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———

Some of the biggest names in luxury hospitality are betting big on cruising. Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Orient Express and Aman have brought their brands to the water, with smaller yachts designed to feel more like boutique hotels at sea. Think spacious suites with private terraces, posh beach clubs and, in Aman’s case, even two helipads.

And it’s not just the ultra-luxury yacht lines shaking things up. Virgin Voyages skips the traditional buffet, with dining that feels more like choosing a restaurant than filling a tray. It also includes Wi-Fi, fitness classes, and specialty restaurants for all guests. If you’ve never thought of yourself as a cruise person, maybe it’s time to reconsider.

And if you’re a train person, Bilt just added Amtrak as a transfer partner at a 2:1 ratio, so 2,000 Bilt points gets you 1,000 Amtrak points. Amtrak awards start at 400 points, but the number of points you’ll need varies based on the cash price of the trip rather than a traditional award chart.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:22 Bilt Adds Amtrak as a Transfer Partner

1:10 Luxury Hotel Brands Are Betting on Cruising

4:11 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

You can stretch your hotel points further than you might think. Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors can both give you a free fifth night when you book five consecutive nights with points. The one caveat is that Hilton requires elite status to unlock the perk, but that’s pretty easy to get. IHG takes a slightly different approach, giving eligible cardholders a free fourth night.

If you’re under 25, there’s another easy way to save. Rental car companies often charge young-driver fees, but AAA members ages 20 to 24 can have that fee waived on qualifying Hertz rentals. We’ll explain how to get the benefit and a couple of other ways to save on your next rental.

And to round things out, a popular cash-back card just got some useful new travel benefits, including no foreign transaction fees, elevated value on select hotel bookings and a limited-time welcome offer.

Learn more about our favorite cash-back cards: https://go.departuredigest.com/cashback

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:19 Free Fifth Hotel Nights With Points

1:56 How to Avoid Young-Driver Rental Fees

3:41 A Popular Cash-Back Card Gets Travel Benefits

4:10 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Getting a free hotel upgrade doesn’t always require elite status. We’re sharing a few simple ways to improve your odds, from asking nicely and mentioning a special occasion to messaging the hotel before you arrive. Timing can help, too, especially if you have some flexibility around when you check in. And then there’s our favorite strategy: “suite talking.”

Plus, Hilton Honors and IHG both have new promotions worth registering for. Hilton is offering up to 3,000 bonus points on eligible stays, while IHG is offering up to 3x points depending on how you book. Register now, even if you don’t have a stay booked yet, so you don’t forget when you do.

And if you’re someone who needs their hotel room at approximately 60 degrees to sleep, we have a thermostat trick that could help. We’re also sharing why you should put an AirTag in every checked bag.

Register for the Hilton Honors bonus points promo: https://www.hilton.com/en/offers/promotions/more-points-to-play/

Register for the IHG bonus points promo: https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/deals/member-offers/3xpts?offerCode=72539

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:15 Hilton and IHG Hotel Promotions

1:07 How to Get a Free Hotel Upgrade

3:22 The Hotel Thermostat Trick

3:50 Why You Should AirTag Your Checked Bags

4:21 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

One of our favorite travel credit cards is celebrating its birthday with hundreds of dollars in limited-time travel offers, including up to $200 back on a JSX flight and up to $125 back on an eligible hotel stay after qualifying spend. Just be sure to activate the offer before you book. The JSX offer alone could cover a big chunk of a one-way semi-private flight.

Then we head to Amsterdam Schiphol, where Amex just opened its first Centurion Lounge in Europe. The nearly 6,000-square-foot lounge has local art, floor-to-ceiling windows, a full bar, food and a barista-made coffee bar. We cover where to find it, who can access it and why its relatively small size could mean waits at one of Europe’s busiest airports.

And to round things out, the new AirPods 5 are now available with Active Noise Cancellation and Live Translation, which could be especially useful when traveling.

Learn more about one of our favorite travel credit cards: https://go.departuredigest.com/travelcard

Get $100 off your first JSX flight: https://go.departuredigest.com/jsx

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:20 Travel Offers for Flights and Hotels

1:55 First European Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam

2:54 AirPods 5 for Travelers

3:48 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Spotting a fake hotel review starts with knowing what to look for, from overly polished marketing phrases and buzzwords to suspicious reviewer profiles and photos that seem too perfect. Real reviews tend to include specific details, like weak shower pressure or thin walls, that give you a better sense of the stay. AI has made this harder since a fake review can now sound completely human, but searching a hotel on Reddit can help you see what actual travelers are saying.

Then we head to New Orleans, where the 13-room Blackbird Hotel has something you don't find at most boutique hotels: a resident mystic. Every Thursday and Friday evening, guests can stop by the lobby bar for tarot, astrology, palm readings and psychic readings. The hotel isn't part of a major loyalty program, so you can't use points here, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth considering.

Finally, it's time for some credit card homework. With Q3 ending Sept. 30, it's worth checking your credit card accounts for quarterly statement credits that are about to reset. For example, you might have easy-to-use Resy or Lululemon credits expiring. Also, if your card has rotating 5% cash-back categories, make sure you're using the current ones before the deadline and activate the new categories once October begins.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:21 How to Spot Fake Hotel Reviews

2:26 The Blackbird Hotel's Resident Mystic

3:12 Credit Card Benefits Expiring Sept. 30

3:57 Rotating 5% Cash-Back Categories

4:15 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Ever see a points sale and think, wow, that looks like a bargain? Before you buy, there's one question to ask: What would you actually pay in cash for this trip? If a business-class ticket costs $4,000 but you'd really only pay $500 for economy, that $500 is the number that matters. We break down how to tell when buying points and miles makes sense, when it doesn't, and why a sale isn't automatically a deal.

