Thursday, May 13, 2021

Greetings from Florida! Last week, I wrote a post sharing the news that I was planning to surprise my dad at his senior home, since we're now both fully vaccinated. Well, today's the day! It's been a long 447 days of not seeing each other but it's felt much longer for him since he's been alone (and lonely) in a senior community.

New Hotel In Delray Beach, Florida
I haven't seen him yet because I got in late last night. I checked into the swanky Opal Grand Resort to check it out since it was recently converted from the Delray Beach Marriott. The location will always hold a special place in my heart and here's why (scroll down to the last paragraph of the story to find out and read about the hotel.)

First Class on American Airlines 777-300
Since I didn't pay the $29 for WiFi on my four-hour and five-minute flight, instead I worked offline, writing a detailed post about my whole travel experience. Yesterday was my first time being at LAX in over a year and my first time ever flying First Class on American Airlines' plush 777-300 aircraft. FYI: I cashed in just 34,000 miles for the awesome seat, which normally goes for three to four times that price. Here's a detailed description of my travel day, from the airport to the seat and how to get it so cheap!

World Map Mask
BTW: If you like the World Map mask that I'm wearing above, it's an inexpensive find available on Amazon. My buddy Harvey turned me onto it.
There's lots of news in the travel industry this week so scroll down to see 12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today.
Deals of the Day
10% off Anker PowerStrip Pad with 5ft Extension Cord
This portable power pad offers high-speed charging and its compact design makes it ideal for travelers. Don't you hate when there aren't enough outlets in your hotel room, especially bedside?
36% off 2-Pack Tempered Glass Screen Protector
When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, why not spend a couple of bucks protecting its fragile screen?
40% off Amazon Smart Plug
In case you missed it yesterday, this is a great deal that's still 40% off. Save $10 on Amazon Smart Plugs, which are amazing for travelers since you can schedule lights, fans, and appliances to turn on and off automatically, or control them remotely when you’re away.
Limited Time Deal: 15% off Anker Slim Portable Charger
Flight attendants say they never travel without this gadget and neither should you. This portable charger is slim and lightweight and will ensure your phone never runs out of juice when you're on the go. (I use the Nimble!)
The Carry-On Essential You Never Thought of Packing
One of my favorite parts about interviewing frequent travelers for my podcast and YouTube channel is learning how they travel and discovering their best travel tips. The latter is usually my last question in any given interview and it always provides readers, viewers and myself with valuable travel information. I recently interviewed Laura Davidson, a New York City-based PR maven and her best travel tip really surprised me; it's something I'd never thought of before. But it's brilliant, cheap and effective. Find out what she says she always carries in her carry-on bag.
How to Avoid Paying Baggage Fees For Your Surfboard
I have countless friends who surf often, including when they travel. However, one thing they don’t like is trekking their board to and from airports and most of all, paying extra baggage fees. Airlines differ in price depending on the length and weight of the board and the destination but typically, checking a surfboard costs $150 each way. Here's how to avoid that steep fee.
Good News For UA Passengers and All International Travelers
United and Abbott today announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration to use Abbott’s BinaxNOW COVID-19 Home Test to help make the international travel experience more seamless. These tests can be used by all travelers not just United passengers. This is all thanks to the CDC recently updating its guidelines to permit travelers to self-administer a rapid antigen test under the real-time supervision of a telehealth service and use the verified negative test result to board an international flight to the U.S. if they test negative. The tests take 15 minutes and can be completed anytime, anywhere. Read the story here and find out where you can buy the tests for under $25.
Can You Bring Frozen Liquids Through Security?
Yesterday, I received the following question from a reader: “Question on water bottles: I’ve heard that one can freeze a bottle of water and then it is eligible to go through TSA. Is it true?” It’s a great question and here’s the answer.
12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— A maskless airline passenger blew his nose into a blanket. He now faces a $10,500 fine
— CDC lifts some mask rules for vaccinated cruise passengers
— Three biggest U.S. airlines are suspending flights to Israel
— These 2 vaccines are effective against the new India variant, study finds
— Heathrow warns flights may be diverted to other airports
— Carnival Cruise Line cancels most sailings through July, but remains hopeful for sailings in Florida, Texas
— Airport security accidentally make woman remove her wig in viral video
— Two foreign tourists banned from China's Great Wall after trespassing on undeveloped section
— EU seeks bans on India travel; WHO overhaul Urged: Virus update
— Flying to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket is surprisingly cheap this year as wealthy people look for summer escapes
— If you're not a 'high value' tourist, some places don't want you any more
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers
(Read it all here in today's travel news round-up as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!)
Travel Credit Card of the Week
New LTOs! Earn up to 180,000 points to use at these hotels, plus free weekend nights, Diamond elite status, and more with these new hotel credit card offers.
In Case You Missed It
15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2021
This post is chock-full of rental car tips since there's a shortage and prices are through the roof. Here are my 15 tips for renting a car.
Avelo Airlines Inaugural Flight
I flew on Avelo Airlines' inaugural flight! Here’s what it was like and where we went.
Avoid SFO During These Times
There are runway closures at this major US airport that will cause some delays for the next several months so it's best to avoid it if possible, during these times. Here's the story.
3 Websites To Cross-Reference Before Traveling Internationally
In light of the European Union now saying that they’ll welcome vaccinated Americans this summer, I recommend that before you travel internationally, you also consult these three websites.
How I'm Protecting My CDC Vaccination Card
Last week, I wrote about using a protective sleeve to protect your vaccination card and so many of you were interested but they were sold out. Update:Amazon has them back in stock and ready to ship in a couple of days.
Tips for Traveling to Hawaii During COVID