Greetings!

I hope you had a great week. I was in Chicago for two nights and it was my first time back since the pandemic and I forgot how much I love the Windy City! No doubt what makes Chicago so special is the people, followed by the food and entertainment. It’s also surprisingly clean. To top it off, this city really knows how to decorate for Christmas. I took the photo above from my room at the swanky Park Hyatt Chicago.
Exciting World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards Redemptions in 2024
I was in town to meet with the good folks over at Hyatt Hotels. Almost a dozen miles and points bloggers were on hand when they privately revealed their new rewards chart. Usually, it's a huge negative when companies mess with their loyalty programs but this time was an exception. Here's what's coming to the World of Hyatt in 2024 (only a month away!)
Six of My Credit Cards Got Hacked
What went wrong this week is that six of my different credit cards were hacked in five days. Two Citi, two Chase, one AMEX and a Wells Fargo card. I have no idea what's going on, which is disturbing. I don't carry them all in my wallet, I don't have them all on Apple Pay. I hope to get some more answers tomorrow and I will write about the experience.
Munich Winter Weather
If you read today's (or yesterday's) Travel News (scroll all the way down), then you will see that the top story is the snow that has really disrupted travel from Munich and some other Central European cities. They're doing better today but United Airlines issued a travel waiver this morning for today and tomorrow.

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In this issue:

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook

As of 11:30am PT, there have been 62 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 2,208 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 cancellations.

⚠️ Monday

Don’t Fall Victim to Online Cyber Monday Scams – Here Are 7 Ways to Protect Yourself
Cyber Monday is here and everyone’s looking to score a great deal. But before you start your online shopping (check out these Cyber Monday deals from Amazon), here’s some advice to help you avoid becoming the victim of a Cyber Monday scam or getting taken advantage of. Read the story,

💻 Tuesday

10 Ways to Find Cheap December Flights
If you’re traveling this month and haven’t purchased your tickets yet, what are you thinking? There are just 27 days until Santa comes sliding down your chimney. But don’t worry, I’m here to make sure you are with your loved ones or somewhere away from home without breaking the bank. Here are my 10 travel hacks to find cheap December flights,

⚠️ Wednesday

Warning: Scammers Are Using Artificial Intelligence to Spoof the Voices of Your Loved Ones – Don’t Fall For It
While I was in Turks and Caicos, I kept getting notifications on social media to watch part of a senate hearing. It was the last thing I wanted to do while hanging out with my family in the sun so I waited until we returned home. After watching this six-minute clip, I’m sorry I waited. Gary Schildhorn, an attorney from Philadelphia, told a Senate panel his story of an attempted scam against him where his son’s voice was spoofed by artificial intelligence. His story is a must-see so that you can protect yourself and your loved ones against this kind of scam. If you haven’t shared it already, please do. Watch the video or read the transcript here.

✈️ Thursday

Don’t Want to End Up on Social Media? Here are 10 Essential Travel Etiquette Tips
Pardon my rant but earlier this month, I traveled through seven different airports in 10 days and over the course of my travels sat in three classes of service, from a lie-flat business class seat and a premium economy seat to a middle class seat in coach. And man, did I witness some poor passenger behavior. Here are my tips to help all of us be better, more courteous travelers.

🛍️ Friday

2023 Holiday Gift Guide For Travelers
Holiday shopping is here and we’ve got just the right gift for the favorite traveler on your list. Check out our top picks in this year’s 2023 holiday gift guide for travelers.

🧳 Saturday

The Secret Piece of Carry-On Luggage That’s Disguised As a Travel Accessory
If you ask airline passengers what their biggest pet peeves are, no doubt one of them will be paying for baggage. A big reason why is that checking bags used to be free on all major airlines. One of the ways I've been getting around carrying more on is wearing a Scottevest jacket when I fly. There are many different styles but mine has 19+ pockets that keep my valuables safe. Well, here’s another option too and it's not a jacket. It's handy for those times when you need just a little more space to pack all your stuff and it makes a great holiday gift. Here's the secret piece of carry-on luggage that’s disguised as a travel accessory.

📺 Travel Video of the Week

Christmas Commercial for a Pub in Northern Ireland
Christmas is just 22 days away so you're going to see a ton of holiday ads in the next three weeks. This one from Northern Ireland might be the most touching and the old man really reminds me of my dad. Here's the commercial.

⚡ Travel Product of the Week

Bagsmart Electronic Organizer Travel Case
One of my best travel organizing tools is a tech organizing case like the Bagsmart Electronic Organizer Travel Case. It comes in a single layer style like the one pictured above and is currently 40% off. The double layer style is also on sale for 20% off. Check out both options here.

🌎 12 Things to Know in Travel This Week

1 A snowstorm brings Munich airport to a standstill and causes travel chaos in central Europe
2 Snow grounds dozens of flights at Amsterdam airport
3 Report: Some air traffic controllers under influence of alcohol or drugs while working
4 US Navy says it will cost $1.5M to salvage jet plane that crashed on Hawaii coral reef
5 A man was sentenced to 3 months in a Dubai jail after he insulted airport staff who didn't bring his mom a wheelchair
6 Japanese travelers steering clear of Hawaii
7 US low-cost carrier Breeze Airways takes early steps to fly international
8 As O’Hare expansion price tag climbs, airport’s two biggest carriers want project scaled back – or grounded
9 ‘Leaning tower’ in Italy on ‘high alert’ for collapse
10 Carnival Cruise line issues scam warning for this popular Mexico destination (and passengers from all cruise lines should take note)
11 Ryanair passengers furious as airline charges for yet another ‘scandalous’ add-on
12 Bluey tourist attraction to open next year in Brisbane, home of the popular children's program

✅ Currency Exchange ✅ Calendar Countdown

✈️ Miles and Points