Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
If you’re wondering whether a travel rewards credit card is right for you, consider your travel goals and determine which card fits your lifestyle the best and whether it’s worth paying the annual fee.
If your goal is to save on travel, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card might be a great fit since you can redeem your rewards for travel or transfer them to Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners. This card comes with a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Here’s what makes the Capital One Venture Rewards card worth it.
Capital One Venture Welcome offer
For starters, this card is currently offering new applicants 75,000 bonus miles after making $4,000 in purchases during the first three months, plus a $250 Capital One Travel credit in the first cardholder year.
THE POINTS GUY
Those bonus miles alone are worth $750 when redeemed toward travel, but potentially much more if you’re able to leverage Capital One’s various airline and hotel partners, easily offsetting the annual fee.
As such, TPG’s July 2024 valuations peg this sign-up bonus at $1,638 after you factor in the $250 travel credit.
Earning miles with the Capital One Venture
One of the top reasons many people love the Capital One Venture Rewards is its straightforward earning structure of 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on virtually anything you buy. You also don’t have to worry about miles expiring as long as you keep your account open, and there’s no limit to how many miles you can earn.
MIXMEDIA/GETTY IMAGES
One factor that makes this card so appealing is that there are no categories to memorize or quarterly bonus categories to activate — it’s an ideal card for busy people who want to simplify their earning strategy and redemption options. It’s also a great card to fill in any gaps that may exist in your reward-earning strategy.
You can redeem miles at 1 cent apiece with the fixed-value option toward eligible travel expenses charged to the card. For example, say you reserved an Airbnb for $750 for an upcoming vacation. You could redeem the 75,000 miles earned from the welcome bonus to offset the Airbnb purchase and cover the entire stay from the miles earned on your Capital One Venture.
AIRBNB
This particular redemption option comes in handy when you don’t want to jump through hoops to find award availability, or if you like to stay at non-chain hotels. This is also a popular redemption approach when you find cheap airfare and prefer to save your other valuable transferable points for more aspirational redemptions.
*Benefit available to accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard product, subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions in the World Elite Mastercard Guide to Benefits. See Account Terms or Application Terms for more details. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
The benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards card can help provide peace of mind while you travel.
Bottom line
The Capital One Venture is a favorite among travelers for a few reasons. Its simple earning structure of 2 miles per dollar makes it easy to maximize on almost every purchase. The ability to redeem miles both directly for travel at a fixed rate and to transfer to various airline and hotel partners makes it extra versatile. Then there are the value-added benefits like relatively robust travel and purchase protections, making this card a great one to carry in your wallet.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
Unless you’re a true road warrior and travel every week, the spending requirements for elite status with airlines such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are likely out of reach. Plus, status is just less valuable than it used to be. Gone are the days of complimentary upgrades for elite members, along with a number of other snazzy benefits.
If you purchase an economy-class ticket after you’ve stepped off the airline status merry-go-round, you may think you’re stuck in coach — but there might still be hope for an upgrade.
What’s changed? Airlines have gotten more aggressive about selling upgrades, even on international flights. And, in some instances, you can also use your airline miles for those upgrades.
Here’s how to check for affordable upgrades using miles or cash on your next flight with some of the world’s largest airlines.
Upgrades on American Airlines
AA business-class cabin on a flight from Paris to New York City. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
American Airlines has long offered upgrades that can be purchased with miles, and they frequently come with a cash copay.
American maintains a chart that lists the fees you can expect to pay for an upgrade using miles (as well as the cash portion). Unless you’re buying a pretty expensive economy-class ticket, you can expect a copay to apply on virtually all flights. Even with that copay, using your miles to upgrade on certain routes can be a really good use of AAdvantage miles.
Unfortunately, unless you have a systemwide upgrade in your account, you won’t be able to see upgrade inventory on American Airlines’ website. The best way to search for one is by using ExpertFlyer (a product owned by Red Ventures, TPG’s parent company).
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Recently, American has also started to offer greatly discounted cash upgrades, even on international and award flights. However, scoring one of these upgrades isn’t as easy as we might want. The most reliable way to find an upgrade is to check your reservation after ticketing on the AA website or in their app. You will often see cash upgrade offers listed under your flight details.
American Airlines upgrade offer. AMERICAN AIRLINES
The pricing for these upgrades is subject to change and can fluctuate on a daily basis. So if you don’t like the first upgrade offer you see, be sure to check back again.
Delta Air Lines is much more straightforward about using your miles to upgrade a flight. Whether you want to do so during the booking process or after making your reservation, Delta will display the cash and miles prices to upgrade your flight. In contrast to American Airlines, they won’t charge you a cash copay when using your miles to upgrade.
Unfortunately, you generally won’t find a better deal with miles versus cash. Generally speaking, Delta will offer upgrades at a price of 1 cent per point, as in the example below.
Delta upgrade offer. DELTA
You can typically find these offers both on Delta’s website and in their app. NOTE: While you may see an upgrade offer after selecting a TakeOff 15% discounted award flight, that’s really just Delta trying to get you to spend more miles. The total price of that premium seat is the same whether you book it outright or choose the “buy-up” offer after selecting a more affordable cabin.
Much like American Airlines, Delta frequently offers some pretty incredible cash upgrade offers. These are typically listed much closer to booking, meaning you may need to gamble a bit of time to find the best deal.
United Airlines Polaris business class on the Boeing 777-300ER. KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Of the three big domestic airlines with premium cabins, United Airlines is the stingiest when it comes to landing a cheap upgrade right now — there are fewer recent reports of affordable upgrades on United Airlines than on American and Delta. It’s a stark reversal from years past when United would frequently sell upgrades to members without elite status at rock-bottom prices, oftentimes at a lower price than they gave elite members.
Unlike American and Delta, United Airlines will sometimes offer a decent cash upgrade deal right after you finish booking a flight. United sometimes serves a pop-up with ridiculous cash upgrade offers on the final confirmation screen. We say “ridiculous” because every so often, the upgrade will be more expensive than the cash price of purchasing the cabin upgrade outright. Other times, it’ll be roughly the difference between the ticket you purchased and the price for the seat in an upgraded cabin. But, occasionally, you can get a pretty good deal.
Here’s the catch (there’s always a catch, isn’t there?): This offer will disappear when you navigate away from the page and typically never reappears.
United is also more complicated than its competitors when it comes to using your miles to upgrade to a better seat. It’s also worth noting that if you’re using United’s mileage pool feature, you can’t use pooled miles toward upgrade purchases.
Many routes require a cash copay along with miles, and the copay will vary based on the fare class of your ticket. United has a page on its website that allows you to determine the fee.
United Premier members are exempt from copays — except when they’re not. It’s a bit complicated, so United has a chart to walk you through it:
UNITED AIRLINES
United makes it easy to browse the upgrade options on a specific flight you have already booked. Select the flight in question from “My Trips” on their website or app (this functionality works much better on the website). You should see an option labeled “Upgrade Cabin” in the top left. Click on that, and United will display all existing upgrade options in one place.
