December 30, 2021

Good morning from cold and rainy Los Angeles. Tomorrow is the last day of 2021 so it's worth repeating this important reminder: Make sure your airline credits don't go to waste and be sure to use any miles and points before they potentially expire tomorrow night.

If you use American Airlines' Business Extra points, know they can't be extended, so I just turned them into miles before I lost them. Pass these important tips on to your friends, family and colleagues. 

Unless you've been stranded on a deserted island, you know all anyone talks about these days is Omicron. It's everywhere and according to the New York Times, the daily average of cases in the United States is now 301,000. Yesterday it was 267,000 and on December 20 it was 143,000. So in 10 days, that number has doubled. 

On ABC News two nights ago, Dr. Jha said that number is most likely double or triple when you factor in unreported cases and I believe it, since so many of my friends are sick with it. 

No wonder airlines, hotels, cruises are having staffing issues. For the sixth day in a row, airlines are canceling or delaying hundreds of flights. Here are today's numbers, according to FlightAware.com (as of 10:22am PT): 

Total delays within, into, or out of the United States today: 3,377
Total cancellations within, into, or out of the United States today: 1,146

If you're traveling, here are my tips to help with delays and cancelations.

TSA Checkpoint Numbers
TSA officers screened 2,017,937 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, December 29. Two years ago on the same day: 2,133,253. So, we're not far off from pre-pandemic numbers but I have a feeling most of these are travelers returning home. I think the number will drop big time next week.

Passenger Quarantines in Bathroom After Testing Positive Mid-Flight
I wrote a tip a few weeks ago titled, “How To Save Tons of Money, Hassles and Headaches When Traveling During Omicron.” I wish Marisa Fotieo, a schoolteacher from Michigan, had read that post and I bet she wishes she had, too. Here's the crazy story. 

The Only Face Mask Travelers Should Be Wearing, According to Experts
Sadly, I have friends of friends who are COVID positive and are still selfishly going out and not wearing masks because they feel like everyone is going to get it so why stop their daily routine. Crazy, right? One of them even took a flight. You know there are tons of others doing the same, which is why you really need to upgrade your mask to one of these, which experts say people need to wear for effective protection.

There's plenty of travel news today as well as my travel tip of the day so please scroll down to see it all.

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— Nations rethink isolation, testing rules as Omicron sweeps globe
— As US shatters COVID case records, experts predict outlook for coming months
— Passengers not allowed to leave cruise with 69 people who have COVID
— Singapore Airlines suspends flights to Los Angeles
— Officials: Vegas fireworks show will go on, 300,000 expected
— NYC restaurant owner says business has plummeted by up to 70% as Omicron deters diners
— L.A. beach cities begin limiting in-person services due to COVID surge
— This is the best town to live in on the West Coast, according to data
— United Airlines acquires stake in travel biometrics firm Clear Secure
— Tourism industry may have to live off domestic travel until the fall, says minister
— Royal Guard bumps into and walks over young boy in his way in viral video
— How much money YouTubers with 1 million subscribers make
— 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 the past seven days!)

You Can Visit U.S. National Parks for Free on These 5 Days in 2022
Planning on visiting any of the U.S. National Parks in 2022? Then take note of the five days in 2022 on which all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. These dates are also good to know if you want to avoid the crowds.  

Should the U.S. Pause Cruising? A Senator is Urging the CDC to Do So 
According to TIME: “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection identified 89 cruise ships with COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, nearly all of which have met the threshold for a formal investigation." This has garnered the attention of a US Senator, who tweeted that it's time for the CDC & cruise lines to protect consumers and again pause by docking their ships. This has many cruisers up in arms because they feel there are a ton of other places like airports and casinos that are more unsafe. Do you think cruises should be paused? Read the story and leave a comment here. 


Travel Quote of the Day
“Do you know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are? Anchor chains, airplane motors and train whistles.” ~ George Bailey

Travel Tweet of the Day
@SweeneyABC: Wild stat from CDC: Between Nov 30 and Dec 14, 162 COVID-19 cases were reported to CDC by cruise ships operating in U.S. waters. Between Dec 15-29, 5,013 COVID cases were reported to CDC, 31 times the number of cases from the first two weeks of Dec to the last two weeks of Dec.

Credit Card News/Offers for Travelers
-This top travel credit card earns 2x miles on EVERY PURCHASE, comes with TSA PreCheck, and has an excellent 60,000-mile bonus. Here's the credit score you'll need for it.

Travel Contests
-United Cruises - 1,000,000 Mile Sweepstakes (Dec 31)
-Win a trip to Puerto Rico, Florida, or St. Croix (Dec 31)
-Win an eight-day Viking cruise for two (Dec 31) 
-Win a 5-Day 4-Night Retreat in a Tropical Paradise (Jan 3)
-Win a Caribbean cruise for two (Jan 16)
-Win a five-night getaway for two to the Dominican Republic (Jan 17)
See all contests here.
In Case You Missed It  
Air Travel Tips
-Warning to Travelers with Clear, TSA PreCheck and Elite Status
-How to Get Free Upgrades and Points on American Airlines
-A Brilliant Trick to Save Huge on Airfares
-A Simple and Genius iPhone Hack to Track Flights.
-Toronto Pearson Airport Warning 
-Sorry T+L, You Got This One Wrong – Here’s How You Can Really Get Upgraded to First Class
-Which Trusted Traveler Program Is Right For You?
-Why You May Want To Avoid This Major U.S. Airport
-The Most Unreliable Airline in North America?
-The Real Reason Flight Attendants Tell Passengers To Hold On To Their Phones During Takeoff and Landing
-The Quickest Way to Get In and Out of LAX 
-How To Make Sure the TSA PreCheck Checkmark is On Your Boarding Pass
-9 Tips For Avoiding COVID-19 On Planes and In Airports 
-8 Ways to Make Sure an Airline Doesn't Lose Your Bag ... And That You Don't Get Robbed or Stalked
-How to Speed Through Airport Security
-How To Find Out If The TSA PreCheck Lane Will Be Open
-How To Reach an Airline's Reservations Agent Without Waiting
-My Number 1 and 2 Travel Tips

Road Trip Tips
If you're planning a road trip, then be sure to follow these tips:
-Two Great Things to Keep in the Car For Road Trips
-3 Ways To Save Money on Gas
-How to Prevent Road Trip Theft
-15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2021
-How To Prevent Car Rental Companies From Ripping You Off

International Travel
-A New Vaccination Requirement All International Travelers Must Consider
-To Spain and Back: The Do’s and Don’ts While Traveling During a Covid Surge
-The Must-Have App For Travel to Europe
-12 helpful pandemic travel tips for the EU and the UK

Lodging
-And The Best Hotel In The World Is ... 

Safety
-10 Things to Have in Case of an Emergency
-How To Always Have Clean Water
-The Pocket Thermometer You Should Never Leave Home Without
-Life-Saving Car Emergency Tips 
-5 Places an Infectious Diseases Doctor Begs You Not to Go
-My Somewhat Freakish Travel Habit Might Just Save Your Life
-11 Tips for Traveling During Cold and Flu Season. 
-What I Keep In My Carry-On First Aid Kit
-The Most Dangerous Places to Be During a Lightning Storm
-Car Seat Tips For Keeping Your Children Safe
-Sadly, It's That Time Again: Where to Buy N95 and KN95 Masks