Skiing has long had a reputation as a sport for the wealthy. Since its introduction to North America in the early 20th century, it’s typically been reserved for those who can afford to take time off from work to spend exorbitant amounts of money traveling to far-flung destinations like Colorado, Idaho and New England.
Today, not much has changed except that the cost of skiing has grown exponentially. During the 2022-23 ski season, 47% of skiers had an income of $100,000 or more, according to Snowsports Industries America‘s annual participation study. Skiers and riders on a tighter budget have to find alternate options from the megaresorts, given they can expect to pay nearly $300 per person, per day at popular destinations like Vail, Colorado; Deer Valley, Utah; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, even if tickets are purchased online in advance. Factor in lodging, food, travel and gear rentals, and the cost starts to get out of reach.
Luckily, there are ways to cut down on costs. Most ski resorts are incentivizing skiers to purchase season passes or day tickets in advance by offering discounted pricing. Multimountain passes like the Epic and Ikon passes, which cost $1,025 until Oct. 9 and $1,359, respectively, offer unlimited access to their resorts. But even those offer rates that are cheaper the earlier you buy. The Epic Pass has several options like the Northeast Value Pass, which costs $626 until Oct. 9 and gets skiers unlimited and limited access to select Northeast ski resorts. And then there are passes like the Indy Pass, which offers two days each at over 200 resorts (although it’s currently on a waitlist-only purchase option for the 2024-25 ski season), and Mountain Collective, which gets passholders two days at each of its 25 resorts for $659.
But for those unwilling to commit to buying a multiday or multimountain pass, there are plenty of smaller ski and ride areas offering lift tickets that don’t require taking out a loan to pay for. And you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice snow quality, terrain or a cool vibe to save a few bucks.
Below, we round up a few resorts with the cheapest lift tickets in North America.
Burke Mountain, Vermont
BURKE MOUNTAIN/FACEBOOK
Vermont is known to have some of the deepest and most reliable snow on the East Coast. And while Burke‘s 217 inches of annual snowfall isn’t the most in the country — or even the state — it’s more than what most New England resorts typically get.
Located in northern Vermont, two hours from Burlington, Vermont, and less than seven from New York City, Burke Mountain offers 53 named trails and glades on 270 acres of terrain and has a vertical drop of over 2,000 feet. Adult lift tickets are just $89 per day on weekends and $45 midweek.
Mount Abram, Maine
MT ABRAM/FACEBOOK
Mount Abram is a sleepy little hill just south of Bethel, Maine, and is popular among locals. You won’t find luxury resorts and all the bells and whistles of places like Park City, Utah, or Aspen, Colorado, but you won’t find the crowds or lift lines either.
Like most New England resorts, Mount Abram isn’t the place to go for bottomless powder or steep chutes and open bowls, but with 42 trails and glades on 450 acres and a 1,150-foot vertical drop, there’s enough to keep most skiers and riders happy for a few days. There are plenty of short-term rentals around the resort and a handful of hotels and lodges in nearby Bethel, Maine, which is home to the much larger (and more expensive) Sunday River. Mount Abram is also just an hour from Portland, Maine, which is a worthy destination in itself. If the hour commute isn’t a deal-breaker, staying in the city — which has more breweries per capita than any other city and a mean lobster roll — is worth considering.
Lift tickets at Mount Abram are just $39 per day thanks to a partnership with LL Bean, but the mountain is closed Monday through Wednesday in winter. Indy Pass holders also get two days at the ski area.
Willamette Pass, Oregon
WILLAMETTE PASS/FACEBOOK
With just 555 acres of skiable terrain, Willamette Pass is a relatively small resort, but the 430 inches of annual snowfall, thanks, in part, to its high base area that sits 5,120 feet above sea level makes up for it.
The resort is just an hour from the small city of Eugene, Oregon, and has a vertical drop of 1,563 feet, 225 acres of groomed terrain and over 12 miles of Nordic trails. Like many smaller resorts, there’s plenty of easier terrain, perfect for beginners and families, but Willamette Pass is also home to RTS — one of the steepest inbound runs in the country. In fact, nearly half of the resort’s trails reach or exceed 35 degrees in spots, which is steeper than you might imagine, making it a great resort for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. There isn’t much in terms of lodging at the resort, but the nearby towns of Oak Ridge and Crescent, Oregon, have several options. Or, you can make the one-hour drive to Eugene, which has plenty of restaurants and places to stay.
Lift tickets at Willamette Pass start at $19, and it plans on operating daily during the 2024-25 ski season for the first time in 20 years. Kids 12 and under and adults 75 and over ski for free, but tickets must be “purchased” online for $0.
Howelsen Hill, Colorado
HOWELSEN HILL/FACEBOOK
With just 50 skiable acres and less than a 440-foot vertical drop, Howelsen Hill isn’t the type of place worth flying across the country for, but its location in downtown Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and free lift tickets on Sundays (with non-Sunday tickets costing just $47 during the 2023-24 ski season) makes it worth checking out if you happen to be in the area and want to save a few bucks on lift tickets for a day or two.
The city-owned hill, which opened in 1915, is also the longest continuously operating ski area in North America. It’s known for being an Olympic training ground thanks to its impressive ski jumping complex.
Brian Head, Utah
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Thanks, in part, to having the highest base area in Utah, Brian Head Resort receives over 360 inches of dry, fluffy snow each year, making it a great spot for skiers and riders looking to maximize their powder days and minimize their credit card balances. Located in southern Utah, just an hour from Bryce Canyon National Park (which is worth visiting in winter!) and three hours from Las Vegas, Brian Head offers 650 acres of skiable terrain and 71 named runs across two connected mountains.
The mountain operates a lodge that is just a two-minute shuttle ride from the slopes. Lift ticket prices vary, but when purchasing online in advance, they can be as low as $52 on Saturdays and $24 midweek. Early and late in the season, lift tickets can be purchased for less than $20. Kids 12 and under ski for free with the Power Kids Pass, which is also valid at its 12 partner resorts, including Willamette Pass. Adults 75 and older ski for free, too.
Ski Cooper, Colorado
SKI COOPER CHICAGO RIDGE/FACEBOOK
Founded in 1942 as a training ground for the 10th Mountain Division, Ski Cooper is one of the oldest and most affordable ski areas in Colorado. The resort gets an average of 260 inches of snow annually, which is plenty given that you won’t be competing with massive crowds for first tracks. And with a base elevation of 10,500 feet, you’re almost guaranteed soft and dry turns.
Ski Cooper’s 480 skiable acres deems it pretty small by Colorado standards, but it has a variety of beginner-friendly runs with a few challenging glades in the Tennessee Creek Basin zone.
Amenities at Ski Cooper are minimal — there’s no on-site lodging — but it’s just 15 minutes from Leadville, Colorado, a mid-19th-century mining town with plenty of restaurants, shops, and hotels and inns. Check out Melanzana if you want to do some shopping for locally made outdoor apparel, but book an appointment in advance to get access to their full line.
Weekend day tickets at Ski Cooper cost $95 during the 2023-24 season (pricing isn’t available yet for this year, though it’s unlikely it’ll change by much), and adults 75 and older can get a season pass for just $10. It’s also bringing back$30 Thursdays, where skiers and riders can get $30 lift tickets, $30 ski rentals and $30 off lessons if purchasing two days in advance.
Bridger Bowl, Montana
SHAWN RAECKE/BRIDGER BOWL/FACEBOOK
With a 2,700-foot vertical drop, 2,000 skiable acres and 300 inches of snow annually, Bridger Bowl rivals North America’s biggest resorts. Montana’s much larger and more expensive Big Sky gets most of the attention, allowing Bridger to maintain its laid-back, “locals” feel. But that doesn’t mean the expert skier of the group will be stuck on meandering groomers all day — Bridger has some extremely challenging terrain, including a ridge with steep chutes, cliff bands and open snow fields that require extensive avalanche and backcountry knowledge and gear.
Bridger Bowl does have a few base lodges where you can grab a bite to eat, get your skis tuned or warm up with some hot chocolate, but most lodging options are in the nearby town of Bozeman, Montana, just 25 minutes away.
Day tickets at Bridger Bowl are $82 for adults when purchased online in advance.
Baldy Mountain, British Columbia
BALDY MOUNTAIN RESORT/FACEBOOK
British Columbia is known for its rugged terrain and consistent, dry powder snow, andBaldy Mountain Resort is no exception. Baldy’s base area, which sits 5,665 feet above sea level, is the sixth highest in Canada, making it likely you’ll find high-quality snow coverage top-to-bottom. It also gets between 300 and 420 inches of snow each winter, turning its 600 acres of groomed and natural terrain into a skier and rider’s paradise.
Baldy has several lodges and rentals around the resort, including the ski-in, ski-out Tinhorn Lodge in the upper village. It also has partnerships with a few nearby accommodations, offering “ski and stay” packages that get you discounts on lodging when you show your lift ticket.
Adult day tickets cost $87 on weekends, but the resort is also on the Indy Pass, which gets you two days on the hill. It’s closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays through ski season, so if you can hit it on Thursday after a storm, you’re in for a good time!