United Airlines reservation. UNITEDUnited Airlines upgrade offer. UNITED
However, if United MileagePlus or PlusPoint upgrades aren’t available, you’ll need to regularly check this page to see if availability has changed.
One last thing. If you’re a Premier member of United Airlines, there are a few routes on which you can score a free upgrade to a Premium Plus seat.
JetBlue has a fantastic premium cabin on select flights called Mint. Mint cabins feature lie-flat seats, upgraded meals and snacks, on-demand movies and other amenities. You’ll typically find Mint cabins on flights to Europe and a handful of transcontinental routes.
Unfortunately, JetBlue doesn’t offer a true way to upgrade to Mint using your points. You can use your TrueBlue points to buy a Mint seat outright, but there’s no way to score a Mint upgrade.
However, there’s one way to perhaps get a cheap cash upgrade to Mint. On your day of departure, find an agent at check-in and/or at your gate to ask about a cash upgrade to Mint. Typical cash prices for last-minute upgrades to Mint are in the $500 range, which can be a screaming deal!
Air France business class. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
There are a handful of other airlines (some more aspirational than others) where you can find a good deal using miles or cash to upgrade your next flight. One of the best examples is Air France. Air France already provides incredible bargains on premium flights. Plus, the airline recently decided to lower the minimum number of miles needed to book business-class award flights. Air France will allow you to upgrade flights with miles, though you must call their customer service department to do so.
Lufthansa, a member of the Star Alliance, allows upgrades with miles from other Star Alliance partners. The system is a bit convoluted but still achievable. There’s no waitlist option, so your best bet is to frequently check their website if you want to snag an upgrade.
Lufthansa is also one of a number of airlines that allows you to place a cash bid for an upgrade. This is part of a growing trend that allows airlines to earn extra money off a seat that otherwise might go empty while allowing customers to score an upgrade for a lot less than the full price of a premium cabin ticket. The trick to a successful bid for an upgrade is finding that sweet spot just above what everyone else is willing to spend, which can be challenging.
Virgin Atlantic and Etihad Airways will also allow you to bid for an upgrade, but one airline (that’s admittedly less aspirational than some others) that famously offers affordable upgrade options through a bid process is … Spirit Airlines. Nobody will ever accuse the airline of dishonesty in their marketing regarding the Big Front Seat. Spirit unabashedly offers a big seat in … wait for it … the front of the plane. The offering excludes free drinks, checked bags, or bells and whistles. You simply get a big seat at the front of the plane. And, like some larger international airlines, you can bid for a cheap upgrade to one of these seats.
Bottom line
Airlines are working hard to monetize every empty seat on every flight. While that’s bad news for elite travelers hoping to score a free upgrade, investing some hard-earned cash (or miles) can be a great way to score a better seat. Savvy travelers can still find some good deals using miles or cash to upgrade flights.
However, some upgrades are just bad deals, whether it’s due to antiquated technology or algorithms that may not work in your favor. If you have some flexibility in your travel plans, a little know-how and digital legwork may help you get a better deal. Since American, Delta and United have essentially eliminated cancellation and change fees, you may be able to try a different departure date for your next flight if the price of an upgrade seems sky-high.
Lastly, bidding for upgrades has quietly gained in popularity among airlines. Don’t sleep on the opportunity to gamble for a better seat on a plane, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
Premium demand is surging, and Alaska Airlines is betting that travelers will want to splurge for premium seats for the long haul.
The Seattle-based carrier announced on Wednesday that it would add new first class and extra-legroom seats to its aircraft as part of a retrofit program covering its Boeing 737 fleet, which will add 1.3 million premium seats to its schedule each year.
The retrofit program will span over 200 Boeing 737-800, 737-900ER and 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The first plane to undergo a cabin revamp will be pulled from service for retrofitting in September, with the entire retrofit process expected to be completed by summer 2026.
ALASKA AIRLINES
You’ll find an aircraft-by-aircraft breakdown of the cabin retrofits at the bottom of this story, but highlights include adding four first-class seats to the Boeing 737-800 fleet, bringing the total to 16 new recliners in the pointy end of the jet. (This news was already announced earlier this year.)
Going forward, the only mainline jets to feature 12 first-class recliners will be some Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 737-700 aircraft. (It’s interesting that Alaska didn’t announce plans to harmonize the number of first-class seats across its 737 MAX 8 fleet, an aircraft that will presumably be in the carrier’s fleet for many more years to come. That could change as the seats on the airline’s existing MAX 8 aircraft come due for replacement.)
ALASKA AIRLINES
The retrofitted Boeing 737-800s will offer updated Recaro first-class recliners with additional legroom, a foot rest (a rare and excellent touch for domestic first-class), a seatback device holder, a winged headrest, universal power outlets and USB-C charging ports. These seats will also feature built-in cup holders, along with additional recline and larger tray tables.
ALASKA AIRLINES
No other first-class cabins are being updated with new products as part of this announcement, but Alaska is expanding its so-called Premium Class footprint. Alaska is adding six Premium Class seats on its Boeing 737-900ER and Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, increasing this cabin from 24 to 30 seats on both jets.
These extra-legroom economy seats include four additional inches of pitch compared to standard economy seats, free alcoholic drinks on flights longer than 350 miles and priority boarding.
ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska says that Premium Class and economy travelers on all the retrofitted fleets will enjoy device holders, cup holders, USB-C charging ports and winged headrests. The airline also said it will continue offering four lavatories across its Boeing fleet.
The carrier said in a statement that it decided to invest in this project “in response to growing demand from our valued guests… Our Premium Cabin performance continues to support what we believe to be a structural shift in higher demand for premium products.”
Alaska isn’t the only airline to notice an upmarket shift in its traveler profile. For years, Delta Air Lines has leaned into a premium-focused strategy that has landed it at the top of the pack among U.S. airlines across multiple dimensions. United Airlines new “Next” brand campaign launched in 2021 and is highlighted by a nose-to-tail refresh of almost the entire domestic fleet, elevating the premium experience for travelers.
In the second quarter of 2024, Alaska announced that its first-class and Premium Class revenues finished up 8% and 6%, respectively, with a first-class load factor hitting 71%.
While these new premium seats may pad Alaska’s bottom line, they should also be good news for elite travelers looking for more award and upgrade space. With a higher proportion of premium seats, Alaska Mileage Plan members might begin noticing that upgrades clear just a little more frequently than before.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 retrofit
ALASKA AIRLINES
First class: increases from 12 to 16 seats
Premium Class: retains 30 seats
Number of aircraft being retrofitted: 59
Timeline: Starts early 2025, completed by summer 2026
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER retrofit
ALASKA AIRLINES
First class: retains 16 seats
Premium Class: increases from 24 to 30 seats
Number of aircraft being retrofitted: 79
Timeline: Starts fall 2024, completed by summer 2025
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 retrofit
ALASKA AIRLINES
First class: retains 16 seats
Premium Class: increases from 24 to 30 seats
Number of aircraft being retrofitted: 80
Timeline: Starts spring 2025, completed by summer 2026
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.
