What It’s Really Like to Travel with Kids

When we discuss credit cards at TPG, we usually focus on the bank that issues the card or the type of rewards the card accumulates rather than which network it belongs to. Still, your card network matters a lot. It can affect everything from where your card is accepted to some of the benefits you receive.

American Airlines offers two primary types of travel credits: "trip credits" and "flight credits."

I just got back from a three-month, six-continent, round-the-world solo trip with my 2.5-year-old son Julian. When I tell strangers this, they typically have one of two reactions: “Wow, you’re brave!” is the nicer one. A variation of “Are you nuts?” is the other.

It’s finally happening: the end of resort fees as we know them.  In a landmark announcement on Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will now prohibit “junk fees,” an overarching term for hidden and misrepresented prices in the hotel, and short-term rental, and live-event ticketing, industries. For travelers, that includes all hotel booking websites and vacation rental platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo.  The rule will require companies to disclose total prices upfront. Search results on an online travel agency, for instance, must include the maximum total of all mandatory fees or charges people will have to pay. With this move, consumers searching for hotels or vacation rentals should no longer be surprised by “resort,” “city,” or “service” fees inflating the advertised price.  By requiring up-front disclosure of total price including fees, the FTC says comparison shopping will be easier, “resulting in savings for consumers and leveling the competitive playing field.”  “People deserve to know up-front what they’re being asked to pay—without worrying that they’ll later be saddled with mysterious fees that they haven’t budgeted for and can’t avoid,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in a statement. “The FTC’s rule will put an end to junk fees around live event tickets, hotels, and vacation rentals, saving Americans billions of dollars and millions of hours in wasted time. The “junk fee” FTC investigation was first launched in 2022 with two rounds of public input and over 70,000 comments. This feedback was then taken into consideration before the final ruling announced today. Expect this to take effect in 120 days. However, it’s not yet clear exactly how the FTC will enforce these mandates. 

Low-cost Frontier Airlines is adjusting its route network and suspending more than 40 less profitable flights through February.

Elf on the Shelf (Photo Credit: Eric Bowman)

The United States Department of Transportation under Secretary Pete Buttigieg issued new protections for travelers with disabilities with a new rule expanding rights for disabled travelers and a guide for airlines and airport workers to ensure safe, dignified travel for those with disabilities. 

On December 10, the U.S. Department of State released new travel advisories to two Central American countries that are frequent cruise stops for American travelers during the winter Caribbean cruise season: Honduras and Costa Rica.

At the start of 2024, we made 10 predictions on credit card trends that we expected to see this year. Among them were higher fees, lower interest rates and superior technology.

Mysterious drones flying over the US East Coast have sparked concern and skepticism among locals and government representatives.

Dec 16, 2024 • 10 min read

Biometric screening, or touchless ID, is coming to an airport near you, and it will speed up your journey — especially through airport security.