US Customs and Border Protection’s Biometric Entry-Exit Program was developed to catch people overstaying their Visas by using facial scanning technology when foreign visitors leave the country. It’s live in nine US airports, including Washington Dulles (IAD) and Orlando (MCO), and CBP hopes to raise that to 20 airports by 2021. The Inspector General of …
Read MoreAuthor: Brendan Dorsey
Airbus’ Connected Cabin Will Measure If Your Seat Is Reclined, an Aircraft’s Bathroom Usage and More
Airlines are working to become smarter by using big data and analytics in all aspects of their business. But surprisingly, there’s not a whole lot of data about how the inside of the cabin is used. Airbus is trying to fix that with its “Connected Cabin” concept it displayed at the APEX Expo in Boston on …
Read MoreANA’s A380 Takes to the Skies for the First Time
ANA’s first Airbus A380 is oh so close to being complete. The super-jumbo jet took to the skies for the first time yesterday, successfully completing its maiden flight. The aircraft, registered F-WWSH, flew from Airbus’ Toulouse base to the manufacturer’s facility in Hamburg, Germany, in about 3.5 hours. Right now, the jet’s exterior is still unpainted, …
Read MoreElevated Offers: Earn up to 20x Miles Through United’s Shopping Portal
When shopping online, one of TPG’s top tips is to always click through an online shopping portal to earn extra miles for a purchase. Today it seems that you can make out like a bandit through United’s MileagePlus portal. The website has a slew of elevated offers for retailers like Macy’s and Neiman Marcus. The promo …
Read MoreCab Drivers Are Turning SFO Parking Lot Into a Literal Dump
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has an odd problem on its hands. In a city where Uber and Lyft were founded and disrupted the taxi industry, there’s a new crappy situation that’s literally plaguing the cab business. SFO management has had to crack down on cab drivers who are apparently urinating and defecating in the …
Read MoreDeal Alert: East Coast to French Caribbean From $168 Round-Trip Nonstop
Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts. Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an …
Read MoreUber Gets $500 Million Investment From Toyota
The world’s biggest ride-hailing company is getting a massive investment from the world’s largest automaker. Japanese giant Toyota has announced it will be investing $500 million in Uber in a strategic move that intends to bring the two companies closer together in the development of self-driving cars. Both Toyota and Uber already have self-driving car …
Read MoreShould I Upgrade to the New Southwest Priority Credit Card?
“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Associate Editor Brendan Dorsey. Last month, Chase and Southwest launched a new co-branded credit card — the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card. This new upper mid-tier card builds on top of the two existing personal Southwest cards, so TPG reader McKenzie wonders if it’s worth it to …
Read MoreDelta Flash Sale: Domestic Awards From 10,000 SkyMiles Round-Trip
Ever since it launched its SkyMiles Deals page, Delta has consistently offered some pretty great sales on award tickets. This time, it’s offering discounted domestic flights with pricing starting at just 10,000 miles round-trip. Departures are available to and from cities like Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (LGA), San …
Read MoreKuwait Airways to Pay Israeli Passenger It Refused Because of Nationality
Kuwait Airways will pay an Israeli citizen whom it barred from flying based on her nationality. Last November, Mandy Blumenthal was barred from purchasing a ticket on a Kuwait Airways flight from London (LHR) to Bangkok (BKK) via Kuwait (KWI). Blumenthal was at the Kuwait Airways ticket counter in Heathrow airport, where she attempted to …
Read MoreDid Korean Air SkyPass End Award Booking Holds?
Korean Air’s SkyPass loyalty program is known for great value and solid premium cabin availability. Reports have been floating around that the program has ended the ability to put award tickets on hold — however that’s not the case. Korean allows you to put award tickets on hold for up to a 30 days — even …
Read MoreTSA Reveals It’s Found Multiple 3D Printed Guns at Security Checkpoints
One day after a federal judge temporarily blocked 3D printed gun blueprints from being distributed on the internet, CBS News has learned that the TSA has caught a handful of 3D printed guns at airport security checkpoints. Since 2016, the TSA says there have been at least four “incidents” with 3D printed guns or gun parts …
Read MoreCan You Transfer Amex Membership Rewards Points Between Family Members?
“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Associate Editor Brendan Dorsey. Pooling points amongst two or more people is a great way to get closer to an award redemption, but unfortunately not all credit card and loyalty programs allow it. So TPG reader Cal wants to know if she’ll have any luck with American Express… Not all …
Read MoreCLEAR and Lyft Partner to Offer Ride Credits and More
CLEAR, the biometric security company that provides quick security screening to travelers throughout US airports and sports venues has announced its partnering with ride-hailing company Lyft to offer discounts to new members. Starting today, Lyft riders can receive a three-month free trial of CLEAR, and new members who enroll through the offer will receive $20 …
Read MoreThis Unknown Startup Airline Just Ordered 17 A350s
A new startup airline has made an ambitious order at the Farnborough Air Show today. Taiwan-based StarLux Airlines placed an order for 17 Airbus A350s in an effort to build out its long-haul fleet. A competitor to the Boeing 787, the A350 went into service in 2015 and is known for its ability to make the …
Read MoreUber Lays off 100 Self-Driving Car Operators
Four months after Uber suspended all of its self-driving car operations, it’s now laid-off about 100 self-driving car operators in Pittsburgh and San Francisco. The operators, who sit in the driver’s seat and monitor the self-driving vehicle’s operations, were informed in a meeting yesterday that they would be losing their jobs. Uber will replace the …
Read MoreFlyDubai’s Ending Its Loyalty Program to Join Emirates Skywards
FlyDubai has announced it will be merging its loyalty program with Emirates. Up until now, the low-cost carrier operated its own OPEN rewards program, which will be integrated into Emirates Skywards on August 1. Last year the two airlines joined together to form a partnership that included codesharing, network and schedule alignments. Both carriers are …
Read MoreHow Can I Pay for a Maldives Seaplane Transfer with Points?
“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Associate Editor Brendan Dorsey. The new Marriott award chart was announced last week, and with it came a temporary redemption sweet spot for one of the best hotels in the world: the St. Regis Maldives. While the news is exciting, TPG reader Aliza notes there’s one part of the journey …
Read MoreAirport Starbucks Now Allow Award Redemptions
Frequent travelers and frequent coffee drinkers likely have a strong crossover — and there’s good news for them. Starbucks is now allowing for award redemptions at cafes located in airports, Targets and select grocery stores. Earlier this week, Starbucks said it would redesign its rewards program in 2019. In 2016, the loyalty scheme switched to …
Read MoreShould I Wait for an Increased Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus?
“Reader Questions” are answered twice a week by TPG Associate Editor Brendan Dorsey. Credit card sign-up bonuses are probably the easiest way to earn points and miles. Sometimes they can be massive offers, like the current 100,000-point bonus on The Business Platinum® Card from American Express OPEN. So TPG reader Justin wants to know if it ever …
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