Tag: Travel Planner

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

If you want to earn a few extra Hilton Honors points on dining purchases, you’ve come to the right place.

Hopefully, you’re already earning credit card rewards on restaurant spending with one of the best dining credit cards. However, many major hotel and airline loyalty programs offer dining rewards programs that let you earn rewards while dining out.

There are many types of rewards you can earn through these programs. We’ll dive into how you can use the Hilton Honors Dining program to earn Hilton points.

Related: The 19 best Hilton hotels in the world

Hilton Honors Dining overview

The Hilton Honors Dining program allows you to earn Hilton Honors points when you dine at select restaurants. These points are on top of the rewards you’d normally earn through your credit card or the restaurant’s rewards program.

To get started with the Hilton Honors Dining program, you need to join the program, enroll at least one card and then search for eligible restaurants. The remainder of this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

Related: The award travelers guide to Hilton Honors

How to join

Go to the Hilton Honors Dining website to join the Hilton Honors Dining program. You’ll fill out a short form with your first name, last name, ZIP code, Hilton Honors number, email address and desired password.

You’ll also need to agree to the program’s terms and conditions. You’ll likely want to opt in to emails to maximize your earning potential.

The last step required to join Hilton Honors Dining is to link a card to your account. When adding a card to Hilton Honors Dining, it will automatically be removed from any other dining programs you’ve registered it with. For example, within a few minutes of adding a card to my Hilton Honors Dining account, I received an email noting that the card had been removed from my Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining account.

Related: 8 ways to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions

How to use Hilton Honors Dining

Once you’ve joined Hilton Honors Dining, you’ll want to search for restaurants, bars and clubs near you that participate in the program. You can do so by using the search function. Type your city into the search bar to see a wide range of results.

Each time you dine at an eligible restaurant, bar or club and pay with a card you’ve registered with Hilton Honors Dining, you’ll automatically earn bonus points.

Note that you can only enroll each credit card in one Rewards Network-operated dining program at a time. So, if you add a card to another Rewards Network-operated dining program, it will be automatically removed from Hilton Honors Dining.

Related: Can you earn rewards with a dining rewards program and a credit card at the same time?

Earning rates

Your earning rate with the Hilton Honors Dining program varies based on several factors. Specifically, you’ll earn:

• 8 bonus points per dollar if you dine 11 or more times a year and agree to email notifications from Hilton Honors Dining. This earning level is referred to as the VIP level, and you maintain it for the year you earn it and the year after.
• 5 bonus points per dollar if you dine 10 or fewer times a year and opt to receive email notifications from Hilton Honors Dining. This earning level is referred to as the Select level.
• 2 bonus points per dollar if you don’t opt for email notifications. This earning level is referred to as the Basic level.

Based on TPG’s valuations, Hilton Honors points are worth about 0.6 cents each. So, earning 8 points per dollar would get you a 4.8% return on your spending. Meanwhile, 5 points per dollar would equate to a 3% return, and 2 points per dollar would provide a 1.2% return.

As such, it’s worth opting in to receive email notifications if you plan to use the Hilton Honors Dining program. You’ll get emails about once a week, and they will provide restaurant recommendations and alerts when new restaurants in your area join the program.

If you didn’t initially choose to receive email notifications, you can do so now by logging in to your Hilton Honors Dining account. Click on the “profile” tab and then check the box stating: “Yes, I want to earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points dining at participating restaurants. Email me occasionally about restaurants in my area, special offers and bonus opportunities to earn Bonus Points.”

Related: What is Hilton Honors elite status worth?

Cards to use with Hilton Honors Dining

You’ll ideally enroll one (or more) of the best cards for dining when you set up your Hilton Honors Dining profile. Here are some of the best currently available cards to use:

• American Express® Gold Card: 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining at restaurants
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: 6 Hilton points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery

If you’re looking to accrue Hilton Honors points quickly for an upcoming redemption, you may want to enroll a Hilton card in the Hilton Honors Dining program. If you enroll and use the Hilton Amex Surpass Card for dining at an eligible U.S. restaurant, you’ll earn 6 Hilton points per dollar due to the card’s bonus category; you’ll also earn up to 8 Hilton points per dollar from Hilton Honors Dining.

Related: Best Hilton cards

Bottom line

As with all dining rewards programs, knowing which nearby restaurants participate in the program is the best way to maximize Hilton Honors Dining. However, you’ll only earn at the highest rates if you have VIP-level status.

While dining rewards programs are free to join, you should consider whether the Hilton Honors program is the best dining rewards program for you. After all, you can only enroll each credit card in one Rewards Network dining program at a time.

Based solely on TPG’s valuations, some airline dining programs may provide better value than the Hilton Honors Dining program. Ultimately, it comes down to which points and miles you’re most interested in earning now.

With four iconic theme parks, more than five decades of history, innovation and nostalgia to consider, and over 50 rides to choose from, naming anything the “best” at Walt Disney World is no easy task … but we gave it a try anyway.

The best rides at the Most Magical Place on Earth are the ones that deliver incredible thrills, groundbreaking technology and mind-blowingly immersive theming — so this ranking is based on a combination of storytelling, thrill factor, innovation, emotional response and old-fashioned nostalgia.

So buckle up, tug on the yellow strap and enjoy your tour of the best rides at Walt Disney World.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 40 inches

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — the centerpiece attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — is such an epic, visceral experience that it feels reductive to call it merely a ride. During the nearly 20-minute adventure in a galaxy far, far away, guests become recruits, enlisted to join the Resistance in the fight against Kylo Ren and the First Order.

There’s no other Disney attraction that can compete with the scale of Rise of the Resistance and its four different ride systems, vast cinematic sets, upward of 65 Audio-Animatronics, original score by John Williams, and audio and visual media featuring the original “Star Wars” cast.

The queue, pre-show and ride experience blend seamlessly, forming a cohesive narrative journey that is enhanced by technology but never overpowered by it. The attraction makes you forget the real world — but not because you’re stuck in a dark space staring at a screen. In fact, Disney cast members doubling as Resistance heroes or First Order captors appear at key moments during the attraction, bringing a tangible reality to the experience that deepens the immersion.

Rise of the Resistance is a fully realized attraction that also still feels aspirational — new rides have opened since, but none have been quite so ambitious or delivered as Rise does. The bar has been set, and Rise is holding strong.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

• Location: World Discovery, Epcot
• Height requirement: 42 inches

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — Epcot’s first-ever roller coaster and Walt Disney World’s first Marvel ride — definitely wins the “most fun” award. The fact that it’s still using a virtual queue nearly two years after opening is a testament to its popularity.

The galaxy’s fate is at stake, and the Guardians need help. Coming to their aid, guests board a “starjumper,” a 360-degree rotating ride vehicle that reverse-launches into a high-speed indoor roller coaster journey through time and space.

One of six randomized ‘70s and ‘80s pop-rock classics provides the soundtrack for the silky smooth ride that feels like a swinging, soaring dance party through space. Like Space Mountain, the ride is in near darkness but enhanced with elaborate projections and some physical set pieces.

Everyone has a favorite song, and predicting which one you’ll get adds to the fun, making the ride even more repeatable.

Bonus points go to the physical queue, which winds through the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, formerly “Universe of Energy,” and tells a story that feels like classic Epcot but with plenty of Guardians banter.

Ride vehicles rotate to direct attention to a mix of screens and physical set pieces, and though it’s a controlled rotation, those prone to motion sickness are likely to be affected by this ride. The negative effects can be minimized by avoiding looking at the screens and keeping your eyes pointed in the direction of the track.

Avatar Flight of Passage

• Location: Pandora – The World of Avatar, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Height requirement: 44 inches

You don’t even need to see an “Avatar” film to be wowed by your first ride on Avatar — Flight of Passage.

The breathtaking 4D experience simulates a flight over Pandora’s Valley of Moara. A motorcycle-like ride vehicle creates the sensations of soaring, swooping and diving on the back of a banshee, which you can feel breathing and flapping its wings beneath you.

The stunning score, gorgeous visuals and effects like scents, mist and wind combine to make this one a top must-do, but it also comes with one of the heftiest wait times — still regularly clocking in at two or more hours, nearly seven years after opening.

Luckily, the standby queue is one of Walt Disney World’s best, winding through alien flora, mysterious caves, an RDA bunker and a bioluminescent forest before entering an ACE laboratory that includes a stunning full-size Avatar moving inside a tank.

Interesting though the queue is, we still only recommend waiting in it when wait times are manageable, typically at rope drop or as late as possible in the evening.

For most Walt Disney World guests, time is money, so purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane is a smart way to skip the line.

Haunted Mansion

• Location: Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

An opening-day attraction that never gets old, Haunted Mansion adds more fans to its cult following every year. 2023 brought the debut of a new film inspired by the ride and the announcement that the mansion’s 999 happy haunts would soon be hitting the high seas in Haunted Mansion Parlor, opening when the Disney Treasure sets sail this December.

This Ghost Host-led tour aboard a Doom Buggy weaves through the cavernous mansion and its grounds. It’s spooky but not too scary for most kiddos — just remind timid little ones that these grim-grinning ghosts are having a big party, and everyone’s invited to the swinging wake.

You don’t need a new reason to keep this one high on the list, but last November, the Walt Disney World ride did get a long-awaited addition of the legendary Hatbox Ghost, already part of Disneyland’s version.

Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

• Location: Asia, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Height requirement: 44 inches

Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a great roller coaster on its own, but like the other top rides on this list, its immersive theming is as strong as its thrills.

From Serka Zong village in the Himalayan foothills, an old steam-engine tea train operated by a tour and expedition company brings climbers to Mount Everest base camp —  if they’re brave enough to ignore the warnings that a mysterious yeti stalks the mountain, that is.

The tallest “mountain” of any Disney park at 199 feet, this is definitely one of Walt Disney World’s more intense rides. There’s a sizable drop and some big surprises, but there are no inversions, and it’s well paced, giving you time to catch your breath during the scenic ascent and dramatic pauses.

This is one of the better picks at Animal Kingdom if you have to do the standby line — it moves quickly, and the immersive queue sets the stage for the adventure, passing through the village tourism office, the Yeti Museum, and even an internet cafe and inn for trekkers.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Location: Frontierland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: 40 inches

The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness combines family-friendly thrills, nostalgia and immersive theming. Hold on to your hats and glasses as you take off on a runaway mine train, weaving among the iconic towering buttes that reach 197 feet at the highest point.

