How Far in Advance Can You Book Hotel Reservations? by Kennedy Miller and Tyler Glatt May 29, 2024 58 How far out you can book a hotel? And does making reservations at the far side of the booking window provides any tangible benefit? Each hotel chain handles reservations differently, with the booking windows of major hotel chains ranging from 11 months through to a massive two years. On some points bookings, however, the window can drop to as little as 100 days. Here are the various policies.
Hotel Free Night Award Change and Cancellation Policies by Samantha Holland May 28, 2024 42 We’ve rounded up free night award change and cancellation policies for the major hotel programs, and thrown in an example to show when you need to cancel to receive a full refund of your points. Make sure you know the policies of your favorite programs so you don't get caught at the last minute and lose your points.
Delta Boarding Order Explained: How New Boarding Zones Work by Mark Jackson July 30, 2025 0 On May 1, 2024, Delta is changing how its boarding process works. Now, flyers will board by "zones," and most of the changes affect flyers boarding the plane first. See how the changes affect your next flight in this post.
U.S. Department of Transportation Cracks Down on Junk and Hidden Airline Fees by Tyler Glatt April 24, 2024 1 In a couple of final rulings announced this morning by the U.S. Department of Transportation, significant changes are coming through increased passenger protections, transparency, and eliminating airline junk fees. Here's what this regulation means for you and when it's expected to go into effect.
You Shouldn’t Cancel a Credit Card Within Your First Year of Membership. Here’s Why. by Tyler Glatt April 8, 2024 2 Credit card issuers want your business. And to get it, they'll offer you big welcome bonuses complete with points, miles, or cash back. But what happens when you're ready to move on from your card? Of all the things you could do, you shouldn't cancel your credit card within the first year of membership. Here's why you'd be wise to avoid canceling a credit card less than a year after opening it.
Application Fee Is Going up for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, Kids Will Be Free by Tyler Glatt October 4, 2024 0 If you're in the market for Global Entry or other trusted traveler credentials like NEXUS or SENTRI, you'll want to complete an application before October 1, 2024. This fall, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is harmonizing the application fees for all three programs. In other words, it'll soon cost more to apply.
What Happens to Frequent Flyer Miles When You Die? by Senitra Horbrook March 27, 2024 28 Have you ever wondered what happens to your credit card points and frequent flyer miles when you die? If you have a lot of them, it matters. Some programs allow you to gift these to others in your will; other programs immediately close your account if they're notified of your death. Here are the policies.
United Miles Pooling: A Great Option with Downsides You Don’t Want to Overlook by Carissa Rawson March 21, 2024 2 United Airlines has announced the implementation of free miles pooling, allowing United MileagePlus members to combine their rewards together for redemptions. This is great news, especially for families and elite members who'd like to share their benefits.
Watch Out for Fees: Discover To Classify Online Gambling as a Cash Advance by Tyler Glatt March 8, 2024 1 Online gambling has taken the internet by storm. And for those who use online gambling as a chance to earn points or cash back on bets, Discover has announced that it'll soon come with an added cost in the form of cash advance fees. Here's what you need to know about Discover's latest announcement to its cardholders.
U.K. To Hike Air Passenger Duty in 2024 and 2025 by Tyler Glatt March 8, 2024 0 The Air Passenger Duty (APD) is the infamous tax you pay on flights departing the United Kingdom. While the APD typically increases annually to account for inflation (as will be the case in 2024), the U.K. government is planning a big one-off adjustment in 2025 to offset higher-than-normal inflation. Here's what the increasing Air Passenger Duty means for you.
The CFPB Ruled on Credit Card Late Fees. Here’s What You Need To Know by Tyler Glatt March 6, 2024 0 Paying off your credit card statement on time and in full is an easy way to avoid fees, interest, and a host of other problems. Among those negative impacts are late fees — the penalty card issuers can levy if they don't receive your minimum monthly payment on time. In a ruling handed down by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), there will be some changes to how credit card late fees work. Here's what you need to know.
Delta Takes After Other U.S. Airlines and Hikes Checked Bag Fees by Tyler Glatt March 5, 2024 2 When it rains, it pours. Put another way: When one airline raises the fee to check a bag, they all do. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Delta Air Lines is taking a cue from other U.S. carriers and hiking the cost to check a bag by $5 — effective for tickets booked on or after March 5, 2024.
When and How You Can Book Award Flights for Friends and Family by Kennedy Miller February 29, 2024 54 Having points and miles are great when it comes time to cash in for your dream trip. Don't forget though that in almost every case you can use your points and miles for friends and family without having to transfer anything to them. Simply book the award in their name.
Not To Be Outdone, United Airlines Hikes Checked Bag Fees by Tyler Glatt February 24, 2024 0 Late to the party — but not to be outdone — United Airlines is hiking the cost of checking a bag. For tickets booked on or after February 24, 2024, checked bags will cost $5 more. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to save on the high cost of checking a bag. Let's dive into the details and cover how to avoid expensive bag fees.
