Month: October 2024

Five new long-distance domestic flights are coming to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

After months of public and behind-the-scenes jockeying among airlines and lawmakers, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced tentative approval for the airlines — and cities — awarded these highly-coveted flight rights.

A DOT spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed to TPG the new routes airlines that are tentatively approved to soon launch.

Those include:

• American Airlines, with nonstop service from DCA to San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
• Alaska Airlines, with nonstop service from DCA to San Diego International Airport (SAN).
• Delta Air Lines, with nonstop service from DCA to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
• Southwest Airlines, with nonstop service from DCA to Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).
• United Airlines, with a second daily nonstop flight from DCA to San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Tightly-restricted space

Airlines badly wanted these new routes. Reagan is easily the closest and most convenient airport to downtown Washington, just a short Metro or car ride away from the city center and key landmarks.

However, for decades, the U.S. Department of Transportation has closely guarded DCA’s limited space.

DOT rules technically prohibit airlines from flying routes from Reagan to destinations beyond 1,250 statute miles.

However, over the years, Congress has authorized dozens of exceptions to these rules in the form of so-called “beyond perimeter exemptions.”

Each exception allows an airline to fly a specific DOT-approved route by way of a “slot pair” handed down by the agency. One “slot pair” includes one takeoff and one landing — in other words, a single round trip beyond the 1,250-mile perimeter.

Through the years, exemptions to the DCA perimeter rules have allowed a handful of airlines to establish transcontinental routes from Reagan to the West Coast by way of cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Denver — among others.

In May, Congress directed the DOT to hand out five additional slot pairs, in a controversial decision that came “over the strong opposition” of the airport’s governing body.

Along with lawmakers in the region, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has criticized Congressional decisions to add flights to already congested airspace at Reagan — and pointed to the comparably larger Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) as better suited for growth.

The total number of seats on domestic flights out of Reagan is set to rise nearly 19% in 2024 versus 2014, a decade ago, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Domestic seats out of Dulles were set to rise by just over 10%.

Read more: What are airport slots, and how do they affect your flights?

Another round of slots

Nonetheless, the move sent airlines clamoring for potential new routes from Reagan to cities beyond the perimeter.

The DOT outlined highly specific criteria in late June that governed which airlines and routes might be eligible, with promises to base decisions on promoting competition and serving the public with the best connectivity to underserved routes.

These rules, no doubt, influenced which carriers even bothered applying.

Which airlines lost out?

Seven airlines applied for the five routes, with two ultimately left out.

Left out carriers include Spirit Airlines, which applied for a DCA nonstop to Norman Mineta International Airport (SJC) in San Jose, California, and JetBlue, which had proposed a second daily nonstop to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The airlines getting DCA’s new long-distance flights

Here’s a closer look at the routes that did win DOT approval:

Airline	Route	Notes
American Airlines	DCA-SAT	Expands the carrier’s hub operations at DCA.   American already operates four “long-distance” DCA routes to Austin, Las Veags, Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Alaska Airlines	DCA-SAN	Connects the Seattle-based to its only largest West Coast hub without a DCA nonstop, along with LAX, San Francisco, Porland and Seattle.
Delta Air Lines	DCA-SEA	Adds competition to the DCA-SEA route currently served exclusively by Alaska.   Gives Delta a second beyond-perimeter DCA route, on top of existing Salt Lake City service.
Southwest	DCA-LAS	Gives the carrier a second beyond-perimeter destination, along with Austin.   Also adds competition to DCA-LAS route currently served exclusively by American.
United	DCA-SFO	The new route marks United’s second daily DCA nonstop to SFO, which it will now serve from all three major D.C. region airports.   United also flies a beyond-perimeter route from Reagan to Denver.   United plans to fly the route with a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

While the DOT’s announcement Wednesday is technically just tentative,  airlines and cities awarded the routes already began celebrating the news.

“Today marks a significant milestone for San Antonio as we get one step closer to securing a nonstop flight between SAT and DCA,”  San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement. “This connectivity between San Antonio and our nation’s capital is long overdue.”

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG’s monthly valuations

A few times a year, Airbnb releases a series of updates that change how we interact with the home-sharing app.

Sometimes, those changes are huge, such as the introduction of categories that made finding the kind of place you want to book easier than ever (hello, castles!). Other times, the modifications are geared toward Airbnb hosts on the back end and affect travelers indirectly, like by requiring clearer checkout instructions or integrating smart locks into the app.

This year’s winter Airbnb release includes a mix of updates for both travelers and hosts, providing 50 new upgrades that’ll make the experience more personalized than ever. There are now ways for hosts to get help from experts to both list and manage their properties, and Airbnb will now provide tips on where people should book stays.

“We’re really trying to make the app much more personal,” Tara Bunch, Airbnb’s global head of operations, told TPG ahead of the winter release. She added that the company has a serious amount of data from users’ past stays and searches and wants to use that information to make finding the perfect Airbnb easier than ever.

Alongside the updates, Airbnb is also celebrating the platform’s 2 billionth stay (yes, billionth … with a b). And while that’s a huge accomplishment for the brand, it’s also a reminder of just how big the platform is, how many people use it and just how many listings there are for guests to comb through when planning a trip. For Bunch, this update peels back some of the layers of Airbnb and helps people get to the good part — the stay itself — more efficiently.

“The site has gotten big, you know, we’ve got an enormous amount of listings now, and it can be overwhelming,” she said. “So, we really want to make it less around planning the trip and more about enjoying the trip, and we want to make it easier.”

Here’s how Airbnb is doing exactly that.

The Airbnb app gets more personal

Airbnb frequently changes the ways people interact with the platform, from making it easier to search its millions of listings to ensuring you only see properties that fit your specific needs. In its most current update, it’s zooming in on ways to make the app more personalized to you, your preferences and the places you travel.

“The idea is to get much more personal, sort of create some shortcuts for you because we know a lot about you,” Bunch explained. “While you might want to do something you’ve never done before, most people kind of tend to have some patterns that they tend to repeat.”

Here are the highlights, according to Airbnb:

• Welcome tour: If you’re a first-time guest, Airbnb will help you get started with a guided tour of the app.
• Suggested destinations: When you tap the search bar, Airbnb will recommend locations based on your search and booking history. It will also offer shortcuts to your past searches and your recently viewed listings.
• Search tips: Throughout your search, Airbnb will offer relevant tips to help you find last-minute stays, discounts from hosts and more. For example, if you search for a six-day trip, it will suggest extending your trip by one day to take advantage of a weekly discount.
• Recommended filters: Airbnb has redesigned search filters with recommendations based on your past bookings and current searches. It’s also made it easier to view, add and remove filters.
• Personalized listing highlights: When you view a listing, Airbnb will highlight details that are relevant to your search — like a property’s playroom or backyard if you’re traveling with kids.
• All-new checkout: If you’re a returning guest, Airbnb has simplified the booking process with a redesigned checkout page that is shorter and includes key details at a glance.
• Local payments: You’ll soon have access to more than two dozen ways to pay around the world, including Vipps in Norway, MobilePay in Denmark and MoMo in Vietnam.

The new co-host network

For folks who host on Airbnb or have been looking to, Airbnb is introducing a new network of more than 10,000 vetted co-hosts with expert ratings who can help manage bookings, offer insight into how to make homes and stays better for guests, set up new listings, and everything between.

This might not be the most interesting update for those of us who aren’t Airbnb hosts ourselves, but having more people working on a property (at least on the back end) allows for quicker and easier communication, more personalization and convenience, and — just maybe — a person on the ground closer to the home in case they’re ever needed.