The bumpy ride is laugh-inducing, sending riders sliding into each other as the train rounds tight turns. A fan favorite since it opened in 1980, the oldie-but-goodie still stands up to Disney’s newer coasters in both theming and fun, and at nearly 3 1/2 minutes, it provides a much more satisfying length than many of the newbies.

Three main ascents are followed by gentle drops and thrilling turns that aren’t overly stomach-churning. For the wildest ride, sit in Row 15 in the back of the train.

An enhanced backstory and new character, Barnabas T. Bullion, were introduced to the ride in 2013, along with an updated interactive queue. Owner and president of the Big Thunder Mining Company, Bullion is also a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, a fictional mythology spanning stories and attractions across Disney parks worldwide.

Pirates of the Caribbean

• Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

Constructed in just 15 months after guests expressed disappointment when Magic Kingdom opened without the popular Disneyland attraction in 1971, Florida’s version of the (mostly) slow-moving, dark boat ride absolutely deserves a top spot on this list.

Housed behind the facade of an old Spanish fort, El Castillo del Morro, the entrance and queue take their design inspiration from a fortress in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Many people would argue Disneyland’s version is better, but Walt Disney World’s queue is far more immersive. Depending on whether you use the standby queue or Lightning Lane, you’ll pass through either the soldiers’ quarters or the dungeon, where a famous scene dreamed up by famed Walt Disney Imagineer Marc Davis shows two skeletons frozen for eternity staring at a chessboard stuck in a no-win configuration.

The ride includes one gentle but exciting plunge in the darkness, followed by some of the most iconic scenes, music and Audio-Animatronics on any Disney ride.

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

• Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 40 inches

It’s hard to imagine Disney’s Hollywood Studios without the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, but the attraction didn’t open until 1994, along with the Sunset Boulevard area of the park.

Once the site of a glamorous Tinseltown hotel, the ominous 199-foot-tall tower casts an aura of foreboding over the decaying grounds. Overgrown landscaping and eerie big-band jazzy tunes help set the stage in the immersive queue, which becomes even more impressive upon entering the abandoned, cobweb-covered lobby.

As the story goes, on a fateful night in 1939, five hotel quests disappeared when lightning struck the hotel elevator. Today, guests visit the abandoned site — riding in a still-functioning service elevator that enters the fifth dimension, launching riders on a series of dramatic drop sequences.

Not for the faint of heart (or stomach), this ride is both scary and nausea-inducing for some, but a runaway fan-favorite thrill ride for many. Even if you hate the freefall sensation, it’s worth trying to experience some of Disney’s best-ever ride theming and storytelling.

Tron Lightcycle / Run

• Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: 48 inches

A must for thrill-seekers, Tron Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom is now the fastest roller coaster at Walt Disney World. Inspired by the 1982 “Tron” and 2010 “Tron: Legacy” films, the indoor-outdoor coaster adds more thrills and gorgeous nighttime lighting to Tomorrowland.

We love the unique body positioning that really makes you feel like you’re on a bike (especially in the front row!) and the silky smooth ride.

Many Tron fans will tell you night rides are superior — and with lighting after dark, they’re not wrong — but unless you’re willing to pay for a timed Individual Lightning Lane after sunset or are eligible for the 6 p.m. virtual queue drop during extended evening hours for Deluxe Resort guests, you’ll have to settle for the virtual queue return time you’re assigned.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

• Location: Hollywood Boulevard, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: None

Walt Disney World took nearly 50 years to open its first ride starring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, so it had to be good. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opened March 4, 2020, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, replacing The Great Movie Ride in the Chinese Theatre.

The innovative dark ride blends a little bit of everything — trackless ride technology, digital projections, Audio-Animatronics, a catchy original theme song and original animation based on the newest generation of Mickey Mouse shorts.

The pre-show features an original Mickey Mouse short called “Perfect Picnic,” after which guests find themselves on a train ride driven by Engineer Goofy through Runnamuck Park.

The ride is packed with hidden Mickeys and Easter eggs. For example, the original whistle used in Disney’s 1928 animated short film “Steamboat Willie” was used to create the train whistle sound on Runaway Railway.

Each “train” comprises four trackless ride vehicles, which split apart and shuffle positions during the attraction, with each car providing a slightly different ride experience.

Pro tip: Keep your eyes peeled. In addition to a secondary storyline involving poor Pluto’s desperate attempt to reunite himself — and a picnic basket — with his owners, a curious little crab appears in each scene, giving you even more to look for during repeat rides.

Spaceship Earth

• Location: World Celebration, Epcot
• Height requirement: None

Housed in a geodesic sphere that’s arguably as iconic to Walt Disney World as Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth opened with Epcot on Oct. 1, 1982.

Related: Why Epcot is now Disney World’s must-do park

The 16-minute, slow-moving dark ride follows the development of human communication from prehistoric times to the computer age and beyond. From the invention of the alphabet to classical Greece to the Industrial Revolution, key periods and moments are represented with detailed sets, animatronic figures and narration by Dame Judi Dench.

The attraction has received a few updates through the years, but if you love the current version, thank the Phoenicians it’s still around. While it might not be a physically thrilling ride, it’s quite the thrill to make the “rounds” inside such a legendary structure.

Jungle Cruise

• Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

This opening-day attraction is always a good time; if you don’t believe me, you’re in de-Nile.

The “10-minute, 10,000-mile” boat ride down the rivers of Asia, Africa and South America first debuted on Disneyland’s opening day in 1955 as a straightforward, educational attraction. It took shape as the joke-filled version we know today in 1960, when Walt Disney Imagineer Marc Davis stepped aboard to skipper the story in the comedic direction that made it the “World Famous Jungle Cruise” it is today.

A 2021 reimagining to address cultural insensitivities in certain scenes introduced new characters, animals and scenes to the ride and established a more elaborate backstory that deepens the ride’s connections to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

Related: The best restaurants at Disney World in 2024

Pro tip: We love pairing a ride on Jungle Cruise with a meal at the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen restaurant across from the ride. This Easter egg-packed restaurant serves some of the best table-service food in Magic Kingdom (along with plenty of puns courtesy of Skipper servers).

Kilimanjaro Safaris

• Location: Africa, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

The next best thing to a real African safari, Kilimanjaro Safaris is in many ways the realization of Walt Disney’s original vision for Jungle Cruise, which was to have wild animals in true-to-nature environments. You can spot more than 30 different animal species during the 18-minute open-air drive across 110 acres of savanna — nearly as much space as all of Magic Kingdom park.

Given the unpredictability of live animals, no two rides are the same. Through the years, we’ve experienced so many memorable moments, from a giraffe coming right up to our vehicle and keeping us there until he was ready to move along, to watching a 2-month-old baby elephant run around on her first day on the savanna.

Pro tip: Many of the animals are most active early in the morning and at sundown, so aim for those times. And don’t shy away from a rainy ride — some animals seem to love it, and you’ll stay (mostly) undercover.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 38 inches

“Star Wars” fans simply can’t pass on the chance to take the controls in the cockpit of the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy by joining Hondo Ohnaka’s flight crew for an important smuggling mission aboard the Millennium Falcon.

For “Star Wars” fans, the queue is as bucket list-worthy as actually taking a seat at the controls. After first passing the life-size Millennium Falcon from the front as you enter the queue, you’ll get to see it from additional angles and from multiple levels, getting a closer look at the iconic ship from different perspectives as you wind through the Easter egg-packed queue.

Flight crews of six are assigned the positions of pilot, gunner or engineer and get a few minutes to explore the main hold and take a seat at the centerpiece dejarik table before heading to the cockpit.

Once in your seats at the controls, it’s time to work as a team to put the bucket of bolts to the test and see if you can complete your mission — and get back to Batuu with the Falcon in one piece. Pilots steer, gunners defend and engineers perform repairs, and at the end of your mission, Hondo will let you know how well you’ve done — and what your cut of the credits will be.

Pro tip: Young riders who just make the 38-inch flight requirement often struggle to reach all of the controls in the pilot position. If they have their heart set on piloting, consider putting the longest-armed adult in the other pilot position so they can reach over and help.

Slinky Dog Dash

• Location: Toy Story Land, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 38 inches

When guests enter Toy Story Land, they “shrink” to the size of one of Andy’s toys from the films. It’s easy to look at Slinky Dog Dash, which Andy has “built” in his backyard by combining his Slinky Dog toy with a Mega Coaster Kit, and assume it’s a coaster for little kids a la Magic Kingdom’s The Barnstormer.

But this coaster is tons of fun and worth the ride, even without kids. The ride vehicle mimics Slinky Dog’s springy body — launching then seemingly springing along, bobbing up and down over gentle but exhilarating hills, and winding among Andy’s toys. You’ll also glimpse some wonderful vistas across the theme park. A second, more thrilling launch, narrated by Slinky Dog, sends riders seemingly straight up into the sky, giving a brief feeling of weightlessness.

Grown-ups will get a nostalgic kick out of the classic toy boxes used to construct portions of the queue and load area too.

Pro tip: Slinky Dog Dash is the most popular Genie+ Lightning Lane at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so make sure to grab this one first at 7 a.m. The ride also frequently goes down due to weather, so if you’re opting for the standby queue and only have one day to ride it, make sure you don’t save it until the end of the night if the sky looks threatening.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

• Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: 38 inches

Like Slinky Dog Dash, this is another true family coaster that’s not just for kids. Opened in 2014 as part of Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland expansion, this gentle but exciting coaster ups the thrill factor just enough to engage adults and bigger kids without scaring less daring littles.

The ride vehicles are modeled after mine carts and sway back and forth along the otherwise smooth track, which ventures into the diamond mine where the seven dwarfs famously whistle while they work.

Bright, reflective gemstones (look out for the Hidden Mickey!); cheerful, singing dwarf animatronics; and an earworm rendition of “Heigh-Ho” as you make your ascent up the main hill make it impossible not to smile on this ride.

One drawback — there’s only one main show scene and a second brief final scene, making the ride feel over a little too quickly given its consistently long wait times.

The ride is available via standby queue (an interactive queue helps keep kids busy) or Individual Lightning Lane. The price may not be worth the cost for thrill-seekers, but it could definitely be worth it with antsy younger kids.

Star Tours — The Adventures Continue

• Location: Echo Lake, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 40 inches

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge might get more of the attention lately, but Walt Disney World’s first “Star Wars” ride has been going strong since 1989.

Opened first as Star Tours and later updated to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue in 2011, this 3D flight simulator ride takes guests on an unpredictable adventure across a galaxy far, far away in a Starspeeder 1000 ship helmed by reluctant pilot C-3PO and trusty navigator R2-D2.

