September 30, 2021

Happy last day of September! I hope you had a great week, too. Last week, we rented a house in Palm Springs but I've been a little slow getting the post out for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was my wife's birthday yesterday and we're on the road again. Stay tuned for the story in this Sunday's newsletter. 

Speaking of The Sunday Round-Up, I always like to add a new story or tip to it to provide you with more value. I wrote a post at the last minute about a really cool Wild Wild West-type town I'd just visited because it was fun for everyone and I had some great photos to share, including the one above. The next thing I knew, the story had gone viral. Google News picked it up because over 100,000 people read the story. It was a great surprise. 

Other stories I wrote this week that are even more important are:

An Incredible Airline Status Match Opportunity You Won't Want To Miss
If you've been reading my posts over the course of the pandemic, you know there's an airline that I've ragged on frequently for their treatment of customers. Well, with this fantastic new promotion, they're (sort of) making up for it. Read the story here. 

Why You May Want To Avoid This Major U.S. Airport
There are a lot of reasons to avoid this major U.S. airport but this one might be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Here's what you need to know. 

The Must-Have App For Travel to Europe
Whether you've already got a trip to Europe booked, are planning one or are just thinking about it, I suggest you download this app to help you plan the smoothest trip possible. Read the story here.

TODAY'S TRAVEL TIP
Today's travel tip builds on yesterday's tip about the app you need to download for traveling around Europe (one tip above). My buddy Steve Grant just returned from a multi-week, multi-country trip to Europe. So I asked him for his advice about traveling to Europe during COVID-19. Here are his 12 helpful pandemic travel tips for the EU and the UK.

Use Your Airline Miles Now
In other travel news, according to TripIt, airline point usage peaked in June 2021, with users spending 87.4M total points with global airlines. In fact, point usage between March and June 2021 increased by: 
-387% for American Airlines 
-125% for Delta Air Lines 
-76% for JetBlue Airways.

I believe it since I cashed in a ton of miles this year and the reason why, besides money being tight is that I didn’t worry about trying to buy tickets to attain elite status again. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to fly enough or that the airlines would just re-gift it. If you have miles, now is the time to start using them. I was able to find great business class deals on American Airlines for next June. Four tickets cost what one normally does. I can almost guarantee you those deals will be long gone. 

WGN Radio Segment
On Tuesday, I was up early doing Bob Sirott's morning drive on WGN radio. You can listen to my travel segment here.  

Credit Card Offers For Travelers
These Marriott credit cards are offering bonuses of up to 125,000 points AND 2 bonus Free Night Awards, plus so much more.
 
 
12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts within national park
— Police said they have detained an American Airlines passenger who walked on the wing of a plane after it landed in Miami
— New U.S. COVID cases are down 20%. See how your state is doing
— aha! launches eight nonstop flights from Reno-Tahoe Int’l Airport 
— No foreign spectators, 21-day quarantine for unvaccinated at Beijing Olympics
— All the Michelin stars awarded to U.S. restaurants in 2021
— Restrictions, vaccine requirements for Hawaii travel during COVID
— Universal Studios Hollywood to require proof of vaccination beginning in October
— The BC Centre for Disease Control identifies 23 new Vancouver flights for possible COVID-19 exposure
— Qatar Airways to fly unwanted A380s after A350 grounding
— Plane evacuated in Boston after passenger's carry-on causes small fire
— Wildlife tour operator survives attack by "jumping crocodile" in Australia
— 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!)

My Dad's COVID Update
The latest update, for those of you who have been asking or are interested, is at the bottom of this page.

Travel Contests
–Win a dream trip to Anguilla
–Win a trip for two to the Super Bowl
–Win a Windstar Cruise
–Win A Trip For 2 To Costa Rica
See all contests here

Last Week's Travel Tips/News
-Renting Out an Entire Movie Theatre is Cheaper Than You Think
-The Essential Email Reminder Service I Use To Manage My Life
-American Airlines Flagship Lounges Are Reopening And They're Now Selling Day Passes
-And The Best Hotel In The World Is ... 
-Plan Your Leaf-Peeping Trip With This Fall Foliage Map
-Car Seat Tips For Keeping Your Children Safe
-The Most Unreliable Airline in North America?

More Tips
-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 
-A New Vaccination Requirement All Travelers Must Consider
-How To Make Sure the TSA PreCheck Checkmark is On Your Boarding Pass
-9 Tips For Avoiding COVID-19 On Planes and In Airports 
-How to Never Miss A Wake-Up Call Again
-This Travel Tip Will Save You a Ton of Money and Aggravation
-Sadly, It's That Time Again: Where to Buy N95 and KN95 Masks
-Too Soon To Start Holiday Shopping? Maybe Not 
 
The Anti-Fog Wipes For Your Glasses That Actually Work
I've received multiple emails and comments thanking me for the recommendation because the wipes actually work! Just be sure to buy the anti-fog wipes. Find the links here.

In Case You Missed It  
Air Travel Tips
-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:
-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

10 Air Travel Pet Peeves and What You Can Do About Them
After my flights last month, I was reminded of some of my top pet peeves while flying. Here they are, plus what you can do about them. What are yours? Leave a comment and let me know!

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