Wednesday, September 21, 2022 Greetings! The photo above is from Saturday's annual Cranky Dorkfest in the park next to the In-N-Out near LAX. It's pretty wild that about 500 people, many who flew in specially, attended a casual three-hour plane spotting event. I know some can't understand the thrill of watching widebody planes land but it has always made me excited about travel. And having a Double Double 🍔 in my big mouth is an added bonus.
🍁 FYI: Today is the last full day of summer in the northern hemisphere as the autumn equinox kicks in tomorrow at 6:04pm PT.
✈️ U.S. Air Travel Outlook Today
Good news! It looks like today is a great day to fly in the U.S. as there have only been 65 canceled flights and 1,516 delayed (as of 11:04am PT). Here's the up-to-date status and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System. Here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancellations.
Travel Tips
💻 Hate Lines? U.S. State Department Launches Pilot Program to Renew Passports Online
In early August, I wrote a post titled: HURRY: US State Department Launches Pilot Program to Renew Passports Online – Limited Time Only. I was wise to put the word “hurry” in the title because it didn’t take long for the passport agency to find 25,000 applicants willing to test out the service in the first phase of the pilot program. The program was so successful they plan to reopen it again. Here’s what you need to know.
🦃 10 Ways to Find Cheap Thanksgiving Flights
According to fare-tracker Hopper, Thanksgiving flights are going to be the most expensive they've been in five years. "Airfares will be 22% higher than in 2019, and 43% higher than last year. Fares for Thanksgiving peaked at over $400 in August, but have fallen ~9% into September as they do each year and will remain at the current level until mid to late October." So buy your tickets early and follow these tips to find cheap Thanksgiving Flights.
🚕 New York City Taxi Fares Are About to Get a Lot More Expensive
Bad news for travelers in the Big Apple. According to Timeout, "the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) just put forth a new proposal that would raise the cost of riding a New York City yellow taxi by a whopping ... " Here's what you need to know.
Travel Deals
🌴 Hawaiian Airlines Winter Sale
Want to plan a winter escape to Hawaii? Check out Hawaiian's fare sale.
🛫 Spirit Airlines Is Putting Fall Flights on Sale for as Low as $39 Each Way
Spirit Airlines' sale must be booked by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 22, is valid on travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from Sept. 27 to Dec. 14, according to the airline. Fares start as low as $39 for members of Spirit’s Saver$ Club and as low as $49 for non members. (T+L)
🏖 Hilton Waikoloa Village Brings Back the Inclusive Sale
For a limited time, travelers can book a rare, Hawaii inclusive vacation experience at Hilton Waikoloa Village. The package includes well-appointed rooms in MAKAI and Palace Tower and adds on daily breakfast, dinner, drinks, lagoon water toy rental, resort charge benefits and self-parking - all included in one nightly price. The Inclusive Sale is available to book now through Oct. 3, 2022 only, and is valid for stays Sept. 16 – Dec. 18, 2022.
Miles/Points/Credit Cards
These are two of the best travel credit cards, thanks to their ease of use and the ability to transfer rewards to travel partners. However, one comes with a $100 hotel credit, and the other earns up to 5x miles. Which is better?
Currency Exchange
€1 Euro = $0.98 USD
£1 GBP = $1.13 USD
$1 CAD = $0.74 USD
$1 AUD = $0.66 USD
¥1 JPY = $0.0069 USD
฿1 Thai Baht = 0.0269 USD | 