Every adventure includes four randomized main scenes, introducing potential variability of characters, including classic original trilogy characters like Princess Leia and Darth Vader and destinations like the planets Tatooine and Hoth.

Updates through the years have added new characters and destinations as new “Star Wars” films have been released and ahead of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. On April 5, 2024, Star Tours got its latest galactic glow-up — new scenes and characters from the Disney+ series “Ahsoka,” “Andor” and “The Mandalorian.” Now, guests could get an urgent transmission from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor or the Mandalorian and Grogu.

For a limited time, all guests will visit a new destination, the planet Seatos from “Ahsoka,” where the Starspeeder joins Ahsoka’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle in a dogfight amid a pod of purrgil, massive space whales first introduced in the animated series “Star Wars Rebels.” After this phase of introduction to the new characters and scenes, the ride will reenter a “random play” mode, as Walt Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald called the ride’s eventual fully randomized sequencing, and will increase the ride’s total potential storyline variations to more than 250.

Peter Pan’s Flight

• Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

One of Disney’s most nostalgic and iconic dark rides, with a soundtrack that can instantly unlock childhood memories, Peter Pan’s Flight opened with Magic Kingdom in 1971 and to this day remains one of the park’s most popular Genie+ Lightning Lane attractions — with a correspondingly hefty standby wait.

Board a pirate ship and take off from the Darling family nursery, flying over the rooftops of London then off to Neverland. Fly past scenes like a miniature Mermaid Lagoon below and a life-size swordfight between Peter Pan and Captain Hook overhead.

If you do end up in the standby line, the interactive queue through the Darling family home helps pass the time. Look out for twinkling signs of Tinkerbell’s trail of pixie dust, and you might spot her rattling around and even getting stuck in tiny places around the house.

Space Mountain

• Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: 44 inches

This Walt Disney World original, which opened Jan. 15, 1975, was so popular that it inspired new versions in four more parks worldwide. Fitting for Tomorrowland, it was the first roller coaster ever to be controlled by a computer.

The iconic structure encloses two almost identical tracks, Alpha and Omega, which each launch spaceship-themed ride vehicles on their ride through space. The nearly total darkness makes the coaster feel much faster as it makes sudden sharp turns and drops.

An attraction that definitely feels its age, this coaster doesn’t have any inversions or extreme drops, but it’s definitely one of Walt Disney World’s rougher rides.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

• Location: World Showcase, Epcot
• Height requirement: None

Pixar meets Paris in a whimsical extension of Epcot’s France pavilion that gently transitions from the real-world architectural grandeur of the City of Light to Pixar’s more playful and exaggerated animated version, setting the stage for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

You’ll shrink down to rat size and board rat-shaped trackless vehicles for a 4D dark ride that has you scurrying through Gusteau’s restaurant.

The multisensory ride combines screens and physical sets, enhanced with scents and some other surprise effects we won’t spoil, and makes wonderful use of the film’s excellent soundtrack.

Located at the opposite end of Epcot from most of the park’s other rides, Remy’s is a welcome reward for kids who lose steam making their way around Epcot’s World Showcase.

The ride is equally enjoyable for adults and kids, but it may bother some guests prone to motion sickness.

Frozen Ever After

• Location: World Showcase, Epcot
• Height requirement: None

A reskin of the Viking-themed Maelstrom boat ride attraction in Epcot’s Norway pavilion, Frozen Ever After takes guests on a cruise through Arendelle past scenes inspired by the original “Frozen” film.

Related: How Disney brought animated mega-hit ‘Frozen’ to life at Hong Kong Disneyland

Audio-Animatronic characters sing abridged versions of songs from the film, modified to support the ride’s storyline. Light thrills include a gentle reverse drift during “Let It Go” and one thrilling drop that’s not too scary to keep little kids off the ride — but just nerve-wracking enough to generate some hilarious expressions on the Disney PhotoPass ride photos.

This ride continues to be extremely popular and breaks down a lot, so if it’s a top priority, try to pick up an early Genie+ Lightning Lane or rope drop it.

Toy Story Mania

• Location: Toy Story Land, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: None

Toy Story Mania opened in 2008, long predating the opening of Toy Story Land, which better established the ride within the world of Andy’s toys. The 3D carnival game-inspired attraction remains extremely popular, is endlessly rerideable (that is, until your arm gets too tired) and the game aspect of the ride even edges out newer game-focused rides like Web Slingers at Disneyland.

Ride vehicles seat two passengers side by side at spring-action shooters and whip and spin players from game to game.

Toy Story characters, including Woody and Jessie, Rex and Trixie, and the Green Army Men, host a series of five carnival-style 3D games on screens. Players ultimately compete against each other, but can also work together to unlock secret targets worth more points.

Dinosaur

• Location: DinoLand U.S.A., Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Height requirement: 40 inches

You either love or hate this rough, dark and downright terrifying (for some) blast to the past. Guests board a Time Rover with a mission to travel back to the Cretaceous period to retrieve an iguanodon and bring it back for research before the extinction-causing meteor strikes.

The fan-favorite preshow features Dr. Marsh (Phylicia Rashad), director of the Dino Institute, and Dr. Grant Seeker, a goofy, passionate scientist who briefs guests on the mission and frantically narrates during the harrowing attraction.

Loosely based on the 2000 film “Dinosaur,” this attraction parallels Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure with respect to ride vehicle and layout. Unlike Indy, however, Dinosaur relies more on extreme darkness and jump scares than cinematic sets and impressive effects.

Kids who love dinosaurs and don’t scare easily love this ride.

Dinosaur fans should get their rides in while they can. While no official retheme has been confirmed, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro began teasing potential rethemes of DinoLand, first in 2022 at D23 Expo, then again in 2023 at Destination D23, by playing “Indiana Jones” theme music, teasing a possible “Indiana Jones”-themed update in the area. More recently, D’Amaro confirmed that work is “well underway” for this project, with teams already going on research trips to Mexico.

Living with the Land

• Location: World Nature, Epcot
• Height requirement: None

A prime example of Epcot edutainment, this “voyage of discovery and awareness” aboard slow-moving boats is part dark ride, part greenhouse tour.

Situated in Epcot’s The Land pavilion, the dark ride portion showcases a variety of ecosystems — the tropical rainforest, desert and American prairie — before cruising through the pavilion’s four working greenhouses.

It might sound dull, but guests of all ages will find themselves captivated by the array of different edible crops growing on display — from familiar tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens and strawberries, to the more exotic banana trees and giant melons, to cacao and peanuts. Fish farms and hydroponic and aquaponic farming methods are also showcased.

Get a taste of the end products by dining at Sunshine Seasons or Garden Grill Restaurant, also in the Land pavilion. Both restaurants use produce and seafood farmed in the greenhouses in some of their dishes.

If you visit Epcot during the holiday season, be sure to wait until after dark to ride, when a holiday overlay bathes the greenhouses in the warm glow of festive colored lights.

Pro tip: Want to learn more? Book a Behind the Seeds walking tour — a one-hour tour of the fish farm and greenhouses.

Soarin’ Around the World

• Location: World Nature, Epcot
• Height Requirement: 40 inches

This flight simulator attraction gives riders a hang gliding sensation as they “soar,” feet dangling up to 40 feet above the ground, through screen-based scenes.

The ride originally debuted as “Soarin’ Over California” in 2005. In 2016, it was replaced with the current “Around the World” version, which visits some of the world’s most famous natural wonders and manmade landmarks, including the American Southwest, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower and the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

Recognizing fans’ love for the original “Over California” attraction, Disney has begun bringing it back for limited runs. At Walt Disney World, it returned during the Disney100 celebration, and at Disney California Adventure, it’s been making an annual return during the park’s yearly Food & Wine Festival.

Pro tip: The farther you sit from the center of the screen, the more distorted some images appear — the Eiffel Tower in particular appears dramatically curved for guests sitting on the far sides. The best section and row for the least distorted image and no feet hanging in your view is B1.

Navi River Journey

• Location: Pandora — The World of Avatar, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

Navi River Journey can’t compete with Flight of Passage in the thrill department, but it does fully immerse guests in a beautiful, tangible Pandoran setting.

During the slow-moving (indoor) nighttime journey in Pandora’s bioluminescent rainforest, boats float through the lush jungle, seemingly alive with the glowing sights and sounds of the planet’s otherworldly creatures. Screens and projections are combined with physical sets, motion and sound to create impressively realistic effects, like alien creatures hopping from giant leaf to leaf overhead.

Ethereal music swells during the journey, reaching a crescendo as the boat approaches the massive Navi Shaman of Songs, a lifelike animatronic that is the most advanced Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created.

Navi River Journey gives those who don’t meet the height requirement or are unable to ride Flight of Passage a great opportunity to experience Pandora’s beautiful theming and detail.

“It’s a small world”

• Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

Who wouldn’t want to hop aboard “the happiest cruise that ever sailed”? An opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom following a successful debut at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, then at Disneyland in 1966, this nostalgic classic celebrates a message of peace, understanding and friendship by sharing a look at the world through the eyes of a child.

Different countries and cultures worldwide are represented by costumed Audio-Animatronic dolls designed to look as though they’ve been created by a child using papier-mache and other craft materials.

The lyrics to the timeless theme song by Robert and Richard Sherman, sung in the native languages of the represented regions, have become synonymous with calls for peace, empathy and acceptance. In an ongoing effort to honor the ride’s message of inclusivity, a doll in a wheelchair was added to the ride last March.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

• Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

An oldie but goodie that’s enjoyed a new wave of appreciation and popularity in recent years, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover takes guests on an elevated, narrated tour of Tomorrowland.

The magnetically powered tram takes passengers behind the scenes for a different perspective of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and travels right through Space Mountain. The ride also provides stunning views of Cinderella Castle, the canopy of Tron Lightcycle / Run and an overhead look at Tomorrowland Speedway.

There’s no Lightning Lane but the standby queue moves quickly and is rarely longer than 20 minutes.

Test Track

• Location: World Discovery, Epcot
• Height requirement: 40 inches

The current iteration of Test Track gets high marks for thrills but lands this low spot for seriously lackluster theming, especially when compared to a sister ride at Disney California Adventure Park. Radiator Springs Racers uses the same ride vehicles and mechanisms but adds the stunning backdrop of Ornament Valley, a heartwarming dark ride component, and a head-to-head race at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour to the finish for extra fun.

With the right theming, this could be a top-tier ride like Radiator Springs Racers — and the good news is, a retheme is in the works. Test Track will close June 17, 2024, for its reimagining, which will take inspiration from the original World of Motion. We can’t wait to see how it turns out!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

• Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 48 inches

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is a high-speed roller coaster ride in the near darkness, save for neon signs, with Aerosmith music blasting the whole time.

The premise: After meeting Aerosmith in the recording studio, guests are invited to the band’s concert on the other side of town and have to get through LA traffic in a super-stretch limo to get there.

This ride can be rough, but that doesn’t stop it from being perpetually popular.

Note: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is currently closed for refurbishment, with plans to reopen in summer 2024.

Related reading:

• ‘For the first time in forever,’ Disney World feels like the good old days
• The 17 best Disney World hotels for your 2024 stay
• Save big bucks on Disney World tickets, hotel stays and dining with these discounts
• Tips for visiting Disney World in 2024: 19 ways to save money and have more fun

Breeze Airways is a newer domestic low-cost airline that commenced operations in 2021. It was founded by aviation legend David Neeleman, who also founded JetBlue Airways and WestJet.

Although the airline’s headquarters are in Utah, most of its operating bases are in eastern airports like Charleston International Airport (CHS), Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Norfolk International Airport (ORF).

While Breeze flights can be relatively inexpensive to book compared to flights on other U.S. airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, can you save money by using points and miles to book Breeze Airways flights?

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about earning and redeeming Breezy Rewards points.

Related: Breeze announces new base in Fort Myers, records first profitable month

Breeze Airways Breezy Rewards overview

Breezy Rewards (formerly known as the BreezePoints Rewards program) is the loyalty program of Breeze Airways. BreezePoints, its currency, do not expire.

Overall, it is a simple loyalty program with fixed earning and redemption rates when flying Breeze. The program currently does not have airline partners, does not belong to an alliance and has no elite status levels.

Breeze offers four fares — the cheapest, basic No Flex fare and then Nice, Nicer and Nicest bundles that correspond with coach, extra-legroom coach and first-class, although each fare comes with different benefits like luggage allowances and included snacks.

Related: Best frequent flyer programs for US travelers

How to earn BreezePoints

You can join Breezy Rewards online for free. BreezePoints are earned on Breeze Airways cash fares as follows:

• Earn 5 points per dollar on Nicer and Nicest bundles (excluding fees and taxes).
• Earn 2 points per dollar on Nice bundles (including taxes and fees).
• Earn 1 point per dollar on No Flex fare purchases (including taxes and fees).

Breezy Rewards members will earn 5 BreezePoints per dollar spent on add-ons like carry-on and checked baggage, seat selection, and pet-in-cabin purchases.

You can also earn BreezePoints with the Breeze Easy™ Visa Signature® Credit Card described below.

The information for the Breeze Easy credit 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.

How to redeem BreezePoints

To redeem points, log in to your Breezy Rewards account when booking your trip.

On the payment page, you will be given the option to use your BreezePoints to cover some or all of the cost of your travel.

You may only book using BreezePoints from one account at a time.

BreezePoints are currently worth 1 cent per point toward fares or other purchases with Breeze; however, the airline hopes to improve the program over time to offer more ways to earn and redeem the points, which may lead to some more lucrative redemption options.

One major plus of using BreezePoints is that you can redeem points to also pay for taxes and fees, a rarity among airline loyalty programs. Additionally, if you don’t have enough points or don’t want to redeem all of your points, you can adjust how many reward points you’d like to spend.

Related: Breeze Airways launches cobranded credit card, adds 5 new cities, plans loyalty program revamp

Breeze Airways credit cards

While Breezy Rewards is not a transfer partner of any major credit card programs, it has a cobranded credit card.

The Breeze Easy Visa Signature Credit Card, issued by Barclays U.S., has an $89 annual fee and earns:

• 10 BreezePoints per dollar spent on Nicer and Nicest fare bundles, along with add-on purchases (5 points per dollar when the flight is purchased and 5 additional points per dollar once the flight is completed)
• 4 BreezePoints on Nice fare bundles (2 points per dollar when the flight is purchased and 2 additional points per dollar once the flight is completed)
• 2 points per dollar on grocery store and restaurant purchases
• 1 point per dollar on everything else

The card offers priority boarding and free inflight Wi-Fi on equipped planes for the cardholder and all passengers on the same reservation.

New cardholders can get a signup bonus of 50,000 BreezePoints after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days of card membership, along with 7,500 bonus anniversary points each year that they spend at least $10,000 on the card.

Cardholders can also upgrade to a Nice or Nicest bundle one-way with every $15,000 spent on the card per year, with no limit to the number of upgrades they can earn.

Related: What it’s like on board Breeze’s new Airbus A220

Bottom line

Breezy Rewards is still a very young program for a newer airline. If you live near a Breeze operating base (or find yourself flying to one) and like the low-cost Breeze model, it is a no-brainer to join its loyalty program and earn BreezePoints.

While there are currently no ways to get outsize value from your points, they are fairly easy to earn and redeem if you fly Breeze regularly, especially with the bonus of the cobranded credit card.

If you want to fly in premium classes to foreign destinations with your airline points, you may consider an airline with a larger loyalty program.

Boeing mounted a vociferous defense of its 777 and 787 Dreamliner wide-body programs Monday, days after a whistleblower alleged that the plane-maker had taken manufacturing shortcuts that introduced potential structural flaws to both aircraft types.

On Monday, Boeing held an unusual media briefing from its Dreamliner assembly plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, where it detailed the specifics of how it assembles the 787 from several parts that are built and delivered disassembled, such as the fuselage, wings and tail section, and the structural testing each component undergoes.

In refuting the allegations and characterizations presented by the whistleblower, Boeing offered a sharp contrast from the conciliatory and concessional tone it’s presented this year through the ongoing 737 MAX crisis, which ultimately led to the ousting of the company’s CEO.

Want more aviation news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter.

The whistleblower, a Boeing engineer named Sam Salehpour, alleged last week that hundreds of 787 and 777 jets were at risk of structural failure from damage caused by fatigue. The allegations were detailed in The Seattle Times.

He also said that he was harassed by Boeing as a result.

Salehpour’s 787 allegations surrounded tiny gaps between fuselage sections that remain after Boeing joined them together.

The spaces were first discovered in 2020, which led Boeing to halt deliveries of the long-haul jet for nearly two years. The Federal Aviation Administration investigated Boeing’s manufacturing program and approved a fix, and currently inspects each individual 787 before approving it for delivery to an airline customer.

Salehpour alleged, however, that the problem was not actually fixed, and that Boeing used excessive force to push the pieces together, making it appear as if the gaps were gone, rather than using small pieces of filler material to fill them — a practice known as “shimming.”

Shimming is used to fill gaps larger than five-thousandths of an inch, which prevents pieces from moving around during flight and bearing excess stress.

On the 777, Salehpour alleged that fuselage panels were delivered from a vendor that did not fit properly, and said that factory workers jumped on pieces of the fuselage to jam them into place, potentially deforming them. He claimed that he was moved to the 777 program as retaliation after raising concerns about the 787.

Boeing last week was quick to refute Salehpour’s claims by arguing that all of its 787s meet specifications required for certification.

“These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft,” Boeing said in a statement last week provided to TPG. “The issues raised have been subject to rigorous engineering examination under FAA oversight. This analysis has validated that these issues do not present any safety concerns and the aircraft will maintain its service life over several decades.”

On Monday, Boeing engineers outlined the production process in specifics, including the stress testing that it says proves everything on the 787 is within its specified parameters.

“Extensive design analysis and testing that validates all of the decisions we’ve made,” said Steve Chisholm, a vice president and functional chief engineer of mechanical and structural engineering at Boeing.

Chisholm also said that Boeing encourages employees to speak up about problems or concerns they observe, and said that such reporting is key to the company’s safety processes.

“Having the voices of our employees heard is of utmost importance,” he said. “We do believe this makes us stronger. And it’s something we’ve really been leveraging and emphasizing.”

In addition to an ethics hotline, Boeing employees can use a system called “Speak Up” to report issues anonymously, Lisa Fahl, a Boeing vice president of airplane programs engineering, said Monday.

“You have full visibility to the FAA, and that’s a system where we go through and we do an investigation and an evaluation must be performed and documented to support anything that’s brought forward,” she said.

The FAA is investigating Salehpour’s claims, according to The New York Times.

In response to questions from TPG, an FAA spokesperson said that the agency continued to enforce its prescribed fixes for the shimming issue, which includes issuing ongoing Airworthiness Directives (ADs) regarding inspection and repairs, along with inspecting all newly built aircraft before they are delivered.

“Every aircraft flying is in compliance with the ADs. Boeing has either completed or is working on long-term corrective actions. The FAA continues to issue Airworthiness Certificates for every Boeing 787 before they enter service.”

An FAA spokesperson also noted that Boeing investigates all whistleblower reports.

“Voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal is a critical component in aviation safety,” the spokesperson said. “We strongly encourage everyone in the aviation industry to share information.”

The background: What to know about the Boeing 737 MAX 9 and the MAX series

The report comes amid a mounting crisis surrounding Boeing’s quality control on its narrow-body 737 program, stemming from a Jan. 5 incident in which a body panel burst off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 during a flight a few minutes after it departed from Portland International Airport (PDX) in Oregon.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said he would step down by the end of the year, while commercial airplane chief Stan Deal resigned last month.

Whether you’re fascinated by American history, culture and cuisine, or you’ve enjoyed river cruising in Europe but are now looking to explore closer to home, U.S. river cruises are an easy and enjoyable vacation option.

Choose from two main waterways for your U.S. river cruise: the Mississippi River — which flows through nine states from St. Paul, Minnesota, to New Orleans — or the Columbia and Snake rivers in Oregon and Washington. Some cruise lines also venture onto three smaller, lesser-known rivers: the Ohio, the Cumberland and the Tennessee. You can also explore New York’s Hudson River on a fall foliage cruise.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.

Your choice of cruise line is equally limited. Just two companies offer multiple itineraries on U.S. rivers. American Cruise Line sails all the waterways mentioned above, while Viking offers itineraries solely on the Mississippi. Additionally, Lindblad Expeditions has introduced a food-and-wine-centric river cruise on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

Read on for our picks of the seven best U.S. river cruises. They range from seven to 15 nights and visit destinations in 16 states; itineraries take you through the colonial-heritage-rich Northeast, America’s agricultural heartland and the pioneer routes of the Pacific Northwest.

