In the latest pets on plane debacle, a family’s dog has been stranded in Germany after being deemed “not fit to fly” because it had become anxious before takeoff last week.Dawn and John MacEnulty had booked themselves on a United flight from Frankfurt (FRA) to Chicago (ORD). The couple is moving back to the US after spending a year living in Germany, and they wanted to fly their pets back to the US, too....
Eating healthy while traveling can be difficult. Once, TPG Points and Miles writer JT Genter (who happens to be my husband) and I were each served a highly-processed breakfast in first class on a regional American Airlines flight from Charleston, SC (CHS) to Dallas (DFW). While some breakfast is always better that no breakfast, we couldn’t help but notice that the breakfast contained a surprising 70+ grams of sugar.American Airlines’ old “shelf stable” breakfast....
Chinese carriers used to be known for poor service, bad on-time arrival stats and lackluster hard products (seats, lounges, etc.) However, that’s changed a lot as Chinese carriers have purchased beautiful new planes and invested in seats that rival their Middle Eastern and Asian competitors. Where they fall short, in my opinion, is in the soft product — food, service, entertainment and lounges. China Eastern is one the top of the Chinese carriers and is the second-largest airline in China (behind China Southern), with its main hub in Shanghai....
Have you ever noticed the American flag painted on the side of the airplane as you were boarding? Perhaps it stopped you in your tracks and made you think, “Why is the flag backwards?” Maybe you’ve noticed the same thing on military uniforms and vehicles. That’s not by accident.Federal regulations state that when a flag is on a vehicle, the star field must be positioned toward the front of the vessel, so that it’s as if the flag is flying along the side of it....
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.Just a quick post to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving! I hope your travel plans took you to visit friends and loved ones this Turkey Day. My own plans include a whirlwind weekend trip to Paris with friends where I’ll be checking out the newly reopened Prince De Galles hotel, a Starwood Luxury Collection property, so get ready for a review of that - and of course eating my face off, though it might not include turkey!...
As a newly minted Intercontinental Royal Ambassador, I couldn’t wait to try out my status when I went to Mauritius in July. July is winter and off-season in Mauritius, so I was hopeful that upgrades would be plentiful.Planning My NightsMy plan for Mauritius was for six days and five nights. I’d spend the first night at the Intercontinental (because as a Royal Ambassador I’m guaranteed 8am check-in and my flight arrived at 7am), the following two nights at the Starwood Grand Mauritian (which is right next door to the Intercontinental) and then the last two nights at the Intercontinental using my Ambassador buy-one-get-one weekend night certificate....
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’ve been hit with a case of wanderlust, today’s your lucky day. Our friends over at The Flight Deal have unearthed five fare deals to far-flung destinations such as São Paulo and Cape town.New York - Miami for $110 round-trip on American Airlines (valid for travel through June 20; extremely limited availability)Orlando - São Paulo for $515 on American Airlines (valid for travel through February 28, 2016; must purchase ticket by May 14, 2015)Dallas/Philadelphia/Phoenix - Hong Kong for $578 round-trip on Delta (valid from late August 2015 to March 2016)New York - Buenos Aires for $660 round-trip on TAM (valid from mid-August to September 2015)DC/IAH/LAX/ORD/SFO - Africa from $659 to $703 round-trip on Delta (valid for travel through December 6; destinations in Africa include Cape Town, Entebbe, Nairobi, Lagos and Accra)Round-trip from NYC to Miami in June....
One of the perks of airline elite status is getting bumped up to a premium cabin, but the upgrade process is complicated and it’s sometimes hard to predict when you’ll be accommodated. Today, TPG Senior Points & Miles Correspondent Nick Ewen looks behind the curtain of upgrade priority (for the next few days, at least!) on US Airways.It’s official. This Sunday, March 28th, the American and US Airways will merge their respective loyalty programs, which is actually ahead of the original estimate of sometime in the second quarter....
It’s still a construction zone, but I can’t wait for the Andaz Maui to open.While I was on Maui last week and staying in Wailea, I was invited to take a quick tour of the island’s newest luxury property, the Andaz Maui, which is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2013.The resort will be on 15 beachfront acres in the Wailea development where the old Stouffer resort used to be on Mokapu Beach – though all that remains of the old building is the foundations....
