The Sunday Round-Up | August 28, 2022 Can you believe this is the last weekend in August? Crazy, right? Speaking of crazy, like many kids, my son started school this past week, which didn't happen until after Labor Day when I was growing up in Connecticut. The good news is airports and destinations should be starting to get less chaotic and airfares are definitely going down.
As of 10:07am PT, airlines to and from the U.S. have only canceled 83 flights and delayed 1,472. Those numbers are significantly down from last week. To give you a quick example: AA has canceled only 9 flights and delayed 166. Last week, those numbers were 270 and 508. Looks like it will be mostly smooth travels today. Here's the up-to-date status and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System (see screenshot below).
There's a ton of travel news, tips and stories this week as always so scroll down to read them all, including how to potentially save hundreds of dollars on already purchased airline tickets.
And of course, please share this week's travel tips with any travelers you know who could benefit from them.
Travel Tips from This Week
Monday:
-Here's How to Earn Double Hilton Hotel Points
-What to Do: Weather Delays and Flight Cancellations
Tuesday:
-Why Your Electronic Devices Should Always Be Charged When Going Through Security
Wednesday:
-Hotel Review: Embassy Suites Niagara Falls
-Niagara Falls Canada: An Excellent Family-Friendly Getaway
-5 Weekend Getaways From Toronto
Thursday:
-VIDEO: Hotel Guests Racing to Secure Lounge Chairs is Insane. But the Big Question is: Why Do Hotels Allow It?
-Unbelievable: Chick-fil-A Charges More to Have a Bun with NO Butter
Friday:
-Don't Book Airline Tickets Until You've Signed Up For Fare Alerts - Here's How
Saturday:
-10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Needs to Know
-Leo Laporte's The Tech Guy
Hotel Review: The Beach Bungalow at the Del Mar Beach Hotel
My Del Mar Beach Hotel Beach Bungalow review is up! Check out why this place is so special and why I think we'll be back. Why You Should Book a Flytographer Photo Shoot (And a Promo Code For $50 Off)
Speaking of Del Mar Beach Hotel, I mentioned last week that we did a Flytographer photo shoot while we were there and I posted the wrong link and promo code combo. If you're interested in booking your own shoot or gifting one to someone, here's the correct link. The correct promo code is JOHNNYJET50 for $50 off your first shoot or gift card purchase.
12 Things to Know in Travel Today
— Why NASA is using Artemis I to return to the moon
— Notorious 'ballhawking' baseball fan causes another controversy trying to catch more home runs
— United flight diverted from Tel Aviv landing after small drone enters its path
— 2 Air France pilots suspended for 'totally inappropriate' mid-flight brawl
— Turbulence on Florida to Utah flight injures 3 passengers
— Strike cancels 60 flights at Portugal's Lisbon airport
— Hiker falls to his death at the Grand Canyon
— Mesa Airlines just increased entry-level pilot pay by 118% to $100 an hour
— One body found in Mexico resort believed to be missing radio host
— Mexico lures visitors on new age tourism trail
— Italian government offering $14,950 to anyone who moves to Sardinia
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers The 72 other top travel news stories from this past week!
Travel Quote of the Day
“Quit your job, buy a ticket, get a tan, fall in love, never return.” ~ Island Company
Travel Tweet of the Day @UberFacts: Colombia now has a wild hippo problem, thanks to Pablo Escobar
Four of his pet hippos escaped following his death, and they've spent decades multiplying to no end.
Weather NWS: Widely scattered severe thunderstorms are forecast this afternoon and evening across parts of the Upper Midwest. Damaging wind gusts, large hail, and a tornado or two are possible. Elevated to critical fire weather is possible today from southern Idaho to the Nebraska Panhandle.
Travel Product of the Summer
AirTag Used to Help Florida Police Arrest Airline Worker in Connection to Stolen Luggage
Insider ran a story today about a Florida airline worker being charged in connection to the theft of over $16,000 worth of luggage. The suspect was caught with the assistant of one victim's Apple AirTag, which she kept in her luggage. Yet another reason why Apple AirTag or Samsung SmartTag are the travel product of the summer!
