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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, 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 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....

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.Airlines flying some of the oldest Airbus A380s would have to inspect those aircraft’s wings for cracks, according to a proposed airworthiness directive released last week by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).Some such cracks have already been reported by airlines, and they could cause structural issues if not addressed, according to EASA....

Passengers on Wednesday’s Delta Flight 2353 between Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale shared “sort of an instant panic” between 4:34 p.m. and 4:42 p.m., when the aircraft made an unexpected rapid descent from 39,000 feet to 9,975 feet in under eight minutes, according to data from flight-tracking site Flightaware. No injuries were reported, and the plane diverted safely to an alternate airport, Tampa.“Out of nowhere, I had four oxygen masks drop down into my lap… from the top of the plane,” 21-year-old passenger Harris DeWoskin told reporters....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here: The Platinum Card® from American ExpressQatar Airways is currently operating certain British Airways flights, as the UK carrier is in the midst of yet another strike by its mixed fleet crew. As I mentioned in my previous post, the BA flights that are being operated by Qatar Airways are unique for a number of reasons. For starters, Qatar has only ever flown to London to operate flights back to Doha (DOH) and the airline would never operate for another airline, especially not BA, as this would require both an extraordinary circumstance and approval from the country’s government....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.An El Al business-class product that you’ll actually want to fly — yes, that now exists. The Israeli flagship carrier, which has been known until now for its subpar premium cabin options, now has an aircraft in its fleet that gives it a fair shot at competing in the popular US-Israel market. That aircraft is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner....

As the world continues to react to the coronavirus pandemic, hotel programs are announcing more updates to how members earn elite status, status extensions and more.Earlier this year, Hilton became the first of the major hotel loyalty programs to announce elite status extensions for all elite members. Now, the chain is back with even more news for its most loyal members. Here’s what you need to know.For the latest travel updates, sign up for our daily newsletter!...

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.For those of you in the Northeast getting ready to hit the road this Fourth of July, beware: The forecast is calling for a major heat wave throughout the region starting on Friday, which in addition to needing an extra bag of ice for the cooler, means your travel plans could be thwarted faster than a sparkler can burn out....

After months of delays, the new Istanbul Airport (IST) is now open. Fresh from launching TPG UK’s site, my next assignment was to experience the airport as a normal passenger. I had used the cramped Atatürk airport several times previously and had always been forced to use a bus gate, which made quick transfers impossible. So I was interested to see how the new terminal would compare.In short, provided you love walking and can live without working Wi-Fi, it is spectacular....

Lufthansa used to operate nonstop flights from Frankfurt to Pune, India, until June – with a Boeing 737 operated by Swiss-based luxury charter operator Privatair and configured with lie-flat business class seats. Then it suspended the service after ending its agreement with Privatair. Now it’s bringing it back, but with a twist: No more lie-flat biz class. In its place, it’s operating one of its own Airbus A319s, with the same seating it uses on European routes – but on a long-haul service to India....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here - Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express, Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American ExpressNew perks are coming to the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex cards later this month, but this morning TPG Intern Kevin Song received another SPG surprise, courtesy of Apple Pay.Two months ago, American Express announced a slew of new benefits for the Starwood Preferred Guest Card, including a much-desired foreign transaction fee waiver, as well as complimentary Boingo Wi-Fi access and premium in-room internet access....

In an effort to ensure it can continue to operate flights in the United Kingdom post-Brexit, Ryanair has created a new airline, Ryanair UK. The ultra-low-cost carrier’s new arm has received its air operating certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK to ensure that the airline can continue to operate flights within the UK and to destinations in the European Union in a post-Brexit world.Ryanair made it clear early on in the process that it had concerns about what would happen to the aviation industry if a “no deal Brexit” were to happen....

It feels like only yesterday we were launching TPGtv, our video series spotlighting the world’s most spectacular destinations and highlighting how you can maximize points and miles to book your own amazing travel adventures. Well, it’s been nearly six months — our very first video went live in February — and we’ve come a long way since then (8.4 million views and counting, to be exact).Today, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of the new TPGtv, which captures memorable moments from my recent, colorful trip to Japan....

As the Oneworld alliance marks its 20th anniversary, it’s announced a slew of improvements to the passenger experience, highlighted by soon-to-be-opened Oneworld-branded lounges.At a press conference in London on Friday with executives from 13 of the member airlines in attendance, including Oneworld Connect member Fiji Airways, the alliance unveiled that it plans to open the first Oneworld airport lounge at some point in 2019.“We’ve got a shortlist of airports around the world and in the middle of this year we will be announcing the first Oneworld lounge,” said Oneworld CEO Rob Gurney....

Aircraft are designed to fly. When they’re going to spend more than 15 hours in the air, they need to perform as efficiently as possible. From getting the most power out of the engines to maximizing the lift from the wings, the main part of the design process is focused on the airborne aspect. However, it’s no good creating the perfect flying machine if you can’t get it to and from the terminal building....

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 may have missed this week:American’s partnership with American Express could save you a significant amount of money....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.I recently shared my current credit card inventory, going over which cards still earn a place in my wallet and which I’ve decided to cancel. Getting rid of a few has made room for some new options, and I’ve already signed up for four new cards — with at least one more on my list for later this year — to up my earning potential in 2016....

Former presidents! They’re just like us.These days, former President Barack Obama is “just” another resident of Washington, D.C. — at least when he isn’t on the road for either work or leisure. But when he is traveling, the career politician has a decided preference for a surprisingly modest hotel chain: the humble Hampton Inn, according to The Washington Post.Obama’s logic may be as eye-raising as the Hilton-owned brand, but it also makes sense....

It may have come a few days later than expected, but there is now a brand new way to win free Marriott Rewards points and four-night hotel stays at the various types of Marriott and SPG properties thanks to the company’s 29 Ways to Stay sweepstakes.You can play the new 29 Ways to Stay game once per day until Nov. 8. Remember that this is once per day per account, so you can do this for each member of your family with a Marriott Rewards account who is 18 or older....