New Yorkers know that Penn Station is one of those places that you’d rather run from than toward. It’s old, dirty, dark and overall pretty decrepit. So it comes as welcome news that Governor Andrew Cuomo just unveiled plans for a new — and drastically improved — Pennsylvania Station-Farley Complex. The best part of all: it’s all scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020.The new Penn Station Farley Building will house the Moynihan Train Hall for Amtrak and LIRR passengers....
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:You don’t have much time left to transfer hotel points to earn the Southwest Companion pass....
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 Dallas-bound Southwest flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after smoke reportedly filled the aircraft cabin.After the Boeing 737 landed, crew deployed the emergency slides, and the flight’s 140 passengers were evacuated....
Travel plans for the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un are almost all ironed out. The date is set (June 12). The country has been selected (Singapore). And we even know how the two leaders will fly to the historic meeting.Virtually the only planning detail that remains to be locked in for first-ever summit between a US president and a North Korean leader is a bit of an uncomfortable one: Who will pay for North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s hotel bill?...
Even in 2016, it can be hard to stay connected while traveling abroad because of expensive data plans and sometimes shoddy Wi-Fi hotspots. We want to make it easier for one reader to stay connected on their travels, so enter our Thursday Giveaway this week for a chance to win a global connectivity package from Skyroam, a global Wi-Fi provider making it easy to stay connected worldwide through a personal hotspot....
A tourist from Cyprus was caught at Sydney International Airport (SYD) in Australia attempting to smuggle four kilograms of solid, crystallized methamphetamine across the border.The 47-year-old had arrived from Doha, Qatar (DOH) on Sunday. In a routine security check, the Australian Border Force X-rayed his luggage to find some interesting “inconsistencies.” After searching through the lining of the suitcase with a power drill, they discovered a crystalline substance hidden in the lining — which tested positive for $3....
The best travel advice comes from other savvy travelers, and so we present a new series “Travel Blogger Q & As.” Here, we’ll introduce you to other intrepid travelers. To kick things off, Lifestyle Editor Shayne Benowitz interviews Ryan Gargiulo of Pause The Moment.Whether it’s the adrenaline rush from his adventurous world travels or practical tips ranging from gadgets to money-saving advice to staying fit on the road, Ryan Gargiulo of Pause The Moment has been spreading his particular brand of inspirational travel gospel since 2008....
A woman from the UK says she was arrested in Dubai after drinking a single glass of wine on an Emirates flight from London in July.44-year-old Ellie Holman, who is originally from Sweden, says was arrested at Dubai International Airport by immigration officers on July 13 because she drank one glass of red wine with her meal on board her flight.Upon arrival at DXB, Holman says an immigration officer told her to immediately purchase a ticket back to London because her visa had expired....
First-time visitors to Africa tend to gravitate toward well-known destinations like South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, but in this new travel series, TPG Special Contributor Eric Rosen sheds light on five of southern Africa’s other great safari destinations. The first two posts covered Zambia and Rwanda. Now we turn our attention west to Namibia.The Namib Desert is one of earth’s most unique landscapes. Photo credit: Wolwedans.As inspiration for travelers looking to experience something new, this series shares each country’s major safari areas and what wildlife you’re likely to see, as well as suggesting some places to stay....
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.United’s Wi-Fi experience is… not great. In fact, it’s so not great that the airline sent out an email to customers announcing big improvements beginning in 2018. From my experience, the 737 fleet with ViaSat Ka-band Wi-Fi and even the transcon 757s with Gogo have offered decent-to-excellent performance, however I can’t say the same for any of United’s planes with Panasonic satellite internet, which I’ve found to be basically unusable recently....
Get ready for your future Uber and Lyft rides to have a lot more chatter.That’s because the two ride-hailing companies are planning to add video advertising screens that cannot be muted to thousands of its drivers’ cars, The New York Post reports.The screens, somewhat similar to the ones in New York’s yellow taxis, will be able to be turned down and become near dark, but not completely muted or turned off....