Compensation can be difficult when airlines cancel flights due to weather, crew scheduling, maintenance or other reasons. However, you’ll often face steep fees when making changes or canceling your reservations. Fortunately, many airlines have permanently waived these fees for paid and award tickets.
For airlines that still impose fees, there are strategies to minimize or avoid them, such as taking advantage of schedule changes or travel waivers. Here are some tips on how you can dodge fees when changing and canceling award tickets.
Overview of change and cancellation fees
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Although legacy U.S. carriers no longer charge change fees on most tickets, some other airlines do. You must pay a fixed fee and any fare difference to switch to a different flight. These fees can vary based on the airline, fare class, destination and how far in advance you make the change.
Many airlines offer same-day changes on the same route for a fixed fee. However, same-day change fees are often waived for elite members. The advantage of same-day changes is that you likely won’t have to pay any fare difference if you switch to a more expensive flight.
As with change fees, the legacy U.S. carriers no longer charge cancellation fees on most tickets. However, if you are subject to a cancellation fee, you’ll generally receive a travel credit minus the cancellation fee.
Most major U.S. airlines do not provide refunds to your original payment method unless there are specific circumstances, like a significant schedule change. That said, on award tickets, many will refund the mileage plus any taxes and fees if you need to cancel.
Change and cancellation policies by airline
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Each airline has its own cancellation and change policies — some are more restrictive than others. Here’s a look at some major carriers and their respective policies.
Air Canada
Air Canada’s change policy for award flights is more straightforward than for paid flights, as it doesn’t vary by route.
You’ll always get free changes when booking Economy Flex, Economy Latitude, premium economy (flexible), business-class (flexible) and first-class (flexible) awards. Meanwhile, Economy Standard, premium economy (lowest), business-class (lowest) and first-class (lowest) awards have a flat change fee of 100 Canadian dollars, which is about $73 (per direction, per ticket). Change and cancellation fees are waived for Aeroplan Super Elite members.
When canceling award tickets, you’ll get your miles and taxes refunded, but the $12.50 partner award booking fee and $15 call center booking fee (for awards booked over the phone) are nonrefundable.
Same-day confirmed changes cost either $25 or $50 and are waived for MVP Gold, MVP 75K, MVP 100K, American AAdvantage Platinum Pro, American AAdvantage Executive Platinum and American AAdvantage ConciergeKey members. When available, you do not have to pay a fare difference for same-day changes. The fee is also waived for those traveling on the same reservation.
Allegiant Air
Although a low-cost carrier, Allegiant imposes a relatively reasonable $25 fee per person, per segment when you change or cancel your ticket. However, any changes or cancellations must be made within seven days of departure unless you’ve purchased Trip Flex. This add-on allows a one-time change or cancellation until one hour before departure, though you can’t add it after the fact. You must add this surcharge when you book your flight.
Miles will not be redeposited back into your account; instead, you will receive a voucher for the ticket’s value.
Check out this guide for more details on changing or canceling your American Airlines flight.
Delta Air Lines
Like American, Delta Air Lines no longer charges change or cancellation fees on flights within the U.S. or international itineraries starting in the U.S. This policy includes award tickets, though you will need to change or cancel the ticket before the scheduled departure time. You’re only responsible for the fare difference if you change to a more expensive flight. Basic economy tickets cannot be changed or canceled, as you might expect.
Check this link for more details on Delta’s change and cancellation fees.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier imposes no change fees on flights more than 60 days from departure. However, there’s a $49 change fee from 59 to seven days before departure. That climbs to a $99 fee within seven days of departure. All of these change fees are in addition to any fare difference.
Check this link for more details on Frontier’s change and cancellation fees.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian doesn’t charge change or cancellation fees on Main Cabin fares or higher. However, you are responsible for paying the mileage difference if switching to a more expensive flight.
Blue Basic tickets can be changed or canceled for $100 per person for North American flights, or $200 per person on other routes, such as to Europe. You are only responsible for paying the fare difference if you move to a more expensive ticket. You will be charged a $25 fee if you process your change or cancellation over the phone. Further, same-day changes cost $75, and the fee is waived for Mosaic elite members.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest is famous for not charging change or cancellation fees, though you’ll have to pay any difference in the fare. You can also receive a credit if the fare goes down. The credit can only be used by the person whose name originally appeared on the ticket.
However, if you change an award ticket that has dropped in price, any additional points are redeposited in the member’s account and can later be used for travel by anyone. Just note that you must cancel paid Wanna Get Away reservations at least 10 minutes before your departure time. Otherwise, you’ll forfeit the entire value of your ticket.
If you want to move to an earlier or later Southwest flight, you’ll have to pay the fare difference on a Wanna Get Away ticket. These fees don’t apply to customers booked in Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime or Business Select tickets. A-List and A-List Preferred members can take advantage of free same-day change and same-day standby benefits even on Wanna Get Away fares.
Check this link for more details on Southwest’s fare options.
Spirit Airlines
Like Frontier, Spirit has a tiered system for flight changes and cancellation fees. Modifications are free if you change your flight more than 60 days before departure. Between 59 and 31 days, you’ll pay $69; between 30 and seven days, you’ll pay $99; and within six days of departure, you’ll pay $119. Passengers who have purchased Flight Flex can change or cancel an award up to 24 hours before departure.
If you have Spirit elite status, you’re eligible for free same-day standby to an earlier flight up to one hour before a flight departs.
United Airlines
United waives change and cancellation fees for all flights within the U.S. and Puerto Rico, between the U.S. and Mexico and the Caribbean, and all international flights departing the U.S. As usual, this doesn’t apply to basic economy tickets, and you’re responsible for any fare difference. United also doesn’t charge redeposit fees when you cancel award tickets.
You must cancel your award ticket before departure or be subject to a $125 redeposit fee to receive your miles back.
The airline might be open to waiving your change or cancellation fees in certain cases.
Look for a travel waiver
Travel waivers are typically given by airlines when they expect a large number of delays or cancellations. This could be due to bad weather or natural disasters. Airlines prefer to offer flexibility to travelers ahead of time instead of dealing with last-minute changes at the airport. The details of travel waivers differ depending on the airline and the reason for the waiver, but they generally allow you to change or cancel your flights without any fees.
AA.COM
You can find travel waivers on the airline’s website. Generally, these will show at the top of the website and on the screen when you check in for your flight. The airline may even contact you if you’re eligible for a travel waiver, so keep your eyes on your inbox before you travel.
