If you've been banking with the same institution for years, you've probably stopped noticing all the ways they're quietly charging you. Monthly maintenance fees, out-of-network ATM charges and overdraft penalties that turn a $2 mistake into a $35 hit have become part of the cost of doing business with traditional banks, even though they shouldn't be.

Chime offers a checking account with fee-free banking.* There's no minimum balance requirement or monthly fee, and eligible members can access fee-free overdrafts of up to $200 with SpotMe when their balance dips lower than expected.

Here's a closer look at how Chime can help you avoid fees and get more from your everyday banking.

Benefits of fee-free banking with Chime

Traditional banks have built their business model around fees, but Chime softens that structure. Start with the basics: no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fees, unlike accounts at traditional banks that charge up to $15 per month (unless you meet certain requirements to have them waived).

But the real value emerges when you look at cash flow. With direct deposit, Chime lets you get paid up to two days early. Or if you need cash before payday, you can borrow up to $500 without mandatory fees or interest with MyPay.

If money is tight, getting your paycheck up to two days early can make a real difference. It could mean paying a bill before it's due, avoiding a late fee or simply having a little more flexibility between paydays.

Chime also gives you access to more than 47,000 fee-free ATMs, making it easier to get cash without worrying about an extra ATM fee. And with the Chime Visa® Credit Card, you can earn up to 5% cash back.

Chime also gives you ways to put your money to work. You can earn up to 3.75% APY with a Chime Savings Account.

And with Chime Pay Anyone, you can send money to friends and family instantly, even if they don't bank with Chime.

Build credit with the Chime Card

One of the most underrated features is the Chime Card, a credit-building tool built into the platform.

You can apply for the secured Chime Card with no credit check; you only need a Chime checking account. There's no minimum security deposit and no interest to pay. You simply add money to a secured deposit account as collateral for your Chime Card, and you can spend up to this amount. You can use money deposited in your Secured Deposit Account to pay off your charges at the end of every month.

Because Chime reports to all three credit bureaus, paying your Chime credit card balance on time helps build your credit. In a Chime study, members who made on-time payments saw an average increase in credit score of 28 points.

For anyone building or rebuilding credit, that's a tangible path forward without the typical barriers of traditional credit cards.

Unlock more benefits with Chime Prime

If you receive at least $3,000 in qualifying direct deposits each month, you can unlock Chime Prime and access additional benefits.

Chime Prime members earn 3.75% APY on their Chime Savings balance and can earn 5% cash back with the Chime Card in a monthly category of their choice. But the real standout for frequent travelers is Chime Prime's travel perks.

You get a complimentary Priority Pass membership for airport lounge access, Visa luxury hotel benefits, access to the Visa Signature Concierge, and reimbursement of international ATM fees.

Those are benefits you might expect from a travel rewards credit card, but Chime Prime has no annual fee.

Bottom line

Chime offers a compelling alternative to traditional checking accounts, particularly if you want to avoid monthly fees and minimum balance requirements while managing more of your finances in one place.

For those who qualify for Chime Prime, the value proposition goes further with a higher savings APY, cash-back opportunities and travel benefits.

Altogether, Chime combines everyday banking features with benefits that can help you save, build credit and get more from your money.

Learn more: Chime

Informational content: Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank N.A. ("Banks"). Banks are not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).

Issuer Statement: Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. The Chime Visa® Debit Card and the secured Chime Visa® Credit Card are issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

Other Disclosures: For more information on the following products, services, and claims, please see chime.com/disclosures. Fee-free banking, SpotMe, Getting Paid Early, MyPay, Fee-Free ATMs, 5% Cash Back, Savings APY, Pay Anyone, Credit Building, up to 70 points Increase, Eligibility (Chime Prime/Plus), Travel Perks, Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and Priority Pass.

Air France is growing its U.S. map, including with a tribute to the late singer Dolly Parton.

The SkyTeam Alliance carrier will land at San Diego International Airport (SAN) on May 3, 2027. It will come to Nashville International Airport (BNA) on May 14, Air France said Thursday. Flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to both SAN and BNA will operate thrice-weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Both routes will be flown with an Airbus A350-900 outfitted with business, premium economy, extra-legroom economy and economy seats.

The new CDG-BNA route will use the flight number AF46 in a nod to the year, 1946, when Parton was born.

Au revoir, Denver

It is not all growth for Air France. The airline will not return to Denver International Airport (DEN) in 2027, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed. Seasonal flights to DEN that began in 2021 end on Oct. 10.

The Air France spokesperson said DEN capacity will be reallocated to other routes, "resulting in no overall reduction in capacity across the region."

United Airlines, with a large hub at DEN, will begin new daily DEN-CDG flights with a Boeing 787-9 on May 27, 2027.

Joint transatlantic growth

Air France is a close partner of Delta Air Lines. The carriers, as well as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways, have a joint venture covering flights between the U.S. an Europe and allow them to coordinate everything from schedules to fares and other commercial matters.

Delta plans to add at least three new routes to Europe in 2027. New service from Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to CDG begins March 27; Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Italy on May 7; and Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to Athens International Airport (ATH) in Greece on June 8.

KLM and Virgin Atlantic have not announced any new U.S. routes for next year.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations

If you're planning to travel for spring break, Easter or summer vacation next year, now is a great time to start racking up points and miles for your trip.

At TPG, we believe it's never too early to start earning. If you can earn travel rewards now, you'll be in a better position to start making your 2027 travel plans early, when you may have more hotel and airline award availability to choose from.

Here's our step-by-step guide to earning rewards now and putting them toward your spring and summer travels.

Cash in on timely welcome offers

First, applying for the best welcome offers on new cards right now can give you a sizable stash of points or miles to put toward upcoming travel.

Most cards give you three to six months to meet their minimum spending requirements, which can require thousands of dollars in spending. If you have larger purchases coming up this fall or during the holiday season, opening a card now could make it easier to meet that requirement through spending you were already planning.

For example, if you open a card in October and have three months to meet its spending requirement, you could earn your welcome bonus early in 2027. That could give you a fresh stash of rewards to put toward spring break, Easter or summer travel.

And even if you haven't finalized your plans yet, earning rewards now means you'll have more options when you're ready to book.

Related: 10 ways to meet the spending requirements and earn the bonus on a new card

Best welcome offers right now

If you're wondering which card to get, here are just a few of our favorite welcome offers available right now.

*Per TPG's October 2026 valuations.

Related: These 10 welcome offers are stealing the spotlight in October 2026

Use card perks for spring and summer travel

It's not just about welcome offers, though. The right card can also provide valuable perks that can make your spring and summer travels more comfortable.

Depending on the card, benefits such as travel credits, airport lounge access, expedited security credits and hotel elite status can improve your travel experience. Plus, using your new card for travel and everyday purchases in the months ahead can help you continue earning rewards for future trips.

For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers up to $300 in flexible travel credits annually, a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, access to Sapphire Lounges and a Priority Pass membership.

Meanwhile, the Amex Platinum offers hotel elite status with Marriott, Hilton and Leaders Club, which can enhance your stay if you stay at one of those brands. Enrollment required.

Plus, eligible cardmembers can get into the best airport lounges on the market with access to the Global Lounge Collection.

Any or all of these cards help ensure your next trip goes smoothly, even before you factor in the welcome offers involved.

Related: Traveling these holidays? Here are the best cards for making your trip more comfortable

Start planning your spring and summer travel early

Once you've earned your rewards, don't wait too long to start thinking about how you'll use them.

Booking earlier can give you more flight and hotel options, particularly if you're traveling during popular periods such as spring break, Easter or summer vacation. Award availability can fluctuate, so it pays to start searching early and take advantage of a good redemption when you find one.

Starting to earn points and miles now gives you time to build your balances before you're ready to book, and potentially more flexibility when it's time to turn those rewards into a trip.

Related: 7 mistakes to avoid when redeeming hotel points

Bottom line

If spring or summer travel is on your calendar for 2027, now can be a good time to start building your points and miles balances.

Opening a new rewards credit card this fall could allow you to use upcoming purchases, including planned holiday spending, to work toward a valuable welcome bonus.

The sooner you start earning, the more time you'll have to build your rewards balance and plan how to use it.

Related: How to choose a credit card for airport lounge access

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.

American Airlines now plans to put Starlink Wi-Fi on way more planes than it had previously announced.

Each of American's Airbus and Boeing jets are now slated to get the high-speed on-board internet, the Fort Worth-based carrier announced Thursday.

That's more than double the number of aircraft that had previously been in line for a Starlink upgrade.

Installations are set to begin in early 2027.

Connectivity is expected to remain free for members of the airline's AAdvantage loyalty program.

What's really going on: The hottest new airline loyalty perk doesn't require status or a credit card — and it's free

From 500 planes to more than 1,000

American had first announced plans to bring Starlink to its fleet in May. But initially, the carrier had only planned to equip about 500 Airbus jets.

Now, the carrier says it will install the terminals on each of its mainline planes, including its vast fleet of Boeing planes.

Critically, this Starlink switchover should significantly improve American's Wi-Fi on its twin-aisle fleet of Boeing 787s and 777s that fly long international routes. Many of those aircraft today still have legacy service from Panasonic, and often encounter connectivity gaps.

Read more: Was the 'fast, free' Wi-Fi really slow on your flight, too? Here's what's going on

Once all installations are complete, more than 1,000 AA jets are expected to have the faster service.

"Our customers have told us that dependable connectivity can make a meaningful difference in how they spend their time in the air," American's chief customer officer Heather Garboden said in a statement Thursday, while noting the Starlink service also "provides the foundation for future innovations" on board.

Airlines lean in to Starlink

A growing number of U.S. carriers have struck up on-board Wi-Fi partnerships with SpaceX's Starlink, which is powered by constellations of satellites in low earth orbit.

United Airlines and Alaska Airlines are well into installing Starlink tech on their planes. Hawaiian Airlines has had the service on its Airbus fleet for several years.

And so far in 2026, American, Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines have all announced plans to put Starlink on their jets.

Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, has opted to partner with Amazon on new Wi-Fi tech that's expected to debut in 2028 — a move that prompted United, last week, to offer a pointed status match aimed at Delta's Medallion elite members.

JetBlue is also taking the same route as Delta, with plans to put Amazon Leo on its jets in the future.

Bottom line

As for American, after this week's announcement, there's only one group of planes not slated to get Starlink servce: its fleet of regional jets.

Related reading:

• Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
• Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
• American's AAdvantage program changes for 2026
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• This is now American Airlines' most premium plane: Here's what it's like on board
• The best credit card for American Airlines lounge access

I had forgotten how much I loved learning about the Greeks.

Our guide, Natale, is leading us through the spectacular ruins of ancient Syracuse — the famed Greek city state along the southeastern coast of Sicily — regaling us with tales of its riches and power.

It was, as he notes, so wealthy and strong that it defeated the most iconic of Greek powers, Athens, during the Peloponnesian War. It was also home to Archimedes, the legendary Greek polymath famous for figuring out how levers work and calculating the value of Pi.

"People think he lived in mainland Greece, but he was born and lived right here," Natale, a local, says with obvious pride as he moves us toward the site's monumental Greek theater.

Some of what Natale is telling a dozen other passengers and me from the small Ponant Explorations vessel Le Dumont d'Urville are things I knew from my years studying history. Some of it is new to me. But either way, it is history coming alive in a way it only does when you're able to walk through the very places where it happened. And I am finding I can't get enough of it.

Luckily, it is just one of many days like this for my fellow passengers and me as we circle Sicily on a relatively new cruise itinerary that focuses on the island's history, culture and natural wonders in an unusually comprehensive way.

Dubbed A Circumnavigation of Sicily — With Smithsonian Journeys, the eight-night voyage is part of a growing collection of deeply educational new voyages designed by Ponant in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys — the 55+ year old educational travel program of the Smithsonian Institution.

As I am seeing firsthand, the sailings feature not just in-depth daily touring with local guides of a sort you often don't get when cruising, but also the teachings of notable experts from academia who are along to explain what passengers are seeing.

Drawing mostly highly educated, intellectually curious retirees (or "lifetime learners," as Ponant executives like to call them), they are, in short, the perfect cruises for the sort of traveler who would think of nothing more wonderful than spending hours buried in one of the 22 museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

Sailing with experts

At the heart of these new Smithsonian Journeys sailings on Ponant vessels, as I am experiencing them, is the presence of two Smithsonian Journey experts — in this trip's case, art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine and archaeologist Rob Stephan.

As we sail from port to port, these two engaging and personable scholars, who hail from the University of Maryland and the University of Arizona, respectively, offer near daily lectures — six between them over eight days — that prepare us for the stunning historical sites, art and culture that we will be encountering.

Just before our arrival in Syracuse, for instance, Georgievska-Shine offers an overview of the dramatic Sicilian Baroque style in art and architecture, preparing us to see the marvel that is the city's Baroque-fronted Roman Catholic cathedral (Santa Maria delle Colonne). As Georgievska-Shine notes, it was built directly over the city's ancient Greek Temple of Athena — the monument's giant Doric columns are still visible in its facade.

In another lecture in advance of the visit, Stephan mesmerizes passengers with tales of Syracuse's role in the Peloponnesian War, including the city's crafty use of ships lashed together with chains to trap the Athenian fleet in the harbor and essentially annihilate them.

It is the context that makes all the difference as we tour Syracuse's historic sites.

Related: The ultimate guide to Ponant ships and itineraries

In addition to lecturing, these experts also join passengers for predinner cocktails, meals and on various excursions with local guides during port stops, continuing the discussions that begin during their formal presentations — and offering even more insight.

Stephan, for instance, went along in my small tour group led by local guides as we explored the Greek and Roman ruins of Syracuse and, later, the city's famed archeological museum, often stopping to answer questions from individual tourgoers or noting significant things that he was seeing to the group.

At the archaeological museum, he notably paused in front of a large aerial photograph of the city to show us where the chains that doomed the Athenians stretched across the harbor entrance. Natale, our local guide, then showed us where our ship was docked within that harbor.

It was another small piece of context that added to our understanding.

Later, back on board, I took the time to head to the outside decks of the ship and gaze over the sweeping natural blue bay that forms the harbor of Syracuse. It is peaceful now. But if I had been there 2,400 years ago, I would have been looking out over one of the great turning points of history.

Sure, you can read about this all in a book. But there's nothing like seeing it in person.

Curated tours, included in the fare

To sail on one of Ponant's voyages in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys is, in a nutshell, to experience a luxury vacation (Ponant ships are quite upscale and pampering) that also has all the elements of a university-level symposium — not just on board the vessel but during port stops.

In one of the standout features of the trips, nearly every port call brings the choice of at least two and sometimes up to four included-in-the-fare tours that are carefully curated by Smithsonian Journeys and Ponant to emphasize educational and local experiences rather than just traditional sightseeing.

Related: We sailed Ponant's icebreaker to the North Pole. It was epic

On this particular itinerary, that often means daily guided tours to some of the most iconic historical sites of the Greek and Roman eras — as we learn during the trip, Sicily was a crossroads of empires during those times — with a few medieval and Renaissance gems thrown in for good measure.

During a stop at tiny Porto Empedocle (population of about 16,000) on the south side of the island, for instance, most of us head out with expert guides to the monumental Valley of the Temples of Agrigento, where we take in perfectly preserved Greek temples that rival anything you'll find in Greece.

During the Greek era, as my guide explains, Agrigento was one of the biggest and richest cities in the world. Later, as we also learn, it was the site of an epic clash between the Romans and Carthaginians.

A couple of days later, during a port stop at Trapani (population about 55,000) on the western side of the island, my tour pick for the day brings me to the ruins of Segesta, a hub for the Elymians — an ancient, non-Greek civilization that adopted Greek cultural styles. Up close, we see it's home to one of the world's best-preserved Doric temples and an impressive ancient theater that is still used today.

Later that same day, we head up impossibly winding roads to the perched-on-a-mountain-peak medieval town of Erice. From here, nearly a thousand years ago, the Normans (yes, the Normans, from far-away northern France) once ruled the region. How they got here is another key topic for discussion.

The stop in Syracuse, on the southeastern side of the island, comes a few days later, after full days visiting Palermo, Sicily's capital, and the island of Lipari, just off the northern coast of Sicily (one of seven small islands, the Aeolian Islands, that officially are part of Sicily).

The Palermo stop, for me at least, brings a guided visit to the city's spectacular, gold mosaic-lined Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio (a UNESCO World Heritage site that dates to 1143), a walk through local street markets, a local food tasting and a private tour of the Palazzo Conte Federico — the latter, fabulously, by a member of the family who lives there.

In Lipari, we drive up to the island's high point to view the smoking crater of Volcano Island nearby and visit another archeological complex.

One other stop on the voyage, the only one outside of Sicily, is the port of Tunis in Tunisia, where we learn about its ties to Sicily and the Roman and Greek worlds during a visit to the ruins of ancient Carthage, the Roman Empire's great rival. The stop also offers the chance to walk through the city's historic Medina and, for some of us, a moving visit to the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial — the final resting place for thousands of Americans killed in North Africa during World War II.

Intertwined through history, Tunisia and Sicily face each other across a narrow choke point in the Mediterranean that is less than 100 miles wide. We sail to it for just a day between our stops in Porto Empedocle and Trapani for guided tours that add more depth to what we are learning.

That each of these tours, some of which are full-day outings with multiple stops and lunches at local restaurants, is included in the fare is notable — something rare in cruising.

A visit to a natural wonder

Learning about the history and culture of the places that Ponant ships visit on sailings in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys is just part of the experience. The trips also have a focus on natural wonders.

On our sailing, that means, among other things, the option of an all-day tour to Sicily's massive Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe.

Rising an astounding 11,165 feet, pretty much straight up from sea level, Mount Etna is a sight to behold even from a long distance.

On the day we visited, we anchored just off of Giardini Naxos, a small coastal town nearly 16 miles from the mountain's summit as the crow flies. But despite the distance, the mountain seemed to fill the sky. Sweeping open the drapes to my cabin after I awoke that morning, I could clearly see the smoke rising from its pointy summit — a fascinating sight.

Even more fascinating was the experience of driving up the side of the mountain in a tour bus with a small group of fellow passengers to an altitude of roughly 6,400 feet — as far as you can go by vehicle.

It's a drive that first takes you past a cultivated ring of vineyards, citrus groves, orchards and olive trees that thrive in the volcano soil, followed by a higher-altitude belt of dense woodlands that abruptly transitions into a striking, otherworldly moonscape of dried-up lava flows and craters.

After driving as far as we could, we emerged from our bus in this last zone for more than an hour of exploring, delighting in a hike around one of the small, no-longer-active craters.

At this high altitude, not only was the air noticeably thinner but the temperature a blissful 67 degrees — 20 degrees lower than the steamy 87 degress of Giardini Naxos below. That said, there was super-hot lava somewhere underneath us. Or maybe above us. Thankfully, we didn't get to see it up close.

And we didn't stay too long. Heading back down and around to the mountain's southeastern slope, we continued our Mount Etna touring with a visit to one of the best-known wineries in the area, the Benanti Winery, for a tour and lovely sit-down wine and food tasting. Winemaking, as we learned, is a big thing around Mount Etna.

The latter is another element of the Ponant Explorations and Smithsonian Journey cruises: incorporating the local sights, sounds and tastes into the tours in every port.

Intimate, luxurious small-ship cruising

In addition to offering many learning opportunities, the experience of being on one of Ponant's sailings with Smithsonian Journeys is luxurious, as mentioned above.

During our sailing, we were treated to such luxury touches on board as a caviar tasting with flowing Champagne in the ship's main lounge one night before dinner and an elaborate "buffet of cheeses" — all gourmet — another night in the main restaurant.

Headquartered in France, Ponant is an upscale cruise brand known for its high-end French hospitality and, in particular, its small, almost yacht-like vessels that offer an intimate, boutique hotel-like experience at sea.

With just 92 cabins, Le Dumont d'Urville is typical of Ponant's ships — small and intimate but also chic in its design, with a high crew-to-passenger ratio that results in outstanding service.

Indeed, on my sailing, the crew on board outnumbered the passengers, 122 to 117.

Related: The 4 types of Ponant ships, explained

The ship, like most of those in the Ponant fleet used for sailings in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys, offers two restaurants serving quality, often French-influenced cuisine (one of which is a casual outdoor eatery), a cozy lounge and bar where all but top-shelf drinks are included in the fare, and a solid array of wellness venues, including an outdoor infinity pool and a small spa offering a range of pampering treatments.

Cabins on the vessel are modern, spacious and comfortable, with a stylish French minimalist design and luxury touches such as premium French linens. Every cabin has a full balcony.

The vessel also has one of the most unusual lounges on the high seas, a below-the-waterline hideaway called the Blue Eye, which boasts two massive underwater windows shaped like whale eyes.

The idea is that, as the ship is moving, you feel like you're looking out from inside a whale — and I'll say for the record, you sort of do. Or maybe that's the wine that they serve down there, talking.

Another amazing space is the fold-out, fold-in marina at the back of the ship, which, on some sailings, is used for watery playtime while the ship is anchored in a bay.

On our sailing, the captain rolled it out to serve as a stage for a truly spectacular surprise predinner outdoor performance by the ship's lead singer, who serenaded us with Italian opera tunes as we noshed on Mediterranean appetizers and watched the sun set behind Mt. Etna in the distance.

Le Dumont d'Urville is one of six Ponant vessels (known as the Explorers-class vessels) with a similar design, many of which are used for Smithsonian Journeys sailings.

An expanding program

First unveiled in 2022 with just a handful of trips, Ponant's alliance with Smithsonian Journeys for cobranded voyages has been growing rapidly.

This year's program included 36 departures across the globe — up roughtly 50% from just two years ago — and a far wider array of itineraries than in the past.

Among notable and popular itineraries unveiled in 2026 was a seven-night "Panama and Costa Rica by Sea: The Natural Wonders of Central America" routing that included a visit to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's open-air Punta Culebra Nature Center.

Other returning favorites were eight-night voyages in the Great Lakes, seven-night Greek islands trips and a 10-night sailing to Antarctica that was accompanied by renowned polar explorer Ann Bancroft, the first woman to cross the ice to both the North and South Poles.

New routes for 2027 include a 10-night Sea of Cortés expedition out of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, that will lean heavily into marine biology and conservation.

Unlike standard Ponant sailings, which are bilingual with announcements in both French and English, and often draw a large number of French passengers, sailings in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys are aimed at English speakers with only English spoken on board and draw mostly Americans.

As noted above, these Americans (on my sailing, there were also a handful of Brits, a New Zealander couple and one passenger from Belgium) are mostly retirees — often people in their 60s, 70s and 80s.

In addition to the expert speakers who accompany every sailing, the ships also sail with two dedicated Ponant travel directors who ensure all aspects of the Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys program run seamlessly.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Ponant ship

Bottom Line

Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys offer immersive, educational cruise itineraries focused on history, culture and natural wonders, making them a wonderful option for intellectually curious travelers who want to learn while exploring the world.

Drawing mostly retirees, the sailings notably feature Smithsonian Journeys expert lecturers from academia who teach passengers about what they're seeing, along with highly curated tours with local guides to offer the most in-depth experience.

Notably, complimentary shore excursion options are included in the fare, and the onboard experience is high-end, as is typical for Ponant, a specialist in upscale, small-ship voyages. Passengers can expect an intimate, small-ship experience with attentive service, gourmet dining and stylish, spacious cabins.

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Amex is coming in big today with not one, but four Centurion Lounge updates spanning airports in the U.S. and the U.K.

In fact, Amex is calling this its largest Centurion Lounge network expansion — ever.

The only piece of news that's a bit of a bummer amid all the good news is that Amex has now officially confirmed that its Newark location won't open in 2026 as originally announced and is now "expected to open in 2027."

But the delay isn't all bad news for those who can't wait to enjoy this new space, as Amex seems to be making it worth the wait with some pretty big changes since the initial announcement.

The largest Amex Centurion Lounge is coming to Newark

The new Amex Centurion Lounge coming to Newark may not be opening this year as originally announced, but it is getting significantly larger — expanding from the previously planned 18,000 square feet to more than 30,000 square feet.

When it opens, that will make Newark the largest Centurion Lounge in the network, surpassing the current titleholder, the Atlanta Centurion Lounge, which measures in at close to 26,000 square feet.

Amex has also shared that within those more than 30,000 square feet in Newark's Terminal A, you'll find two floors with three distinct bar experiences.

This will include a Main Bar with craft cocktails and curated wines, a Specialty Bar that puts a modern spin on the state's diner culture and a Terrace Bar that pays tribute to New Jersey's Italian heritage with gelato, Italian pastries and cocktails on the menu.

There will also be a Blue Roast by Amex coffee and wellness bar with espresso, cold brew, smoothies, avocado toast and more.

And if you're hungry when you come in, you hopefully won't be when you leave, as there will be dishes on offer from The Culinary Collective by chefs such as Kwame Onwuachi, Mike Solomonov, Mashama Bailey and Sarah Grueneberg.

Once the Newark location opens, Amex will become the first card issuer to check off its NYC-area bingo card, having a lounge at each of the area's three major airports.

Second Amex Centurion Lounge coming to London Heathrow

Next up in today's announcements is a new Centurion Lounge coming to London Heathrow (LHR), which will mark the second Amex Centurion Lounge at that global hub.

This 9,000-square-foot lounge will open in Terminal 5 in 2028 and join the airport's original Amex Centurion Lounge at Heathrow, Terminal 3, which opened in 2021.

According to Amex, the new London lounge will have "premium food and beverage offerings, a variety of seating and dedicated work areas, a VIP area and design inspired by London's cultures and the River Thames."

Amex says that will also make it the first credit card issuer with two lounges at Heathrow.

Related: Amex Platinum offering new cardholders welcome bonuses of up to 175,000 bonus points

Houston Centurion Lounge tripling in size

This one hits close to home for me in all the best ways as a Houston-based traveler, as The Centurion Lounge at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will nearly triple in size to more than 23,000 square feet.

That's a huge expansion for a lounge that is currently just 8,000 square feet, and it will make Houston one of the largest Centurion Lounges in the network when the expansion is complete in 2028.

Amex says the expanded space will include a Blue Roast coffee and wellness bar, which seems to be becoming a staple in many Centurion Lounges. It will also introduce a specialty dining experience inspired by Houston's culinary scene. We've reached out to American Express to confirm whether the specialty dining experience will be complimentary or available for an additional fee.

The added space will also bring a second full-service bar, along with additional seats, showers and restrooms.

Philadelphia Centurion Lounge expanding

Last but not least, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is also getting an upgrade as this Centurion Lounge, which first opened in 2017, will almost double in size to 12,000 square feet across two stories.

This work is starting very soon. In fact, the current lounge will temporarily close for renovations beginning on Oct. 16 of this year.

It's expected to reopen by the end of 2027, and when it does, it will feature design inspired by Philadelphia's history, energy and craftsmanship along with work from local artists.

How to access Amex Centurion Lounges

Cardmembers need a same-day boarding pass for a departing flight and can enter within three hours of their scheduled departure. If you're on a connecting itinerary, you can enter within five hours of the departing connecting flight.

