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California has been ravaged by wildfires this summer. In fact, three of the state’s worst fires ever are currently still ablaze after already having collectively scorched 820,000 acres so far.“The trends are pretty astounding in terms of the number of acres burned, the length of the wildfire season, the numbers of structures lost,” Kelly Pohl, a research analyst with Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit research group that helps communities develop wildfire plans told the New York Times....

I just spent a night at the Aloft Dallas Downtown, and since the number of Aloft properties around the world is only increasing (and at a rapid rate), I thought this was a good time to highlight a few things that families should know about Aloft when deciding if it is the right type of hotel for them.Aloft is Often a Good Value on PointsThe Aloft brand isn’t a perfect match for families as it was designed for Millennial travelers as opposed to those with several kids along for the ride, but I’m covering them anyway because they can be a good value on points....

In the frenzy of award booking that led up to the launch of the new British Airways Avios program last November, I booked a Cathay Pacific first class award for early November of 2012. I had actually somewhat forgotten about the award up until a couple weeks ago and I’m at the point where I need to use it or pay $40 to get the Avios back- though it’ll be my last chance to fly Cathay First class at the old British Airway rate 75,000 miles each way (nowadays the same award will cost 105,000 Avios since the new chart is distance based)....

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.Flying can be rather unexpecting and we all know the frustrations that come along when our planes are delayed or sit on the runway for what seems like no reason. Flying can become even more frustrating when you’re plane diverts to a different airport....

And the saga continues…This morning, Starwood Hotels shared the news that its Chinese suitor just submitted yet another bid for the chain, this time offering a total of $82.75 per share — or a total of roughly $14 billion in cash. That represents a huge jump over Anbang’s previous bid of $78 per share. It’s also a significant increase over Marriott’s latest offer of $79.53, which is actually now worth a bit less following a drop in Marriott’s share price....

Update 2/23/17 4:40pm: CBP just posted the same statement provided below on its website:U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at John F. Kennedy Airport was contacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) yesterday, February 22, 2017, to assist in locating an individual possibly aboard Delta flight 1583 from San Francisco International Airport to JFK. This individual was ordered removed by an immigration judge. To assist our law enforcement partners, two CBP officers requested identification from those on the flight in order to help identify the individual....

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.You’d think they’d know better by now, but airline personnel continue to get involved in altercations with customers.Video has emerged from TMZ showing a fight breaking out between two women disembarking from an aircraft in Atlanta earlier this month....

A woman and her boyfriend were reportedly kicked off their Emirates flight because she was experiencing menstrual cramps.After boarding their intended flight from Birmingham Airport in England to Dubai on Saturday, February 17, Beth Evans said she told her boyfriend, Joshua Moran, that she was experiencing abdominal pain from menstrual cramps. Evans told The Sun that a flight attendant who heard the couple discussing her discomfort was worried that her situation could be a cause for concern during the duration of the seven-hour international flight....

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.Check out this piece I helped with about flying in premium cabins. It’s a three part series, so keep your eyes peeled 8)If you are a reporter and would like to use me as an expert for an upcoming piece, email me at info@thepointsguy....

Traveling on a US-based airline as a frequent flyer? Your flight attendant probably knows far more about you — and your travel habits — than they would have just a year or two ago. While consumer-facing smartphone apps are making it easier to book, check in for and board your flights, internal applications used by flight attendants and other employees at airlines like Delta and United have seen enormous boosts in capability....

Happy Holidays! Let me introduce myself, I am a full size rental car for a nationwide major car rental company. I have been one my entire adult life, as were my mom and dad. We take pride in our work and we consider ourselves to be ambassadors for our company. I live at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, but I am on the road and away from home more often than not....

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 blockade of Qatar by its neighbors is taking a toll on the small Middle Eastern country, and quiet airports and rerouted flights aren’t the only repercussions. With shipments banned across Qatar’s land borders, Iran Air has begun flying food supplies to the country — five planeloads have already been delivered and a sixth one is scheduled to be sent on Sunday....

As The Doors said, “Show me the way to the next whisky bar.“Well, if Jim Morrison had found himself living in Japan today, he’d be singing a different tune — Japan is in the throes of a domestic whisky shortage.Suntory, a Japanese brewing and distilling company, is halting the sale of its extremely popular Hakushu 12-year and Hibiki 17-year whiskies. The Hakushu 12-year will stop production next month and the Hibiki 17-year will be unavailable to purchase after September....

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.Dream about free travel? Good news: JetBlue and luggage and accessories company Boarding Pass have teamed together to offer vouchers for free flights every month.During the course of this year, JetBlue and Boarding Pass will give away one voucher each month as part of their “Explore America” giveaway....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card, Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve CardThe Citi Hilton HHonors Visa has just launched a limited-time sign-up bonus offer of 50,000 points (ending April 18, 2014 as of now) when you spend $1,000 in the first 4 months, plus a $50 statement credit after spending $50 on your first stay at any hotel and resort within the Hilton HHonors Portfolio during the first 6 months of cardmembership....

Aviation enthusiasts and airline watchers are in for a treat this Friday, with a chance to meet one of the most influential figures in the airline industry: , David Neeleman, the founder and original CEO of JetBlue, who is now a co-owner of TAP Air Portugal.The Portuguese airline, privatized in 2015, is celebrating its 50th anniversary at New York’s JFK airport on Friday, June 15. To mark the anniversary, Neeleman is hosting what a statement from the airline’s media representatives calls his first-ever “Aviation Geek Meet-Up....

Believe it or not, ski season has actually already started in Colorado, with more resorts opening up in the coming days. I am especially excited for this ski season since I think my daughter will really start to have fun on the slopes this year. She took lessons a few times last year, and will be ready to take it even further this time around! We have two ski trips already booked, and are keeping our fingers crossed for a good snow year!...

I was perusing Consumerist this morning and came across an interesting article about a recent American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) study on the airline industry. In an industry comparison, airlines ranked near the bottom at a score of 69/100, just ahead of internet service providers, social media and subscription TV services - so way to go airlines, you have cable companies beat!Tight seats area major factor behind the low scoresDrilling down to the airlines-specific study, which covers just the major US airline, the only carriers that beat the average score of 69 were JetBlue (79 - and still a 5% decline from last year), Southwest (78 - a 4% drop) and Delta (71)....

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.Don’t miss your chance to earn 1,000 free American AAdvantage miles. As we mentioned previously, for only one more week AAdvantage members have the opportunity to gain 1,000 American miles by taking a simple course and quiz on the AAdvantage program....

Seventeen years after the fact, Americans still feel the effect of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks every single day, from family and friends of the victims to New Yorkers past and present, down to the 2.1 million travelers who pass through TSA security screenings each day. Out of the thousands of heroes from that dark day, crucial champions from the aviation industry stand out. The flight crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and Flight 77, as well as United Airlines Flight 175 and Flight 93, worked with passengers and ground support up until the very end to protect the civilians they served, and to thwart the hijackers’ plans....