle, who landed a single-engined Aerospatiale AS350 chopper, now known as the Airbus H125, on the top of Mt....

This week, the Department of Transportation quietly rolled out a rule requiring airlines to report in every month on how many wheelchairs and motorized scooters they break, lose or damage each month, ending a yearlong standoff between disability advocates and the federal government.“This empowers the consumer,” US Sen. Tammy Duckworth said in a telephone interview. “The airlines do break wheelchairs on a regular basis, and unlike losing your luggage — you can go out and buy new luggage — my wheels are my legs....

At TPG, we can’t talk about the future of traveling again without at least mentioning the future of airline elite status.We’re not only looking forward to planning our next trip but also to making the most of our frequent flyer benefits once again. Those elite perks are now on hold, but recent announcements have made some loyalty geeks (this one included) even more excited to get back to the skies.Stay up-to-date on the outbreak by visiting our hub page for coronavirus coverage and signing up for our daily newsletter....

Increasingly popular with Americans, the gorgeous Southeast Asian country of Indonesia (which includes The Points Guy’s beloved island of Bali) has long required most visitors to obtain entry visas upon arrival. However, on June 9, 2015, Indonesian President Joko Widodo decreed that the citizens of 30 countries — including the United States — can now obtain free-of-charge visas on arrival in Indonesia that will be valid for a 30-day stay in the country....

A US Customs and Border Protection K9 agent sniffed out something suspicious at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) on Monday.Hardy the beagle, a CPB Agriculture Detector on the agency’s “Beagle Brigade,” found a whole roasted pig in an Ecuadoran passenger’s checked luggage at ATL. When authorities opened up the bag, they found the head of the roasted pig inside, wrapped up in tin foil, CBP said in a statement.The cooked pig, which weighed about two pounds, was destroyed by CBP agents after it was discovered....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers hereThis week TPG reader Carli tweeted:"@thepointsguy is there any way to transfer chase freedom points to Marriott Rewards without having a chase premium card?“Unfortunately the answer to Carli’s question is no. In order to transfer points earned from the Chase Freedom (No longer open to new applicants), you need to also have a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Bold or Ink Plus....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Norwegian Air has announced a 72-hour flash sale from select US cities to Scandinavia.One-way tickets start at just $95, and flights can be booked through the first week of June. That’s good news because although Scandinavia is beautiful in winter – and some TPG staffers love visiting during this time – the colder months can be quite chilly in some of these destinations....

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.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.We spend a lot of time dissecting and analyzing travel rewards credit cards here at TPG. The points and miles you earn on these cards can open up a variety of redemptions like first-class flights and luxurious hotel rooms. However, there are a number of misconceptions out there when it comes to credit cards, so today I’ll continue our new series that debunks these myths and allows you to begin planning for your next vacation....