We're looking to hire a full-time tech product manager to join our growing team, helping build and fine-tune the systems that power everything we do. Think you fit the bill? Keep reading for the full details, job description, and qualifications…

But here's the gist of it: We want a passionate traveler with extensive experience executing digital product creation and iteration. From perfecting our website to making our Thrifty Traveler Premium service even better, you'll manage the entire lifecycle of our digital products from roadmap prioritization to launch and ongoing enhancements.

You must have a customer-first mindset, a strong understanding of modern cloud-based product technologies, and an ability to execute a strategy to develop and improve our digital products. We're accepting remote applicants based in the U.S.

Why work with us? Well, we're a fun and nimble (but fast-growing) company laser-focused on one mission: helping people travel more for less. If you want to blend your love of travel with an expertise in tech product management, this is the job for you. 

To begin the application process, fill out this form! Please submit your application by this Sunday, Nov. 3! 

This application is the first step in a multi-part process. Qualified applicants will also be asked to*:

1. Record answers to several questions via video
2. Do a video interview with several members of our team
3. Do a final interview with other members of our team via video or in Minneapolis, if located here. 

*Additional steps may be added if deemed necessary

Basic Qualifications & Skills

• Must be located in the United States
• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of technical product or program management experience in a SaaS company.
• 3+ years of experience leading the end-to-end software product lifecycle (with cloud-based, web, and mobile technologies).
• Experience with agile software engineering practices and patterns, particularly SCRUM.
• Experience in feature design, delivery, and product trade-offs.
• Experience gathering functional and technical requirements from diverse stakeholders and determining minimum viable product requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data and metrics to back up assumptions, recommendations, and actions.
• Knowledge of product management principles like defining Epic/Feature/Enhancement scope, planning, scheduling, trade offs, delivery planning, QA, UAT, feedback loops post-launch and other product lifecycle management principles.
• Ability to analyze and interpret customer data, translating it into software features.
• Familiarity with subscription-based services and principles.
• Proficiency with the Atlassian suite (Jira Software, Confluence, Jira Service Manager).
• Understanding of ITSM practices (ticketing, triaging, SLAs processes and tools).
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, CMS, CRM, Google Analytics, and SEO practices.
• Must have a passion for travel.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Experience leading engineering, design, and product teams.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Experience driving engineering discussions regarding technology decisions related to a product.
• Familiarity with React and NodeJS programming languages.
• Experience in conducting user research, A/B testing, and leveraging analytics to inform product decisions.
• Background in or knowledge of the travel industry is a plus.
• Certification in Agile methodologies (e.g., Certified Scrum Product Owner) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Product Requirements: Work closely with stakeholders to gather product requirements, write user stories, and define acceptance criteria.
• Release Management: Drive action throughout the company to release products by planning and executing product launches and ensuring the smooth rollout of new features and updates.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Analyze product performance metrics, user feedback, and market trends to make data-driven decisions. Provide insights to the team on the product and market.
• User Experience: Advocate for the best possible user experience, ensuring the product is simple, intuitive, user-friendly, and meets usability standards.
• Competitive Analysis: Stay informed about industry trends and competitors’ products to identify opportunities and potential threats.
• ITSM Supervision: Oversee ITSM processes and tools, balancing engineering bandwidth between planned developments and sudden business changes.
• Product Strategy & Execution: Support senior product leadership in translating business strategy into product strategy based on market research, competitive analysis, and customer feedback.
• Roadmap Planning and Ownership: Assist senior product leadership in creating and maintaining the product roadmap throughout quarterly iterations, from concept to end-of-life, prioritizing epics and enhancements based on business goals and customer impact.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Facilitate communication and collaboration between the engineering team, design, and marketing, and report to the leadership team.
• Raise the bar on innovation, design quality, and user research, enabling Thrifty Traveler to iterate and support experiments quickly while delivering customer-centric features.
• Stakeholder Management: Work closely with executive leadership to ensure product strategy aligns with the broader company strategy.

Benefits

• Salary between $100,000 to $130,000, based upon experience
• 401K matching, up to 5%
• Remote work, with the opportunity to join us several times a year in our Minneapolis office
• Company-sponsored health, dental, and eye insurance
• 15 days of vacation to start, additional days earned based on years of service
• Paid parental leave

Bottom Line

Thrifty Traveler is growing faster than ever. Now, we're looking to hire a savvy and experienced tech product manager to join our team full time.