Bahrain’s Gulf Air plans to upgrade some aspects of its inflight offerings next year as it eyes a return to the U.S. amid its 75th anniversary celebrations.
At the Routes World 2024 conference in Bahrain Oct. 6, Gulf Air CEO Jeffrey Goh said the airline’s soft product improvements will include new and upgraded food options, onboard amenities like free Wi-Fi and improved inflight entertainment content.
“New chinaware, new glassware, new cutlery, new soft finishings — all those will be coming onboard,” he said.
The airline does not plan to update its seats and other aspects of the physical product onboard its planes because, as Goh put it, the interiors are “quite modern and new.”
The average age of Gulf Air’s fleet of 32 Airbus A320-family narrow-bodies and eight Boeing 787 wide-bodies is less than seven years, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
A historic player among giants
Gulf Air, founded as Gulf Aviation in 1949, was the flag carrier for the Persian Gulf nations of Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates for decades before the rise of major carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways. It only became a solely Bahraini airline in 2007 when Oman sold its stake in the carrier.
Now, the historic airline is a small player among giants. Its fleet of 40 planes compares to well over 200 aircraft each at Emirates and Qatar Airways.
As such, Goh — who only took the top job at Gulf Air in 2023 — is focused on expanding the airline’s connectivity to and from Bahrain rather than competing for connecting traffic with its much larger rivals.
“Your airline, a national carrier, will always be your flying billboard,” he said.
Even as a national carrier, Gulf Air has ambitious growth plans. The airline intends to increase the number of destinations it serves by a quarter — or from around 60 cities to around 75 — by the end of the decade, Goh said.
Those plans include new U.S. flights. When asked about the timing, Goh said Gulf Air is working to meet the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration requirements necessary before it can begin flights. He declined to comment on where Gulf Air could fly.
The carrier’s last U.S. flights to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from Bahrain and Abu Dhabi ended in 1997, according to Cirium Diio.
Gulf Air added seven new destinations to its map this year, including Geneva Airport (GVA), Munich Airport (MUC) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), Cirium Diio schedule data shows.
Showing loyalty to Celebrity Cruises can get you some great rewards.
Like many frequent cruiser programs, Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty program doesn’t offer all that many truly valuable perks at its lower tiers. But as you rise through the status levels, you’ll quickly reach a point where you’re getting all sorts of discounts, freebies and special access perks — from complimentary laundry service (a real blessing on longer voyages) to savings at specialty restaurant meals and a standing invitation to a private breakfast lounge.
At the very top tier of the program, the Zenith level, the Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club also offers one of the truly spectacular rewards in the cruise loyalty program universe: a free cruise for two.
A few of the long-standing perks of the Captain’s Club program (discounted internet and drink packages, for instance) aren’t quite as valuable now that many Celebrity customers book the line’s All Included fares — a type of fare that didn’t exist a few years ago. Still, these perks do have some value, particularly for those who book the line’s lower-priced Cruise-Only rates.
The discounts on internet service and drink packages that come with the various tiers noted below still can come in handy for those booking the All Included fares when upgrading to premium internet or drink packages on ships (which still come with extra charges). Additionally, with the addition of All Included fares to its fare structure, Celebrity did sweeten the entire loyalty program a bit by offering better spa and photo discount benefits at various tiers and by adding some onboard events for members.
Ways to earn points
The number of Captain’s Club points you earn for cruises will vary greatly depending on both the length of the sailing and the type of cabin you book.
When staying in the most basic cabins, such as windowless “inside” cabins, you’ll earn just 2 points for each day you sail. When staying in a top suite, by contrast, you can earn as many as 18 to 24 points per day.
Staying in balcony cabins, which the line calls Veranda cabins, will get you 3 points a day.
Here is a breakdown of the points you’ll earn per day by cabin type:
Inside cabins: 2 points
Ocean View cabins: 2 points
Veranda cabins: 3 points
Infinite Veranda cabins: 3 points
Concierge Class cabins: 5 points
AquaClass cabins: 5 points
Sky, Aqua Sky, Magic Carpet and Sunset Sky suites: 8 points
Celebrity, Signature, Horizon and Royal suites: 12 points
Reflection, Penthouse and Edge villas: 18 points
Iconic suites: 24 points
As you can see, you’ll earn far more points by staying in a suite than by staying in a less pricey regular cabin. The Captain’s Club program is designed to reward Celebrity’s biggest-spending customers the most.
There’s also one more way to earn Captain’s Club points. In 2020, Celebrity launched a new program called Power Up Points that allows Captain’s Club members to earn bonus points by filling out online surveys, participating on social media or booking specific promotions.
Taking part in such activities will get you Power Up Points, which then can be converted into Captain’s Club points at a ratio of 10 to 1. For every 10 Power Up Points you earn, you’ll receive 1 additional Captain’s Club point.
If you want to play along, be sure to subscribe to Celebrity’s email list so you get notified about Power Up Points activities. You can start the process by visiting the website. If you’re already a Captain’s Club member, click on the “Subscribe for Emails” button. If you’re not yet a member, click the “Enroll Now” button.
Celebrity Captain’s Club levels and benefits
Celebrity Reflection. CELEBRITY CRUISES
There are six tiers to the Captain’s Club program:
Preview (at 0 points)
Classic (2 to 149 points)
Select (150 to 299 points)
Elite (300 to 749 points)
Elite Plus (750 to 2,999 points)
Zenith (3,000 points or more)
The good news here is that you can be recognized at the program’s first tier (Preview) before you even take a single cruise. All you have to do is sign up for the program. At the Preview level, you gain access to the online Captain’s Club newsletter and the Loyalty Desk service center between cruises. You also can book Captain’s Club promotions once you’re on board your first cruise.
The next level up, Classic, brings:
Exclusive Captain’s Club offers
One precruise category upgrade to AquaClass (based on availability)
An invitation to a Captain’s Club welcome party
One complimentary specialty coffee when you dine at a specialty restaurant
One free scoop of gelato
10% discount on any bottle of wine
10% discount on a Premium drink package upgrade when purchased precruise only
10% discount on a drink package when purchased precruise
10% discount on Wi-Fi packages and upgrades, and complimentary premium minutes
25% discount on any digital or print photo package
10% discount on The Studio photo package
10% off one-time use laundry service
10% discount at the spa
Various casino perks
5% discount on small-group Discovery shore excursions
5% discount on Hollywood Hot Glass
The Select tier adds bigger discounts on internet and photo packages (25% and 30% off, respectively). You’ll also get an invitation to a wine tasting and a backstage tour on the ship, a discounted price for one standard bag of laundry (wash, dry and fold) if your cruise is 12 nights or longer, and two complimentary pressed items.
Reaching the Classic level takes just one cruise, no matter what type of cabin you book. Reaching the Select level can also take just one cruise if it’s a longer sailing and you’re staying in a top suite. However, if you’re a more typical cruiser sailing a seven-night trip in a standard balcony cabin (worth 3 points a night), you would need to take eight cruises to reach the Select level.
Being loyal to Celebrity really starts paying off when you reach the Elite and Elite Plus levels.
One of the great perks of Elite status is gaining access to the Captain’s Club Elite Continental Breakfast, where you can enjoy a coffeehouse-style breakfast each morning. This is a particularly big deal on shore excursion days, as it means you have a relatively quiet and uncrowded place to grab a quick breakfast before heading out for a tour.
Elite members also get unlimited free drinks from the Captain’s Club menu each day, excluding embarkation day, between 5 and 7 p.m. at most bars and lounges on the ship. All you have to do is present your SeaPass card. As noted above, this isn’t quite the perk it used to be since a basic drink package is included with many bookings now as part of the line’s relatively new All Included fare tier.
If you’re sailing on a Solstice Class or Millennium Class vessel, reaching the Elite tier will get you free access to the Persian Garden spa zones — home to steam rooms, saunas and heated loungers — on one port day of your choice.
Elite level also brings:
Priority tender service, where available
Access to a private lounge on departure day serving continental breakfast
An invitation to a senior officer party
An invitation to a Create & Pour event on Edge Class ships
An invitation to a Music & Mixology event
A higher 20% discount on a bottle of wine
A higher 30% discount on Wi-Fi packages and upgrades, plus 90 complimentary stream minutes
A higher 15% discount on drink packages
A higher 40% discount on a digital or print photo package
A higher 20% discount on The Studio photo packages
One complimentary dry clean item
One bag of complimentary laundry
A higher 15% discount at the ship’s spa
Elite Plus kicks things up by offering a lot of these same benefits plus another free bag of laundry; additional discounts for onboard services (including a 15% discount on specialty dining cover charges); and free cappuccino, latte, espresso and tea throughout your sailing.
You can reach the Elite and Elite Plus levels in just a few cruises if you’re partial to the longer sailings Celebrity offers and you stay in top suites. For a more typical cruiser who sails a seven-night trip in a standard balcony cabin, it would take 15 sailings to reach the Elite level and a whopping 36 sailings to reach the Elite Plus level.
Best Celebrity Captain’s Club elite benefit
The ultimate perk for Captain’s Club members comes when you reach the top Zenith tier. You’ll get a free seven-night Bermuda or Caribbean cruise in a balcony cabin. Yep, that’s right: a free cruise. Not bad, right?