American Cruise Lines’ 8-night Music Cities Cruise

From Memphis blues and Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” to Kentucky bluegrass and New Orleans jazz, American Cruise Lines’ eight-night Music Cities Cruise sails you through a chronology of the U.S. music scene. You’ll traverse three rivers (the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland) en route from Memphis to Nashville, or vice versa.

In Tennessee’s two famous music cities, you’ll have a chance to visit Elvis Presley’s Graceland, stroll blues club-lined Beale Street and check out the Grand Ole Opry. You’ll also visit Paducah, Kentucky, and Dover and Clarksville in Tennessee, where experiences include whiskey and bourbon tasting, tours of landmark art murals and, of course, Civil War history.

While cruising, you’ll enjoy nightly entertainment that celebrates the region’s musical heritage. American Cruise Lines offers this itinerary on four ships from April to October 2024, 2025 and 2026. Three of the ships — American Melody, American Symphony and American Serenade — are 180-passenger modern river ships launched in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. The fourth, American Splendor, is a 180-passenger paddlewheeler that debuted in 2016.

Related: Booking your first river cruise? Here’s what you need to know

Viking’s 14-night America’s Great River Cruise

Want the total Mississippi experience? You can cruise the entire length of this mighty river as you visit 14 cities in seven U.S. states on Viking’s two-week sailing.

Available three times a year (in July, September and October), the America’s Great River cruise begins in Minnesota (either St. Paul or Red Wing) and concludes in New Orleans, allowing you to experience an intricate tapestry of American history and culture.

There’s eagle spotting in Red Wing and agricultural innovation in Quad Cities, Iowa. You’ll enjoy Mark Twain lore in Hannibal, Missouri, and architectural landmarks, such as the soaring Gateway Arch, in St. Louis. As you cruise the lower Mississippi, you’ll delve into civil rights history in Memphis; Civil War battles and historic architecture in Mississippi’s Vicksburg and Natchez; Cajun and Creole music in Baton Rouge; and the legendary culinary treats and jazz of New Orleans.

All sailings are aboard the 386-passenger Viking Mississippi. Launched in 2022, it’s currently the largest river ship in the U.S. and features three restaurants and an aft infinity pool.

American Cruise Lines’ 8-Night Columbia & Snake River Cruise

If your vacation preferences favor mountain landscapes, wine tasting and pioneer lore, consider American Cruise Lines’ eight-night Columbia & Snake River Cruise. You’ll explore the Pacific Northwest from Portland, Oregon, to Clarkstown, Washington (or vice versa).

On the Pacific end of your voyage, you’ll visit Astoria, Oregon — the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. This coastal city at the mouth of the Columbia River is known for its Victorian homes, wineries, brew pubs, and Lewis and Clark heritage. Next, from Kalama, Washington, you can join an excursion to visit the remnants of the area around Mount St. Helens, which suffered a devastating eruption in 1980.

In The Dalles, you can enjoy a sommelier-led tasting of Columbia Valley wines, visit Multnomah Falls or get adventurous on a river kayak tour. During a call on Richland, Washington, you can admire the scenic beauty around the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers at Sacajawea State Park. More wine tasting or outdoor adventure awaits on the way to Clarkstown.

American Cruise Line offers this itinerary on five ships from April to October 2024, 2025 and 2026. Three of the ships (American Song, American Jazz and American Harmony) are 180-passenger modern river ships launched from 2018 to 2020. American Pride is a 150-passenger paddlewheeler launched in 2012, and American West is a 110-passenger veteran paddlewheeler launched in 1995.

Related: Best river cruise lines around the world

Viking’s 7-night New Orleans & Southern Charms

If you’ve never visited New Orleans, or it’s been a while, take a Mississippi River cruise that sails round-trip from the Big Easy. They offer time before or after the cruise to enjoy the city’s food, music and iconic architecture — plus the ease of a round-trip flight booking. Viking’s seven-night New Orleans & Southern Charms itinerary focuses solely on ports in Louisiana and Mississippi, with an emphasis on historic architecture, Cajun culture and Civil War landmarks.

From Darrow, Louisiana, you’ll stroll beneath canopies of towering live oak trees to visit historic mansions or glide through the bayou. More historic architecture, along with bird-watching, awaits in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi. Vicksburg, Mississippi, is home to one of the Civil War’s most famous battlefields. Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital, has something to satisfy every interest, from Cajun cuisine to tours of the restored World War II-era USS Kidd.

The cruise, which is available in November and December 2024 and January, November and December 2025, ends with a full day of exploration back in New Orleans before one last night aboard the 386-passenger Viking Mississippi.

American Cruise Lines’ 7-night Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise

Not only is the autumnal landscape in New York’s Hudson Valley visually captivating, but the small cities and towns that line the river’s shores are filled with fascinating early American history dating back more than 400 years.

Cruise the Hudson round-trip from New York City on American Cruise Lines’ seven-night Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise. You’ll visit Catskill, home to the Hudson River School Art Trail and the Olana Historic Site, or explore more actively at the Hudson River Skywalk and Kaaterskill Falls. In Albany, founded in 1609, you can tour the newly renovated New York State Capitol building, built in the late 1800s; you can also visit the New York State Museum, which dates to 1836. Feel like apple-picking? That’s an option here, too.

Next, during a call at Kingston/Hyde Park, you can tour the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, home to the 32nd U.S. president’s library and museum. You can also head to the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, featuring an American Beaux-Arts mansion completed in 1899. The United States Military Academy at West Point, founded in 1802, is also on the itinerary, as is Sleepy Hollow. The Sleepy Hollow legend comes to life during a tour of the local cemetery where author Washington Irving is buried. Back in the Big Apple on day seven, you’ll have time to explore before saying farewell to your ship.

Sailings are available from late September to early November 2024, 2025 and 2026. Sailings are onboard either the 100-passenger American Eagle, American Liberty, American Glory or American Legend (all built in 2023 or 2024), or the older 90-passenger American Star and American Independence, launched in 2007 and 2010, respectively.

Related: River cruise packing list: What to pack when traveling by riverboat

Lindblad Expeditions’ 7-night Columbia & Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History Cruise

Nature-focused cruise line Lindblad Expeditions has partnered with Food & Wine magazine to offer a new seven-night Columbia & Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History cruise on multiple dates in April, September and October 2024; there are also sailings in March, April, September and October 2025. The voyages will sail between Portland, Oregon, and Clarkston, Washington.

Complementing the itinerary will be gourmet Pacific Northwest cuisine and more than 40 regional wines curated by an onboard culinary team. All ingredients will be sourced from within 250 miles of the ship’s route. A naturalist, historian and geologist will be on hand to guide you on excursions by foot, kayak, Zodiac and jet boat.

Off-ship experiences include sampling local beer and oysters in Astoria, Oregon; visiting Multnomah Falls or hiking Beacon Rock; and having a private vineyard visit and downtown wine walk in Walla Walla, Washington.

These sailings occur on two identical Lindblad ships: the 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Lion and National Geographic Sea Bird.

American Cruise Line’s 15-night Grand Ohio River Cruise

Did you know that you can cruise from Pittsburgh to St. Louis? If exploring the central U.S. — Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri — without driving is appealing, consider the 15-night Grand Ohio River Cruise offered by American Cruise Lines. You’ll enjoy regionally inspired dining and eclectic landmarks along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers as you sail.

Over two weeks, you’ll visit Native American burial grounds and archeological sites in West Virginia and learn about the underground railroad in Ohio. You can taste bourbon and explore the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory or the Kentucky Derby Museum & Horse Park in Louisville. Take time to appreciate American artistry at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Rest up from your portside adventures during five days of scenic river cruising.

This itinerary is available from June to August 2024, 2025 and 2026 on the 180-passenger modern river ship American Melody and the 150-passenger paddlewheeler American Heritage.

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
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

If someone asked me to pick an ideal food, I’d almost certainly go with pizza. It’s tasty, portable and easy to prepare, and just about everyone likes it. That’s why it’s unsurprising that it’s one of the most popular foods on cruise ships.

Carnival Cruise Line is known for having some of the best pizza at sea. In fact, it’s so good I find myself enjoying a slice or two almost daily when I sail. Here’s a guide to where you can find it, what’s on the menu and how much a pie will cost you.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.

What are the names of the pizza places on Carnival ships?

Carnival offers nearly round-the-clock pizza on every one of its vessels, so you’re never far from cheesy goodness when you’re on board.

Almost all ships — 25 of the 27 in the fleet — have either Pizza Pirate or Pizzeria del Capitano. The other two vessels, which are part of the line’s new Excel Class, have something similar but with a different name: Miami Slice on Carnival Celebration and Coastal Slice on Carnival Jubilee.

The one thing they all have in common is that you can order either by the pie or by the slice, and you won’t pay an extra cent. The pizzerias are also all set up as walk-up counters. Be warned: The pizzas are so good there’s likely to be a line more often than not.

Carnival cruise pizza menus

Each of Carnival’s pizza outposts features a selection of five pizza types, three of which are core options that appear on all menus across the fleet and two of which can change from ship to ship.

Note: Menus were accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change without notice.

Pizza Pirate menu

On the Pizza Pirate menu, Carnival offers five different types of pies:

• Margherita: Tomato sauce, basil and fresh mozzarella
• Pepperoni: Tomato sauce, pepperoni and fresh mozzarella
• Quattro Formaggi: Gorgonzola, provolone, Parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheeses with roasted garlic
• Funghi: Tomato sauce, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella
• Prosciutto: Roasted garlic, rucola, prosciutto and fresh mozzarella

Pizzeria del Capitano menu

The menu at Pizzeria del Capitano includes the same five options as the one at Pizza Pirate:

• Margherita: Tomato sauce, basil and fresh mozzarella
• Pepperoni: Tomato sauce, pepperoni and fresh mozzarella
• Quattro Formaggi: Gorgonzola, provolone, Parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheeses with roasted garlic
• Funghi: Tomato sauce, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella
• Prosciutto: Roasted garlic, rucola, prosciutto and fresh mozzarella

Miami Slice menu

Miami Slice’s menu offers the three staple types, plus two that you can only find on Carnival Celebration:

• Margherita: Tomato sauce, basil and fresh mozzarella
• Pepperoni: Tomato sauce, pepperoni and fresh mozzarella
• Quattro Formaggi: Gorgonzola, provolone, Parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheeses with roasted garlic
• La Habana: Ham and chorizo with gouda, mozzarella and manchego cheeses
• Picadillo: Ground beef and sazon with gouda and mozzarella cheeses

Coastal Slice menu

Coastal Slice features the three core varieties, as well as two different selections that you can only find on Carnival Jubilee:

• Margherita: Tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella
• Pepperoni: Tomato sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella
• Quattro Formaggi: Gorgonzola, provolone, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses with roasted garlic
• Barbecue chicken: Barbecue chicken with alfredo sauce, red onion, scallions, and mozzarella and gouda cheeses
• Tex Mex: Bacon, corn, bell peppers and jalapenos with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses

Carnival cruise pizza prices

Pizzeria del Capitano, Coastal Slice, Miami Slice and Pizza Pirate prices are all the same — free for all passengers.

