Las Vegas officially reopened today, but the crowds didn't wait
Las Vegas didn't fully reopen until today, but that didn't stop large crowds from heading to Sin City over the Memorial Day weekend, resulting in traffic jams that stretched for miles near the Nevada-California border.
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Check out the traffic seen from the air in a small plane and posted by Antonina Shevchenko.
The Nevada Highway Patrol said in a tweet Monday that Interstate 15 was backed up late into the day as people left Nevada to return home after the long weekend.
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By 10 a.m., traffic was at a near standstill for 26 miles, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Police patrolled the area, resulting in 252 traffic stops, 80 shoulder and off-road violations, 150 moving violations, seven crashes and five DUI arrests, which hopefully isn't an indication of what's to come.
Related: 8 things to know about Vegas during COVID-19
As of June 1, Las Vegas' COVID-19 restrictions were fully lifted for visitors. According to Las Vegas' official website, all restaurants, stores and casinos will be allowed to return to operating at 100% capacity.
Large gatherings will again be allowed, as well. However, the city urges residents and visitors to continue observing CDC guidelines regarding mask-wearing and social distancing.
Related: 9 ways Las Vegas is different in the age of COVID-19
"Increasing vaccination rates, a low positivity rate and normal hospitalization rates all justify the lifting of restrictions," the website says, noting that masks are still required in medical settings and on public transportation.
Related: How to avoid resort fees in Vegas
Overall, the city has taken a phased approach to returning to normalcy. As of late April, playgrounds, community and senior centers, outdoor workout areas, volleyball and basketball courts, and athletic fields had fully reopened, and as of mid-May, more than a dozen casinos were already approved to operate at full capacity.
Related: Parking fees are back in Vegas; Here's how to avoid them
With the full reopening, Nevada has eliminated the ban on surge pricing for rideshare services, which the state put in place to prevent price gouging during the pandemic. The lifting of restrictions is expected to draw more visitors and also increase the number of Lyft and Uber rides available.
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How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 10X | Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site |
| 5X | Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas |
| 1X | Earn 1x points on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The revamped Wander Card from Credit One Bank earns cardmembers up to 10 points per dollar spent on eligible travel purchases. With no foreign transaction fees, the card is also great for international travel. However, points earned from this card can only be used at a fixed value, so it may not be the best option for those striving to get maximum value from their rewards.Pros
- This card has no foreign transaction fees and earns up to 10 points per dollar on travel purchases through the Credit One Bank travel partner site.
Cons
- While cardholders can earn a significant amount of points on travel purchases, there isn't any way to redeem points from the Wander Card for maximum value (beyond 1 cent per point).
- Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days and redeem for a $100 statement credit, gift cards, or travel
- Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel site
- Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
- Redeem your reward points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, flights, hotels, and more
- With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Free Online Credit Score and Credit Report summary, terms apply
- If you are a Covered Borrower under the Military Lending Act, you may get a different offer
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 10X | Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site |
| 5X | Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas |
| 1X | Earn 1x points on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days and redeem for a $100 statement credit, gift cards, or travelEarn 10,000 Bonus PointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Fair/Good
Why We Chose It
The revamped Wander Card from Credit One Bank earns cardmembers up to 10 points per dollar spent on eligible travel purchases. With no foreign transaction fees, the card is also great for international travel. However, points earned from this card can only be used at a fixed value, so it may not be the best option for those striving to get maximum value from their rewards.Pros
- This card has no foreign transaction fees and earns up to 10 points per dollar on travel purchases through the Credit One Bank travel partner site.
Cons
- While cardholders can earn a significant amount of points on travel purchases, there isn't any way to redeem points from the Wander Card for maximum value (beyond 1 cent per point).
- Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days and redeem for a $100 statement credit, gift cards, or travel
- Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel site
- Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
- Redeem your reward points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, flights, hotels, and more
- With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Free Online Credit Score and Credit Report summary, terms apply
- If you are a Covered Borrower under the Military Lending Act, you may get a different offer
- See Rates & Fees