Shutdown woes deepen flight delays, cancellations at airports

This weekend’s travel woes are shaping up to be even worse than expected. Staffing issues at dozens of air traffic control facilities across the country are fueling flight delays at many of the nation’s largest airports. It’s led to hundreds of cancellations beyond what the Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cut — and thousands…

Comparing the Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Hilton Honors Amex

If you stay at a hotel even semi-frequently, a cobranded hotel card can be a great option. These hotel cards have annual fees that range from zero to several hundred dollars. Although cards with annual fees tend to have better earning rates, no-annual-fee options still provide value. Two big hotel chains, Marriott and Hilton, each…

Best Alaska cruisetours to book right now

Everything about Alaska is supersized. Staggering in beauty and scale, the state offers 36,000 miles of glacier-strewn coastline. Lakes outnumber people. Bears, caribou and moose roam the wilderness. You’ll also find North America’s tallest peak, Mount Denali, as well as the country’s largest bald eagle population. A coastal cruise will bring you face-to-face with whales,…

A look at VIP concierge services to upgrade your airport experience

We all know how the story goes: You get to the airport and have to find your way to your airline check-in desk, show your ID and drop your checked bags off. Then, you find your way to the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, place all your belongings on the scanner, retrieve them and find your…

My flight got canceled because of the shutdown — here’s what I did to avoid getting stranded

Airlines have started canceling flights for the coming days as the Federal Aviation Administration has mandated a 10% reduction in flights operated in the U.S. due to what is now the longest-ever government shutdown and the resulting staffing challenges. In fact, there are already over 800 flights canceled today, several times the normal number. As…

Will Shutdown cancellations affect Thanksgiving travel?

In less than three weeks, Americans will be brining turkeys, welcoming out-of-town guests and prepping their Black Friday shopping lists. But if things don’t change soon, millions could find themselves in the middle of a giant travel headache. On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration began restricting the number of flights airlines could operate, as the…

Hilton may be adding a new elite tier; lowering requirements

Among the four most popular hotel loyalty programs with TPG readers (World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards), the elite perks within the Hilton Honors program are the weakest. Part of this is surely because you can maintain top-tier Hilton Diamond status just by holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire…