Be sure to bookmark this post, as we’ll be updating it through Cyber Monday 2016. If you spot a deal that isn’t listed below please share it in the comments. Also, see our Black Friday hotel deal roundup here.Just as we saw last year, this year’s frenzy of Black Friday deals extend far beyond clothing and electronics — they apply to airlines, too. Below, you’ll find a round-up of the offers available through major global carriers....
One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about all the positive ways award travel has affected their lives. That being said, while I love hearing about your successes, I think there’s also a lot we can learn by sharing our mistakes, and I’m calling on readers to send in your most egregious and woeful travel failures.From time to time I’ll pick one that catches my eye and post it for everybody to enjoy (and commiserate with)....
A pilot for budget airline Flydubai failed an alcohol test at an airport in Nepal on Sunday, after his flight crew suspected he was intoxicated before he got in the cockpit.The flight’s captain was found “to have a blood alcohol level above the legally acceptable level,” an airline spokesperson told Reuters on Monday. Flydubai said it would be further investigating the incident, along with the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority, and the pilot would be reprimanded....
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.I got my 2011 Membership Rewards catalog in the mail recently and I noticed that Four Seasons is going to be a new redemption partner. The catalog didn’t highlight the redemption rates, but merely said, “Free room nights starting from 40,000 points....
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.Southwest is running a massive promotion giving out tons of free points for answering easy surveys. Register here and then play each week’s games for 100 points a week (6 weeks = 600 points). Southwest points are worth up to 1....
Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Tommy, who overplayed his hand in search of an airline bump. Here’s what he had to say:I was booked on a United Express flight from Denver to Calgary. The aircraft was delayed on its inbound flight, and then we waited for another 20 minutes after boarding before the lone flight attendant announced there was a weight issue. The plane is configured for only 50 passengers and there were already three empty seats, so I expected they might call for one or two volunteers to take the evening flight....
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:Delta’s making the ride for economy passengers a little bit better on select transcon flights....
The Azores are a beautiful group of islands in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, accessible via nonstop flights to Ponta Delgada (PDL) from various parts of the US, Canada and Europe, including Boston (BOS), Toronto (YYZ) and Lisbon (LIS).Ponta Delgada is located on São Miguel Island, one of the larger islands of the Azores, but access to the other islands is easily available thanks to Azores Airlines’ island hopper commuter flights, which mostly take place on Bombardier Dash aircraft....
This week, TPG Senior Editor Kaeli Conforti is in Cuba on the first US cruise to the country in more than 50 years. Read on for her thoughts and experiences from the first two days on board the ship and in the city of Havana. Be sure to keep up with her travels on Twitter and Instagram.Hola from Havana! As you might have already heard, I’m on board the inaugural sailing of Fathom’s Adonia ship this week....
Flying Blue, the frequent flyer program of SkyTeam partners Air France and KLM, runs 50% off promo awards all year long, but changes the gateway city pairings every two months. That means you can fly roundtrip from certain North American cities to Europe and beyond for as low as 25,000 miles in coach and 50,000 miles in business class on Air France, KLM and Air Europe – each of which have different cities and cabins they discount....
Can’t make it to the Seattle Museum of Flight to view the original Air Force One? You can now explore a 3D model online.The Boeing 707-120 was the first presidential plane, delivered in 1959 and known as SAM (Special Air Missions) 970. Through its many years of service, the plane carried Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, and though it was replaced in 1962 (by a newer Boeing VC-137C), it remained in the presidential fleet until 1996....
The world’s largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, is setting sail on its maiden voyage this week, departing out of Barcelona on Friday.The brand-new Royal Caribbean Oasis-class vessel beat out sister ship Harmony of the Seas as the current world-record holder for largest cruise ship, also owned by Royal Caribbean. The newly commissioned ship cost $1.35 billion to build, making it the most expensive cruise ship ever created.Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s newest and largest ship....
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.From waived change fees to complimentary upgrades to a VIP customer service line, we’ve shared our thoughts on maximizing the many perks of elite status with Delta Air Lines. In our tier-by-tier evaluation of Delta’s Medallion status program, it’s clear that the top two levels — Platinum and Diamond — are in a class of their own.For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter....
The California desert’s hotel scene continues to bloom as hot openings sprout beyond the confines of downtown Palm Springs, the newest entrant being the Sands Hotel & Spa, which opened in February in Indian Wells. Built back in the 1950s — how mid-century modern is that? — the 46-room hotel got a total reboot with glam interiors by Hollywood designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard: Think pink with a wink to the luxe riads of Morocco....
Uber will no longer require mandatory, closed-door arbitration in passengers’ claims of sexual assault or sexual harassment by the ride-hailing company’s drivers, its chief legal officer announced Tuesday.“We have learned it’s important to give sexual assault and harassment survivors control of how they pursue their claims,” Tony West, chief legal officer for Uber, said in a statement. “So moving forward, survivors will be free to choose to resolve their individual claims in the venue they prefer: in a mediation where they can choose confidentiality; in arbitration, where they can choose to maintain their privacy while pursuing their case; or in open court....
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.It’s official. Uber is giving up on its operations in Southeast Asia, opting instead to sell off to its biggest competitor in the market, Grab.The two ride-sharing companies had unofficially agreed to a deal earlier in March, and they both confirmed the details of the agreement Monday....
A distressed passenger aboard a Ryanair flight jumped out of the aircraft’s emergency exit in Malaga, Spain.After being delayed on the tarmac for over an hour on departure from London Stansted and then another 30 minutes upon landing in Malaga, the upset passenger opened the emergency exit and made his way onto the wing. With luggage in hand, he almost jumped down onto the tarmac but was convinced by fellow passengers and Ryanair crew to come back on board....
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.Air Berlin’s days are numbered — like, there are literally just a few left at this point. Why’s that? The carrier just put out word that all of its long-haul flights will cease operation on October 15, 2017, less than three weeks from today....
Airbnb has teamed up with BBC to give three contestants a chance to win a stay onboard the Alucia, the vessel that was used to capture the groundbreaking underwater scenes featured in Planet Earth: Blue Planet II. The three winners will have the opportunity to travel 1,000 meters below Earth to see firsthand an ocean community that most people can only see from a screen.The selected winners will spend three days and two nights onboard the Alucia — owned and operated by ocean exploration pioneer OceanX — in the Bahamas, the same ship that marine biologists, scientists and filmmakers used to create the documentary....
Aloha! October is Hawaii month at The Points Guy, so check back regularly for flight and hotel reviews, features and deals from Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii.If you’re going to Maui, people will tell you that you have to do the Road to Hana — nay, they’ll assume it’s on your itinerary. And while there’s no question this windy, 64-mile drive along the island’s eastern coast is beautiful, it’s not for everybody....