The following American Express cardmembers get complimentary access to Centurion Lounges:

• American Express Platinum Card®
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Corporate Platinum Card members
• Centurion Card members
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Delta Reserve and Reserve Business cardmembers only get Centurion Lounge access when flying on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight booked with a U.S.-issued American Express charge or credit card.

Guest access varies by card, and fees may apply.

The information for the Corporate Platinum and Centurion cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: How to get access to Amex Centurion Lounges

Bottom line

These four lounge announcements join multiple previous Centurion Lounge announcements from earlier in the year, which included a new Centurion Lounge coming to Boston in 2029, a Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge coming to Charlotte in 2027 and the expansion of the current Centurion Lounge at DFW, also in 2027.

And that's not to mention the just-opened Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam and the first Amex Sidecar lounge concept that opened in Las Vegas in March.

Airport lounges have become an increasingly competitive space for card issuers, which is great news for premium cardholders. But one of the biggest complaints I've heard as lounges have ramped up over the past decade is simply that they've become victims of their own success, with access sometimes difficult during peak periods.

The announcement of new lounges and the addition of second locations and meaningful expansions doubling or even tripling the size of existing lounges are all really positive steps from American Express — one of the real pioneers of card issuer airport lounges.

Related: These are the best credit cards for airport lounge access

We now know a whole lot more about what will be onboard Disney Believe, Disney Cruise Line's fourth Wish-class ship, when it sets sail in late 2027, thanks to a big reveal this week aboard Disney Wish.

From a first-of-its-kind "Encanto" stage show to new lounges and restaurants, there are five just-announced experiences I'm especially excited about that you won't find on any other Disney ship.

Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth getting?

Disney Believe at a glance

• Disney Believe will be the fourth Wish-class ship for the Disney Cruise Line, joining Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny
• Disney Believe's maiden voyage is scheduled for Dec. 18, 2027
• Bookings open on Oct. 19, 2026
• It will sail four- and five-night itineraries to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Port Everglades, Florida

Related: How to save money on a Disney Cruise

An all-new Disney "Encanto" stage show

The biggest Disney Believe announcement — and I'd say the most exciting — is the first-ever stage adaptation of Disney's "Encanto." The animated film featuring the Madrigal family — yes, the one where we don't talk about Bruno, though now everyone is sure to be doing just that — was first released in 2021, but has never before been told on stage.

Disney's new "Moana" stage show, which debuted on the Disney Treasure in 2024, is still one of my favorite shows I've seen on land or sea, so hopefully "Encanto" will live up to the same high bar.

The Grand Hall is "Moana"-themed

Speaking of "Moana," the renderings of Disney Believe's Moana-themed Grand Hall look absolutely spectacular. The Grand Hall is much more than just the place where you first board the ship. It's a gathering place that helps set the tone for the entire cruise.

Disney says the guiding theme is where the sky meets the sea, with ocean-hued and bioluminescent colors throughout the space and a chandelier inspired by the fluid movement of the ocean itself.

Snow White-themed Wishing Well lounge

Another brand-new space on Disney Believe will be Wishing Well, a lounge inspired by Disney's 1937 film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

There will be a canopy of red apples, a Gothic castle-inspired bar and drinks inspired by the film, including a candy apple-green concoction that seems to take its inspiration from a certain Evil Queen.

Sea Notes piano lounge

One of my favorite spaces on each of the Disney Wish-class ships is the piano lounge just off the Grand Hall.

On Disney Believe, this space will be called Sea Notes, featuring an iridescent piano along with decor and drinks inspired by Ariel's under-the-sea grotto from "The Little Mermaid."

While Cruella de Vil makes an appearance at her version of the piano lounge on Disney Destiny, from what we know, it sounds like Sea Notes will be a much more laid-back affair.

Oaken's Table: A Frozen Family Feast

While there's already an immersive "Frozen"-themed dining experience on Disney Wish, the version coming to Disney Believe won't be a copy-and-paste.

Instead, Oaken's Table: A Frozen Family Feast will be set in a sommerhus, or holiday cottage-like, courtyard during the warmer months, where Oaken and his cousins will perform their own versions of popular songs from "Frozen."

I'm very curious to see how different this experience feels (and tastes) from Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, which you'll find on Disney Wish.

More new spaces and themes coming to Disney Believe

I'm pretty sure it would be cheating to pick everything as my favorite, but those five experiences are far from the only new things coming to Disney Believe.

For the first time, Disney's Oceaneer Club for kids ages 3 to 10 will have a "Monsters, Inc."-themed entrance, complete with caution tape warning of a "Code 2319" (aka human contamination).

I'm not always in the mood for a sit-down restaurant on a cruise, so I'm maybe a little too excited about Pluto's Pita Platters, a new top-deck spot for casual, included dining that you won't find on the other ships. Also new to Disney Believe will be Big Hero Sips and Café Kakamora, adding more themed options for grabbing a drink or snack.

Gazelle will be a "Zootopia"-inspired space that hosts games and shows throughout the day, too, along with appearances by some familiar faces straight out of the movie.

And while I'll likely never have the travel budget to actually stay there, the ship's 2,000-square-foot Tower Suite will have a really cool theme inspired by the Magic Kingdom. Each room will represent a different land from the park, while the living area will even feature design nods to fireworks and balloons.

Related: Is Disney Cruise Line's concierge level worth it?

Spaces on Disney Believe you'll also find on other ships

If you've been lucky enough to sail on all of the U.S.-based Disney ships, as I have, you might be hoping for even more all-new spaces on Disney Believe.

But, of course, most people haven't sailed on virtually every Disney ship. And from that perspective, a great venue is still a great venue, even if you can find it on multiple ships.

A few of the signature shows, attractions, restaurants and bars coming to Disney Believe that you'll also find on at least one other Disney ship include:

• Haunted Mansion Parlor bar
• 1923 and Worlds of Marvel restaurants
• "Tangled: The Musical" (though with new sets and effects)
• "Disney Seas the Adventure" stage show
• AquaMouse waterslide attraction
• Adults-only restaurants Enchanté and Palo Steakhouse

Related: This is the best $50 you can spend on a Disney Cruise

Bottom line

Disney Believe will be the fourth ship in its class and when it sets sail in late 2027, guests will find several all-new themes and shows onboard, along with a mix of familiar favorites from the other three Wish-class ships.

I personally can't wait to see "Encanto" take the stage for the first time, and I fully expect Wishing Well, Sea Notes and Oaken's Table to be fun new experiences at sea.

While I love Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, I'll admit I was rooting for another new immersive themed bar and maybe even a new rotational restaurant since 1923 and Worlds of Marvel will now both be making their fourth appearance.

But the good news is that Disney Believe isn't the end of Disney Cruise Line's expansion. The next U.S.-based Disney ship, scheduled to arrive in 2029, will be the first in an entirely new class of ships, which could mean a fresh slate of onboard experiences.

These new ships will be larger than the original Disney Magic and Disney Wonder but smaller than the Wish-class ships, as Disney Cruise Line continues its expansion toward a fleet of 13 vessels by late 2030.

So if Disney Believe is a fresh verse in a well-loved song that will likely put a smile on the faces of those looking for four- and five-night sailings out of Port Everglades, the new class arriving in 2029 may be exactly what those hungry for a whole new world at sea are hoping for.

If you're a Disney Cruise fan, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the new Disney Believe announcements!

Icelandair is adding America's "Gateway to the West," St. Louis, to its U.S. map.

The carrier will offer three- to four-times weekly flights from Keflavik International Airport (KEF) near Iceland's capital of Reykjavík to St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL). Service will run from May 14, 2027 through Oct. 24, 2027, Icelandair said Wednesday, with flights operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Icelandair will fly a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with 16 business-class recliner seats and 144 economy seats to STL.

More: 4 ways to book Icelandair flights with points and miles

The new route will connect with Icelandair partner Southwest Airlines and offer both airlines' fliers a new transfer point for trips between the U.S. and Europe. Southwest is the busiest carrier at STL.

"St. Louis is an exciting addition, further strengthened by our growing partnership with Southwest Airlines, which will create convenient connections between destinations across North America, Iceland, and Europe," Tómas Ingason, the chief commercial officer of Icelandair, said in a statement.

Southwest Airlines expands partnership with Icelandair: How to book a connection to Iceland and onto Europe

STL is Icelandair's 16th U.S. gateway and its first new destination on this side of the Atlantic for 2027. The airline will fly 15% more seats to U.S. this year than it did in 2019, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows.

Icelandair is STL's third European carrier after British Airways and Lufthansa, both of which began flights to the Midwestern city in the years following the pandemic.

More: Watch us fly Icelandair 2 different ways: Business class versus economy

However, the new service is not STL's first to KEF. Former long-haul, low-cost budget carrier WOW Air briefly flew the route in 2018 and 2019 before ending the service amid broader problems at the now-defunct carrier.

Travelers on Icelandair's new STL route can take advantage of the airline's free stopover program for an up to seven-day stay in Iceland.

Related reading:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards: Complete guide to earning, redeeming and maximizing points
• Best Southwest Airlines credit cards
• How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
• Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• How to change or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight

Hilton Honors members, listen up: The program is offering a whopping 120% bonus when you purchase points right now. That means for every 1,000 points you buy, you'll get 1,200 more for free — more than doubling your points.

Here at TPG, we rarely recommend buying points because loyalty programs tend to charge sky-high prices. But in some cases, when you already have a redemption in mind, it can be worth it — especially when there's a great bonus like this one.

Here's how to decide if you should take advantage of this limited-time deal.

Related: Points and miles travel deals for October 2026

Buy Hilton Honors points with a 120% bonus

In the past, we've seen Hilton offer up to 100% bonus points, making this the program's highest offer ever. Even better, it doesn't require purchasing an ungodly number of points: You only need to buy 5,000 points or more for the 120% bonus to apply.

That means if you purchase 5,000 points, which would normally cost $50, you'll get a total of 11,000 points at no extra cost. You can buy points in increments of 1,000, all the way up to 240,000 points before the bonus (528,000 after the bonus). Note that Hilton members may only purchase a maximum of 240,000 points per calendar year (not including bonus points) during this promotion period.

The 120% bonus drops the per-point price from 1 cent to 0.45 cents, a savings of 55%. However, this bonus may be targeted, so your offer may be different — log in here to see your personal offer. The end date is Nov. 21 for most users, but again, that may vary.

Should you buy Hilton Honors points during this best-ever promo?

Is it a good deal? After some recent devaluations, Hilton Honors points are valued at just 0.4 cents each per our October 2026 valuations. We usually don't recommend stocking up on points if you have no immediate plans to use them, or you don't typically stay at Hilton properties. Note that Hilton points expire after 24 months.

However, there are some cases where you may want to take advantage of this promo. Depending on the cash and award rates at a particular property, it could cost you less to buy the points you need and redeem them for your stay than to pay with cash.

Related: Buying points and miles saved me over $1,000 on flights and a hotel stay

For example, you could spend New Year's Eve at Motto by Hilton New York City Times Square for 150,000 points. If you had no Hilton points in your account, you could purchase all the points you'd need for $690 with the bonus, saving you $124 compared to paying the cash rate.

Don't forget that Hilton Honors elite members can get a fifth night free when booking four award nights. So, if you have elite status and want to stay at The Morrison Dublin, Curio Collection by Hilton, the week of St. Patrick's Day, you could book five nights for the price of four at 70,000 points per night.

The five-night stay would set you back 1,855 euros ($2,076), or you could purchase all 280,000 points you'd need for only $1,280 with the current bonus — saving you nearly $600 on your stay.

Bottom line

That being said, be sure to check both cash and award rates on your desired dates before purchasing points, as the transaction is nonrefundable. If the math makes sense, buy your points and redeem them as soon as possible before the award space disappears. Also, be sure to pay with one of the best credit cards for buying points in order to maximize your rewards.

If you're considering hopping on this deal, you have a little time to decide. The 120% promotion ends Nov. 21.

The first time I visited Sydney many years ago, I checked off all the tourist boxes:

• Sydney Opera House tour? Check.
• Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb (and requisite jumpsuit photo)? Check.
• Marveling at the marsupials at Taronga Zoo? Check.
• Flat white and avocado toast at Bill's? Check.

I thought I'd covered it all. But over the course of dozens of subsequent visits, I realized I'd only scratched the surface of this dynamic metropolis. Not only is the city home to incredible shopping and hotels, not to mention a bombilating restaurant scene and the ever-changing cultural programming at the Sydney Opera House, but Sydney's also got outdoor activities galore, postcard-perfect beaches and quirky neighborhoods aplenty.

Here's how you can get to Sydney using points and miles (it's easier than you think!) and how you can maximize your rewards when you get there.

Use American and Alaska miles on Qantas

Australia's flag carrier, Qantas, flies to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) from various U.S. cities including:

• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (LAS) seasonally from December-March
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) via Auckland
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Award availability depends on the specific route and season, but if you're okay with flying economy or premium economy, you can find saver-level award availability throughout the year using miles from partners like American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards.

What's trickier is finding business and first-class award availability. To do so, I'd recommend using a tool like seats.aero so you can search across a broad swath of dates. I find that Qantas tends to release premium cabin award availability in tranches of about two or three weeks when many dates have open seats, and then you might not find it again for several months. So if you see it, book it!

Related: Airline award unicorn: How I booked Qantas first class (and what it was like)

Here's how many miles you'll need one-way from each program for each class of service.

As you can see, with the exception of premium economy, you're better off redeeming American Airlines AAdvantage miles, and the taxes and fees on Alaska are slightly higher because of the Atmos program's partner award booking fee.

Why not book through Qantas Frequent Flyer instead? It's true that the program is a transfer partner of:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Capital One
• Citi ThankYou Rewards

However, award pricing tends to be higher than when booking through partner programs since Qantas prices award dynamically, and the taxes and fees are usually hundreds of dollars each way.

