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Your TSA PreCheck line might be getting a whole lot slower.Why? Because officials say there are new security procedures being implemented that involve the increased use of explosive detection canines and in some instances, the reconfiguration of the lines at security checkpoints at airports across the country. That could mean more non-PreCheck passengers in the TSA pre-check line.The new program increases the number of passengers that are screened by the bomb-sniffing dogs....

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.Shopping portals are a great way to earn bonus miles while making purchases you’re planning to make anyway, especially when there are extra incentives involved. In a similar vein, British Airways is now offering a pretty lucrative promotion with Match....

One of the quirks of the low-cost and ultra low-cost carriers is that their booking windows don’t extend as far into the future as the traditional major air carriers. For families looking to plan well in advance for school breaks or other major trips, this presents a real challenge. While you can book a paid or award flight on an airline such as United or American consistently about 11 months in advance, your booking window on an airline like Frontier may be as short as just five months....

What are your miles and points worth? That seems to be a popular question, with a seemingly ever-changing answer. To help readers get a general idea of the value miles and points, TPG posts a monthly valuation series covering 37 different programs.However, the value you’re going to get out of your award miles/points will vary based on a few elements: which routes, which dates and whether you fly economy or a premium cabin when you redeem your miles....

Sharing technology continues to evolve: Uber and fellow share-technology startup Getaround teamed up Wednesday to launch Uber Rent, a peer-to-peer car-sharing option within the Uber app designed for consumers who want to drive themselves.Uber Rent will pilot in San Francisco, where Uber users can select from a variety of rentable vehicles, from low-emission sedans to SUVs. Customers can sign up for Getaround directly through the Uber app by uploading their driver’s licenses, which will also allow them to reserve and unlock cars....

The world’s biggest ride-hailing company is getting a massive investment from the world’s largest automaker. Japanese giant Toyota has announced it will be investing $500 million in Uber in a strategic move that intends to bring the two companies closer together in the development of self-driving cars.Both Toyota and Uber already have self-driving car programs, and the move could create a market for the companies to flood the streets with autonomous vehicles....

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its annual report detailing all of the aviation statistics you could imagine — and last year was a record for the airline industry.More than 4.1 billion travelers flew on scheduled service in 2017, a record for any 12-month period. That represents a 7.3% increase over 2016 and is 280 million more trips than the year before.IATA says the growth was supported by a strong global economy and cheaper airfares....

Each Saturday, we round up news stories that you might have missed from the week before. Here’s the top miles, points and travel news you might have missed on TPG this week.Photo by Shutterstock.comWhat Is New Marriott Elite Status Worth in 2018?A look at the value you can get from elite status in the new Marriott program based on the benefits offered to Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Premier members.Photo by John Weinhardt on UnsplashAmerican Announces a Slew of Exciting New Routes to Europe — Including a Nonstop Flight to King’s LandingAmerican Airlines unveiled exciting new routes to seven European countries — including the US’ only nonstop flights to Croatia....

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.Underwater hotspots like the villa in the Maldives and the museum off the coast of Spain are definitely interesting ways to experience the world’s oceans, and soon you’ll be able to eat at Europe’s first underwater restaurant.Under, the world’s largest underwater restaurant off the southern coast of Norway, is now accepting online reservations for parties of eight or less starting in April 2019 — larger parties must contact the restaurant via email....

The Eiffel Tower closed down Wednesday after the largest snowfall in Paris since 1987, according to the official Eiffel Twitter. The Tower rarely closes down, not even during last month’s torrential rainfall.The City of Love typically experiences about 15 light snow days per year, yet Paris unexpectedly found itself blanketed in up to six inches starting late Tuesday night. Some Parisians skied down the snowy steps of the Sacre-Coeur Cathedral. Others found themselves trapped in their vehicles or in temporary housing overnight, due to blocked roads....

Airline passengers worldwide should see some relief in their travels. Early Thursday morning, IT firm Amadeus reported that it faced a “network issue,” which caused passengers around the world to have their check-in processes disrupted — and therefore, significant delays. Now, Amadeus is saying that the issue has been resolved.“Amadeus can confirm that our systems are recovered and are now functioning normally,” an Amadeus spokesperson said. “During the morning, we experienced a network issue that caused disruption to some of our systems....

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.I came across another interesting little summer hotel promo today when I found this offer from Hilton HHonors to earn a bonus 2,000 points for staying at a Home2 Suites for the first time between now and August 15....

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.Sign-up here for the Westin Charlotte’s email list and you’ll automatically get 250 Starwood points, posted to your account by March 1, 2012. There’s nowhere to enter your SPG number, but apparently the hotel will email with instructions on how to get our Starwood points....

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.Looking to boost your Virgin America elevate balance for free, with minimal effort required? The airline is currently offering 500 bonus points via this promotion — simply sign up for Virgin Hotel email alerts by September 30 and you’ll see an additional 500 Elevate points in your account within 10 days....

Last week, several SPG Gold and Platinum members were reporting they received an email from Starwood Preferred Guest, offering them a free 6 month CLEAR membership. CLEAR is a program that issues biometric cards to airline passengers so they can get through security faster. However, I didn’t get an email, which I speculate is because I don’t live in a city where CLEAR operates, and that was part of the criteria to receive the email....

Airbus announced a significant step in its flying taxi program. On Wednesday, its full-scale “flying car” Vahana took its first flight.The Vahana completed two short flights over the last two days, said the company in a statement. The first saw it climb 16 feet and stay airborne for 53 seconds. It successfully completed a second flight on Thursday.Similar to a helicopter, the Vahana is a VTOL, or vertical take off and landing, vehicle....

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.From now until Dec 15,2010, get a Mastercard giftcard when you book your next American flight at AA.com. Flights must take place by March 31, 2011. Registration required: link.“As an AAirmailSM subscriber, we have a special offer for you....

Apparel retailer CEO Delany Luh has sued Delta Air Lines for failing to detain a passenger who allegedly sexually assaulted her mid-flight on June 16 of this year. The lawsuit seeks $1 million in compensatory damages, and another $5 million in punitive damages.Delany Luh, the founder of fashion brand I Am Plenty, filed her complaint earlier this week in US District Court for the Eastern Court of Tennessee via Knoxville attorney James Friauf....

Another potential clue in the unfurling intrigue surrounding Southwest’s future operations in Hawaii was dropped on Thursday afternoon.As Southwest has been releasing intermittent updates about its foray into the Hawaii market — including the four California airports from which Hawaii-bound flights will depart, which Hawaiian airports the airline will serve and which aircraft will fly the routes — questions have swirled about what additional connection cities and direct routes might be added to serve Hawaii down the line....

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 aspirational Conrad Maldives property has just made its overwater villas more attainable. In the past, its standard level of room, the Beach Villa, was the only room in available to book at a reasonable rate with Honors points....