“Oftentimes, the host doesn’t live near the property because it’s a vacation home for them, and this is a way for us to really improve that experience in these locations,” Bunch, who hosts an Airbnb about three hours away from her primary home, explained. “It’s not an easy place for me to just run up there if they, you know, need an extra set of sheets or some towels or something’s not working.” That’s when the co-host steps in.

Other updates and new features for hosts include new price suggestions based on similar listings that can be applied with a simple tap, presaved “quick replies” that can be automatically sent to guests and an improved earnings dashboard with custom reporting features.

Winter travel trends from Airbnb

With over 2 billion guest stays under its belt, Airbnb has its finger on the pulse of where people are traveling this fall and winter.

Here in the U.S., sports and concerts are a major driving force of travel, likely due to the return of Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” to the U.S. and Canada, plus football and basketball season. Americans are also heading abroad for cultural celebrations like Dia de los Muertos in Guatemala City or to Zermatt, Switzerland, for Christmas markets.

Using Airbnb’s robust categories systems is a great way to dive deeper into the types of trips people want to take. This winter, the five most popular categories are Golfing, Amazing Pools, National Parks, Beach and Top Cities. Among those top-level searches, people are further narrowing down their searches by looking for listings that also include extra bells and whistles like pools, Wi-Fi, Jacuzzis, free parking and kitchens.

And for families and groups consisting of an average of four guests, Airbnb is sharing some popular destinations across the globe to inspire your next family vacation (preferably one with a Jacuzzi!).

Trending family domestic destinations among US guests

• Fort Myers, Florida
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
• Sevierville, Tennessee
• Columbus, Ohio
• Broken Bow, Oklahoma
• Sarasota, Florida
• Aspen, Colorado
• Stowe, Vermont
• Davenport, Florida

Trending family destinations worldwide among US guests

• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Vancouver, British Columbia
• Guadalajara, Mexico
• Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
• Rio de Janeiro
• Rome
• Sydney
• Tamarindo, Costa Rica
• Paris
• San Juan, Puerto Rico

Related reading: 

• 10 ways to use points to book vacation home rentals
• Quick Points: Earn airline miles on your Airbnb and Vrbo stays
• A guide to the best credit cards for Airbnb stays

Delta Air Lines is giving its cabins a new look.

The Atlanta-based carrier Tuesday announced plans for a cabin facelift for its planes, featuring updated seat coverings, new mood lighting, and an overall refresh for the airline’s cabin aesthetic across the fleet.

Now, don’t board your next Delta plane expecting to see the updated look; it’ll be a bit of a methodical rollout.

By the end of this year, Delta plans to retrofit one of its Boeing 757 jets serving domestic and short-haul international routes with the new appearance. The new aesthetic will make its way onto a brand-new Delta Airbus A350 serving long-haul routes in early 2025.

However, the carrier eventually hopes to give its entire fleet a new — and uniform— look, Delta said Tuesday.

“This refreshed cabin interior infused utility with beauty to create an atmosphere that feels fresh, elevated, and timeless while reflecting our customers’ evolving tastes and expectations,” Delta vice president of customer experience design Mauricio Parise said in a statement announcing the news.

Delta’s cabin refresh

The changes will be evident as soon as you climb on board a Delta aircraft in the future. The airline’s royal blue seat coverings will be replaced by a much darker color palette, trimmed in bright red striping.

Read more: Delta’s futuristic first-class recliners are coming to the Boeing 737

New Delta branding and motifs will be evident around the cabin, too. Delta’s shooting for an interior that “feels fresh, elevated and timeless,” as the company’s statement put it.

To be clear, Delta’s not getting all-new seats, so don’t expect a major hard product overhaul. This is more of a cosmetic update.

The seats will get a new trim and finish, plus new cushions on its 757s.

On jets with the Delta One cabin, the carrier says its new leather seat covers — atop memory foam — are better for temperature regulation.

And, Premium Select and domestic-style First Class seats will also get memory foam cushions, adorned in leather seat coverings.

Plus, it wouldn’t be a cabin refresh without improved ambient lighting. Delta will offer a variety of mood lighting settings based on the stage of the flight, including a “warm and inviting” setting for boarding, with separate sunset and sunrise tones for overnight flights — not to mention a “candlelight” setting for dinner service.

The cabin itself will get a new trim and look, too, including new dividers featuring a “celestial sky pattern” and additional Delta branding.

New cabin timeline

Again, you won’t see these changes right away. By late 2025, new jets delivered to Delta will have the updated look, a spokesperson told TPG.

Delta has dozens of wide-body aircraft slated for delivery in the coming years, including an order of 20 A350-1000s announced in January. That’s on top of hundreds of additional narrow-body jets from Airbus slated for the fleet in the coming years.

The airline is also planning to retrofit its existing fleet with the new look. However, there’s no timeline, yet, for when those refits might take place:

“Additional aircraft will receive the new cabin design as Delta’s schedule and operation allows over the next few years,” the carrier said.

Delta’s premium push

These aesthetic improvements come as Delta aims to position itself as the top premium airline in the U.S. — a mantle on which it’s gotten increased competition in recent years from United Airlines, itself in the midst of an ambitious cabin overhaul and fleet growth.

Just last week, Delta cut the ribbon on its 10,000-square-foot all-business Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and has more swanky outposts slated for opening in the coming months.

Executives regularly tout the high-dollar spending charged by its loyal SkyMiles members to its suite of cobranded American Express credit cards. Delta made $1.8 billion from its Amex partnership during the third quarter of this year, the company reported last week.

Now, it seems, the carrier hopes a touch-up for its cabins will give its planes a fresh look in the years to come.

Related reading:

• Your complete guide to the Delta SkyMiles program
• Best Delta credit cards
• What is Delta Air Lines elite status worth?
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status in 2023
• How to survive basic economy on Delta Air Lines

Earlier this year, American Airlines promised that it would enable online redemptions for systemwide upgrade certificates.

Well, 2024 is (nearly) coming to a close, and the Fort Worth-based carrier is finally making good on its promise — at least in a limited way.

Beginning on Monday, American has started a limited-time beta test of online redemptions for systemwide upgrades. Select AAdvantage members with unused systemwide upgrades in their accounts were notified on Monday via email that they were part of a beta test.

The test, which will run for two to three weeks, will determine whether American needs to make any changes to the online upgrade portal before rolling it out more broadly, a company spokesperson told TPG.

“This feature is something our members have requested for some time, so we’re eager for the results of this test to inform how we can continue to make engaging with the AAdvantage program easy for our members,” said a company spokesperson.

Unfortunately, the carrier didn’t mention when it would roll out the feature globally despite initially promising to have the functionality available by the end of the year to all AAdvantage members.

In the meantime, at least the carrier seems to be progressing towards its goal.

If you’re one of the lucky AAdvantage members who received an email from American, the online redemption process is pretty simple.

You need to navigate to the linked website and then input your last name and confirmation number. You’ll then be asked which flight you want to prioritize for an upgrade. American recommends that you select the longest flight in your itinerary to maximize your comfort in the pointy end of the plane.

If the flight is available for immediate confirmation — here’s how to check — your itinerary should be upgraded instantly. If it’s not, American will place the flight on the waitlist. The airline said it will also attempt to confirm or waitlist any upgrades on shorter connecting flights after your preferred segment is upgraded.

It wasn’t immediately clear if you could select which systemwide upgrade would be pulled if your upgrade is confirmed. (Presumably it’s the one that expires soonest.)

While this functionality might seem pretty basic, it’s actually quite powerful for elite members who have spent hours on the phone over the years with the AAdvantage service desk applying upgrades to upcoming reservations.

Even if you received the beta invitation, I’d still recommend calling American if you have any complicated upgrade requests.

Still, this is a long-awaited technical improvement, and I, for one, can’t wait to use it on an upcoming flight.

It’s interesting to note that American’s upgrade tech still pales compared to what Delta and United offer. United has long been the leader in this space with a fantastic web and mobile interface for using and redeeming PlusPoints.

Delta debuted the ability to redeem upgrade certificates online at the end of 2022, and that functionality is now live for any eligible elite traveler.

Related reading:

• Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
• Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
• What is American Airlines elite status worth?
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Kimpton Karma Rewards folded into the IHG loyalty program in early 2018. But, to the delight of Kimpton loyalists, Kimpton Inner Circle status still exists within the IHG One Rewards program.

Kimpton Inner Circle is an invite-only status that offers perks at Kimpton hotels and restaurants. Unlike other IHG elite status tiers, there aren’t published qualification requirements for Kimpton Inner Circle. And, unlike InterContinental Ambassador membership, you can’t buy Kimpton Inner Circle status.

Here’s what you should know about Kimpton Inner Circle membership, including how to get an invite.

How to get Kimpton Inner Circle

You must satisfy two requirements to receive an invite to Kimpton’s Inner Circle. First, you must be an IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite member. Second, you must show loyalty to Kimpton by meeting unpublished criteria.

Now, let’s look at these two Kimpton Inner Circle requirements.

IHG Diamond Elite status

To earn IHG Diamond Elite status, you’ll usually need to complete 70 elite-qualifying nights or earn 120,000 elite-qualifying points during the calendar year. Once you earn Diamond Elite status, you’ll keep it through the end of the following calendar year.

Cardmembers of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card get automatic Platinum Elite status for as long as they remain cardmembers. However, these cardmembers can secure Diamond Elite status through the end of the following calendar year if they make purchases totaling $40,000 or more with one of these IHG Premier cards during a calendar year.

Loyalty to Kimpton

IHG doesn’t publish specific loyalty criteria for Kimpton Inner Circle. However, I assume qualification is based on how frequently you stay with Kimpton properties and how much you spend at Kimpton properties.

Related: The top Kimpton Hotels across the world, according to IHG Diamond members

Kimpton Inner Circle benefits

You must hold IHG Diamond Elite status to become eligible for an invite to Kimpton’s Inner Circle. So, you’ll get Diamond Elite benefits at all IHG brands, and you’ll get Diamond Elite and Inner Circle perks when staying at Kimpton properties.

Specifically, Kimpton Inner Circle members can expect the following extra perks at Kimpton hotels.

Inner Circle amenity

During each stay, Kimpton will provide a favorite snack and drink as an in-room amenity. You can set your preferences in your online profile or by calling the Inner Circle VIP line.

Each hotel will do its best to provide a snack and beverage that meets your preferences, but you may not get exactly what you request during every stay.

Chef’s taste

When you eat dinner at participating Kimpton restaurants, you can enjoy a complimentary chef’s taste. The chef’s taste is usually a small appetizer or dessert.

You don’t need to stay with Kimpton to enjoy a chef’s taste while having dinner, but you do need to let the restaurant staff know you’re an Inner Circle member.

Kimpton Inner Circle free night

Inner Circle members get one new hotel free night certificate each calendar year if they’ve stayed at three or more different Kimpton properties in the previous 12 months. Members can use the new free night at select new Kimpton properties in North America based on availability and at the property’s discretion. However, although the new hotel free night covers the cost of the room, you’ll still need to pay for incidental charges, taxes and fees.

Guaranteed 1-category room upgrade

Kimpton Inner Circle members are guaranteed a one-category upgrade above the room type booked when checking in to Kimpton hotels. When staying at Kimpton properties that price all room types the same, you’ll get a room in a better location.

This benefit doesn’t include upgrades to presidential suites, specialty suites or suites with two or more bedrooms. Additionally, if you use a suite upgrade earned through the IHG Milestone Rewards program, you won’t be eligible for an additional room upgrade at check-in due to your Inner Circle status.

Related: How to earn and redeem IHG food and beverage rewards

Guaranteed early check-in and late checkout

You can check in beginning at 10 a.m. on your arrival day. If your room isn’t available early, you can use another room until yours is ready. You can also keep your room as late as 4 p.m. on your departure day.

Waived amenity fees

When staying at Kimpton properties, you won’t need to pay guest amenity or destination fees, but you’ll still need to pay resort fees and surcharges.

This might seem like a convenient loophole, but when I looked at several popular Kimpton hotels, each property advertised guest amenity fees instead of resort fees.

Premium internet

When staying at Kimpton hotels, you’ll get complimentary internet at the property’s highest speed.

VIP phone line

You’ll also get access to a VIP phone line connecting you with Inner Circle agents. These agents can assist with IHG reservations and answer questions about Diamond Elite and Inner Circle benefits. Even if you don’t call IHG frequently, these agents can make the process better when you need to do so.

Related: Best IHG beach hotels, ranging from family-friendly resorts to luxury stays

Bottom line

Kimpton Inner Circle membership only provides perks at Kimpton properties. But, unlike InterContinental Ambassador (another brand-specific status in the IHG program), you can’t purchase Kimpton Inner Circle. Instead, you must earn Diamond Elite status and hit unpublished loyalty thresholds with Kimpton to get an invite. However, with all the perks and benefits offered, loyalty to IHG (and Kimpton, in particular) could be worthwhile.

Related reading:

• Terrific location but an unkempt room: A review of the Kimpton Hotel Eventi in New York City
• Perfectly fine but nothing special: My stay at the Kimpton Gray in Chicago
• 5 things you’ll love (and 2 you might not) about the Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo
• Dramatic views and even a pool in the heart of Paris: A review of Kimpton St Honore Paris
• Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix review: When can I check in again?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information

Each year, as cool nights and changing leaves descend upon the northern hemisphere, skiers and riders head straight for their gear rooms, dusting off their skis or boards in anticipation of the impending ski season. Dreams of bottomless, untouched powder become the nightly norm while obsessively checking the long-range winter forecast and ski area opening dates fill the work day.

While forecasts can help narrow down your choices on where to go this winter, opting for destinations with flexible hotel bookings and airfare or waiting until the last minute (if that’s in the budget) will increase the odds of ending up in a snow globe rather than having to pick your way between mud patches on the slopes.

Forecasters are predicting a La Nina weather pattern ahead of the 2024-25 ski season, which tends to favor western resorts. During the last La Nina, during the 2022-23 ski season, ski areas across California and Utah smashed snowfall records. But that doesn’t necessarily mean destinations in the Northeast and Colorado should be written off just yet.

Knowing your priorities is important when considering the best ski resort. For some, the “best” ski resort is one where deep powder and steep slopes take center stage, even if the only nearby lodging option is the back of your car in the parking lot. Others might prioritize ski resorts with high-end hotels despite crowded lift lines that make it nearly impossible to get more than a handful of runs in during the day.

Regardless of where on this spectrum you fall, the United States has seemingly endless ski resorts to choose from. Below is a guide to some of the most popular and why each might be the best for you.

Aspen Snowmass Resort

From the expert runs of Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands to the expansive and family-friendly terrain of far larger Snowmass, this 5,500-acre complex encompasses four skiing and snowboarding areas. It lives up to its reputation as the definitive all-in-one ski destination and one of the best Colorado ski resorts. And thanks to the 2023 addition of a high-speed quad and a significant terrain expansion on Aspen Mountain, there will be plenty to explore this winter.

Despite its upscale image, there’s plenty of fun here. Go tubing and snow biking under the stars at Elk Camp or ice-karting around a frozen lake in nearby Roaring Fork Valley.