Miles & Points
There's an easy way to earn rewards on streaming services and online purchases.. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express gets unlimited 6% cashback on select U.S.. streaming subscriptions.. If you subscribe to The Disney Bundle (which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+), you can get $7 back every month on an eligible subscription with your Blue Cash Preferred Card (enrollment required).. Football season is around the corner, and this is a perfect time to take advantage of this benefit. It also earns 6% cash back at U.S.. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).. New cardholders can earn a $350 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
Alternatively, the $0 annual fee Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express comes with the ability to get 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, at U.S.. supermarkets, and at U.S.. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.. Getting 3% back is great news if you need school items, everyday household goods for the family (including your pets), or even if you're getting a head start on your holiday shopping. Retailers include Amazon, Walmart, drug stores, book stores, toy stores, pet stores, sporting goods stores, and more. Here are 20 reasons to get the Blue Cash Everyday Card if you need further information.
There are a few other American Express travel offers, including dining events and new ways to enjoy the $120 annual American Express® Gold Card dining credit.. These cards can set you up for the rest of 2022.
My Summer 2022 East Coast Trip Reports
-Trip Report: Los Angeles to New York on American Airlines Flagship Business
-Delamar Hotel in Greenwich, CT
-Watch Hill Inn in Rhode Island
-Hotel Review: Weekapaug Inn
-Trip Report: New York to Toronto
-My Wife Got Randomly Selected For Covid Testing on Arrival at YYZ
-Trip Report: Toronto to Niagara Falls, NY for NEXUS/Global Entry Appointment
-Trip Report: First Class From YYZ-LAX via DFW
Travel Tips from Last Week:
Monday:
-Move Over SeatGuru: There’s a New Sheriff In Town When It Comes to Seating Charts
Tuesday:
-4 Hotel Hacks For Making Your Hotel Room Completely Dark So You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Wednesday:
-The Tape Every Traveler Should Pack Is Not Duct Tape
Thursday:
-Don’t Fall For It: Scammers Are Pretending to be Customs and Border Protection Agents
Friday:
-10 Air Travel Pet Peeves and How To Deal With Them
Saturday:
-How to Save Hundreds of Dollars on Already Purchased Airline Tickets
-Leo Laporte's The Tech Guy
Recent Travel Tips
-This Travel Hack Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars When Booking Flights
-L.A. Hotels May Be Forced to House the Homeless in Vacant Hotel Rooms – And Could This Be a Good Thing for Consumers?
-Heads Up: Many American Airlines Flight Credits Are Set to Expire So Use Them or Lose Them
-12 Things to Know Before Going to Paris
-5 Things a Hotelier Says She Would Never Do at a Hotel
-Insane Video: This Greek Island Might Be the Best Place in the World for Plane Spotting
-How To Save $50 on Southwest Airlines Flights
-Maui is Paradise But Their Airport Isn’t - Here’s How to Avoid the Chaos at Kahului Airport
-Don't Travel Without Downloading This App
-What Travelers Can Learn from Brittney Griner’s Sentencing in Russia
-The Secret Site Where Users Can Find Global Entry, Nexus and Sentri Appointments
-Don’t Let the Airlines Lose Your Bag – Ship Them Instead
-Cybersecurity and Fraud Expert Shares Tips on How Not to Get Scammed When Traveling
-How to Connect Safely and Securely to Hotel or Rental WiFi
-How to Get A Helping Hand at the Airport -15 Tips for Surviving a Long Flight -My New Favorite Travel App
-American Airlines Passenger Caught Stealing $10,000 – Here’s How To Prevent In-Flight Theft
-Why You Might Want to Get an Apple AirTag or Samsung SmartTag Keychain or Holder -How to Sit Next to a Celebrity on Your Next Flight -A Flight Attendant’s Tips to Stay Safe in a Hotel
-Airports Around the World Are Recommending Travelers Do This -How to Sleep on a Plane -Don't Try This for the First Time on a Plane
-Woman Claims She Was Kicked Off American Airlines Flight for Having Abnormally Large Breasts
-Taylor Swift’s Clever Tip for Flying Southwest Airlines
-How to Get Your Travel Credits Extended
-12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees
-How to Save Money With a Secret Carry-On
-Warning: Summer Travel is Going to Be Chaotic - Here's Why and Here's How to Minimize the Chaos
-If an Airline Severely Delays or Cancels Your Flight, Are They Obligated to Cover Your Hotel Accommodations?
