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TPG reader Russ sent me a message on Facebook to ask about matching elite status:“When is the best time to status match to another program? I have AAdvantage Executive Platinum status through February of 2017, and I’m wondering when I should match to Alaska Mileage Plan.”Status matches and challenges are a great shortcut to earning elite benefits with airline (and hotel) loyalty programs. Rather than having to meet the normal mileage or segment requirements, you can challenge for status by completing a certain amount of travel in a set period, or in some cases you can be matched outright without having to travel at all....

Ever wonder what you can do to endear yourself to your flight crew? Want to know why some people get upgrades and preferential treatment and others don’t? Curious about how your in flight etiquette is perceived? Meet Carrie A. Trey, an anonymous flight attendant for a major US carrier flying mostly international routes, here to set the record straight on what makes a good airplane passenger–and what doesn’t. This is her first contribution for TPG, but expect more!...

Alaska Airlines is known for being the harlot of frequent flyer programs. She isn’t committed to one alliance and therefore gets around with a multitude of different partners such as: American, Air France, Air Pacific, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Korean, Qantas, LAN Chile, Icelandair, and a bunch of small Alaskan carriers.Alaska’s current flavor of the week appears to be Delta - she’s been bragging about their enhanced relationship (which includes the following benefits for its elite passengers: reciprocal upgrades, free baggage, priority boarding, and priority seating) by offering a 2,500 mile rebate for any member who redeems their Alaska miles for a Delta award....

Update: AA reached out to clarify that the airline has increased the redemption rates within its existing award levels — technically, these are the same levels that were first referenced in April 2014. Of course, the end result here remains unchanged — you’ll need to redeem many more miles for some awards as American Airlines increases redemption rates “to better match demand.” But, again, “no new levels were added.“News broke on FlyerTalk yesterday about some peculiar award pricing on American Airlines flights....

One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about how points and miles have helped them get where they want to go. If you’re interested in sharing your own award travel success story, email it to info@thepointsguy.com; be sure to include details about how you earned and redeemed your rewards, and put “Reader Success Story” in the subject line. If we publish it, I’ll send you a gift to jump-start your next adventure!...

TPG reader Jason sent me a message on Facebook to ask about booking Southwest awards:“I fly Southwest twice a month to and from work. Is it worth paying extra for Business Select fares?“There’s a lot to like about Southwest and the Rapid Rewards program. The flexible change and cancellation policies make it easy to get a good deal, and the cost-based award pricing is great for scoring cheap domestic fares. However, the airline isn’t ideal if you’re looking for a premium experience....

We’re foregoing the usual Destination of the Week – especially because this Black Friday, rather than braving the hordes overrunning retailers from coast to coast, it’s better to be safe and sound at home clicking away to get great savings and mileage bonuses…all without having to sleep out on the sidewalk outside your favorite store overnight!Instead, we’re taking you on a tour of some of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals out there to earn you the most points this holiday season....

Clearly, pilots Jim Payne and Tim Gardner are immune to altitude sickness. The two were onboard the Airbus Perlan Mission II, an engineless glider that just broke its own altitude record by soaring at 76,124 feet. The reason for the achievement? A combination of smoother, more efficient flights in the future, and a potential run-in with Martians.Tom Enders, Airbus CEO, had this to say about the flight: “By exploring an underexplored part of the atmosphere, Perlan is teaching us about efficient high-altitude flight, about detecting natural sources of lift and avoiding turbulence, and even about the viability of wing-borne exploration of Mars....

In honor of Radisson’s 50th anniversary, the chain has been giving away one free night at any Radisson Hotel once a day for 50 days in its “50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Rooms” campaign – and today, I’m giving away that free room right here on The Points Guy.Except, it’s not just one free night in any Radisson or Radisson Blu Hotel in North America – I was also offered three additional free nights give away to my readers as well!...

Equifax has confirmed that after its vast data hack in 2017, in which almost 150 million people had their personal information breached, it has been sending incorrect notification letters to a “small percentage” of affected consumers, the credit bureau told CNBC on Monday.A glitch in the company’s system led to a recent batch of notification letters that contained incorrect personal details for the consumers to which they were addressed. For instance, one consumer told CNBC he received a letter from Equifax that had the right address but the incorrect name....

Traveling to Machu Picchu is expensive, especially compared to the rest of Peru. The journey to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo since it’s the gateway to the Inca city, is only about 50 miles from Cusco, but thanks to the incredibly mountainous landscape and lack of paved roads — or lack of roads in general — the trip can be time-consuming. Your options are limited and while the easiest way to arrive is by train, the ride isn’t cheap....

Crafting the perfect Instagram photo is a delicate art. While there’s no better way to secure more likes than showing off a shot of the sun setting over the Indian Ocean in the Maldives, if you post one too many of these envy-inducing beauties, your followers may be more irritated than impressed.Fortunately, Instagram has come up with the perfect compromise, an easy way for you to share your best shots without overloading your follower’s feeds....

I’ve flown international First, Business and Economy many times in my life, but I’ve never done premium economy. I’ve been meaning to check it out, but I’ve never really been presented with the option to purchase it, since I usually fly on cheap international coach (mileage run) fares or redeem my miles for premium cabins. However, when I booked the crazy $150 Copenhagen fare and chose routing on KLM through Amsterdam, I was automatically assigned a seat in KLM’s Economy Comfort cabin....

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.Marriott is very predictable when it comes to their promotions - they use the same name and overall concept making slight tweaks each time. So once again, they announced a Megabonus promotion for Spring 2012 and you will get one free night at a category 1-4 hotel for every two stays....

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that means plenty of travel discounts will soon hit the internet. While most hotel chains and airlines don’t publicize their Cyber Monday deals until the last minute, Marriott’s giving us all a heads-up about its promotion for this year.From November 25 to November 28, members can book rooms at Marriott hotels for as little as $79 per night, with discounts of up to 25% at 2,100 properties across the globe....

Tomorrow is the last day of my day job and first day of the newest chapter in my life - being a full-time blogger. It’s definitely bittersweet, because I’ve met incredible people working on Wall Street and had some really solid road warrior years - which gave me the inspiration to start this site.However, travel is my passion and I am so grateful that the site has grown enough to be able to become a full-time endeavor....

TPG reader Ulysses writes:“Which airline’s elite status program offers the best chance of being upgraded on a flight? I fly several times a year, but not enough to earn elite status on more than one airline. I am particularly interested in long-haul, international flights since these are the sweetest upgrades to be had.“Upgrades are a great benefit of elite status. However, international upgrade instruments (like systemwide upgrades) are generally only given to the top elite tiers (75,000+ miles a year)....

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.Most Avgeeks dream of plane spotting and ‘fence surfing’ at Maho Beach, adjacent to the runway at Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten (SXM). However, it looks like the days of getting up close and personal with jet blasts from departing aircraft are limited: St....

A woman ended up on the wrong side of the country after boarding the incorrect flight on Tuesday.Maria Larios boarded a United flight that took her to Denver (DEN) instead of her destination of Raleigh-Durham (RDU), where her family was waiting for her.Larios, 80, was traveling from El Salvador to Raleigh-Durham but had a layover in Houston (IAH). Larios’ family had arranged special assistance for her travels because she is older, partly blind and doesn’t speak English....

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.Update: American Airlines has confirmed that it will launch service in September from Miami to Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Santa Clara and Varadero. The Holguin and Santa Clara flights will be operated with a Boeing 737-800 and the Camaguey, Cienfuegos and Varadero flights will be operated with an Airbus A319....