Do you dig deep inside Instagram? Harass your friends for advice? Tick off an endless bucket list?Sometimes, inspiration for your next big trip can take the form of a single photo. Or getting back surprising 23andMe results and thinking, “Hey, why don’t I go to my homeland?!” There are so many ways to decide where to go and what to do — even if you don’t want to fall down the Google rabbit hole for hours....
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Marriott Rewards Premier Credit CardToday begins the fifth — and final — week of Daily Getaways, an assortment of daily discounts and deals with various travel brands and loyalty programs, sponsored by the US Travel Association.Each Monday, we dive into the details of the week’s deals to help you figure out which ones are worth pursuing....
No packing required: a new startup business called DUFL will eliminate packing from your travel routine altogether.DUFL takes packing off your list.For $10 a month, DUFL will store your selection of travel essentials—clothing, toiletries, underwear, etc.— in a special suitcase at its warehouse in Tempe, Arizona (where they’re hiring, FYI). Every time you travel somewhere, use the app to choose items from your “virtual closet” and they’ll pack them all up for you....
While I often travel solo, I do love traveling with friends and family, and having companions along for the ride is even sweeter when I can share my elite benefits with them. Today, TPG Senior Points and Miles Correspondent Jason Steele explains which elite benefits let you share the love, along with the extra legroom.When I think of elite airline status, I often think of the Ryan Binghams of the world - solitary road warriors who fly regularly for business....
Waiting on hold for an airline or hotel may be one of travelers’ biggest frustrations. Over the last few days we’ve heard from multiple readers – those who are Marriott and SPG Platinum elites – that they are experiencing ridiculously long wait times to speak to a customer service representative.TPG reader Boyd, a Marriott Platinum member emailed in telling us how he was on hold for 30 minutes, was then disconnected, called again and never heard from Marriott customer service after multiple direct messages on Twitter....
A Dutch panel of criminal investigators concluded Thursday that a Russian anti-aircraft missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 while the Boeing 777-200ER was flying 298 people over Ukraine in July 2014.The joint investigation team, as the group leading the probe is called, presented video and photo evidence at a press conference on Thursday that it says definitively proves it was a Russian surface-to-air missile system that shot down the passenger plane, killing everyone on board....
After a year of strong growth, with a 11% increase in passengers last November from a year earlier, Norwegian made a big announcement Tuesday, with the introduction of a new premium cabin layout on its Boeing 787s.The airline will introduce a larger premium cabin on its new 787-9s, increasing the size 60% over the old premium cabin. The new seats will look the same but will actually have less legroom than the current design, from 46" of pitch to 43"....
The advent of artificial intelligence has changed the way we approach and solve some of today’s biggest transportation-related challenges, one of which is to raise industry safety standards. At the forefront of that push for improvement are tech companies such as Google and Uber, working on projects from developing self-driving cars to automating air traffic control. Recently, Boeing announced that it, too, will be jumping on the AI bandwagon, but this time for a slightly different reason — global pilot shortage....
“Reader Questions” are answered three days a week — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — by TPG Senior Writer Julian Mark Kheel.TPG reader Ryan sent us an email to express his surprise about an extra charge on his recent rental car bill…[pullquote source=“TPG Reader Ryan”]I just reviewed my car rental receipt with Dollar Rent A Car. I didn’t recognize the “FF SURCHARGE” and was surprised to find that it’s a fee I paid to Dollar to cover the Alaska Airlines miles I “earned” through the booking....
Social media is increasingly becoming the method airlines, hotels, credit cards and consumers get in touch with one another about the latest news, deals and promotions. Here’s a look at the latest interesting trending topics and more on social media from the week.I’ll be combing through Facebook posts, Tweets, Instagram pics and more to find the most interesting things going on during any given week, but if I miss something you’d like to discuss feel free to:-Post on my Facebook wall-Tweet me @thepointsguy-Instagram me @thepointsguyHere are some of the biggest news stories and promotions that everyone has been tweeting about this week....
