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Two New Jersey residents, Robert Gordon and Melissa Chan, jointly filed a lawsuit against United recently for breach of good faith and fair dealing with claims that the airline manipulated its mileage redemption rates in order to force MileagePlus members with more miles to redeem more of them for certain rewards, in this case hotel stays (flight redemptions are published and fixed).The way this came about is that Gordon and Chan were trying to book a room at the same hotel for the same dates using their United miles....

I’m formulating a larger post on some pluses and minuses of Hawaii vs. the Caribbean because lots of folks struggle with whether it is worth the additional travel time, miles, and dollars to head to Hawaii over going somewhere closer to home (and potentially cheaper) in the Caribbean, Mexico, etc. Obviously the distance issue changes based on whether you are located on the east coast, west coast, gulf coast, or somewhere in between....

If you’re planning a trip to Italy, we know it’s going to involve a lot of pasta, pizza, dessert, probably a wine tasting or two — and rightfully so. But some olive oil estates and wineries are taking their tours and tastings to the next level.These aren’t your average olive oil or wine tours; they’re experiences designed for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy Italian culture in a way you wouldn’t have before, and may make you reconsider your next stay at a chain hotel in one of the nearby cities....

A woman who has snuck past security in airports numerous times has been deemed unfit for trial by an Illinois judge.Marilyn Hartman, also known as the “Serial Stowaway” was ordered to a mental health facility by a Cook County judge on Thursday.Hartman gained notoriety after sneaking past airport security and airline staff to get on planes as an unticketed passenger. She was most recently arrested in Chicago (ORD) after secretly flying on a British Airways flight to London Heathrow (LHR)....

Whenever you check into a hotel room, you hand over your credit card as a sort of insurance policy against damages — and chances are the most havoc you’ve ever wreaked has been raiding the hotel mini-bar. That’s not how celebrities roll. From legendary Surrealists to ‘70s rock icons to kid actors-turned-troublemakers, the hotel industry is full of cautionary tales of what can happen when a boldface name books a room....

Update: American Airlines has now separated the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent regions on its award chart. Both awards are still pricing at the same levels — from the US, you’ll redeem 40,000 AAdvantage miles each way for economy, 70,000 for business class and 115,000 for first class when traveling to the following countries:Great news for those of us with American Airlines miles — without any fanfare, American Airlines changed its award chart this week to allow transpacific routings when flying from the US to the “Indian Subcontinent....

For the past several years, the fees for bringing bags onboard the airplane have been consistently increasing, while the permitted sizes have been ever decreasing. If you fly on low-cost carriers, or even on a full-service carrier on a Basic Economy ticket, then you often can’t bring anything onboard that is larger than a purse or small backpack without being hit with additional fees.Either packing light or paying extra for bags has become old hat for many travelers....

The busiest airspace in the world is entering the 21st century.On April 4, air traffic control at London’s Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) airports will transition away from tracking incoming and outbound flights with paper strips, implementing an electronic tracking system called EXCDS in their stead."[Our] air traffic controllers… currently use paper strips to record all the information that enables them to keep aircraft safely separated," said National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the organization responsible for all air traffic control within the United Kingdom, “including where an aircraft is heading to, the speed they’re traveling, and the instructions they’ve been given, for example what flight level to fly at....

In the traditional sense, airplane safety videos aren’t the most exciting cinematic productions. But, British Airways is attempting to make its latest video one, which it’s calling, “Director’s Cut.“The video stars British comedian Asim Chaudhry as he auditions English actors and actresses for a part in a new safety video. The video features appearances from figures such as Gordon Ramsay, Ian McKellen, Gillian Anderson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Rowan Atkinson and more....

Panamanian carrier Copa Airlines officially revealed the layout of its first Boeing 737 MAX 9 Tuesday, introducing 166 seats in an updated there-cabin design: Business, Economy Extra and economy.The first new aircraft, now registered as HP-9901CMP, is one of 71 total MAX aircraft ordered from Boeing in April 2015, and was delivered from Boeing Field to Panama City on August 31. Copa will take delivery of four more MAX 9s before the end of 2018, with eight more anticipated in 2019 and nine in 2020....