If you fit the bill, start your application by filling out this form! Applications for this position will close this Sunday, Nov. 3. Apply ASAP!

From instant top-tier Diamond elite status to an uncapped annual free night certificate (available in your first year), there's a lot to like about this card. But no benefit will help you recoup the card's $550 annual fee (see rates & fees) faster than the up to $400 in Hilton resort statement credits. These credits get doled out in $200 increments every six months so using them isn't quite as simple as booking a nice weekend getaway every year – but even so, they provide cardholders with real value.

The only trouble? In the past, using this credit required a bit of trial and error. That's because not every Hilton property with “resort” in the name would qualify … and many without it did. But now, there's an official list of eligible properties where you can redeem this benefit, making it easier to plan ahead in order to score some major savings.

From room upgrades to dining and activities, here are some of our favorite ways to use the Hilton Aspire resort credit.

Read more: Why the Hilton Aspire is the Best Hotel Credit Card, Period 

All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card and Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer. 

Apply Here for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card (for full disclosure, this is a personal referral link)
 

How the Hilton Aspire Resort Credit Works

Each year you hold the Hilton Honors Aspire card, you get up to $400 in Hilton resort statement credits to use at select Hilton properties around the world. It's broken up into two chunks: You'll get $200 in the first half of the year (January through June) and then another $200 in the second half of the year (July through December).

This credit alone eats up more than half of the card's $550 annual fee, and it's incredibly easy to use. It works at hundreds of participating Hilton properties around the globe – and not just spots with the word “resort” in the name. From Waldorf Astoria locations in Las Vegas and Dubai to Conrads in Mexico and the Caribbean, and even some everyday Hilton's across the U.S. and around the world, there are more places to use this credit than you may think.

Check out the full list of eligible properties! 

Best Ways to Use the Hilton Aspire Resort Credit

Book a Room (or Pay for an Upgrade)

The most obvious way to make use of this credit is by booking a stay at a Hilton resort property (or paying for an upgrade). But it's important to note that not every resort property will qualify, and you'll want to be sure to book an eligible rate. 

With Hilton recently introducing an official list of eligible properties, picking a qualifying resort has gotten a lot easier. But if you prefer to begin your search with a specific destination, you can always select the “Resort” filter on the Hilton homepage and go from there. This should help you narrow down the eligible properties but again, it'll be worth cross-referencing with the official list.

If you're planning to put your Hilton Aspire resort credit to use offsetting your nightly room rate, you'll want to make sure you don't book an advanced purchase or non-refundable rate. The terms of this credit specifically exclude those rate types for being eligible for reimbursement. But beyond that requirement, simply booking a stay at an eligible resort directly through Hilton's website is all it takes. Amex says the credit should appear on your statement within 12 weeks, but in our experience it's usually much quicker than that. 

So what if you booked a stay using points? With Hilton, it's not uncommon to be offered a paid upgrade at check-in. This means you can use your card's semi-annual resort credit to help wipe out some of the cost of moving to a better room type and still keep that free(ish) feeling. That's exactly what I did on a recent stay at the Conrad Tokyo, moving from a city-view room to a much pricier bay-view suite for a nominal up-charge. And another member of our team used this tactic at an all-inclusive Hilton in Cancun earlier this year.

So, if you don't score a complimentary upgrade on account of having Hilton's top-tier Diamond status, it could be worth inquiring about paid upgrades and using your resort credit to cover the cost. 

Read more: A Complete Guide to the Hilton Honors Program: Free Nights, Credit Cards & More

Save on Transportation Costs

On trips to remote islands in the Maldives or French Polynesia, you'll likely need to cough up some serious change to get to and from the airport … whether that's by boat or seaplane.

Even if you're able to book a top-tier property with Hilton points (like from a Thrifty Traveler Premium Hotel Alert), you'll still be on the hook for these added costs. Luckily, you can wipe these costs away with your Aspire resort credit.

During a stay at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, our executive editor Kyle was able to cover the bulk of his roundtrip boat transfer from the airport directly to the hotel with his Hilton Aspire card's resort credit. And with a little strategy, you might be able to use up both semi-annual chunks of your credit on a single stay. 

Read our full Conrad Bora Bora Nui review!

By pre-paying for such costs (as he did), you can put the full $400 towards the cost of transportation by splitting it up into two separate payments. You should be able to do the same for seaplane transfers in the Maldives, car transfers to the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, or any other prepaid cost billed directly to an eligible Hilton resort.

Or if your transportation isn't more than $200, you could pre-pay for that part now and preserve the second $200 to cover drinks, meals, and other expenses during your stay later on.

Read more: How the Hilton Aspire Card Saved Me $866 in Bora Bora

Cover Dinner, Drinks & Other Charges

When you're on vacation, you have to eat. If you're at a five-star resort in a place like Bora Bora (or any isolated island) it's never cheap.

But having $200 in credits allows you to live (a bit) larger while still keeping things relatively thrifty. If you're staying on a remote island, you're sure to rack up a substantial bill of dinners, drinks, snacks, and room service charges.

Just be sure to charge everything to your room and pay with your Hilton Aspire card at checkout. Then watch the $200 credit kick in to erase a decent chunk of it a week or so later. Every bit helps!

Bottom Line

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is arguably the most valuable hotel credit card on the market. While perks like top-tier elite status and an annual free-night award are noteworthy, getting up to $400 to use at Hilton resorts each year can easily make this card a keeper for the long-haul. 

Just weeks after another major storm battered the East Coast, Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast Wednesday evening before sweeping across the state. It was upgraded to the highest Category 5 storm rating on Monday, triggering evacuation orders and warnings from the National Hurricane Center that it would be “potentially catastrophic.”

By Monday, disruptions in air travel were already a certainty. The Tampa (TPA) airport is proactively shutting down operations on Tuesday morning, while Orlando (MCO) announced it will do the same on Wednesday. Major U.S. airlines have issued waivers allowing travelers with flights to many major Florida airports to reschedule free of charge.  

So what can you do when bad weather strikes, potentially leaving you stranded ahead of a flight? Above all, it pays to be prepared.

Check out our tips.

Take Advantage of Weather Waivers to Reschedule

When storms bear down, many travelers have a chance to get out of dodge early – or later. And airlines often give them a free pass to do so.

Major airlines regularly issue weather waivers ahead of bad storms, allowing travelers with flights scheduled over the next few days to move them up (or back) without paying change fees or hefty fare differences. In this case, you've got a window to get out of town (or return home) early. 

And you may want to do so sooner rather than later. With flights regularly full to the brim these days, open seats on those later flights may be scarce … and could disappear fast.

Here are some quick links to each major U.S. airlines' currently published travel waivers:

• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• Sun Country Airlines
• United Airlines

Airlines like Delta and American are offering free changes to your flight so long as you rebook your travel for no later than Oct. 15 or Oct. 17, respectively – although that date could get pushed out even further as these storms progress.

Keep in mind: These waivers almost always apply to any flights departing from, flying into, or connecting through an affected airport.

But even if you're not scheduled to fly to or from Florida this week, the storm could cause cascading disruptions as airlines grapple with the weather at some of their most important airports. 

Monitor Your Airline & Track Your Flight

Got a flight coming up? Changes can happen in the blink of an eye. It pays to be vigilant.

Start by monitoring FlightAware's daily dashboard of delays and cancellations. As you're getting ready for your trip, scope out your airline in the days leading up to departure for potential warning signs. If you're flying this Thursday and your airline has canceled hundreds of flights on both Tuesday and again on Wednesday … well, prepare for ongoing issues. Bad weather or clear skies, it can be an indication that that those disruptions are going to continue.

But on the day of, you need a tool to track your actual flight. Unfortunately, airlines don't always do the best job of letting customers know when they've made a change. If any app is tailor-made for it, it's Flighty.

Flighty tracks the status of your upcoming flights better than even your airline will. After a summer full of delays and cancellations, our team has lost track of how many times we've gotten alerts from Flighty about a schedule change or cancellation 30 minutes, if not hours, before getting the heads up from the airline … if the carrier even notified us at all. It's the most powerful tool we've found to keep tabs on your flights, bar none.

You'll get instant push alerts about any schedule changes, delays, or cancellations to any flights in your queue. When it comes to air travel, information is power … and no app gives you more information than Flighty.

