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Only the latest slick travel news
How cruise ship stabilizers make your vacation at sea more comfortable
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/how-do-cruise-ship-stabilizers-work/
Cruise ship stabilizers are features built into the ship to reduce its side-to-side motion (or roll). Though most cruise ships have a variety of active and passive design elements working to provide a smoother ride for passengers, the retractable wing-type stabilizers on the sides of the ship below the water line are the kind the …
How and why you should maximize your hotel stays by using multiple loyalty programs
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/multiple-hotel-loyalty-programs/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Using one hotel loyalty program for most, if not all, of your stays is tempting. You may find yourself primarily using a particular program because you have a high tier of elite status, you feel comfortable earning and redeeming its rewards …
World of Hyatt gold: What it’s really like to stay at the Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor
https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/andaz-munich-schwabinger-tor/
[circuit type=review circuit_id=”20420183335″] The Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor has been on my radar for years. I got a brief look at the glamorous hotel in a residential neighborhood within Munich’s northern Schwabing district right after it opened in 2019. When a friend invited me to attend one of the hotel’s nightly happy hours, I was …
Can’t find United business class awards to Europe? Try these 7 routes with great availability
https://thepointsguy.com/deals/united-business-class-awards/
Finding business-class award availability at good prices is often the toughest part of the points and miles game. There are a number of tools that can help you find award availability easier than in the past. However, the pickings remain slim with many airlines and routes when it comes to getting well-priced international business-class awards. …
There’s finally a Hyatt in Santa Monica — and it’s about to get a major face-lift
https://thepointsguy.com/news/hyatt-centric-delfina-santa-monica/
Few places on the West Coast conjure up California beach vibes like Santa Monica, famous for its ride-filled pier, busy shopping streets and beautiful ocean views. Lately, Santa Monica has experienced a bit of a hotel renaissance, with a slew of exciting new hotel openings in the works from high-end brands like Regent and Marriott’s …
The 10 most haunted places in the US to visit this Halloween
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/most-haunted-places-in-america/
Halloween isn’t just about dressing up and devouring candy by the pound. It’s also the perfect excuse to explore some of the most haunted places in America. Why settle for a theme park haunted house when you can visit these historic destinations allegedly frequented by ghosts? From cursed prisons to eerie hotels, the United States …
Deal alert: Points and miles travel deals for September 2024
https://thepointsguy.com/news/points-and-miles-travel-deals/
Editor’s note: Some of the below offers may be targeted. Citi is a TPG advertising partner. From lucrative deals for bonus points on hotel stays to generous sales of airline miles, we’re finding plenty of travel deals to help you earn and redeem your points and miles so you can book the vacation of your …
Delta unveils 12 new and expanded transatlantic routes as part of largest-ever summer schedule
https://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-air-lines-new-routes-summer-2025/
Delta Air Lines wants to take you to Europe next summer. On Friday the Atlanta-based carrier unveiled its transatlantic schedule for summer 2025, and it includes seven new routes, an exciting new destination and expanded service to some of the most popular markets across Europe. There’s lots to get excited about, especially if you’re planning …
Earn up to 15% back on hotels and rental cars with TopCashBack
https://thepointsguy.com/news/topcashback-travel-earning/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Whether you are booking last-minute travel or simply want to try to save money on your next trip — and who doesn’t? — make sure you browse the TopCashBack shopping portal first. (If you use our Tell-a-Friend referral link, you can …
5 easy ways to maximize Hyatt award redemptions
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/maximize-redemptions-world-of-hyatt/
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information. Although Hyatt’s growing portfolio may still be smaller than Marriott and Hilton, the hotel brand has earned a phenomenal reputation among value-seeking award travelers. Not only is it easy to earn World of Hyatt points, but Hyatt’s lengthy list of hotels contains some of the …
JetBlue enters lounge space with JFK, Boston clubs planned for 2025 — a stunning shift
https://thepointsguy.com/news/jetblue-lounges-planned-jfk-boston/
JetBlue is making a major splash in the premium travel space with its first-ever airport lounges. The New York-based carrier will open two lounges starting in 2025, JetBlue said Thursday — one at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and another at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Access will be a prime perk …
How to book a round-the-world ticket using points and miles: 9 loyalty programs you can use
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/around-the-world-award-tickets/
If you’re reading this article, booking a round-the-world ticket with points and miles likely sounds alluring. A round-the-world award ticket often lets you fly many segments for about the same points or miles as a few long-haul award flights. However, in most cases, you’ll need to fly around the world and return to the region, …
Airport lounge wars: How credit card companies are competing for your preflight cocktail
https://thepointsguy.com/news/credit-card-companies-lounge-access/
Once upon a time, airport lounge access was only for the select few. A private, tranquil preflight experience was reserved for the most frequent of flyers or elite members with the highest status. However, the rise in popularity of airline lounge memberships and Priority Pass over the past decade has widened the appeal of — and …
Score rare welcome bonuses on Amex’s no-annual-fee business cards
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/amex-blue-business-plus-cash-offers/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. If you’re a small-business owner or even have a side hustle, such as driving for Uber or walking dogs, paying a credit card annual fee is likely out of the question when trying to save on costs. Fortunately, there are two …
Southwest Priority Credit Card review: Valuable perks for frequent Southwest travelers
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/southwest-priority-credit-card-review/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card overview The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the most rewarding of Southwest Airlines’ personal credit cards, offering a $75 annual Southwest credit and 7,500 anniversary bonus points. With the most benefits of any …
What is a gangway on a cruise ship?