Don't have a ton of American AAdvantage miles? You can boost your earning with the welcome offers and everyday spending on one of these cards:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
• Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®

American Airlines is also a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou, so you can transfer points to your AAdvantage account if you have one of the following cards:

• Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees)
• Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees)
• Citi Prestige® Card

The information for the Citi AAdvantage Business card and Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

More interested in earning Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points? Pick up one of these cards for its welcome offer and everyday earning on purchases:

• Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card
• Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card
• Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card

Alaska Atmos Rewards is also a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt.

Related: The best times to apply for Alaska Atmos cards based on offer history

More flights, fewer miles for United cardholders

United flies to Sydney from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Sydney.

You can fly economy at saver award levels pretty much any day of the week, and premium economy more days than not. Business class awards at saver prices are a scarcer commodity, but still readily available several days a month based on searches over the course of 2026 and 2027 — with a catch.

You either have to be a United MileagePlus elite or carry a United cobranded card. That's because these folks are eligible for preferential redemption rates on award tickets booked through MileagePlus.

These discounts can shave anywhere from 10-70% off the mileage required for a ticket. Here's a recent one-way award I found from San Francisco to Sydney and a snapshot of cardholder versus non-cardholder pricing.

As you can see, the real savings come with business class redemptions where cardholders can enjoy significantly discounted rates (albeit on exorbitantly priced awards). Still, saving a few thousand miles for economy or premium economy tickets is worthwhile, too.

If you don't currently carry a United credit card, consider one of the following:

• United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees)
• United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees)
• United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees)
• United℠ Business Card (see rates and fees)
• United Gateway℠ Card (see rates and fees)

United is also a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards if you carry one of the following cards:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees)
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees)

Finally, don't forget that United has a special partnership with Marriott. Normally, when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to one of its airline partners, you end up with 20,000 airline miles plus a 5,000-mile bonus for 25,000 miles total.

With United, however, you get a 10,000-mile bonus, so 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points convert to 30,000 United miles. That's probably a special-circumstance use for most folks, but still something to consider if you're swimming in Marriott points.

Related: The best times to apply for Chase's United cards based on offer history

Down Under with Delta

Delta flies nonstop from Los Angeles to Sydney. While mileage prices for business class awards on Delta are sky high, if you don't mind flying coach or premium economy, award availability is plentiful.

Prices start at 50,000 Delta SkyMiles each way in economy, plus about $34-$140 in taxes and fees, depending on the direction. If you use Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles, awards start at 47,000 miles each way, but taxes and fees are higher.

Plenty of points hotels

Sydney has a surfeit of points hotels, and while I'm personally looking forward to next year's opening of the Waldorf Astoria Sydney, there are plenty of other fabulous places to lay your head (and save money while doing so). Here's a quick-hit list of my favorites.

My favorite Hyatt hotels in Sydney

The Park Hyatt Sydney became an icon practically the moment it opened way back in 1990 thanks to its unparalleled perch just under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and across Campbell's Cove from the city's landmark opera house. The city and harbor views are simply spectacular, as is the lavish breakfast spread in The Dining Room (so lock in that Globalist status to take full advantage!). Nightly rates start at $876 while award nights range from 35,000-75,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

The Park Hyatt isn't the only game in town, though. The Caption by Hyatt Sydney Central is a cute, budget-friendly option in Sydney's up-and-coming Haymarket district where nightly rates start at $167 or 8,000-20,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

Related: Which credit cards should you use for Hyatt stays?

My favorite Marriott hotels in Sydney

You can stay right on the water next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and explore the historic district of The Rocks at the Pier One Sydney Harbour, which makes it a good choice for first-time visitors. Rates start at $360 or 47,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park is a solid choice in the heart of the central business district (CBD) for folks who want to explore both the city center and trendy neighborhoods like Darlinghurst and Surry Hills. Rates start at $332 or 54,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

For something more avant-garde and playful, the W Sydney is a behemoth with 588 rooms decorated with playful touches like shark-shaped pillows and other elements inspired by Sydney Harbour. Rates start at $260 or 56,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Related: The best Marriott credit cards

My favorite Hilton hotels in Sydney

While its exterior might message "business traveler" the spacious rooms, buzzing Glass Brasserie and glamorous Marble Bar all beckon well-heeled Sydneysiders to the Hilton Sydney. Rates start at $240 or 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

For a more boutique experience, consider the central West Hotel Sydney, Curio Collection by Hilton, which is within walking distance of the CBD, Darling Harbour and the hopping bars and bistros of Barangaroo. Rates start at $210 or 51,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Related: The best Hilton credit cards

My favorite IHG hotels in Sydney

IHG loyalists have plenty of great options in town ranging from a harborside haunt to a beachfront resort. Yes, all in Sydney.

The 509-room InterContinental Sydney recently underwent a $120 million refurbishment and has some of the best harbor views in town. Rates start at $304 or 50,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

I had a phenomenal stay at the Kimpton Margot Sydney soon after it opened in 2022. The hotel is in the heart of the CBD in a heritage building that was once the city's water department, and has simply stunning architecture, not to mention a swanky lobby lounge and a happening rooftop pool and bar. Rates start at $233 or 38,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Some folks forget that Sydney also has world-class beaches, so if you're in the mood for a more laidback visit, you might consider staying in the beachy hamlet of Coogee, where the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach opened in late 2025. Resort-style rooms and an expansive pool deck and spa make for a relaxing stay any time of year, and rates start at $350 or 51,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Related: Which credit card should you use for IHG stays?

Premium credit card perks at hotels

Using your hotel points to save on a stay in Sydney is "too easy," as Aussies would say. But if you're looking to splurge on your trip, there are also quite a few luxury hotels where your premium credit card might come in handy.

For folks with either the American Express Platinum Card® or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, it pays to check the featured hotel listings of American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts properties, where you can often find third- or fourth-night free packages at some of the city's finest hotels, plus enjoy perks like free daily breakfast for two, a $100 on-property credit, availability-based upgrades and guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout.

Among the city's FHR properties, the Capella Sydney is a personal favorite of mine. Housed in a listed historic edifice originally constructed in 1912 as the Department of Education building, the hotel features palatial rooms and suites, one of Sydney's hottest restaurants (Brasserie 1930) and a tarot-themed cocktail lounge, not to mention a gorgeous spa with a skylit pool.

The hotel is also a member of Capital One's Premier Collection. So if you have the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Business, you can book a stay through Capital One Travel (or Capital One Business Travel) for value-added benefits like free daily breakfast for two, up to $100 in on-property experience credits and room upgrades (if available).

Related: Our favorite American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts around the world

Flat whites and fine dining

With restaurants ranging from East Asian eateries and Mediterranean tavernas to speakeasy-style sushi counters and fine-dining destinations, Sydney's culinary scene has something for everyone.

Among my personal suggestions are Aenza, a newly opened Japanese nouvel-izakaya in Darlinghurst; Poly for wine-centric seasonal small plates; Firedoor for flame-tinged tasting menus; and Bennelong for unforgettable prix-fixe meals under the vaults of the Sydney Opera House. And that's just a start.

No matter where you dine, though, be sure you are carrying credit cards that earn bonus points or offer statement credits on dining purchases. My favorites include:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: It offers up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for purchases at restaurants worldwide and earns 3 points per dollar on dining purchases worldwide.
• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 3 points per dollar on dining worldwide.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 3 points per dollar on dining worldwide.
• Citi Strata Premier Card: Earn 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants.

Related: The best credit cards for dining

Save money and earn more points on transport

It's easy to taxi and Uber in Australia, and rates are relatively inexpensive. Just be sure you are using a card that earns bonus points on ride-hailing services.

If you're a little more intrepid, though, the city's public transportation is easy to navigate and very affordable. Best of all, you can just tap on and off with your credit cards when taking trains, trams and buses. If you use a card that earns bonus points on public transportation, you can rack up rewards even faster to boot.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) earns 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting, for example, and the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature credit card earns 2 points per dollar on local transit purchases.

Don't forget, transit charges often code as "travel" purchases, so if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you might be able to use your $300 in annual travel statement credits toward transit purchases as well as taxis and Ubers.

Related: The best credit cards for commuting expenses

Use points toward activities

I don't recommend redeeming credit card points for things other than flights or hotels, but sometimes you just want to save a little cash, so it can be a good idea to check out whether your points and miles can cover on-the-ground activities in addition to travel.

For example, you can redeem your Capital One miles from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card via Capital One Travel for incredible experiences like a Sydney Harbour scenic helicopter flight, various lunch and dinner cruises and even all-day excursions to the nearby Blue Mountains, where you might spot wombats and koalas.

Similarly, you could put some Chase Ultimate Rewards points toward walking tours of The Rocks, bike tours around the city and even tickets to Taronga Zoo.

These aren't the highest-value redemptions. But if they are the key to creating a more memorable trip, I say do it!

Say g'day!

Sydney's vibrant culture and jaw-dropping scenery make it a bucket-list destination for a lot of travelers. If only they knew how easy it was to fly and stay there using points and miles! With a little mileage strategy, the right credit cards and some hotel booking savvy, though, a trip Down Under is not just possible — it's entirely affordable and enjoyable.

Let me know if you use some of these strategies to make the most of your next trip to Australia. And if you have some tips of your own, leave them below in the comments!

Several travel credit cards offer complimentary rental car elite status, giving cardholders access to perks that can make picking up a rental car faster and potentially more rewarding.

Depending on the card and rental car program, benefits can include skipping the rental counter, choosing from a wider selection of vehicles, receiving complimentary upgrades and earning bonus points.

And because some of these status levels would otherwise require numerous rentals or thousands of dollars in annual spending, this can be a valuable — and sometimes overlooked — credit card perk.

Here's which credit cards offer rental car elite status, what benefits you'll receive and how to enroll.

Credit cards that offer rental car elite status

Here's a quick look at which credit cards offer rental car elite status and the status level you'll receive with each program.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply

Related: Hitting the road on your vacation? Everything you need to know about rental car elite status

Best cards for Avis elite status

Five of the cards in this guide provide complimentary Avis elite status, though the status level varies by card.

The Amex Platinum, Amex Business Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer Avis Preferred Plus status.

Meanwhile, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive and United Club provide the higher President's Club status.

Avis Preferred Plus

Avis Preferred Plus typically requires completing 10 rentals or spending $4,000 in a calendar year.

With Preferred Plus status, you'll receive benefits including:

• The ability to skip the counter and go straight to your car at most locations
• A complimentary one-class upgrade when reserving a midsize car or above, when available
• A code to receive a discount on rental rates
• Bonus Avis Preferred points with every rental

Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers will need to enroll in the Avis Preferred program to receive their status. If you already have an Avis Wizard number, you can request an upgrade to your existing account.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can activate their Avis benefits through their Chase account. Log in and navigate to your card benefits to see the available rental car offers and enrollment instructions.

Avis President's Club

The Citi / AAdvantage Executive and United Club Card offer complimentary Avis President's Club status, which typically requires 20 rentals or $6,000 spent to join.

President's Club members receive benefits including:

• Complimentary upgrades of two car classes when available
• Guaranteed car availability when you book at least 24 hours in advance
• Expedited rental service
• 50% more points for every dollar you spend if you opt into Avis Preferred points
• A dedicated phone line for reservations and customer support

Citi / AAdvantage Executive primary cardmembers are eligible to enroll in complimentary President's Club status through Aug. 31, 2028. You can enroll by visiting the Rewards page in your online account.

United Club cardmembers can enroll using this link. United Premier Platinum members and higher are also eligible for complimentary President's Club status.

Related: Full review of the United Club Card

Best cards for Hertz elite status

The Amex Platinum, Amex Business Platinum and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offer complimentary Hertz Gold+ President's Circle status.

President's Circle is Hertz's top published elite tier and typically requires completing 15 rentals or spending at least $3,000 in a calendar year.

President's Circle members receive benefits including:

• Guaranteed vehicle availability
• Guaranteed one-car-class upgrades with every rental, when available
• 50% bonus points on Hertz rentals
• Access to the widest selection of vehicles

Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers must enroll in Hertz Gold+ Rewards to receive President's Circle status.

Venture X cardholders must enroll through the benefits tab of their Capital One account on the Capital One website or mobile app.* Eligible cardholders can also enroll authorized users through this process.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply

Related: Full review of the Capital One Venture X Credit Card

Best cards for National elite status

The Amex Platinum, Amex Business Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve provide complimentary National Emerald Club Executive status.

Executive status normally requires 12 paid rentals or 40 paid rental days. As an Executive member, you'll receive benefits including:

• A guaranteed free upgrade when you reserve a full-size through luxury vehicle in the U.S. and Canada
• The ability to pay the reserved midsize rate when you choose any car (full-size and above) in the Executive Area in the U.S. and Canada
• The ability to bypass the counter and head straight to the Emerald Aisle for your pick of cars, when available
• Reward choices and one free rental day with six rental credits
• No second-driver fees for family members and business associates
• Exclusive rental discounts

Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers can receive Executive status after signing up for National's free Emerald Club loyalty program.

Sapphire Reserve cardholders can activate their complimentary Executive membership through their Chase account. Log in and navigate to your card benefits to see the available enrollment options.

Related: Full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Which rental car status to use

National Emerald Club stands out as a favorite car rental program because of the ability to choose your own car from the Emerald Aisle Executive selection.

This is ideal when renting a car for families because the Emerald Aisle is where they tend to park the minivans. This status is easy to get if you have an Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Another useful option is Hertz when renting with the Amex Platinum. In addition to complimentary Hertz President's Circle status, cardmembers can receive a four-hour grace period on rental returns in the U.S. when they book using Amex's designated Corporate Discount Program (CDP) code and pay with their Platinum card.

