Thursday, July 15, 2021

Good afternoon! One of my friends said she saw me on CBS' Face The Nation this weekend. I've been doing more than the usual number of interviews lately, but I was positive I hadn't done this show. So I watched it online and saw that I had indeed made a cameo! It might be the first time I was used as a model in a stock image LOL.

FYI: The photo was taken back in April when I flew for the first time in over a year on Avelo's inaugural flight. Good to know: Avelo just announced today that they're adding a new Las Vegas-Santa Rosa route. 

Travel News
It's been another crazy busy week in the travel industry and besides the fact that people are traveling again, it's mostly unsettling news. First of all, the Delta variant is wreaking havoc all over the world, including in the U.S.

An expert I follow who's been spot on since last summer, is predicting a rough late-September so you might want to travel sooner rather than later. Scroll down to 12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today to read that story and many more. 

The good news is that if you're fully vaccinated, reports say you should be fine as long as you don't have underlying health issues. Unfortunately, no one knows what the long term effects of COVID are and there's no vaccine for little kids. This is why we canceled our kid's second trip within a month to the east coast. 

The Trick to Getting Out of LAX and Other Airports Quicker During Rideshare Shortage
I've heard from multiple readers that there are really long wait times for Ubers and Lyfts at LAX and other destinations around the country. And if the wait times aren't bad enough, their rates are surging, too. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do. Here's the trick to getting out of the airport quicker.

Always Travel With This To Save You Time, Money and Embarrassment
This item is so easy to pack and will no doubt save you time, money and embarrassment when you travel. Read the story here.

Never Forget Your Room Number or Parking Spot Again
Here's the simple way to never forget your hotel room number or parking spot again.

Don't Get Suckered By Hotel and House Rental Marketers
This travel tip will help save you the aggravation of thinking you're booking one thing, when you're actually booking another. Read the story here.

BRAND NEW!
Don't miss out on these 14 incredible 100k bonus offers, available right now, just in time for late summer or early fall.

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today 
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers 
— Canada will lift its ban on cruises in November
— Louisiana couple regrets touching monk seal in Hawaii after video goes viral
— Former FDA chief warns of a Delta-driven virus peak at the end of September 
— Brits cancel summer trip plans as cost of flights back soar nine-fold
— Summer setback: COVID deaths and cases rising again globally
— Nearly 3,000 guests, crew disembark cruise in Singapore after positive Covid case left them confined in cabins
— The Cayman Islands plan for reopening to international leisure tourism
— Mom who investigates drownings posts viral plea to parents on water safety. Here are her tips.
— United Airlines to purchase 100 electric aircraft
— Cruising is getting more and more expensive for unvaccinated passengers 
— Boca Raton Resort will drop Waldorf Astoria name, launch reno
— The 35 weirdest American city names
— The most popular road trip songs of 2021 
+ More 
(Read it all here in today's travel news round-up as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!)

Travel Contests
-Vrbo is giving away a vacation every day for a month to help families reunite
-Win a seven-night European river cruise for two people
See all contests here

GOOD TO KNOW
Is this bank shutting down its credit card portfolio? Here's the latest, including what to do if you're a current cardholder.

These hotel credit cards all have bonuses of AT LEAST 100,000 points, free nights, plus other limited-time perks like $0 intro annual fees, $100 statement credits, and more.

MORE
If you get my daily travel tip newsletter (you can subscribe here), then you may have read about how one of our writers was mugged in Barcelona, as well as actionable tips to prevent it from happening to you. Here's the story. 

I've gone to Barcelona multiple times and to Europe dozens of times and have never had a problem. One reason is because I'm careful, aware, lucky and I wear certain things (see below). I'm not trying to scare anyone. It just never hurts to be prepared.

Rick Steves Pickpocketed In Paris -- Here's How To Prevent It
However, if you let your guard down, you could experience a slight (or major!) hiccup, depending on what the thieves get. And don't think getting pickpocketed or robbed only happens to rookie travelers. It can happen to travel experts, too, including Rick Steves, who wrote about how pick pocketers got the best of him in Paris. Here's the story and his tips.

Always Wear This When You Travel
If you read the stories above, then you know that one of the ways both of those unfortunate robberies could have been prevented was by wearing this. Rick Steves says he always wears one but had forgotten his when he got pick pocketed. Read the story here. 

In Case You Missed It  
Air Travel Tips
-8 Ways to Make Sure an Airline Doesn't Lose Your Bag ... And That You Don't Get Robbed or Stalked
-How to Speed Through Airport Security
-How To Find Out If The TSA PreCheck Lane Will Be Open
-How To Reach an Airline's Reservations Agent Without Waiting
-My Number 1 and 2 Travel Tips

Road Trip Tips
If you're driving, like 91% of travelers will be this weekend (according to AAA), then be sure to follow these tips:
-3 Ways To Save Money on Gas This Summer
-How to Prevent Road Trip Theft
-15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2021
-How To Prevent Car Rental Companies From Ripping You Off

Big American Airlines News
Great news for American elites! Just when I gave up on retaining my Executive Platinum status, American Airlines dangled a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie in front of me and I'm biting. Read the story here.

Always Pack This For Summer Travel
One thing I love about living in Southern California is that we don't have many mosquitoes here, unlike other parts of the country and world, including my home state of Connecticut, where I was last week visiting family. After being bitten by a mosquito, my cousin turned me on to a device that's all-natural and was one of the top products featured on Shark Tank (all five sharks wanted a piece of it). The best part is that it costs just $10 and is the perfect thing for throwing in your summer travel bag. Read the story here. 

Don't Leave Home Without ...
If you're planning to travel anytime soon, make sure you pack a comfortable sleep mask like this one, that blocks out all light and has fully adjustable and deep eye cups. It's also great for anyone who suffers from bad headaches and migraines.
 
Don't Fall For This Hotel Scam
One thing that irks me about staying in hotels is how they always seem to try and sucker you. First, it started with outrageously overpriced phone calls but then technology advanced and people were able to use their own cell phones. Then, it was the mini bar but even by charging $5 for a small pack of M&Ms, hotels couldn’t make money so they got rid of the those. On a recent hotel stay, I encountered another way that many hotels try to deceive, or at the very least confuse, guests. Don't fall for this hotel scam.
 
Don't Make This Cell Phone Mistake
When I received my cell phone bill this month, my eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw a charge for an $81 phone call. I thought it must have been an error but it turns out it wasn't. Here's how to avoid making the same mistake.

10 Air Travel Pet Peeves and What You Can Do About Them
After my flights last month, I was reminded of some of my top pet peeves while flying. Here they are, plus what you can do about them. What are yours? Leave a comment and let me know!

Safety
-10 Things to Have in Case of an Emergency
-How To Always Have Clean Water
-The Pocket Thermometer You Should Never Leave Home Without
-Life-Saving Car Emergency Tips 
-5 Places an Infectious Diseases Doctor Begs You Not to Go
-My Somewhat Freakish Travel Habit Might Just Save Your Life