How You Can Help Hurricane Florence Victims
Hurricane Florence has officially made landfall in North Carolina. The Category 1 storm has been predicted to cause severe destruction with winds of over 90 mph and an average of three inches of rainfall an hour. According to emergency officials, Florence has already caused 1,300 flight cancellations, the evacuation of a Jacksonville hotel due to a collapsed roof and over 300,000 North and South Carolina residents to lose power.
Civilians in the local area need relief, so TPG has rounded up some ways to get involved. Keep in mind, these are just a few options of many different ways to help those in need. If you have any suggestions, feel free to post them in the comments section below.
Donate to the American Red Cross (and earn a 10x AA miles bonus)
American Airlines and Delta have already donated $1 million dollars each to the Red Cross for Hurricane Florence, but you can get in on the charitable action, too. So points geeks, listen up. If you donate to the American Red Cross through this link here, you can earn up to 10x American Airlines Advantage miles. Expect to see those points in 30 to 45 business days, all for a great cause. For more information on the program and partnership, click here.
Open Your Home with Airbnb
Until Oct. 1, Airbnb hosts in the affected area (Virginia, Georgia and the Carolinas) are opening their homes free of charge to Hurricane Florence evacuees and disaster relief workers. So far, more than 300 hosts have posted accommodations on the Airbnb website under a zero dollar listing. You can list your property for Florence victims by visiting Airbnb.com/openhomes.
Donate your Hotel Points
With the possibility of 100,000 people left in need of shelter from Florence, now is the best time to donate your hotel rewards points. We had a member of our TPG Lounge Facebook group donate 1.5 million of his Hilton Honors points only to have Hilton Match the offer with 100 million. That could add up to 5,000 plus nights for those in need of relief!
Hilton has since announced that they will donate points up to 100 million, which leaves 98.5 million to go. With the additional points, there will be hotel availability for up to 10,000 rooms. You can donate your Hilton Honors points here. You can also donate through Hilton Honors to The Cajun Navy, Team Rubicon, American Red Cross and a gofundme posted by the original donor of the points. For more information on how to donate points, check out this article.
Donate to GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving, a global crowdfunding community that connects nonprofits, donors and companies, has launched a Hurricane Florence relief fund. Donations to the fund will support preparation and relief efforts in the form of emergency supplies like food, water and medicine, as well as long-term recovery assistance. So far, the fund has only reached $2,275 of the $5,000,000 goal and is on its third day, so get donating!
Donate to American Humane (for the animals)
American Humane is a highly-rated national nonprofit currently working to rescue animals in Hurricane Florence's path. They've already had a successful evacuation mission, relocating 72 cats from an animal shelter in South Carolina to a dry, safe location.
When donating to American Humane, 100% of your funds will go to the rescue mission. Animals in shelters are especially vulnerable during natural disasters, so these rescue missions are crucial to their protection. You can donate here.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees