Your Mileage May Vary

Kimpton’s Planned Kauai Resort Looks Aimed At Hawaii’s Luxury Travelers Whenever I write about a hotel that’s being built, I like to check back every once in a while to see how things are progressing. Sometimes there’s clear movement. For example, we’ve seen steady progress on the Hyatt project in Iceland. Other times… not so much. The planned Fairmont hotel in Orlando, for example, still doesn’t appear to be moving forward.

A new Kimpton resort planned for Kauai may be aiming for the luxury end of Hawaii’s hotel market. Investor materials suggest pricing comparable to some of the island’s most expensive resorts.

The Real Reason Why the Government Shutdown Is Hitting TSA So Hard This Time Travelers at several U.S. airports have recently reported extremely long waits at TSA security checkpoints, with some passengers waiting hours and even missing flights. The delays are being blamed on a combination of staffing shortages during the current government shutdown and a surge of spring break travelers passing through airports at the same time. The issue of TSA wait times has been widely reported in recent days.

Some travelers are reporting hours-long TSA lines at certain airports. A government shutdown and heavy spring break travel are creating the perfect storm.

How We Ended Up With Access to Half the Lounges at IAD — Including Polaris Honestly, lounge access was probably the last thing on my mind when we booked this trip to Germany. I was more focused on the bigger pieces of the itinerary — finding transatlantic flights, getting positioning flights that worked, which miles to use, and all the other details that go into putting together a trip like this. Besides, it’s been a while since we’ve traveled on long-haul business class tickets.

We have a six-hour layover at Washington Dulles before our Lufthansa flight to Germany. Between credit cards, Priority Pass, and our business-class tickets, we have access to several lounges — now we just have to decide which one wins.

Airport Worker Stole Their AirPods — Their Revenge Is Still Going Strong 6 Months Later Most travelers assume airport and airline employees are screened carefully enough that theft isn’t something they need to worry about. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Over the years there have been multiple reports of airport workers stealing from passengers, including a security officer caught swallowing $300 in cash and an airline employee who was arrested for luggage theft.

A passenger tracked their stolen AirPods for months using Apple’s Find My network. When the airline wouldn’t act, they found their own way to get revenge.

Passengers Are Turning Cruise Ship Balconies Into Bedrooms — And Cruise Lines Say It’s a Problem A viral TikTok trend shows cruise passengers dragging mattresses onto their balconies — but cruise lines say it’s unsafe and against the rules. <>When people go on a cruise, they often want the experience to feel as luxurious as possible. Cruise lines offer plenty of upscale amenities, from spas and specialty restaurants to elaborate shows and private balcony cabins. But for some passengers, that apparently isn’t enough.

A viral TikTok trend shows cruise passengers dragging their cabin beds onto balcony decks to sleep outside. Cruise lines say the stunt is unsafe — and against the rules.

World of Hyatt Has a Boutique Hotel in a Very Unlikely Spot Near Disney When Hyatt brought Mr & Mrs Smith into World of Hyatt, it opened the door to all sorts of hotels that don’t look or feel like traditional Hyatts. That’s part of what makes the partnership interesting. It also introduced something Hyatt fans weren’t used to. Unlike Hyatt’s usual award chart, where hotels fall into fixed categories with predictable pricing, Mr & Mrs Smith redemptions use a more dynamic model…

While browsing World of Hyatt hotels near Disney, I stumbled across something I definitely didn’t expect: a boutique Mr & Mrs Smith hotel sitting in a very unlikely spot in Kissimmee.

Bilt Palladium Card Review: A First Look At Bilt’s New Premium Card For several years, Bilt carved out a unique niche in the points-and-miles world. While most rewards programs focus on earning points on travel, dining, or grocery spending, Bilt built its reputation around something almost no other card offers: the ability to earn transferable points on rent. The Bilt Card was an extension of that ecosystem. Now the program has entered a new phase.

Bilt has launched its new premium credit card — the $495 Palladium Card. It’s part of the new Bilt 2.0 ecosystem and comes with 2X points on everyday spending, travel credits, and Mastercard’s new World Legend benefits. Here’s a first look at what the card offers.

