UPS tips

This past June, New York City’s hectic energy (as well as its humidity) had gotten to be too much for me; I needed a weekend away—time to rest and restore. Thankfully, after a quick surf on Airbnb’s site (one of my favorite pastimes), my partner and I found ourselves heading to “The Upstate A,” a newly renovated and uber-fabulous A-frame cabin in the Hudson Valley.

I've flown and loved Southwest Airlines since 1992 — yes, that long. Even as other travelers raved about their favorite airlines where frequent flyer programs could unlock lie-flat seats and fancy upgrades, I favored Southwest. I might have even been the only TPG staffer who ranked Southwest first on their airline preference list when I started in 2019.

Jul 26, 2024 • 6 min read

With the announcement of a refresh to the American Express® Gold Card came a number of (not all bad) changes to one of our favorite premium cards, with new statement credits to go along with an increased annual fee.

While Southwest just announced changes to its seating program (gone are the days of seat free-for-alls), one thing that hasn’t changed is its beverage program. The jostle of the cart, the “what would you like?” and the “ice or no ice?” But while you wait for your drink, you might be interested to know that the service starts in certain rows, and those rows are well-known before a flight. So yes, you can get your drink first. 

Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet is getting on the free Wi-Fi bandwagon.

Remember extreme couponing? Avid couponers would pour over weekly ads and find ways to maximize their savings by stacking coupons on top of other offers.

Editors note: this is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers

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With just hours to go until the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics, chaos has hit the country’s transport network. On the night of Thursday, July 25, a series of fires spread across France’s high-speed rail lines, causing delays, cancelations, and disruptions to the rail system.

Jul 25, 2024 • 7 min read

Southwest Airlines just announced a monumental shift in its passenger experience. The Dallas-based carrier said on July 25 that it plans to soon introduce seat assignments, as well as premium extra-legroom areas on board its fleet of narrow-body aircraft.

Before Australia’s East Coast burnished its reputation as a haven of sun, sand and sea, it was the temperate climate of Tasmania, the country’s largest island, that lured visitors from across the British Empire. Sometimes called the “sanitarium of the south,” it was noted for its salubrious climes, which were considered an antidote to havoc wrought on delicate constitutions by tours in the equatorial colonies. Some two centuries later, the heart-shaped landmass 150 miles off the mainland’s southeast coast is still seen as a place of invigorating isolation.

Jul 25, 2024 • 4 min read

Southwest Airlines is ditching open seating, one of the hallmarks of its brand over the last half-century. Southwest is moving forward with plans to add assigned seating, the airline announced Thursday. It's also planning to add extra-legroom seats to its cabin for the first time.

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Inaugurated in 2018, iGA Istanbul Airport has quickly become one of the world’s busiest, recording more than 76 million passenger arrivals in 2023.

One of the most popular cards among TPG staffers and readers alike is the American Express® Gold Card.

Southwest Airlines is flying somewhere it's never flown before: into the night.

One of the world's most luxurious cruise ships is about to sail 23,000 miles in the wrong direction to avoid violence in the Middle East.

After I lost my passport (embarrassing, given my job as a travel editor), I’ve learned lots about travel IDs—including the differences between a passport book vs. card—in my quest to replace it and hopefully stop myself from losing it again. Allow me to share my hard-won wisdom.