The Points Guy

A few years ago, on a damp evening in late March in London, I learned the hard way that countries don't all change their clocks for daylight saving time simultaneously. After ordering a glass of white wine at a cozy bar in Bermondsey, I mindlessly scrolled on my phone while the bartenders chatted about the clocks jumping forward that coming Sunday. I nearly spit out my Chablis.Back home in New York City, I had already skipped ahead one hour on the second Sunday in March. As I frantically Go

Before he ran United Airlines' MileagePlus program, Jarad Fisher was the type of traveler who went "all-in" for elite status.He read TPG, collected miles and occasionally went on ambitious end-of-year "status runs.""My wife thought I was nuts," he joked, recalling an epic out-and-back trip to Hawaii 12 years ago — where he never even left the airport — in order to qualify.Now, Fisher is in charge of United's loyalty program as it undergoes one of its bigge

November is peak shoulder season: The weather can be unpredictable (but you can get really lucky), crowds are small nearly everywhere and prices are often the lowest they'll be all year for many destinations. It is an ideal time to travel in many ways, if you're willing to risk less-than-ideal weather in some places.Thanksgiving also takes place in the U.S., and if you are not obligated to visit family, you can enjoy a wonderful four-day vacation without missing any school or work. And

If you're used to cruising in the Caribbean, shore excursion prices on your Alaska cruise might surprise you.Want to take a helicopter ride to the top of a glacier to enjoy a dogsled ride? It'll cost upward of $700 per person. Excited about an authentic Alaska fishing experience? That's a more than $400 tour. A nearly three-hour scenic train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad starts at more than $150 per traveler.Not only are tours so pricey because Alaska is a remote

I've kept the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card for several years now because it's been my favorite premium travel credit card for many reasons.In all that time, I never once bothered to activate one of its perks: the complimentary Hertz President's Circle status.Related: The best rental car loyalty programs in 2026President's Circle is the top published tier of the Hertz Gold+ loyalty program, and earning it the traditional way means completing 15 rentals or spending

Here in New York City, it's one of the absolute best weekends of the year: Halloween and the New York City Marathon. Last year, a team of TPG staff came out to the race to cheer me on while I ran, which was a very caring way for my work family to spend their free time.And speaking of free time, Club Med recently commissioned a study of 2,000 Americans and Canadians to find how people actually feel about their free time — and what they do with it. One statistic in the report really resonated

A free flight is rewarding, but so is knocking $100 off your credit card bill. Cash back is less flashy, but far more straightforward: you can use it wherever your budget needs it most. The question is whether your purchases earn a forgettable 1% back or enough to make a noticeable dent in your next statement.By matching cards to your spending and layering in welcome offers, bonus categories and card-linked deals, you can earn more cash back on purchases you were already planning to make.Underst

United Airlines is bringing its most premium plane to a city where it's rarely spotted.In January, the Chicago-based carrier will operate a few round trips between Las Vegas and Tokyo, and TPG has learned United plans to use one of its brand-new, luxe Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the route.This is the posh plane United debuted earlier this year, featuring the "Elevated" interior, complete with its next-generation Polaris Suites and the extra-spacious Polaris Studios.To score a seat

It has been less than three years since Mexico's newest airport in Tulum welcomed passengers for the very first time.Now, United Airlines is pulling out.The carrier on Friday confirmed it will end all service to Tulum International Airport (TQO) just after the holidays.The news was first spotted by Ishrion Aviation.United's flights from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) will run for the last time Jan. 2.Nonstop service from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (

Are airlines using your personal data to decide what price you see when you go to book a flight?It's a question that has come up repeatedly over the last couple of years, and it's back in the headlines this week.On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission announced an inquiry into whether nine large companies — including three major airlines — have engaged in so-called "personalized pricing."That's a tactic in which a company sets one price for you and a different price f

The IHG Milestone Rewards program offers useful benefits, including IHG One Rewards points or food-and-beverage rewards at most tiers, and confirmable suite upgrades at some tiers. Plus, you can choose an IHG annual lounge membership at the 40- and 70-night tiers.Most IHG hotels and resorts don't offer club lounges, but if you want to access the club lounge at IHG properties that do have one, you'll need to do one of the following:Book a room that includes lounge access, or purchase lo

Icy Strait Point will be your favorite cruise port in Alaska — or your least favorite.You might love the densely forested setting of Chichagof Island, which has the world's highest bear population per square mile and is surrounded by waters teeming with wildlife — an ideal destination for touring. Within Icy Strait Point, you can fly down a 5,495-foot-long zip line, dine on fresh Alaskan seafood and immerse yourself in southeast Alaska's history and Native culture.However, if you love

Condor, the German leisure airline known for its striped planes, is changing where it flies.Once known for summer flights to a host of secondary U.S. destinations — like Anchorage, Baltimore and San Antonio — the Frankfurt-based airline is shifting its strategy to serve larger cities and forge new partnerships following the end of a tie-up with Lufthansa."If you have such a huge long-haul fleet at Condor and you have the geographic situation in Germany, obviously you can't operate long

The rewards you earn at the drive-thru for your next late-night hunger craving won't get you a lie-flat seat to Australia. However, if you are making fast-food purchases regularly, the right loyalty program could turn those orders into a tasty reward of fries, burgers or tacos on the house.McDonald's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell all offer app-based rewards programs that cost nothing to join, but each one uses a different earning and redemption structure.Just like we did for

If you've been considering adding a premium Delta credit card to your wallet, now could be a good time to do so.The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a limited-time welcome offer unlike any we've previously seen on the card: Earn two domestic round-trip Delta Comfort Flight Certificates (valid for travel to the U.S. 48, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands) and 50,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. A 21+ da

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business offer many of the same premium travel perks, but they're designed for different types of cardholders.For most travelers looking for a premium card for personal purchases, the Venture X is the better fit.Meanwhile, the Venture X Business is geared toward business owners who want to earn rewards on business expenses and take advantage of additional expense management tools.Both cards earn transferable Capital One

Cruising in Alaska means you want to see all the things. The list includes whales, sled dogs and bald eagles. You want stunning scenery and informative tours.Topping most people's list is glacier viewing. It's an intrinsic part of what we hope to see on a cruise in Alaska waters — perhaps even the main reason to choose a cruise or cruisetour rather than an exclusively land-based Alaska vacation.Cruise lines get that and dedicate time to cruising near the region's most famous river

It has been a decade since United launched Polaris business class. The bright blue lie-flat seats were a big step forward for the airline, which, until then, had been fielding outdated side-by-side seats that were fast going the way of the dodo.The rollout took around seven years, but eventually almost the entire United wide-body fleet received the Polaris treatment.ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUYBut things change fast in the airline industry, and with airfares and competition on the rise, carriers ha

Hyatt is aiming for the sky in New York City.The company announced a flagship property for the StandardX brand set to occupy a supertall skyscraper currently under construction in Midtown Manhattan. Dubbed The StandardX Times Square, the hotel will feature 1,800 rooms, making it the largest Hyatt property in NYC and one of the largest hotels in the city.What's most interesting about The StandardX Times Square, however, is actually what's outside of the rooms. The property will feature

The Capital One Venture X Business card is turning three, and Capital One is marking the occasion with a limited-time offer for new cardholders.Since launching in 2023, the card has added new travel tools, expanded its airport lounge network and introduced additional benefits for business travelers.Here's a look at the anniversary offer, some of the card's milestones from the past three years and the benefits available to Venture X Business cardholders today.Earn up to $4,300 in travel