Flighty starts out free, giving you some useful but limited information about your upcoming flights. But the real power comes with Flighty Pro, which gives you by-the-second updates on changes to your flights.

At $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year, it's not exactly cheap … but potentially invaluable for anxious travelers who want to stay informed. And if you're a frequent travelers, we think you'll find this subscription is well worth it.

Read more: Why the Flighty Pro App is a Must-Have Travel Tool

Know Your Rights: Cancel & Get a Refund

Here in the U.S., travelers have shockingly few rights. Really, there's just this one: If your airline cancels your flight, you can cancel your reservation and get a full refund – not just a voucher or credit that expires in a year, but your money back. And that includes when weather is the cause of the disruption. Long delays may also be eligible for a refund if you decide to cancel, but that's largely left up to the airline.

This is one of the few protections for flyers enshrined in U.S. law. Here's a snippet from Department of Transportation regulations:

If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation – even for non-refundable tickets. You are also entitled to a refund for any bag fee that you paid, and any extras you may have purchased, such as a seat assignment.

After canceling your flight, airlines may simply try to rebook you on the next available flight … whether that's hours or several days away. This law means you've got the option to cancel the reservation altogether and get your money back.

Of course, that means you'd have to scrap your entire trip and try again another time. At the very least, if you decide to call it quits on your trip, make sure to request a full refund – don't just settle for a travel voucher.

… But Don't Expect Additional Compensation

We know it stinks to be stuck at the airport when you should be flying to see friends or family. But don't expect to get much, if anything, for your trouble from the airline.

No matter if the weather's at fault or it's all on the airline, there's no legal requirement for airlines to compensate travelers during delays and cancellations – or even to feed customers or put them up in a hotel when they get stranded overnight. Especially when bad weather is the culprit, airlines typically wash their hands of the situation and say there's nothing they can do.

Instead of trying to get a payout, focus on getting where you need to go.

Exhaust Your Options to Reach Your Airline

When things go wrong, don't just stand in a long line to speak with a gate agent or employees at check-in. It's time to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. Airlines are staffed by thousands of people who could help you – and not just those at the airport.

Give these options a shot:

• Grab your phone and call your airline while you stand in line.
• If you've got a credit card with airport lounge access, head to the Delta Sky Club or American Admirals Club and see if a lounge agent can help you.
• Fire up the site formerly known as Twitter and slide into your airlines' DMs. Or message Delta through your phone!

Read up on other ways to reach Delta amid hours-long call wait times!

Reaching an employee to help you can be the most stressful part of the situation when things go wrong. Getting as many irons in the fire as you can is crucial. You never know which method will pay off first.

Lean on Your Travel Credit Card for Coverage

Your airline might be unwilling to help out when weather is at fault for disruptions. But that's where using a good travel credit card to book your flights can come in handy.

Some top travel credit cards like the *chase sapphire preferred*, *chase sapphire reserve*, and the *venture x* come with built-in travel insurance protections that can help you recoup some of your additional costs when things go wrong. And even delays or trip cancellations caused by severe weather – like a snowstorm – are eligible.

Let's say you booked your flight with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, but the airline pushes back your flight home by a day due to weather. Your airline won't do much if anything, but the Preferred Card's trip delay coverage will cover up to $500 in reimbursement per paid ticket for expenses like airfare, hotels, or meals in the event of a delay of 12 hours or longer (or overnight).

Many other top travel credit cards offer identical coverage, if not better. You'll have to go through the claims process after the fact, but it can help cover most (if not all) of the surprise costs when bad weather delays your flights.

Read all about our experience with Chase's trip delay insurance!

You've Got to Be Kind

This is hard, we know. But when things go wrong in air travel, we have a mantra:

“It's not the check-in agent's fault. It's not your gate agent's fault. It's not your flight attendant's fault. And it's not the customer support agent on the phone's fault, either.”

As frustrating as delays and cancellations can be, don't take it out on front-line employees. In many cases, they're under just as much stress as you are trying to help hundreds of fellow travelers – not to mention, working long hours trying to keep the airline moving.

Kindness is a superpower in these situations. These employees often have enormous power to help you out … and they're far more likely to do so when you're genuinely nice.

Bottom Line

Bad weather happens. It stinks, but it's inevitable – and that means delays and cancellations are inevitable, too.

