Merry Christmas from Canada!

We're back on the road again, flying from Los Angeles to our final Christmas destination. It was much cheaper to make a stop and no airport does Christmas better than Chicago O'Hare (pictured above), so I decided to make an adventure out of it. On top of that, my son loves the movie Home Alone and the airport scenes were filmed in ORD so it was a no-brainer.
So we didn't risk missing a connection, I booked the airport Hilton, which I will write about later this week. We had a great but too short of a time. That doesn't include our flight delays.
Fortunately, it looks like today is a much better day to fly than the last two days since there aren't many flight cancellations or delays. So if you're traveling, I wish you smooth and happy travels.

❄️ Winter Solstice
Yesterday was the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. December 21 (sometimes the 22nd) is the shortest day/longest night of the year. It's also the official first day of winter and it sure feels like it where I am since there's snow on the ground and it's 7°!

📰 Travel news
There was a lot of travel news this week so be sure to scroll down to read it all, as well as my other tips.
🦘 Fiji/Australia stories
I've been busy putting the final touches on all of my stories from our epic trip to the Southern Hemisphere a few weeks ago. Below are all of the articles we've published so far and I have about four more to go:
Part One: Flight review: Our 11-hour flight on Fiji Airways from Los Angeles
Part Two: Getting from Nadi Int'l Airport to Castaway Island
Part Three: Hotel review: Castaway Island Resort
Part Four: Hotel review: Nanuku Resort Fiji
Part Five: Flight review: Fiji Airways from Nadi to Sydney
Part Six: Hands down the coolest place to stay in Sydney, Australia
Part Seven: The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga Zoo
Part Eight: Flight review: Flying Qantas between Sydney and Brisbane, Australia
🎄 3 more sleeps til Christmas!
At our house, the countdown to Christmas is on BIG TIME! Everyone is so excited and I'm so thankful for so many things including for your continued support in trusting me with your travel planning. It's been a rough year financially thanks to AI but I'm hopeful we will persevere. I wish you and your families a very happy holiday season.
BTW: If you're still looking for holiday gifts, we have lots of suggestions but here are our top picks:
-Apple AirTags
Now that the airlines are incorporating Apple's Find My technology into their operating systems, Apple AirTags are an absolute must-have. And they're a perfect gift, too. Buy here.
-Belkin Wireless Charger Stand with Auto Face Tracking
My wife uses this cool stand every day when she's Face Timing her mom. It follows her around the kitchen while she's cooking so she can talk to her mom hands-free. Buy here.
-Tech Organizer
Keep all your cords, cables and chargers neat and tidy with a tech organizer that will simplify travel. Buy here.

In this issue:

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook

As of 11am ET, there have been 59 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 1,862 delayed. Here's a link to the up-to-date stats and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System Status. Here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancelations.

🧭 Travel Product of the Week

Is this the best travel pillow and eye mask in the world?
If you read last week’s Los Angeles to Fiji trip report, then you know that I used the Trtl travel pillow for the first time on the 11-hour flight in the back of the plane. My wife and I wanted to try them out since it was the first time we would be doing a long-haul red-eye flight in coach. They turned out to be a game-changer. My wife fell asleep shortly after dinner and when she woke up, she asked me how much time was left in the flight. When I told her 3.5 hours, her eyeballs nearly popped out of her head. She was in complete shock. She thought she’d slept for maybe an hour but she’d slept for five. Here's why this pillow is a game changer for so many travelers.
PS: If you're wondering about the super comfortable mask I'm wearing, you can check it out here (it costs just $14.39). It is the most comfortable sleep mask I've worn and it blocks out light completely. It's a travel essential for me (especially when visiting my mother-in-law's, whose home is flooded with morning light) and makes a great gift for travelers or anyone who needs complete darkness when they sleep.

🏕️ Monday

Hands down the coolest place to stay in Sydney, Australia
Here's Part Six of our epic trip to the Southern Hemisphere. If you’ve been to the Taronga Zoo before, then you know that it has arguably the best views of Sydney. But what you might not have known is that you can overnight there and experience what the animals do but in far better accommodations. Here's all about the first of their two unique lodging options.

🖍️ Tuesday

Flying with kids: Top 10 items every parent should pack for a long flight
There are several reasons our kids are great travelers. My wife flew a lot with both of them when she was pregnant and she spent a lot of time researching travel with kids once they were born. The kids also started flying from an early age. My kids are fortunate to have been to almost 20 countries and on over 100 flights, including last week’s trip to Fiji and Australia. That was their longest flight to date and I’m relieved that they did so well. I took notes along the way to share the other reasons they travel well. So, here’s a guide to 10 must-have items to bring along on your next long flight, to help your little traveler stay happy from takeoff to landing. If you don't have little ones, you can share this with friends and family who are traveling with kids this holiday season.

🐨 Wednesday

Wildlife Retreat at Taronga: This overnight zoo experience is Sydney’s best-kept secret
If you’re following along with our epic trip to Fiji and Australia, here is Part Seven of our grand adventure. If you read our story about the Roar and Snore overnight experience at the Taronga Zoo, then you have a sense of how special it is. If glamping isn’t your thing but you would still love the experience of sleeping at the zoo, there’s an alternative. The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga offers the same proximity to incredible wildlife, jaw-dropping views and all with the comforts of a luxury hotel.

🥶 Thursday

Airplanes are freezing: How to stay warm on a plane plus a genius hack from a flight attendant
Winter is almost officially here but sometimes, it can feel like winter on board an airplane, even in the summer months or on a tropical inter-island flight. Here’s how to stay warm on a plane including a new tip I just learned from a Delta flight attendant.

️‍✈️ Friday

Flight review: Flying Qantas between Sydney and Brisbane, Australia
If you’re following along with our epic trip to Fiji and Australia, here is Part Eight of our grand adventure.

📺 Travel Videos of the Week

🌎 Top 12 Travel Stories of the Week

1 FAA: Lithium battery fires on flights now occur nearly twice a week
2 Search for Malaysian Airlines flight 370 to resume after 10 years
3 Air Canada to transfer its Boeing 737 MAX fleet to Rouge
4 FAA finds no issues with Southwest after safety review
5 80 people sick after attending LA Times food tasting festival
6 7 foreign tourists hospitalized in Fiji were not poisoned by alcohol or illicit drugs, officials say
7 At least 5 dead and 41 hurt after a car drives into a German Christmas market in a suspected attack
8 DOT finalizes new regulations to improve flying for disabled travelers
9 Free wi-fi for Aeroplan members coming to Air Canada flights
10 United announces first ever Rome-Denver flights
11 Frontier Airlines offers unlimited flights with $299 annual pass
12 US finalizes new Washington flights for Delta, United, American
Read it all here as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!

✅ Currency Exchange

✅ Calendar Countdown

✈️ Miles and Points

💳 Our favorite credit card rewards to earn in 2024
💳What points transfer to American Airlines miles?
American Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines that serves just about every destination across the world. As it’s easy to redeem travel miles for award flights, you may try to transfer points to American Airlines to put them to good use and to stop your travel miles from expiring. But what points transfer to American Airlines? Here's what you need to know.
💳 5 reasons why the Bilt Card is worth it
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard continues to be the best way to pay rent with a card as you can earn 1 point per dollar in rent payments without fees. However, if you have a high monthly payment, you can reach the previous $50,000 annual earning cap before year-end. Thankfully, the annual Bilt points cap is being lifted so you can earn more points on rent. Here are 5 of the best reasons the Bilt Card is worth it.