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The $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill contains big perks for the travel industry

Dec. 22, 2022
•
3 min read
Angled view of US Capitol Building
The $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill contains big perks for the travel industry
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After all the politics and posturing associated with the $1.7 trillion government funding package, it can be easy to miss some of the budget line items in the 4,155-page bill. We're happy to report that the omnibus spending bill includes big wins for both travelers and the travel industry.

Among the highlights is a new assistant secretary of travel and tourism position within the U.S. Department of Commerce that will focus on the country's $1.1 trillion travel industry.

"This is a tremendous win for travelers, the travel industry, and America’s economy," U.S. Travel Association president and CEO Geoff Freeman says. “Thanks to a bipartisan and bicameral group of Congressional leaders, the United States will now join all G20 countries with a senior federal official focused on travel."

The new position "will play an important role as we partner with government to lower visitor visa wait times, modernize security screening, and leverage new technologies to make travel more seamless and secure," Freeman added.


The USTA has been a leading advocate for this new federal position — which the association says will underscore the industry’s positive impact on the U.S. economy and help America rebuild its global competitiveness.

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The travel industry developments are part of the bipartisan Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act introduced by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Rosen's office outlined the additional legislation travel features as formally authorizing a U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, collecting data on domestic travel and tourism, mandating the development of a national travel and tourism strategy every 10 years, and reporting on the effects of the pandemic on the travel and tourism industry. Rosen's office further noted that before now, there hadn't been anyone in the federal government responsible for developing and coordinating a national tourism strategy. The bill will now establish this for the first time.

The travel component of the spending bill will also provide congressional oversight to address excessive visa wait times that are now averaging more than 400 days for visitor visa appointments. The U.S. Travel Association forecasts that in 2023, U.S. businesses will attract 6.6 million fewer international visitors and lose $11.6 billion in spending; this is because international travelers cannot obtain visitor visas in time to travel to the U.S. due to these excessive wait times.

Related: Legislation that could gut credit card rewards set to move through Congress

The bill just passed in the Senate ahead of the Friday deadline and is expected to pass in the House of Representatives as soon as tonight; it will then be sent to President Joe Biden for his approval. The president is expected to sign it soon after it arrives on his desk.

Featured image by MIKE KLINE/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

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  • Recommended Credit

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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.