Of course, you’ll need 3,000 points to reach the Zenith tier — a number so high it’s out of reach for most cruisers. For someone who always stays in balcony cabins and prefers seven-night sailings, it would take an almost inconceivable 143 cruises to reach the Zenith tier. Put another way, you’d have to spend 1,000 days at sea with Celebrity to hit the Zenith mark.
Still, for those who always stay in top suites, getting to Zenith after just a few years of heavy cruising is not out of the question. For those travelers in Penthouse and Reflection suites, it would require 167 days at sea. Take a few long sailings of 20 or 30 days, and you’ll be well on your way.
Once you hit the Zenith level, you’ll get another free Bermuda or Caribbean cruise after every 3,000 points you accumulate. Plus, there’s an added twist for your second free cruise and any others you accrue after that: The additional free sailings will be in an upgraded AquaClass cabin.
In offering its top-tier Captain’s Club members free cruises, Celebrity is in the company of just a handful of other lines — most notably Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Zenith tier also brings several other big-deal perks. For example, you’ll get priority seating in ship theaters and a 25% discount on specialty dining.
Zenith members also enjoy a bevy of freebies, such as laundry, automatic premium beverage upgrades and automatic premium internet upgrades. Round that out with discounts on spa services (20% off) and photo packages (50% off) as well as nice little touches such as upgraded bath amenities in your cabin, and you can see why it pays to attain Celebrity’s top status.
As is often the case with cruise line loyalty programs, Celebrity customers do not have to requalify for status each year. Captain’s Club members keep their points at the end of each year and continue to accrue points indefinitely. This means that someone who hits Zenith status will remain at that top tier level forever (or until Celebrity makes a change to the program).
Such “forever status” is one of the great allures of cruise line frequent cruiser programs. Many airline frequent flyer programs, by contrast, require loyalty members to requalify for status each year.
Matching status with sister cruise brands
One other notable perk of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty program is that members get matching status in the loyalty programs at Royal Caribbean and Silversea Cruises, which are both sister brands. The matching status you get in each program depends on your tier. Members at the Elite level of the Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club loyalty program, for instance, will enjoy membership at the Diamond level of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society program.
Diamond status in Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program brings such valuable benefits as priority waitlist for shore excursions and spa services, access to an exclusive Diamond Club on select ships, access to an exclusive nightly Diamond event, and a complimentary entertainment tour.
Members at the Elite level of the Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club loyalty program will match into the third tier of Silversea’s Venetian Society loyalty program, known as the 250 VS Days tier.
Note that, as of Feb. 1, 2023, Celebrity elite members no longer can get matching status when sailing with Azamara, a former sister brand. Nor will Celebrity elite members get points in the Captain’s Club program when sailing on Azamara ships.
Bottom line
Celebrity may have one of the better cruise line loyalty programs. Like many others, it’s a bit stingy on the truly valuable perks at its lower tiers. As you rise through the six levels, though, you’ll quickly reach a point where your status gets you a lot of interesting perks, discounts and freebies.
We’re especially fond of the access to a private breakfast lounge that comes with Elite status. There’s nothing like having your own private hideaway in the mornings. And, of course, nothing competes with the free cruise benefit that comes with top-tier Zenith status.
Amenity kit cases that can double as evening purses and salt and pepper shakers in the shape of airplanes are among the cool AvGeek things you can swipe off airplanes guilt-free.
But if you fly on a KLM intercontinental business-class flight, you can walk off the plane with a house.
Granted, it’s a miniature house … a numbered, collectible, miniature Delft Blue house in the shape of a notable historic or landmark building in the Netherlands or abroad, to be exact.
And did we mention it’s filled with Bols Genever, a Dutch gin?
KLM, the flag carrier of the Netherlands, began gifting its intercontinental first- and business-class passengers these tiny houses in the 1950s. The tradition began because a cocktail served in a collectible container was how the carrier cleverly skirted restrictions limiting the value of gifts that passengers could receive from airlines.
KLM
In 1994, on the carrier’s 75th birthday, a catch-up batch of houses was issued to match the number of houses to the age of the airline. Nowadays, a new house is released with fanfare each year on Oct. 7, KLM’s birthday.
This year, to celebrate KLM’s 105th anniversary, the airline revealed its 105th Delft Blue House.
A close-up shot of KLM Delft Blue House No. 105, The House on Three Canals. HARRIET BASKAS/FOR THE POINTS GUY
This one honors a 17th-century heritage house in Amsterdam known officially as “Het Huis aan de Drie Grachten,” or “The House on Three Canals.” Built in the Dutch Renaissance style and renovated in 1909, the Dutch national monument faces a canal on, you guessed it, three sides and has both diagonal and straight angles.
KLM
“It’s not the oldest house in Amsterdam, but it’s the oldest privately owned house in Amsterdam and one of the most photographed monuments in the city,” said historian Mark Zegeling during a canal tour of this and other Amsterdam buildings that have served as models for KLM’s miniature Delft Blue houses over the years. “You can see from the three sides that the building — which was originally two buildings — has three different facades, or faces.”
Zegeling is the author of “Little Kingdom by the Sea,” a regularly updated two-book set with detailed descriptions and histories of each building in the KLM Delft Blue House series.
Author Mark Zegeling in front of The House on Three Canals. HARRIET BASKAS/FOR THE POINTS GUY
Each year, the identity of KLM’s newest Delft Blue House is kept tightly under wraps until the evening of the big reveal. As is tradition, the big reveal takes place at a celebration held either in the building being featured or in a building nearby each year.
The House on Three Canals with KLM flight attendants in front. HARRIET BASKAS/FOR THE POINTS GUY
This year was no exception. On Oct. 7, KLM CEO Marjan Rintel presented the first copy of the Delft Blue miniature of The House on Three Canals to Arthur van Dijk, the king’s commissioner for the province of North Holland. Because the house is privately owned, the reveal party took place nearby at the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam hotel.
KLM CEO Marjan Rintel at the 2024 Delft Blue House reveal. HARRIET BASKAS/FOR THE POINTS GUY
KLM’s birthday and the new Delft Blue miniature house reveal come at a “challenging time” for the carrier, Rintel acknowledged in a pre-event press conference. While the airline is investing billions in new, more efficient aircraft, it is facing “headwinds” linked to its rising costs for equipment, staffing and airport fees, she said.
As a result, Rintel said, the airline has started a program to reduce costs, increase productivity and increase network capacity, especially on long-haul flights.
“We will look at each and every investment,” she said. “However, in our 105-year history, we have often faced headwinds, and KLM has always shown itself to be created and resilient in overcoming them.”
When asked if cutting out or cutting back on the Delft Blue House program might be part of the cost reductions being considered, Rintel said, “We look at everything but not the Delft Blue houses. We’re well known for it and it will stay as part of our brand.”
The latest KLM Delft Blue House honoring The House on Three Canals joins 104 other notable buildings in the series.
In 2021, the Delftware miniature house No. 102 in the series portrayed Amsterdam’s stunning Tuschinski Theatre, which Time Out magazine voted the most beautiful cinema in the world.
KLM
And in 2016, KLM’s 97th miniature Delftware house was a likeness of the Hotel New York in Rotterdam, which occupies the former headquarters of Holland America Line.
In the past, KLM has honored everything from the Anne Frank House (No. 47) and the Rembrandt House Museum (No. 48) to Mata Hari’s love nest (No. 26) and the Heineken Brewery (No. 95) with a KLM Delft Blue miniature version.
There are several ways to get your own little KLM Delft House. If you’re flying business class on a KLM intercontinental flight, you’ll be able to choose a current or past year’s little house model from a cart a flight attendant will roll down the aisle just before the end of the flight.
Many Delft houses from past years are also offered on eBay and in antique and secondhand shops around Amsterdam. If you end up with duplicates or have a specific year’s miniature house in mind, you can try swapping one little house that you have for another at the KLM Crown Lounge in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), where all the models are on display, though not all are available for swapping.
Once your collection starts to grow, you can track it on the KLM Houses app, and, when in Amsterdam, you can embark on a self-guided walking tour that takes you past dozens of the full-size homes and buildings portrayed in this highly collectible series of tiny Delftware miniatures.
Editor’s note: This post was updated with new information.
On-the-go churros or chicken fingers may work as meals for some Disneyland Resort guests. However, when you’re spending as much as a trip to a Disney theme park costs these days, you might want to be sure you’re enjoying the best restaurant meals, concessions and experiences that the park has to offer.
While Disney World’s restaurants are often more talked about, Disneyland’s dining options have also transformed. With increased crowds and quickly booked-up restaurants, it’s a good idea to map out your eating plan in advance — at least for a few meals.
JOSHUA SUDOCK/DISNEYLAND RESORT
What makes a Disney restaurant great is not necessarily the food. It may be a character experience, a fun theme or a good spot right near the rides that makes the restaurant special.
Does it get better than actually eating inside an attraction at the Blue Bayou and watching the Pirates of the Caribbean boats go by? We think not.
Inside the Blue Bayou at Disneyland. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY
We’ve dined at dozens of Disneyland restaurants over the years on both family and adult-only vacations, from the smallest of snack carts to the fanciest white-tablecloth eateries. Here’s what you should know about dining at Disneyland and our picks for the best Disneyland restaurants — whether you’re at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park or a Disneyland hotel.
For no-cost assistance with planning and booking your next Disney vacation, check out TPG’s Disney booking partner, Mouse Counselors.
Best restaurants in Disneyland Resort
Here are some of the best Disneyland restaurants to enjoy.
Plaza Inn
Where it is: Main Street, U.S.A.
What’s on the menu: Mickey waffles and fried chicken
Home to the only Disneyland character meal within either of the two parks, Plaza Inn is a favorite for families or anyone who wants some character face time. During morning hours, Plaza Inn hosts Minnie & Friends — Breakfast in the Park. The breakfast is buffet style, with kid-friendly favorites like Mickey Mouse-shaped waffles available alongside eggs, biscuits and gravy, and other morning comfort foods.
Visitors are always guaranteed a photo opportunity with Minnie Mouse. Other regular characters include Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Chip ‘n Dale, Pluto and Daisy Duck.
Plaza Inn character meal at Disneyland. DISNEYLAND/FACEBOOK
Reservations go quickly for this meal, so make your plans as soon as the 60-day advance reservation window opens. A reminder: Early morning is the best time for short ride lines, so you may not want to waste these first few hours sitting down for breakfast. Reserve a time that’s a few hours after the park opens. (I have always found that 10:30 a.m. is ideal on days with an 8 a.m. park opening.)
For lunch and dinner, the characters call it a day, and the restaurant becomes a regular fast-casual restaurant. Even without characters, Plaza Inn is a restaurant with a lot of value. Prices are reasonable, and portions are hearty. Don’t miss the restaurant’s signature dish, fried chicken.
Bengal Barbecue
Where it is: Adventureland
What’s on the menu: Chieftain chicken skewer, Bengal beef skewer
For a very quick bite, Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland has always been one of my family’s favorites.
The menu offers a lot of lean meats and a few veggies — a welcome change from all the churros and Mickey ice cream bars that often make up a Disneyland diet. Many of the food items are on skewers, so you can take them to go as you race off to your next Lightning Lane reservation time. If you have more time, sit and take a break in the adjacent shaded and themed seating area.
You’ll find healthier food choices at Bengal Barbecue. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Red Rose Taverne
Where it is: Fantasyland
What’s on the menu: Burgers, chopped salads, pizza flatbreads
If you have little ones, chances are good that you’ll spend a lot of time in Fantasyland. The quick-service restaurant there works well for families with babies, toddlers and younger children. It was rebranded a few years ago as Red Rose Taverne from “Beauty and the Beast,” but many guests still know it as Village Haus.
Red Rose Taverne’s Fantasyland location makes it a smart lunch stop for families with younger kids. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
You can count on Red Rose Taverne for the staples many picky children eat, including chicken tenders, hamburgers and flatbread cheese pizza. There’s ample indoor and outdoor seating, and there’s even enough room to maneuver a stroller up to many of the tables. The food for adults is nothing particularly memorable, but park-weary parents will be grateful for the easy logistics.
Tiana’s Palace
Where it is: New Orleans Square
What’s on the menu: 7 greens gumbo with chicken and andouille sausage, Gulf shrimp and grits
Tiana’s Palace. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
More than a year after its debut, Tiana’s Palace restaurant in New Orleans Square is holding strong as one of the best quick-service restaurants at the Disneyland Resort.
Tiana’s Palace replaced longtime favorite French Market as part of bringing the beloved “The Princess and the Frog” story to Disneyland. It will soon be joined by a new attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, on Nov. 15, 2024.
Like its French Market predecessor, Tiana’s Palace is a higher-end counter service restaurant. This makes it a smart choice for guests who want a nicer dining experience without quite as much expense or time invested as a true sit-down meal.
The house gumbo at Tiana’s Palace restaurant. DAVID NGUYEN/ DISNEYLAND RESORT
The menu is Creole- and Cajun-inspired, with several gumbo dishes, a beef po’boy sandwich, cheesy shrimp and grits, and sides like buttermilk cornbread. Less adventurous options (toasted ham and cheese sandwiches and macaroni and cheese) are on the kids’ menu if you have picky eaters in the family.
Tables are outside on a mostly shaded veranda overlooking Rivers of America and the Mark Twain Riverboat. Stop by the nearby Mint Julep Bar, where you can grab a (nonalcoholic) mint julep to accompany your meal or a Mickey beignet for dessert.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Blue Bayou
Where it is: New Orleans Square
What’s on the menu: Chicken gumbo and filet mignon
For the quintessential Disneyland date night, head straight for New Orleans Square.
My husband and I have made dinner at Blue Bayou our date-night tradition, starting when we first visited the park together more than 20 years ago. It’s fair to say the food quality and menu variety have both dropped a bit in the last several years. However, it’s still hard to top Blue Bayou’s location and ambience.
The restaurant is entirely indoors but is lit to give the illusion of alfresco nighttime dining overlooking the bayou.
Boats from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride float by while fireflies dance overhead. Lunch is less expensive than dinner, but it is still one of the most expensive meals at Disneyland. The restaurant has shifted somewhat from its Cajun and Creole roots to offer more standard American fine dining fare, but there is still some spice in a few dishes. Reservations are an absolute must.
While this is a fancier restaurant and is priced accordingly, families shouldn’t necessarily rule it out. Blue Bayou can be a very special higher-end Disney dining experience with older children or teens for dinner, and it’s usually filled with quite a few families at lunch.
Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
Where it is: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
What’s on the menu: Endorian fried chicken tip-yip
The opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland in 2019 brought several new restaurants. The food options on Batuu were not without some controversy and mixed reviews — at least initially.
A sampling of the dinner entrees at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Disneyland constantly tweaks menus in response to customer feedback, and Docking Bay 7 has now stood the test of time as one of the more reliable counter service restaurants in the park. With ample, air-conditioned indoor seating, it’s also an easy place to take a break and (usually) find a table. There’s a small, partially shaded outdoor terrace that offers fresh air and quality views for Star Wars people-watching, too.
Lunch and dinner menu items include fried chicken (“tip-yip”), a few adventurous seasonal entrees and several vegetarian options. The pickiest eaters won’t find many choices here, however, so check the menu carefully if you have young kids.
Also, don’t rule out the idea of a wrap from Ronto’s Roasters next door; it’s arguably an even tastier option and is also open for breakfast. The traditional morning wrap with egg and pork sausage is our favorite; there are also plant-based garden wraps and a wrap with sausage and slaw available for lunch or dinner. And if you’re in the mood for a fun, sweet coffee-style drink, grab the cold brew black caf (cold brew topped with sweet cream cheese and chocolate puffs).
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree
Where it is: Critter Country (soon to be re-named Bayou Country)
What’s on the menu: Barbecue platters and sandwiches, burgers and ribs
While it’s too soon to give this restaurant an official place on the “best Disneyland restaurants” list, Hungry Bear is at least one to watch closely in the coming weeks and months.
In a quiet corner along the Rivers of America in Critter Country, Hungry Bear Restaurant was a longtime counter service favorite for families with young kids. The restaurant had lots of shaded outdoor seating, so it was always an ideal place to take a much-needed break for lunch midday.
Unfortunately, the food quality declined, and the menu became pretty ho-hum, so we deleted this restaurant from our list several years ago. Thankfully, Disney responded to the lackluster reviews. It’s in the process of completing an overhaul of the restaurant and its menu in anticipation of the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure next door.
The new menu is expected to bring back some of the flavors from the beloved and never-forgotten Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue restaurant, which closed nearly a decade ago to make way for the construction of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The recently revealed food lineup includes barbecue, brisket and ribs, along with the usual burgers and chicken tenders that work well for picky eaters.
Best restaurants in Disney California Adventure
Here are the best Disney California Adventure restaurants.
CHRISTIAN THOMPSON/ DISNEYLAND RESORT
Flo’s V8 Cafe
Where it is: Cars Land
What’s on the menu: Burgers and turkey club sandwich
Flo’s V8 Cafe is Disney’s take on the classic American diner, just like you might find along Route 66.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
The theming and setting in Cars Land are immersive and just so much fun. By quick-service restaurant standards, the food is downright delicious. The menu isn’t quite as extensive and varied as it used to be a few years ago. However, it still has more choices than your average counter-service restaurant at Disneyland Resort.
Lunch and dinner include items like burgers, a Cobb salad, fried chicken and a turkey club sandwich. Shakes are also available as a sweet treat. Kids can find plenty of variety, from macaroni and cheese to chicken strips.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Lamplight Lounge
Where it is: Pixar Pier
What’s on the menu: Lobster nachos, potato skins and doughnuts
Lamplight Lounge remains one of the hottest dining tickets at Disneyland Resort, so it’s a must to make a reservation well in advance if you want to dine here. Weekend brunch (Friday through Sunday) is especially popular.