What to know

Each of the four Aspen Snowmass ski resorts has its own personality. Aspen Mountain is known for its challenging terrain and easy access to town and nightlife, while Aspen Highlands is famed for its expert runs. Families and beginners can’t do better than the gentle slopes of Buttermilk, especially the tot-friendly Panda Peak and the teenager favorite X Park.

Snowmass offers equally easy access while still pleasing thrill-seekers with its 4,400-foot rise. Speaking of thrills, no other resort offers an experience like the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster, which whizzes through the forest on an elevated track.

Where to eat

Hit Aspen Public House for burgers and truffle potatoes or Spring Cafe for soups, salads and creative breakfast scrambles. Try the French bistro cuisine at Betula or the dry-aged prime rib at Catch Steak for something more celebratory.

Where to stay

Where you stay depends on your budget and the mountain resort you want to ski. There are plenty of choices; luckily, Aspen has some of the best ski hotels in the U.S.

The Mollie Aspen is a great option for those looking for a quieter, simple boutique hotel in the center of town. The St. Regis Aspen Resort is ideal if you’re hoping for a dose of luxury just a few steps from the lifts at Aspen Mountain.

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Rates start around $2,000 or 130,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night during ski season on select midweek dates, although weekends can exceed $3,000 per night. Depending on the number of nights booked and specific dates, nights can be as low as 90,000  points early season.

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Rates start around $1,150 on select nights during ski season or from 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, all plus a $65-per-night resort fee.

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Rates start at $2,000 per night during ski season.

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Rates start at $550 per night during ski season, or 80,000 points per night during ski season, plus a $50 daily resort fee.

Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort

With the 2014 addition of the Canyons ski resort increasing its size to 7,300 acres, Park City arguably became the largest ski resort in the United States. It’s second only to Whistler Blackcomb in North America. And thanks to major snowmaking upgrades on some of Park City’s popular trails, they anticipate an earlier-than-usual opening date this season.

Deer Valley Resort, just 3 miles away, offers skiers a premium experience with high-touch service; snowboarders are still banned from the impeccably maintained slopes.

In 2023, Deer Valley’s parent company, Alterra Mountain Company, announced a historic expansion incorporating the Mayflower Mountain Resort into Deer Valley. This will double the skiable terrain and add 16 new lifts and a 10-passenger gondola to the slopes. Deer Valley will also debut 300 new skiable acres for the 2024-25 ski season.

What to know

A new eight-person gondola now connects Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons from peak to peak, making access easy. Snowboarders are out of luck at Deer Valley, one of the three last American resorts open only to skiers. Luckily, Park City and Canyons are snowboarders’ favorites.

Where to eat

As one of the best ski towns in the U.S., Park City has no shortage of terrific dining options. You’ll find plenty of chef-driven culinary haunts along Main Street, including Riverhorse on Main, Grappa and Chimayo. Though you’ll pay handsomely for the scenery and prime location, a younger crowd flocks to places like High West Saloon and No Name Saloon. Locals tend to frequent places off the tourist trail, such as Five5eeds, fresh, healthy fare purveyors, or Sammy’s Bistro, a local institution.

The Swiss Alps come to Utah at Deer Valley Resort’s Fireside Dining, where you can feast on warm raclette cheese and classic fondue after arriving by horse-drawn sleigh.

Where to stay

Plenty of fabulous lodges allow you to park your skis at the end of the day on the slopes. The big decision is whether to stay closer to Deer Valley or Park City. The decision is easy for snowboarders or families with snowboarders since they aren’t welcome at Deer Valley.

But for skiers, the decision is less straightforward. Regardless of where you’re skiing, staying close to Park City Mountain Resort or Canyons is an option. They are quite literally side by side and connected by the Quicksilver gondola once you are on the mountain.

Staying at Deer Valley is a better option for those looking for a more luxurious, secluded, high-end vibe, while Park City lends itself to a more laid-back, casual experience. If you want to walk from bar to bar or explore different restaurants on foot, staying closer to Park City is a better bet.

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Winter rates at the St. Regis Deer Valley start at just under $1,200 or 122,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

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Winter rates at the Montage Deer Valley start at around $1,550 per night.

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Rates start at $430 per night in low season, around $1,100 in high season or 110,000 Hilton Honors points.

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Rates start at around $600 per night or 29,000 World of Hyatt points during ski season and around $300 per night during the offseason. There is also a $40 daily resort fee.

Related: Brian Head — the affordable Utah ski resort where lift tickets start at $29

Breckenridge, Colorado

A Western-chic vibe still pervades this historic 19th-century mining town. The resort’s Five Peaks frame a bustling main street lined with gingerbread-bedecked clapboard buildings.

An all-season destination known for mountain biking and hiking almost as much as it is for skiing, “Breck” hosts a year-round roster of festivals and events. This includes the International Snow Sculpture Championships, which turn the town into a magical fantasyland of ice during the last week of January every year.

The fun vibe continues in town which you can reach via the free BreckConnect gondola. From the top of the Imperial SuperChair — the highest chairlift in North America, which sits 12,840 feet above sea level — you can take the trails directly from the slopes into town.

What to know

At 9,600 feet above sea level, Breck is among the highest-altitude towns in the U.S. As such, it has become known for early fall color, snowfall and late snowmelt, with good snow conditions typical into late spring. And with such a wide variety of lodging around town, it’s no surprise that Breck has some of the best ski lodges in the U.S.

Where to eat

Dine on elk and buffalo while listening to jazz and blues at Blue River Bistro, known for its three-hour happy hour. Or, class it up at Legends Steak & Seafood, where the butcher’s cut of the day is reliably excellent. The restaurant at Breckenridge Distillery is almost as beloved for its celebratory atmosphere and eclectic menu of small plates as it is for its world-class whiskey.

Tip: Take a tour of the Breckenridge Distillery if you have time.

Where to stay

More casual than some of Colorado’s glitzy ski destinations, Breckenridge still has some wonderful places to stay. Hotels like the Residence Inn are perfect for enjoying the town; its location on Main Street makes it the perfect place to enjoy the nightlife after a long day of skiing or riding. And with the number of restaurants, shops and bars in Breck, it’s worth leaving the slopes and wandering around town.

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Rates from around $360 per night during ski season, or 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

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Rates from $389 per night during ski season.

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Rates start at $471 per night during ski season or 44,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (though they can be difficult to find).

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Jackson Hole is a bucket list destination for expert skiers looking to prove themselves on its craggy slopes and famously steep chutes like the infamous Corbet’s Couloir. Beginning and intermediate skiers will also find some gentler trails and recently expanded intermediate terrain.

What to know

It’s only a 15-minute ride up the mountain on the aerial tram affectionately dubbed Big Red, but get there early during peak times to avoid lines. Families and beginners will love the recently opened Solitude Station ski school and learning hub that offers lessons, rentals and fire pits to make waiting more pleasant.

Where to eat

There’s no lunch spot like Piste Mountain Bistro at the top of the Bridger gondola, where a glass wall showcases mountaintop views. Gather, a local favorite, serves up modern American comfort fare in an unusual round dining room surrounded by a spacious patio. The top-of-the-world waffles at Corbet’s Cabin are a must.

Where to stay

Rustic-chic is the name of the game when it comes to luxurious lodges in this former frontier town. Many lodging options, like the Caldera House and the Four Seasons Resort and Residences in Teton Village, are higher-end properties that focus on the amenities and a luxurious off-slope experience. There are also more affordable options, like the Snake River Lodge and Spa, a luxury mountain resort slightly less high-end than other properties.

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Rates start at just over $500 per night during ski season.

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Rates start at around $1,360 per night in high season, plus a 10% occupancy fee.

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Rates start at around $3,000 per night in high season.