LAX’s New Plan to Ease Congestion Could Cost Uber and Lyft Riders Up to $12 Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has struggled with congestion for decades, and officials are now considering a new plan that could raise transportation costs for travelers. The airport’s Board of Airport Commissioners is preparing to discuss a proposal that would significantly increase the fees charged to Uber, Lyft, taxis and other commercial vehicles entering the airport. If approved, the change could eventually push rideshare access fees as high as…

Getting to LAX could soon cost more. The airport is considering a proposal that would raise Uber, Lyft and taxi access fees to as much as $12 per trip.

Flying Blue Simplifies Mileage Expiration Rules Air France–KLM’s Flying Blue program is making a change that should make life much easier for members: mileage expiration is getting simpler. For years, Flying Blue miles have had one of the more complicated expiration policies among major airline loyalty programs. Depending on how you earned your miles, they could have different expiration dates and different ways to keep them active.

Flying Blue is simplifying its mileage expiration rules. Starting May 4, one qualifying activity will extend the validity of your entire balance for 24 months.

Important Thing to Know About Europe’s Self-Cleaning Public Bathrooms Self-cleaning public bathrooms have been common across Europe for years. Sometimes you have to pay to use them, and sometimes they’re free. Either way, they usually look the same: a sleek metal booth just large enough to hold a toilet and a sink. After each use, the restroom automatically runs a cleaning cycle that washes down the entire interior. And if you’re not careful, you might still be inside when that cycle starts.

Europe’s self-cleaning public toilets are incredibly convenient — unless you don’t know how they work. Some tourists get an unexpected (and very wet) surprise.

Will Hyatt’s Changes Change How We Value Chase Ultimate Rewards? For years, Chase Ultimate Rewards has had a pretty straightforward elevator pitch. They weren’t always the easiest points to earn, and they weren’t always the flashiest program either. American Express had more transfer partners. Capital One made it simple to earn 2X on almost everything. Citi had its own sweet spots. But Chase had one thing that made Ultimate Rewards stand out from the rest.

For years, Hyatt has been the secret sauce behind the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards. But with Hyatt’s award pricing evolving, it raises an interesting question: should we start thinking about UR points differently?

How a New Travel Industry Watchlist Could Affect Hotel Guests Some hotels have been flagged for failing to pay travel agent commissions — and that could indirectly affect where travelers stay. In today’s travel landscape, there are several different ways to make hotel reservations. Many travelers book directly on a hotel’s website using points or cash. However, plenty of travelers still rely on travel advisors to help plan and book their trips.

Some hotels have been placed on a travel industry watchlist over unpaid commissions — and it could affect where travelers stay.

The Real Reason Detroit Airport Has Japanese Signs Although English is the primary language used in the United States (these are the most popular languages in each state), the country has had no official national language for most of its history. The Founding Fathers believed that designating a single language could be divisive in a nation made up of immigrants from many countries. In fact, Manhattan Island alone had…

Ever notice Japanese translations on signs at Detroit’s airport? The surprising reason goes back to one airline and a long-standing connection to Tokyo.

Is Earning More Points Worth Giving Up Cell Phone Protection? Earning points on recurring charges, like your cell phone bill, is one of the easiest ways to build up rewards without changing your spending habits. Just set your monthly bill to the card that earns the highest bonus and let it run in the background. But I don’t always use the card that earns the most points. Sometimes, I’m willing to earn fewer points if it means getting a useful benefit in return…

Some credit cards earn more points when you pay your phone bill. Others offer built-in cell phone protection. Which option is actually the better deal? Here’s how the numbers compare.

How Early Should You Arrive at the Airport? The 2-Hour Rule Doesn’t Always Apply Travel numbers remain strong across the industry. Hotels are filling up, rental cars can be hard to find, and airports continue to see huge numbers of passengers despite high airfare and occasional airline disruptions. The traditional advice for commercial airports has long been simple: arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international ones. But that long-standing advice doesn’t always reflect today’s airport realities, since the right timing depends on several factors.

How early should you get to the airport? The usual 2-hour rule doesn’t always apply. Here’s what really determines how much time you need.

