I’ve followed TPG’s 10 credit card commandments, but there’s an exception to one of them: “Thou shalt pay thy balance in full.” That’s a rule to live by. Otherwise, carrying a balance month to month accrues interest charges, which can become burdensome. It also negates any rewards earned, as the interest charges are substantially more…

Our preliminary report on holiday airfare trends is a good news, bad news situation. The bad news for travelers is that prices for both Thanksgiving and Christmas trips are higher this year than last year … so far. But the good news is that prices are likely to drop as we enter what are traditionally…

Airline credit cards offer a variety of flashy perks, including welcome bonuses of tens of thousands of miles, companion tickets worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, access to airport lounges and free checked bags. One of their most fundamental perks, though, is about saving time rather than money: priority boarding. This benefit, included with…

Atmos Rewards, the new joint loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, rolled out just over a week ago, but the airlines are wasting no time in launching new promotions. Atmos Rewards is offering a fast track to elite status and double points on flights into and out of San Diego. Let’s get into…

For most of my 20s, I swore off credit cards. I used my debit card for everything and thought I was being smart. Credit cards seemed risky: What if I missed a payment? What if I got stuck with sky-high interest? What if I picked the wrong card and regretted it forever? It felt safer…

American Airlines is planning to significantly up its lounge game at its second-busiest hub. The carrier on Thursday announced plans to bring the Flagship Lounge, its nicest lounge concept, to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). American also said it would increase the footprint of its existing Admirals Clubs at the airport. Together, these should be…