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This time last year, the future seemed bright for Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA). Tokyo was set to host the Olympics in the summer of 2020, promising a big boost in business. And the city’s Star Alliance carrier had just rolled out fantastic new business and first-class products, adding even more appeal to an already top-notch transpacific experience.Then COVID-19 hit, the Olympics were postponed and Japan closed its borders to visitors from many countries....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.We recently asked our TPG Lounge audience to share what they consider to be the best airline rewards program for international travel. Here’s a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan FTWMany TPG Lounge members answered with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, a loyalty program that’s allowed them to travel the world in top-notch business- and first-class products on Qantas, JAL, Cathay Pacific, Condor, British Airways and Icelandair....

I adore Disney World, Disneyland and most things Disney. I also love visiting Hawaii – even more than I love Disney. (Don’t tell Mickey!) So it seemed like a total slam-dunk that I would love a Disney resort in Hawaii where two of my favorites came together.Except I didn’t. At least not at first. In fact, within 10 minutes of arriving at Disney’s Aulani resort on Oahu, I thought I had made a terrible error when deciding where to end our multiweek trip to the Hawaiian Islands....

The White House on Friday announced that fully vaccinated Americans can travel at “low-risk” to themselves.The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says a person is fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last recommended dose of vaccine. The CDC also says:Fully vaccinated people can travel internationally without getting a COVID-19 test before travel unless it is required by the international destination.Fully vaccinated people do not need to self-quarantine after returning to the United States, unless required by a state or local jurisdiction....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.It’s been a long time since I applied for a new credit card. I’d guess it’s been about a year, which may be a record for me. That’s partly because I’ve just been busy (like everyone else), partly because of a dose of laziness and complacency. I had a well-stocked wallet of rewards credit cards, and with the realities of Chase 5/24 and more, you have to be extremely choosy when getting new cards if you’ve been at this hobby for a while like I have....

Despite the pandemic, it’s quite easy to crown a winner for the best new airline business-class product.Sure, we’ve seen some recent innovations from the U.S. “Big 3” airlines. American recently launched a new cabin on its 787-8 Dreamliner. Delta continues to retrofit its existing long-haul fleet with Premium Select and refreshed biz seats, while United is charging ahead with its fleetwide Polaris rollout.But while the incumbents are making iterative updates to their jets, JetBlue is busy disrupting the industry once again — this time on one of the world’s busiest routes....

I’ll shamelessly admit that I’ve been running on the elite status hamster wheel for several years now.After achieving Diamond Medallion status with Delta for the first time several years ago I got a taste of “the good life.” And each year since, I’ve devised a strategy to maintain it.I won’t go into excruciating detail on how I continue to requalify for top-tier Delta status each year, and acknowledge that even with rollover Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), status extensions and now a fast-track promotion to status, it’s going to be very hard for me to requalify this year, given the backbone of the strategy has been built around finding long flights around the globe for as few dollars as possible....

01 of 20 20 Everyday Signs That Are Unintentionally Ironic Via Ranker. Many people use the expression “That’s so ironic” without knowing what irony actually is, so it’s time to drop some knowledge about the difference between “things that suck” and things that are ironic. Remember that whole “It’s like 10,000 spoons when all you really need it a knife” schtick from Alanis Morissette’s song Ironic? Yeah, that situation is not ironic; it’s just a bummer....

Firecrackers, barn doors, and battle cries, these cheers are filled with creative spirit and that’s why cheerleaders love them. When you’re looking for a really creative new cheer for your squad, add one or two of these to your list. Most work for any sport, yet we also have one that’s just for the volleyball court. A Firecracker Cheer Who doesn’t love a good “firecracker, firecracker, boom, boom, boom” cheer? They’re a ton of fun and always a guaranteed hit with the crowd....

Since I opened my first credit card nearly a decade ago, I have had a number of different cards – from cash-back cards to airline cards to premium travel cards – but it wasn’t until last year that I actually opened my first cobranded hotel credit card.I had never been much of a hotel loyalist (however, airline loyalty is another matter). Airbnb was my preferred platform and when I did stay at hotels, I typically chose based on price, not brand....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.In July 2014, The St. Regis luxury hotel chain opened its 32nd location, this time in Chengdu, China, a bustling business center in the country’s Sichuan province. The massive city of 14 million people is most well-known for its spicy cuisine and world-famous panda sanctuary, even earning the No. 3 spot on TPG’s list of top destinations to visit back in 2017....

I love that new hotel smell. Factory-fresh furniture, flawless finishes, a mattress that only dozens of other people have slept on. There are certainly advantages to staying at a brand-new property, but, as quickly became evident on my recent trip to Maui, a handful of downsides, too.After an excellent stay at Hyatt’s Hana-Maui Resort, I drove across the island to check out the AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea, the very first entry on TPG’s list of the most anticipated hotel openings of 2021....

These baked beans with ground beef and bacon are a satisfying side dish for BBQ dinners, cookouts, and more! Not only are my baked beans made sweet with brown sugar, but they are ultra-flavorful from the added smokiness of hickory-smoked bacon and liquid smoke! Once you try it, you won’t want baked beans any other way! Baked Beans With Hamburger & Bacon Now if you don’t have liquid smoke on hand, don’t sweat it....

Jump to Recipe This blackberry pie filling will surely be your new favorite way to use whole, mashed, fresh, or frozen blackberries! In just 20 minutes, you can make a sweet fruit filling that is delicious in more than just pie! Try it in your cakes, muffins, scones, or any of your favorite baked goods that could use some fruity blackberry flavor! Best Blackberry Pie Filling Recipe This blackberry pie filling is bursting with sweet, fruity flavor!...

Jump to Recipe This moist and fluffy coffee cake mug cake is an easy single-serving dessert that can be made in your microwave in just 2 minutes! It is a deliciously fluffy cinnamon cake with a cinnamon crumb topping, and it’s exactly what you need when those dessert cravings strike! Easy Coffee Cake Mug Cake Mug cakes are all the rage and it’s easy to understand why. There are so many mug cake recipes to choose from in just about any flavor you can imagine!...

Last week thousands of flights were canceled across the U.S. due to severe thunderstorms. It’s frustrating for both passengers and the airline crews who also have families and social events to get home to themselves.When it comes to Mother Nature, though, thunderstorms are not to be messed with. In addition to lightning, there are a number of factors pilots must take into consideration before deciding to fly near them.For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter....

Jump to Recipe Classic Thanksgiving side dish recipes include your all of favorite recipes that we all know and love for your holiday menu! When you imagine Thanksgiving, these are the dishes that come to mind. So choose a few (or all of them) to complete your best dinner of the year! Best Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes The best part about Thanksgiving is being able to spend time with your family and enjoy a wonderful meal together!...

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11 p....

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.For more TPG news and deals delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter here: https://thepointsguy.com/mailing-list//If you’re looking to fly to North Africa this year or next, today might be your lucky day. That’s because we’re seeing deals from US cities like New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA) and more to North African cities like Algiers (ALG), Marrakech (RAK) and Casablanca (CMN)....

If you were looking to buy a discounted piece of jewelry thanks to your Delta Medallion elite status, you may want to listen up.The Atlanta-based carrier confirmed to TPG on Tuesday that it will be removing one of its top-tier elite perks at the end of the month.Specifically, Delta will no longer offer Platinum and Diamond Medallion members access to a $200 gift card to Tiffany and Co. that was previously available as one of the airline’s Choice Benefits....