Which Carnival ships have pizza?

All ships in the Carnival fleet have dedicated pizza joints on board. The breakdown is as follows:

Pizza Pirate: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Elation, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Pride and Carnival Valor

Pizzeria del Capitano: Carnival Dream, Carnival Firenze, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Luminosa, Carnival Magic, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Vista and Mardi Gras

Miami Slice: Carnival Celebration

Coastal Slice: Carnival Jubilee

Planning a Carnival cruise? Start with these stories:

• The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line ships and itineraries
• Here’s which Carnival ship you should try, based on your travel style
• All the classes of Carnival cruise ships, explained
• A guide to Carnival Cruise Line’s VIFP loyalty program
• All about Carnival Cruise Line cabins and suites
• All you need to know about Carnival Cruise Line food
• Carnival cruise ships by age
• Carnival cruise ships by size
• Carnival Cruise Line’s Cheers drink package
• Carnival cruise tips and tricks

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

Earning Alaska Airlines miles recently became slightly easier when Bilt added Alaska as a transfer partner. You can also earn Alaska miles with the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card.

But of all the ways to earn Alaska miles, the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal remains one of the most important for many travelers’ earning strategies.

If you’re hoping to learn more about earning Alaska miles online via the Mileage Plan Shopping portal, here’s what you need to know.

Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal basics

Online shopping portals are one of the easiest ways to earn extra miles on your purchases. They’re free and easy to use, so there’s no excuse not to use a shopping portal before you purchase items online. Many loyalty programs offer online shopping portals, but this guide is about the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal.

To use the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal, head to its website. Once there, you can sign in using your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan credentials. After you do so, you’ll earn bonus miles when you shop with eligible retailers.

The exact amount you earn will vary by retailer and when you purchase. Some offer a fixed number of miles per purchase (such as 1,000 miles for a purchase of $50 or more), but most offer a multiplier based on the amount you spend (such as 2 miles per dollar).

The earning rate for most retailers will increase periodically. So, it may be smart to wait to make non-urgent purchases when the Alaska Mileage Plan portal earning rates are elevated for a specific merchant.

Related: Best Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan sweet spot redemptions you can book

How to use the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal

The Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal includes more than 1,100 retailers. So, if you’re buying something online, there’s a good chance that you can earn bonus miles through the carrier’s shopping portal.

Start your shopping trip by visiting the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal site. Enter your desired merchant’s name into the search box, browse the available merchants and choose one. Click the heart to make the merchant a favorite, and click the “Shop Now” button once you’re ready to visit the merchant’s website and make your purchase.

Clicking “Shop Now” will open a new tab for your desired merchant. From there, you shop and check out as normal. It’s important to note that if you close out of the tab for any reason, you’ll need to go back and start the entire process again. Otherwise, your miles might not post correctly.

You may also see in-store offers through the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal. Link the offer to the credit card you plan to use in-store for these offers. Then, head to the physical store and use your linked card when checking out.

Finally, if you don’t want to forget to earn Alaska miles while shopping online, you can install the Mileage Plan Shopping button via a Chrome browser extension. Once you do so, the browser extension will pop up a small window when you’re on a site that participates in the Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal. You can click a button to activate the portal to earn rewards through Mileage Plan Shopping on your purchases with that merchant.

Related: Use a shopping portal aggregator to maximize online purchases

Best credit cards to use with online shopping portals

Shopping portals don’t change how your purchase is coded. As such, the charge on your credit card statement will still be from “Adidas” whether or not you use the Alaska Mileage Plan shopping portal. Many online merchants don’t fall into standard credit card bonus categories, so you’ll often want to use one of the best cards for everyday spending.

Some of the best everyday spending cards include cards that earn more than 1% cash back or 1 point per dollar. For example, the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) earns 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.

Of course, you’ll want to pay specific attention to merchants that will likely code as a bonus category on one of your cards. If you’re making a purchase you expect might break just outside its warranty, you may want to use a card that offers extended warranty protection — even if it earns fewer rewards than other cards.

Related: The best credit cards for online shopping

Bottom line

If you’ve decided to make an online purchase, you might as well earn more rewards through an online shopping portal. If you need more Alaska miles, the Mileage Plan shopping portal can be a great way to increase your return.

Earning Alaska miles from the Mileage Plan Shopping portal and credit card rewards is already a huge win. Still, it’s sometimes possible to do even better with a credit card merchant offer or another rebate. So, carefully consider how you might be able to maximize your earnings before making your next online purchase.

Before you sign off for the weekend, know that Southwest Airlines is offering 25% off flights across its network for travel through September.

The one catch to keep in mind is that this discount only applies to flights booked with Southwest Rapid Rewards points.

Deal basics

Airline: Southwest
Routes: Valid for travel across the Southwest network
How to book: Directly with the airline using the promo code “SAVE25NOW”
Travel dates: April 15-Sept. 30
Book by: Monday, April 15, at 11:59 p.m. PDT
Blackout dates: May 23-24 and 27; July 7, 14, 21 and 28

Fares purchased through this sale are limited based on availability. They apply to nonstop travel when available or a single connecting service. The discount does not apply to $5.60 in taxes and fees each way.

Sample flights

Because Southwest does not generally publish its sale routes, the quickest way to search this deal is by using its Low Fare Calendar to search your desired route with the promo code “SAVE25NOW” added.

For example, you could book a round trip from Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) in August for 26,160 Rapid Reward points plus the aforementioned $11.20 in taxes and fees. For this particular booking, you could save 8,720 points through this sale.

Sale fares are available for Wanna Get Way and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, which allow travelers to bring two free checked bags and two carry-on items. These fare types are cancelable up to 10 minutes before departure for free. Wanna Get Away fares that are canceled will receive a flight credit in lieu of a refund; they also include free inflight entertainment and messaging.

This sale includes flights across the Southwest network for travel through September. Search your desired routes for possible sale fares up to 30% off.

Maximize your purchase

If you book this deal, use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 2 points per dollar spent on travel

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has 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

This sale is unique in that it only applies to Southwest Rapid Rewards points bookings, which TPG currently values at 1.37 cents apiece. If you have points to use and are planning on taking a trip this spring or summer, this deal is worth considering. As with all deals, compare the value of this deal in points and cash, which you can do using TPG’s calculator.

Related reading:

• Southwest baggage fees and how to avoid paying them
• Southwest cuts popular Hawaii route, adds 3 new seasonal flights
• Southwest Airlines to offer first red-eye flights in coming years
• Is Southwest EarlyBird Check-In worth it?

If you relish the potential to meet someone famous, you’ll be interested to know where the stars are traveling. But if you don’t buy into celebrity culture, why would you even care?

Well, it makes sense that seen-it-all celebs with bottomless bank accounts have access and the inclination to visit the best of the best, so the A-list travel calendar tends to favor the world’s finest destinations and happenings.

For a lens into those superlative places and moments, here’s our guide to where celebrities are traveling this summer — from perennial hot spots like St. Barts and Lake Como in Italy to major events such as Wimbledon in London and the 2024 Paris Olympics to destinations you may have never even heard of … yet.

Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Canouan — a Caribbean island that may not sound familiar to most people — must surely be the best-kept secret among the celebrity and billionaire set. The off-the-beaten-path escape in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is just 5 square miles, with a world-class marina, roaming turtles and spectacular turquoise waters lapping white sand beaches.

The airport’s 5,900-foot illuminated runway makes it highly accessible by private jet (but less so for mere mortals). There’s also a Soho House here, which says something; royal watchers well know that Meghan Markle is a big Soho fan — and, indeed, the Sussexes stayed on the island just months ago.

Related: Exclusive: Soho House’s founder and CEO reveals major North American expansion plans

Where to stay

Mandarin Oriental Canouan has 26 suites and 13 villas (all with ultra-personalized butler service), plus a Jim Fazio-designed golf course and a knockout hillside spa. Each of the 26 beach-chic suites and 13 villas offers sweeping oceanfront views or direct access to the sand. Rates start from $1,693 per night. 

St. Barts

On any given day in St. Barts, you can expect to see a bold-faced name — say, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pippa Middleton, Jeff Bezos or Naomi Campbell.

Known for its idyllic beaches, luxury shopping boutiques, high-end restaurants, lavish resorts and yachting culture, the French West Indies island is a perennial favorite among celebrities and miscellaneous billionaires.

For a see-and-be-seen brunch, visit Nikki Beach, then check out Bonito in Gustavia for dinner with a DJ scene. In July, you can experience the annual cultural festivities around Bastille Day, the national day of France.

Where to stay

Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gustaf sits in the city of Gustavia. The intimately scaled property has just 21 rooms, suites and bungalows with private plunge pools. It’s also home to the restaurant Beefbar, which happens to be a prime location to take in a Bastille Day fireworks display. Rates start from $863 per night.

Related: 7 destinations where you can travel like a celebrity without breaking the bank

Bodrum, Turkey

Known as the Mykonos of Turkey, Bodrum offers more secluded environs than its more crowded counterparts along the glamorous Aegean coast. This glam Turkish Rivera destination has yacht-lined marinas, seaside villages and pristine, private beaches with sparkling turquoise waters.

The port city also offers must-see cultural sites, from the towering Bodrum Castle to Halicarnassus Mausoleum (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and the Pedesa Ancient City.

At night, the city’s array of clubs and bars on the iconic mile-long Cumhuriyet Caddesi come to life. Bodrum’s culinary scene is also thriving, having recently celebrated its inclusion in Turkey’s Michelin Guide. This party town has been known to beckon celebs like Beyonce, Cristiano Ronaldo and Tom Hanks.

Where to stay

Set to open in May 2024, Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort will be an opulent luxury resort with over-the-top suites and amenities situated on a private peninsula. (The Presidential Hill Villa has its own sauna, fitness room and seawater pool.) Rates start from $820 per night.

Santa Barbara, California

The American Riviera regularly swarms with stars of next-level wattage; Oprah and the Sussexes live in Montecito, California, and Hollywood’s A-list routinely heads up the coast for a quick California getaway. (It’s where Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker got engaged, for one thing.)