Instagrammable food and cocktails abound. The decor is Pixar-themed, with tons of memorabilia and details to explore. Like Blue Bayou in Disneyland Park, Lamplight Lounge is probably better suited to families with older children and teens due to its atmosphere and price. Still, younger kids who love Pixar movies will feel right at home here, too.
Pixar memorabilia at the Lamplight Lounge. JOSHUA SUDOCK/DISNEYLAND RESORT
The sentimental favorite menu item is the lobster nachos, which were also available at the predecessor restaurant in this space, Cove Bar. The menu is definitely more varied and interesting for foodie parents than at many Disneyland restaurants, and the drink menu (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic) is full of whimsical selections.
Carthay Circle Restaurant
Where it is: Buena Vista Street
What’s on the menu: Rib eye, pork chops and mushroom ravioli
For a signature dining experience in California Adventure, Carthay Circle Restaurant is the top choice. It’s also priced accordingly, so save this for a special adults’ night out or budget accordingly.
Set within a replica of the Carthay Circle Theater, where Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” debuted in 1937, this restaurant teems with Disney and Old Hollywood history and lore.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Menu items include pork chops, rib eye, fresh fish and pasta. Carthay Circle Restaurant’s menu is most extensive at dinner, but it has just added a less expensive pre-fixe menu for lunch.
If you don’t have the budget or the time for a fancier meal, the Carthay Circle Lounge downstairs in the same building offers lighter bites and delicious cocktails. Eating in the lounge’s outdoor seating section provides the added perk of five-star people-watching — you’ll probably even spot a character or two strolling by on the way to their next appearance.
Pym Test Kitchen
Where it is: Avengers Campus
What’s on the menu: Quantum pretzel, not-so-little chicken sandwich
The food at Pym Test Kitchen is not the best on a Disney property, but it is pretty fun. It made the cut based on sheer originality.
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
The concept of this counter-service restaurant in Avenger’s Campus is that Ant-Man and the Wasp’s Pym particles are being used to experiment with making food teeny-tiny or enormous.
On the menu, you’ll find an enormous pretzel, a not-so-little chicken sandwich with a tiny bun but a huge chicken patty, pasta with tiny noodles and oversized Impossible plant-based “meatballs.” Kids usually get a kick out of the pretzel, which is larger than their heads.
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Pym Test Kitchen is one of the few breakfast options open in California Adventure Park, and its offerings are also quite solid in the morning. The “Calculated Breakfast = E x 2 + (B+P)/T” is served with two eggs that are different sizes and prepared in different ways.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Lucky Fortune Cookery
Where it is: San Fransokyo Square (formerly Pacific Wharf)
What’s on the menu: Yaki udon with Karaage-inspired crispy chicken and pork wonton nachos
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
When Disney recently transformed Pacific Wharf into the city of San Fransokyo from the film Big Hero 6, the area’s restaurants definitely benefited from the refresh. This section of the park is now a dining destination with multiple cuisine choices, all sharing a single large outdoor seating area.
There are now several restaurant standouts worth trying anew, but my personal favorite so far is Lucky Fortune Cookery.
The restaurant has always been a go-to place for a reliable teriyaki rice bowl and some veggies for anyone looking for a healthier bite. It now also offers a mixture of pan-Asian cuisine featuring Korean, Chinese and Japanese flavors. I tried several menu items during a recent trip. The beef bulgogi burrito with rice and coleslaw was the best thing I ate all day, combining flavor profiles from multiple different cuisine traditions.
For dessert, the restaurant serves an adorable and very tasty Baymax macaron with buttercream and chocolate hazelnut filling. Boba fans can also get their fix with Thai tea.
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Food festival marketplaces
Where it is: Grizzly Peak, Paradise Gardens
What’s on the menu: Changes seasonally
Disney California Adventure is home to multiple food festivals throughout the year. When these take place, food “marketplaces” pop up along the pathways of the park — usually at least from Grizzly Peak to the end of Paradise Gardens.
The food options at these festivals are fun and unique, and they offer a great opportunity for visitors to try new flavors. The always reliable Paradise Garden Grill restaurant usually serves festival food items as well, often in larger portions.
One of many marketplaces at the annual Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Look also for the Festival of Holidays during the November and December holiday season and the Lunar New Year marketplaces during the annual Lunar New Year Celebration. Families and groups can get a lot of value out of sharing a Sip ‘n’ Savor pass, which gives you tickets to redeem for a number of dishes for a single set price.
Best restaurants in the Disneyland hotels
Here are the best restaurants at Disneyland’s on-property hotels.
What’s on the menu: HippopotoMai-Tai, zombie, pu pu platter, Hawaiian platter
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Near the pool at the Disneyland Hotel, you’ll find one of the liveliest places to eat or drink on Disneyland property: Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. It’s a place where volcanoes explode, servers shout, and it’s easy to have a good time.
The poke bowl and Hawaiian platter are fun options here, but you can’t go wrong just coming in for a snack and a drink. Order the right one, and you may be a part of a shipwreck, explosion or other fun disaster.
Napa Rose
Where it is: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
What’s on the menu: Steak and fish
You won’t find any shipwrecks or screaming servers at Napa Rose within Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel. However, you will find a sophisticated (but not stuffy) menu of duck breast, steak and sustainably sourced fish, to name a few items.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
This is a special occasion meal and one you don’t want to rush through, so don’t try to cram it in before catching that next ride on Radiator Springs Racers.
The restaurant also serves a premium character breakfast — Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures — Thursday through Monday. It’s quite expensive at $142 per person plus tax. However, it is routinely one of the better-reviewed meals and experiences at the resort because of the restaurant’s meticulous service.
Guests with a serious princess fan in the family should certainly consider it if the budget allows, particularly for a special celebration like a birthday or anniversary.
Additional tips for restaurants and dining at Disneyland
As with all things at Disneyland, guests who are prepared will have a less stressful and more enjoyable experience. Here are a few final tips you need to know before you make your Disneyland dining plans and restaurant reservations.
Make use of mobile ordering
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Over the past couple of years, Disneyland has rolled out mobile ordering to the vast majority of counter-service restaurants in both parks. You no longer need to wait in a physical queue just to place an order.
These days, mobile ordering is pretty much essential. Make sure you download the official Disneyland app and that you place your order in advance of the mealtime rush.
It’s not a bad idea to place your order an hour or two ahead in some cases if you know when and what you would like to eat. At popular spots and on the busiest days, available time slots begin to fill up, and guests are unable to order for immediate pickup on the mobile order system. Don’t wait until your stomach is growling to place an order, or you may be left hungry for a while.
Once you place your order, wait until the time you have selected to eat. Then click in the app again to indicate your arrival as you approach the restaurant. Your food is usually ready in a few minutes at a pick-up window. Look for the push notification to alert you in the app.
Make Disneyland restaurant reservations 60 days in advance
If you plan to visit a table service restaurant or a popular character meal buffet during your Disneyland vacation, reservations are a must. We recommend booking right at Disneyland’s 60-day reservation window before your trip if you can. Reservations open at 6 a.m. (Pacific time) daily and the top restaurants can book up close to instantly.
If you miss the chance 60 days out, a service like MouseDining can be handy in alerting you when an opening becomes available. Just act quickly, as choices disappear as fast as they appear.
Don’t forget about dining packages
Disneyland has a number of popular shows and parades that many visitors want to see. Finding a good seat for them may require camping out an hour or more in advance.
One solution is to secure reserved seating or standing areas for these shows by booking an associated dining package. These packages do come at a premium price, but they save substantial time in addition to providing a meal that guests would be paying for anyway. Check the Disneyland website or app for availability, as there are often changes to the offerings.
Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio serves up New Orleans-themed cuisine in Downtown Disney. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
There are so many amazing restaurants within Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, but don’t forget to look beyond park borders for other excellent restaurants.
We’ve already highlighted some of the best options at a few of the Disneyland on-property hotels, but there are still more worthy restaurant choices at those properties. Scheduling a hotel character meal on your arrival or departure day at one of these hotel restaurants can be a smart choice, as it gives you a Disney experience without the cost of a park ticket on that day.
The Downtown Disney district adjacent to the two parks also features many quality restaurants and dining experiences. These restaurants are all just a very short walk or monorail ride from the parks. Options include a brewery, a restaurant specializing in over-the-top milkshakes, a bowling alley with excellent sushi, and restaurants specializing in Cajun, Italian and Mexican dishes.
The recently opened dim sum restaurant Din Tai Fung is already proving to be one of the toughest reservations to get at the Disneyland Resort. Even more new restaurants are expected in 2025 as construction in Downtown Disney continues.
Crazy Shakes at Black Tap Anaheim in Downtown Disney. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY
Bottom line
No matter who’s in your party or what your budget is, Disneyland has a wide variety of restaurants to enjoy on your next vacation.
The information for the Citi Prestige Card and Hilton Aspire Amex 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.
Alternatively, you can also pick up some discounted Disney gift cards before your trip to save on meals at the best restaurants in Disneyland.