-How To Reach an Airline's Reservations Agent Without Waiting
-8 Ways To Make Sure An Airline Doesn’t Lose Your Bag
-10 Airport Security Hacks
-How to Get the Exit Row For Free
-How to Track Airfares By Signing Up for Fare Alerts
-17 Ways to Find Cheap Flights -How to Get Upgraded to First Class
-Econophobia: Fear of Flying Coach
-JohnnyJet.com Booking Tool
Family Travel
International Travel
Cruising
-An Important Travel Tip for Cruise and Tour Group Passengers
Road Trips/Car Rentals -One of the Worst Decisions Travelers Can Make
-You Can Visit U.S. National Parks for Free on These 5 Days in 2022 -15 Tips To Renting A Car in 2022
-Two Great Things to Keep in the Car For Road Trips
-The New Transportation App Hawaii Travelers Should Download
-Never Forget Your Room Number or Parking Spot Again
-How To Prevent Car Rental Companies From Ripping You Off
-The Quick Way Thieves Are Trying To Ruin Your Trip
-How To Find Cheap Parking
Lodging
-Bring This to Avoid Hotel Room Accidents When You Travel
-When Searching Hotels Don't Make This Common Mistake
-How to Find a Hotel Pool to Cool Down in on a Hot Day
-How To Avoid Vacation Rental Scams
-Don’t Fall For These Hotel Scams
-How to Enjoy Great Hotel Pools Without Booking a Room or Jumping the Fence
-The First Thing You Should Do When You Check into a Hotel Room
-14 Reasons to Stay at Town and Country in San Diego
-If An Airline Puts You Up At a Hotel, Don’t Expect This
-The 5 Questions I Always Ask Hotel Front Desk Agents
-My Terrifying Hotel Fire Experience and Tips I Learned from It
-3 Ways to Get a Refund on a Nonrefundable Hotel Room
-Travel Hack: How to Quietly Shut Your Hotel Room Door to Sneak Out
-When To Stay At An Airport Hotel
-Paying It Forward: The Trick To Ensuring The Next Guest Gets Clean Sheets
-The Truth About Hotel Room Key Cards
-Don't Fall For This Hotel Scam
-Book with Expedia or Priceline
Popular Stories -The Simple Trick to Try When Your Computer Won't Connect to the Internet
-5 Tips For Traveling With Medications
-Mugged in Europe: Tips To Help You Travel Safe
-Rick Steves Pickpocketed In Paris -- Here's How To Prevent It From Happening
-Always Wear This When You Travel To Keep Valuables Safe
-10 Things You Don’t Need to Pack
-10 Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Airplane Habits: Are YOU Guilty?
-Fallen Soldier on My Delta Flight
Good To Know
-If You Use Apps When You Travel Don't Make This Rookie Mistake
-Should You Tip on Takeout?
-Record Numbers of People are Traveling and Thieves Know It – Here’s How to Protect Your Home While You’re Away
-The Super Cool iPhone Feature You Didn't Even Know You Had
-Welcome to Alaska: Caution – Construction Zone
-Don’t Forget to Do This Every Time You Check Out of a Hotel/Rental
-The Easiest Way to Digitize Your Old Photos
-Sexual Assault on Airplanes is Increasing. Here’s How to Protect You and Your Loved Ones from Being a Victim
-Bill Murray and I Have Similar Advice for Couples About to Get Married
-Driving Tour Apps That Are Essentially a Private Guide at a Fraction of the Cost
-Don’t Bring These Types of Souvenirs Home
-Why I Always Travel With These
-Travel Sleep Hack
-Bet You Don't Know What an ATM Skimmer Looks Like
-The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know
-WARNING: Watch Out for This Email Phishing Scam Pretending to Be From American Airlines
-Don't Fall For These QR Code Scams
-Traveling? Doctor Recommends These Face Masks
-This Travel Trend Isn't Going Anywhere in 2022
-An Obvious Resource That Many Travelers Don't Take Advantage Of
-How Not to Get Scammed by the Bad Guys
-Backup Your Photos Before It's Too Late
-The Best Times to Capture Photographs While on Vacation
-The Essential Email Reminder Service I Use To Manage My Life
-How To Check Hospitalization Numbers
-The Trick to Preventing Items In Your Car From Getting Stolen
-A Lifesaving Tip
-How to Use Your Phone As a Remote Control
Safety/Health
-What I Keep In My Carry-On First Aid Kit
-The Massachusetts State Police Issue Important Reminder for Travelers and Pet Owners
-Get Rid of Bug Bites Naturally With the Bug Bite Thing
-How To Check Hospitalization Numbers of Your Destination
-Should You Change Your Travel Plans Because of Monkeypox?
