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Few things scream summertime like cocktails al fresco. Even better: cocktails al fresco with a bird’s eye view of the people and city that surround you. From foosball tables and fire pits in Dallas to a lively mortuary in Denver, here are 10 of our favorite rooftop bars in America.1. Sugar — MiamiGiven its subtropical climate, there’s never a bad time to enjoy a drink outdoors in Miami. But the experience is particularly sweet at Sugar, the garden-style hideaway that’s located on the 40th floor of the EAST, Miami Hotel at Brickell City Centre, which offers stunning views of Biscayne Bay....

From Harry Potter to Star Trek, there’s a pop culture-themed hotel suite to suit nearly every fan obsession. Here are eight of our favorites.1. Harry Potter’s Chambers at the Georgian HouseLocated in central London — and not too far from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry’s supposed location in the Scottish Highlands — the 165-year-old Georgian House hotel offers guests (magic and muggle alike) two Harry Potter-inspired options: the gothic-style Wizard Chambers, which is accessed through a concealed bookcase door and meant to feel like a Hogwarts dorm room, and the Enchanted Chambers, a smaller space that features many of the same details — including a hidden entrance, stained glass windows and plenty of cauldrons — that’s better suited for couples....

South African Airways’ financial situation has been grim for a while now — the airline has lost money in each of the last seven years. Just like perpetually cash-hemorrhaging Alitalia, Africa’s second-largest airline (behind the also-beleaguered EgyptAir) has consistently relied on government funding to keep its operations going.As reported by the BBC on Thursday, financial statements shown to South African government officials reveal that the airline is out of cash and may soon be unable to pay salaries....

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.Need a warm, Hawaiian getaway to defrost from this miserable winter? AA has some cheap fares from Newark to Honolulu that come to $431 total roundtrip. Play around with dates towards the end of April and returning in May on aa....

If you are one of the many who spend the majority of each paycheck on restaurants, you’re not alone. In fact, the amount Americans are spending on food and drink is at an all-time high, according to a report released Wednesday by the Commerce Department.“Sales at food-service and drinking establishments rose 1.3 percent in July to $61.6 billion,” Bloomberg reported, which at a gain of 25.3% over the summer alone is “the fastest pace in figures going back to 1992....

Last month I wrote about some rumored changes to the BA elite program, including the introduction of a new elite tier - Bronze. BA just confirmed the details of this new elite status level:“Bronze is our new tier between Blue and Silver. It will give you all the benefits of Blue with newly added benefits including:Business class check-inFree seat reservation from seven days before your flight departs25% tier bonus (1.25 Avios) for every mile you travel with us, Iberia and American Airlinesoneworld® Ruby status benefits when you travel with our oneworld partnersFrom 16 November, you can achieve Bronze status in two ways: by earning 300 Tier Points and taking two eligible flights, or by flying on 25 eligible flights in one membership year....

Air Côte d’Ivoire is the Ivory Coast’s flagship airline. Based in Abidjan, the country’s capital, it currently operates six Airbus aircraft — four A319s and two A320s — flying 25 different routes across West Africa and Central Africa, including frequent service to Accra (ACC) in Ghana, Dakar (DKR) in Senegal and Ouagadougou (OUA) in Burkina Faso.The carrier recently signed a firm order for two A320neo and two A320 aircraft, making it the first African airline to take delivery of the A320neo (when it arrives in October)....

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.We’ve seen Uber offer free rides from time to time, and here’s one from Lyft. The ride sharing service is currently offering $20 off a Lyft Premier ride when you enter the code PREMXRIDE. Note that this is for a higher-end car, so many rides will likely run you well over $20....

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.Chanukah started this week, Christmas is on Sunday, and we’re in the final holiday stretch to get all that shopping done (and still qualify for free shipping with certain merchants).So if you’ve been procrastinating, or haven’t yet figured out what to get your favorite travel buddies for the holidays, I’ve put together another update to my Holiday Travel Gift Guide just in time to help you with your last-minute shopping....

TPG reader Michael asked:“How do I get mileage credit on a flight for Korean Air when the Delta customer service representatives say none of the flights on the date that I want are codeshare-eligible to be booked?“I would even prefer to book a Delta flight but they are $3,000 more expensive than Korean Air for my dates. I am booking business class (Prestige Class) on Korean Air and would like at least some MQM credit (the class of fare for my flights would be 75%)....

