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Airlines Start Emergency Relief Flights to Puerto Rico

Sept. 22, 2017
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3 min read
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Airlines Start Emergency Relief Flights to Puerto Rico
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As Puerto Rico continues to deal with the destruction that Hurricane Maria dealt to the island, airlines have started relief flights to help its people.

Friday morning, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo flew to Puerto Rico on a special JetBlue charter flight, one of two A321 aircraft — one with Cuomo and other government and emergency response workers aboard and the other full of emergency supplies. According to CBS News the provisions include 34,000 bottles of water, 9,600 ready-to-eat meals, 3,000 canned goods, 500 flashlights, 1,400 cots, 1,400 blankets, 1,400 pillows and 10 generators. 60 National Guard troops, 50 state police, four Black Hawk helicopters, 10 workers form the New York Power Authority and drones plus two drone pilots are being sent down to help.

New York has a large population of Puerto Ricans and Governor Cuomo has pledged New York's support to the US territory. JetBlue flight 8521, full of supplies, left at 8:31 am, while Cuomo's flight 8023 left at 8:43am. Both flights arrived safely at San Juan International Airport (SJU) although SJU is still not fully functional.

The path of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's special JetBlue charter flight from New York (JFK) to San Juan (SJU).

“We are honored to support this relief flight, the first of many to come, as the people of Puerto Rico begin to recover from this terrible event. Our hearts go out to all those impacted,” said Robin Hayes, president and CEO of JetBlue. “As the largest airline in Puerto Rico, we are in a unique position to work with them to support our crewmembers, customers and communities across the island.”

American said it planned on operating five round-trip 737 flights from Miami to San Juan and one roundtrip A330-200 flight from Philadelphia (PHL) to help with relief efforts.

Sheli Muniz of NBC Miami was aboard American flight 9243 full of AA supplies and crewmembers who were on their way to restart operations at SJU. It took off at 07:28AM EDT and landed at 09:46AM AST. Supplies included food, water, lanterns, cots, tarps, fans, batteries, boots and generators. Muniz captured workers unloading supplies from the 737.

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Hours after American's flight landed, President Trump tweeted Friday thanking the airline and its CEO Doug Parker for all the relief flights they have operated to areas affected by recent Hurricanes.

Most major US airlines, except United, will be resuming limited passenger flights to San Juan starting Saturday, although the island is still without power.

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at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.