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Update: The bill passed in the House, but still needs to go through the Senate later this week. Fingers crossed!Last week, senior members of the transportation committees of both the House and Senate announced that they had come to an agreement on a new aviation bill that will improve airport security, lessen screening lines and mandate that airlines refund baggage fees when a passenger’s luggage is lost or delayed. In addition, the bill would extend the FAA’s legal authority through the end of 2017....

“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week — Mondays and Fridays — by TPG Senior Writer Julian Mark Kheel.Ever since the merger between Marriott and Starwood closed last September, it’s been possible to transfer points between SPG and Marriott Rewards. So TPG reader Nick wonders if he might be able to take advantage of that feature to improve his progress toward lifetime status…[pullquote source=“TPG Reader Nick”]If I transferred points back and forward between my Marriott and SPG accounts, would that increase my lifetime points earned for Marriott status?...

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.Virgin America has been in a giving mood recently. A couple of weeks ago, the airline offered 500 points for signing up for Virgin Hotel emails as well as a 500-point bonus for opting in to Virgin Sport emails....

Is there anything better than ice cream on a hot summer day? Well, yes… how about free ice cream on a hot summer day? Thanks to Uber, that’s exactly what you can get today and every Friday for the next six weeks if you’re in one of 10 select cities.This yellow banner will appear in the Uber app starting at 11am in 10 select cities.Here’s the scoop — starting at 11am, you can open the Uber app on your phone and tap the yellow banner at the bottom to request ice cream....

Ride-haling company Lyft has doubled its valuation on the stock market in just about one year — a huge step as it tries to keep up with its massive rival Uber.In April 2017, Lyft was valued at $7.5 billion. Now, as of Monday, after its latest round of funding, the company is worth $15.1 billion. Among its investors, Fidelity is leading the pack this funding round with a roughly $800 million cash infusion into the startup....

One of the benefits as being a Medallion member with Delta is the Complimentary Companion Upgrades. You and a traveling companion may both enjoy First or Business Class cabins when traveling on Delta and Delta Connection carriers, if there are empty first class seats after all other Medallions are upgraded.DetailsYour traveling companion must be a SkyMiles member and traveling on the same flight. Companions are cleared no sooner than 24 hours in advance of departure and both the Medallion member and companion must be booked in a revenue class of 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.Hurricane Michael became a dangerous Category 4 hurricane in just a few days and will become the third major hurricane to make landfall in the continental US in the past 13 years when it hits the Florida Panhandle Wednesday afternoon....

TPG reader Lucas sent me a message on Facebook to ask about upgrades:“Is it worth paying 15,000 AAdvantage miles and a $175 copay to move from business to first on American’s A321T transcontinental service? Alternately, I could pay a $515 fare difference.”Domestic first-class service can be pretty lackluster, especially in comparison to the impressive premium cabins available internationally. However, there are a handful of transcontinental routes that offer a genuine first-class experience, including lie-flat seats, private suites and other amenities that can make the extra cost worthwhile....

Have you ever been walking in an amusement park or hiking up a mountain, and suddenly you see your legs breaking out in an itchy red, splotchy rash— whether on your ankles, calfs or your inner thigh? This is exercise-induced vasculitis.Or what some tourists have dubbed “Disney rash” because of its prevalence among tourists at the iconic chain of warm-weather amusement parks.Vasculitis is likely to affect travelers that are involved in warm-weather exercises, hence why the condition is also know as Golfer’s Vasculitis, Epcot Rash, Dollywood Rash and Hiker’s Rash, Forbes reports....

A Southwest Airlines flight made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff when pilots noticed an engine issue. Southwest Flight 604 departed from Salt Lake City (SLC), bound for Los Angeles (LAX) on Monday. Only a few minutes after it was in the air, pilots recognized an engine issue, forcing the aircraft to turn around and make an emergency landing back at SLC.According to Southwest, pilots became aware of a “performance issue” in the right engine of the Boeing 737-700 (registration N701GS) and chose to turn the aircraft around....

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.Preclearance facilities are one of the best perks for traveling through select international airports back to the US. With them, you can go through the Department of Homeland Security immigration and customs process before even boarding your flight, allowing for a quick deplaning process (and seamless connections) when touching back down on US soil as a domestic passenger....

Then, visit the elegant (and modern) Tsutaya bookshop across from the museum, which also has a splendid cafe and terrace.Ginza, Harajuku, Marunouchi, Shinjuku, Tsukiji. All terrific and interesting neighborhoods in Tokyo, with enormous depth, surprises and variety. Part of the challenge when visiting a city like this is not only knowing which neighborhoods to check out, but then, once you’re there, the challenge is what to do in them. Signage is often strictly in Japanese, there are lots of tourist traps, and it’s very easy, even for Tokyoites, to get lost....

As experienced travelers know, choosing your seat in advance can make a big difference in the flying experience. For some cabins — like Finnair’s business class and Aer Lingus’ business class — it can mean the difference between having a row to yourself or having to share the same space with another passenger.However, in order to select a seat, you usually need to work with the operating carrier to request it....

The Hilton HHonors program is a bit harder to extract big value from than some of the other hotel loyalty programs, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible. Hilton has some properties that are great for families, and they simply have a massive footprint at more than 4,600 properties around the world under a number of brands ranging from DoubleTree and Embassy Suites to Conrad and Waldorf Astoria. In other words, there are times when a Hilton property will be in the area you are visiting, but the closest Hyatt or Starwood might be hundreds of miles away....

A ticket in a premium class on an international flight means a rarefied experience in the air complete with fine dining, personalized service and comfortable seats. However, several airlines offer a taste of the luxury that awaits even before you set foot on the plane with chauffeur service - either to and from the airport, or from the terminal to the plane - that sets the entire flight experience apart. And some of them even make these services available to passengers flying on award tickets....

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare: Being stuck for hours in a metal tube where the very air everyone’s breathing can cause your child to fall sick, choke and die from an allergic reaction.That’s the frightening scenario many peanut-allergy sufferers and their families think they face before they board a flight.But experts say it’s a fear that’s unfounded. In reality, the science shows that people with peanut allergies can safely fly with minimal precautions — no need to ask the airline to create peanut-free zones, hand out explainer notes and free snacks to your entire cabin or worry yourself to death about a fatal cloud of peanut dust....

This New Year’s Eve, it’s estimated Americans will consume more than 360 million glasses of Champagne as the ball drops. No surprise, then, that the drunkest annual holiday directly precedes the country’s biggest collective hangover.And when you wake up on the first of January with a throbbing head, chances are you won’t be waddling your way to the gym like you promised yourself you would. The odds of reaching your resolution will recede rapidly, from slim to none — and you’re not even 24 hours into the New Year....

Starwood announced that several of their exclusive resort properties will be offering a 35% discount off a free night redemption for stays now through March 1, 2014. The resorts that are participating in this offer are: W Retreat and Spa Maldives, Le Meridien Bora Bora, Mystique, Santorini Greece, Al Maha, Dubai, UAE, W Retreat Koh Samui, Pine Cliffs Residence, Portugal and Vana Belle, Koh Samui, Thailand.Over water bungalows at the W Maldives....

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.US Airways is running a three day special on annual club memberships, which grants you access to not only US Airways lounges, but also Continental, United and Star Alliance lounges. This is a pretty good deal if you plan to use the lounge access more than 8 times (if you’re not going to use it at least 8 times it might make sense to buy online day passes for $29 each)....

Zachary Coleman, a passenger on Southwest Flight 1380 that had an engine explode mid-air and killed one passenger in April, filed a lawsuit against the airline in New York on Thursday.Coleman says he has been afflicted with post traumatic stress disorder since he was on board the fatal flight.Flight 1380 was en route from New York (LGA) to Dallas (DAL) on April 17 when suddenly an engine fan blade snapped off, causing the engine to explode and sending shrapnel crashing through a passenger’s window....