The Points Guy

As a kid, I dreaded Labor Day because it marked the end of summer vacation and the return to school. Now, as a grown adult, I look forward to the first Monday in September for many reasons. At the top of the list is the imminent arrival of cooler temperatures after months of heat and humidity, but a close second is the end-of-summer clearance sales that peak around the holiday.Retailers begin offloading their seasonal summer items in August, offering steep discounts on swimsuits, sandals, patio

Although I've spent quite a bit of time in Europe over the years, most of my experiences have been in western countries like Germany and the U.K. A recent solo trip to Lisbon was my first time setting foot on southern European soil, and I immediately understood the appeal. Portugal has a thriving food scene and rich cultural heritage, plus a sunny climate, typically lower prices and miles of golden beaches.After my week-long trip this summer, I'm already daydreaming about going back to

For a few days each month, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards lets its members save up to 50% on award tickets to select destinations through its Global Getaways promotion. Global Getaways is part of the monthly Atmos Members Day promotion, held on the first Wednesday of each month.Here's a look at the September Global Getaways offers. But remember to jump on these deals soon, as you must book them by Sept. 5.September Atmos Rewards Global Getaways offersDestinationStarting cost for one-way awar

United Airlines is on a roll.The carrier just announced an exciting 13-route global expansion, is fresh off introducing all-new Polaris business class suites, is on the verge of adding a fancy plane to the lineup, has improvements coming to the economy cabin, and will soon add some of its biggest-ever lounges to the network.But while new planes, lounges and business-class suites are impressive, sometimes it's the smaller day-to-day travel improvements that matter even more. To that end, Uni

For business owners looking to dip their toes into the Delta Air Lines cobranded card lineup, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a solid starting point. With perks like priority boarding, free checked bags and inflight discounts, it's built to give Delta travelers useful benefits without the higher annual fees charged by Delta's more premium business cards. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the c

It has been a stressful travel year for a plethora of reasons, and the rollout of the European Union's Entry/Exit System hasn't made it any easier. The new EU immigration checkpoint system gathers travelers' biometric data to replace the physical passport stamps involved in the passport control process.The end goal is to make the immigration process much more efficient for travelers visiting Europe. For now, though, delays and long lines at airports across the continent persist as

Lounges are officially coming to Southwest Airlines.Construction is already underway on four locations, with outposts in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville expected to open late next year.And there are more on the way.More from TPG: When to buy holiday, spring break and summer flights for the best fares in 2026-27"This is just the beginning of a broader footprint across the Southwest system, with at least seven more lounges planned to open over the next several years across high-dema

You can earn more than just elite status when you accumulate American AAdvantage Loyalty Points. At select Loyalty Point thresholds, American Airlines offers Loyalty Point Rewards that let you select perks such as bonus miles, systemwide upgrades, World of Hyatt status, trip credits and lounge benefits.But the best Loyalty Point Rewards choice at each threshold isn't always obvious. Some rewards offer significant potential value but require flexibility and knowledge to maximize their value.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most valuable transferable currencies you can earn. Because of this — and Chase's 5/24 rule — many people start with an Ultimate Rewards points-earning card when they first get into points and miles.If you're new to Ultimate Rewards, you can redeem your points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. However, the most valuable redemptions often involve transferring points to Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel transfer partners.This guide

American Airlines' biggest plane is about to make its grand re-entry, complete with a major glow-up and the biggest business-class cabin the airline has ever offered.Beginning Wednesday evening, American's first newly-retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER will return to service. It will sport the all-new enclosed Flagship Suites that the carrier first debuted last year.This will mark the first time AA has brought its new, state-of-the-art, business-class product to one of its existing jets.And

Flights during peak travel periods — like the holidays, spring break and summer — are usually expensive, but the soaring cost of jet fuel has made prices even worse.This summer, airfare prices were as much as 27% higher than they were last summer. While the holiday fares don't look as bad yet, they are still up substantially year over year.Right now, new data from TPG's partner, Points Path, shows cash fares have been running between 9% and 13% year-over-year for Thanksgiving travel se

It has been nearly two years since JetBlue announced plans to put first-class seats on its planes. Now, we're getting a look at the new recliners for the first time.Later this year, JetBlue will debut its new "BlueFirst" cabin. While JetBlue has offered its lie-flat Mint product for more than a decade on certain international and premium U.S. routes, the carrier has never had a domestic first-class cabin like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. That will change

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card strikes a balance between airline perks and elite-status benefits.While it doesn't include Delta Sky Club access, it offers several valuable features that can easily justify its $350 annual fee (see rates and fees), including a yearly companion certificate, free checked bags, statement credits and a path toward Delta Medallion status.The card is best suited for business owners who fly Delta multiple times per year and can consisten

One of the largest and most controversial overhauls of a cruise line loyalty program in years is now in effect.On Tuesday, cruise giant Carnival officially kicked off its new Carnival Rewards program, which replaces the line's 14-year-old Carnival VIFP Club program in its entirety and brings sweeping changes to the way Carnival fans earn and maintain status.Originally scheduled to launch in June, the new four-tier program notably brings an end to "status for life" for most custome

If you have the Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card or Discover it® Student Cash Back, take note: Discover has revealed its fourth-quarter rotating categories.TPG has exclusively learned that beginning Oct. 1, eligible cardholders who activate can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined eligible purchases across entertainment, restaurants and utilities.Activation is now open, giving cardholders a month to register before the new categories go live.You can also register after Oct. 1, just re

If you've been hesitant to apply for a small-business credit card because you're unsure where to start or if you're even eligible, you might find the process is a lot less intimidating than it seems.American Express offers a large portfolio of business cards, so you're bound to find something that fits your business needs. In this guide, we'll break down the American Express business card requirements to help you answer some of the confusing application questions.Related

If you flew to Europe 15 years ago, you might have found yourself on a giant double-decker plane like the Boeing 747 or Airbus A380.But it's 2026, and United Airlines' plans for next summer couldn't be more different.This past week, the Chicago-based carrier unveiled 10 new nonstop destinations launching next spring.These destinations range from Luxembourg and Slovenia to the Azores and Sicily, and there's a common theme between several of them: The airline plans to reach the

If you're carrying credit card debt, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) can give you a long runway to pay it down without accruing interest.You won't earn rewards on your spending, but with 21 months of 0% introductory APR on balance transfers, 12 months of 0% introductory APR on purchases and no annual fee, this card can help you get out of debt or finance a large purchase. After the introductory period ends, a variable APR of 16.49%-27.24% applies based on creditw

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is Delta Air Lines' most premium business credit card, and is best suited for business owners who fly Delta frequently and want airport lounge access, elite-status benefits and premium travel perks.The card's $650 annual fee (see rates and fees) is undeniably expensive. However, for frequent Delta flyers, benefits like Delta Sky Club access, an annual companion certificate, statement credits and Medallion Qualification Dollar (

Qantas is accelerating plans to retire the world's biggest passenger plane.This week, the Australian flag carrier announced it would begin phasing out its Airbus A380s in 2028. That's four years earlier than the airline had originally planned.It's also the latest reminder that the superjumbo won't be around forever.Qantas' plans to sunset its four-engine, double-decker plane come as the airline is set to get an influx of new long-haul aircraft in the coming years.Bidding