Palisades Tahoe

As you’d expect from a resort that hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and trained 1998 gold medalist, Jonny Moseley, Palisades Tahoe is the resort of choice for expert skiers drawn to extra-steep runs, including several newly designated double black diamonds. But it might come as a surprise to learn that the terrain at today’s resort is almost evenly divided among beginner, intermediate and expert.

Palisades Tahoe has recently undergone several major improvements, including a multimillion-dollar Gold Coast midmountain lodge renovation.

What to know

Two base areas, the Village and Alpine (the former Alpine Meadows, now part of Palisades), are linked by a brand-new base-to-base gondola, making it possible to ski both in one day. Unlike most resorts, Palisades has beginner areas at the top of the mountain at the 8,200-foot High Camp, accessible by an aerial tram.

Related: From hidden gems to big names: Here are 11 of California’s best ski resorts

Where to eat

Take a lunch break with 8,200-foot views at High Camp’s Granite Bistro, which overlooks the pool and hot tub, or savor kebabs and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare at Mogrog Cafe in the Alpine base camp. Off-resort on the banks of the Truckee River, the River Ranch Lodge serves elk ribs, bison chops, scallops, calamari and ahi poke alongside more conventional pub-style fare.

Where to stay

More casual and laid-back than other ski resorts, Palisades Tahoe has plenty of accommodation options for travelers of various inclinations.

Unlike destinations like Aspen — where luxurious rooms and top-notch spa treatments are just as (if not more) important than the skiing itself — the Tahoe area has accommodations perfect for winding down between long days of skiing. That’s not to say there aren’t some nice places to stay (like North Tahoe’s PlumpJack Inn), but they’re just a bit more casual than the hotels frequently found in some of the higher-end destinations.

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Rates start at $250 per night for a studio midweek during ski season.

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Rates start at around $400 per night during ski season.

Sun Valley Resort

Ernest Hemingway finished “For Whom the Bell Tolls” there; Tom Hanks, Ashton Kutcher and Jamie Lee Curtis own homes there; and so many Hollywood celebrities vacation there that it’s known as New Hollywood North. Yet Sun Valley, Idaho, has plenty to offer the rest of us, from the beginner terrain on Dollar Mountain to the pristine and well-groomed trails on Bald Mountain. It also gets more than 250 days of sunshine a year.

What to know

Dollar Mountain lures beginners with easy-to-navigate trails while experts head for Bald Mountain, or “Baldy,” for black diamond runs. Sunrise, a 380-acre terrain park that opened in 2020, expands the resort’s skiable acres by 20%. And in December of 2023, Sun Valley improved the Warm Springs part of the resort with several new lift installations and an additional 54 acres of gladed terrain.

Related: Sleigh rides and snowball fights: Top 8 ski resorts for people who don’t like to ski

Where to eat

Pub-style food and a convivial atmosphere make Warfield Distillery & Brewery a good place to chat with locals and catch the occasional live band.

Where to stay

While Sun Valley is no secret, it gets much less recognition than other major ski destinations throughout North America. Naturally, the accommodations will be much more laid-back and affordable than the higher-end inns and lodges at places like Breckenridge and Jackson Hole.

That said, Limelight does have a location in nearby Ketchum, which emulates its successful property in Aspen. And just because it gets less recognition (although that seems to be changing recently) doesn’t mean the skiing or lodging experiences are any less noteworthy.

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Rates start at around $600 per night.

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Rates start at around $559 per night during ski season.

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Rates start at $211 or from 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Steamboat, Colorado

In Colorado’s Yampa Valley, the town now known as Steamboat Springs served as an important hunting ground for the Ute tribe; the area’s natural springs were also culturally significant for the Yampatika Ute and Arapaho tribes. When a railroad was built in the early 20th century, the region became important for ranching, but it wouldn’t be long before skiing followed.

Today, the ski area pays tribute to its past with events like the Cowboy Downhill race, which is exactly what it sounds like: a rowdy time with professional rodeo cowboys competing in a race that includes slalom, a jump, lassos and horses.

What to know

The resort completed a $220 million, three-year development project for the 2023-24 ski season — the largest in resort history.

The project’s final phase adds 655 acres of skiable expert terrain, bumping Steamboat up to the second-largest resort in the state. The recently installed upper section of the Wild Blue gondola makes it the fastest and longest 10-person gondola in North America. Steamboat is approximately a four-hour drive from Denver, but there is nonstop flight service to nearby Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN) from 16 major cities nationwide.

Where to eat

There are plenty of options for food around Steamboat. There are casual spots like TBar — set in an old ski patrol building and offers empanadas and sandwiches like a pork belly BLT — and higher-end culinary experiences like Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails, specializing in smoked and cured foods.

Where to stay

Steamboat has plenty of lodging options. Gravity Haus has a ski-in, ski-out location for those who don’t want to waste time before getting to the slopes in the morning. Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas is also an on-mountain hotel with great access to and views of the slopes.

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Rates start at around $350 per night during ski season, and Bonvoy points bookings are typically unavailable during high-demand times, like ski season. Rooms tend to get booked far in advance, so planning will help you lock in cheaper rates.

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Rates start at $350 per night during ski season.

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Rates start at around $330 per night during ski season.

Big Sky Resort

Halfway between Bozeman and West Yellowstone in Montana’s Madison Range, Big Sky is the out-of-the-way destination every skier dreams of.

The resort became another contender for one of the largest ski resorts in the U.S. with the 2013 addition of Moonlight Basin, bringing the total skiable acres to 5,850. There are even lifts and runs connecting Big Sky to the privately owned 2,200-acre Yellowstone Club, open only to those owning property or staying there.

Big Sky is also nearing the end of a 10-year upgrade project, which includes a new network of lifts, new food and beverage options, and a new Lone Peak tram with an all-glass viewing platform at the offload point (and glass floors in the tram itself).

What to know

Four connected mountains and seven terrain parks give Big Sky various runs and conditions. It also boasts the second-longest vertical drop in the U.S., an adrenaline-surging 4,350 feet from the top of Lone Peak.

Where to eat

Fuel up for the day at Blue Moon Bakery, serving a mean pizza. Celebrate a special occasion — or a successful day on the slopes — at Alpenglow, the Montage’s swanky brasserie.

Where to stay

Thanks to cozy town hotels and new over-the-top luxury lodges, Big Sky is quickly becoming one of the country’s premier ski resorts to visit. Despite Big Sky being less crowded and popular than some of North America’s megaresorts, there are still plenty of lodging options. Options range from high-end resorts like Montage Big Sky to the Summit Hotel, which has a bit more of a “standard” hotel feel.

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Rates start at around $1,300 per night.

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Rates start at around $560 per night.

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Rates start at $348 or 57,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night during ski season.

Killington Resort

Living up to its nickname of the Beast of the East, Killington boasts the most trails and terrain parks of any resort in New England. The 3,000-acre resort in the Green Mountains also prides itself on being the first to open and last to close, often keeping the snow on at least one trail as late as June.

What to know

The Snowshed base area is the perfect starting point for beginners, while Ramshead is Killington’s playground, making it one of the best family ski resorts. Serious skiers head for Killington Peak, known as K-1, which has the resort’s most challenging terrain, including the second-largest vertical drop on the Eastern Seaboard.

Where to eat

Pizza and calzones from Domenic’s will fill up the family, while The Foundry is the local hot spot for a festive meal. Lookout Tavern is a lively spot for beer and the family basics, including a large, well-priced kids menu.

Where to stay

Even in a little ski destination like this, your hotel points could be handy at places like the Killington Mountain Lodge, a Hilton property. Killington is known for its lively nightlife (check out the Wobbly Barn for an iconic apres-ski scene), but since the town is relatively small, it’s pretty quick and easy to get around regardless of where you stay.

