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A beach on Japan’s northeastern coast that were destroyed during the 2011 tsunami have finally reopened for the first time in eight years.The tsunami, in combination with the largest earthquake to ever hit Japan, caused widespread damage along the country’s coastal areas. The natural disaster’s 30-foot waves also caused a major nuclear accident when they crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing a meltdown. These catastrophes killed around 20,000 people, left 1....

We’ve all been there — traffic is worse than you expected, or maybe an alarm clock didn’t go off and you find yourself scrambling to the airport late for a flight.One Ohio man found himself in this predicament and allegedly decided to take extreme measures in an attempt to ensure he didn’t miss his United flight out of Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). He decided to call in a hoax bomb threat to the airport so he would make his Dallas-bound flight back in October 2017....

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 in case you don’t spend enough time staring at your computer or phone screen during the day, we have something new to add to the list.NASA just posted an Instagram photo of Jupiter and it’s absolutely mesmerizing....

Update: This offer is no longer available. View the current offer for the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card here.March 1st marked the start of Southwest’s new frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards 2.0. The most significant change is that Southwest is now issuing points instead of credits. No longer can you fly 8 roundtrips and get a free roundtrip - you now earn different points for different fare types and your points have a sliding value depending on the fare you choose for your award....

If you’re looking to get to Pyongyang, North Korea, you’ll have more flight options starting Wednesday.That’s the day that Air China says it will resume its regular flights between Beijing (PEK) and Pyongyang (FNJ), the hermit nation’s capital city with service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flagship carrier of China had suspended the route in November 2017 — some say due to lack of demand, while others say it was a reaction to the international fallout over North Korea’s controversial nuclear program....

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.Ryanair announced Tuesday it would be purchasing 25 more 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing. The additional planes brings the budget carrier’s total order of the narrowbody short-haul jet to 135.Ryanair is the largest operator of Boeing planes in Europe....

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 week I wrote about three upcoming Club Carlson promotions that offer the opportunity to score multiple free nights at a potentially low out of pocket cost.Registration is now open for the Radisson/Radisson Blu (registration link) and Country Inn and Suites (registration link) promotions....

Well, this is a huge bummer. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, the only Asia-based frequent flyer program to accept points from all four transferrable currencies (Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou and Starwood Preferred Guest), will be undergoing a big devaluation on March 23. That gives you roughly three weeks to reserve flights at the current rates, and with the beloved 15% online booking discount.According to an email sent to members this morning (including myself), the following will change as of March 23:Award rates will increase in various zonesThe 15% online booking discount will be discontinued — you’ll pay the same online as you will over the phoneFuel surcharges will be discontinued for flights operated by Singapore and SilkAirObviously that last bullet is an improvement, but not all routes have been subjected to huge surcharges in the past....

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.Spirit Airlines may not be the fanciest airline, but they are a practical option for consumers looking for a no-frills flight experience. They are adding Houston as one of their new destinations and to celebrate, they will be giving out a total of 60 million Free Spirit miles in Houston this week....

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.Following up on my New Year’s resolution to have more face-to-face with my readers, I have planned a very special event in Manhattan this Saturday, March 1, following the first night of the New York Times Travel Show to do just that!...

Royal Caribbean recently released its newest ship, Harmony of the Seas, which at 1,188 feet long and 226,963 gross tons, is now the largest cruise ship in the world. While it boasts incredible features like 18 decks, 20 dining experiences and enough shows and water slides to keep kids of all ages entertained, this ship also home to some of the swankiest, splurge-worthiest rooms at sea. Here’s a look at Harmony of the Seas’ most interesting staterooms....

For last week’s Thursday Giveaway, I decided to give away two free night vouchers good at any North American Radisson or Radisson Blu property to be used before December 31, 2014.To enter, you had to tweet me @ThePointsGuy with the hashtag #TPGFreeHotel and tell me which North American Radisson or Radisson Blu property or properties you would use the certificates at and why.Our winner chose the Radisson Hotel & Suites in Austin....

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.In the wake of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, United Airlines has revealed plans to reduce capacity on flights to some UK cities from its hubs in Newark (EWR) and Washington-Dulles (IAD). Specifically, the airline will suspend its Dulles to Manchester service this winter....

The responses to the TPG contest to find the Worst Vacation Story Ever have been overwhelming. Literally some of them had us reeling in disbelief and gagging from the descriptions! We’ve narrowed the list down to 5 of our favorite stories and would like your help deciding who deserves the Carnival cruise prize-pack and 10,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.Please read through the following stories and then cast your vote to determine who wins our “consolation” prize....

During the month of June, American Airlines is offering up to a 20% bonus to AAdvantage members who transfer miles to other AAdvantage accounts. In this case, transfers take 5 business days to go through, and must be made in transactions of between 1,000-25,000 miles each up to a total of 100,000 miles. AAdvantage members can receive up to 100,000 miles per calendar year. Transferred miles don’t count toward elite status or Million Miler status....

Medellín is a city that surprises people. In 1988, Time magazine named it the Most Dangerous City in the World; in 2013, The Wall Street Journal dubbed it the Innovative City of the Year, a contrast that perfectly illustrates how the city has reinvented itself. Once a spot plagued by drugs and guerrilla warfare that’s slowly become a modern, safe, cultural haven, Medellín is the perfect place to explore if you want to soak up the Colombian culture and interact with friendly paisas....

Traveling to underdeveloped countries can be a daunting endeavor, but the positive things — like fresh, cultural insights, friendly locals and affordable prices — often outweigh any possible complications. The Senegalese people are excited to share their beautiful culture with tourists and treat visitors with the utmost respect, so once you get all the essentials down, I have no doubt you’ll have a wonderful vacation like I did. Here’s what you need to know before your first trip to this incredible country....

In recent years, many hotels — from small boutiques to lavish chains — have stepped up their lobby game. Lobbies are the first part of a hotel that travelers take in — as well as a prime place for gatherings and happy hours — and the last sight guests have upon their exit. A well-decorated and welcoming lobby can be a fulsome bookend to a stay, but can also provide a like-worthy post for your Instagram feed....

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.American Airlines is beefing up its culinary options. Beginning next month, the carrier will offer passengers more choices with regard to its special meal program.Currently, AA offers passengers the following selections when it comes to special meals: diabetic, gluten intolerant, Kosher, Muslim and vegan....

Earlier this year, ANA pledged to lower fuel surcharges in response to reduced oil prices, and it began implementing these changes back in March. As TPG Points & Miles Contributor Richard Kerr explains, things are looking even better now.In March we looked at the level of carrier-imposed surcharges on ANA award tickets. It was interesting to see that taxes and fees appeared to be lower, even prior to ANA’s self-imposed April 1 deadline for lowering fuel surcharges based on the price of oil from December through January....