A recent report from Project: Time Off looked into which US states are leading the nation in vacation days — and which states could certainly use some more R&R.The group surveyed more than 4,000 American workers, ages 18 and up, who work more than 35 hours a week and receive paid time off from their employer and found that when it comes to taking vacation days, employees in Colorado, Virginia, and Arizona take the lead, while Montana, Delaware, and Rhode Island are the worst....
Shopping portals are one of the best ways to earn points and miles with your favorite airline — without even having to step on a plane. Just by making a purchase online with select retailers through an airline’s shopping portal, you can earn valuable points and miles, which can then be used toward your next redemption. Now, with holiday shopping season upon us, shopping portals are more valuable than ever.Because shopping portals are always updating, it’s beneficial to see what each of the major US carriers offers at any given time — and all in one place....
There have been quite a few changes in recent weeks when it comes to airport security, especially for international flights. We’ve seen the electronics ban lifted for all of the affected carriers, and the DHS incidcated that 280 international airports have had to implement enhanced security measures. Now, enhanced security procedures are going to be rolled out right here at home.The TSA announced on Wednesday that it’s going to take a closer look at electronics in domestic airports....
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.Tuesday, news broke that United was considering installing lie-flat seats on some of its new Boeing 737 MAX 10s, which the carrier expects to begin adding to the fleet in 2020. Now, just one day later, UA has confirmed those plans, and announced a timetable for retiring the 757-200s currently used for the airline’s premium transcon service....
After a rough week for pets flying on United, the airline said Tuesday it’s temporarily suspending pet travel in its cargo holds.The carrier endured several pet-shipping mishaps last week with animals in its cargo holds, including sending a Kansas family’s dog to Japan, and diverting an Ohio-bound plane after mistakenly loading a dog on the wrong flight. United chartered a private jet to bring the Kansas dog back from Japan, and now the airline says it will pause the PetSafe service, which allows owners to ship their pets in the cargo hold, to evaluate how to improve the program....
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 they were waiting to board their cross-country American Airlines flight, passengers watched from the terminal as fuel poured out of their aircraft’s wing. Passenger Rebecca Morgan caught the incident on film and documented the odyssey that the flight’s passengers went through in the aftermath:Airport emergency responders scrambled to the scene in case they were needed, but didn’t need to deploy water or foam to the spilled fuel:What HappenedWhile the situation looks concerning — and is obviously not something anyone wants to see — a little context helps explain what’s happening and why it’s not as bad as it looks....
Thursday’s terror attacks in Barcelona, Spain, have left the city and the country on edge. 13 people were killed and around 80 injured when a van drove down Las Ramblas, one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions; another one was killed in the nearby seaside resort town of Cambrils as a car rammed pedestrians. But, according to locals, the tourism industry and experience should not be too affected if you’re planning on traveling to the Catalonian city anytime soon....
TPG reader Bart emailed to ask about earning elite status:“I’m about to take a trip that will put me over the mileage threshold for United Premier Silver status (I’ve already met the revenue requirements). I have other upcoming travel, and would love a shot at an upgrade. How long will it take for my status to kick in?”Airline elite status can be highly rewarding, and if you’re going to put the loyalty and effort into earning status with an airline, you’d like to have as long as possible to enjoy it....
Just as airplanes need jet fuel to get them from airport to airport, air travelers rely on coffee to get them from gate to gate — and yet if there’s a single aspect of in-flight service that has consistently earned a worse reputation throughout the decades than the meal, it’s the insipid airline cuppa joe. Watery, tasteless and often tepid, the airline coffee we’ve come to know and loathe has gotten an even worse rap these days, with questions about the cleanliness of the water and tell-alls claiming that the crew doesn’t go near the stuff....
Thanks to our readers’ solid feedback on our recent assortment of chocolate shops across America, TPG Contributor Michele Herrmann has once again put her sweet senses to the test—just in time for last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts, here are her picks for 12 more delectable chocolate shops to savor nationwide.The Chocolate Room - BrooklynWith locations in Brooklyn’s Park Slope and Cobble Hill, this New York City dessert shop wants every patron to make room for chocolate—and feel well cared for....