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Rates start at $400 per night during ski season.

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Rates start at around $200 per night during ski season, or 60,000 Hilton Honors Points.

Stowe Resort

Despite its location in northern Vermont, where the “big” ski destinations pale compared to the resorts out west, Stowe has diverse terrain, plenty of snow and an overall vibe comparable to any quintessential ski destination in the country.

At Stowe, skiers and riders are treated to 485 acres of mellow, groomed runs, exhilarating meadows and plenty of steep, natural terrain.

The resort is also located just minutes from Stowe’s downtown area, which is about as “New England” as it gets. Iconic white steeple churches sit in the foreground of Vermont’s rolling Green Mountains, and the streets are lined with cafes, restaurants and breweries, perfect for exploring after a day on the slopes.

What to know

Vail Resorts purchased Stowe in 2017, making it their first East Coast resort. Buying an Epic Pass provides huge cost savings when visiting Stowe, Breckenridge and any of Vail’s other resorts. Stowe also tends to get busy by East Coast standards, so visiting mid-week and avoiding vacation weeks is for the best. The resort is split between Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, giving it the feel of two resorts in one. The Mansfield side is larger, with more expert terrain, but the Spruce Peak side still has its share of challenging runs.

Where to eat

Rural New England isn’t necessarily known for its culinary scene, but Stowe stands out against the rest of the region. Not only is it home to one of the best breweries around — The Alchemist (creator of Heady Topper, the first New England-style IPA) — but it has endless high-quality restaurants to choose from. Check out Doc Ponds, just up the road from the resort, with standard bar fare, like chicken sandwiches and burgers. For the beer lover in the family, their selection of local craft beers from famed breweries like Hill Farmstead is top-notch. Idyltime Brewing Company is another worthy option, with a rotating menu often featuring half-roasted chicken and Vermont mac and cheese.

Where to stay

You won’t find many big-name hotel brands around Stowe, which is part of the charm. Instead of luxury Marriott properties, the town has plenty of family-owned bed and breakfasts and lodges. But there are a few options for those looking to utilize and earn those points.

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Rates start at $400 per night plus a $45 nightly room fee or 45,000 World of Hyatt points during ski season.

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Rates start at around $200 per night during ski season.

Related reading:

• Key travel tips you need to know — whether you’re a beginner or expert traveler
• The best travel credit cards
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• 13 must-have items the TPG team can’t travel without

 

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Many of the best travel rewards cards provide valuable premium travel benefits. For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer many perks, including complimentary entry to Centurion Lounges and extra benefits on luxury hotel stays booked through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program.

But one benefit these two cards offer is often overlooked: the ability to enroll in complimentary elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Here’s what you need to know about hotel status with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum.

What is this benefit?

Cardmembers of The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express — including authorized users with additional Platinum or Business Platinum cards — can enroll in complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status.

Once enrolled, you’ll maintain at least Gold status if you keep your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum account open (assuming American Express continues to offer this benefit for your card).

Related: Complete guide to authorized users on the Amex Platinum Card

How do I enroll?

To enroll in either (or both) complimentary hotel elite statuses, log in to your American Express account, click on “Rewards & Benefits” in the top navigation bar and then select “Benefits.” Scroll down — you may need to expand a “Premium Travel” section — to find separate icons for Hilton and Marriott.

Click “Learn More” in either (or both) tiles for more information. If you want to enroll, click “Enroll Now” and enter your member number with the hotel loyalty program. This online enrollment process should work for both primary and additional Platinum cardholders, but you can also enroll by calling the customer service number on the back of your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum card.

Once you request enrollment, American Express will share your enrollment information with the hotel loyalty programs, which will upgrade your status to Gold if you currently hold a lower status. The upgrade usually takes three to five business days but could take longer, so don’t wait until just before a trip to enroll in these benefits.

Related: Here’s how much value you can get from the Amex Platinum card in your first year

What are the benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status?

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status usually requires you to accrue at least 25 elite night credits per calendar year. As a Marriott Gold Elite member, you’ll have access to the following benefits:

• 25% more points on stays: Earn 25% more points than base-level members on eligible hotel purchases at participating Marriott properties.
• Enhanced room upgrades: The Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions note that Gold Elite members may receive a complimentary upgrade to “rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors” at participating properties. However, each hotel is left to identify room upgrades; some brands don’t offer complimentary upgrades, and upgrades are subject to availability.
• Late checkout at 2 p.m.: Get 2 p.m. late checkout at participating brands upon request (based on availability).
• Enhanced internet: Enjoy complimentary enhanced internet when staying at participating properties.
• Welcome points: Get 250 or 500 welcome points per stay at participating brands.

In addition to the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, several Marriott Bonvoy cards provide automatic elite status. For example, you can get automatic Gold Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Meanwhile, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers automatic Platinum Elite status.

Related: 29 best Marriott hotels in the world

What are the benefits of Hilton Honors Gold status?

Hilton Honors Gold status usually requires that you stay 40 nights per calendar year, stay 20 times per calendar year or earn 75,000 Hilton Honors base points per calendar year. As a Hilton Gold member, you’ll have access to the following benefits:

• 80% elite status bonus on stays: Receive an 80% bonus on the Hilton Honors base points you earn on stays.
• Continental breakfast or a daily food-and-beverage credit: Some brands provide breakfast for all guests as a brand amenity. But at most other brands, you can select a daily food-and-beverage credit (at select brands in the U.S. and at Motto by Hilton properties globally) or daily complimentary continental breakfast (at select brands outside the U.S., excluding Motto by Hilton) for yourself and up to one other guest registered to your room as a MyWay benefit.
• Space-available room upgrades: Gold members may receive a complimentary upgrade to preferred rooms up to Executive Floor room types. The Hilton Honors terms and conditions note that “Preferred rooms may also include those not on the Executive Floor but conferring Executive Lounge access (excluding the Sakura Club at Conrad Washington, D.C and Club Signia at Signia by Hilton hotels), the next-best available room types, rooms with desirable views or amenities or other rooms identified as ‘preferred’ by the hotel and may vary within each brand.” Additionally, upgrades are “granted on a space-available basis for the entire stay,” and some brands and properties don’t participate in complimentary upgrades.
• Fifth night free: Hilton elite members get every fifth night free (up to four free nights per stay) when booking a reward stay of five nights or more using points.

In addition to the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, you’ll also get automatic Hilton Gold status if you have the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. Additionally, you can get automatic top-tier Hilton Diamond status as a perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The 20 best Hilton hotels in the world

Bottom line

Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status provide some valuable perks, so it’s great that cardmembers of The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express can enroll in these statuses as a perk of their card.

Getting Hilton Gold and Marriott Gold Elite status through the Amex Platinum or Business Platinum can be useful if you don’t stay frequently enough with these programs to earn elite status organically and don’t want to add a hotel credit card to your wallet.

However, having the Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum won’t help you earn higher status with either program. After all, unlike select Marriott Bonvoy cards that provide elite night credits as a cardholder perk, you won’t get Marriott Bonvoy elite night credits as a benefit of the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum.

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Many hotel loyalty programs have shifted to dynamic pricing, making it difficult to know how many points you’ll need for each hotel night on your upcoming vacation.

Will your free night certificate be sufficient? Or will you be priced out, with hotels requiring more points than the value of your free night certificate?

Here’s how to search for hotel stays with free night certificates by filtering for hotels that match the value of your free night award.

Hilton Honors

You can use Hilton free night awards any night of the week (an improvement over the previous weekend restriction) at nearly any Hilton property. (The list of exclusions is here.) While you must redeem these awards over the phone, you should still search for availability online first, verifying that the hotel you want has standard rooms available on the night you want.