If you’re planning a family vacation to Disneyland, here are additional articles to help you craft the perfect trip:
Destination dupes are far from a novel concept. Travelers have always sought ways to avoid crowds and be the first among their friends to “discover” a new place. But recently, social media platforms have breathed new life into travelers’ efforts to find budget-friendly alternatives to expensive hot spots. Posts highlighting the similar vibes between lesser-known destinations and popular ones have become commonplace on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Madeira, a Portuguese island in the Atlantic, has gone viral in the past few yearson TikTok and other social media platforms, with travel influencers describing it as “the Hawaii of Europe.” The Portuguese island is a relatively popular holiday spot for other Europeans, but Madeira has seen a recent uptick in American travelers. The island saw a 30.8% increase in U.S. visitors in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023, according to the Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira, partially thanks to social media’s claim that it’s a dupe for the Hawaiian Islands.
As someone who has now spent time in both Hawaii and Madeira, I’m here to set the record straight: TikTok, it’s time to stop calling Madeira a dupe for Hawaii.
Why Madeira is called ‘the Hawaii of Europe’
I will admit there are some similarities between the two destinations.
Madeira and the Hawaiian Islands were created by volcanic activity millions of years ago, resulting in similar landscapes. If you look at video footage of Madeira and Hawaii, you’ll see commonalities: crystal-blue waves that crash into imposing cliff sides, colorful greenery and flowers, and cityscapes that fade into untouched nature as you look toward the mountains that rise out of the center of the islands. Based on photos and video footage, I can understand why TikTok dubbed Madeira the “Hawaii of Europe.”
Each is part of a larger country (Madeira is a Portuguese island; Hawaii is a U.S. state), and comes with all the associated benefits and drawbacks. Travelers benefit from using a more versatile currency (euros in Madeira, U.S. dollars in Hawaii) and infrastructure that a larger economy can fund.
Both offer a wide range of activities for outdoor and adventure enthusiasts: whale- and dolphin-watching tours, surfing, dozens of beautiful hikes for all activity levels, snorkeling and scuba diving, off-roading tours, and more.
Both are similar distances from their respective closest U.S. coast: Madeira is a six-hour flight from the East Coast of the U.S. Hawaii is around the same distance from the West Coast of the U.S. Hawaii is undoubtedly more accessible from the U.S., with direct flights offered on multiple airlines from a variety of U.S. mainland airports, but you can also get to Madeira directly from the East Coast on Azores Airlines.
However, despite these cosmetic similarities, Madeira is not a great alternative if you’re dreaming of a Hawaiian vacation.
Why I don’t think Madeira is a Hawaiian destination dupe
I do want to preface this by saying I adored Madeira.
Funchal, the largest city on the island, is walkable and charming. There’s something for everyone, including opportunities to learn about Madeiran history and culture, popular hiking and surf spots, resorts where you can chill out poolside, and plenty of water activities from scuba diving to dolphin watching to stand-up paddleboarding. The people I met — both locals and fellow tourists — were kind and welcoming. I had an incredible time, and I’m already planning to return.
That said, I maintain that it’s not a dupe for the Hawaiian Islands.
They have differing climates
When I looked up the projected temperatures for my trip to Madeira, I was shocked to see the highs in the upper 60s and low 70s. It turns out that while the temperatures may not be as high as you might expect for a subtropical destination, the humidity in Madeira more than makes up for it.
The combination of the sunshine and humidity was a little stifling, especially for someone who foolishly packed for what I expected a 70-degree New York City day to feel like. Let me tell you, 70 degrees in New York City is not the same as 70 degrees in Madeira.
It gets cooler up in the mountains when you’re hiking or visiting some smaller villages nestled between the peaks, but you don’t escape the humidity. Even when it’s chilly, the air has a dewy quality.
Sao Vicente, Madeira. MADISON BLANCAFLOR/THE POINTS GUY
Hawaii, on the other hand, is a bit warmer but with a lower humidity level. Hawaii climates do change a bit, depending on which island you’re on (the Big Island and Oahu tend to be slightly warmer than Maui and Kauai, with Lanai and Molokai falling somewhere in between), but even December temperatures on Maui were warmer than the hottest days during my September visit to Madeira. Still, with the lower humidity in Hawaii, I probably sweat more while I was out and about in Madeira.
The different climates also contribute to different water temperatures. Even in December, Hawaiian waters were comfortable to swim in. I wore a rash guard while surfing for protection from the sun (and reefs, since I knew I would fall a lot my first time on a surfboard), but the water was warm enough to forgo the added layers.
Even during December, the water was warm enough to surf with a wetsuit in Maui, Hawaii. MADISON BLANCAFLOR/THE POINTS GUY
By contrast, the water that surrounds Madeira was a bit chilly. I was able to enjoy swimming in the ocean off the southern coast and in the lava pools at Seixal along the northern coast, but it took a few minutes after the first shock of jumping in for my body to acclimate to the water, and I wasn’t able to stay in for longer than 20 minutes without getting rather cold. Even swimming in the pools at the two resorts I visited in Madeira was only enjoyable for a short time.
Madeira has warm summers and mild winters — August typically has the hottest days, and September generally has the warmest ocean temperatures. During sunny summer days, I’d describe the water as refreshingly cool, but on overcast days (we had more than one during my mid-September trip), you might not want to be in the water for very long.
Hawaii has more accessible beaches
Perhaps contrary to expectation, Madeira’s coastline isn’t dotted with dozens of sand beaches. That isn’t to say that Madeira doesn’t have any beaches at all — there are some beautiful beaches like Ribeira Brava or the black sand beach in Seixal. But many of Madeira’s beaches — especially near Funchal, where most tourists stay — are rocky. I saw plenty of people who laid out towels on the rocks and waded into the water, but it was far from the stereotypical beachside vacation scene with umbrellas propped in the sand and lounge chairs for comfortable sunbathing.
The beach at Ribeira da Janela in Madeira. MADISON BLANCAFLOR/THE POINTS GUY
Hawaii also certainly has areas where the shore is rocky and waves crash against volcanic cliffs, but sand beaches are very common, too. Oahu alone has over 130 beaches along its shoreline.
If your vacation plans include laying out by the beach and digging your toes in the sand, it’ll be harder (though possible) to accommodate that wish in Madeira than in Hawaii.
White-sand beaches are not hard to come by in Hawaii. MADISON BLANCAFLOR/THE POINTS GUY
Madeira is more affordable
One of the more surprising aspects of my trip to Madeira was how affordable things were, especially given that I am used to New York City prices. Compared to the sometimes astronomical prices in Hawaii, Madeira can definitely be a more budget-friendly option (especially for those traveling from the East Coast, who have more expensive flight prices to Hawaii than West Coasters).
Even the most expensive hotels and resorts in Madeira, such as Reid’s Palace and Savoy Palace, generally won’t cost more than $850 per night even during peak travel periods. In fact, I stayed two nights at Savoy Palace in September for under $450 per night booking through Capital One. Most of the resorts on the island fall closer to the $200-$300 per night range. Hawaii does offer a wide range of hotel and resort options, depending on your budget and which island you’re visiting, but the more popular resorts can easily top $1,000 per night on peak travel dates.
Beyond the cost of accommodations, general expenses are also more affordable in Madeira. A beachside meal for two people at a local restaurant in Madeira that included two ponchas (a traditional Madeiran cocktail) and two entrees cost less than 40 euros ($44). Even our most expensive meal at Savoy Palace — which included two cocktails, an appetizer, two entrees and two side dishes — was only around 100 euros ($110) in total. A meal in Hawaii can easily run $40 per person even at casual dining spots, especially in popular tourist areas.
Tours were also relatively inexpensive. We took an all-day small-group tour of the northwestern region of Madeira for less than $90 per person and a three-hour dolphin-watching tour on a luxury catamaran for only $70 per person; similar tours in Hawaii can easily run $150-$200 (or more) per person.
Even my trip to a local pharmacy in Madeira for some allergy medication was only 8 euros ($9), something that would likely have cost closer to $18 in the U.S.
Hawaii has more points hotel options
While Hawaii might be more expensive than Madeira, there are more options to save money by using points on your hotel stay. Hawaii has no shortage of great hotel options for those looking to use points to save money or leverage elite status for additional benefits, from Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island to the Andaz Maui.
The opposite is true of Madeira. As of September, Madeira had zero points hotels. Marriott has Homes & Villas properties you can book with points, but when I planned my trip, no hotels were associated with the major loyalty programs (Hilton, Marriott,IHG, Accor,Hyatt).
The Portuguese hotel chain Pestana is headquartered in Funchal and has many properties in Madeira. However, most Americans likely don’t have a stash of Pestana points on hand, given its limited footprint in the U.S. and the fact that it’s not a transfer partner of any U.S. card issuer.
Pestana Royal All-Inclusive Resort in Madeira, Portugal. MADISON BLANCAFLOR/THE POINTS GUY
There is good news for Hyatt loyalists: Dreams Madeira Resort, Spa & Marina, an all-inclusive Hyatt property,is expected to open later in October. But the property is situated at the island’s eastern tip, making it a bit out of the way for travelers hoping to spend time in Funchal or western Madeira (especially for those who aren’t renting a car).
The lack of points hotels is a double-edged sword. Points are harder to use in Madeira, which is a bummer. However, it does mean Madeira has many smaller boutique hotels. As much as I love a good points hotel, locally owned boutique hotels offer a great way to support local business owners while getting a more intimate experience than a global chain can provide.
Every destination has its unique culture, so this is an argument you could make about almost any destination the internet claims is a dupe of another. (And a fair critique of the entire concept of a destination dupe.)
However, some connections exist between modern Hawaiian and Madeiran cultures due to immigrants moving from Madeira to Hawaii in the 1800s to work on sugar cane plantations. The iconic Hawaiian ukulele, for example, was inspired by the Portuguese braguinha brought over during this period. But there are also many differences, particularly in how that culture shows up in the tourism industry.
One of my favorite moments of my trip to Hawaii in 2020 was learning traditional quilt-making. The quilts made via the Malama program are donated to the local community. MADISON BLANCAFLOR/THE POINTS GUY
I found that Hawaii’s culture was more integrated into the tourism experience than Portuguese culture was in Madeira. Native Hawaiian culture is everywhere you look: hula, luaus, leis, a sacred connection to and protection of the land and surrounding waters. And it’s a privilege for tourists to experience those pieces of Hawaiian culture. The Hawaii tourism board even has the Malama volunteer program, which encourages visitors to give back to the land and the local communities through volunteer opportunities with local organizations.
Both before and after the U.S. annexed the once-independent Hawaiian Islands in 1893, there was a forced decline in the observance of many of the cultural traditions that are now revered parts of any Hawaiian vacation, and the Hawaiian language was almost lost. Hawaii still struggles with the consequences of annexation and dependence on tourism, but Hawaiians have fought hard to bring Native Hawaiian culture back into everyday life — something that is clear to anyone who visits the Hawaiian Islands.
While Madeira has its own beautiful culture, it was harder to experience and learn about it unless you went out of your way to look for it. That’s certainly a shame given the parts of Maderian history and culture I was able to learn about — one of our tour guides was incredibly knowledgeable about Madeiran history and we made sure to try out some of Madeira’s traditional dishes like scabbardfish — were beautiful. If you travel to experience culture, this is something to consider when deciding between the two destinations.
Bottom line
No, I don’t think you can accurately claim Madeira is a “dupe” for Hawaii. However, Madeira is still certainly worth visiting. The weather is great, the people are very welcoming, and it’s relatively affordable. I loved my time there, and I’m already plotting a return trip to explore more of the island.
There’s an argument to be made that there’s no such thing as a true destination dupe. What makes up a destination is too nuanced, including the history, culture, climate, people, location and food. Every place has its unique combination that’s impossible to replicate elsewhere.
But I understand travelers have always and will continue to search for less-crowded and inexpensive alternatives to popular destinations. While I’m not sure anyone can convince me there’s an adequate dupe for Hawaii, I am certain the answer is not Madeira (sorry, TikTok).
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
If you believe cryptocurrency is a good long-term investment, you might be considering adding crypto credit cards to your wallet.
A growing number of companies are working to offer cryptocurrency rewards for crypto enthusiasts who want to participate in the digital currency economy.
Of course, this particular type of reward currency isn’t for everyone. It’s important to note your risk tolerance to potential volatility in the market. If you’re a total crypto newbie, check out our full introductory guide to earning cryptocurrency on credit cards.
Note that there is no official Bitcoin credit card or Ethereum credit card, but you may be able to earn those or other cryptocurrencies with any of the cards mentioned in this guide.
At TPG, we are certainly fans of cards that earn rewards on every purchase — be it in the form of cash-back, airline miles or transferable points to use toward travel. Cards that earn crypto may attract those who have faith in the future of the various currencies out there.
However, it is important to note that the value of any cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin or Ethereum, could frequently and rapidly rise or fall at any point. So, you’ll want to seriously consider whether or not the risk is worth it for you before deciding to apply for one of these crypto credit cards.
Keeping the above in mind, these are some of the most popular cards that earn cryptocurrency.
The Gemini Credit Card* is a Mastercard-branded product with no annual fee. The card features 4% back on gas and EV charging (up to $200 per month, then 1%), 3% back on dining, 2% back on groceries and 1% back everywhere else. You can choose to redeem rewards as any of more than 50 cryptocurrencies available on Gemini.
Some of the biggest cryptocurrencies in the Gemini credit card rewards program include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Filecoin, Zcash, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Tezos, Solana and Polkadot. You can also cash in with stablecoins such as USD Coin and Gemini dollar.
This card is a popular choice for cryptocurrency rewards due to its low costs, higher reward earning rates and being beginner-friendly.
Crypto.com Visa Card
The Crypto.com Visa Card* is a no-annual-fee card from one of the best-known cryptocurrency exchanges in the United States. (This is partially due to a major ad campaign with Matt Damon and buying naming rights to the Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.)
The Crypto.com card is a bit more complex, with five tiers and varying rewards depending on your cryptocurrency balances.
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The basic Midnight Blue tier requires no crypto holdings and doesn’t offer rewards. With $400 or more in the Cronos (CRO) currency, the native currency created by Crypto.com, you can earn 1% to 5% back on regular purchases, depending on your tier.
Other perks that come with higher tiers include up to 100% back on Spotify, Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions, merchant offers with Expedia and Airbnb and complimentary airport lounge access. However, those top benefits require holding a whopping $400,000 in CRO, far beyond what most people could afford or consider.
Venmo Credit Card
The Venmo Credit Card* offers rewards in multiple forms, including cryptocurrency. Users can choose a preferred cryptocurrency for monthly rewards, which are redeemed automatically.
The Venmo card has no annual fee and offers up to 3% cash back rewards in your top category for each statement period, 2% in your second biggest spend category and 1% on everything else.
Venmo only supports a short range of currencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin, as well as the PayPal stablecoin, PayPal USD. Venmo cryptocurrency transactions are made through a partnership with Paxos, which charges a fee as a difference between buying and selling prices, known as a spread.
The card is issued in partnership with Synchrony Bank.
Discontinued crypto credit cards
Since crypto credit cards began gaining traction years ago, some of the momentum has slowed as certain cards gradually shut down operations or closed their relationships with cryptocurrencies.
The BlockFi Rewards Visa Signature Card*, which earned rewards that could be transferred into multiple cryptocurrencies, is no longer available for new applicants. The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa Credit Card* once offered Bitcoin rewards on every purchase, but it isn’t accepting applications either.
SoFi, meanwhile, ceased offering the option to convert SoFi Credit Card* rewards into crypto in 2023.
*The information for the Gemini Credit Card, Crypto.com Visa Card, Venmo Credit Card, BlockFi Rewards Visa Signature Card, Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa Credit Card and SoFi Credit Card have been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
If you’re interested in earning cryptocurrency, research the supported currencies, annual fees and earning rates associated with the cards you’re considering. Remember that cryptocurrencies carry unique risks, so there’s a chance your rewards could become worth less and less over time.
Plus, there’s evidence the momentum around cryptocurrency has slowed, so a crypto credit card may not be the best option out there for earning rewards on your purchases. If you’re not into crypto or prefer to earn reward currency like points, cash back or miles, check out our list of the best credit cards to find a card that better suits your needs.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
I stayed at the Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton in South Africa shortly after it opened in 2021. When I checked my account activity after my stay, I noticed an “opening bonus” of 2,000 points. Then I remembered that Hyatt offers 500 bonus points per night on qualifying stays at new hotels.
I unknowingly received the benefit since Hyatt doesn’t require members to register for this promotion. Perhaps you, too, have forgotten this promotion or never knew about it. In either case, here’s what you should know about World of Hyatt‘s new-hotel promotion, which allows you to earn 500 bonus points per night.
How to earn 500 bonus Hyatt points per night
This promotion is simple: World of Hyatt members receive 500 bonus points per night for qualifying stays at select new-to-the-Hyatt-portfolio hotels. You must stay within a set time frame to earn the bonus points, typically in the first few months after the property opens. Specifically, you’ll only earn bonus points if your checkout date takes place within the offer period for your hotel.
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To get the bonus points, you must provide your World of Hyatt number when you check in. You must also pay an eligible rate or redeem a Hyatt free night award (including redeeming Hyatt points). You’ll only earn bonus points for one room per night.
The terms of this promotion note that it may take three to four weeks for the bonus points to appear in your account. In practice, though, Hyatt typically posts the new-hotel bonus with the other points you earned during your stay.
Weifang: UrCove Weifang City Center from July 12 to Oct. 31, 2024
Kunming: Grand Hyatt Kunming from Aug. 6 to Nov. 30, 2024
Lanzhou: UrCove Lanzhou Xiguan Cross Zhongshan Bridge from Aug. 16 to Nov. 30, 2024
Ningbo: UrCove Ningbo International Exhibition Center from Sept. 8 to Dec. 31, 2024
Shanghai: Alila Shanghai from Sept. 25 to Dec. 31, 2024
Xian: UrCove Xian Great Tang All Day Mall from Sept. 29 to Dec. 31, 2024
Suzhou: UrCove Suzhou Shantang Street from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024
Wuhan: UrCove Wuhan Jiefang Avenue Zongguan Metro Station from Oct. 10, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Shenzhen: UrCove Shenzhen Nanshan Hi-Tech Headquarters from Oct. 15, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Lianyungang: UrCove Lianyungang Haizhou from Oct. 15, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Nanjing: UrCove Nanjing Zhongshan Mountain National Park from Oct. 15, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Tianjin: The Perennial Tianjin from Oct. 15, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Huangshan: Hyatt Regency Huangshan Hengjiangwan from Oct. 21, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Shanghai: UrCove Shanghai Pudong Lin-Gang Special Area from Oct. 30, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
7 hotels in other regions
Rouen, France: Hyatt Place Rouen from Aug. 27 to Nov. 30, 2024
Mainz, Germany: Brunfels Hotel from Aug. 29 to Nov. 30, 2024
Maharashtra, India: Hyatt Place Aurangabad Airport from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2024
Madeira, Portugal: Dreams Madeira Resort, Spa & Marina from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024
San Jose, Costa Rica: Hyatt Centric San Jose Escazu from Oct. 8, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Giza, Egypt: Hyatt Centric Cairo West from Oct. 15, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Hyatt Centric Santo Domingo from Oct. 24, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025
The 500 Hyatt points you’ll get per night when booking an eligible rate or free night are worth about $8.50, based on TPG’s October 2024 valuations. So, this promotion may be the tiebreaker when considering where to stay the next time you travel to a destination with a new Hyatt hotel.
On top of earning 500 extra points per night, staying at a new Hyatt hotel can also be fun since you’ll likely get to stay in a room with new furnishings. However, new hotels may still be working through some issues, and not everything on-site may be completely functional.
The current list includes 14 Hyatt Category 1 hotels and six Category 2 hotels. So, if you want to redeem World of Hyatt points for your stay, you can find many low-category options on the current list of new hotels.
If you’re a regular Southwest Airlines customer, you may start noticing some big changes at the airline sooner than you might expect.
Late last month, executives at the Dallas-based carrier laid out a massive commercial overhaul, including more details on the airline’s plan to ditch its half-century-old open seating policy in favor of its first-ever assigned and extra-legroom seats.
As TPG reported last week, those assigned seats are set to go on sale in late 2025 for flights departing in the first half of 2026.
You won’t have to wait until 2026 to see the extra-legroom seats appearing on some planes, though. And long before the airline’s most seismic changes go live, Southwest is planning a shift in how it prices some of its current add-on boarding products.
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Extra legroom seats to appear next year
Southwest won’t start selling its assigned seats — or extra-legroom seat assignments — until later next year. However, planes sporting the more spacious rows should start rolling out quietly, appearing on some of Southwest’s flights during the course of next year.
Between now and late 2025, the airline has a huge undertaking: It has to retrofit its entire fleet of around 800 jets with the new seating configurations. It’ll start with its larger Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 jets and then move on to its 737-700s.
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Southwest hopes to win Federal Aviation Administration approval for the new cabin configurations by early next year, executives said; the airline is already working to secure the necessary permissions.
“We expect the engineering work to be complete and certification in hand so that we can begin our retrofit on our larger aircraft in the first quarter of 2025,” Ryan Green, executive vice president of commercial transformation, told investors last week.
Once it gets started, Southwest hopes to retrofit between 50 and 100 jets per month, slowing the pace during the summer months so fewer planes are out of service during a peak travel period.
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Once crews finish reconfiguring a plane, it won’t just sit parked until assigned seating begins. Instead, it’ll rejoin the fleet and return to Southwest’s flight schedule. After all, planes don’t help the airline generate money while they’re out of service.
That means some lucky passengers should get a sneak peek at Southwest’s extra-legroom seats before the airline’s open-seating era technically winds down.
Until Southwest’s assigned seating setup fully launches in early 2026, there likely won’t be an easy way to know whether your Southwest plane has already been updated with the extra-legroom seats.
However, it’s possible you’ll get an inkling at the gate: Southwest tells TPG gate agents might, in some cases, alert customers about the more spacious offerings just prior to departure.
The seats, which Southwest says will represent about a third of the cabin (closer to 40% on some jets), are likely to be in hot demand on those flights during the final months of open seating.
In fact, the airline expects the seats to drive renewed interest in its existing EarlyBird and Upgraded Boarding products; those products help passengers secure an earlier spot in the boarding line and, by extension, an earlier seat pick in its current first come, first served seating model.
A Southwest Airlines jet at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
“Certainly, as you get to kind of a critical mass of the fleet, and you have a flight that’s going to Hawaii that has been retrofit, and you have extended legroom on that plane … the demand for Upgraded Boarding at the gate should go up,” Green said, as an example.
Dynamic pricing planned for current boarding products
To that end, Southwest executives teased another change that’s just around the corner for its present add-on service. “We’re going to be dynamically pricing these ancillaries as well. That’s not something we do today with EarlyBird or Upgraded Boarding,” Green said, noting those changes will go live sometime in late 2024 or early 2025.
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What is dynamic pricing?
Dynamic pricing essentially means the pricing structure is fluid and can fluctuate up or down based on a variety of algorithm-dictated factors. Supply and demand are chief among those factors. It’s an increasingly common pricing model throughout the industry.
Notably, a growing number of airlines now dynamically price award flights instead of using the award charts that once made points and miles redemptions more predictable.
For instance, it’s conceivable that the airline might find customers willing to pay a premium for Upgraded Boarding on a longer flight to, say, Hawaii in hopes of securing one of the more spacious seats.
Still, it’s not yet clear how such a dynamic pricing model could ultimately affect the cost of Southwest’s current add-on services before the carrier switches over to assigned seating. Executives seemed confident the products should make more money as extra-legroom-equipped jets begin to enter service next year.
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“It’s going take us some time to get the model trained on that, but I think there’s probably some upside in current boarding product ancillary revenue when we get that done,” Green said.
It’s worth noting that Southwest already uses a fairly fluid pricing model for EarlyBird and Upgraded Boarding. Earlier this year, it hiked the top-level fees on both amid a wave of airlines raising ancillary fees.
EarlyBird — which automatically reserves passengers’ place in line 36 hours before departure — costs $15 to $99 one-way, per traveler.
Upgraded Boarding — which guarantees passengers an A1-15 boarding position — costs between $30 and $149 per segment, per traveler.
Again, all of this may be temporary: EarlyBird and Upgraded Boarding are products unique to Southwest’s open seating concept, and they could be tweaked (or disappear altogether) as Southwest’s switch to assigned seating takes hold.
For now, Southwest customers will have lots of changes to digest in the next year.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
When you book a stay at a hotel, you may notice a large hold on your credit card account as a pending charge. While the charge is only temporary, it can lower your purchasing power for the duration of your trip.
Hotels aren’t the only kind of merchant to use pre-authorization holds to ensure funds for a potential charge, but they typically hang around for the longest time. Let’s discuss what these holds are used for and why they can take so long to clear from your account.
What is a credit card hold?
A credit card hold is a request from the merchant to pre-authorize funds on your credit or debit card pending a final transaction. Car rental companies, gas stations and hotels are three of the more common merchant types that will put a hold on your account.
The precise process for hotel credit card holds can be confusing to understand since multiple parties are involved with their own role and rules in the transaction. When you check in to a hotel, you’ve probably noticed that you are asked to provide a credit card for incidentals and any room service and/or minibar charges. This credit card is what the hotel will charge in the case of any damage to your hotel room.
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Each hotel will have its own specific hold amount, generally $50-$200, on top of your room rate (including taxes and fees). While the hotel won’t officially charge you until after you check out, the issuer will put aside the hold amount in the interim to ensure you can cover a potential charge.
That pending charge takes up part of your credit card’s spending power, which can be limiting when you are on a trip and need that additional spending power to pay for dining and other activities.
Payment networks such as Visa or Mastercard are actually the ones that require a hold because of how hotel payment processes work. Any time a merchant processes a card before the final charge amount is known, your card network will likely require a hold to ensure that you have enough buying power in your account to pay off a reasonable charge.
This limits the payment network’s risk that a charge will be met with insufficient funds and possibly a chargeback.
Why can hotel holds take so long to resolve?
The amount of time a hotel hold may stay on your account varies from hotel to hotel. Generally speaking, a hold will be released within 24 hours of checking out. But sometimes, it can take up to a week for the charge to disappear.
Why does this happen? You might be tempted to blame the hotel, but it actually comes down to the card issuer.
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Payment networks set rules for how long an issuer can set aside a hold. For example, Visa cards can only have a hold last for up to 30 days, while Amex cards only allow holds for up to seven days. But while payment networks set limits, the issuers each have their own standards in place for how long a pre-authorized charge may stay pending on your account.
So even after a hotel notifies a card issuer that a hold is no longer required pending an official charge, an issuer may still take a few days to remove the original pending charge.
Bottom line
Credit card holds are, unfortunately, just a part of using a debit or credit card with certain merchants like hotels. The only way to avoid a hold altogether is to use cash, but then you lose out on credit card points and other potential benefits that come with swiping your card.
However, one way to help ensure your hold is released as soon as possible is to use the same credit card for the hold as you do for the room charge. Conversely, when you use two separate payment methods, it can take longer for the pending hold charge to be removed.
