Hilarious Video: How to Keep the Seat Next to You Empty on Southwest Airlines or On a Bus or Train

12 Things to Know in Travel Today
— United Airlines cutting 12 routes from several major air hubs
— See what 4 Florida sites looked like before Hurricane Ian — and what they look like now
— Here's what a US recession might mean for Hawaiʻi
— The Delta Terminal Will Soon Have the Best Food at LAX, Full Stop
— Driver survives 300-foot fall over cliff on California's Highway 1, just south of SF
— Toronto restaurant shames customer for skipping out on $100 food tab
— Fighter jets escort Singapore Airlines flight from San Francisco after hoax bomb threat
— What Do Airport Body Scanners Really See?
— What is the difference between a street, avenue, road, boulevard, and more?
— A British Airways flight was forced to make an emergency landing after its cockpit windshield 'broke' mid-air
— Guidebook author doesn't claim to know Wisconsin better than anybody, but he just might
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers
The 72 other top travel news stories from this past week!

@TerryWardWriter: A German friend of mine is flying through Houston now back to Munich and said a random man next to her and her son at breakfast in an airport restaurant paid their meal. She said this would never happen in Germany. I told her our generosity is what makes Americans great.

Travel Video of the Day
Bill Nye explains the link between Hurricane Ian and climate change using homemade props. Watch the video here.

Travel Product of the Year

How Frequent Fliers Track Their Bags When They Travel
Demand for travel is still surging but labor shortages have created chaos for travelers around the globe. One of the many outcomes of the situation: Lost bags. Here's how frequent fliers track their bags when they travel.

Travel Contests
-Win a Grand Prize trip valued up to $35,000 + 350,000 AAdvantage miles added to your AAdvantage® account. (Oct 23)
-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

Miles & Points
-What is the best card to use while traveling? Here are a few options to consider.
-Is this the best place to start when looking for a new credit card? You can get personalized credit offers quickly with this tool: https://bit.ly/3rcv1DU
-There's a new DoorDash credit card on the horizon. Here's what we know so far: https://bit.ly/3BTMpSK
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If we told you there's a way to bring a friend or family member with you for free when you fly, you'd probably wonder if we were trying to scam you. We promise this isn't a scam. With the Southwest Companion Pass®, your designated favorite person can fly with you for free, excluding the taxes and fees of the flight, which are only from $5.60 one-way!

To earn the Pass, you must fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year OR earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. Once you've met the requirements, you'll have the Companion Pass for the following full calendar year, plus the remainder of the year the Pass was earned. So, let's say you earn the Companion Pass in February 2023. You'll have the Pass for the rest of 2023 plus 2024. That's nearly two years of free flights!

One of the easiest ways to earn the 125,000 points is with a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. All three Southwest consumer cards have the same signup bonus: earn 50,000 bonus points (after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening). All points earned on the cards, including the signup bonuses, count towards the Pass. Using your card to make everyday purchases is an easy way to rack up those points.

Additionally, Southwest is offering fall fare deals for as low as $59, which can also earn points. If you start earning now, you can time it just right so you'll get your Companion Pass in the new year. You may find that the hardest part of having the Companion Pass is choosing who to bring.

Travel Tips from Last Week:
Monday:
-10 Ways to Find Cheap Thanksgiving Flights

Tuesday:
-Frontier Airlines: "Pandemic is 100% over, enjoy 100% off your next flight!" (Expired)
-New York City Taxi Fares Are About to Get a Lot More Expensive

Wednesday:
-Hate Lines? U.S. State Department Launches Pilot Program to Renew Passports Online
-Shocking: Video Shows Passenger Punch Flight Attendant in Back of Head on American Airlines Flight to LAX

Thursday:
-2022 Leaf-Peeping: This Fall Foliage Map Helps Travelers Plan Their Autumn Road Trips

Friday:
-Every Traveler Who Watches Movies on Their Phone or Tablet Needs This
-The World’s Best Airlines Were Just Announced and Not a Single US Carrier Made the List

Saturday:
-The Hurricane App That Floridians Use and Travelers Should Too
-Leo Laporte's The Tech Guy

Recent Travel Tips
-Now That the Queen Has Died Do You Need to Exchange Your UK Bank Notes?
-What Travelers Can Learn From LA Shooting of Rapper PnB Rock
-American Airlines Eliminates its Best Online Booking Feature
-5 Reasons to Sail on the Disney Wish, Disney Cruise Lines’ Newest Ship
-Japan is Reopening and There’s an Incredible Sale to Fly There – Including in a Lie-Flat Seat
-The Travel Hack Hotels Don’t Want Guests to Know About
-The Best and Worst U.S. Airports for Finding Cheap International Flights
-How to Follow the Private Jets of Your Favorite Celebrities and Sports Teams
-Breeze Airways Now Selling Cheap Flights to Las Vegas from 11 U.S. Cities
-Discover Hidden Gems in Santa Barbara, The American Riviera
-The Time I Met Prince Charles, Princess Kate and Watched Queen Elizabeth Takeoff
-The Secret is Out! According to Google, These are the Best Times to Book Flights
-DID YOU KNOW: Tylenol and Other Over-the-Counter Drugs Are Illegal in Some Countries?
-This is Why You Should Be Extra Cautious When Transiting Through Countries You Can’t Enter
-U.S. Airline Complaints Skyrocket – Here’s Why and Tips For Avoiding the Travel Chaos
-Warning: ‘Distraction Thefts’ on the Rise and Senior Citizens are Most Vulnerable
-19 of the Best Off-the-Beaten-Path Things to See and Do in Paris
-The 3 Worst Airlines to Fly According to the New DOT Dashboard
-A Whole Family in Charge of Aircraft on Washington D.C. to Iceland Commercial Flight
-Hotel Review: The Beach Bungalow at the Del Mar Beach Hotel
-Here's How to Earn Double Hilton Hotel Points
-Why Your Electronic Devices Should Always Be Charged When Going Through Security
Hotel Guests Racing to Secure Lounge Chairs is Insane. But the Big Question is: Why Do Hotels Allow It?
-Don't Book Airline Tickets Until You've Signed Up For Fare Alerts - Here's How
-10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Needs to Know
-Move Over SeatGuru: There’s a New Sheriff In Town When It Comes to Seating Charts
-4 Hotel Hacks For Making Your Hotel Room Completely Dark So You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
-The Tape Every Traveler Should Pack Is Not Duct Tape
-Don’t Fall For It: Scammers Are Pretending to be Customs and Border Protection Agents
-10 Air Travel Pet Peeves and How To Deal With Them
-How to Save Hundreds of Dollars on Already Purchased Airline Tickets
-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

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

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.

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The Sunday Round-Up | October 2, 2022