Greetings!

I hope you are having a great weekend. My family and I are just checking out of one of our favorite L.A. area hotels, Terranea in beautiful Rancho Palos Verdes. We're heading back home to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, which is officially tomorrow (the second Monday in October). Gotta love being married to a Canuck and living in the U.S. ... you get two Thanksgiving dinners!
🌀 Hurricane Milton Recovery
It was a rough week for travelers thanks to Hurricane Milton. There were thousands of flight cancelations and it looks like today is the first day since Monday with the fewest delays and cancelations. Let's hope it stays that way. We're thinking of all of those who were in his path.
United Airlines (and others) have issued an updated travel waiver. This one is valid through October 24 and allows for voluntary changes for travel to, from or through Ft. Myers, FL (RSW); Sarasota, FL (SRQ) and Tampa, FL (TPA). Airline policies.

♿ United Airlines flight attendant yells at 86-year-old passenger who asked for help with her bag
Speaking of United Airlines ... There are some things that just make my blood boil and at or near the top of the list is the mistreatment of children and the elderly. It shocks me to see people disrespect their elders and in a recent incident, the disrespect is coming from a United Airlines flight attendant, which I find even more disappointing. Here's the story.

⚡ $179 (28% off) the Jackery Portable Power Station
In lighter news: This week Amazon had their Prime Big Deal Days and although it's officially over, they are still honoring discounts on many items including this portable power station, pictured above. For those who want to be prepared for emergencies, this is a great gadget to have (I have one), just in case we lose electricity. This gives me a lot of peace of mind, especially living in a world with so much uncertainty and weather we're seeing right now, wreaking havoc on states. It’s also great for camping or for those with an RV. If you're planning to buy any gifts in the near future (ahem, Christmas, Valentines Day, my birthday ...) you can still score on some straggler deals. Check them out here.
✨ Northern Lights
I don't know about you but this week, my Facebook feed was full of friends' photos of the Northern Lights that danced in the skies of the Lower 48. I was shocked that even my friends in Southern California and Connecticut (where I grew up) were treated to an unbelievable show. I hope you caught them.

🌺 Hawaii on sale
Did you know you can fly to Hawaii for as low as $96 from the west coast? Here's a sample that Going.com sent out. If you don't live in L.A. just change the airports on Google Flights.
🌎 Travel Trivia Tuesday Question of the Week
Here’s this week's Travel Trivia Tuesday question: What is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the continental United States? Scroll to the bottom to find the answer.

In this issue:

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook

As of 9:40am PT, there have been 160 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 1,349 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

34% off = $19.89: INIU Portable Charger
It's not surprising a portable charger is one of the must-have items for flight attendants. With one of these, you don't have to worry about your plane not having working power ports or your phone running out of battery while sightseeing. Get the deal here before it's gone.

🌀 Monday

Florida airports closing ahead of Hurricane Milton: Here’s what travelers need to know
Florida is bracing itself yet again. According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Milton is rapidly intensifying into a Category 5 hurricane and airports have already announced they're closing well ahead of the storm. Here's what you need to know.

💰 Tuesday

The best 2024 Amazon Prime Big Deal Day deals for travelers
Amazon's highly anticipated Big Deal Days are here and we've rounded up some of the best deals for travelers. Take a look through our selections and you might not just find ideas for yourself but for some holiday gifts as well. Check them all out here.

🐛 Wednesday

‘So gross!’ American Airlines first class passenger finds bed bug crawling on pants
A first class passenger on American Airlines posted on Reddit that they found a bed bug crawling on their pants while reading a book. If bed bugs give you the heebie jeebies, here's what you need to know about spotting them in your hotel room and apparently on airplanes, too {shudder}.

📜Thursday

The surprising rules you agree to when you buy an airline ticket
These days, we’re inundated with stories about passengers behaving badly on airplanes or dressing inappropriately. Earlier this week, there was the story of two California women who say they were removed from a Spirit Airlines plane for wearing crop tops. Each incident needs to be looked at individually to determine who is in the right and who is in the wrong. But it’s important to remember that before you even step foot on the aircraft, you are bound by the terms of the airline’s Contract of Carriage, which you agreed to when you purchased your ticket. Here’s what the major U.S. airlines require regarding attire and behavior.

🎧 Friday

The tiny gadget that lets you charge your device and watch a movie with headphones at the same time
Growing up in the '80s, we got by just fine without technology, thank you very much. We didn’t have phones always attached to our hands and we didn’t have 24/7 access to our friends, the news, the weather forecast, food delivery, TV, games, social media and shopping … to name but a few of the ways we interact with our phones every day. Fast forward a few decades and here we are, not only attached to our phones but to our laptops and tablets, too. Technology has changed the way we live our lives and few of us are immune. That's why this inexpensive gadget is key for traveling.

📺 Travel Videos of the Week

🌎 Top 10 Travel Stories of the Week

1 Florida airports reopen after Hurricane Milton
2 1 dead and 23 rescued after elevator issue at Colorado tourist mine left some trapped 1,000 feet underground for 6 hours
3 CDC will start screening travelers from Rwanda to the US for Marburg virus
4 Air Canada pilots ratify deal, ease strike fears
5 United Airlines today announced the largest international expansion in its history
6 Boeing withdraws contract offer after talks with union end without a deal
7 Turkish Airlines flight makes emergency landing at JFK after pilot dies
8 US FAA issues safety alert over Boeing 737 rudder issue
9 Disneyland Resort increases prices on most theme park tickets
10 People saw the northern lights at a much lower latitude than normal during solar storm
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
💳 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.

✅ Travel Trivia Answer

Question: What is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the continental United States?
Answer: According to Visit Florida: St. Augustine, founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States – more commonly called the "Nation's Oldest City."