Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.The Southwest Companion Pass has been a hot topic in the miles and points world in the last few weeks, both because the best time to earn it is as early in the year as possible, and also because of the impending change to what types of points will count towards the 110,000 points needed in a calendar year to earn the pass....
Want to row one of only seven remaining batela boats in the world?The next time you’re in Venice, set aside time to learn how to row a boat from serious professionals. Row Venice is a nonprofit organization created by a group of Venetian women focused on preserving the traditional art of rowing.They offer three different lessons: A classic Venetian Rowing Lesson, the Cichetto Row and an Evening Row in the Grand Canal....
One of the most powerful women in aviation joins Brian Kelly in conversation on this episode of Talking Points.As the International President of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson is the leader of the biggest flight attendant union. She has been a longtime advocate for flight attendants and equal rights in the workplace, since joining United Airlines in 1996. An outspoken voice in union negotiations and collective bargaining, her tenacity has turned her into a champion of the labor movement; she was called “the most powerful flight attendant in America” by the New York Times....
Just a few months after Marriott unveiled to the world that much of its guest data had been compromised in one of the worlds largest-ever data breaches, guests are now learning what specific information was taken by hackers. Marriott has said that the information of up to 383 million userswas stolen from the Starwood databases in a breach that lasted from 2014 through late 2018.Personal information like birth dates, addresses, loyalty program numbers and travel details were lifted from Starwood’s system, but most notably up to 19 million passport numbers were stolen — information that’s incredibly sensitive, and could lead to identity theft....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Did you put off your Thanksgiving grocery shopping to the last minute? There might not be too many turkeys left in the frozen section, but at least you can rack up multiple points per dollar you spend while picking up all the fixings. Here are a few great points-earning credit cards that will give you category spending bonuses on grocery shopping....
There are many lounges in Shanghai PVG Terminal 2, including four Priority Pass lounges. A quick flip through lounge photos and reviews led me to the No. 77 China Eastern Plaza Premium Lounge, which claimed to be the world’s first cobranded lounge when it opened in November 2015. Now it welcomes elite and business-class travelers from various airlines, travelers with Priority Pass memberships and travelers who are willing to pay for access....
Personal finance guru and New York Times bestselling author Nicole Lapin wants you to rethink everything you’ve been told about the topic.In this episode of “Talking Points” she shares her 12-step plan approach to managing your money, debt and leisure spending. Lapin and host Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, explain how experiences with credit card debt helped shape how they view their own finances and redefine what money means for them....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Offer expired March 9, 2014.Well, the big United devaluation finally went into effect earlier this week, and the next major one is Southwest’s Wanna Get Away redemption devaluation set to take place March 31, 2014, when you’ll need to redeem 70 points per $1 instead of the current 60 points per $1.So for this week’s Thursday Giveaway, I wanted to help one lucky reader top up his or her account with 10,000 Rapid Rewards points to help squeeze in a last redemption or two before devaluation day....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.In the final installment of our “By the Sea” summer destination series, TPG Contributor Drew Limsky takes us to the third-largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, the drop-dead gorgeous Ibiza.The Spanish island of Ibiza is drop-dead gorgeous. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.It’s hard to imagine a destination as synonymous with the summer global party scene as Ibiza, but beyond the thump-thump-thump and the light shows, you’ll find stunning white-sand beaches, the turquoise water of the Mediterranean Sea, delicious tapas (this is Spain, after all) and a quiet corner or two....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.One of the best travel credit cards currently on the market is the Barclaycard Arrival. Back in April, Barclaycard upped its sign-up bonus to 40,000 miles when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days, but my contacts at Barclaycard have confirmed that the minimum spending requirement is going to increase to $3,000 within 90 days very soon (exact date TBD), so if you’ve been thinking about applying for this card, now might be the best time to get in on the offer....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Chase Sapphire Preferred CardTPG Twitter follower Ben tweeted me @thepointsguy about the best credit card to use with my favorite car service in order to secure the most points possible:“What credit card should you use with Uber?“One of my favorite travel apps is Uber, because it allows you to page private cars and taxis directly from your smartphone without having to wait out on the street and try to hail a cab or call a town car....
“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.If you’re new to travel rewards, there’s a whole lot to learn in order to get the ball rolling. You have to understand how to earn and redeem transferable points, leverage partner award charts to get the best deal, and even find and book award space on the world’s best airlines. All of this strategy is made even more complicated by a deluge of new terminology that’s entirely unique to the world of award travel....
Two more of the world’s biggest cruise companies on Monday diverted vessels away from San Juan, Puerto Rico, as protesters continued to fill the streets of the city for a 10th straight day.MSC Cruises’ 4,140-passenger MSC Seaside spent a full day at sea instead of going ahead with an evening visit to San Juan before an extended call Tuesday at St. Maarten. The Miami-based ship is on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyage that began Saturday....
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.Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.I received an email today from US Airways offering 3,000 Preferred Qualifying Miles (elite-qualifying) for joining or renewing your club membership from now through Thursday, December 13, 2012....
TPG Contributor “Vic Vector” is an air traffic controller at a major ATC facility in the United States. In this installment of our “Insider Series,” he shares some behind-the-scenes facts about how being an ATC really works.If you’ve been following my ATC Insider Series for a while, hopefully by now you’re well versed in the world of air traffic control and the influence it has on the travel industry. If not, or if you’re curious to learn more about how it all works, here are five things that might surprise you about the job of an air traffic controller....
Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Abby, whose discounted fare came with unexpected costs:My fiancé and I were headed from San Francisco to Dallas for my grandma’s 80th birthday — a quick trip departing on a Saturday and coming home on Sunday. I’m a frequent traveler with both United Premier status and Companion Pass / A-list Preferred status on Southwest; however, all their flights on the SFO-DFW leg were too expensive, so I decided to go with American Airlines basic economy since I could still bring a carry-on and personal item....
Ireland’s flag carrier Aer Lingus is getting a new look. On Thursday, the airline unveiled a new, refreshed brand at a press event in Dublin. And, as one might expect, even with the updated livery, the airline’s iconic shamrock image remains a focal point with the new branding.At a press conference, Aer Lingus’ Chief Operating Office Mike Rutter detailed what went into the airline’s rebranding. While the testing led with the livery, its rebranding in general went all the way down to its app logo....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Each Saturday, we round up news stories that you may have missed from the week before, including several that already appeared on The Points Guy and some more that we haven’t covered yet. If you’re an avid TPG reader, scroll down for the new stuff. Here’s the top miles, points and travel news you might have missed this week....
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.Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.It’s finally time. The TWA Hotel has just opened for reservations. The much-anticipated AvGeek haven opened up bookings at noon ET Thursday.Reservations are available for when the hotel opens on May 15 and beyond, with base rooms starting at $239 per night, excluding taxes and fees, for the hotel’s opening night....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Aside from SPG’s Starpoints, which will soon be subjected to a 1:3 stock-style split, Chase’s Ultimate Rewards points are the most valuable transferrable currency — pegged at 2.1 cents apiece in TPG’s most recent valuations.As a reminder, Ultimate Rewards points are earned by default with the following cards:Chase Sapphire ReserveChase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Ink Business Preferred Credit CardAnd, if you have one of the cards above, you can also earn UR points via transfers from the following:Chase Freedom (No longer open to new applicants)Chase Freedom UnlimitedChase Ink Business Cash Credit CardThe information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy....
