Greetings!

📰 Welcome to this week's Johnny Jet's Travel News. This is a round-up of all the stories featured in my Daily Travel Tip newsletter so if you prefer to get a daily newsletter or if you'd rather change your subscription to a weekly one, then click here. There's a lot of travel news this week and today, thanks to the thunderstorms in Dallas yesterday. Be sure to scroll down to read all of this week's travel news, tips and videos.

🏨 Hilton Honors New Double Points Global Promotion
I was in Nashville this week with Hilton Honors and while I was there, they announced their next global promotion: Double Points! From May 2 through September 2, 2024, members can earn 2X Bonus Points on all Hilton stays. Hilton Honors members can start planning and pre-register online now. It takes just 30 seconds if you know your account number and password.
✈️ Nashville to LAX
I flew back from Nashville on Friday and for my second flight in a row, there were absolutely no rude passengers around me. Surprisingly, there were 23 open seats on the 737 plane so all the frequent fliers or those who'd paid extra had a seat open next to them -- including me! I was 17D (an exit row aisle) and when I excitedly told my seatmate that it looks like we might have an open middle seat, he said, "Are you crazy, man? You can't say it out loud or you'll jinx it." I forgot that when it comes to upgrades and open seats, many frequent fliers are superstitious, like baseball pitchers during a no-hitter. LOL!
🏆 This Week's Top Travel Contests Include: "Bluey's" Brisbane Travel Sweepstakes and Ultimate Kelce Jam Experience with Travis Kelce from Hilton. The Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Sweepstakes by Marriott Bonvoy is still going on. Here's how to enter them all.

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In this issue:

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook

As of 9:10am PT, there have been 157 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 2,016 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.

🎁 Travel Product of the Week

44% off ultra compact portable phone charger
A portable phone charger is a travel must-have and this one is ultra compact, it's smaller than half the size of an iPhone and weighs just 0.48lbs. Best of all, it's currently 44% off. Check it out here

🧳 Monday

United Airlines agent suspected of scamming passenger over bag weight
There are so many scams out there these days, my head spins just thinking about them, which is why travelers have to be on the lookout 24/7 when they’re away from home. Here's a new scam to be aware of.

💺 Tuesday

How to make sure you don’t end up in the worst seat on the plane
This is a mistake that could really make or break your trip, depending on the type of person you are. It's happened to me multiple times, which is why I have some tips to prevent it from happening to you.

🤢 Wednesday

'I feel ya bro': This passenger's reaction to hacking cough on airplane is all of us
Here's what to do if the person sitting next to you on an airplane is coughing, sneezing or is just visibly very sick. Read the story.

💵️ Thursday

What travelers can learn from man who received $143,000 bill from T-Mobile after trip to Europe
A Florida man returned home from vacation to an outrageous bill from T-Mobile. Here's what happened and how to prevent it from happening to you.

💼 Friday

4 savvy ways to save over $100 on overweight baggage fees
Airlines made almost $33 billion (yes, that’s a B as in boy) last year in baggage fees, according to reporting from Forbes. Here are four savvy ways to keep that money in your bank account where it belongs.

💼 Saturday

Traveling to France this summer? Don’t leave home without knowing this important information
Thanks to contributor and Francophile Tina B, for forwarding this U.S. State Department alert. Here's what you need to know.

📺 Travel Videos of the Week

VIDEO: Dubai still at a standstill days after floods
Dubai is still trying to cope with the aftermath of recent floods. Watch the latest here.

VIDEO: Tourists pet whale at sea
I'm not quite sure what to make of this one. It looks incredible for sure ... but also dangerous and a bad idea. Watch the video for yourself here. What do you think?

VIDEO: Is this the most dangerous hike in the world?
Huashan Mountain is a mountain in China and some say the climb up is the most dangerous hike in the world. Watch the video here.

🌎 12 Things to Know in Travel This Weekend

1 Rain causes over 500 flight cancellations at DFW
2 Thousands of summer holidays at risk as Just Stop Oil plot to cause havoc at airports
3 British Airways revives flights to Tel Aviv celebrating heritage with new uniforms
4 Hawaii sounds alarm after python is discovered at Oahu home
5 Wow: Cathay Pacific still 40% below 2019 passenger numbers
6 10 injured, 1 critically after crash involving tram at Universal Studios
7 Disneyland's $1.9-billion project is latest investment in Anaheim
8 The stacks of rocks at national park trails are cairns and NPS wants you to leave them be
9 NYC airport shamed over sky high beer prices — stressed flyers forced to fork over $12.41 per cold one
10 Anne Innis Dagg, Who Studied Giraffes in the Wild, Dies at 91
11 Guy Fieri-backed drive-thru restaurant is coming to NorCal
12 Giant pandas coming to San Francisco from China
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

💳 Our favorite credit card rewards to earn in 2024