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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Interest rates are on the rise, and there’s no sign of relief in sight. That means if you carry a balance on your business credit card, now is the time to act.On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve’s rate-setting committee hiked short-term interest rates by 25 basis points, or a quarter-point. It was the second increase in 2018 and the seventh since December 2015....

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.Beverage service is one of the few in-flight amenities that domestic carriers have maintained throughout their on-going barrage of cost-cutting measures (such as baggage fees and reduced legroom)....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.One of the better offers of the year is back! Originally offered from February through early April, the increased sign-up bonus of up to 35,000 points is back for the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express. But, you don’t have long to jump on this offer. This new offer is only available through November 1....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Back in December, American Express announced that The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and Mercedes-Benz Platinum cardholders would no longer get access to American Airlines Admirals Clubs or US Airways Clubs as of March 22, 2014 - which means today is the last day for all us Platinum cardmembers to crash those lounges using our card benefits, so if your plans have you flying today, I’d suggest heading to an AA or US lounge and living it up....

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.Just a friendly reminder that May 31, 2011 is the last day to take advantage of the showstopping 50% transfer bonus and 25,000 MQMs when you transfer 50,000+ American Express Membership Rewards points to Delta....

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.As a country that prides itself on its natural wonders, it’s no surprise that New Zealand has taken to new measures to preserve its environment from the troubles of tourism. Now, visitors arriving in the country are being asked to sign the “Tiaki Promises,” which pledges their compliance in maintaining and respecting the New Zealand landscape and culture....

Not a light packer? That habit will soon cost you more than ever.As of Jan. 23, 2020, Norwegian Air will charge LowFare travelers between $6.53 to $11.76 (5 to 9 pounds) each way for bringing a full-size carry-on bag that needs to be stowed in an overhead bin.Graphic courtesy of Norwegian Air.Norwegian Air framed the change as an improvement for customer experience.“It is a common misperception that there is enough room in the cabin for all passengers to bring an overhead cabin bag," said Cecilie Nybø Carlsen, Norwegian’s vice president of product management....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Last summer, Disney opened Shanghai Disneyland and its two on-site properties — the posh Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and the family friendly Toy Story Hotel. I’d wanted to visit ever since I heard about it, and finally got the chance thanks to a recent business trip to China. Here’s what it was like to stay at the Toy Story Hotel, which did a fantastic job of staying in character throughout....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.TPG reader Nick sent me a message on Facebook to ask about getting a new credit card:“I’d like to sign up for Chase Sapphire Preferred, but I know I won’t be spending $4,000 in 3 months. Does it make sense to get the card even without the sign-up bonus?”Travel rewards credit cards offer a lot of value by boosting the return you get from everyday spending, and by providing other benefits like elite status and free hotel nights....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.TPG reader Suzanne emailed me a question this week about the Chase Sapphire Preferred she’s planning on applying for:“I have the Chase Freedom, but the TPG Maximizer recommended I get Chase Sapphire Preferred for better benefits. In this case, I was wondering if its more beneficial for me to add my fiance to my card, or if he should get his own?...

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.When it comes to hotel elite status, there’s a lot to consider among the various chains. Most offer standard benefits to their elite members such as free internet, points-earning bonuses and even complimentary breakfast and welcome gifts. But Starwood Preferred Guest has a few benefits that set it apart and make it my favorite program for top-tier hotel elite status, including a few that were introduced last year when SPG updated its elite benefits - and the fact that there are over 1,000 properties (with more coming online every month) in brands I enjoy like St....

My big dream “miles and points fueled” destination has always been a trip to Australia and New Zealand. It is one of those trips that could probably have never happened on our regular budget, but that was often the goal in mind when I would earn airline miles. It has been at the top of our list of dream destinations for four or five years at this point, but unfortunately due to the enormity of the trip, it is not only a dream destination, but a trip that keeps getting hit squarely with the rollercoaster of life....

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.In this week’s episode of “Being The Points Guy,” Brian explains his famous “TPG Shower Test” and what’s required to pass.For those who have been following along with TPG, you’ve probably picked up on why this test is a thing, given Brian stands at 6 feet, 7 inches....

Shopping portals provide an easy way to stack both rewards earnings and cash savings. Wells Fargo calls its portal in the Go Far Rewards program the Earn More Mall. The portal allows for both online shopping and in-store purchases to trigger bonus points or cash back, depending on which Wells Fargo points you earn.In-store bonus earnings require first activating the offer in the Earn More Mall, then shopping at the merchant in person....

We’re partnering with Capital One to launch our new Purposeful Travel Hub. If you have unique ways you like to pay it forward when you travel or just love exploring new places with family and friends, we want to hear about it. Share your most treasured travel moments and purposeful travel tips with us using #MeaningfulMoments.In the tourist hub of Antigua, Guatemala, you can see the Fuego volcano from any rooftop in town....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Update: In September 2018, things changed again for Disney and Chase Ultimate Rewards, and as of now you cannot use Ultimate Rewards points to book anything that is directly Disney.A vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando is simultaneously a magical experience for your family and a mind-bogglingly painful experience for your wallet. If you want to fully immerse yourself in the Disney experience and stay at an on-property Disney resort, all-in estimates for the price of a four-night Disney vacation can range from about $5,000 - $10,000 for a family of four....

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.Travel can be stressful any time of year but add the craziness of the holidays and you can bet you’ll see some strange stuff in the air between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. That’s was the case on Friday, Nov....

Your visit to this site is already proof that you believe in optimizing travel by maximizing ways to make it affordable. You are likely very familiar with the verses in the miles and points songbooks and have an insider’s keen eye for deals, specials, lowest rates and sign-up bonuses. We are glad to be active members in this beneficial fraternity. We recently used opportunity and awareness to turn one planned short trip into a second unplanned trip for virtually no extra expense....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.No-frills basic economy fares are the latest trend of the airline industry. Delta Air Lines was the first US legacy carrier to launch a basic economy fare, and since, United has developed a new bare-bones economy class of its own. As the only legacy carrier yet to announce its own version of basic economy, we knew that American would join the ranks of legacy carriers offering a bare-bones ticket — it was only a matter of time....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Welcome bonuses are a crucial criteria to consider when deciding whether or not to apply for a certain credit card. American Express has one of the more restrictive policies in place when it comes to eligibility requirements for welcome bonuses. The issuer has made its terms even stronger in discouraging people from taking advantage of its system.Most Amex card bonuses include language that a person is only eligible for a bonus “once in a lifetime....