American Airlines Slashes Miles Transfer Fees by 66% by Tyler Glatt February 21, 2024 0 If you're short the American Airlines AAdvantage® miles necessary to make a redemption, one option for growing your mileage balance is to transfer miles from one account to another. And in the right circumstances, it can make a lot of sense. Plus, American Airlines just made it far cheaper to move miles between accounts. Here's what you need to know about transferring American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
JetBlue Hikes Checked Baggage Fees: Here’s How To Avoid Paying These Higher Prices by Tyler Glatt February 20, 2024 0 On February 1, 2024, JetBlue quietly amended its checked luggage rates for its non-transatlantic flights. The airline now charges $35 for the first bag purchased more than a day before departure and $50 for the second. Bags purchased closer-in cost even more. However, there are a few ways to avoid the steep new price tag. Here's what you need to know about JetBlue's bag fee changes.
American Airlines Raises Checked Baggage Fees: Here’s How to Avoid Paying These Higher Fees. by JT Genter February 20, 2024 0 American Airlines just made it up to 33% more expensive to check your bag on the world's largest airline. Effective immediately, American Airlines baggage fees have increased from $30 to as much as $40 for a first checked bag on domestic and short-haul international flights. However, travelers still have plenty of ways to avoid paying baggage fees entirely. Here's what you need to know.
Best Airlines for International Lap Infant Award Tickets by Ashley Onadele February 15, 2024 30 A widely known cornerstone in the travel community is that babies under the age of two can travel domestically for free as a lap infant. However, it’s not as simple with lap infants and international award tickets. One would assume that a parent could book an international award ticket and merely add their lap infant to the reservation. However, there are various forms of airline-dependent fees involved. Knowing the pricing structure before you book could save you a pretty penny — or a pile of points.
Claiming Compensation for a Delayed, Overbooked, or Canceled Flight in the US and EU by Andrew George Bradshaw February 9, 2024 57 Flight delays and cancellations can be expensive and stressful. Fortunately, there are some protections in place to make sure you don’t get stuck with the bill when irregular operations force you to change your plans. If you know your rights, you can avoid worrying about covering extra costs out of pocket and make sure you extract the full compensation to which you’re entitled.
What Is the Bank of America 2/3/4 Rule? by Sam Helmy and Ryan Flanigan February 6, 2024 16 Bank of America has a 2/3/4 rule for credit card applications, which while not the same as Chase’s 5/24 rule, does place restrictions on new card approvals based on recent card approval history with Bank of America.
You Can Now Cancel American Airlines Basic Economy Flights for a Partial Credit, but You’ll Need To Take One Step First by Tyler Glatt January 29, 2024 1 Earlier this year, American Airlines teased that Basic Economy fares would become less punitive. And now, they are. The carrier has made good on its promise to alleviate the burden of canceling non-refundable tickets by introducing partial refunds. But there's a catch. Here's what you need to know about the now-live changes to American Airlines Basic Economy.
Which Airlines Allow Elite Status Extensions for Life Events? by Tyler Glatt October 22, 2025 0 Sometimes, life happens. And if you lose your elite status when it does, almost a dozen airlines stand at the ready to help you get it back. Whether you've got a newborn, adopted a child, went on military deployment, or had to care for a sick family member, many airlines will help you get back the status you lost in the interim.
TAP Miles & Go Increasing Service Fees From January 11, 2024 by Sam Helmy January 4, 2024 0 In an era where airlines are slashing fees, TAP Miles & Go has chosen to be an outlier and is massively hiking service fees. The changes predominantly affect issuing, modifying, or canceling award tickets. The new fee structure comes into force on January 11, 2024.
Survey Says: The Fine Print Really Is Getting Longer and Harder To Read by Sam Helmy December 16, 2023 1 Secure Data Recovery has published an analysis of the fine print from 100 companies in a variety of sectors, and the results are surprising. The differences in length are shocking — even for companies in the same sector — and most companies have fine print that is quite difficult to read.
Everything To Know About The Amex Welcome Offer Eligibility Tool by Max Prosperi and JT Genter December 9, 2023 3 Hoping to take advantage of a lucrative welcome offer from American Express? You might not be eligible for that amazing bonus. Luckily, you can use the Amex welcome offer eligibility tool to find out if you're eligible before submitting the application. Here's everything you need to know about this eligibility tool.
The Cost for CLEAR Family Members Just Went Up by Ryan Smith November 17, 2023 0 Without warning, CLEAR has increased the price per adult to add family members to your account — a jump of more than 40%, sadly. While this isn't great news, there remain ways to get a discount or even a free CLEAR Plus membership.
More Amex “Family” Restrictions Added to Amex EveryDay® Credit Card by Ryan Smith October 16, 2023 2 For the third month in a row, Amex has added "family" restrictions to a card, now targeting the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and Amex EveryDay® Credit Card. Here's what family language is and how this could impact you.
Amex Strikes Again, Adding ‘Family’ Language to the American Express® Gold Card by Ryan Smith October 6, 2023 1 Amex has been on a tear, making numerous changes to limit who can earn the welcome bonus on its cards. The latest victim: the American Express® Gold Card
What Is the Credit Card Competition Act, and Why Should You Care? by Ryan Smith and JT Genter September 22, 2023 3 The Credit Card Competition Act purports to reduce fees on credit card purchases, saying businesses will save money and then reduce prices — leading to savings for consumers. History tells us this isn't true. So what is this legislation, how does it relate to credit card rewards, why should you care? These are the latest developments.