Keep an eye out for schedule changes
You may be able to avoid change and cancellation fees if your flight schedule changes after you’ve booked your ticket. For instance, if your original departure time was 1 p.m. but changes to 2:30 p.m., you might qualify for free flight changes or cancellations. Airlines often notify you of these schedule changes through email, but it’s also important to regularly check your trip details to catch any changes.
In general, many U.S. airlines offer a full refund if there is a significant schedule change to your flight’s departure or arrival time. However, each airline has its own policy regarding schedule changes.
Remember the 24-hour rule
U.S. airlines are required by law to offer refunds within 24 hours of booking if the flight is more than seven days in the future. This can come in handy if the price drops or you are still nailing down some travel details. This also applies to tickets booked through credit card sites like Amex Travel and the Chase Travel℠ portal.
Have a good reason
Travelers can often get change fees waived in the event of illness, a death in the family or other extraordinary circumstances like a natural disaster. Just be prepared to offer supporting documentation.
Consider your credit card coverage
If you used a travel rewards or airline credit card to pay for your booking, it may include trip cancellation and interruption insurance. This insurance can potentially cover your change or cancellation fees and other eligible nonrefundable expenses. For instance, if you have a valid reason to cancel or modify your trip (like jury duty or a serious illness) and you booked with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can receive up to $10,000 in reimbursement per person (up to $20,000 per trip).
In case of an emergency that qualifies for your credit card’s trip delay or cancellation coverage, you might have more concerns than just airline fees. However, knowing these protections are available if needed is reassuring.
Remember that to benefit from this coverage, you usually must pay for part of the covered trip with your credit card. This can include paying for award taxes and fees or using points to purchase a ticket through a platform like the Chase Travel portal.
Earn elite status
One of the greatest advantages of having airline elite status is that certain tiers with select carriers will waive change fees on same-day changes. This added flexibility is great if you want to move to an earlier or later flight at the last minute.
Use a credit card travel credit or redemption to cover your fees
If you go this route, you’ll still be subject to paying these fees, but you may be able to cover them with a statement credit or your miles. This mostly applies to award tickets since the change or cancellation fees are often an additional out-of-pocket expense. With paid flights, the fees are deducted from the value of your ticket.
In the case of the Amex Platinum, you can only cover the change or cancellation fee for the airline that you’ve selected to use for your up to $200 annual airline fee statement credit (enrollment is required). You can choose this airline when you first get your Platinum Card and then annually by Jan. 31 for that calendar year. It’s also worth noting that Amex’s system will determine which purchases are (and are not) eligible for the credit. Read our full guide to the Platinum Card’s airline credit for more information on what qualifies.
The Sapphire Reserve card has a more relaxed travel credit that automatically applies to the first $300 in various travel purchases each year. This credit resets once per calendar year, so if you’ve yet to use your credit, charge the change or cancellation fee to your Sapphire Reserve, and you’ll be reimbursed for the fee.
Don’t pay cancellation or change fees until you have to
When you book a flight and later need to cancel, it’s best to avoid paying the cancellation fee until necessary. Airlines can sometimes announce schedule changes, delays or cancellations, allowing you to change or cancel your trip without paying any fees. Remember that if the airline cancels the service, you should receive a refund to your original payment method, not just a travel voucher. This can be a valuable tool if the airline cannot provide the service you booked.
However, it’s important to understand your specific airline’s policies. Unused tickets can sometimes be rebooked after the flight by paying the same change fee that you would have paid in advance. Certain carriers may require you to cancel or change your flight before the scheduled departure. Familiarize yourself with your airline’s rules to make the best decision.
Bottom line
Changing or canceling a flight can be a hassle, especially if it means paying a hefty fee. Keep this page handy for future reference when changing a flight.
Depending on your flight type, it could save you a significant amount of money, potentially hundreds of dollars. So the next time you change a ticket, you’ll know how to mitigate your out-of-pocket expenses.
In just a few months, Disney Cruise Line will welcome its next ship, 4,000-passenger Disney Treasure, to the fleet when the 144,000-ton ship sets sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, with its first paying guests.
After a 10-year pause in growth, the cruise line is currently in a rapid era of expansion.
In 2022, Disney Wish became the first of three all-new Triton Class ships to join Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. In December 2024, Disney Treasure will join the fleet as the second of three Triton Class ships. Disney Destiny is scheduled to round out that Triton trio in 2025. Disney will also welcome Disney Adventure, the largest of the new ships, in 2025 to sail out of Singapore, and an unnamed ship, based on the Triton Class design, to sail from Tokyo starting in 2029.
From a new theme and new restaurants and bars to announced Caribbean itineraries, here’s everything we know so far about Disney Treasure.
Disney Treasure will share much of its footprint and layout with its sister ship, Disney Wish. However, it will have a distinct look that’s less “bright-and-airy fairy tale” than Wish and more “mysterious adventure.”
Based on renderings, Disney Treasure will feature a Grand Hall that leans into a palette of deep blue, turquoise and gold. Its design is inspired by gilded palaces from faraway places such as Asia and Africa — including the fictitious city of Agrabah from Disney’s “Aladdin.”
Fittingly, the statue in the Grand Hall will feature Jasmine, Aladdin and Magic Carpet ready to go on an adventure, which is the theme of the ship.
Captain Minnie will even wear a special adventure-seeking outfit while on board Disney Treasure. She will appear on the ship’s bow. Out on the stern, the adventurous duo of Peter Pan and Captain Hook will sail along wherever Disney Treasure may take them.
Disney Treasure cabins
Disney Treasure will have 1,256 cabins and suites ranging from interior cabins to a two-story funnel suite — all reflecting the theme of adventure. Disney movies like “Aladdin,” “Pocahontas,” “Finding Nemo,” “Up,” “Luca” and “Encanto” will be incorporated into the decor of interior, ocean-view and verandah cabins.
The Concierge Suites, specifically, will feature nods to “The Lion King,” while the four Royal Suites pay homage to the tigers found in “The Jungle Book” and “Aladdin.”
The signature suite on the ship will be the two-story Tomorrow Tower Suite.
Disney Wish introduced the concept of a nearly 2,000-square-foot, multiroom suite in the ship’s faux funnel. While its Tower Suite was “Moana” themed, Disney Treasure’s version will feature a futuristic design inspired by Epcot. The Tomorrow Tower Suite can sleep up to eight guests. If you want to book this stunner, prepare for sticker shock. This suite can go for $50,000 (or more) for a weeklong sailing for a family of four.
Each Disney ship has three included restaurants that guests and their dining team rotate through each night at either an early or late dinner seating. On Disney Treasure, one restaurant will be new to the fleet. Two will return from Disney Wish but with a slightly different spin.
Plaza de Coco
This all-new restaurant is only found on Disney Treasure. Plaza de Coco is a Mexican restaurant set after the events of the movie “Coco.”
It’s replacing the “Frozen”-themed space found on Disney Wish. A similar concept, the restaurant is a “dinner in the round” experience with music, dancing and characters from the “Coco” film performing on stage and making their way around the room during dinner.