This can help you avoid an additional day's time and mileage charges when returning your car a few hours after the original pickup time.

Note that you must have a qualifying card to enroll in these elite status programs. Once you do, you often can use any card to pay for the rental car. Choose the right card to maximize points and miles earned and obtain primary rental car insurance — and be sure to review our guide to saving money on rental cars.

Related: Full review of the Amex Platinum

Status matching

Another way to earn value from these programs is to let them match your status. For example, Hertz offers a status match that should grant Hertz Five Star status to those with National Executive status.

Similarly, National's status match program provides Executive status to those with Avis President's Club status. If you hold elite status with one program and are thinking of switching, it can't hurt to ask for a status match even if it isn't explicitly offered.

Bottom line

Rental car elite status may not be the first benefit you think of when considering a travel credit card, but it can make your next rental more convenient. Depending on your card and the rental company, you could skip the counter, choose from a wider selection of vehicles, receive an upgrade or earn additional rewards.

If your credit card offers complimentary rental car elite status, make sure you enroll before your next trip, since these benefits generally aren't activated automatically.

And even with elite status, compare rates across rental companies to make sure you're getting the best option for your trip.

Apply here: Amex Platinum
Apply here: Business Platinum
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive
Apply here: United Club Card
Learn more: Capital One Venture X

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.

Within the last month, Atmos Rewards announced new communities and began allowing members to choose how they will earn in 2027 and beyond. Now, Atmos Rewards has unveiled its October Members Day offers, including new Global Getaways destinations.

Here's a look at the best October Members Day offers.

October Atmos Rewards Global Getaways offers

Atmos Rewards just launched its October Global Getaways offers. These offers are for award flights on Jan. 15 to March 8, 2027, but you must book by Oct. 10, 2026.

One example of a route covered by this month's promotion is the following itinerary from Seattle to Seoul. It costs just 20,000 points and $6 in taxes and fees. While writing this story, we saw 20,000-point award options on this route on most dates.

You can also book for just 20,000 points and $6 from many other U.S. cities, such as this example from Los Angeles.

Some of the Global Getaways include flights operated by Atmos Rewards partners, such as this itinerary from New York to Stavanger for 30,000 points and $34 in taxes and fees.

However, the taxes and fees are only $14 for Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card holders due to the card's partner booking fee waiver.

You'll want to book quickly, though, as availability at the lowest rates will likely decrease as other members book. To book, go to the Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines website, log in to your account, click the "Use points" box and enter your desired itinerary before clicking "Search flights."

Related: Which credit card should you use for Alaska Airlines flights?

October Atmos Rewards Unlocked offers

Atmos Unlocked is the rewards marketplace where Atmos Rewards members can redeem or bid points on experiences and partner offerings. This month, Atmos Rewards added ski-and-stay packages, heli-skiing experiences, golf getaways, culinary experiences and more.

One of this month's highlights is the ability to redeem 65,000 Atmos Rewards points for a 2026-27 Ikon Base Pass and 100,000 points for an Ikon Pass with $100 of mountain credits for use at participating resorts. These redemptions include one free day of ski butler service during the season with an equipment rental of two days or more. Redemptions close Oct. 21.

Head to the Atmos Rewards Unlocked page to see all the options.

How to earn Atmos Rewards points

There are multiple ways to earn Atmos Rewards points. You can, of course, earn them by flying Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines. The carriers also partner with over 30 airlines, including (but not limited to) members of the Oneworld alliance.

The Atmos Rewards cobranded credit cards are also a good way to accumulate points. You can earn points on purchases with these cards, but their welcome offers are also a good way to boost your account balance.

• Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite credit card: Get 70,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $3,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
• Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card: Get 50,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $1,500 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
• Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card: Get 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.

You can also transfer Bilt Points to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott Bonvoy points to Atmos Rewards at a 3:1 ratio.

Related: Atmos Ascent vs. Atmos Summit: Which is better for Alaska and Hawaiian flyers?

Bottom line

The Atmos Unlocked program provides some interesting ways to redeem points, but the Atmos Rewards Global Getaways deals are the true star of each month's Members Day.

Global Getaways are an excellent opportunity for travelers who want to book travel to the highlighted destinations, can book their flights within a few days and can travel during the specified time period. And if you are striving for Atmos Rewards status, keep in mind that you'll earn status points on Atmos Rewards award tickets. So, it could be worth booking a trip to Seoul or Sapporo if you want to get a head start on earning status points in 2027.

It's our favorite aviation geek holiday: KLM Delft house day.

Every year on its anniversary, Dutch airline KLM releases a new tile house that it gives as a souvenir to its business-class passengers. These adorable collectibles have become a cult favorite among aviation enthusiasts over the years

TPG attended the unveiling of the latest Delft House in a tiny town far out in the Dutch countryside, and we can say with confidence that this edition is bound to be an instant classic.

Why do you get tiny tile houses on a KLM flight?

KLM began giving out Delft tile houses in the 1950s as a way of thanking first-class passengers for their business. Since then, the airline has released one new house each year, plus a large batch of them in 1994 to celebrate its 75th anniversary. There are now as many houses as there are years of the airline's history, and the airline releases a new one each October on its anniversary. To snag one, you have to fly KLM business class on long-haul routes.

There are even several special edition Delft houses that you cannot get on flights, including the Royal Palace and the Concertgebouw symphony hall in Amsterdam, as well as a recently released miniature version of the New York Historical that was created to commemorate the 80th anniversary of KLM's first flights between Amsterdam and New York City.

Recent Delft houses include the Villa Rameau in the Dutch city of Leiden, the house on three canals in Amsterdam and the Valkenburg train station in Limburg, The Netherlands.

Around half of KLM's Delft houses are found in Amsterdam, but you can also find them farther afield, including various regions of the Netherlands and even former Dutch colonies like Aruba and Curacao.

If you pick up a Delft house yourself, you might hear a little sloshing sound from inside. That's because each house is filled with Bols Genever spirit. This was originally the airline's clever way of skirting rules that prevented airlines from giving gifts to passengers. Thanks to their alcoholic content, the houses were considered to-go cocktails rather than presents.

You can read about the history of each Delft house in historian Mark Zegeling's deeply researched work, "Little Kingdom by the Sea." The two-book set is a compilation of the houses that he updates regularly with detailed descriptions of each structure and its history. There's even a walking guide for folks who want to visit some of the houses on their next trip to the Netherlands.

Toasting to this year's house, which is a winery

I traveled to the unveiling event on Oct. 7 to see which historic building KLM had selected for this year's Delft house.

I alighted in the magical medieval town of Drieschor, about a 90-minute drive from Amsterdam in the province of Zeeland. Dreischor is a gorgeously preserved exemplar of the Netherlands' famous ringdorps, or ring villages, so named because they form a circle around a central church and tend to have moats (and this one is intact). Given its pristine condition, the entire town is heritage-listed and protected.

This year's house is the Wijnhoeve De Kleine Schorre — a quaint black-tarred barn on the outskirts of town, originally built in 1735, that became a winery in 2021. In fact, you can find De Kleine Schorre on board KLM from September to November, and it has supplied wine to the airline for 20 years. "We always try to surprise with our choice of the house," explained KLM president and CEO Marjan Rintel in an interview during the event, "and to connect with Dutch brands."

"For 107 years, KLM has connected the Netherlands with the world. In doing so, we not only bring people together but also showcase what the Netherlands stands for," Rintel said in a statement. "With our 107th Delft Blue miniature house, we honor De Kleine Schorre, a partner that, like KLM, dared to pioneer and has demonstrated how Dutch quality and craftsmanship can earn international recognition. That makes this house a fitting symbol of our 107th anniversary."

This marks just the third house from the region of Zeeland in KLM's collection. The first was released in back to 1955 and is believed to be the Sint Petrus house in Middelburg. The next was house number 22, the so-called "Little Lamb" of Veere, a 16th-century merchant's house built in the late Gothic style that was released in 1963. So it's about time this region had the spotlight again. As Rintel pointed out in her speech, "When we pass through the clouds and begin our descent, the first part of the Netherlands to appear is always Zeeland," so it's always the region that welcomes her and other Dutch passengers home.

"We fly our guests to the world's most renowned wine regions..." Rintel continued. "but believe me when I say that nowhere are we prouder than of the wine that grows right here in this Zeeland soil."

"It is an enormous honor for our wine estate to become part of KLM's miniature house collection," De Kleine Schorre owner Johan van de Velde said in a statement. "Twenty-five years ago, we started with the conviction that excellent wine could be made in the Netherlands, at a time when Dutch wine was nowhere to be found on wine lists. Thanks to our long-standing partnership with KLM, travelers from around the world have been introduced to wine from Zeeland. Having our wine estate immortalized as a Delft Blue KLM miniature house feels like a wonderful crowning achievement for everything we have built over the past 25 years."

A surprise announcement: Free high-speed Wi-Fi coming to KLM flights

As part of her speech, Rintel announced that free high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi will be coming to KLM intercontinental flights starting in mid-2027. Right now, Flying Blue members can enjoy a free texting package on intercontinental flights and free full-flight Wi-Fi on European flights, but this new service will be available across all classes of service and on the whole intercontinental fleet by mid-2028.

Coming soon to a flight near you

Now that the new house has been released, passengers should start seeing it on flights immediately. In fact, the next few weeks are the best time to pick it up since the airline tends to flood its flights with the latest edition before it joins the rest of the collection. So if you like the look of it, book that KLM flight now.

While the house is so new, you're unlikely to get a duplicate; if you're a frequent flyer with KLM, the airline has an app (for iOS or Android) to help you keep track of which ones you have so you don't select the same house twice. If you do get a repeat, though, there's a customer service desk at the KLM Crown Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) where you can swap them out from a fancy service cart.

Of course, you could always buy a Delft house on eBay or stop by an Amsterdam souvenir shop like Kramer Kunst et Antiek on the Prinsengracht canal. But that's kind of like cheating in our book.

Instead, why not make a full trip of it and book your own business-class ticket with KLM using miles? Awards between the U.S. and Europe start at 60,000 Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles each way, though you can sometimes find them available for as few as 45,000 miles thanks to monthly changing Promo Rewards. Just beware of taxes and fees that can cost $300 to $600 each way.

What do you think of the latest KLM Delft house? Leave a comment below!

Related reading:

• KLM unveils its 106th Delft house: A symbol of resilience in Leiden
• KLM's 105th Delft Blue House collectible honors a mansion on 3 canals
• KLM's 104th Delft house collectible is actually a train station
• KLM's new 777 business class is a big improvement with privacy panels and updated tech
• Review of business class aboard KLM's 787-10 Dreamliner
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue: How to earn and redeem miles, elite status and more
• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards

Alaska is a bucket list destination for good reason. On a cruise, you'll witness glaciers so immense and blue they hardly seem real. You'll sail past snow-dome mountains and a never-ending parade of wildlife, including caribou, whales, bears and seals. It's the kind of scenery that takes your breath away — but the price tag doesn't have to.

These voyages can be pricey, and costs beyond the cruise fare can add up. However, with smart planning, you can experience Alaska's soul-stirring beauty without breaking the bank.

Entry-level cabins cost less than you think

Alaska cruises may seem like a splurge, but entry-level cabins are surprisingly affordable. Inside cabins (those without windows) offer the best value, with prices starting around $600. At the time of writing, a seven-day "Voyage of the Glaciers" sailing with Princess Cruises in May 2027 starts at just $599 per person. It's a clever hack if you value adventure over comfort, freeing up more budget for shore excursions, which can sometimes cost more than the cruise fare itself. While you'll miss out on private views, you'll find no shortage of viewing decks and lounges.

Ocean-view cabins add a window and natural light, sometimes for only a few hundred dollars more. Prices vary by cruise line, ship and itinerary. Balcony cabins often add several hundred dollars to the fare again, but they remain the most popular choice for Alaska, where scenery is the star of the show. Watching whales breach and glaciers calve from your private balcony is a once-in-a-lifetime experience many travelers don't mind paying extra for.

At the top end are luxury suites, with price tags to match. These typically start at several thousand dollars per person and can climb significantly higher on luxury and expedition ships. With these come perks like priority boarding, premium dining and sometimes even shore excursions — making them the ultimate way to cruise Alaska in style.

Related: The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship

Extras can add up

Luxury cruise lines can seem expensive, but they often deliver more value than you'd expect. Per-person prices for a luxury Alaska cruise generally start around $3,000 to $4,000 but can climb to more than $6,000 for the most exclusive lines and cabins. On lines like Silversea Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Crystal, fares typically include premium drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi and curated shore excursions such as glacier hikes and dogsled rides. These experiences can add up to hundreds if booked separately. Add the convenience, attentive service and style that come with a high-end cruise, and the appeal becomes clear.

Budget cruise fares, by contrast, rarely tell the whole story. Taxes, fees and steep port charges are usually added at checkout, and once on board, expenses can mount quickly. Drink packages, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, gratuities and even bottled water often come at an extra cost. Shore excursions — a highlight of any Alaska cruise — can range from $50 to several hundred dollars per person. Meals, souvenirs and transfers off the ship can further stretch your budget. Tally up the costs, and the difference between a high-end cruise and a mainstream sailing may be smaller than you think.

