Answers to your 10 most frequent questions about Italy’s reopening

Just over a month ago, I was one of the first American tourists to return to Italy on a COVID-tested flight. While planning for this last-minute trip, I had lots of questions. After all, I didn’t want to be turned away before leaving the U.S., forced into quarantine in Italy or denied boarding on the way back to the U.S. Luckily, Italy will reopen...

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8 of the best European destinations for a cycling vacation

Love getting out in the fresh air to cycle? Then plan a vacation around it. Of course, not all cycling vacations need to be super intense, eight-hour daily rides with your rucksack in tow (though they can be!). You can simply rent bikes in your destination to get around a new city, do a bike tour or take family cycling excursions together while on a...

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2 Cruises in 2 weeks: Here’s how the experiences have differed during the industry’s restart

On June 19, I boarded Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Apex, for its first revenue sailing ever. The ship debuted last year to muted fanfare, thanks to the pandemic. Exactly one week prior to this sailing, I had disembarked Celebrity Millennium, which was the first major ship to allow Americans onboard in more than 15 months. Just one day...

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A non-camper tried ‘glamping’ with Under Canvas — here’s what it’s really like

I am not a camper. To me, sleeping outside in a tent is most likely something you’re doing for survival purposes when the zombies come and you’re on the run — not something you do willingly for anything resembling a “vacation.” Still, I just spent a night in a canvas tent near Glacier National Park and … I loved it. That’s not to say I’ve had a change...

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I was one of the first American tourists to enter Germany…Here’s what it was like

My journey to Germany was, well… interesting. After the European Union lifted restrictions on American citizens to travel to its 27 member states on June 16, we decided it would be a good idea to get someone from TPG to be there as the borders opened to nonessential travel. Because Germany is a member of the EU, we figured this decision by the EU included...

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Sweet Spot Sunday: Fly Southwest from Southern California to Cabo for under 8,000 points round-trip

When we talk about airline sweet spots, we’re often too focused on long-haul flights and zone-based award charts. Yes, flying to Europe for just 21,500 miles round-trip is a terrific bargain, but you can also find a sweet spot award closer to home with a revenue-based loyalty program like Southwest Rapid Rewards. Between incredible fare sales and two...

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Flight planning: The unseen detail behind every flight

Last week, I received an email from TPG reader Darren, asking about the planning process of a long-haul flight. He wanted to know if it’s as complicated as it seems, what elements go into it and whether it’s done on paper or all on an app these days. So, Darren, here you go. Flight Planning Department For those of you reading this who fly privately,...

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Tropical Storm Claudette may dampen Father’s Day weekend flights

It’s the start of hurricane season — which means, beyond coronavirus travel restrictions, you’ll want to be extra vigilant on how the weather may impact your upcoming travels. New to The Points Guy? Sign up for our daily newsletter. What’s the first storm to watch this season? Tropical Storm Claudette formed early this morning in Louisiana and is...

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Behind the scenes: Inside Southwest’s 50th-anniversary celebration

Fifty and one. That was the overarching theme of Southwest’s party on Friday, although the official messaging certainly didn’t mention that. Fifty years since Southwest used a loophole in then-heavily regulated airline industry to launch a low-cost carrier in wholly within Texas — something that arguably help it make one of the biggest contributions...

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Update: Cathay Pacific first class lounge will not join Priority Pass

Editor’s note: This story has been updated based on new information This past week, we reported that 50+ Plaza Premium lounges are leaving the Priority Pass program effective July 1 — with most locations being in Canada, Malaysia, the UK and Taiwan. Yesterday, we reported that Priority Pass members would instead gain access to one of the finest lounges...

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