As with all the restaurants on Treasure, guests will be scheduled to dine here at least twice, so Plaza de Coco will offer two unique shows.
You can look forward to menu options such as Enrique’s port wine-braised beef short rib; Abuelita Elena’s shrimp diabla; chorizo street croquettes with chili-lime crema, cotija cheese and cilantro; a blistered poblano pepper stuffed with Oaxaca cheese and green rice; warm coconut tres leches with milk; and margarita lime cheesecake.
Worlds of Marvel
As on Disney Wish, Disney Treasure passengers will enjoy the Worlds of Marvel restaurant. Due to Treasure’s longer itineraries, which ensure at least two visits to each restaurant, a new second show featuring Rocket and Groot will be added to the Worlds of Marvel lineup.
This new show, “Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix,” will be a music-fueled celebration that honors Marvel superheroes and gives guests a chance to test their knowledge of the Marvel universe.
“Quantum Encounter,” the Marvel-themed dinner show on Disney Wish, will also be on Disney Treasure, though in a slightly updated way.
1923
Another Disney Wish restaurant that will be on Disney Treasure is 1923, a California-themed restaurant named after the year the Walt Disney Company was founded. The restaurant is adorned with props, art and decor from Disney’s decades of storytelling. On Disney Treasure, the memorabilia will be from Disney’s more adventurous films and stories.
Jumbeaux’s Sweets
Jumbeaux’s Sweets is a new ice cream parlor and candy shop debuting on Treasure. It’s inspired by Jumbeaux’s Cafe in the movie “Zootopia,” and the venue will feature statues of Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
Artist’s rendering of Jumbeaux’s Sweets. DISNEY
Adults-only restaurants
As with Disney Wish, Disney Treasure will have Palo Steakhouse, Enchante and The Rose, a bar located at the entrance to both. Guests ages 18 and older can visit them for an additional fee. I’d argue this is some of the best money you can spend at sea, given how enjoyable the meals are.
Not just for grownups, the fast-casual, upper-deck Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods will also be on board Disney Treasure.
Disney Treasure bars
Skipper Society
Disney Cruise Line is doing something a bit different with its newest ship, and that’s theming onboard spaces to park attractions, not just Disney characters and movies. This concept is evident in the new Skipper Society bar on Disney Treasure.
Skipper Society takes the place of The Bayou on Wish. It’s inspired by Disney’s Jungle Cruise ride and its wisecracking skippers. Here, guests will find a menu of themed cocktails and light snacks, such as waffles.
Periscope Pub
A second new bar is Periscope Pub, inspired by Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” (and Disney’s 1954 movie version of the book and theme park attraction). It will replace Wish’s Keg & Compass as Disney Treasure’s sports bar. The bar is designed to look like the Nautilus submarine from the story, complete with a giant periscope, porthole windows and a ceiling designed to look like you’re underwater. Watch out for the giant squid below!
The Haunted Mansion Parlor
Disney will replace the popular “Star Wars”-themed Hyperspace Lounge, which debuted on Disney Wish, with the Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure. This spooky watering hole is inspired by the creepy atmosphere and happy haunts of the Haunted Mansion park attraction.
The bar will be designed to resemble a first-class drawing room on a classic oceanliner that’s been taken into the ghostly realm. Guests can indulge in specialty cocktails (including spirit-free versions) with ghostly messages and ghoulish embellishments (gummy eyeballs, anyone?). They can also spot homages to the original park attraction and its cast of ghostly characters, as well as become acquainted with new seafaring haunts.
Passengers enamored with the Haunted Mansion Parlor will find themed souvenirs in the ship’s onboard shops, so they can take home a mirror full of hitchhiking ghosts or a clock that strikes the 13th hour to start up some ghoulish revelry.
Scat Cat Lounge
Just off the ship’s Grand Hall is another all-new space designed for adults found only on Disney Treasure: Scat Cat Lounge. This jazzy space where “everybody wants to be a cat” is inspired by Disney’s “The Aristocats” animated film, which was set in Europe circa 1910.
Inside the lounge, you’ll find hanging lanterns, a baby grand piano and a menu of craft cocktails. On the menu are options such as the Creme de la Creme Martini and the Cat Drink, made with clarified bourbon, amaro, Aperol and fresh lemon, which creates a near-translucent cocktail that highlights the cat design at the bottom of the glass.
Disney Treasure activities
Broadway-style shows
Disney Treasure will debut “Disney The Tale of Moana” as its new Broadway-style musical. The show will mark the first time Disney has brought the story of Moana to the stage. The musical will feature popular songs and favorite characters from the animated movie.
“Beauty and the Beast” and “Disney Seas the Adventure” will be the two returning Broadway-caliber shows running on the ship’s main stage, the Walt Disney Theatre.
AquaMouse
AquaMouse, Disney’s water ride that debuted on Disney Wish, will also be a signature attraction on Disney Treasure. As on Wish, riders will enjoy an animated adventure with Disney characters before they start twisting and turning around the ship. Treasure will add a third, new show to the rotation of animated shorts, along with the two from Wish.
Called “Curse of the Golden Egg,” the animation will follow Mickey and Minnie as they search for lost treasure inside an ancient temple. This new show will eventually be added to the AquaMouse rotation on Disney Wish.
Sarabi
“The Lion King”-themed Sarabi will be the ship’s two-story, multipurpose entertainment zone (replacing Luna from Disney Wish).
Artist’s rendering of Sarabi entertainment space. DISNEY
When will Disney Treasure set sail?
Disney Treasure’s maiden voyage is set for Dec. 21, 2024. It will be a seven-night sailing from Port Canaveral (near Orlando). The sailing includes stops at Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Castaway Cay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas. Passengers will enjoy three sea days to rest up from their adventures ashore.
The ship will sail weeklong Caribbean cruises throughout its maiden season. Most of the ship’s Eastern Caribbean itineraries will include the same ports, but a few swap out St. Thomas for San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Disney Treasure will also offer seven-night Western Caribbean sailings with two sea days and ports of call in Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Castaway Cay.
This is different from the itineraries on Disney Wish, which are three- and four-night sailings to the Bahamas. The longer itineraries will give guests more time to enjoy the ship, and Disney has created more experiences to keep them entertained.
FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY CRUISE, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.
Fares for a Disney Treasure cruise are a bit higher than some of Disney’s other ships because it’s the line’s newest ship and only offers weeklong itineraries. The other ships have the option of shorter, less expensive itineraries.
Rates start at $4,211 for an inside cabin (double occupancy) or $6,741 for a family of four. The cost for verandah cabins starts at a little over $8,000 for a family, and concierge cabins start at around $13,000.
You’ll find the lowest prices on off-peak sailing dates, often in September, as well as dates outside of popular school vacation times.
