April 14, 2024  •   View this email in your browser

Aloha!

✈️ Can you believe it's already mid-April?! Time is flying by and if you haven't purchased your flights for this summer, it's time to get cracking! Here are some of my tips for finding cheap tickets. We're in the process of finalizing our trip to Europe and are looking for some family-friendly hotels in Paris and Athens. 

🌺 We flew home from Hawaii on Tuesday. Normally, I prefer to depart Hawaii midday so I can wake up naturally, get an acai bowl, take a dip and meander to the airport instead of, well, the opposite. But arriving home at 11pm on a school night is no bueno for the little ones so the early morning flights make the most sense to get everyone back on track. It's the same method I use when I fly to the east coast. Early morning flights force you to get on Eastern Time.


🌴 Speaking of Hawaii, if you subscribe to my buddy Rich DeMuro's newsletter (you should if you don't) then you already know we ran into each other on Waikiki Beach. It just goes to show how small the world really can be. I frequently run into friends in cities but especially in airports and on airplanes so always stay on the lookout!

📱 Running into Rich, I realized I really need to spend more time posting on social media. So, if you're on TikTok, YouTube or Instagram, please follow me. While you're at it, you can also follow me on MSN and Google News. BTW: Last week's story and video about the pilot on our LAX-HNL flight, who said he 'wasn't really feeling it' and refused the aircraft, went viral. Take a read if you missed it!

🇮🇹 If you're a long-time subscriber, then you know I cherish my Italian heritage. Growing up, we would go to my grandparents' house every Sunday for lunch. The closest store-bought sauce to my grandmother's (or gravy, as she called it), and the one that tops every list of best grocery store marinara sauce, is Rao's. It's back on sale at Costco so check it out. And while you're at it, you may as well make my roasted peppers to go with your Italian dinner!

📰 Be sure to scroll down to read all of this week's travel news, tips and videos.

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In this issue:

• Today's Travel Outlook ✈️
• Travel Tips This Week ✅
• Travel Quote of the Day 💬
• Travel Thread of the Day 
• 12 Things to Know in Travel Today 🌎
• Travel Video of the Day 📺
• and more… 

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook 

As of 12:50pm PT, there have been 38 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 2,814 delayed. Here's a link to the up-to-date stats and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System Status. Here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancellations.

🧳 Monday

Double Packing: Frequent Traveler Suggests Suitcase Strategy That’s Either Bizarre or Brilliant
If an airline has ever lost your luggage, you know just how disruptive it can be to your travels. Here's an interesting trick one frequent traveler uses to make sure they don't arrive without their clothes. I'm not sure if it's bizarre or brilliant. You decide. Here's the story.

🧘 Tuesday

Is Yoga on an Airplane a Thing? Some Passengers Seem to Think So
I’ve flown millions of miles and I’ve seen a lot of crazy things, including passengers doing yoga in the airport and on a plane. But with the exception of people doing some kind of acrobatic yoga at a gate at LAX, they’ve always done it discreetly, unlike the people in these videos. Watch the videos here.

✈️ Wednesday

Former Airline Worker's Number One Flying Hack ... Besides Getting TSA PreCheck
A former airline worker shares the tip that she says is her number one flying hack (besides getting TSA PreCheck.) I wrote about this years ago but her viral video reminded me about this solid tip that everyone should know. Check it out here.

💵️ Thursday

Don’t Waste Your Precious Vacation Time Waiting in Long Lines – Here’s How To Avoid Them
I'm pretty sure everyone hates wasting time in long lines - at home but especially on vacation. Here's how to avoid long lines at many establishments. 

⚠️ Friday

The 10 Most Frequently Found Items (and the Most Expensive!) at the Unclaimed Baggage Center
Have you ever wondered where lost luggage goes when it can’t be reunited with its rightful owner? It usually ends up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center (UBC) in Scottsboro, Alabama after a three- to four-month period. Read the story. 

💼 Saturday

6 Expert Tips From the Unclaimed Baggage Center For Avoiding Lost Luggage
If you read yesterday's post about The 10 Most Frequently Found Items (and the Most Expensive!) at the Unclaimed Baggage Center (UBC), then you will really appreciate their advice on how to reduce the risk of your items winding up in their shop. UBC has 53 years of experience in handling lost and unclaimed suitcases. Here are their tips to help travelers avoid lost luggage.

📺 Travel Videos of the Week

Insane: Illegal Tow Truck Tries to Hook and Lift Car With Couple In It While Stopped at a Red Light in San Francisco
This video just happened to be captured by a pedestrian and thankfully it was ... otherwise you wouldn't believe that something like this could happen. Watch the video here.


How to Avoid Long Lines
I made this video from a trip to my favorite place to get an acai bowl in Waikiki. Check it out here.


The VP Has ‘Had It’ With Shoeless, Sockless People on Airplanes
Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on the ‘I’ve Had It’ podcast and she shared her funny thoughts on an air travel hot topic: Passengers taking their socks and shoes off on airplanes. Check it out here.

🎁 Travel Product of the Week

Amazon's Best Gadgets and Gear For Travelers
Check out some of the best gadgets and gears from Amazon here.

🌎 12 Things to Know in Travel This Weekend

1 Israel reopens airspace as airlines cancel flights due to Iran attacks
2 El Al and Arkia to cancel their flights due to the Iranian attack
3 Middle East tension: how worried should airline passengers be?
4 Pittsburgh bridges reopen after 26 barges break loose
5 United launches preferred seat type waitlist feature 
6 Eric Moody, British Airways pilot who kept his cool when an ash cloud cut all four engines – obituary
7 L.A. public health officials issue measles exposure warning for Universal Studios, other locations
8 Delta increases Miami lounge capacity by more than 50 per cent
9 Outdoors: What should you do if you're bitten by a rattlesnake?
10 MAS reroutes flights to avoid Iranian airspace amid Middle East tension
11 Revealed: the European cities with the cheapest (and most expensive) pints
12 How an airplane toilet works at 40,000 feet: The extraordinary science behind everyday flying
Read it all here as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!

✅ Currency Exchange           ✅ Calendar Countdown

✈️ Miles and Points

💳  Chase has just introduced an exciting new bonus for the “no annual fee" Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. You can still earn up to 75,000 points, but the monthly spending required to earn that bonus has been slashed in half! This adjustment makes the offer much more attainable for the average small business. You can combine these points with the Sapphire Preferred, Reserve, and Ink Preferred for Ultimate Rewards travel redemptions or transfers.

Moreover, for those with substantial business expenses, there's an opportunity to earn even more points. By holding the Ink Cash and a Chase Business Checking account (which has a $400 bonus) at the end of your first year, you'll receive a one-time 10% bonus on all the points earned during that initial year.

Be sure to check out our latest post for comprehensive details on this new offer from Chase!

-Our Favorite Credit Card Rewards to Earn in 2024