It pales in comparison to the damage estimates on the ground, which will continue to rise as insurance claims are filed and evacuees return to their homes, but Delta Air Lines itself is anticipating a $30 million pre-tax income hit due to Hurricane Florence. Florence smashed into the North Carolina coast in mid-September, stalling out and dumping staggering amounts of water on coastal areas while lashing homes and businesses with 90 mph winds....

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.Nothing is better than going to Disney as a kid (or any age, for that matter). It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting Florida or California, you’re still in the most magical place on Earth whenever you’re on one of Disney’s properties....

Car rentals can be a great way to maximize the points and miles you earn. Here are some of the most lucrative car rental mileage bonuses going on at the moment to keep in mind for your next rental:Earn up to 3,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles with Budget.Earn up to 3,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles with Budget: Now through April 30, 2013, AAdvantage members can save up to 30% and earn up to 3,000 AAdvantage bonus miles on their next Budget car rental....

Deadline to Enroll: March 2, 2018 at 11:59pm CTFoundersCard offers members many benefits, from complimentary status to discounts and much more. One of the fairly consistent benefits with FoundersCard has long been its American Airlines Platinum status challenge. And to kick off 2018, FoundersCard is offering the Platinum challenge once again.FoundersCard members can now enroll in the status challenge for AAdvantage Platinum status. And, if successful, you’ll retain the status through January 31, 2019....

The latest variant of the A350, the A350-1000, is preparing to enter commercial service, almost a year since it first took to the skies.Fast forward to this week at Airbus HQ in Toulouse, when I joined the launch customer for Airbus’ latest product, Qatar Airways to take an exclusive first look at the first A350-1000 jet that will soon enter commercial service, already wearing Qatar’s Oryx livery. The Doha-based airline was also the first operator of the shorter A350-900....

This is a guest post from my dad, Grandpa Points. He and my mom are in their mid-60’s, are (mostly) retired,and are ticking off “bucket list” destinations quicker than they ever thought possible thanks to miles, points, and travel deals. They have an intense love of this country, of its National Parks and treasures, and have no problem with a clean budget hotel room and an economy airline seat on a budget airline as long as it gets them where they want to be....

In a move that I hope signals more and more luxury hotel chains entering into the loyalty and points game, Mandarin Oriental has teamed up with Etihad’s Guest Programme to offer Guest members 500 miles for each eligible stay in a room or 800 miles for each eligible stay in a club room or suite at any of Mandarin Oriental’s participating properties worldwide.In addition to this ongoing mileage bonus, Mandarin Oriental and Etihad are also offering double miles to Etihad Guest members who book Luxury Breaks packages at Mandarin Oriental properties and stay in a room, and triple miles for suite bookings from now through April 15, 2013....

I remember the first time I ever flew a Boeing 747. It was on the upper deck of a Singapore Airlines 747 in business class (which has since stopped flying these whale jets altogether), and I can still feel the rush I got climbing those steps to one of the most exclusive experiences in the air. At that moment, it was clear why this enormous feat of engineering and technical skill was dubbed the “Queen of the Skies....

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.Last summer, a 130-foot by 40-foot floating garden was docked off the coast of Brooklyn (and later, the Bronx), allowing city dwellers to hop aboard, pick and sample fresh produce — for free. Starting this spring, The Bronx Museum, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Hudson River Park Trust and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, among other NYC organizations are partnering up to host the Swale “Floating Food Forest” for a second year, billing it as “a collaborative floating food project dedicated to rethinking and challenging New York City’s connection to our environment....

The largest aircraft in the world, the Airlander 10 blimp, underwent a series of unfortunate events upon its conception. But now, the slow giant is trying to make a better name for itself with the release of luxury interior renderings and an overall rebranding.Back in 2016, the massive aircraft took its first flight, and by its second, it crashed onto its nose shortly after takeoff. Then, in 2017, it completely deflated following a successful flight....