When a Bulkhead Seat Isn’t Really a Bulkhead Bulkhead seats are one of those airplane seating options that sound simple in theory but can be surprisingly inconsistent in real life. In general, the first row of a cabin comes with a familiar set of trade-offs. You may get extra legroom and avoid having someone recline into your space, but you’ll often give up under-seat storage, deal with a tray table in the armrest, and sometimes end up with a seat that feels less comfortable than it first appeared.

Bulkhead seats usually come with trade-offs. But sometimes the “bulkhead” on a plane isn’t really a bulkhead at all—and the result can actually be better than expected.

Scientists Crashed a Boeing 727 on Purpose to See Which Seats Are Safest In one of the wildest aviation experiments ever attempted, researchers intentionally crashed a Boeing 727 in the Mexican desert to find out which seats gave passengers the best chance of surviving. For years, researchers have been fascinated by one uncomfortable question: are some seats on a plane actually safer than others? Some studies have suggested that passengers seated in the…

Scientists once crashed a Boeing 727 on purpose to study which seats might be safest. What researchers found was fascinating.

United Explorer Card Review: Why It Matters More Now The United Explorer Card isn’t just a bag-and-boarding card anymore, and United’s recent changes have made it more relevant. These days, it sits in a middle ground that will make sense for some United flyers and not others. It’s more expensive than it used to be, but it also comes with more built-in value, including lounge passes, statement credits, rental car coverage, and access to better award pricing on United flights.

The United Explorer Card used to be mostly about a free checked bag and priority boarding. But with United putting more perks and MileagePlus value behind card ownership, this mid-tier card matters more than it used to.

The One Boarding Pass Code That Could Be Worse Than SSSS Most travelers know the dreaded SSSS code means extra security screening. But another code could mean you don’t even have a seat. When you’re prepared to fly and have your boarding pass in hand, you’ll see there’s a bunch of gobbledegook that’s on it. They’re all code that gate agents and flight attendants understand. But in the past we’ve explained what…

Most travelers know SSSS is bad news. But there’s another code that can show up on a boarding pass — and it may be even worse.

Interline Baggage Rules: Which Airlines Will Check Bags Through on Separate Tickets? Interline baggage agreements are arrangements between airlines that allow checked bags to be transferred from one flight to another, even when you're flying on more than one carrier. In the best-case scenario, you check your bag once at your origin airport and don’t see it again until you reach your final destination. That kind of convenience can make a huge difference when you’re piecing together an itinerary with points and miles.

Flying on separate tickets can turn a simple connection into a baggage headache. Here’s which airlines may check your bags through — and which ones make you claim and re-check them yourself.

There’s A Bilt 2.0 Problem People Are Just Starting To Notice The Bilt 2.0 rollout hasn’t been smooth. There’s already been confusion around the transition away from Wells Fargo and the move to the new Cardless platform. But one complaint has been simmering under the surface, mostly in Reddit threads and message boards, and it’s only starting to get noticed: the new card doesn’t play well with the financial software many people use to track their spending.

There’s a Bilt 2.0 problem people are just starting to notice — and for some users, it could make the card a lot less practical than it looks on paper.

Now Is a Very Bad Time to Try TikTok’s Viral “Airport Theory” Challenge TikTok’s viral “Airport Theory” trend claims travelers only need to arrive 15 minutes before a flight—but crowded airports and TSA delays make that a risky gamble right now. For better or worse, TikTok has churned out all kinds of travel hacks, challenges and “theories” that thousands—sometimes millions—of people feel compelled to try for themselves. Unfortunately, many of them fall apart the second they leave TikTok.

TikTok’s viral “Airport Theory” says you only need to arrive at the airport 15 minutes before your flight. With crowded airports and unpredictable TSA lines, now may be the worst time to try it.

Last Chance for These Elevated IHG Credit Card Offers If you’ve been considering applying for one of the Chase IHG One Rewards credit cards, the current elevated public welcome offers won’t be around much longer. The current limited-time offers on the consumer IHG cards will end on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 9:00 AM ET. These higher bonuses launched back in January, so the window to take advantage of them is closing soon.