Whether your flights later this week are looking iffy or you're worried about your next trip, follow these tips to stay ahead of the curve and get where you need to go.

Lead photo courtesy of Chris Lundberg via Flickr

While its annual fee of $550 might understandably intimidate some travelers, that comes with some incomparable benefits that can far outweigh that fee – even after a recent increase. That's why we always encourage readers to do the math when it comes to annual fees rather than simply rule out big-fee cards. Travel enough and use the benefits wisely, and they can end up saving you a ton of money in the long run.

That's definitely the case with the Hilton Honors Aspire card. From instant top-tier status with Hilton to a free annual night certificate right off the bat to a slew of different money-saving credits, few credit cards give you so much upfront value.

Let's break down all its lucrative benefits and why it should be on your radar.

Learn more about the Hilton Honors Aspire Card. (for full disclosure, this is our personal referral link)

All information about the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

Big Welcome Offer Bonus

If you're in the market for a big bonus, your timing couldn't be better.

The Hilton Aspire Card just rolled out a welcome bonus of 175,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership. That's one of the biggest bonuses we've ever seen on the Aspire Card.

Exactly how much those points are worth depends on how you travel. It doesn't help that Hilton award rates can be all over the map, with the cheapest properties as low as 15,000 or so points a night to 120,000 or even 150,000 points for top luxury resorts – and sometimes, closer to a million points. 

If you're careful with how you use them, you should be able to redeem Hilton points for around 0.6 cents to 0.8 cents apiece. At that rate, this bonus alone is worth $900 to $1,200. But you could potentially get even more bang for your buck.

That's because Hilton Honors points can sometimes be stronger when the cash prices are at their highest, whether you're booking a top-dollar resort or a hotel during a massive event when rates typically skyrocket. For example, I just redeemed 50,000 points for a stay in downtown Indianapolis while Taylor Swift is in town in early November.

The cash cost? Over $1,300! That meant my Hilton points got me 2.7 cents in value apiece! 

Getting that much value out of your Hilton points is not a slam dunk by any means, as Hilton's points rates can also track closely with cash prices. But if you're picky and flexible, it's still possible to get outsized value from these points at the right properties.

Instant Hilton Honors Diamond Status

Just with the Hilton Honors Aspire card in your wallet, you unlock their top-tier Diamond elite status.

That alone stands out: No other credit card in the marketplace offers you the ability to earn top-tier status just by holding a credit card. Without the Hilton Aspire Card, you have to stay at Hilton properties 60 nights (or 30 stays) in a calendar year to earn Diamond status.

That's a big deal because of the great benefits Diamond members get.

Hilton Diamond Status Benefits

• Complimentary breakfast or food and beverage credits for two can save you hundreds of dollars during a stay. Hilton has swapped in a broader (but less-lucrative) food and beverage credit at U.S. properties for elite members, while complimentary breakfast is still available abroad.
• Complimentary Upgrades to preferred rooms (when space is available, which can be hit or miss)
• Executive Lounge Access for complimentary drinks, snacks, and hors d'oeuvres. This experience will vary from Hilton property to property.
• Complimentary premium internet access
• Late check-out, though that's not guaranteed either
• 100% bonus on base points earned: Just for having Diamond status, you automatically receive a 100% bonus on all the Hilton Honors base points you earn during a stay.
• 48-hour room guarantee: As a Diamond member, you are guaranteed a room when you make a reservation at least 48 hours prior to arrival.
• Fifth night free on award stays: This benefit is available for Silver, Gold, & Diamond elite members, allowing you to get a free fifth night when you book a stay using Hilton Honors points.

You can read more about Hilton's top-tier Diamond elite status on their terms & conditions page.

A Free Night Certificate Every Year

Many other hotel chains offer annual free night certificates on their credit cards. But even on their top-tier cards, you typically don't get that certificate until you renew for a second full year of the card … and in many cases, hotel chains block you from using those certificates at more-expensive properties.

That's not the case with the Hilton Aspire Card. After opening your new card account – and each year you renew – you'll receive a free night certificate valid at almost all Hilton properties around the globe. There are just a handful of properties that aren't eligible.

One note: After opening your account, it typically takes a month (or slightly more) for this free night certificate to hit your account. Still, that's much shorter than the year-long wait (and paying twice the annual fees) with the likes of Marriott or Hyatt.