On popular State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, local and boutique shops line the promenade, with restaurants led by top chefs scattered across town — like chef Lennon Silvers Lee, who left Michelin-starred restaurant Sushi Bar Montecito to open the 10-seat Silvers Omakase in the bohemian Funk Zone. 

Where to stay

Rosewood Miramar Beach is famous for celebrity ties; that much-Instagrammed Kardashian-Barker proposal happened right here. The beachfront hotel in Montecito introduced the Miramar Surf Club, a collaboration led by local surf legend Adam Lambert, this year. The private surf lesson comes with a picnic for two, along with a photo and video shot by the official Surfer Magazine photographer. Rates start from $1,502 per night. 

Related: The best hotels in Santa Barbara

Cavtat, Croatia

Situated just south of Dubrovnik, Croatia, this less-traveled destination evokes St-Tropez before the crowds. Celebs are in the know: Jay Z, David Beckham and Matthew McConaughey have dropped by.

The small town on the Adriatic has a beautiful waterfront promenade lined with palm trees, beaches, churches, monuments, museums, outdoor restaurants and cafes, and boutiques. Plus, there are more than 4 miles of beaches ringed by crystalline waters.

Where to stay

Located in the charming historic center, Hotel Supetar Cavtat is just 2 years old, with 16 stylish, individually designed rooms. The hotel also houses a Mediterranean restaurant, a wine bar, an artist-in-residence program, a garden and a pool. Rates start from $308 per night.

London

One of the most prestigious sporting events in the world (and certainly the most venerable and oldest tennis championship), London’s famous lawn club, Wimbledon, draws A-list stars from around the globe in July.

Prince William and Kate Middleton, Brad Pitt, Emma Watson, Ariana Grande and Dame Maggie Smith were all among the crowd last year. Hop across the pond to mingle amid the swelled celebrity population at the city’s hottest restaurants and shops while escaping the more intense heat associated with other parts of Europe in the summer.

Where to stay

Located steps from Covent Garden, Great Scotland Yard Hotel (part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt) is one of London’s most historic properties, echoing with untold stories of celeb guests. Here, no two rooms are the same, but all offer stunning views of London. Rates start from $278 per night. 

Related: The 23 best hotels in London

Kansas City, Missouri

While this city might not have made a list like this in years past, its new status as a celebrity magnet is undeniable. It hosted the 2023 NFL Draft, opened the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s sports team and is home to the Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Over the last year, A$AP Rocky and Rihanna were in town filming the rapper’s music video, and Cardi B flew in for Beyoncé’s final stop on the Renaissance Tour. Plus, you might have heard about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. This summer, native celebrities like Paul Rudd, Eric Stonestreet and Heidi Gardner will host the fundraising event Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.

Where to stay

The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection is a boutique property located in a historic landmark, mere steps from the Country Club Plaza, the city’s major destination for shopping, dining and nightlife. Rates start from $208 per night.

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen’s draw of Hollywood elites dates back to the ‘30s, and, more recently, it has turned into a fashion capital, with high-end western apparel brand Kemo Sabe setting up a brick-and-mortar shop — joining the fashion scene in town alongside the likes of Prada, Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton. (Stroll long enough and you might encounter the likes of Mariah Carey or Kendall Jenner, known for shopping sprees in town.)

Make like celeb couples Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly, or Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble, and go for a high-visibility date night at the Michelin-recommended Element 47 or Cache Cache for French-American fare.

In the past year, celeb visitors to Aspen included Jenner and Carey, plus Justin and Hailey Bieber, Rihanna and Nina Dobrev, among others. Since the ‘70s, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have lived here, and their children, Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson, visit annually. 

Where to stay

A celeb haunt since it opened in 1889, Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection is part of the National Register of Historic Places. The property has been known to host stars like Josh Hartnett, Gerard Butler, Seal, Heidi Klum and Jessica Biel, and the legendary J-Bar at the hotel was a favorite of Hunter S. Thompson. Rates start from $715 per night. 

Related: From ski-in, ski-out access to a great value on points: 9 of the best places to stay in Aspen

Paris

The Olympic Games draw celebs from around the world — as spectators and as participants. Naturally, this summer’s Paris Olympics will no doubt be a magnet for A-listers. The events will make Paris unusually crowded (even by its own summer standards) this July and August, as well as plenty pricey.

But, at any time of year, the City of Light draws culture-seeking celebs with its romantic cityscapes, haute cuisine, exclusive shopping opportunities and all-around pursuit of the finer things in life.

Where to stay

Many of the celebrity-magnet hotels are already sold out during the Olympics dates (such as The Peninsula, Paris in the 16th Arrondissement, but its spa and Michelin-starred L’Oiseau Blanc, as well as the beloved Le Lobby lounge, are expected to be open to visitors).

You can still book a stay at the opulent and intimate Hotel San Regis, formerly a 19th-century private mansion, in the 8th Arrondissement. Rates start from $545 per night. 

Lake Como, Italy

A-listers like George Clooney, Madonna, Richard Branson and Sylvester Stallone own or have owned villas around the shores of Lake Como. Celebs like Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been spotted there recently. Not to mention, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen returned for a vow renewal after marrying here.

It’s no wonder why celebs flock to this Italian paradise. It’s full of secluded villas tucked into lush greenery, where you can enjoy phenomenal views of the sparkling waters of the lake.

Related: Everyone is going to Sicily — try these 7 underrated places in Italy instead

Where to stay

Villa d’Este is where you’d stay, say, if you were Elizabeth Taylor trying to hide your affair with Richard Burton. The opulence — and discretion — is next level. Rates start from $798 per night.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Stars such as Kim Kardashian, Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt and Matthew McConaughey have all spent time in Jackson Hole — with its charming town and atmosphere, and posh lodging options.

Last summer, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling were seen in town, and various stars own permanent residences or vacation homes here. Still, the dramatic, remote landscape is protected by stunning national parks, forests and land trusts so it will never spoil, and there is limited opportunity for development and investment, which keeps the vibe exclusive.

In town are more than 25 galleries for browsing local art, and live music plays most nights of the week. For a dose of local fauna, book an impressive wildlife safari.

Where to stay

The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole has a peaceful, mountain-chic aesthetic. There’s an expansive spa and heated pool for non-ski-season delights. And for accommodations worthy of a celeb, the property offers its residential-style Private Retreats collection. The resort is five minutes from the entrance of Grand Teton National Park — and the wildlife knows no bounds. It is not unusual for guests to see moose and other wildlife near the pool deck. Rates start from $380 per night. 

Related reading:

• Key travel tips you need to know — whether you’re a first-time or frequent traveler
• Best travel credit cards
• Where to go in 2024: The 16 best places to travel
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
• 13 must-have items the TPG team can’t travel without

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

While most loyalty programs do not offer a way to extend elite status beyond the current year, a workaround is available: By matching your expiring elite status to a competing loyalty program, you can potentially maintain your benefits by selecting different carriers.

Numerous airline loyalty programs provide the opportunity to match elite benefits from other programs. For instance, if your Delta Air Lines Medallion elite status will expire next year, you might be able to match it to a competitor’s program. This typically grants you temporary elite status with the competing program, which can be extended by meeting specific flight or revenue requirements.

Therefore, if you qualify, you can gain complimentary elite status with another airline. Keep reading to learn more about current airline status matches and challenges you can snag in 2024.

What is an airline status match?

A status match typically involves getting an equivalent or lower status tier with a new airline based on your existing status with a competitor’s program. So, why would airlines offer a status match challenge?

If a traveler has shown significant loyalty to one particular airline and program, this behavior can be attractive to a rival airline. The traveler may consider switching loyalty because they are unhappy with their existing program, or perhaps their circumstances have changed, such as moving from a city like Houston, where United Airlines is the dominant airline, to Atlanta, where Delta has a hub.

If you want to try out another program but don’t fancy starting from scratch, a status match or challenge can be a great way to solve this problem. It’s worth exploring the major elite status match and challenge opportunities available if you want to break up with an airline — though there are some caveats to consider.

What to know about getting an airline status match

There are some important strategies and principles to remember when initiating a status match or challenge.

For a status match, you must typically provide a photo of your membership card and a mileage statement to prove your status. It is crucial to avoid altering or falsifying your credentials, as this can result in severe consequences, including account suspension.

On the other hand, a status challenge may or may not require you to have existing status. The airline will specify the number of elite qualifying miles or dollars you must earn within a specific time frame to achieve a particular elite tier. It is essential to thoroughly understand the requirements and which activities count toward the challenge, as some cobranded credit cards or partner airline tickets may be excluded. Remember that status matches and challenges are often limited to once per lifetime per account, although some carriers have exceptions.

It is usually advised to complete a match or challenge after June to enjoy status for the rest of the year and potentially retain it for the following year. However, recent airline status match challenges, like the one Delta began offering in 2024, will allow you to maintain status through January 2026.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that airlines may not always publicize their status match and challenge opportunities. You may need to call or email the airline’s customer service and check websites like StatusMatcher. Remember that your request’s outcome may vary depending on the agent processing it.

Related: Is airline elite status still worth it?

Alaska Airlines status match

Alaska Airlines used to offer straightforward status matches; however, the current status match process now includes a challenge component.

Alaska will match elite status from the following programs:

• Aeromexico Rewards
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• American Airlines AAdvantage
• Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
• Frontier Airlines Miles
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United Airlines MileagePlus

When you request a status match, you will be granted the corresponding status level in the Alaska Mileage Plan program for 90 days. To retain this status beyond the initial period, you must fly a specific number of miles on flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air or SkyWest Airlines, depending on the tier you match.

The required flight thresholds are as follows:

• MVP: 5,000 miles
• MVP Gold: 10,000 miles
• MVP Gold 75K: 20,000 miles

Unfortunately, Alaska’s MVP Gold 100K tier has no status match opportunity.

To submit a request, visit the dedicated status match page and provide a screenshot of your current mileage statement displaying your name, status and miles earned this year or flown in the prior year to achieve elite status.

If matched to MVP Gold 75K, you won’t be eligible for the 50,000 bonus miles associated with qualifying for that status, even if you successfully reach the 20,000-mile threshold. However, if you match to Gold and fly enough to keep that status, you will receive four Gold guest upgrades. Meanwhile, those who complete the MVP Gold 75K challenge will receive those upgrades, plus four Alaska Lounge daypasses and the ability to nominate someone for MVP status.

If you request a status match by the end of June and fulfill the requirements, your new status will be valid until the end of the calendar year. On the other hand, if you initiate your status match on or after July 1 through December and fulfill the requirements, your status will be valid until the end of the following year, so applying for it in July or August of this year would maximize the length.