Here’s a search using Hilton Honors points in Honolulu.

Next to the points value, look for the words “standard room reward.” You need standard room availability to use your Hilton free night reward. Once you’ve found a property you like, call Hilton at 800-446-6677.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy might be the most complex program on this list for using free night certificates. It issues free night certificates with multiple values.

When searching for a hotel in Seattle, the results are overwhelming. Below the numbers of rooms and guests, click on “All Filters.”

From here, you can filter for hotels in certain point bands. Choose the band that aligns with your free night award’s maximum value.

If you’re using a 35,000-point certificate, choose the 0-40,000 points option. Now, you’ll have a more manageable list of hotels to consider.

Related: How to use a Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point certificate

Remember that this will show hotels charging up to 40,000 points — a bit more than what your free night is worth. You can only choose hotels your free night award covers in full. Or, you can choose hotels that cost up to 15,000 points more than your free night’s value — topping up the award with your Marriott points.

See these for some booking inspiration:

• 7 great uses of Marriott 35,000-point free night certificates
• 13 ways to redeem the Marriott 50K free night award
• 8 places to maximize an 85,000-point Marriott award night certificate

World of Hyatt

Start your search after logging into your World of Hyatt account. Click on “Awards” to see any free nights available in your account.

You can search for a location (but not specific dates) from here.

This search for San Francisco hotels provides numerous results. Clicking “Filters” in the top right allows you to select which categories of hotels you want to see. If you have a Category 1-4 free night (such as the annual award provided by the World of Hyatt Credit Card), select only hotel Categories 1-4.

Related: Incredible World of Hyatt credit card offer: Earn 5 free nights with this best-ever bonus

Now, you have a manageable list of which properties match the value of your free night award.

This doesn’t show availability on particular dates — just which hotels might work. Five hotels match the Category 1-4 free night award, so you can check availability at whichever hotel you prefer.

Related: How to earn, use and make the most of your Hyatt free night certificates

Bottom line

You might see numerous results on your intended travel dates when searching for hotels. Unfortunately, not all of these hotels can be booked with your free night awards.

Understanding how to limit your search results to hotels that match the value of your free night certificate makes for a better booking experience. It provides realistic options and makes the decision process easier, ensuring you can always redeem those valuable certificates.

On many a cruise, rubber ducks can be found peeking out from random hiding places, beckoning passengers to pick them up and read their accompanying information tags. Perhaps you’ll find one hidden behind a plant by the Doe family from Springfield or another carefully placed somewhere in the buffet by the Smiths from Greenville.

What the duck, you might be wondering, is the deal with hiding ducks on cruise ships?

As an avid duck hider, let me clue you in to this popular onboard pastime. Whether you’re ready to hide ducks on cruises or want to send your kids on a hunt for cruise ducks, you’ll need to get your own ducks in a row before you set sail.

Cruise ship rubber ducks, explained

Cruisers often bring rubber ducks on cruises in an effort to have a bit of fun by hiding them throughout the ship. The ducks usually have information cards attached to them bearing the names of the people who hid them and where those passengers are from.

What began in 2018 as a cute gesture by a 10-year-old girl named Abby — who simply wanted to make other passengers smile — now spans several Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands of members. In these groups, cruisers chat about the ducks they’ve ordered, the best places to purchase them, clever places to hide them after they’ve set sail and the best ways to attach the information tags.

The largest group I’ve been able to find — yes, I’m a member — is Cruising Ducks – Original, which encourages people to share photos of the ducks they plan to hide as well as ducks they’ve found on board. Think of it a bit like geocaching, but simpler — and with ducks.

What to do if you find cruise ship ducks

If you find a duck, the next step is simple. Take a photo of yourself with the duck you’ve found and post it to the Cruising Ducks – Original Facebook group. Mention the name of the person who hid it. You might also choose to reach out to thank them if they have provided contact information on the card attached to the duck.

Then, either keep your new friend to take home with you as a souvenir or rehide it according to the below rules.

Rules for hiding ducks on a cruise

It might sound silly, but there are rules for hiding rubber ducks on cruises. The first is that you should never put it in a pool or hot tub. You wouldn’t want an excited child or inebriated passenger to fall in and drown or hurt themselves while attempting to fetch it.

Second, don’t hide ducks in any of the onboard shops. If someone finds one hidden there and tries to take it with them, it could appear as though they’re stealing something.

Third, don’t place ducks where they might fall overboard. It’s a huge no-no to toss anything into the ocean, even by accident.

When choosing ducks, the sky is the limit. I’ve seen everything from mini ducks to giant ones that are a foot tall. You can find simple, classic yellow ducks in bulk online or you can choose to go all-out and purchase custom ones in a color or design that suits your personality. You might also choose to order plain ones and decorate them yourself with feathers, glitter or paint. Really, anything goes in terms of theme.

Some participants even choose to vary it a bit by hiding other duck-themed toys or objects, such as duck keychains, hand-crocheted ducks, duck-shaped Hot Wheels cars or small LEGO duck kits.

On a couple of my recent sailings, I won some inexpensive mini ducks by playing a claw game in the onboard arcade, and I used spare hair ties to attach my business card to them. It was a last-minute improvisation, but boy, was it fun. Hiding them also kept the young daughter of one of my travel companions busy for an afternoon.

For the tags, make sure to include your name and where you’re from, along with instructions for the people who find your little quackers. Standard wording is generally something like this:

“Oh, what luck. You found a duck! Keep or hide, you decide. You found a cruising duck hidden by [name] from [city, state, country]. Hide in public places only — no pools, hot tubs or stores. Take a photo, and post it in the Facebook group Cruising Ducks — Original.”

At a minimum, the tag should tell the duck’s finders that they can either keep or rehide the duck and the places that are off-limits. It should also encourage them to share the ducks they find online. You can also choose to include additional information, such as a QR code or your e-mail address.

Cruise lines that have banned cruise ducks

For reasons unknown, a couple of cruise lines have recently cracked down on duck hiding. In particular, Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line have asked passengers to refrain from hiding rubber ducks on cruises. Although there are no severe consequences for hiding them anyway, it’s best to be aware of these lines’ policies.

Bottom line

If you’re hiding ducks, be sure to adhere to the rules. If you find a duck, whether you keep it or rehide it, be sure to post a photo per the accompanying instructions.

Hiding rubber ducks on cruise ships is a fun way to connect with other passengers on your next sailing, as well as an entertaining pastime on sea days. Whether you find a duck and contact the folks who hid it or hide your own flock so others can reach out to you, it can help you to make new friends from all corners of the globe.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise

United Airlines is gearing up for its biggest — and perhaps most exciting — summer season yet.

On Thursday, the Chicago-based carrier unveiled a blockbuster expansion that includes a whopping eight new international destinations and 13 new routes.

In recent years, United (and its competitors) have turned their summer expansions into a grand reveal, with teasers posted on social media in the hours leading up to the announcement, followed by splashy press releases with exciting details of all the new places you can go.

But this announcement — United’s largest international expansion yet — is unlike any other we’ve seen from a major U.S. airline in recent history. In fact, it includes a slew of exotic, off-the-beaten-path destinations that are likely to impress, assuming that you can place them all on a map. (As for me, I didn’t even know the airport codes for some of United’s new destinations.)

Here’s everything you need to know to start planning your summer trip. And if you’re ready to book, all the new flights are already available for sale (except Nuuk, Greenland, and Dakar, Senegal — those are coming soon).

United unveils 8 new destinations

Beginning in May 2025, United will add eight new destinations to its network. The full list is available below.