In the past, Hilton free night certificates required you to stay on a weekend: Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. But no more: You can now use these certificates any day of the week – not just on weekends!

You can also earn a second free night if you spend $30,000 or more on the card in a calendar year … and then another if you spend $60,000 or more – for a total of three free night certificates per year.

But it's not just the ease and speed of earning these certificates that makes them so valuable. Unlike other hotel chains that place caps on which tiers of properties you can book using these certificates, there's no cap on how much a hotel night can cost in points to use Hilton free night awards. Whether it's a Hilton Garden Inn in Des Moines, Iowa, or the Waldorf Astoria resort in Maui, so long as you can find standard award availability, you can book it.

Read our guide on the best ways to redeem Hilton free night certificates!

Earlier this year, I used my Aspire Card's free night certificate for a free night at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui: a dreamy property in French Polynesia that typically costs 120,000 points a night … or $1,000 or more! And with Diamond status from my Aspire Card, we were even upgraded to an iconic overwater villa.

Read more: How the Hilton Aspire Card Saved Me $866 in Bora Bora

Another great example is the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, an amazing property down in Mexico that generally costs anywhere between $1,000 or $2,000 a night. This benefit alone can easily justify your annual fee because of how many properties it can be used at.

Now that Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) are under Hilton's umbrella, you can even use these free night certificates to book some of these incredible hotels, sprawling manors, and resorts. Booking Hermitage Bay, a Caribbean all-inclusive resort in Antigua that normally costs $3,000 (or 130,000 Hilton points), with a free night certificate is an amazing redemption. 

Annual $400 Hilton Resort Statement Credit

Each year you hold the Hilton Honors Aspire card, you get up to $400 in Hilton resort statement credits to use at select Hilton properties around the world. It's broken up into two chunks: You'll get $200 the first half of the year (January through June) and then another $200 in the second half of the year (July through December).

This credit alone eats up more than half of the card's annual fee, and it's incredibly easy to use. It works at hundreds of participating Hilton properties around the globe – and not just spots with the word “resort” in them but Waldorf Astoria locations in Las Vegas and Dubai, Conrad locations in Mexico and the Caribbean, and some everyday Hilton's across the U.S. and around the world.

That list recently got a bit shorter, but there are still plenty of properties to pick from. Check out the full list from Hilton.

Just charge your dinner, activities, or trip to the spa to your room, pay with your Aspire card at checkout, and voila – the credit kicks in. Even some room rates will qualify for this resort credit so long as you don't prepay. Whatever you charge, these credits typically kick in within a week or less.

$200 Annual Airline Credit

Top Amex credit cards are practically notorious for Amex airline fee credits, which have gotten harder and harder to use. But that's no longer the case with the Hilton Aspire Card.

The card's longtime $250 airline fee credit – to use on costs like seat selection, baggage, and award ticket taxes – is out the door. In its place, Amex added an entirely new setup for airline credits.

As of Jan. 1, 2024, Hilton Aspire cardholders get up to $200 in what they call “flight credits,” meaning they can easily be used for airfare outright. Just use your Hilton Aspire Card to pay for a ticket (or seat assignment, upgrade – whatever!) directly with the airline or through amextravel.com and the credit should kick in.

The downside here is that it's now a quarterly benefit, with $50 available every three months. These are use-it-or-lose-it benefits, so every quarter you forget to use it would mean you'd lose out on $50 back.

On the plus side, you don't have to pre-select a specific airline to use up these credits anymore – any carrier will do.

$100 Waldorf Astoria & Conrad Hotels On Property Credit

It's not the easiest-to-use perk on the Aspire Card, but it can still add up.

When you book a paid stay of at least two nights at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad Hotels through HiltonHonors.com/aspirecard, you will receive a $100 credit for incidental charges. This credit can be used for almost anything charged to your room during your stay. Taxes, fees, gratuity, and the room rate itself are not eligible for the credit.

Again, this has to be for a paid stay. If you're planning on using your Hilton Honors points to stay at either a Waldorf Astoria or Conrad Hotel, you won't be able to take advantage of this credit.

