The Points Guy

Quick take: United's new "Elevated" Polaris business class represents a sophisticated step forward for the airline. Hopefully the closing privacy doors will be certified soon.ProsThere's decent award availability for United cardholders.Seats are spacious and have closing doors.Upscale food and beverage service with pre-order is available.ConsPrivacy doors need to be certified before they can be used.Wi-Fi isn't free and is slower than Starlink.The sound systems in the se

It looks like American Airlines' loss may be Delta Air Lines' gain when it comes to one of America's top hotel loyalty programs.Delta and Hyatt just announced they're teaming up in a new loyalty partnership that's set to launch in the coming months.That word comes just hours after American and Hyatt revealed that they're ending their yearslong relationship.Delta-Hyatt partnership: What to expectThis new "exclusive collaboration" will closely link Delta Sky

American AAdvantage and World of Hyatt launched a partnership in 2019. My favorite part of this partnership was reciprocal earnings: Hyatt elite members could earn 1 bonus point per $1 spent on qualifying American Airlines flights, and American elite members could earn 1 bonus mile per $1 spent on qualifying Hyatt stays. Unfortunately, the programs ended reciprocal earnings on Dec. 31, 2024. And now, they've announced plans to end their enhanced loyalty partnership.American and Hyatt are en

For many travelers, airport lounge access is crucial. It not only provides a space to relax before a journey but can also serve as an ideal place to be productive and get work done.This is where American Admirals Club lounges come in. There are nearly 50 of them worldwide, and you can get access by purchasing a day pass, redeeming American Airlines AAdvantage miles, having elite status, flying in a premium cabin or holding the right credit card.In my opinion, the best-value way to access Admiral

Last December, Scott Tallal redeemed 68,500 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for a business-class ticket from Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD).Unfortunately, when he arrived at the airport for his flight, he learned that it had been canceled. Helpful agents rerouted him, but in the process, they downgraded him to economy. No worries, they told him. American Airlines would refund the difference

The Transportation Security Administration now wants you to visit the airport without a plane ticket.Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks changed airport security and largely put an end to non-ticketed visitors meeting loved ones at the gate, the TSA is rolling out a new program welcoming non-ticketed visitors at 13 airports.The program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, invites non-travelers with TSA PreCheck status and Known Traveler Numbers to apply for an airport day pass an

I added the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to my wallet over 10 years ago for its simple earning rates and modest $95 annual fee.It has remained a valuable mid-tier travel rewards card due to its straightforward earning rates and no foreign transaction fees. Plus, you have multiple ways to redeem your rewards, including covering recent travel purchases at a fixed rate and transferring your miles to any of the 15-plus Capital One airline and hotel partners. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½*Card ratin

Members of our video team just visited all seven New Wonders of the World — from Machu Picchu in Peru to the Taj Mahal in India — and one special type of plane ticket made it possible.The Oneworld airline alliance offers a Round The World (RTW) ticket that lets you visit (almost) as many countries as you like, all on one itinerary at one price.Check out the full video here — and keep reading to learn how to book your own round-the-world adventure.What is a round-the-world ticket?Oneworld's

New York City-based travelers will have a new business-class option to Germany next spring.The all-business-class airline La Compagnie will launch service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dusseldorf Airport (DUS) on April 23, it announced Monday. The carrier will offer five weekly flights, operating on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.La Compagnie will fly an Airbus A321LR with 76 lie-flat, business-class seats in a 2-2 layout on the new EWR-DUS route.(Phot

There's a reason TPG awarded Marriott Bonvoy with Best Hotel Loyalty Program for two years and counting. Actually, there are several.With more than 30 brands and over 9,000 properties across the globe, you'll find exactly what you are looking for when you stay with Marriott, whether it's a luxury stay, a budget-friendly getaway or anything in between.When it comes to earning and redeeming points, Marriott Bonvoy's structure is surprisingly simple and lucrative. Marriott Bonvo

For years, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry have been staples for frequent flyers hoping to speed through the airport. If you travel enough, you're probably familiar with Clear, too.But lately, there have been a ton of changes with all three programs.We've seen new versions of old travel hacks and high-tech upgrades to some of our favorite time-savers.The good news: A lot of these new (or improved) shortcuts won't cost you anything extra.But it can be a lot to keep track of — even if

With its discount fares and robust frequent flyer program, Frontier Miles can offer great value for frequent Frontier Airlines travelers.As a Frontier Miles member, you can earn miles and elite status. Frontier elite status offers multiple perks to make your travels more enjoyable and less expensive, including complimentary luggage, priority boarding and the ability to pool your miles. You can then redeem your miles for award travel.Here's an overview of how the program works.How to earn Fr

As the peak summer travel season wrapped up this past weekend, Delta Air Lines revealed plans to slash five routes from its network.Between now and December, Delta plans to trim a total of three routes from New York City: two from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and one from LaGuardia Airport (LGA).The Atlanta-based carrier will also end Las Vegas service from two cities in Southern California.It's time to book: When to buy holiday, spring break and summer flights for the best f

Gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests, dramatic volcanoes, incredible biodiversity and phenomenal hotels ranging from sprawling seaside resorts to intimate jungle lodges … Costa Rica is truly one of the most unique, welcoming destinations in the world. The coffee is pretty phenomenal, too, if you're into that (and I am!).To travel there is to fall in love with its natural wonders and cultural riches — I have yet to meet anyone who has visited and not wanted to return.ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUYC

There's a fun new tool out there that can save you some money and help you stack offers across your various credit cards and shopping portals more effectively. It's called Savewise.Savewise shows you the best available cash back or points offer from almost any online shopping portal and credit card out there. The company will also allow you to see stackable offers. That's just scratching the surface.Savewise landing page. GETSAVEWISE.COMFor example, if you are looking for an item

As a business owner myself, I've spent more brain power than I'd like to admit thinking about which credit cards can help me get more out of my business spending.Two cards that often come up when you're looking for a simple, no-annual-fee business card are the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and Capital One Spark Cash Select — and it's easy to see why they're competitors.Both keep earning simple, offer tools and benefits for business owners and d

American Airlines AAdvantage miles offer excellent value, particularly for lie-flat business-class seats and the occasional first-class flight. With the welcome bonus on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® (see rates and fees), you have enough miles to chase some genuinely premium redemptions.Right now, there's a limited-time, best-ever bonus: Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first five months from account opening. Based on TPG'

There's nothing like sailing away and enjoying a day at sea under the sun, watching the waves go by and heading toward a waiting port filled with fun and excursions. And if you happened to have paid for some or all of the sailing with points, it's that much sweeter.Carnival actually just made it easier to get that much closer to your next sailing with the launch of the all-new Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard®.The card is launching with a limited-time offer of 50,000 bonus Carnival Rewards

October is one of the best months to plan a leisure trip. In many popular destinations, it's shoulder season, bringing fewer crowds, lower hotel rates and comfortable weather.In the Northern Hemisphere, it's also prime time for fall foliage, while destinations south of the equator are welcoming spring with blooming flowers and warming temperatures.From leaf-peeping in New England to wine tasting in Vienna and chasing hot air balloons in Japan, these are 10 of the best places to visit i

I had never before been to an airport where I could arrive 20 minutes before my flight, park for free, walk straight into the terminal and board a nine-seat plane without passing through the typical commercial airport security process.But that's exactly what happened when I flew SeaPort Airlines between Spokane, Washington, and Seattle this summer.What is SeaPort?"Please don't tell anyone about this," fellow passenger Ken Batali pleaded, moments after we disembarked a SeaPort