Route	Start date	Seasonality	Frequency	Aircraft
Newark to Bilbao, Spain	May 31, 2025	Seasonal	Three times weekly	Boeing 757-200
Newark to Faro, Portugal	May 16, 2025	Seasonal	Four times weekly	Boeing 757-200
Newark to Madeira, Portugal	June 7, 2025	Seasonal	Three times weekly	Boeing 737 MAX 8
Newark to Nuuk	June 14, 2025	Seasonal	Twice weekly	Boeing 737 MAX 8
Newark to Palermo, Italy	May 21, 2025	Seasonal	Three times weekly	Boeing 767-400
Tokyo to Kaohsiung, Taiwan	July 11, 2025	Year-round	Daily	Boeing 737-800
Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia	May 1, 2025	Seasonal	Three times weekly	Boeing 737-800
Washington, D.C. to Dakar	May 23, 2025	Year-round	Three times weekly	Boeing 767-300

Seven of the eight new destinations aren’t served by any other U.S. airline — Delta Air Lines flies to Dakar from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Technically, Delta will also soon fly from New York to Sicily in Italy, but Delta chose Catania as its primary Sicilian gateway while United is opting for Palermo.

It’s interesting that we’re jumping from no U.S. nonstops to Sicily to suddenly having two as of next summer — something that’s likely to please “The White Lotus” fans.

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Otherwise, this list of new routes feels markedly different from any other recent announcements from United. You’ll notice that there are no new flights to London, Paris, Rome or even Athens, Greece, some of the tried-and-true destinations that consistently draw scores of American tourists each summer.

Of course, United already flies to many of the top European destinations (with two additional new transatlantic routes taking off next summer, as detailed below), but it’s interesting to compare United’s announcement with the recent expansions unveiled by American Airlines and Delta.

American and Delta are still very much focused on the pre-coronavirus pandemic playbook of boosting service to popular European destinations, such as Athens, Rome and Edinburgh, Scotland.

United and its network planning team, led by Patrick Quayle, are charting their own course. They continue to add service to far-flung destinations that might first elicit a “where’s that?” question when you read the announcement.

Which strategy works best in the long term is still up for debate. After all, not every new United route works.

The airline calls Faro a new destination this year, but it originally announced that city in 2023 and then scrapped the launch of new flights just weeks before they were supposed to start. Plus, the airline recently added new flights to Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands in 2022, but they weren’t as successful in the summer as originally planned, and now United will try operating them exclusively in the winter to see if there’s more demand.

That said, several of the recent new United routes are sure winners. Take, for instance, service to Cape Town and Johannesburg, which Quayle referenced more than once in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the announcement. Those routes were innovative when they launched in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and now consistently perform as some of the best in the international network.

Time will tell how United’s new destinations fare, but the airline is confident they’ll succeed.

“People look to United to tell them where to fly. … These are unique destinations that are undiscovered gems. United just became this one-stop shop for all unique content that you need, whether it’s business, whether it’s leisure, whether it’s honeymoon. No matter what it is, people are coming to United,” Quayle said. (Despite United’s network chief just starting his own professional Instagram account, Quayle still considers “routes” his real “content.”)

It’s interesting that four out of the five new flights from Newark will be operated by a narrow-body aircraft. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 does not feature lie-flat pods in the pointy end of the plane (just standard domestic recliners), so it’s pretty clear that these routes are geared toward leisure flyers.

Of all the new transatlantic routes, just one will be operated during the daytime in both directions: the service to Nuuk in Greenland. Flights will depart Newark at 11:30 a.m. and arrive at 6:45 p.m., all times local. The plane will remain overnight in Nuuk, leave the following morning at 8 a.m. and land back in Newark at 9:30 a.m.

While most of the focus is on the Atlantic, United has been busy in recent months growing its presence at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) into a de facto gateway hub within the larger region. The airline recently announced new flights from Tokyo to Cebu in the Philippines taking off later this month, and now it’s adding three more short-haul regional routes from the airport.

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Its latest announcement includes new routes from Tokyo to Mongolia and Taiwan.

United says that its joint venture partnership with Japanese airline All Nippon Airways will help these routes take off. The new flights will also be supported by travelers looking for one-stop connections from the U.S.

“We are thinking about Tokyo differently than how it’s been thought of in the past. I think Tokyo is a real asset to us. … And when we went through the data, a lot of this traffic was connecting over Beijing, but is not doing so anymore. And so this is a way to connect it over Tokyo,” Quayle explained.

United adds 13 new routes

In addition to the new destinations, United is adding new routes to existing destinations for next summer. They include:

Route	Start date	Seasonality	Frequency	Aircraft
Tokyo to Koror, Palau	April 2, 2025	Year-round	Daily	Boeing 737-800
Washington, D.C. — specifically, Dulles International Airport (IAD) — to Nice, France	May 24, 2025	Seasonal	Four times weekly	Boeing 767-300
Washington, D.C. (Dulles) to Venice, Italy	May 22, 2025	Seasonal	Daily until Sept. 25, 2025, then four times weekly	Boeing 767-300

The two new routes from Dulles definitely fit the bill for a traditional European expansion. While Nice and Venice don’t draw as many tourists as London or Paris, plenty of Americans still look to fly to these cities each summer, and United’s new flights should have no trouble filling up.

After all, the airline already serves these cities from Newark, so it has a good pulse on demand. Plus, opening a new gateway will offer travelers more connecting opportunities from points across the U.S.

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As for the Tokyo-to-Koror route, United says it’ll further grow its presence in Tokyo with these flights. The airline already flies to Koror from Guam and Manila in the Philippines.

United boosts short-haul international network

While much of the focus is on the new long-haul routes, United isn’t resting on its laurels. The airline also has some new short-haul international flights taking off next year.

To start, a new once-weekly service from Houston to Puerto Escondido, Mexico, will take off April 5, 2025. United will be the first and only airline to connect the two cities. The airline’s regional affiliate, Mesa Airlines, will operate the flight using an Embraer 175 aircraft.

Then, starting May 22, 2025, United will also add a new daily flight from San Francisco and San Jose, Costa Rica, on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Once it launches, the airline will offer service to San Jose from all seven of its mainland U.S. hubs, making the airline the largest U.S. carrier to Costa Rica.

While not included in this announcement, United will also launch flights from Newark to Dominica in the Caribbean on Feb. 15, 2025, as TPG previously reported.

United grows existing portfolio

Finally, the airline will also expand the operating season and upgauge certain aircraft on key European routes next year.

From Newark, the carrier will relaunch flights to Athens on March 6, 2025; to Venice on March 29, 2025, and to Dubrovnik, Croatia, on May 1. Dubrovnik flights will also move to daily service, while flights to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, will increase to four weekly services.

Additionally, on May 1, United will resume service from San Francisco to Barcelona and Chicago to Athens. Both flights will be operated by the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, providing more capacity than before on these routes.

Bottom line

When all is said and done, United will offer a whopping 800 daily flights to and from 147 international destinations, including 40 nonstop routes no other major U.S. airline serves.

This expansion reaffirms United’s position as the largest international airline in the U.S. From unlocking new adventures in Greenland to adding more service to Italy, United will have something for everyone next summer.

For the airline, moves like this help enhance its end-to-end value proposition.

“What we see is the more unique content, the better the credit card acquisitions. And the more unique content, the more we differentiate ourselves from our competitors,” Quayle explained.

While the airline has now formalized its summer plans, Quayle and the network team aren’t going into hibernation mode. In fact, there have long been rumors that the carrier will soon add flights to Bangkok and possibly even to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Those flights weren’t announced in Thursday’s update, but Quayle did drop a teaser during his remarks.

“We will potentially add some more West Coast flying later this year, so stay tuned for that,” he said.

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