A few years ago, visiting Devon in a wet and windy summer, chef Margie Nomura, host of theDesert Island Dishespodcast, stumbled across Beachhouse cafe on a soggy dog walk at South Milton Sands.
18.01.2024 - 22:45 / thepointsguy.com
In a step that airlines would likely never take, Amtrak bumped up certain riders who were close to reaching the next status level instead of making them reach it on their own.
In case you are not familiar, Amtrak Guest Rewards offers three tiers of elite status: Select, Select Plus and Select Executive. The status benefits include bonus points, upgrades and even access to United Club locations. Status qualification is based on a rider's yearly total of Tier Qualifying Points.
Select, the lowest tier in the Amtrak Guest Rewards program, is obtained by earning 5,000 TQPs in a calendar year; Select Plus is middle tier and obtained by earning 10,000 TQPs. The top tier, Select Executive, is earned with 20,000 TQPs.
However, Amtrak has gifted riders who were close to reaching the next status level with that status level for the rest of 2024 despite falling short of the specified TQPs amount. If you qualified for the next status tier, you should've received an email from Amtrak notifying you of your status change.
Amtrak did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication clarifying if all members were targeted for this promotion.
All Amtrak Guest Rewards members earn 2 points per dollar spent, plus a 25% bonus for business-class tickets and a 50 % bonus on Acela first-class tickets. Amtrak Guest Rewards® World Mastercard® cardmembers can earn up to 4,000 TQPs a year — 1,000 for every $5,000 spent on their card.
The information for the Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
From there, the earnings rates received through travel vary by status level. Select members earn a 25% tier status point bonus on Amtrak travel, two one-class upgrades and two single-visit passes to Club Acela and Metropolitan Lounge.
Select Plus members earn a 50% tier status point bonus on Amtrak travel, four one-class upgrades and the same lounge access; additionally, they receive two companion coupons and United Club access when flying with the airline or another Star Alliance carrier.
Select Executive members earn a 100% tier status point bonus on Amtrak travel, four one-class upgrades (plus one more with every additional 3,000 TQPs earned), two companion coupons and one Auto Train priority vehicle offloading coupon. They also get access to ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounge and United Club.
Additional perks such as coupons for discounted travel, priority call handling and discounts from partner programs also apply starting at the Select Plus level.
Amtrak is giving travelers who were close to earning status for 2024 the gift of status without making them fully earn it. Be sure to check
A few years ago, visiting Devon in a wet and windy summer, chef Margie Nomura, host of theDesert Island Dishespodcast, stumbled across Beachhouse cafe on a soggy dog walk at South Milton Sands.
The editors of Forbes Travel Guide predict that 2024 will be a year filled with “meaningful travel.” Of course, the meaning of meaningful is entirely in the eye of the frequent flier. FTG’s list of 24 top destinations for 2024 covers it all, whether you enjoy sports, art, food or history. From Portugal to Peru, these places promise to make a lasting impression.
Cabo San Lucas is experiencing massive growth as historic tourism numbers climb. Never before has this resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula seen so much development, and with the arrival of more top-name resorts, the area has quickly become one of the most popular luxury destinations in the world.
While traveling in a country as big as the USA can be daunting, you have to start somewhere. Why not a weekend getaway?
Many of the issues that dogged the UK’s dining scene in 2022 did so throughout 2023 — particularly the high cost of food, which continues to have a big impact on how and what we’re eating. This is being felt most notably in the capital, where food costs are compounded by high and rising rents, contributing to what many food writers have cited as a sense that restaurants are playing it safe, at least within the city centre. As the Guardian’s food critic Grace Dent put it in her end of year review, ‘2023 seemed to be the year that London’s restaurant scene lost its edge. Outside the M25, I was eating far better’. This sense of caution can be seen among many of the trends widely cited for 2025, with humble ingredients and classic creations seeing a return in popularity. Perhaps this is why the martini is back in fashion and beans are more prevalent on the menus of hip restaurants — albeit both with fresh twists and interpretations. For all this, though, there are still plenty of exciting developments, such as the rise of music-led restaurants and fresh ingredients to explore, such as the fig leaf. Here’s what’s on the horizon for 2024.
South America’s largest country is keen to attract visitors from the UK, with an approach potentially including Fam and Press Trips, Strategic Partnerships and Creative Activations. Brazil’s ambitious start to the new year follows hot on the heels of a successful end to 2023, which saw the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) open its first office in Latin America in Rio de Janeiro. The office was inaugurated by Zurab Pololikashvili, the Executive Secretary of UNWTO at an opening ceremony taking place last 14th December, which was attended by the President of Brazil Luis Inacio da Silva - more commonly known as Lula - and the country’s Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino.
The world’s largest street party changed my life. As I visit for a third time, here is everything you need to know to make sense of Carnaval 2024.
American Airlines has just announced a series of AAdvantage program updates for 2024. The forthcoming enhancements are said to offer increased flexibility and exclusive benefits for American Airlines passengers. The updated AAdvantage program introduces new ways to earn, redeem, and receive rewards.
From southeast Florida to northwest Washington to Hawaii, Lonely Planet editors have picked the top 12 beaches in the USA.
If 2024 is the year to complete a bucket-list trip to discover a destination that's a little different, or to travel to a one-off event, then here are a few ideas—new long-haul flight routes from the U.S., unmissable one-off global events, 'new' European places to discover and new cruise lines venturing into dramatic waters in Australia. Here's what's waiting to be ticked off on your 2024 travel bucket list.
There’s something magical about a journey by train.
Talk about an upgrade! Delta Air Lines is proactively upgrading some Medallion members with a boost to the next elite status level.