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Good Deal Alert: New York JFK – Milan MXP $438 Roundtrip on Emirates and Alitalia in March – April

On March 10, 2014 · 1 comment

in Alitalia, Emirates

Milan is a beautiful destination in Europe.

Economy tickets from the US to Europe tend to hover around the $800-$1,100 mark, but right now, there’s a decent airfare deal to Europe this spring where you can score tickets on either Emirates or Alitalia on their competing New York JFK – Milan MXP route for as low as $438 per person including… Read More

Transcontinental Comparison: Economy Seats

On March 10, 2014 · 10 comments

in Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, United, US Airways, Virgin America

Economy seats on Delta's 73H

Recent mileage program devaluations and restrictions on elite status upgrades like those on Delta will make it harder than ever to sit in the front of the plane, so it’s worth your while to know what each airline offers in economy.
Several airlines offer economy sections with more legroom and… Read More

Updated Strategies For Earning Points and Miles With Prepaid and Reloadable Cards

On March 10, 2014 · 33 comments

in Prepaid/ Reloads, TPG Contributors

Amex gift card

A lot has changed in the world of checking/debit alternatives like Bluebird, as well as prepaid/reloadable cards in the past year, so I asked TPG Contributor Jason Steele to write up some updated strategies on turning these products into points-earning powerhouses.
Among travel rewards enthusiasts,… Read More

What Is The Best Credit Card to Maximize Points Earning On A Road Trip?

On March 9, 2014 · 14 comments

in American Express, Chase, Credit Cards, Sunday Reader Questions, Video Blog Post

Ah, the lure -- and the many expenses -- of a road trip

TPG Reader Patrick emailed me to ask about which credit card to use during a road trip:
“I’m planning a cross-country road trip in May-June of this year, driving from Los Angeles to New York and back. I have a Citi AAdvantage Amex and MasterCard that I use for everything – gas, food, bills, etc. Read More

Can I Transfer Chase Ultimate Reward Points From A Family Member’s Account To Mine?

March 9, 2014

TPG reader William emailed me to ask: “I have had a Chase Sapphire Preferred for quite awhile. I recently had my wife get her own card. We are finishing up the minimum spending and her 40,000 points will post shortly. I’d like to know if I can transfer her Ultimate Reward points to my Ultimate […]

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Should We Bank Miles To Alaska Even If We Never Fly Them? What Credit Cards Would Work With This Strategy?

March 9, 2014

TPG reader Nate e-mailed me this week with the following question: “Should my wife and I bank miles at Alaska for dual elite status – even if we never fly Alaska? We value: (1) free upgrades to first and premium economy (2) miles for hotel/air to US, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii (3) priority boarding and seats […]

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Is it Better to Pay $100 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA Precheck?

March 9, 2014

TPG reader Safwan posted a question on my Facebook page this week: ” Is it better to pay $100 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA Precheck? Thanks in advance.” Safwan is comparing the costs of getting Global Entry, which costs $100 to apply for, or the application for TSA PreCheck, which the government opened […]

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Saturday Recap: Earn Double Asia Miles on Cathay Pacific, Earn Double Points On JetBlue Getaways, Regent Hotels Offer Airberlin Bonus Points For Stays and More

March 8, 2014

Here’s a recap of the interesting points and miles news from the week: Earn Double Miles For Flying Premium Economy On Cathay Pacific: You can earn double Asia Miles for flying premium economy on Cathay Pacific. Simply register and travel before March 31, 2014. New members who join the program can also earn 500 bonus miles. […]

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SriLankan Airlines Official Oneworld Join Date May 1, 2014

March 8, 2014

Back in November, SriLankan Airlines announced it would be joining Oneworld in April, and word came down this week that the airline’s official Oneworld join date is May 1, 2014. With it, SriLankan brings 100,000 members of its FlySmiles loyalty program, who will now be able to earn and redeem miles across Oneworld, and Oneworld […]

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Reader Giveaway: TPG Swag Bag and 10,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

March 7, 2014

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at the 2014 New York Times Travel Show for the third year in a row, and it was a great opportunity to connect with readers about some of the exciting new changes in point valuations, frequent flyer programs (I’m looking at you Delta!) and credit card bonuses. […]

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American Airlines Reveals New 767-300 Business Class – And It Looks Great

March 7, 2014

American Airlines has been revamping its fleet for a while now, what with the introduction of new 777-300ER’s, A319′s, and the transcon A321. It also has plans to retrofit its aging 767-300′s with an all-new business class. The airline just unveiled what the new cabin would look like, and it’s pretty awesome. It looks a […]

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Flight Review: Hawaiian Airlines Business Class Sydney-Honolulu and Air New Zealand SYD Lounge

