✈ Top Stories of the Week, 5 Things to Consider Before Splurging on an Upgrade & More From TPG ✈

Also: The first-ever Ritz-Carlton Lodge is coming — and it's all-inclusive

February 1, 2026 View in browser

Top stories of the week by Colin Hogan, Newsletter editor Happy Sunday! Winter storms on top of winter storms may have derailed a lot of travel plans this past week, but we're staying the course and delivering you our biggest news of the week, right on time, as always. Believe it or not, you can still get your hands on the absolutely stellar 100,000-point welcome offer on this "sleeper hit" credit card. But, like all limited-time offers, it could go away at any time. The results are in! See what brands and products are the best of the best in the travel and rewards industries (we're talking airlines, hotels, business-class offerings, lounge networks and more!) in the 2026 TPG Awards. Winter Storm Fern turned out to be the worst weather disruption in this airline's history. Americans are still bullish on travel, according to our annual travel sentiment survey — but there are also some concerning trends in the data. Yet another lounge network has announced changes to its cardmember access policy. It's officially the end of an era at this airline, with new seating and boarding policies now in effect. There’s some great news for caffeine heads: This tasty rewards program has reintroduced elite status tiers and is adding new perks. See what Hilton's CEO has to say about the program's devaluations (and more). Have a great rest of your weekend! Colin Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products, and this may impact how or where they appear. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. Photo Credit: THE POINTS GUY.

Four TPGers made this the most fun seat in the sky What happens when The Points Guy takes over Virgin Atlantic's Retreat Suite? On a flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), TPG's Nicky Kelvin, Liam Spencer, Medha Imam and Nicky's best friend Sam Salter claimed the Retreat Suite aboard Virgin Atlantic's Airbus A330-900neo and turned it into the most fun seat in the sky. Watch now

Today's top stories Is it worth it? 5 things I consider before paying for a seat upgrade Thinking about buying an upgrade on your next flight? Here are five things to consider before you do. Read more Emirates and Marriott to debut first-ever Ritz-Carlton Lodge this year — and it's all-inclusive Marriott International will open the first-ever Ritz-Carlton Lodge later this year in Australia's stunning Blue Mountains, marking a milestone for the luxury hotel brand and a new way to use points. Read more Here's how to use airline miles for a first class upgrade Use miles to upgrade a paid ticket from economy to business class or business to first class. Read more A Seattle Hilton flips to Hyatt, Airbnb's celebrity chefs, IHG's first Ruby in the US and other hotel news From IHG's first Ruby-branded hotel in the U.S. to a major hotel reflagging in Seattle, here's the hotel news you need to know. Read more Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex review: Mid-tier benefits for Delta loyalists The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card offers perks for Delta flyers, including a companion certificate and the ability to spend to elite status. Read more

Handpicked for you Dive into your daily list of stories, curated based on your interests and past reads. Here are all the winners of the 2026 TPG Awards Read more The 13 credit cards that earned a spot 'In Your Wallet' for the 2026 TPG Awards Read more The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare for spring break and the rest of 2026 Read more How many credit cards should you have? Read more The best airport lounges from the 2026 TPG Awards — and the top card for gaining access Read more

The latest 1. The best credit card welcome bonuses of February 2026 2. Lufthansa brings a business-class upgrade to its storied Airbus A380 3. Flight cancellations mount Sunday: 3,700 and counting this weekend 4. TSA PreCheck Touchless ID: Every airport with the speedy, new security lanes 5. Citi to officially become exclusive issuer of AAdvantage cards in late April 6. San Francisco gets a new nonstop flight to Central America beginning June 1 7. Bilt cardholders: You now have until Feb. 1 to select your Bilt 2.0 product 8. Deal alert: Points and miles travel deals for January 2026 9. Equal best-ever offer: How good is the Delta Amex Reserve's 125,000-mile bonus? 10. 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise

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