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Saudi Arabia launched a high-profile “anti-corruption” crackdown overnight on Saturday, arresting 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen, according to ABC News. Among those arrested include Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who is a noteworthy investor in US companies such as Twitter, Apple, Lyft, Citigroup, Four Seasons and Fairmont.The New York Times also reported that a private airport used by princes and businessmen had been closed by the Saudi government to prevent further targets of the raid from escaping the country....

TPG reader Lou is mapping out his airline elite status strategy for the rest of the year. He’s already achieved the top tier on United and is pondering whether or not to go for elite status on a second airline. He asks:“It’s June and I just qualified for Platinum status on United Airlines and I will get 1K by July 4th. With 100,000 plus miles in front of me, should I just enjoy my 1K status and keep flying United, or should I go for status on a second airline?...

Update 7/19/2017: Saudia has been cleared for flights departing Riyadh (RUH) effective July 19. This marks the final airport removed from the list. Currently, no airports are subject to the large carry-on electronics ban.Update 7/17/2017: Saudia has been cleared for flights departing Jeddah (JED) effective July 17.Update 7/12/2017: EgyptAir has been cleared effective July 12. It remains in place for flights from Cairo to London.Update 7/12/2017: Royal Air Maroc has been cleared effective July 13, six days earlier than originally expected....

Despite issues and delays with its Polaris seat manufacturer Zodiac, United’s new Boeing 777-300ER’s continue to be rolled out on the airline’s international routes. The aircraft is already flying between San Francisco (SFO) and Hong Kong (HKG), and United previously confirmed the launch of 777-300ER flights between Newark (EWR) and Tel Aviv (TLV) starting May 5.We now know the next city pair for the 777-300ER — San Francisco and Tokyo/Narita (NRT)....

Andrew Needum, a passenger on board Southwest 1380, recounted his experience on board Tuesday’s flight during a live interview on Thursday. In the emotional interview, Needum described his experience performing CPR on Jennifer Riordan, the passenger who ultimately died from her injuries after partially being sucked through a broken window, as well pulling her back into the aircraft.Needum, a member of the Celina City Fire Department in Celina, Texas, said he was traveling home with his wife, their two kids and his parents after a family vacation in New York City....

If you want to immerse yourself in a foreign culture, simply follow the locals. Go where they go, eat where they eat, and (this is the fun part) relax where they relax. In some countries, spas are quiet places to calm and recenter yourself, in others they are social hubs for gossiping and people-watching. Whether you’re in it for relaxation, health, beauty, or to get that travel-induced knot out of your shoulder, here are the best countries for spa lovers to visit....

Few things have become more irritating in travel than hotel resort fees. Apparently any property is now allowed to call itself a resort, and some hotels, like the Wyndham New Yorker, try and avoid the stigma by calling their ancillary charge a “facility fee.” This is irritating for two main reasons:The resort fee is not included in advertised prices for the hotel room, and only some online travel agencies and hotel chains do a good job of disclosing the fee prior to booking....

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for hotel Christmas decorations. That’s why we’ve rounded up our favorite hotels from around the world that transform their lobbies and beyond into holiday delights and winter wonderlands. From Hong Kong to London, these hotels celebrate in the best of ways. We highly recommend popping in — if not to get a glimpse of Santa — to eat and drink your way through the holiday-inspired menus....

As 2017 draws to a close, there’s no better time than now to reflect on the year that was. In terms of charitable giving, 2017 was The Points Guy’s best year ever. As a company, TPG has donated more than $500,000 and millions of miles to charities ranging from hurricane relief to getting members of the LGBTQ out of life-threatening conditions and to safety.Philanthropy is a huge part of the culture at The Points Guy....

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.American Airlines loyalists have a date later this month circled in black ink on their calendars — as of March 22, AA’s AAdvantage program is undergoing a massive devaluation, with premium-cabin award rates skyrocketing for redemptions on both American and its partners....

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.A former Northwest/Delta Air Lines training facility in the suburbs of Minneapolis is slated to be demolished in the coming weeks. However, before the demolition, everything inside the facility is being auctioned off, from everyday office equipment to treasures such as full-scale flight simulators....

Dubai, a city known for its tall buildings, over-the-top spectacles and superlatives, is losing three Marriott properties — a St. Regis, W and Westin.Marriott announced on Tuesday that as of July 31, 2018, The St. Regis Dubai, W Dubai Habtoor City and The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City will no longer be associated with Marriott International. According to a statement from Marriott, after that date, management of the three Dubai properties will be transferred from the world’s largest hotel chain to the new owning company, Al Habtoor Group....

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.This weekend, Emirates announced a new option for redeeming Skywards miles: using them to offset paid fares. Under this new “Cash+Miles” option, you can redeem miles at a rate of 0.8 cents each toward the base fare of an Emirates ticket....

Cathay Pacific just announced its newest route to the US: Hong Kong (HKG) to Washington DC’s Dulles airport (IAD) starting September 15, 2018. This will become Cathay Pacific’s longest route in the world when it launches and will be operated by its brand new Airbus A350-1000.Now, the great news: There’s award space open on this route! While the inaugural on September 15 is filled up, there’s award space open on periodic dates through the end of schedule....

On our recent anniversary trip to Hawaii, we “island hopped” from Oahu (Honolulu) to Maui. Ideally our final, and only Hawaiian, destination would have been Maui, as Oahu wasn’t really an ideal stopping point for this trip. However, due to the fare sale we got in on, having a little stop in Honolulu was necessary. If you want to catch-up on our Hawaii adventure thus far, here are the other posts....

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.If you ask me, flowers are a freaking rip-off - especially during the Valentine’s Day frenzy. Luckily (or not), I don’t have to worry about buying anyone flowers this year, but if you are going to throw your money down the drain impress your significant other with a bouquet, you might as well earn miles....

It’s no secret that we’re huge dog people here at TPG, so we’re thrilled that Korean Air has launched SKYPETS, its frequent flyer program designed for flying furry family members. Now, every paid one-way flight with your pet will earn “stamps” that can be redeemed for a discount on pet fees.Stamp earning and redemption rates depend on whether you’re flying domestically or overseas. For each domestic flight, your pet will earn one stamp, while each international leg will earn two....

If the TSA confiscates your bottle with “water residue” or a tube of shaving cream that’s a bit too large, don’t be embarrassed. The nation’s airport security agency has seen (and confiscated) some seriously crazy items this month, several of which are highlighted on the TSA’s Instagram account.With all the negative coverage the TSA has been receiving lately, it’s good to see the agency having some fun — and blocking these potentially lethal items from getting on board a passenger 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.The pop-up Museum of Ice Cream, which saw an extremely successful launch in New York City last year, completely selling out within its first five days, just relocated to the sunny West Coast, opening April 22 in LA’s trendy DTLA Arts District....

Last week Orbitz announced the launch of its new loyalty program, Orbitz Rewards creating a welcome addition to the travel-booking sphere that should help consumers earn even more value back on their travel spending.Members of Orbitz Rewards will earn “Orbucks” based on the kind of travel they purchase. Flight bookings earn 1% of the cost and hotel bookings will earn up to 5% of the amount paid. The program also includes a Refer-A-Friend feature that gives members who refer friends and family as well as the person they refer $25 credit....