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/cruise-ship-gangway/
“The gangway is located aft on the starboard side.” It’s entirely reasonable for a crew member to say this to you — and for you to not understand a word of all those nautical terms. It’s easy to learn that “aft” refers to the back of the ship and “starboard” is the sailor’s term for …
The best time to apply for these 9 popular travel credit cards based on offer history
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-welcome-offers/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Nothing is more disappointing than applying for a card, only to learn that you could have held out a bit longer to get a better welcome offer — especially since many banks won’t match you to that better bonus after you’ve …
Exclusive: How to maximize points, miles and coverage with Apple’s new iPhone 16, Watch, AirPods
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/maximize-iphone-purchase/
The annual “iPhone day” has come and gone. Apple on Friday launched the latest generation of its most popular devices: the iPhone 16 family, Watch Series 10 and AirPods. The new models hit store shelves Sept. 20, and as it always seems to do, the tech giant brought lots of hype to the launch. At …
Capitalize on Alaska-Hawaiian merger: Potential strategies to maximize your miles, elite status and more
https://thepointsguy.com/news/strategies-maximize-miles-alaska-hawaiian-airlines-merger/
Attention, points and miles enthusiasts: You’ve probably been keeping up with the breaking aviation news regarding Alaska Airlines’ acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. On Tuesday, the merger was finalized, and details were revealed regarding how the two airlines would continue to operate while maintaining their distinct brands. Details cited in the document outlining the agreement between …
One Key Card review: Expedia rewards for no annual fee
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/onekey-card-review/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. One Key Card overview The One Key™ Card (see rates and fees) is a new no-annual-fee offering that comes with decent earnings rates and some unique benefits with Expedia’s OneKey travel rewards program. If you use Expedia and its affiliated services …
The best cards to get after you hit 5/24
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/what-to-do-after-you-reach-5-24/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Whether you opened your first-ever credit card in the pursuit of free travel or already had a few accounts before you found this incredible world of points and miles, your first couple of moves will be highly scripted, thanks to Chase’s …
Everything we know about Disney Destiny, coming to Disney Cruise Line in 2025
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/disney-cruise-line-destiny/
For a hero to actually become a hero, they often need a villain. You’ll find plenty of both types of iconic Disney characters on Disney Destiny, poised to set sail in 2025. The ship goes beyond fairy-tale princesses and Marvel superhero spaces with venues like the first-ever piano lounge dedicated to Cruella de Vil and …
What it’s like at Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen: High-end all-inclusive resort bookable with Hyatt points
https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/secrets-moxche-playa-del-carmen/
[circuit type=review circuit_id=”9183″] I’ve stayed at the kind of all-inclusive resorts you might want to avoid if you don’t like wristband-wearing tourist warehouses with mediocre buffets. I’ve also stayed at some that were pretty darn nice. But my recent vacation at the adults-only Secrets Moxche in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, raised the bar on my …
The best and worst credit cards to earn bonus points when abroad
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/credit-cards-bonus-points-international-purchases/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. You might be surprised — in a bad way — to return home from an international trip and realize you earned a measly 1 point per dollar spent on all of your expenses during that trip. What gives? If you aren’t …
Fed cuts interest rates for first time in 4 years — how will it affect your credit cards?
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/credit-card-apr-vs-interest-rate/
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information. Relief is on the horizon for those battling high interest rates. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time since March 2020, when the economy stalled due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, you may wonder how …
Laptops, tents, binoculars and other surprising items you could be fined for when you travel to Mexico
https://thepointsguy.com/news/mexico-airport-customs-laptop-fine/
At this point, you probably know which items you can and cannot pack in your luggage when traveling through U.S. airports. Even when flying internationally, you can usually enter another country with those same TSA-approved items without incident. However, if you have an upcoming trip to Mexico, you may face a hefty fine if you …
Earn up to $600 in rewards with these new One Key credit card welcome offers
https://thepointsguy.com/news/onekey-credit-card-offers/
The newly launched One Key™ Card (see rates and fees) and One Key+™ Card (see rates and fees) from Expedia offer strong earnings rates and benefits for low annual fees — and right now, they’ve also got valuable and easy-to-earn welcome offers to take advantage of. Let’s take a closer look at the two cards …
Where the Wild West meets rustic California glamour: A review of The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection
https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/the-inn-at-matteis-tavern/
[circuit type=review circuit_id=”20420184739″] Editor’s note: The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection provided TPG with a complimentary two-night stay so that we could get an inside look at the hotel and its amenities. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by the hotel or any external …
The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Celebrity Cruises ship
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-celebrity-cruises-destinations/
Like many of the seven big lines that account for the majority of cruises taken by North Americans, Celebrity Cruises offers a wide range of itineraries. You’ll find Celebrity ships in almost every corner of the world at some point during the year. Still, the line’s heaviest presence, by far, is in the Caribbean, Europe and …
Giant new Norwegian Cruise Line ship will sail from Miami
https://thepointsguy.com/news/norwegian-luna-cruise-ship-itineraries/
A giant new Norwegian Cruise Line ship scheduled to debut in 2026 finally has a name — and a future home. Currently under construction at a Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, the 3,550-passenger vessel will be called Norwegian Luna, Norwegian president David Herrera revealed late Tuesday during a preview event near the shipyard. It’ll sail …