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Planning a trip to Colorado in the coming weeks? Here’s a piece of news you probably didn’t expect to hear: The plague has surfaced in the Centennial State.Certain areas in and around the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, located just 10 miles northeast of downtown Denver, have been shut down due to rising concerns over plague-infected fleas affecting the state’s prairie dog population.According to the Tri-County Health Department, these flea-infested prairie dog colonies are being treated with insecticide....

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.The most magical place on earth deserves an equally magical mode of transportation, and for a few (hundred) lucky travelers flying from Los Angeles (LAX) to Orlando (MCO) in January 2020, that will take the form of a Qantas A380....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Yesterday, Starbucks launched its new rewards program — and much in line with devaluations of all kinds, it turned to a revenue-based rewards system. The change in the program is generally bad news for Starbucks customers. Where you used to get one star per transaction, with a requirement of 12 to score a free drink and 30 to secure Gold status, you’ll now earn 2 stars per dollar, free drinks will cost 125 stars and you’ll need 300 stars to earn Gold status....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – The Hyatt Credit CardTPG reader Chris is thinking about getting the Chase Hyatt Visa, and he wrote asking about the best way to go about redeeming the two free nights he got as a sign-up bonus:“I’m booking my honeymoon for this fall in Southeast Asia. Our first stop will be Tokyo for two nights, and we would love to stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo....

Whether you’re splurging on an overwater villa in the dreamiest of destinations, or scoring a sweet find at a Category 1 hotel for a last-minute overnighter, expectations are straightforward: You’re trading cash (or points) for a place to relax, to sleep and to call your temporary home away from home.However, some hotels seem to miss this all-important point. Whether it’s flawed layout, bad forethought for the customer experience or just poor service and upkeep, there are some universal dealbreakers when it comes to hotel fails....

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.Anyone who’s flown on an airplane is likely familiar with a dinging sound, usually heard once back on land. It turns out, the chime means much more than being able to take off your seatbelt. Additionally, passengers may have heard a “boing” sound and, on occasion, a two-toned combination of high and low tones that resonates throughout the cabin....

A British woman who traveled to Dubai in March is facing a steep fine and three-year jail sentence over two Facebook comments she posted in late 2016, according to the Washington Post.Laleh Shahravesh and her 14-year-old daughter, Paris, traveled to Dubai on March 10 to attend the funeral of Pedro Manuel Coreia Dos Santos, her ex-husband and her daughter’s father. The family had received news that Santos had passed away from a heart attack on March 3, and Paris Shahravesh wanted to attend her father’s funeral to say goodbye....

Earlier this year, United introduced us to its new business-class product, Polaris. In an exciting move for the carrier with CEO Oscar Munoz back at the helm, the new seats are definitely something to look forward to for United flyers. Configured in a 1-2-1 layout, the new product offers a lie-flat bed, pajamas, an updated amenity kit and much more. And now, United wants its Premier passengers to get a glimpse of Polaris before the official launch....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Did you miss out on earning United elite status through January 2018? Well, check your inbox — UA’s sending out offers to buy status, just as American began doing late last year.One TPG contributor who earned Gold status in 2015 but will be dropping to the “Member” (everybody else) level at the end of this month received the following offer:Yes, $1,399 is a tremendous amount to pay for United Premier Silver status, which many thousands of customers can actually get for free through the Marriott RewardsPlus partnership....

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.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.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 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.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.Delta’s SkyMiles program is infamous for its near-constant devaluations and customer-unfriendly moves, but it’s also been known to make positive changes for its elite members before its competitors do. Today, the airline has made another change that will come as welcome news for its loyal flyers.In the past, companions traveling with elite members were only eligible for complimentary upgrades on paid tickets, but, as of today, complimentary upgrades will be available for companions flying on Miles + Cash tickets, as well as passengers traveling with Platinum Delta SkyMiles cardholders on a companion certificate....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard, Chase FreedomMy good friend, Katy, has a three year old daughter (featured here), and their family loves traveling the world as much as mine. Since (sadly) I can’t visit every location or hotel, from time to time she shares some of her experience traveling (often using miles and points) at some locations I haven’t yet had the chance to visit....

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.The plane carrying first lady Melania Trump was forced to make an emergency landing on Wednesday after a “mechanical issue” led to smoke in the cabin.According to the press pool that was traveling with Trump, the modified Boeing 757 was forced to turn back to Joint Base Andrews about 10 minutes after takeoff....

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....

The Airbus A380 offers unrivaled passenger amenities. Its sheer size makes it, however, uneconomical to operate during the COVID-19 crisis. Airlines have grounded most of them, and Lufthansa in particular has decided to keep its A380s parked until 2022. To celebrate an airplane we at TPG love, and to offer our readers a glimpse of what they can expect from one of the best first-class products in the world when travel returns, we are republishing this review that originally appeared in October 2019....