Since 2012, Disney Cruise Line has operated a fleet of four ships, but 2022 marked the start of a period of rapid growth for the line. It welcomed Disney Wish in 2022, Disney Treasure will set sail in late 2024 and the third Triton Class ship, Disney Destiny, is scheduled to join the fleet in 2025.
Captain Minnie Mouse in her exploration outfit. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Disney also made a surprise purchase of one of the world’s largest cruise ships. That vessel, Disney Adventure, will join the fleet and operate out of Singapore beginning in 2025. The cruise line will also introduce a new ship to the Japanese cruise market in 2029 with short sailings out of Tokyo.
It’s an exciting time to be a Disney Cruise Line fan. Stay tuned for more information about Disney Treasure as additional details are released leading up to the Dec. 21, 2024, maiden voyage.
Planning a Disney cruise? Start with these stories:
U.S. travelers have a new option when it comes to the rapidly growing extended-stay hotel market.
Wyndham’s newest brand, Echo Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham, officially opened its first hotel this week in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The 124-room hotel is the first property for the new extended-stay brand, which adds to a growing list of offerings from Wyndham and its competitors, such as Marriott International, Hilton and Hyatt.
There are a variety of reasons for the broader industry push into extended-stay brands, and Wyndham leaders seem particularly bullish on ongoing infrastructure projects in the U.S. as a driver for business at future Echo Suites hotels. Further, the company likes the durability of extended-stay hotel demand even in uncertain economic times.
“When you look at the extended-stay [segment’s] occupancy rate, it’s doing so much better than the rest of the industry right now,” Wyndham CEO Geoff Ballotti said in an interview with TPG this week.
A massive wave of coast-to-coast construction is expected to come from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure and Job Acts of 2021 as well as the $280 billion spending package of 2022 for chip manufacturing plant building. Construction workers need a place to stay while they’re on the job, though.
Wyndham leaders anticipate the construction generated from the combined packages could bring a $3.3 billion opportunity for added room revenue to Wyndham franchisees.
“There’s a lot of building that’s going on around the country,” Ballotti said. “We’re already seeing in so many markets that our hotels benefit.”
Echo Suites Spartanburg consists of a mix of single- and two-queen studio suites with kitchens; public spaces include a fitness center, lobby and 24/7 laundry. Because Echo Suites operates in the economy end of the extended-stay segment, guests shouldn’t expect a free breakfast — that’s what Wyndham’s higher-end Hawthorn Suites brand is for. Wyndham also has WaterWalk Extended Stay, a brand that operates as a hotel-residential hybrid with a mix of furnished and unfurnished units for longer stays.
During an Echo Suites stay, guests will find clean, furnished and affordable stays. Average rates will vary by market, but the Echo Suites Spartanburg was priced as low as $84 per night for stays this week. Complimentary housekeeping is offered every two weeks — extended-stay hotels typically see guests staying at least 10 nights — but guests can pay for more frequent cleanings.
Other offerings, from cookware to soap and shampoo for rooms, are also offered via the Wyndham mobile app ahead of arrival, Ballotti said.
Similar to what Wyndham’s competitors are anticipating with their respective extended-stay brands, Echo Suites is expected to grow quickly. The company already has deals in place for 270 Echo Suites hotels. Wyndham leaders expect 75 Echo Suites to either open or be under construction by the end of 2026, and the brand is expected to have 300 hotels open by 2032.
“When you look at the infrastructure bill and its impact in terms of where money is being allocated, it’s no surprise to see the states where it is being most allocated are the states that have the most executed and signed Echo Suites by Wyndham contracts,” Ballotti said.
Hilton’s partnership with SLH stands to bring together the best of both worlds, providing travelers with more memorable stays while allowing them to earn and redeem Hilton Honors points.
Not all SLH properties are part of the Hilton Honors program, though more are expected to be added as the partnership continues to grow. You can see a list of the hotels that currently participate on Hilton’s website.
Hilton Honors members can now experience these boutique hotels with all the benefits of Hilton’s loyalty program — like redeeming points, earning points and using elite status perks. Let’s dive into all the ways you can take advantage of Hilton’s new SLH collection.
Nobu Hotel Marbella, Spain. CHARLY SIMON/SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD
Since Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties are, by definition, luxurious, they often come with hefty price tags. Thus, they offer some great ways to maximize your Hilton Honors points.
To see what SLH properties are available in your destination, pull up Hilton’s map of SLH partners.
As you zoom in, rates will pop up at each hotel. You can check the “Use Points” box at the top to see rates for award stays. (At the time of writing, point values weren’t showing up at some SLH properties, but that should change as Hilton irons out the wrinkles on its site.)
HILTON.COM
Click on the hotel that interests you, then click “Select Dates” in the pop-up box to see a calendar with rates across several months. You can toggle between cash and award rates by clicking “Special Rates” and checking or unchecking the “Use Points” box.
Though Hilton does not operate using an award chart, the SLH properties follow standard award room pricing. This means that rooms considered “standard” will max out at a certain number of points.
However, if you’re looking to book nonstandard rooms, those are priced dynamically, which means award travelers typically won’t get the best redemption rate for their Hilton points.
For example, you can experience your own fairy tale in Hungary’s Botaniq Castle of Tura for just 80,000 points per night for a standard award room or a cash rate of $468 per night. This would give you a redemption rate of 0.59 cents per point, which is close to TPG’s July 2024 Hilton Honors valuation of 0.6 cents per point. Note that premium rooms in November start at 408,000 points per night or a cash rate of $831 per night. This would give you a value of 0.2 cents per point, which is significantly lower than our valuation.
HILTON.COM
Since Hilton prices nonstandard rooms dynamically, you can typically expect to get about 0.2 cents per point, making them not the best use of your Hilton points.
When searching Hilton’s website to redeem your points, be sure to put in specific dates, as some search results claim the hotels are “sold out” when viewed via the calendar feature.
Check the “Use Points” box to show the room types available and how many points they cost (or whether you can use a standard room reward).
Additionally, be sure to scroll down because the points prices may not be arranged from lowest to highest. For example, at Sowaka — a restored ryokan in Kyoto, Japan — standard room rewards cost only 120,000 points per night, but they’re hidden among much pricier options.
HILTON.COM
These rooms go for 196,000 yen (or around $1,215) per night, giving you a value of 1 cent per point — an excellent use of Hilton Honors points, which TPG values at 0.6 cents each.
If you happen to have one of Hilton’s valuable free night reward certificates, which are valid on any standard room reward (up to 150,000 points per night), the SLH collection gives you some excellent new options for redeeming it.
However, keep in mind that standard room award rates are subject to availability, so you may have to be a bit flexible with your travel plans.
Inverlochy Castle, Scotland. SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD
Redeeming points may allow you to stay at high-end properties that might otherwise be out of reach, especially on peak travel dates. But when cash rates are low, you may be better off booking paid stays at these places and watching your Hilton Honors points stack up.