Hilton's co-branded credit cards are also offering elevated welcome bonuses right now, and two cards in particular caught our attention with some of the best offers we've seen: the Hilton Honors American Express® Surpass® Card and Hilton Honors American Express® Aspire Card. We look at what these offers actually get you, from Hilton elite status to free night certificates, and whether either card belongs in your wallet.

TSA may also be getting closer to letting some PreCheck travelers bring full water bottles through security at airports with newer scanners, although nothing is confirmed yet. We explain what TSA is considering and what it could mean for your next trip. 

Explore Hilton's limited-time card offers: https://go.departuredigest.com/hilton

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:23 Hilton Amex Card Offers

2:04 The Reality Check on Buying Points

3:47 TSA and Full Water Bottles

4:48 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Austin is basically the perfect weekend getaway, with good food, good shopping, pool time, and a night out that might end with you on a mechanical bull. We made a 48-hour itinerary covering South Congress, breakfast tacos, Barton Springs, West Sixth, and some of our favorite spots to eat and drink. Cowboy boots strongly encouraged. For hotels, you can use points at the Thompson Austin, The Driskill, or W Austin.

Also, start booking Thanksgiving and Christmas flights now. Prices are only going up from here. Marriott is offering up to 4,500 bonus points per qualifying stay. Meanwhile, Delta and Hyatt are teaming up, letting Delta SkyMiles members earn miles on qualifying Hyatt stays and World of Hyatt members earn Hyatt points on qualifying Delta flights.

Register for Marriott’s latest promotion and earn bonus points on upcoming stays: https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/promotion.mi?promotion=WL26

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:23 Booking Holiday Flights

0:42 Marriott’s New Global Promo

1:07 New Delta + Hyatt Partnership

1:41 The Perfect 48-Hour Austin Weekend

3:52 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Before you book your next flight, take a second to check the aircraft type. More airlines are starting to fly A321XLRs across the Atlantic, including United and American. These planes can have lie-flat seats and premium economy, but there's still only one aisle, fewer lavatories, and less room to move around than on a wide-body jet. You can usually find the aircraft type in the flight details on Google Flights.

TSA also just launched Gateside by TSA PreCheck, letting certain members get through security and into the gate area without a boarding pass. You could meet someone at their gate when they arrive or walk a loved one all the way to the gate before they leave. It's starting at 13 airports, including LAX, DFW, and PHX. There's no fee, and children under 18 can come along with an approved adult. Just don't expect it to help get you into an airport lounge.

Plus, EEEEEATSCON is coming back to New York, with tickets on sale exclusively to Chase credit and debit cardholders. And before we go, there's one genuinely sweet father-daughter moment on an air traffic control frequency that's worth hearing for yourself.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:21 Why Aircraft Type Matters When Booking

2:08 TSA's New Gateside Program

3:14 EEEEEATSCON Returns to New York

3:40 A Father-Daughter Air Traffic Control Moment

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Southwest is opening airport lounges, with its first four locations planned for Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, and Nashville. It's another sign that Southwest is becoming a lot more like every other airline. After adding bag fees and assigned seating, its CEO has even hinted that first class could be next.

Then, we're comparing four premium hotel programs from Amex, Capital One, Chase, and Bilt. Fine Hotels + Resorts®, Premier Collection, The Edit℠, and Home Away from Home® can offer extras like free breakfast, property credits, and possible upgrades, but it's still important to compare rates before you book. When it comes to perks, though, Amex's guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout is hard to beat.

Plus, meet Throo, a new rideshare app in NYC that could be worth checking before your next airport trip. It offers flat rates from Manhattan to JFK and LGA, though wait times can be longer and it won't necessarily be cheaper than Uber or Lyft every time. More competition is never a bad thing for riders.

Try Throo and get 10% off your first ride: https://throo-rider.app.link/referral?referralCode=DJCBSI

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:17 Southwest's First Airport Lounges

1:36 Throo, NYC's New Rideshare App

2:48 Comparing Premium Hotel Programs

4:22 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

JetBlue is finally getting domestic first class, but it's bad news for everyone else in the back of the plane. The airline's new BlueFirst cabin will have bigger recliner-style seats and Bluetooth connectivity. But to make room, JetBlue is cutting about two inches of legroom from regular economy, which has long been one of its biggest selling points.

If you're still figuring out a last-minute Labor Day getaway, don't panic. International airfare is actually down about 4% compared to last year. We share why it can pay to let the price pick your destination by searching broadly on Google Flights or Seats.aero. Plus, United's app can now help you get on standby for an earlier flight if your travel plans get disrupted.

Flying Blue also has new Promo Rewards for September, with flights between the U.S. and Europe starting around 19,000 miles one-way in economy or 30,000 miles in premium economy. The discounted awards can be booked for travel through Feb. 28, 2027, and it's worth booking before Sept. 8, when new award ticket options with more restrictions take effect.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:17 Last-Minute Labor Day Travel

1:18 United's New Standby Feature

2:14 JetBlue's New BlueFirst Cabin

3:45 Flying Blue Promo Rewards and New Award Fares

4:37 Sign-Off

———

Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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