What's not included in the cruise fare:

• Gratuities: Expect $17 to $25 per person per day on a mainstream cruise line, automatically charged to your onboard account. That adds roughly $119 to $175 per person on a seven-night sailing.
• Airfare: Getting to your embarkation port — whether Seattle, Vancouver or an Alaska departure point — can cost $300 to $800, depending on your home airport. Some luxury lines offer airfare credits or packages, but you'll usually pay at least part of the cost yourself.
• Precruise hotels: Most cruise lines recommend arriving a day early in case of flight delays. Budget $150 to $400 for a hotel near the port, depending on the city and season.
• Shore excursions: This is often the biggest extra expense on an Alaska cruise. Whale-watching cruises and guided land tours typically cost $50 to $150 per person, while helicopter glacier landings and dog-sledding adventures can run $500 to $900 or more. Luxury lines often include at least one excursion in each port.
• Drink packages: Nonalcoholic packages typically cost $15 to $50 per day, while alcoholic packages can cost anywhere from $60 to $130 per person, per day on mainstream lines. Most luxury cruises include beverages, though service charges of 18% to 20% may still apply.
• Wi-Fi and port taxes: Wi-Fi packages typically cost about $20 to $45 per day on mainstream lines but are commonly included on luxury ships. Port taxes and government fees, on the other hand, are non-negotiable across every line and tier. They're usually added at checkout and run $250 to $400 per person for a typical seven-night Alaska itinerary.
• Travel insurance: Weather disruptions and remote destinations can lead to unexpected expenses in Alaska. Plan to spend $60 to $200 per person for coverage.

So, how much does an Alaska cruise cost?

The cost varies based on the cruise line, the size of your party and the cabin you choose.

Solo traveler, seven nights, inside cabin:

• Cruise fare: $1,200 (including single supplement)
• Airfare: $350
• Gratuities: $130
• Port taxes/fees: $350
• Two excursions: $300

Estimated total: Approximately $2,330

Couple, seven nights, ocean-view cabin:

• Cruise fare: $1,600 (for two)
• Airfare: $700 (for two)
• Gratuities: $260 (for two)
• Port taxes/fees: $700 (for two)
• Two excursions each: $500 (for two)

Estimated total: Approximately $3,760

Family of four, seven nights, balcony cabin:

• Cruise fare: $4,400 (for four)
• Airfare: $1,400 (for four)
• Gratuities: $520 (for four)
• Port taxes/fees: $1,400 (for four)
• One excursion each (kid-friendly): $600 (for four)

Estimated total: Approximately $8,320

These are ballpark figures. Actual costs vary by cruise line, sailing date and number of excursions. Still, the example figures show how the pieces stack up to a real bottom line.

If you're used to Caribbean cruises, Alaska's prices can come as a shock. A comparable seven-night Caribbean cruise often runs $600 to $1,200 per person, compared with roughly $2,300 per person for Alaska. That's because you're paying for a destination that's harder to reach, more seasonal and unlike anywhere else in North America.

Flights can make one-way cruises pricier than they seem

One-way sailings from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seward, Alaska, (or the reverse) can look like a bargain. However, it's a good idea to check flight prices before booking a spot. Getting to and from different ports, particularly in more remote Alaskan towns, can be expensive due to limited schedules and higher fares. Bad weather can also cause cancellations and delays, sometimes for days.

Round-trip cruises from Seattle seem more expensive but often work out cheaper overall, because you're traveling to and from a major airport. Whether you fly, drive or take the train, reaching Seattle is generally easier and more affordable than coordinating one-way travel to and from Alaska.

Related: How much does a cruise cost?

Cruising is sometimes the only way to explore Alaska

Juneau, Alaska, is the only U.S. state capital without standard road access, so you have to fly or cruise there. The same is true for Alaska's remote towns and wild coastal areas, many of which rely on ships as their main connection to the outside world.

Add in the cost of accommodations, food, entertainment and travel between ports and that Alaska cruise suddenly seems to have a surprisingly good value. It also offers a seamless way to explore Alaska's untamed frontier.

Cruisetours that combine a coastal cruise with guided inland adventures are another great option. These offer an affordable way to experience both Alaska's dramatic coastline and its vast interior without the hassle of booking multiple trips or facing hidden costs along the way.

Consider shoulder season for fewer crowds and better deals

Alaska's shoulder season — typically April through May and again in September — is a sweet spot for travelers looking to avoid peak-season prices and crowds. The weather is cooler, the days are shorter, and there's a higher chance of rain. But you'll also have a chance to see autumn colors and, later in September, the northern lights.

It also offers a quieter, more relaxed onboard experience outside of school holidays. Plus, lower demand often means better deals on cabins and excursions.

Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise

Longer cruises can offer better value

The price of a 10- or 11-night Alaska cruise might seem high, but don't let the price put you off. Longer itineraries often offer better value per night than shorter ones, with more ports, more time in the wild and a more relaxed pace — plus fewer logistics to worry about once you're on board.

And the savings don't stop there. Cruise lines regularly roll out deals during wave season and other promotional periods, offering perks like drink packages, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Bundled offers can bring the overall cost down more than you might expect, sometimes making a longer cruise the smarter choice even if the upfront fare looks higher. More days in Alaska for less money per day — that's a win.

Related: 21 tips and tricks that will make your first cruise go smoothly

Bottom line

Alaska cruises aren't just for big spenders. With the right timing and itinerary as well as a little research, you can sail through glacier country without blowing your budget. When you go matters just as much as how long you stay, which ship you sail and which cabin you choose. It pays to shop around, compare what's included and look for bundled perks that stretch your dollar further.

Alaska isn't the cheapest cruise destination, but it can be far more affordable than many first-time visitors expect. Understanding what's included, budgeting for extras and choosing the right sailing can make a dramatic difference to the final cost — and leave you with memories that are priceless.

The very first JW Marriott-branded, all-inclusive resort is now officially open.

Now accepting guests, the JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa sits in the popular resort area of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, on the country's northwest coast.

Rather than build something new, developers Mullen Real Estate Capital opted to totally reimagine the former Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica property. The resort incorporates elements of traditional Costa Rican design as well as architecture from the Bribri and Cabécar Indigenous peoples.

There are 415 rooms at the resort, as well as a hotel-within-a-hotel property called Griffin Club, which offers more privacy, butler services, and dedicated pool, beach access and a 24/7 lounge.

Speaking of pools, this resort has "the largest resort poolscape in Costa Rica," measuring a whopping 44,000 square feet, according to a statement from Marriott. It also features pool cabanas, a large on-property garden, a modern fitness center, a kids club and dedicated family experiences as part of the Family by JW program.

And of course, no resort feels complete without a spa for some pampering and relaxation. Thankfully, the Spa by JW spans over 9,000 square feet and offers everything from full-body treatments and massages to special kid-friendly treatments. The resort offers JW's first-ever Mindfulness House, "a dedicated sanctuary for reflection and well-being, set beside untouched forest and shaded by a native Guanacaste tree."

Food is often the main aspect people wonder about when it comes to an all-inclusive resort. The first JW all-inclusive resort will feature 15 bars, restaurants and culinary experiences, including a classic international buffet, as well as Japanese, seafood, Italian and Costa Rican dining venues, among others. Guests can even learn to cook at the resort's culinary school, which provides interactive cooking sessions that teach visitors how to prepare local dishes and develop new kitchen skills.

And, for a bit of fun, the property will pay homage to J.W. Marriott Sr.'s original business by opening the brand's first stand-alone root beer stand.

Guests of all ages can expect a full calendar of activities and experiences (think: a weekly local shopping market or guided kayaking), and kids can take advantage of the hands-on Family by JW Club for enrichment activities and wellness activities.

How to book the JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa

According to the hotel website, rates through the end of the year are as low as $656 per night for two guests. (Don't forget, while booking an all-inclusive resort, the exact number of guests has to be accurate.)

Marriott Bonvoy members can book from 110,000 points per night.

Related:

• Marriott's new rhino-focused luxury safari lodge is now taking reservations
• These are the hotel openings TPG is most excited for in 2026
• Marriott Bonvoy: How to earn and redeem points, elite status and more

The IHG One Rewards Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) packs in an impressive amount of value for a $200 annual fee, especially for business owners who regularly stay at IHG properties. With perks like automatic elite status, annual travel credits and an annual free night, it can easily pay for itself — but only if you actually use those benefits.

If you aren't loyal to IHG One Rewards, though, the card's limited redemption flexibility and weaker everyday earning rates may push you toward a more general business rewards card. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

IHG Business card: The basics

The IHG Business card is a cobranded hotel business credit card designed for small-business owners who stay at IHG at least occasionally and can maximize the annual benefits.

For a $200 annual fee, cardholders get IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, an annual free night certificate (worth up to 50,000 points) and a fourth-night-free benefit on award stays.

Cardholders also receive two credits: up to $100 in annual IHG food and beverage rewards (issued as a $25 voucher each quarter) and an up to $100 airline statement credit (after spending at least $250 on flights purchased directly with the airline each calendar year through Dec. 31, 2027).

You'll earn the most value when booking IHG stays, with combined earnings up to 26 points per dollar spent when factoring in elite bonuses. Outside of IHG, earning rates are solid in select categories like dining, car rentals, flights booked directly and advertising — but underwhelming on other everyday purchases.

This is not a card that earns flexible rewards. Rewards are tied to the IHG One Rewards program, so value depends heavily on how often you stay within the IHG portfolio.

IHG Business card pros and cons

IHG Business card benefits

Valuable travel and business credits

The IHG Business card offers several travel credits that can help offset its annual fee.

Cardholders receive up to $100 in annual IHG food and beverage rewards, issued as a $25 voucher each quarter. These rewards can be used toward eligible food and beverage purchases during stays at IHG hotels.

The card also offers a $100 annual airline statement credit (through Dec. 31, 2027). To earn the credit, cardholders must spend at least $250 on flights purchased directly with an airline during the calendar year.

If you can fully utilize both benefits, that's up to $200 in value each year — enough to offset the card's annual fee on paper. However, maximizing both requires some effort, since the IHG food and beverage rewards are issued quarterly and the airline credit has a minimum spending requirement.

Cardholders also receive up to $100 in Expensify credits each calendar year, and up to a $120 statement credit every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus — a fairly standard perk among travel cards, but still a useful one if you don't already have it elsewhere.

Annual free night award

Each year after your account anniversary, you'll receive a free night certificate valid for a stay costing up to 50,000 points. In practice, that can cover a wide range of properties, from InterContinental and Kimpton stays on peak dates to high-value properties in secondary cities.

If a property costs more than 50,000 points, you can top off the certificate with unlimited additional IHG points to book the stay, giving you added flexibility.

TPG lead writer Katie Genter has redeemed anniversary free night certificates at properties like the InterContinental Buenos Aires, InterContinental Madrid and Kimpton De Witt (in Amsterdam), highlighting the range of hotels where this benefit can be used.

With thoughtful use, this perk alone can easily offset the card's $200 annual fee, making it one of the most valuable ongoing benefits for cardholders.

Fourth-night-free benefit

When redeeming IHG points for a stay of four consecutive nights or longer, every fourth night costs zero points. This benefit automatically applies to the fourth night of every eligible award stay:

• Stay four to seven nights: Get the fourth night free.
• Stay eight to 11 nights: Get the fourth and eighth nights free.

There's no cap on how many times you can use this perk, making it especially valuable for longer stays.

What I like about this perk is that it's automatically applied, so you don't need to jump through hoops to take advantage of it.

IHG elite status benefits

Cardholders receive automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, which provides a meaningful boost to both their earning potential and overall hotel experience. Benefits include a 60% bonus on points earned from paid stays, space-available room upgrades and a welcome amenity at check-in.

In addition, cardholders receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year, giving them a head start toward earning higher tiers of IHG One Rewards elite status.

While Platinum isn't top-tier status — and does not include free breakfast — it's still a valuable perk to get just for holding the card, especially if you stay with IHG even a handful of times per year. The incremental perks can add up quickly, particularly through bonus earnings.

I appreciate that this status is automatic, even if the on-property perks are somewhat limited compared to higher tiers.

The card also offers a path to Diamond Elite status after $50,000 in annual spending (reduced to $40,000 through Dec. 31, 2026).

Diamond members can receive free breakfast as a welcome amenity at many properties (though availability can vary by brand and region). However, that's a steep requirement, and most business owners will likely find better ways to allocate such spending.

Spending-based bonus perks

The card includes additional incentives for higher spenders. You'll earn two Elite Night Credits per $5,000 spent, plus five additional credits and 25,000 bonus points after $25,000 in calendar-year spending.

You can also earn a second 50,000-point free night certificate after $60,000 in calendar-year spending.

The return on such spending isn't particularly compelling, however. Most business owners could likely earn more by putting that same spending toward a card with higher everyday earning rates or more flexible rewards.

Travel protections

The card also offers several protections that can come in handy when traveling.

Its trip cancellation and interruption insurance can reimburse up to $1,500 per traveler ($6,000 per trip) for covered disruptions, while the auto rental collision damage waiver provides primary coverage for business rentals. You'll also get purchase protection for new items against damage or theft for 120 days from the date of purchase.

These protections add another layer of value for business owners who regularly use the card for travel.

How to earn and use your rewards

You'll get the most value from the IHG Business card by understanding where it earns the most points and where it may fall short for everyday spending.

Earning points

Earning rates on cobranded hotel credit cards are usually strongest within their own loyalty programs and weaker on everyday spending, and that holds true here.

The IHG Business card delivers excellent value when used at IHG properties.

When you pay for a stay at an IHG hotel or resort, you'll earn 10 points per dollar spent with the card. On top of that, IHG One Rewards members earn 10 base points per dollar spent at most brands. Since the card also includes automatic Platinum Elite status, you'll receive a 60% bonus on those base points.

Altogether, that adds up to 26 points per dollar spent on IHG stays — or roughly a 16% return, according to TPG's valuations.

Outside of IHG, earnings are more modest:

• 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly, car rentals, dining, gas and select advertising purchases
• 3 points per dollar spent on all other purchases

While the bonus categories are decent for a hotel card, you'll likely find better returns on everyday spending with a more flexible business credit card. Personally, I'd mainly use this card for IHG stays and a few bonus categories, rather than everyday spending.