Earning Hilton points at SLH properties is easy, thanks to the new partnership. All you have to do is log in to your Hilton Honors account, search for your dates and destination, and book your stay through Hilton’s site.
There are many other avenues to book SLH properties, including online travel agencies like Expedia, credit card portals and the hotel’s website. But you won’t earn Hilton Honors points if you book through any of these, and you won’t be eligible for elite benefits. You may, however, earn other rewards and perks through credit card portals like Chase Travel℠ and American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts. Always consider the pros and cons of each option before deciding how to book.
When you book a Small Luxury Hotel through Hilton, you’ll earn Honors points just like you would at any Hilton property. Members earn points at varying rates depending on their status tier:
Basic members: 10 points per dollar
Silver members: 12 points per dollar
Gold members: 18 points per dollar
Diamond members: 20 points per dollar
At most Hilton properties, these points accrue not only on your room rate but on eligible room charges like room service, spa treatments and parking fees. But at SLH properties, you’ll only earn Honors points on the room rate.
These points are in addition to the rewards you earn on the credit card you use to pay for your room. If you don’t have a Hilton cobranded card that earns bonus Honors points on Hilton stays, consider using one of our favorite hotel cards.
Drinks and snacks at an elite members-only happy hour. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Thanks to the new partnership, Hilton Honors members (both basic and elite) can take advantage of several perks when staying at SLH properties. However, these benefits look a little different at the SLH collection than at other hotels.
For basic members, many key benefits are the same, including guaranteed member discounts on paid stays, waived resort fees on award stays and complimentary standard Wi-Fi. But some benefits may not be available at SLH properties, like digital check-in and room keys, the ability to choose your room, and access to Hilton Honors Experiences. And some new benefits have been added at SLH properties: complimentary late checkout and bottled water.
Silver members still get 20% tier bonus points and a fifth night free on award stays at SLH properties, which is a great perk if you want to save thousands of points. Plus, it’s easy to earn Hilton Silver status, especially if you hold the right card, such as the Hilton Honors American Express Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express, which gives cardholders complimentary Hilton Gold elite status (enrollment required).
But elite members may not have access to their usual 15% discount at all-inclusive spas.
Gold and Diamond members will still get their 80% and 100% points-earning bonus and space-available upgrades. Instead of the usual food and beverage credit, they’ll receive complimentary breakfast for up to two guests at SLH properties. Diamond members may miss out on their usual premium Wi-Fi (complimentary standard Wi-Fi is included), 48-hour room guarantee and executive lounge access.
Members also have access to special offers and promotions. We recommend checking out Hilton’s current offers before you book any stay and registering for all that apply.
If you’re working your way toward Hilton’s next status tier, stays at SLH properties now count toward this goal. Hilton status is earned by staying a minimum number of nights, completing a minimum number of stays or earning a minimum number of points. Staying at SLH properties can now get you closer to your next status tier, just like any other Hilton property.
Hilton’s new partnership with SLH is a boost for Hilton Honors members, who can now access nearly 400 unique luxury and lifestyle properties around the world — and that number is expected to grow. SLH hotels offer plenty of ways for members to maximize their points and free night certificates, grow their Hilton Honors balance, and take advantage of elite perks.
Between buffets, dining rooms, specialty restaurants and pool deck grills, it might not seem necessary to bring your own food on a cruise. But you’d be surprised by the number of times you find yourself wishing for a granola bar between meals or in the middle of a particularly long shore excursion.
Perhaps you or someone with whom you’re traveling has dietary restrictions or medication that needs to be taken with food. Or maybe you’ve got picky kids who might turn up their noses at dinner or a spouse who has 2 a.m. cravings but doesn’t want to spend extra for late-night room service.
So, what’s the deal with bringing snacks on a cruise? Is it allowed, and if so, are there restrictions? And can you bring your own drinks on a cruise, too?
Here’s everything you need to know.
Note: If you have a special need or dietary restriction, it’s a good idea to contact your cruise line’s special requests department well in advance of sailing to make sure they will provide the food you need or allow you to bring it on board.
For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.
Can you bring food on a cruise?
D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES
The short answer is yes, you can. However, there are restrictions that limit the types of food and how they’re packaged. You can’t, for example, waltz on board with several dozen of grandma’s freshly baked cookies or the ingredients to make your own salad.
What kind of snacks can I bring on a cruise?
Cruise ships permit just about any food that’s prepackaged. That includes items like granola, protein and cereal bars; packs of crackers and cookies; nuts; beef jerky; and bagged items like chips, crackers and popcorn. It also includes baby food and formula.
Candy is also allowed, so pack all the fruit snacks, M&M’s and licorice you’d like.
The catch is that your treats have to be shelf-stable and sealed, so don’t crack open a giant bag of Reese’s Pieces, Life Savers Gummies or Doritos, eat a few handfuls and then try to board with the bag open.
You should also avoid bringing anything that’s fresh, that requires refrigeration or that you prepared at home and put in your own container. If it can spoil at any time during your sailing, it’s a no-go.
Can you bring drinks on a cruise?
D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES
This answer isn’t as simple as yes or no. You can bring drinks, but there are limits, especially when it comes to alcohol.
Each cruise line has its own policy, but generally, each person can bring a limited amount of their favorite nonalcoholic drinks, including water, juice, soda, coffee, sports drinks and energy drinks. Lines that allow it are Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages. Lines that do not allow this are Holland America (with the exception of bottled water, which is allowed in limited quantities), MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Note that all major cruise lines do have alternative milks, including soy and almond. Some also offer oat and coconut milks. If you require a specific type, your cruise line should be able to accommodate you with advance notice, so you do not have to bring your own.
In terms of alcohol policies, just about every mainstream cruise line allows one bottle of wine, sparkling wine or Champagne of up to 750 mL per person 21 years of age or older. Sometimes the line will charge a corkage fee of between $15 and $25 per bottle; some lines will only charge it if you consume the bottle outside of your cabin.
None of the major lines allow passengers to bring their own beer or liquor.
The exception is luxury cruise lines. Because they include alcohol in their fares and don’t stand to miss out on the related onboard revenue, they allow cruisers to bring as much alcohol as they’d like, within reason and regardless of type.
All cruise lines will also allow passengers to bring distilled water onto ships for use in medical devices, such as CPAP machines.
How to bring drinks on a cruise
If you’re traveling with drinks that don’t include alcohol, the most common rule is that each person can have up to 12 cans or cartons. Sometimes plastic bottles are allowed, but you should check with your cruise line to be certain. Glass bottles are almost always prohibited. Drinks must be sealed; open containers aren’t allowed, even if they comply with the above rules.
If you’re bringing wine, sparkling wine or Champagne, glass bottles are permitted.
All drinks must be carried on and cannot be put inside checked bags for boarding. If they’re found in checked luggage during the embarkation process, your bags will be held until you can claim them. You will be required to open your bags in front of security personnel, who will decide if what you’ve packed falls within your ship’s rules. If it doesn’t, your items will be confiscated.
