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SkyTeam continues to improve the international travel experience for its passengers with the opening of its seventh branded lounge, this time in Istanbul Airport (IST). You’ll find SkyTeam’s other lounges in Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Sydney and Vancouver.Istanbul’s SkyTeam Lounge (Photo courtesy of SkyTeam.)Who has access to the lounge? All first and business class passengers traveling on, or connecting to/from a same-day international flight operated by a SkyTeam member airline, have access to the lounge....

Another once-iconic part of the air travel experience is set to fade into the history books.That will come Saturday, when Southwest Airlines does away with its ticket jackets. The story was first reported by USA Today.Ticket jackets were once a staple of air travel. The paper document holders harken back to an earlier age of flying, one that came before electronic tickets and flimsy boarding passes printed out from self-service kiosks....

We’re bringing you a Talking Points ‘Best Of’ this week. Today is all about hotels! Hear a quick breakdown of some favorite Talking Points episodes — from Hilton Honors, the World of Hyatt program, and everything you need to know about timeshares with Wyndham Destinations.You can find the full version of each of these episodes on our Talking Points page or wherever you get your podcasts.Apple PodcastsAcastSpotifyStitcherGoogle PodcastsOvercastTuneInPocketCastsFor more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter here: https://thepointsguy....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.To help you plan your future travels while we’re all stuck on the ground, we’re launching “Tuesday Travel Tips.” Check back for a new travel tip every week!Editor’s note: The team at The Points Guy loves to travel, but now is not the time for unnecessary trips. Health officials say the fastest way to return to normalcy is to stop coming in contact with others....

With concerns over its Boeing 737 MAX and a drought of orders coming into the Paris Air Show, until it landed a blockbuster order Tuesday, Boeing is certainly in need of some positive press. And it’s hoping to get that from its new Boeing 777X aircraft.The newest version of its popular Boeing 777 family is currently undergoing certification testing after rolling out of the assembly line on March 13, with little fanfare in the wake of the second 737 MAX crash....

Everyone loves getting something for free, and travel providers know that. One of the main ways that airlines and hotels try to keep frequent customers happy is through the power of the upgrade. This week, rumors started circulating that the world’s largest airline is considering limiting how its top customers can use their most-valuable upgrade voucher. Let’s get this out of the way first: American Airlines firmly denies that there are any changes in the works....

Our “Your Layover Guide” series feature airports and destinations around the world where you’re likely to be stuck between flights, offering tips on navigating and spending time in the airport, as well as some things to do if you find yourself with time to explore the nearby city. TPG Contributor Katie Hammel guides us through Zurich (also known as Kloten) Airport.Zurich Airport. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.Zurich Airport (ZRH) is Switzerland’s largest international airport and the main hub of SWISS Airlines....

With $40 e-visas now available to US citizens (as opposed to $160 for a visa that took three weeks previously) there has never been a better time to head to Brazil. And if that isn’t reason enough, here are five more reasons to make Brazil your next mileage run.1. All Three Major Alliances Are ThereNo matter with whom you’re trying to rack up miles, Brazil is a great choice, as oneworld member LATAM calls Brazil home and American Airlines flies to five cities in Brazil from Miami (MIA) alone, in addition its to service from Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX) and New York-JFK....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here: The Platinum Card® from American ExpressAmerican Express is informing customers of Membership Rewards-earning credit cards that a transfer partner is being discontinued in 2018. As of February 2, 2018, it will no longer be possible to transfer your Membership Rewards points to Plenti.I got a notice on my most recent monthly statement for my Platinum Card from American Express....

The 2019 iteration of the Paris Air Show started off relatively slow. Boeing finished the first day of the show with not a single new commercial order.Many expected a slow show for Boeing. As the manufacturer entered month three of the grounding of its 737 MAX aircraft following the crashes of two of its planes — with Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air — the company was expected to lay low. Sure, maybe an order here or there, but no New Midsize Airplane (NMA) launch....

Travelers have a range of tastes and opinions wider than the Grand Canyon, but there’s one topic where they agree almost universally: resort fees stink.In recent years, resort fees have only become worse. They have increased in amount, spread to properties that are decidedly not resorts, been renamed (“destination fees”), and are sometimes even charged per person instead of per room. Resort fees can cost more than the room rate itself, especially at some of the more budget hotels in Las Vegas....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.We often publish stories from readers that illustrate how points and miles can help you get where you want to go. However, it’s important to learn from our mistakes as well as our successes, so I’m calling on you to send us your most epic travel failure stories. Email them to info@thepointsguy.com and put “Reader Mistake Story” in the subject line....

The airspace around the countries busiest airports – think JFK and LAX, for example – is usually very tightly controlled. It requires equal parts art and science to choreograph the arrival and departure of hundreds of aircraft a day, and the jumbo jets that frequent these larger airports have very strict spacing requirements due to the massive amount of wake turbulence they cause.Get the latest points, miles and travel news by signing up for TPG’s free daily newsletter....

There are several promotions where you can buy or transfer miles and get a bonus of anywhere from 25-100% right now, so I thought I’d put them all together in one place for a handy reference. Here are the current promos.American Airlines 30% Discount on Shared MilesNow through March 31, American Airlines is offering a discount of up to 30% on shared miles. To get the full discount you must share at least 41,000 miles:Normally to share miles there is a fee of $20 per 1,000 shared miles for the first 5,000 miles, then $10 per 1,000 shared miles for anything on top of that....

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 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. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points....

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.Late last year, ticket broker ScoreBig and Southwest Airlines ran a promotion offering customers 2,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points and up to 22 points per dollar for purchasing tickets through the service. This week, the brand launched a new partnership with JetBlue that offers bonus TrueBlue points if you’re enrolled in both programs. In addition to the points you’ll earn for purchasing event tickets, TrueBlue members can earn an additional 500 bonus TrueBlue points after the first transaction....

When you know you’ll need to be paying cash for flights, one way to save is to purchase discounted gift cards. Delta frequently has sales on gift cards and Hyatt has had several offers this month for 10% off gift cards.Now, Air France is getting in on the fun with two options to save. You can either:Earn a $25 bonus when purchasing a $150 Air France gift cardEarn a $50 bonus when opening a money pool account and adding $300This promotion officially ends on January 5, 2020, but it will almost certainly end much sooner because the gift card promotion is limited to the first 500 purchases and the money pool deal is limited to 100 new accounts....

Restaurants and hotels open with head-spinning frequency in New York City, but it’s not every day an entirely new neighborhood makes a grand debut — especially on the densely populated, 22.8-square-mile island of Manhattan.But on the far west side of the borough, a development has been slowly rising over the city’s acres of active railyards since construction began in 2014. And on Friday, March 15, New York’s newest neighborhood, Hudson Yards, officially opened to the public....

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.Shaun White has no time for your poor airplane etiquette. In a brief Instagram video, the three-time Olympic gold medalist SMHed at a passenger sitting behind him with their bare feet straight up, wiggling toes and all.https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq01jdklXER/White captioned the video, posted Dec....