Related: From mountain peaks to seaside getaways: 7 IHG hotels for your next vacation

Redeeming points

IHG uses dynamic pricing, meaning award nights can start as low as 5,000 points but regularly climb to over 120,000 points at higher-end properties. While this flexibility can occasionally work in your favor, it also means you won't always get consistent value from your points.

To get the most out of your rewards, it helps to be strategic. The fourth-night-free perk is one of the easiest ways to stretch your points further, effectively lowering the cost of longer stays.

For example, a stay at the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, can easily cost 70,000 points per night. A four-night stay would typically cost 280,000 points, but with the fourth-night-free benefit, you'd pay 210,000 points — saving 70,000 points.

IHG also allows you to book using a combination of points and cash, though this is essentially the same as purchasing additional points at a fixed rate. That can make sense in some situations, but it's not always the best deal, especially since IHG frequently sells points during promotions.

Overall, there's solid value in the program, but it often requires more effort and flexibility than hotel programs with fixed award charts.

Related: How to redeem IHG One Rewards points for hotel stays

Where the IHG Business card falls short

The biggest drawback of the IHG Business card is its inflexibility.

Because your rewards are tied to the IHG One Rewards program, the card delivers the most value only if you consistently stay within the brand. If you prefer boutique hotels, split your stays across multiple chains or prioritize transferable rewards, you'll likely find this card limiting.

In my view, this is the biggest trade-off: You're getting strong value, but only if you're willing to stay within the IHG ecosystem.

It's also not a strong choice for everyday spending. While the bonus categories are decent, the return on nonbonus purchases falls short compared to many general business cards, making it harder to justify using this as your primary card.

On top of that, IHG's dynamic pricing model adds another layer of unpredictability. Award rates can fluctuate significantly, which means it takes more effort to consistently extract strong value from your points compared to programs with fixed award charts.

Taken together, this card works best in a very specific scenario (frequent IHG stays) and becomes much less compelling outside of it.

Is the IHG Business card worth it?

Yes — as long as you can make the most of the card's perks. The IHG Business card has an annual fee of $200 and offers an annual free night award that can easily be redeemed for more value than that.

Cardholders also earn points at solid rates when making purchases in bonus categories, though the earning rate on travel purchases outside of IHG stays and flights booked directly isn't fantastic.

When to apply for the IHG Business card

New applicants for the IHG Business card can earn 190,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Nov. 18.

According to TPG's valuations, this offer is worth $1,140.

This is one of the highest offers we've seen on the card, so if you are considering it, now is a great time to apply.

This card is ideal for Chase customers under the 5/24 limit. While most business credit cards won't add to your count, you do need to be below that threshold to apply.

Related: How to track your progress toward a credit card welcome bonus

Other cards to consider if you don't want the IHG Business card

As the IHG Business card is a hotel credit card aimed at small-business owners, it's worth comparing it with other cobranded and general travel rewards credit cards:

• If you're looking for a card with Hyatt status and perks: The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) offers automatic Discoverist status with World of Hyatt. It has a similar annual fee (of $199) and offers perks like up to $100 in Hyatt credits each anniversary year. To learn more, check out our full review of the World of Hyatt Business card.
• If you're looking for a card with Hilton status and perks: The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has a $195 annual fee (see rates and fees) and comes with mid-tier Gold status with Hilton Honors. To learn more, check out our full review of the Hilton Honors Amex Business card.
• If you're looking for flexible rewards and premium travel perks: The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees) earns Ultimate Rewards points, including the option to transfer to IHG, offering more flexibility beyond a single hotel brand. It also offers complimentary IHG Platinum status (through Dec. 31, 2027). To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business.

For additional options, check out our picks for the best hotel cards.

Bottom line

The IHG Business card can offer strong value to business owners who stay with IHG at least occasionally and can maximize its benefits.

Between its annual free night award, travel credits, Platinum Elite status and elite-status boosts each year, there are multiple ways to offset the card's $200 annual fee.

For business owners who can take advantage of these benefits, the card can be a compelling long-term keeper.

Apply here: IHG One Rewards Business Credit Card

For rates and fees of the Hilton Business Amex, click here.

If you are a frequent American Airlines flyer, you have plenty of credit card options to help you earn additional miles and make the most of every American Airlines flight.

For a limited time, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® (see rates and fees) is offering its highest-ever welcome offer, along with new card benefits and perks as part of the card's refresh in August.

Meanwhile, for a limited time, new Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) cardholders can earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 on purchases in the first four months from account opening. This matches the highest offer we've seen on the card.

Here's a rundown of the top Citi / AAdvantage credit cards and their current offers. Holding one of these cards could be a straightforward way to score a business-class ticket on American or one of its Oneworld partners.

Comparison of the Citi / AAdvantage welcome offers

*The offer value is based on TPG's October 2026 valuations.

The information for the AAdvantage MileUp card and Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Citi / AA Executive

The Citi / AA Executive is American's top-tier personal card.

Best for: Those who want Admirals Club access

Welcome bonus: For a limited time, earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first five months from account opening.

According to TPG's valuations, the welcome bonus is worth $1,813. This is the highest welcome offer we've seen in the card's history, so if you are interested, now is the best time to apply.

Annual fee: $695

Earning rates:

• 12 miles per dollar spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through American's car rental and hotel booking sites, respectively
• 4 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

This card is best suited to frequent American Airlines flyers who can take advantage of its Admirals Club membership, statement credits and elite-status benefits.

At $695, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive has a much higher annual fee than other options but comes with a notable benefit for frequent flyers: Admirals Club access for you and up to two guests traveling with you (when you have a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight).

Cardholders also receive:

• Up to $500 credit annually toward eligible American Airlines Vacations purchases (up to $250 from Jan. 1 through June 30 and up to $250 from July 1 through Dec. 31)
• Up to $100 credit annually toward eligible inflight and Admirals Club purchases
• Complimentary Omni Hotels & Resorts Champion status (enrollment required) and an annual Omni free night reward after a qualifying stay†
• Avis President's club status (enrollment available through Aug. 31, 2028)

†A qualifying stay is one of two or more consecutive nights booked directly through Omni Hotels and Resorts on omnihotels.com. Enrollment in the Champion Status benefit is required.

The card also offers travel protections and the ability to earn up to 40,000 bonus Loyalty Points per elite qualification period, making it particularly useful for those pursuing American elite status.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi / AA Executive.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Legend Mastercard

Citi / AA Business

The Citi / AA Business is Citi's business card for American Airlines loyalists.

Best for: Business travelers

Welcome bonus: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first four months from account opening.

According to TPG's valuations, the welcome bonus is worth $943. This is the standard offer we see in the card's history, so we'd recommend waiting for a better offer if you can.

Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, then $99 thereafter

Earning rates:

• 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and eligible business expenses, including cable and satellite providers, car rentals, gas stations and telecommunications merchants
• 1 mile per dollar spent on everything else

With this card, you and up to four companions get a free first checked bag when flying a domestic American Airlines itinerary on the same reservation.

If you spend $30,000 with the card in a cardholder year and renew your card, you'll earn a companion certificate, which allows you to take a companion on a flight for $99 (plus taxes and fees).

The certificate can only be used for a round-trip, domestic itinerary (i.e., one to and from the 48 contiguous states, unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii) in the Main Cabin. The certificate is granted upon account renewal, and the account must remain open for a full billing cycle after the anniversary date.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi / AA Business Mastercard.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard

Citi / AA Globe

The Citi / AA Globe is best suited for those who fly often but not enough to justify having the premium card.

Best for: Semifrequent American Airlines flyers

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG's valuations, the welcome bonus is worth $870. This is the standard offer on the card, so we recommend waiting to apply.

Annual fee: $350

Earning rates:

• 6 miles per dollar spent on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings
• 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
• 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, and on eligible "Rides and Rails" purchases, including taxis, ride-hailing services and public transit
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

The Globe's standout perks include four Admirals Club passes each calendar year and a 5,000 "Flight Streak" Loyalty Point boost after four eligible American Airlines flights. You can do this up to three times per year for a total of 15,000 Loyalty Points.

The card also provides an annual companion certificate each cardholder year, allowing you to pay $99 (plus taxes and fees) for a round-trip domestic Main Cabin ticket each year. Plus, you'll receive the first checked bag free for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation, preferred boarding and a Splurge credit.

It's a decent option for those who can take advantage of the card's companion certificate, lounge access and AAdvantage-related perks in exchange for a more modest $350 annual fee.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi / AA Globe.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard

Citi / AA Platinum Select

The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select is a solid option for American Airlines flyers who want basic airline perks without paying for a more premium card.

Best for: Casual American Airlines flyers

Welcome bonus: For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 on purchases in the first four months from account opening.

According to TPG's valuations, the welcome bonus is worth $1,160. This matches the highest offer we've seen on the card, so now is a great time to apply.

Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, then $99 thereafter

Earning rates:

• 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, plus gas station and restaurant purchases
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

If you fly American Airlines often enough to want an upgraded flight experience but are uninterested in Admirals Club access, this is a solid card option. It's affordable and easy to keep in your wallet.

You'll receive benefits like preferred boarding, a free first checked bag for you and up to four companions on domestic American Airlines itineraries, and discounts on inflight snacks and beverage purchases.

As a cardholder, you'll also earn 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases, and this card does not charge foreign transaction fees.

Another great benefit of this card is the ability to earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 or more on purchases during your card membership year and renewing your card.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi / AA Platinum Select.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard

Related: 8 years later, this American Airlines card is still a staple of my wallet (and elite status goals)

Citi / AA MileUp

The Citi / AA MileUp is Citi's entry-level American Airlines product.

Welcome bonus: Earn 15,000 bonus miles and a $100 statement credit after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG's valuations, this welcome bonus is worth $318 (including the statement credit). This is the standard offer we typically see in the card's history.

Annual fee: $0

Best for: Beginners looking to earn American Airlines miles

Earning rates:

• 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

If you're a beginner looking for an inexpensive way to earn American miles, this could be a good entry point into the Citi AAdvantage credit card lineup.

As a no-annual-fee card, it offers few perks, but you will get 25% savings on inflight drinks and snacks.

However, anyone taking more than a couple of American Airlines flights per year will likely be better off with an American Airlines card that charges an annual fee, since those cards offer higher earning rates and more valuable perks.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi / AA MileUp.

Related: My beginner's blueprint to find the flight awards you want

Application restrictions

Citi doesn't limit the total number of credit cards you can hold, but it does cap your overall credit line across accounts.

You can only apply for one card every eight days, no more than two cards in 65 days and just one business card every 90 days.

Finally, Citi's 48-month rule means you can't earn a welcome bonus on the same AAdvantage card if you've received that bonus within the past four years.

Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

Bottom line

If you're an American Airlines loyalist, a Citi / AAdvantage credit card can deliver useful benefits, from free checked bags and preferred boarding to bonus miles that can help you book your next award flight.

Right now, two cards stand out for their welcome offers: The Citi / AA Executive is offering its highest-ever bonus, while the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select is matching the highest offer we've seen on the card.

Whether you're after entry-level earning, mid-tier perks or premium Admirals Club access, there's a Citi / AAdvantage card for a range of American Airlines flyers.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Legend Mastercard
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard

Looking to get off the beaten path on your next cruise vacation — and to do it in style? There might be no better option than a voyage with Ponant Explorations.

The expedition cruise specialist operates a fleet of 13 small, luxurious vessels specifically designed to access some of the world's most remote and hard-to-reach places.

Among these vessels are some of the world's toughest polar-rated expedition ships, including the only cruise vessel capable of reaching the North Pole. These allow Ponant to offer an unusually wide mix of sailings to the polar regions of Antarctica and the Arctic — arguably the world's two most difficult-to-access destinations.

Ponant is also known for offering one of the most diverse arrays of off-the-beaten-path voyages across remote parts of Oceania and the Pacific Islands, as well as around little-visited parts of Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

In addition, Ponant sails to quite a few traditional cruise destinations such as the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, though the line typically focuses on the less visited corners of those places. It also has sailings that visit parts of Canada and New England.

This mix of polar, tropical and subtropical voyages on relatively upscale expedition vessels or small yachts is rare in the cruise world.

Here, we offer our picks for the five best Ponant cruise destinations.

Antarctica

Ponant is one of a handful of expedition cruise companies that dominate the market for trips to Antarctica. In fact, depending on how you count things, it might be the biggest Antarctica cruise operator.

Ponant often sends five vessels to the "White Continent" each year — more than any other major cruise brand. This includes four 264-passenger sister vessels (Le Soleal, Le Boreal, Le Lyrial and L'Austral) that were specifically built to bump through ice in polar regions (each has a 1C ice class rating from Lloyd's Register) and the brand's groundbreaking, 200-passenger luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot.

Le Commandant Charcot, which debuted in 2021, is renowned as the world's toughest passenger vessel. It is capable of traveling through solid ice to the remote parts of Antarctica and the Arctic.

The five vessels that Ponant regularly sends to Antarctica operate a wide range of itineraries, from 10-night trips that focus on the Antarctic Peninsula to epic, 30-night sailings that take in far greater swaths of the continent. The latter voyages, on Le Commandant Charcot, take passengers to some of Antarctica's least visited areas as the vessel travels thousands of miles between the southern tip of South America and Australia.

Like several other upscale lines that have been adding more Antarctica voyages in recent years, Ponant is targeting high-end customers who want to explore the continent in style. All five of the vessels that Ponant sends to the region feature relatively large, comfortable cabins and high-end restaurants serving elegant cuisine.

Additionally, the vessels offer a lot of high-end adventures. Outdoor equipment includes kayaks and Zodiac boats for landings along Antarctica's shoreline to visit penguin colonies.

