Marriott International unveiled plans Monday for its biggest organizational overhaul in a decade, targeting up to $90 million in annual cost savings as the hotel giant repositions itself after doubling in size over the past decade.
17.10.2024 - 14:09 / thepointsguy.com
What do the New York City subway and the tapas snack box on a United flight have in common? The primary way to pay for both is with a mobile wallet. (Unless, of course, you're a top-tier elite member entitled to free onboard snacks when flying on United).
These days, mobile wallets are integral to the travel experience. From the airport to the plane to the hotel, more people are tapping their phones to pay than ever before.
It wasn't that long ago when paying for the subway required lining up to purchase a transit card with cash. But things have changed dramatically as the reach of mobile wallets has expanded dramatically in recent years.
Now, one of the most ubiquitous mobile wallet brands is set for a major milestone. It's been 10 years since Apple launched its Apple Pay mobile wallet service, which Apple says is now used by hundreds of millions of consumers across 78 countries and territories.
A decade later, Apple Pay — along with competing services that have come to market since the 2010s — have transformed the travel experience for many travelers, and the pace of innovation in the digital wallet space seems to only be getting faster.
With an industry-wide race to replace the physical wallet, tech companies continue to invest in their mobile wallet teams. For its part, Apple offered TPG an exclusive interview with Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, who helped travelers get a sense of the changes that are transforming the space.
When Apple Pay first launched in October 2014, it faced an uphill battle convincing users and credit card issuers of the benefits of a digital wallet — likely mirroring challenges faced by its competitors during those first years of the services.
"The first challenge always when you introduce a new consumer service is helping consumers understand the benefits ... and so we spent a lot of time in partnership actually with the banks and the [card] networks providing that education," Bailey told TPG.
In addition to the education component, Bailey said Apple also needed to convince merchants to start accepting contactless payments. In fact, when Apple Pay launched, only 3% of merchants in the U.S. supported wireless payment technology, she said.
Between the necessary consumer education and the need for merchants to adopt new contactless technology, Apple Pay wasn't necessarily an instant hit. That only began to change, Bailey said, as Apple "worked really hard on getting a great customer experience" — helping lay a foundation for the service to succeed as users become more comfortable with it.
Ten years later, Apple Pay now has "more than 90% coverage, maybe 95% coverage on the acceptance side [in the U.S.]," Bailey said.
With so many merchants
Marriott International unveiled plans Monday for its biggest organizational overhaul in a decade, targeting up to $90 million in annual cost savings as the hotel giant repositions itself after doubling in size over the past decade.
For first-time visitors, New York City can be as intimidating as it is alluring. With over 8 million residents and 220,000 businesses scattered across five boroughs and 350-plus neighborhoods, it would take multiple lifetimes to fully explore the dynamic and ever-evolving city that many of us Condé Nast Traveler editors call home. In order to navigate the chaos, there are a few ground rules New Yorkers live by—from subway and sidewalk etiquette to unspoken social norms.
Ready or not, November is here. And while there are plenty of reasons this particular November might not be everyone's favorite, there are still a lot of good things in store, like booking a trip to one of the incredible new hotels now open (detailed below) or snagging tickets to see the "Wicked" movie, which comes out later this month.
There has rarely been a trend in the art world that caught on as quickly as immersive digital art museums.
Add one more cruise line to the growing list of brands that will offer Alaska sailings in 2026. Following brief stints sailing from New York and Los Angeles, new 2,770-passenger ship Brilliant Lady — the fourth in Virgin Voyages' fleet, set to debut in late 2025 — will offer cruises to the Last Frontier as part of its spring and summer 2026 schedule.
Before I joined TPG in early 2022, my knowledge of credit cards and the world of points and miles was limited, to say the least. Authorized users ... what are those? Free night awards? Don't know. Chase's 5/24 rule — never heard of it.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, October 23, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Oct 22, 2024 • 7 min read
Finland's flagship carrier, Finnair, will expand in the United States next summer, launching its largest-ever schedule from the U.S. to Finland.
In a typical fall, western North Carolina rolls out a red, yellow and purple carpet of leaves, welcoming visitors to experience autumn along the high crest of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. This is not a typical fall.
Back in July, Capital One closed applications for its popular Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. The card was a favorite among cash-back enthusiasts thanks to its impressive bonus categories and a low annual fee of $95.
Happy Saturday! Gen Z is redefining yet another term, and this time, it's "lavender marriage." A phrase once reserved for the LGBTQ+ community is now being used to describe young people who are sick of being broke and living alone.