With all of this in mind, there are still cruisers who will try to sneak alcohol on board. Don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk that you’ll be caught, have your alcohol confiscated and be labeled a cheapskate or a rule breaker.
Can you take food off a cruise ship? How about drinks?
The answer here, again, depends on the types of food and drinks. In many ports of call, you can have prepackaged items, but fresh ones will be confiscated. In other words, don’t expect to grab fresh fruit from the buffet at breakfast to take ashore as a midday snack. You often won’t be allowed to have it. In certain ports, including some in Mexico, officials use trained dogs to sniff out any contraband produce.
Ports are often a bit more flexible about drinks. This is especially true in warm-weather destinations where it’s easier to dehydrate. Be smart about what you bring, though. Bottles of water (whether single-use or reusable ones you fill yourself) are a better idea than to-go cups of coffee, which are sometimes banned.
Can you bring food or drink items back to your ship from port?
DANNY LEHMAN/CARNIVAL CRUISES
The rules here are similar for what you can bring onto a cruise. You can bring back prepackaged, shelf-stable foods, but you’ll want to avoid anything that’s homemade, fresh, not in sealed packaging and not shelf-stable. I once had to throw away (read: eat and give away as many as I could before reboarding) six of the most beautiful doughnuts because I didn’t realize I couldn’t bring them with me back on board. I only found out when a ship security guard told me I couldn’t board the tender boat with my treats.
You can also bring nonalcoholic drinks that are sealed and fall within your cruise line’s limits.
The difference between bringing alcohol on board in port, versus at embarkation, is that passengers are allowed to do it — but there are stipulations.
Cruise lines understand that travelers often spring for duty-free booze as a souvenir. Should you decide to purchase a bottle (or several) to take home with you, you can bring it back to your ship. However, you won’t be allowed to keep it with you.
When you reboard your vessel and pass through security, you’ll have to leave your haul with a crew member. They will take your name and cabin number, and you can either pick your purchases up on the last night of the sailing, or it will be sent to your room. The same rule applies if you buy bottles in the onboard shops.
At TPG, we often praise Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club program as one of the most underrated and high-powered frequent flyer programs. Flying Club is a transfer partner of all major credit card programs, so Virgin points are easy to earn.
However, just because the points are easy to earn does not mean they are easy to use.
Virgin Atlantic joined the SkyTeam alliance in 2023 and has several other nonalliance airline partners with which you can earn and redeem Virgin points. Unfortunately, Virgin’s website is not the most user-friendly and has many limitations.
Some Flying Club redemption partners can be booked online, while others require you to hunt for award space and call in to book.
What are the Flying Club airline partners?
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
You can earn and redeem Virgin Atlantic points on the following member airlines of the SkyTeam alliance:
Aerolinas Argentinas
Aeromexico
Air Europa
Air France
China Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
Czech Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Garuda Indonesia
ITA Airways
Kenya Airways
KLM
Korean Air
Middle East Airlines
Saudia
TAROM
Vietnam Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Xiamen Airlines
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
In addition to these airlines, you can also book award flights with the following non-SkyTeam airlines using Virgin points:
You can also earn Virgin points — but not redeem them — with partners Scandinavian Airlines, IndiGo and LATAM.
Which Flying Club partner airlines can be booked online?
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
In addition to flights operated by Virgin Atlantic, Flying Club members can redeem their Virgin points on the following partner airlines (for all other airlines, you must call 800-862-8621 to book).
To avoid the significant surcharges Flying Club imposes on flights operated by Virgin Atlantic, booking flights operated by Air France-KLM can be an affordable way to use Virgin points to fly to Europe and beyond. While premium economy on these airlines is not usually available to book online or by phone, economy and business class can be booked online at the following rates:
One-way economy flight to Europe from the West Coast for 15,000 points
One-way economy flight to the Middle East from the East Coast for 25,000 points
One-way business-class flight to Europe from the East Coast for 48,500 points
One-way business-class flight from the East Coast to North Africa for 66,500 points
With Delta taking dynamic pricing to the extreme and charging 300,000-plus miles for one-way, international, business-class awards, using Virgin Atlantic to score cheap awards can be great.
Long-haul flights to Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and South America are fairly easy to find and can be booked online.
Unfortunately, Delta’s premium economy product is unavailable to book with Virgin points, and while Delta One business-class seats can technically be booked online, they are very rarely available and now come with huge surcharges.
Short-haul flights operated by Delta are easy to book online. Prices start at a reasonable 7,500 Virgin points in economy class or 21,000 points in first class.
VIRGINATLANTIC.COM
Korean Air
Based in Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN), Korean Air flights can be booked with Virgin points online, though availability outside of Asia is difficult to find.
VIRGINATLANTIC.COM
ITA Airways
Rising from the ashes of the now-defunct Alitalia, ITA Airways has excellent award availability using Virgin points and can be booked online. ITA’s long-haul business-class product is excellent, with a solid lounge in Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO), elaborate onboard meals and stylish Italian finishes.
South American carrier LATAM can be booked online with Virgin points, and availability is generally good between North America and South America, with business-class flights from Florida to Brazil costing just 50,000 points plus minimal fees and taxes.
VIRGINATLANTIC.COM
El Al
Flying Club quietly added Israel’s flag carrier El Al to its partner airline list earlier in 2024, and fortunately, these flights can be booked online, though the rates between the United States and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) are steep.
One of SkyTeam’s lesser-known airlines, Middle East Airlines (commonly referred to as MEA), is based in Lebanon’s Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY).
While MEA does not operate long-haul flights, it has a decent route network to Europe and can be booked online using Virgin points.
VIRGINATLANTIC.COM
China Airlines
While Flying Club insists that flights on Taiwanese carrier and SkyTeam member China Airlines (not to be confused with China-based Star Alliance member Air China) can be booked online with Virgin points, TPG has not found any availability on China Airlines through Virgin’s website.
Xiamen Airlines
Based in Xiamen, China, SkyTeam member Xiamen Airlines operates numerous flights within Asia and a handful of routes to Australia and Europe. Its current North American destinations include New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
You can book Xiamen Airlines redemptions using Virgin points online.
VIRGINATLANTIC.COM
How to earn Virgin points
SKYTEAM
It’s easy to boost your Virgin points balance with the right credit card, as Flying Club is a transfer partner of every major program with a transferable currency, including:
Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club program boasts an impressive list of redemption partners inside and outside of the SkyTeam alliance. Unfortunately, the program’s website is less impressive, with most partner redemptions unavailable online, requiring a little extra legwork and a phone call to 800-862-8621.
You may wish to use an external resource to check award availability through other programs and then contact the Flying Club program to book the seats you know are available.
There are some excellent deals to be had, so it’s worth the effort.
Generally, you should arrive at the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight or 3 hours before an international flight, but that depends on the details of your trip.