Fares for Ponant sailings in Antarctica are among its most expensive, with rates for 10-night Antarctica trips starting around $18,000 per person, based on double occupancy.

The Arctic

For years, Ponant has been a major player in expedition-style cruises to the most remote parts of the Arctic, from the famed Northwest Passage across the Canadian Arctic to, more recently, the North Pole.

While the line's itineraries across the region vary from year to year, they often center around sailings to the Svalbard archipelago — a cluster of rugged islands that are known as a haven for many of the Arctic's best-known wildlife. There, you can see polar bears, whales (if you're lucky), walruses, and giant colonies of Brunnich's guillemots and other Arctic birds.

The brand also frequently offers voyages to the glacier-lined coasts of Greenland as well as trips that touch Iceland.

Related: I sailed to the North Pole on Ponant's new icebreaker. It was epic

As with its trips to Antarctica, Ponant deploys some of its fleet of five vessels specifically built for polar sailing to the Arctic, including Le Commandant Charcot, which operates its North Pole trips. It also sometimes sends one of its six smaller, 184-passenger vessels known as the Ponant Explorers to the region.

In the summer of 2027, Ponant will dedicate four of its polar vessels (Le Boreal, Le Lyrial, L'Austral and Le Commandant Charcot) to Arctic sailings, as well as two Ponant Explorers (Le Bellot).

In some cases, for some sailings, the ships operate in the region under charter to U.S.-based luxury tour companies such as Abercrombie & Kent and Tauck (so if you see Arctic sailings on offer from those companies, you might be booking a Ponant ship without even knowing it). In other cases, the line sells its Arctic sailings under its own brand name.

Fares for seven-night Svalbard sailings start around $11,000 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares the line's rare North Pole trips, which typically are 17 nights in length, start at over $50,000 per person.

Related: Our cruise expert picks the five best Arctic itineraries

Oceania and the Pacific Islands

Ponant offers one of the most diverse arrays of sailings to the Oceania region of any line. It operates several dozen voyages each year that explore the far-flung islands of Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia, as well as the islands of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.

The line often has a particularly robust lineup of voyages focusing on Papua New Guinea, with at least a few 10- to 16-night trips each year that are almost entirely devoted to the destination. Stops highlight local cultures, World War II history, nature and wildlife.

Ponant also offers one of the largest arrays of expedition sailings to the remote Kimberley region of northwestern Australia. This area is known for its massive crocodiles and natural wonders such as "horizontal waterfalls" and a reef that seemingly rises like magic from the sea.

Related: My 10-night adventure along the Kimberley coast

Other classic Ponant itineraries in the Oceania region include a 16-night trip from Fiji to Guam that visits Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and several of the islands and atolls of Micronesia — many of which are steeped in World War II history.

In a typical year, the line will send at least two of its vessels to the Oceania region for extended seasons. (For 2027, it'll be the 184-passenger Le Jacques-Cartier and 264-passenger Le Soleal.) Both ships will typically spend at least some time in the Kimberley region before heading to other parts of Oceania.

Fares for 10-night Kimberley sailings start at around $13,000 per person, based on double occupancy.

Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean

Ponant is one of a handful of small-ship cruise operators that regularly offer expedition-style sailings to such African countries as South Africa, Namibia and Madagascar, as well as to Indian Ocean destinations, including Reunion Island, the Seychelles and the Maldives.

Among the line's itineraries in the region is a 10-night From Madagascar to the Seychelles: Unexpected Islands voyage that brings visits to a wide range of idyllic islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean, including volcanic Nosy Komba (known for its black lemurs) and Assumption Island.

The latter, part of the Aldabra group of islands in the southwest corner of The Seychelles , is home to just a handful of people who live in small village and has beaches famous as a major egg-laying and breeding site for sea turtles. The surrounding waters are also ideal for scuba diving.

Other Ponant routes in the region include 10-night trips along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia that include stops at Luderitz, Namibia — for a visit to the ghost town of Kolmanskop and its colonial buildings now overrun by sand — and Port Elizabeth, South Africa — for a safari trip to see the elephants in Addo Elephant National Park.

Other itineraries focus exclusively on the Seychelles or bring passengers to wildlife-filled Madagascar.

Fares for eight-night Seychelles sailings start at around $7,500 per person, based on double occupancy.

The Mediterranean

While particularly known for expedition-style voyages to more remote destinations, Ponant does offer a diverse array of sailings in more traditional cruise destinations such as the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean — all with Ponant's signature small-ship touch.

In the Mediterranean, the line offers dozens of voyages every year that often focus on less-visited destinations that only its small ships can access, such as little Greek islands and tiny towns along Croatia's coast.

Primarily available in the summer months, the trips range from seven to 10 nights in length and often go in-depth into a particular area of the Mediterranean. For instance, one seven-night itinerary on Ponant's smallest vessel, the 32-passenger sailing yacht Le Ponant, is almost entirely devoted to the coastal towns and islands of Croatia. Another itinerary offered in partnership with Smithsonian Journeys, on the 184-passenger Le Dumont d'Urville, spends eight nights circumnavigating the island of Sicily.

The itineraries often include stops to visit ancient ruins and historic sites, as well as countryside wineries, natural areas and pristine beaches.

The Sicily sailing includes a stop at the island's Porto Empedocle — gateway to the fabled Greek temples of Agrigento — and Taormina for a tour to a winery on the slopes of Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe.

Additional itineraries focus on the southern coast of Spain, the southern coast of Italy, and trips to the islands in Greece and Turkey.

Fares for seven-night Mediterranean sailings start around $7,000 per person.

Bottom line

Small-ship line Ponant is known for upscale sailings to some of the world's most remote places, from Antarctica to the most far-flung Pacific Islands. The line's strength lies in adventurous, expedition-style trips to off-the-beaten-path places that can only be accessed by small, hardy vessels carrying their own landing craft.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

American Airlines is swapping airports for some flights in New York.

The Oneworld alliance carrier will move its seasonal nonstop to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 2027. The reason? The flight can operate on more than just Saturdays from JFK whereas it is restricted to that one day of the week from LGA.

The swap is part of a larger set of adjustments to American's map for next year. The airline will end six routes — including LGA-BZN — and add two routes from JFK as it tweaks its schedule in an effort to return to consistent profitability.

It's time to book: When to buy holiday, spring break and summer flights for the best fares in 2026-27

American is also undertaking a massive investment in its onboard and airport offerings, from new business class suites to personal screens at all seats across its single-aisle fleet and updated lounges, in an effort to woo lucrative premium fliers.

New York JFK expansion

American's new routes from JFK are the aforementioned nonstop to BZN, which will operate four-days-a-week on a Boeing 737-8 from June 18, 2027, and a new twice-daily service to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on an Airbus A321neo launches April 6, 2027. American last flew the JFK-SEA route in 2019.

SEA is the main hub of American's partner and fellow Oneworld member Alaska Airlines. The airlines last week unveiled plans for Alaska to join two of American's joint ventures across both the Atlantic and Pacific in the coming years.

JV membership allows airlines to coordinate schedules, fares and other commercial activities in a specific market, for example the U.S. to Europe.

"American is continuing to build a network from New York that offers customers more choice and more ways to connect to the destinations they care about," Jason Reisinger, the managing director of global network planning at American, said in a statement. The additions "enhances our offering from JFK and complements the more than 100 destinations we serve nonstop from New York."

The airline will compete with Alaska, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways on both new routes, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. United Airlines also flies to BZN and SEA from nearby Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

More from TPG: American plans massive (and badly-needed) lounge at Charlotte hub

What American's cutting

American will end six routes as part of its latest route map update. They are:

• Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) - Lincoln Airport (LNK), Nebraska: flights end in April 2027
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) - Albany International Airport (ALB), New York: seasonal summer flights will not resume in May 2027 as planned
• Miami International Airport (MIA) - Tulum International Airport (TQO), Mexico: flights end in January 2027
• MIA - Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL): flights end in January 2027
• LGA - BZN: seasonal summer flights will not resume in May 2027 as planned
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) - Provo Airport (PVU), Utah: flights end in January 2027

No destination loses service on American entirely. However, three markets — LNK, PVU and TQO — will only have nonstop flights to DFW, the airline's largest hub, following the latest cuts.

International additions: American Airlines adds 3 new European destinations in 7-route expansion

"As part of targeted actions to strengthen the airline, American will moderate its planned growth next summer," an airline spokesperson said of the cuts.

The moderated growth comes as American, and all airlines, deal with high fuel costs owing to the supply chain disruptions associated with the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran.

The average cost of jet fuel stood at $4.43 a gallon on Monday, data from industry trade association Airlines for America (A4A) shows. For comparison, American paid an average of $2.42 per gallon in 2025.

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Alaska Airlines is zeroing in on its next destination in Asia.

Speaking last week in Seattle, a top Alaska executive said the carrier was honing in on a new transpacific destination. It would be a new route for Alaska from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

"There will be a new destination in Asia that we're currently working on," Alaska chief commercial officer Andrew Harrison said.

Sadly, no hints beyond that: "That's all I can say," he added.

But any new Pacific routes would be a notable expansion for Alaska.

The airline currently serves just two nonstop destinations in Asia — Narita International Airport (NRT) in Tokyo (NRT) and Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul — both from its SeaTac home base.

The carrier has been in the midst of a global growth spree after acquiring Hawaiian Airlines in 2024.

And it's not done yet.

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15 long-haul destinations by 2030

After adding flights to Japan and South Korea in 2025, Alaska focused on growth in Europe this year. It launched flights from Seattle to London, Reykjavik and Rome. (And I tagged along for the inaugural flight to Rome in April.)

The airline has already revealed Paris and Athens as new international cities for 2027.

And there's more to come over the next few years.

Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci has long said the airline would launch "at least" a dozen long-haul routes from Seattle by 2030. Last week, the carrier raised the bar and pledged at least 15 new overseas destinations by the end of the decade.

A focus on Asia

Going forward, flights across the Pacific Ocean will be the primary focus, it seems.

"There will be a mix, obviously, between Asia and Europe," Harrison said while speaking on a panel at the company's Sept. 29 investor day. "But a little bit more toward Asia."

Geography likely has a lot to do with it. Seattle, Alaska's home base, is one of the top global hubs for transpacific travel.

And with Tokyo and Seoul currently serving as the airline's only Asia flights, there's likely a lot more opportunity for the carrier on the continent in the years to come.

Stiff competition with Delta is likely

Alaska will likely have plenty of competition over the Pacific. Top Seattle rival Delta Air Lines has also pledged to expand its Asia route network in the years to come.

In August, a top Delta executive told me the carrier plans to launch nonstop service from the U.S. West Coast to Singapore in the near future and that it would not be from Los Angeles. Given that information, it seems a likely bet that those flights could originate at SEA, which Delta and Alaska share as a Pacific Northwest hub.

New York City routes planned for Alaska's luxe new domestic plane

Among the many bits of news Alaska announced last week, one of the splashiest was its plan to install lie-flat seats and premium economy on some Boeing 737 MAX 10 planes.

Those are single-aisle planes the carrier has slated for domestic service.

Right after Alaska announced this luxe subfleet of MAX 10s, I predicted we'd likely see those jets on service to New York City.

It appears that's exactly what the carrier is planning.

One hint was the code name Alaska employees had been using for these planes: "Project Gotham."

Another hint was a cryptic map (briefly) displayed by the airline. It shows MAX 10 routes originating from each of Alaska's West Coast hubs: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

All of those routes appear to converge on the New York area — signaling potential flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and perhaps Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

"Obviously, New York City will be a huge recipient of this aircraft," Harrison acknowledged. "We haven't exactly announced the routes — but that's where it will fly."

Getting in on the luxe transcon market

Many of Alaska's top rivals deploy highly premium configurations on their more lucrative transcontinental flights from New York City.

That will soon include United Airlines' Airbus A321 "Coastliner" plane, which will sport 20 Polaris Suites and 12 Premium Plus recliners.

Good news for transcon 'Aurora Suites' passengers

Alaska hasn't officially said that passengers who book the business-class suites on these new MAX 10s will get access to the new, high-end "Aurora Lounge" being built in Seattle.

However, TPG spoke with airline executives who said that's the plan.

"I would expect, look, if you're traveling in our top-end suites product — particularly on a paid basis — we're going to want you to have the full, end-to-end experience," Brett Catlin, Alaska's senior vice president of network, partnerships and loyalty, said in an interview.

Exact access rules will be revealed closer to the late 2027 opening.

Starlink installations moving along

Last week, a dust-up over Starlink Wi-Fi led to an elite status showdown between top rivals United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

But United is far from the only U.S. carrier to offer the fast on-board internet service.

Hawaiian was actually the first airline in America to install the satellites on its planes. And Alaska is in the process of rolling out the tech to its jets.

To date, about 40% of Alaska and Hawaiian's combined fleets offer Starlink service, executives shared.

That includes all of Hawaiian's Airbus planes and all Alaska regional jets.

The airline is currently installing Starlink on Alaska's vast fleet of Boeing 737s.

A key holdout? Alaska's Boeing 787 Dreamliners are still without internet service. Starlink installations on those jets will be completed "soon," the carrier said.

Starlink is free for members of Alaska and Hawaiian's Atmos Rewards loyalty program.

No basic business... for now

There's one industry trend Alaska and Hawaiian do not plan to follow — at least for now.

Delta, United and JetBlue have all brought basic economy-style fares to their premium cabins.

Though airlines often follow one another in making policy changes, Alaska says it has no plans to launch "basic business" anytime soon.

"We don't have any immediate ideas on following some of the announcements others have made," chief financial officer Shane Tackett said. "We want to make sure what we're doing is really the right thing by the guests and the business model."

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