Some airlines have begun issuing waivers in anticipation of what is expected to be a major snowstorm in the Northeast United States this weekend.
22.12.2023 - 15:56 / thepointsguy.com
For me, travel is about meeting people, being a lifelong learner and seeing the world through different perspectives.
Growing up as an only child in the San Francisco Bay area, my parents instilled in me a strong love for travel, taking me along on journeys to the Bahamas, Greece, Hawaii, New England and Spain, among other destinations. Our approach was fairly basic: Find the least expensive airline, book a cheap, clean hotel in a convenient location or snag the most affordable package on a cruise line we liked. Loyalty programs didn't figure into the equation.
In the past several years, though, loyalty programs have become central to my strategy for travel. Here's why, and what I learned along the way.
When I was a kid, my parents' careers allowed them to have the summers off, so we would often spend weeks, or even months on the road, which solidified my lifelong passion for travel. While we usually aimed to see as much as possible without going over our budget, we would also travel to see family.
As I helped plan one trip to New York City to see my cousin Chloe, who's like an older sister to me, a light bulb went off. I could help my friends and family travel better by planning their trips by becoming a travel agent. Yes, at the age of 13, I became a travel agent with my mom's help (she set up the agency and I planned the travel). Eventually, I saved up enough money to buy a car. But more importantly, I tried to learn as much as possible about airlines, hotels and cruises so that I could better help folks ... and travel better myself.
I'm not saying everyone should start their own travel agency, but becoming a literal travel professional cemented how central travel would be to my life and my career.
As I learned the ropes, I started taking business trips to check out various hotels myself and I even earned United Airlines Premier 1K status in 2015 (a much easier task back then).
I started traveling to New York more frequently to see my cousin, thanks to the availability of one-way saver flights for 12,500 MileagePlus miles on most dates — and the ability to confirm a seat up front with Regional Premier Upgrades (since replaced with PlusPoints). These journeys made it clear just how important loyalty programs can be, not just for the perks you get, but for the travel opportunities that points and miles can open up.
My decision to attend American University in Washington, D.C. was heavily influenced by the opportunity to study international studies in the nation's capital, but I won't say that the fact that Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is a United hub didn't play a role in my choice.
Related: United's best kept elite status secret: How to earn PQPs faster with partner flights
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Some airlines have begun issuing waivers in anticipation of what is expected to be a major snowstorm in the Northeast United States this weekend.
The National Western Stock Show & Rodeo officially kicked-off yesterday with a parade through Denver’s downtown streets featuring 30 longhorn cattle, horses, cowboys, cowgirls, tractors, marching bands and floats. This year’s events will be Jan. 6 – 21, 2024 at the National Western Complex.
The Bahamas continues its meteoric rise in tourism as air and sea arrivals reach unprecedented heights, marking sustained growth that has surpassed previous years’ benchmarks. As of the end of November 2023, the cumulative count of foreign air and sea arrivals soared to a staggering 8,645,374, showcasing an astounding 41.8 percent surge compared to the corresponding period in 2022. This substantial increase reflects The Bahamas’ unwavering allure and growing popularity among global travellers.
Amtrak is making it easier to travel around the Big Apple from the bustling streets of New York City to the soaring peaks of the Adirondacks, the thundering roar of Niagara Falls, and beyond with a buy-one-get-one ticket sale.
China’s travel and tourism industry – among the world’s biggest – last year began its recovery from heavy pandemic damage. One beneficiary: Trip.com Group, a global travel service provider that is China’s largest. Revenue in the third quarter of 2023 almost doubled from a year earlier; net profit in the three months to September totaled 4.6 billion yuan (about $637 million), more than 18 times the year-earlier 245 million yuan.
Actress Julie Benko is currently playing the role of Ruth in the Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical Harmony. The Broadway show centers on a singing group of six men in 1920s Germany called the Comedian Harmonists who win worldwide recognition for their talent but encounter challenges because of their three Jewish members.
As the sun sets on 2023, Trip.com Group, a global leader in online travel services, reflects on the dynamic landscape of travel over the past year, offering insights into the trends set to shape the journey in 2024. China’s border reopening sparks global travel surge
From January to December 2023, the Turks and Caicos Islands welcomed over a million visitors. The Turks and Caicos Islands received 1,432,844* visitors combined for air and cruise for January -November 2023. There were 595,503* air arrivals and cruise visitors were 836,341* for the period. The air arrivals represent a 6.35 percent increase over the corresponding period in 2022 which saw 559,941 arrivals and 54.49 percent over the same period in 2021 which saw 365,460 arrivals.
The Department of Transportation is in the early stages of looking into airline frequent flyer programs and checking whether airlines have engaged in unfair or deceptive practices, Reuters first reported and the agency confirmed to TPG on Thursday.
2023 has been a challenging year for air travel, with the aviation industry plagued by strikes, system hiccups and disruptive weather conditions.
While remote work gains ground, a subgroup of professionals is taking it a step further — enter the digital nomads. These are individuals who leverage technology not just to work from home but to work from anywhere, exploring the diverse landscapes of a destination.
While many reports this time of year are focused on looking at what lies ahead, Skyscanner is taking a different approach.The global travel marketplace has crunched its voluminous booking data from the past 12 months to provide an insider's review of the “Year in Travel” for 2023. All of the Skyscanner number crunching resulted in insights surrounding the most popular travel destinations of the past year among U.S. travelers, cheapest flights, biggest hotel bargains, and even the most budget-friendly car rental destinations. Let’s start with the most popular travel destinations, shall we?Drumroll please….Sin City aka Las Vegas, Nevada nabbed the top spot in the hearts of American travelers in 2023, attracting more visitors than any other location.“From visiting one of the many world-famous casinos or checking out world-renowned restaurants and shops on the Las Vegas strip, US travelers loved to visit and feel the vibes of Sin City,” says the Skyscanner report. Coming in second place among Americans was the eternal favorite, London.