The current elevated welcome offers on the IHG Premier and Traveler credit cards are ending soon. If you’ve been considering one of these cards, this may be your last chance to grab the bigger bonuses.

TSA-Free Commercial Flights Are Launching Between Spokane and Seattle New commercial flights are about to take off in the Pacific Northwest, offering travelers a rare option: TSA-free flights between Spokane and Seattle. SeaPort Airlines is launching daily commercial service from Felts Field in Spokane, Washington, to Seattle’s Boeing Field, with seats starting at $299 one way. The flights are scheduled to begin on Monday, March 9.

TSA-free commercial flights are launching between Spokane and Seattle, giving travelers a very different airport experience with no traditional security checkpoint.

With Airlines Cracking Down on Lithium Batteries, Are AirTags Next? As airlines and countries tighten rules on lithium-battery devices, some travelers are wondering if Apple AirTags could eventually end up on the restricted list. Over the past few months, we've seen several airlines — and even entire countries — introduce new rules about certain devices that use lithium-ion batteries. We've covered some of those changes here: U.S. airlines are tightening power bank rules - here's what changed…

Airlines are cracking down on lithium-battery gadgets. So should travelers worry about Apple AirTags being banned next? Here's what the rules actually say. ✈️

Why Do Hotels Keep Getting the Basics Wrong? Why do hotels keep getting the basics wrong? You can pay cash, you can redeem points, you can stay somewhere “nice”—and still end up with curtains that don’t close, an AC that quits overnight, and a bathroom that offers way less privacy than anyone asked for. And sometimes you’re reminded of that in the most unexpected ways. When I first got started with miles and points, one of my regular reads was The Points Guy.

Why do hotels keep getting the basics wrong? From curtains that don’t close to AC that quits overnight, these hotel pet peeves show up everywhere—from budget chains to luxury stays.

Southwest Airlines Plans More Changes as New Boarding System Still Draws Complaints The airline says it’s refining its new boarding system after passengers reported issues with overhead bin space, family seating, and boarding flow. Southwest Airlines’ new boarding system, introduced in January, has faced criticism from passengers almost from the start. Complaints have ranged from crowded overhead bins to families being seated apart. Now the airline says more changes are coming as it works to refine the process.

Southwest Airlines says it’s making more changes to its new boarding system after passengers reported problems with overhead bins, seating, and families being split up.

Why We’re Canceling One Venture X (But Keeping the Other) The Capital One Venture X is one of those rare premium cards that can almost justify itself on paper. Between the $300 annual travel credit and the 10,000 anniversary miles, the $395 annual fee basically cancels itself out. So yes — we’re keeping one. But Sharon’s Venture X is coming up for renewal, and that’s where things get more interesting. Because once you already have multiple premium cards in the household, the question isn’t “Is the Venture X worth it?” It’s: …

The Capital One Venture X can almost pay for itself—but that doesn’t mean we need two of them. Here’s why we’re canceling one card while keeping the other.

LaGuardia to Manhattan: Every Way to Get There (And When to Use Each) LaGuardia Airport has long been one of the most convenient airports for getting into Manhattan. Located just a few miles from Midtown, it’s much closer to the city than either JFK or Newark. For years, though, LaGuardia was also the punchline of jokes about outdated terminals and cramped facilities. That reputation has changed dramatically. After a massive redevelopment project, the airport now features modern terminals, new restaurants, and even several impressive airport lounges.

LaGuardia may be close to Manhattan, but getting there isn’t always simple. From the Q70 bus and subway to taxis, Uber, and car services, here are all the ways to make the trip—and when each one makes sense.

Flight Attendants Share the Best (and Worst) Ways Passengers Get Their Attention Flight attendants say some methods are appreciated—and others are a fast way to irritate the crew. The primary responsibility of a flight attendant is passenger safety. While customer service is a visible part of the job, their core role is ensuring that safety procedures are followed—from seat belts and tray tables to secured galleys, armed exits, and emergency preparedness. At the same time, flight attendants do their best to make passengers comfortable within airline policy, whether that means snack service, answering questions, or helping when issues arise.

Flight attendants shared how they prefer passengers get their attention—and which approaches they really don’t like.