March 7, 2014

So far in my series on my trip to Australia with TPG Managing Editor Eric, I’ve covered how I used miles to book my award ticket, my flight from LAX-MEL in United GlobalFirst, the day I spent wine-tasting out in the Yarra Valley, a restaurant review roundup of all the fantastic places we ate in the city, my review of […]

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Reminder: Chase Sapphire First Friday 3X Points on Dining Today

March 7, 2014

It’s almost lunchtime on the east coast, which means you’re probably thinking about where to eat and hopefully which credit card to use to maximize the points on your dining purchase, so I wanted to post a reminder that today is the first Friday of March and you can earn 3X points per $1 at […]

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American Airlines Transcontinental JFK – SFO Bonus Miles Up To 15,000

March 7, 2014

American Airlines has been hyping the arrival of its new transcontinental A321 service since it started taking delivery of the planes, and has been offering bonus miles on JFK-LAX flights from January 7-March 31. Now that it is launching service on the new plane on its transcontinental route from San Francisco SFO to New York […]

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Destination of the Week: San Francisco

March 7, 2014

Known as the City by the Bay, San Francisco is a compact, seven-by-seven-mile collection of steep hills, panoramic views, cultural pursuits and farm-to-table cuisine. For today’s Destination of the Week, TPG Assistant Editor Melanie Wynne and TPG contributor Brian Houtz take us to Northern California’s historic and progressive city of San Francisco. WHAT TO DO The heart of San Francisco is […]

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Is Delta Not Honoring Platinum Medallion Offer For New York Flyers?

March 7, 2014

Back in January, Delta announced a drool-worthy offer for New York-based flyers with a fast-track to Platinum Medallion status. Whereas Platinum Medallion status normally requires you fly 75,000 miles or 90 segments (and starting in 2014 that you spend $7,500 on airfare or $25,000 on a co-branded Delta Amex), those flyers targeted for the offer […]

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5,000 Point Sign-Up and Fly Bonus For New JetBlue TrueBlue Members

March 6, 2014

To celebrate that time-honored institution of excess, sunburn and shenanigans – Spring Break! – JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty program is offering new members who sign up, book a flight and fly by April 30, 2014, 5,000 bonus points. To sign up and register, here’s what you do. Fill out the form on this page to join […]

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Delta Releases New Details on 2015 SkyMiles Redemptions And I Am Cautiously Optimistic

March 6, 2014

Last week, Delta dropped a bombshell that it would be massively overhauling its SkyMiles program with a new revenue-based earning structure and a new redemption schedule that would include new features like cash & miles awards and one-way awards. While the airline released all the details on its new earning structure – you basically earn […]

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Garuda Indonesia Now Official SkyTeam Member Airline

March 6, 2014

Back in December, SkyTeam announced that Garuda Indonesia would be joining the alliance in March, though given Garuda’s until-recently spotty record, the actual join date that was set for March 5 seemed like more of an estimate. But lo and behold, March 5 came, and SkyTeam posted the announcement that Garuda is now officially the […]

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Amex Daily Getaway Deals Coming May 2014

March 6, 2014

American Express and the US Travel Association (a non-profit dedicated to promoting US travel) have teamed up to offer various discounts and deals with travel brands and loyalty programs including hotel packages, points/miles purchase promos, rental car deals and more over the course of a month or so. The last time they came around was […]

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Current Mileage Purchase and Share Bonus Promos: American, Avianca, JetBlue, US Airways

March 5, 2014

There are several promotions where you can buy or transfer miles and get a bonus of anywhere from 25-100% right now, so I thought I’d put them all together in one place for a handy reference. Here are the current promos. American Airlines 30% Discount on Shared Miles Now through March 31, American Airlines is […]

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Social Media Recap-News, Contests, Promos, Trends and More

March 5, 2014

Social media is increasingly becoming the method airlines, hotels, credit cards and consumers get in touch with one another about the latest news, deals and promotions. Here’s a look at the latest interesting trending topics and more on social media from the week. I’ll be combing through Facebook posts, Tweets, Instagram pics and more to […]

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Last Day For Southwest 50,000 Point Offers Plus Flight Schedule Extension to October 31, 2014

March 5, 2014

Update: This offer is no longer available. View the current offer for the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card here. Offer expired March 9, 2014. With the Southwest devaluation date looming on March 31, 2014, now’s the time to take a few very important steps to make sure you maximize the program while you still can. Back […]

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Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Sydney City Harbour Deluxe and City View Rooms

March 5, 2014

So far in my series on my trip to Australia with TPG Managing Editor Eric, I’ve covered how I used miles to book my award ticket, my flight from LAX-MEL in United GlobalFirst, the day I spent wine-tasting out in the Yarra Valley, a restaurant review roundup of all the fantastic places we ate in the city, my review of […]

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