It’s interesting how the questions I get via email go in cycles, and when I see a topic trending it sometimes reminds me it is probably worth covering here. The trending question of the month is definitely how to finish up getting the Southwest Companion pass this year.The Southwest Companion Pass allows the pass holder to designate a companion to fly with them on Southwest operated flights basically for free - just pay the taxes....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature CardIf you recently got — or are considering signing up for — the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card with its limited-time sign-up bonus of 75,000 points, you may be wondering how to redeem them. To help you make the most of your travel rewards, TPG Points & Miles Editor Sarah Silbert walks you through various options....

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 far as transcon flights go, JetBlue Mint is one of the best ways to fly — it also happens to be TPG’s favorite way to cross the country. It’s comfortable, spacious and affordable while the food is great and service is friendly....

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.Summer travelers to Milan be warned: Your selfie sticks are no longer welcome. On Friday, local authorities banned the smartphone accessory everyone loves to hate — alongside other commonplace items like glass bottles and cans — from the Darsena docklands area of Milan’s recently renovated historical port-turned-pedestrian haven....

I booked New Years in Rio de Janeiro early in 2010 when I stumbled across perfect award availability- it was kind of like a light shining down from above: 2 United first class saver level 67,5000 mile tickets from LGA-IAD to Rio and 2 American first class saver level 62,500 mile tickets from Buenos Aires to JFK about 10 days later. The beauty of American and United miles is the ability to redeem for one way awards, so my low 6 figure balances were enough to cover both legs for two people (my partner benefits greatly from my points obsession)....

One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about how award travel has affected their lives. Most of these stories are triumphant, like how one reader was able to book a three-week trip across Southeast Asia, or how another reader helped a friend make it to an important family event half way around the world. Based on the emails and messages I get each day, I can tell that points and miles have opened doors for many of you, and it’s an honor to help you get where you want to go....

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.There’s no doubt that Southwest Airlines employees had the most fun at airports and in the skies this Halloween. Pictures quickly circulated around the internet of employees dressed up, greeting travelers as they came to check in for their flights and even the high-up executives dressing as former US presidents....

One day after a federal judge temporarily blocked 3D printed gun blueprints from being distributed on the internet, CBS News has learned that the TSA has caught a handful of 3D printed guns at airport security checkpoints.Since 2016, the TSA says there have been at least four “incidents” with 3D printed guns or gun parts at airport security checkpoints.A 3D printed firearm and five rounds of .22-caliber ammunition were found at Reno-Tahoe Airport (RNO) in a carry-on bag in August 2016....

Tired of fumbling with your phone at the airport security checkpoint? Forgot your ID at home? Well, in the not-so-distant future, you’ll be able to clear security with just your fingerprints.Starting this week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be installing fingerprint readers to test a new concept: biometric identification and boarding passes.The long-term idea is to “automate the travel document checking process by eliminating the need for a boarding pass and identity document,” similar to what JetBlue’s testing in partnership with US Customs and Border Protection....

Friday morning, we told the story of a Romanian man who flew on a United Dreamliner from London (LHR) to Los Angeles (LAX) without ever having booked a ticket. Worse yet, he wasn’t authorized to travel to the United States, which landed him — and the airline — in serious hot water upon Flight 935’s arrival in LA.From my discussions with the various parties involved, I’m fairly certain of the sequence of events:A female United passenger dropped her boarding pass in the terminal at LHRThe female passenger asked an agent to print another boarding passAn unidentified man, who is a Romanian citizen, found the lost boarding passWith said pass to LAX in hand, he decided to change his travel plans on the spotThe man successfully boarded United 935 to LAXUpon boarding, he sat in a random open economy seatAfter takeoff, United determined that there was an extra passenger onboardUS Customs and Border Protection met the Boeing 787 upon arrival at LAXPassengers were instructed to deplane one-by-oneThe stowaway was identified, questioned and taken into FBI custodyThe big question that remains is why United gate agents in London allowed him to board using a boarding pass in the name of another passenger, who also still managed to travel on the flight to LAX....