Related: Alaska Airlines MVP elite status: What it is and how to earn it

American Airlines status match

American Airlines offers a status challenge program called Instant Status Pass to Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Diamond Medallion members and United MileagePlus Premier Platinum and Premier 1K elite members. To participate, you can apply on aa.com and be matched to either AAdvantage Platinum Pro or Executive Platinum.

The program consists of three phases, each lasting four months. Upon registration, you will immediately enjoy the benefits of the chosen status tier. To maintain the temporary status for another four months, you need to earn a prorated number of Loyalty Points, which is around one-third of the full requirement for a year.

The Loyalty Points required for each tier are as follows:

• AAdvantage Gold: 13,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum: 25,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 42,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 67,000 Loyalty Points

During each phase, you can earn Loyalty Points through qualifying activities with American, its partners and cobranded credit card spending. All these activities count toward your status challenge.

The status you achieve in the first phase determines your starting point in the subsequent phase. This means that regardless of the initial tier you registered for, you will begin the second phase with the benefits you unlocked in the previous phase.

Related: Quick Points: How Hyatt and American loyalists can earn more rewards by linking accounts

British Airways status match

British Airways is currently offering a limited-time status match opportunity for British Airways Executive Club members based in the U.S.

From now through May 7, new and existing U.S.-based British Airways Executive Club members with elite status in one of eight airline programs can receive reciprocal status with the British Airways Executive Club status for free.

Here are the programs and status levels eligible for this match:

Airline loyalty program	British Airways Executive Club Silver status	British Airways Executive Club Gold status
Delta SkyMiles	Delta SkyMiles Gold Medallion	Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion
Air Canada Aeroplan	Air Canada Aeroplan 50K	Air Canada Aeroplan 75K and Super Elite
Lufthansa Miles & More	Lufthansa Miles & More Senator	Lufthansa Miles & More Hon Circle
United MileagePlus	United MileagePlus Premier Gold	United MileagePlus Premier Platinum and Premier 1K
Air France-KLM Flying Blue	Air France-KLM Flying Blue Gold	Air France-KLM Flying Blue Platinum
Scandinavian Airlines EuroBonus	Scandinavian Airlines EuroBonus Gold	Scandinavian Airlines EuroBonus Diamond and Pandion
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club	Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Silver	Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold

Note that you must apply online for this offer and provide valid proof of eligible frequent flyer status.

Approved applicants will be upgraded to the matched British Airways Executive Club tier for six months, with the opportunity to extend the match for up to a year by booking two eligible flights or one return flight, per the offer’s terms and conditions.

Eligible flights include BA-marketed business- or first-class flights with origins in North America, Canada or Mexico and landing in Europe, Norway or Switzerland. Eligible flights must be operated by British Airways, American Airlines, Aer Lingus, Iberia or Finnair.

Delta Air Lines status match

Delta SkyMiles is currently offering a status match, up to Platinum Medallion, to elite members of various airlines, including international programs like British Airways Executive Club, Lufthansa Miles & More, Virgin Australia Velocity and major U.S. programs.

After submitting your information and proof of your current status, you’ll be matched to the corresponding Medallion tier, complimentary, for three months.

With Medallion status moving to a Medallion Qualification Dollar-earning system in 2024, to extend the status beyond the initial three months, you would need to earn the following:

If you qualify and complete the challenge’s additional requirements, your Medallion status will be extended through Jan. 31, 2026.

Related: Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it

Frontier Airlines status match

While not yet available, you can join the waitlist for Frontier Airlines’ 2024 status match. The landing page does reveal some details of the new match program, including that:

• You can match from 45 different airlines, hotels and cruise lines.
• A new Elite Silver tier will provide 12 points per dollar spent and Zone 2 priority boarding.

Although further details have not yet been released for 2024, Frontier has previously charged members for the “administrative costs” of approving a status match.

Related: I was offered top-tier airline elite status for $499 — here’s why

Hawaiian Airlines status match

While not publicly advertised, HawaiianMiles has previously offered status matches up to top-tier Platinum status on a case-by-case basis via its online contact form. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

To ask for a status match with Hawaiian Airlines, the company typically requires two things:

• Proof of current elite status
• Documentation of flights completed that earned the elite status, including flight activity to at least one of Hawaiian’s destinations

Matches are usually good for one calendar year from the time of upgrade.

Related: How to upgrade your seat on Hawaiian Airlines

JetBlue status match

While JetBlue previously offered a limited-time status match for disgruntled Delta Medallion members following the widely controversial changes announced in 2023, that offer has now ended, and JetBlue currently has no publicly available status match offer.

Southwest Airlines status match

Previously, it was difficult to discover Southwest’s status match and challenge programs as they were not widely advertised. However, the airline has now made these programs more accessible by providing all the terms and conditions on its website.

You must have status with another domestic airline to qualify for a Southwest A-List status match. Any status level seems to be accepted. To initiate the process, email southwest.statusmatch@wnco.com with your full name, Rapid Rewards account number and proof of elite status.

Once your request is processed, you will receive promotional A-List status for 90 days. Typically, Southwest grants this status within 12 business days of submission.

To extend your A-List status for an additional 12 months, you must book and complete three qualifying round-trip flights (or six one-ways) within 90 days. These flights must be paid fares, not award tickets. Existing A-List members with expiring status are not eligible for a status match.

It’s important to note that according to the terms and conditions, your flights must be booked and completed during the 90 days. While existing bookings may not count, Southwest allows easy cancellation and rebooking without penalties. This means you can convert existing bookings into new ones if the fare has not increased significantly.

To qualify for the Southwest status match, you must not have received promotional A-List status from any program, including status matches and challenges, within the past 12 months.

Related: Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it

Spirit Airlines status match

Similar to Frontier’s offering, the Spirit status match is currently unavailable. You can register on Spirit’s website to join the waitlist or apply once it becomes available again.

Historically, here’s how the program has worked.

Those with elite status on many North American carriers were eligible for a 90-day status match to Spirit’s Silver or Gold tier, depending on their existing elite status.

Here’s a look at elite statuses that have been eligible for Spirit’s status match in the past:

Airline	Silver status match — $49 application fee	Gold status match — $99 application fee
Alaska Airlines	MVP	MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K
American Airlines	Gold	Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum
Delta Air Lines	Silver Medallion	Platinum, Gold and Diamond Medallion
Frontier Airlines	20k	50k and 100k
Hawaiian Airlines	Gold	Platinum
JetBlue	N/A	Mosaic
Southwest Airlines	A-List	A-List Preferred and Companion Pass
United Airlines	Premier Silver	Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K

In the past, you could extend your status by fulfilling the following requirements in the 90-day window:

• Free Spirit Silver: Earn 500 status qualifying points by flying Spirit or spending on a cobranded credit card.
• Free Spirit Gold: Earn 1,250 SQPs by flying Spirit or spending on a cobranded credit card.

Silver and Gold elite members receive waived fees, such as free seat selection, priority boarding and same-day standby. You’re even eligible for a free checked and carry-on bag at the Gold level.

We’ll update this story when (or if) the Spirit Airlines status match returns.

Related: Everything you should know before flying Spirit Airlines

United Airlines status match

United has relaunched its MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge promotion in 2024; members can register and receive complimentary status for 120 days.

Here’s a look at how several popular airlines’ respective statuses would translate to United MileagePlus status:

According to United’s website, this is only a partial list. A full list is available on the Premier Status Match Challenge form.

After enrollment, members have 120 days to earn a set number of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying points to extend their elite status. If you earn Premier status on or after July 1, 2024, your elite status is valid through January 2026. If you earn status before July, your Premier status is only valid through January 2025.

Note that the flights must be operated by United or United Express — partner flights (including those on Star Alliance carriers) aren’t eligible. Challenges are limited to once every five years per MileagePlus account.

Related: United Premier status: What it is and how to earn it

Virgin Atlantic status match

Virgin Atlantic offers a publicly available status match to members of select competing programs.

Depending on your existing status tier, you’re eligible for an instant match to Second Tier (Silver) or Top Tier (Gold). However, those who match to Gold must have a future paid flight booked in Upper Class or premium economy to be eligible. Meanwhile, those matching to Silver must have a flight booked in any cabin to be approved for a match. Once approved, your status match will be valid for 12 months from the date the account was upgraded.

Here’s a look at what programs and status tiers are eligible:

Loyalty program	Second Tier (Silver)	Top Tier (Gold)
American Airlines AAdvantage	Platinum Pro	Executive Platinum
British Airways Executive Club	Silver	Gold
Cathay Pacific	Gold	Diamond
El Al Matmid	Gold	Platinum
Hong Kong Airlines Fortune Wings Club	Silver	Platinum or Gold
Iberia Plus	Oro	Platino
Lufthansa Miles & More	Senator	Hon Circle
Pakistan International Airlines Awards +Plus	Sapphire	Diamond
Scandinavian Airlines EuroBonus	Gold	Diamond
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer	Silver	Gold
South African Airways Voyager	Silver	Gold or Platinum
United Airlines MileagePlus	Premier Platinum	Premier 1K

Once your status is upgraded, you’ll enjoy your status for 12 months. Here’s what you have to earn in the 12 months to retain your status:

• Silver: 400 tier points
• Gold: 1,000 tier points

Those with Virgin Atlantic status benefit from flying with the airline and its partners. On Delta flights, Gold members receive priority seating, lounge access on select flights, priority baggage and other benefits. Plus, they receive benefits on SkyTeam airlines, including Air France, KLM, Korean Air and China Eastern Airlines.

Unfortunately, since Virgin Atlantic is now a member of Sky Team, you can’t use your Delta status for this match.

Related: The ultimate guide to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Bottom line

Airlines offer status matches and challenges to attract elite customers from their competitors. However, as customers, we can also benefit from these opportunities. Status matches and challenges provide a shortcut to enjoying perks, cost-saving measures and waived fees, especially if you are moving to a hub where your preferred airline doesn’t operate (or has a smaller presence).

They can also be advantageous for specific trips, particularly international ones. Or, you can use them if you’re ready to break up with your existing airline over unwelcome changes to its program.

Before applying for a status match or challenge, it’s crucial to thoroughly understand the terms and conditions and ensure you can meet the requirements and apply at an opportune time. Don’t overlook opportunities with foreign carriers that could grant alliance elite status, offering benefits like lounge access and increased baggage capacity on domestic airlines.

If your current elite status is about to expire, remember to submit your status match request before it does to avoid missing out on the opportunity.