The federal government reopened late Wednesday, ending a six-week stalemate in Washington. Now, the race is on to get air travel back on track, with just over a week to go until the unofficial start of the Thanksgiving travel rush — and the stakes are high. Airlines are expecting to fly a record-setting 31 million…

For years, Southwest Airlines was my go-to airline. Affordable fares, flexible policies and (most importantly) two free bags made it a no-brainer for me. Hot take: I love a checked bag, and Southwest’s two free bags policy has saved me hundreds (dare I say thousands) of dollars over the years. But after Southwest rolled out…

One of the biggest differences between experienced award travelers and those who are new to points and miles is how they search for award space. Seasoned travelers know to study partner award charts, strategically transfer flexible credit card points and miles and look out for sweet spot deals. Those more green to travel rewards may…