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Each Saturday, we round up news stories that you may have missed from the week before, including several that already appeared on The Points Guy, and some more that we haven’t covered yet. If you’re an avid TPG reader, scroll down for the new stuff. Here’s the top miles, points and travel news you may have missed this week.Cruise Ship Goes Dark for 10 Nights to Avoid Pirate AttackWhen you think of luxury cruising, having to avoid pirates isn’t often at the top of your mind....

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 fall, TPG Assistant Editor Nick Ellis flew from Seattle (SEA) to Shenzhen (SZX) on Xiamen Air. He learned of one of China’s quirkier airline policies the hard way after pulling out his phone to listen to music and then immediately being asked to shut the device off, even though the phone was in airplane mode....

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 I said in a previous post earlier this month, I’ll be speaking at three upcoming events about maximizing miles and points, and presenting an award at The Freddies, so I wanted to personally invite TPG readers to each....

In a city characterized by its bustling waterways and canals, a serious change has just gone into effect. On August 1, the city of Venice outlawed canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and paddle boats, according to The Local. The ban extends across all major Venetian waterways, including the Grand Canal.Anything inflatable has also been banned.Restrictions on water traffic were introduced as far back as 2013, after a ferry crashed into a gondola, killing a tourist....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MastercardYou might have noticed we’ve been covering the stuffing out of elite status lately - and that’s because there are just two days (today and tomorrow) left to qualify or requalify for elite status with the airlines for 2014. Even with the number of posts we’ve been churning out on it, readers keep writing in with more and more questions about how to squeeze a few last miles in, so for the final time in 2013, I’m going to compile a list of ways you can earn those last few miles to qualify for status, or buy your way back into status with credit cards or other methods....

Last Monday, we had our very first opportunity to experience United’s new 777-300ER (77W), complete with a tour from the airline’s CEO, Oscar Munoz. And while business class is a massive improvement over the 2-4-2 seats United flies on many of its other international aircraft, economy is a different story altogether.On this particular 777 model, economy seats measure just 17 inches wide, compared to the up to 17.3 inches on the 787 and the up to 18 inches on United’s 767s and almost all 777-200s....

AvGeeks love to surf around YouTube. There, you can find audio of JFK ATC reprimanding an Air China pilot, incredible landings in crosswinds and plane-spotting at airports around the world. But Youtube also features longer-format documentaries to whet your appetite for all things airplane.Here are 10 aviation documentaries available on YouTube.(You’ll note that many of the best documentaries come from across the pond. The Brits seem to herald their aviation industry and aeronautical history more than we do here in the US....

Are you heading to foggy London town? London is full of pop-up adventures and trendy venues — such as the unmistakeable pink hotspot, Sketch, and the always delectable cocktail bar Dandelyan — but timeless London classics are worth a snap too. Grab your phone and hit these great London sights.1. Neal’s YardThis alleyway through London’s Covent Garden is a super-saturated, colorful wonderland. With an air of whimsy and magic, this is the perfect place to take some pictures and tuck away into a cozy café with a warm cup of tea....

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 night, a Lufthansa flight bound for Frankfurt (FRA) from Houston (IAH) was diverted to New York’s JFK airport following a bomb threat. LH441 was en route when Lufthansa corporate headquarters received a phone call with the threat....

Alaska Airlines is reducing the size of the carry-on bag you’ll be permitted to bring on board. As of June 4, 2018, the maximum dimensions for your bag will shrink from 24" x 17" x 10" to 22" x 14" x 9".Beginning June 4, the carry-on size for Alaska Airlines, Horizon and SkyWest flights will take a total of two inches off the length, three inches off the height and one inch off the width, representing a 35% reduction from the current maximum....

Starting in 2017, American Airlines will require potential elite members to meet spending thresholds before earning elite status. For example, in addition to flying 100,000 elite-qualifying miles, travelers will have to earn 12,000 elite-qualifying dollars to reach Executive Platinum status.For those new to airline spending thresholds, you might assume that everything that you pay American Airlines would count toward this threshold. However, just the base fare and carrier-imposed fees — but not baggage, seating and other auxiliary fees — count toward elite-qualifying dollars (EQD)....

Despite the negative news about airlines that seems to surface on an almost daily basis, the industry continues to grow and thrive. In light of that, Boeing just released its 2017-2036 Pilot and Technician Outlook. It’s an annual report from the manufacturer, and this most recent edition highlights the industry’s urgent need for licensed aviation professionals.Image courtesy of Boeing.PilotsBoeing said the commercial aviation industry will need 637,000 new airline pilots worldwide between now and 2036....

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: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View all current offers here.The Chase Sapphire bonus going down isn’t the only news in the credit card miles and points world today. There are a few more pieces of info that I want to make sure and share…....

Big changes are coming down the line for Delta’s 777-200s — including better business-class seats, fewer business-class seats and the addition of the carrier’s “Premium Select” premium economy product.The biggest surprise of this revelation is what isn’t being changed: Delta is keeping a 3-3-3 seating arrangement in economy. American Airlines and United — as well as plenty of other airlines — have switched or are in the process of switching to 10 seats across in economy on the Boeing 777....

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.Earning Starwood points for meals at most Starwood properties is one of the nice benefits of the SPG program. You can even earn points when you aren’t a guest of the hotel - you simply save the receipt and email it to research@starwoodhotels....

My 2017 was pretty insane. I ended up flying around the world four times in November and December alone, with this Cathay Pacific flight kicking off my second-to-last work trip of the year. The goal was to make my way to Colombo (CMB) to begin a discounted Emirates itinerary that ultimately scored me Suite 1E on the airline’s inaugural flight for its exceptional new 777-300ER suite product.I was especially excited to fly Cathay Pacific’s A350....

Earlier this week, TPG Managing Editor Eric winged his way from LAX to Shanghai aboard China Eastern Airlines business class. Here’s his review of the experience.Before flying them on Monday, the only thing I knew about China Eastern Airlines was that it is a member of SkyTeam, and that it’s based in Shanghai. I occasionally see their plain white planes with red and blue lettering at Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, but I’d never had the chance to fly them before now....

Great news for Dreamliner fans: As of this June, you’ll be able to fly the legendary Boeing 787-8 from Newark all the way to Brisbane via Vancouver on Air Canada, making the one-stop route a great new option for anyone interested in heading to this vibrant Australian city.The new nonstop 787 flight between Newark and Vancouver starts on June 17. The schedule is as follows:Air Canada: 549 Newark (EWR) 7:00pm Departure ⇒ Vancouver (YVR) 10:05pm ArrivalAir Canada: 548 Vancouver (YVR) 9:00am Departure ⇒ Newark (EWR) 5:20pm ArrivalAccording to an article by Australian Business Traveller, the new Vancouver-Brisbane route officially starts June 3 with three flights per week until June 19, when it switches to daily service....

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.ANA has just shown off a special livery for its very first Airbus A380. Back in October, the airline held a competition to design the paint job for the jumbo jet that will operate airline’s flight between Tokyo and Honolulu (HNL)....

According to FlightAware.com, more than 6,800 flights have been canceled so far, and rail traffic has also been impacted with Amtrak canceling all of its Northeast Corridor service in addition to some other lines it operates in the region where Hurricane Sandy has hit. With all the canceled flights and disrupted travel, I wanted to write a post with strategies on how to get around long airline hold times for those of you who have been left stranded or need to change your travel plans so you’re not stranded in the coming days....