-This Simple Tip Could Save Your Life
-How Travelers Can Protect Themselves from This Type of Theft
-Violent Crime Targeting Wealthy Increasing – Here’s How Travelers Can Protect Themselves
-We're All Done With Covid But Covid Isn't Done With Us - Here Are 3 Things You Should Still Do
-3 Things to Know About Surviving a Nuclear Bomb
-How to Prevent In-Flight Thefts
-How This Can Make or Break Your Trip
-Travel Adapters for International Travel
-ALWAYS Leave This At Home When You Travel
-This Travel Gadget Will Help You Sleep Worry-Free
-The New International Signal For Help
-These Straps Will Prevent Sore Ears from Wearing a Mask
-4 Things Bradley Cooper Did Wrong Before NYC Subway Knifepoint Hold Up -The Portable Air Purifier I Now Travel With to Ensure Clean Air
-What I Keep In My Carry-On First Aid Kit -What I Now Pack When Traveling To Fend Off Dehydration
-How to Find a Doctor While Traveling
-How to Save Big On Prescription Drugs at Home and on the Road
-My Somewhat Freakish Travel Habit Might Just Save Your Life
-The Health Tool You Need at Home and On the Road
-A Tool I'd Never Heard of But Have Now added To My Travel Health Kit
Food/Shop
-The best pasta sauce is on sale
-Ted Lasso's Secret Biscuit Recipe is Out
Travel Gadgets/Products
Just For Fun
-The Internet's Most Unique Clock Has a Travel Angle
-If You Love Travel and Geography, Then You’ll Love This Wordle-Inspired Game
-How to Go Birding Without Leaving Your Couch
-Test Your Airport Code Knowledge with Airportle
-The Word Game You're Going to Want to Play Right Now
-How to Watch Huell Howser's Travel Shows
-Hands Down the Best Beach Toy for Kids
-The Best Airplane Toy For Any Kid
Face Masks
-How to Prevent Sore Ears Caused By Face Mask Straps
-What to Know Before Wearing an N95 Mask
-The Best Face Masks for Flying During COVID-19
-8 Accessories to Make Wearing Face Masks More Comfortable, More Hygienic and More Pleasant to Wear
Destination Guides
-Big Bear, California
-The California Town You’ve Probably Never Heard of But Should Definitely Visit
-Catalina Island
-12 Things To Know Before Going To The Hollywood Bowl
Podcast/YouTube
-What's it Like For an American to Travel to Thailand Right Now (April 2022)?
-39 Travel Questions with Captain Sandy from Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean
-Talking International Travel, Mexico and Day of The Dead with Tech Guru Leo Laporte
-39 Travel Questions: Samantha Brown
-39 Travel Questions with Josh Gates
-39 Travel Questions with Andrew McCarthy
My 2022 Hawaii Trip Reports 🌈
-Los Angeles to Honolulu in United Polaris
-10 Reasons to Stay at Hilton Hawaiian Village
-12 Reasons to Stay at the Ritz-Carlton Waikiki
-Honolulu to Los Angeles in Hawaiian Airlines Economy Comfort
-The Best Coach Seats To and From Hawaii
-How to Save Money and Travel in Comfort to Hawaii
Travel Contests
Win a seven-night Caribbean cruise for two (Nov 14)
Win an eight-day Viking river cruise for two (April 30, 2023)
See all contests here
Want to cruise?
If you’d like to speak to an agent, we’ve partnered with Cruise Planners—a top-rated travel agency—to help you plan your perfect trip. Contact Mike Gelman (1-800-724-5868) and tell him Johnny Jet sent you!
P.S. As always, thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! I hope you like it and you share with your friends, family and colleagues so they can subscribe to either my bi-weekly newsletter or Daily Travel Tip.
Travel Products
Tourists in Bahamas Killed by Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – Here’s How to Protect Yourself
Last month, three American tourists were found dead at a Sandals resort on the island of Exuma in the Bahamas. Autopsy results revealed that carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause. Here's how to protect yourself.
Travel Hack: How To Use Your Wireless Headphones to Watch In-Flight Movies
And if you do invest in a pair of Apple AirPods or already own a pair, you'll want to try this travel hack to wirelessly connect them to the airplane's inflight entertainment system. Read more here.
Book a Flytographer Photo Shoot
Every year, I tell my wife that I don't want anything for Father's Day. Time with my family is all I need. But this year, I said I'd like some framed family photos hung on our walls. Our best photos are from Flytographer shoots that we've done around the world and they're such great memories. So, if you're looking for a gift idea for your husband or father, consider booking a Flytographer shoot on your travels or in your hometown. If he's anything like me, he'll love it and cherish the photos for years to come. Use our affiliate link to get $25 off your first shoot. |
