September 9, 2021

Good afternoon from Los Angeles! I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend. We went to the beach to see the sunset (above) on Monday but I was busy working most of the time since there was so much travel news.


I also did a number of interviews including: Leo Laporte's The Tech Guy (I do it every Saturday at 12:30pmPT), Chicago's WGN Radio with Bob Sirott and ABC 7 San Francisco (I'm 24 minutes into the clip). 

If you don't feel like watching the interviews, here's a closer look at all the topics I covered:
-Entry Rules For All 27 Countries In the European Union
-10 Good Reasons To Postpone Your Hawaii Trip
-15 Ways to Save Money, Time and Hassles When Renting A Car
-10 ways to find cheap Thanksgiving flights 

My Dad's COVID Update
There's both good and bad news on my dad. He's ok but he could be better. The latest update, for those of you who have been asking or are interested, is at the bottom of this page.


Remembering 9/11
Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I remember that day vividly since I was in New York City. Rereading what I wrote the day after the tragedy and the emails from my readers from that week (yes, I've been sending this newsletter that long; I started in 1995) brought back so many memories. And the stories from travelers really showed it was the best and the worst time in the USA.

Be sure to read the email from a friend who told how he'd just gotten in the elevator of one of the Twin Towers when the first plane hit. It's chilling. Here are the stories. If you would like to share your experience traveling on September 11, 2001, please leave a comment on this post. 

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— United Airlines staff who are granted religious exemptions to vaccine mandate will be put on unpaid leave
— A woman was late for her flight. So she told airline workers there was a bomb on the plane
— Jamaica travel: CDC, State Department alerts say avoid travel
— Bill Gates' investment firm to take control of Four Seasons in $2.21 billion deal
— Sidewalk diners robbed at gunpoint on Melrose in terrifying incident caught on video
— Alaska Airlines teams with Russell Wilson on priority-boarding promotion
— Hawaii hospitals run out of ICU beds, scramble to bring in extra oxygen
— 3 Vermont troopers resign over fake COVID-19 vaccine cards allegations 
— Qantas flight attendant dons uniform for the first time since pandemic
— Welcome to 'The Booth,' Virgin Atlantic's new in-flight lounge space
— Cathay Pacific to close London pilot base, review U.S. bases
— Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to return in full, with crowds and balloons
— 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!)
 
Today's Travel Tip: Yowza! Southwest Airlines Offering Incredible Deal
Speaking of cheap flights ... you won't want to miss this incredible offer from Southwest Airlines which ends tonight.

Credit Card Offers For Travelers
Several exciting credit card offers are available for September, including the 100,000 point offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the best offer ever for the popular travel card. You can also earn up to 180,000 points at major hotels or 100,000 points with these top travel credit cards, perfect for a relaxing getaway close to home or maybe a little further away at a luxury resort. Plus, you'll find that many of these cards earn points/miles on everyday spending, making it easier to earn rewards. 

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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 
 
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.

Too Soon To Start Holiday Shopping? Maybe Not
I've read multiple reports that finding toys this year might be like trying to get toilet paper and Clorox wipes in 2020. If you want to save some time, money and aggravation, consider this your official warning. Here's what you need to know as well as some of our top toy picks.

Travel Contests
–Win a trip for two to the Super Bowl
–Win a Windstar Cruise
–Win A Trip For 2 To Costa Rica from Ricante Hot Sauce!
–A chance to win over $3,000 in adventure travel gear
See all contests here

More
How to Never Miss A Wake-Up Call Again
When you're staying at a hotel and don't want to miss a flight or important meeting, use this trick to make sure you never miss an important wake-up call. 

This Travel Tip Will Save You a Ton of Money and Aggravation
This tip will save you a ton of money and aggravation if you just do one simple thing. Here's the tip.

Sadly, It's That Time Again: Where to Buy N95 and KN95 Masks
This is something I hoped I would never have to recommend again, but unfortunately, I do. And as we head into the fall, now is the time to get them before they get expensive and difficult to find. Read the story here.

The Trick to Getting Out of LAX and Other Airports Quicker During Rideshare Shortage
Here's the trick to getting out of the airport quicker.

Always Travel With This To Save You Time, Money and Embarrassment
Read the story here.

Never Forget Your Room Number or Parking Spot Again
Here's the simple way to never forget your hotel room number or parking spot again.

Don't Get Suckered By Hotel and House Rental Marketers
Read the story 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