All Benefits of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

• Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership.
• Get Hilton Honors Diamond Status: As long as your card account is open, you'll have Hilton's top-tier Diamond status.
• Up to $400 in Hilton Resorts statement credits: Each calendar year, you’ll receive up to $400 in statement credits for incidentals charged to your card at participating Hilton resorts – a category that includes many Hilton properties. Cardholders get one $200 credit from January through June and another credit July through December. This benefit began Jan. 1, 2024 for new and existing cardmembers.
• Free night certificate: After opening your account and each year on your cardmember anniversary, you will receive a certificate for a free night at almost any property in Hilton's portfolio.
• Additional free night certificates: You can earn an additional free night certificate after making $30,000 in purchases in a calendar year, plus another after spending $60,000 in the same year (for up to three free nights total).
• $200 annual airline credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter on purchases made directly with an airline (including airfare) or through amextravel.com.
• Earn 14x Hilton Honors points per dollar for each eligible purchase on your card made directly with a participating hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors points per dollar for eligible purchases on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.
• Earn 3x Hilton Honors points bonus points on all other purchases.
• Get complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status – easily our favorite status with a rental car chain.
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Get up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR® Plus Membership with the Aspire Card.
• $550 annual fee (see rates & fees), up from the previous $450 fee

Learn more about the Hilton Honors Aspire Card. (for full disclosure, this is our personal referral link)

Drawbacks of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

As great as the Hilton Aspire Card is, there are some things that you'll want to be aware of before you apply.

The High Annual Fee

The card charges a sizable annual fee of $550 each year. That sounds high on paper. Heck, it is high.

But stack it up against all the benefits the card provides, it can certainly make sense. But if you don't think you can get $550 in value out of the card each and every year, the Hilton Aspire may not be for you.

That said, we always encourage readers to do the math before ruling out cards with high annual fees.

Lack of Points Flexibility

While the Aspire Card allows you to earn a ton of Hilton Honors points, you'll be tied to using these points for stays at Hilton properties. There is no question you can find value in the Hilton Honors program, but if you plan on this being your only credit card, you'll give up some flexibility.

Hilton Points Aren't Worth As Much as Others

Compared to many other hotel points programs, Hilton Honors points are generally not the most valuable.

In our experience, you should be able to get 0.6 or 0.8 cents out of each Hilton point without too much effort. And you can certainly do better than that, as we outlined above. But that's a good baseline to use.

That means you should easily be able to get about $900 to $1,200 from the 150,000-point welcome bonus.

Limited Acceptance Abroad

While American Express has some great travel rewards credit cards that waive foreign transaction fees (including the Hilton Aspire Card), it is still a good idea to make sure you have a Visa or Mastercard in your wallet before you head abroad.

That's because you may still find that many merchants abroad still don't accept American Express thanks to the higher fees Amex charges for swiping their cards. But that is changing: In 2018, American Express lowered those merchant fees, bringing them closer to other payment networks.

That has helped Amex close the gap in the U.S. and make some serious strides abroad when it comes to acceptance. But it will still take time for Amex cards like the Hilton Aspire to be universally accepted internationally.

For now, make sure you have a Visa or Mastercard that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees at your disposal when you head out of the country.

Read more: Is Amex Still a Bad Bet When Traveling Internationally?

Why the Hilton Aspire Tops Our List

Because all the benefits on this card almost seem too good to be true.

After carrying the card for a few years and putting these benefits into action, I'm still amazed that Amex and Hilton haven't cut more perks over the years. Sure, they increased the annual fee from $450 to $550 a year and made some other changes. But the biggest selling points remain largely untouched.

There is no other card that unlocks automatic, top-tier hotel status. Nor can you find another top credit card that doles out free night certificates right when you open the card – Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG all make you wait at least a year … and pay a second annual fee. Diamond status alone can score you great upgrades and provide you with free breakfast (or food and beverage credits) for you and a guest during your Hilton stays.

To me, these benefits alone are worth their weight in gold.

At some properties, especially in Europe, free breakfast can easily save you up to $70 per day. At the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, four days of free breakfast saved us more than $400! 

While a $550 annual fee card isn't for everyone, all of the benefits and credits this card offers at the moment make it far more palatable. So long as you take advantage of them each year, you should come out far ahead.

Bottom Line

I love the Hilton Aspire Card. Our whole team does, really. 

No travel credit card is perfect, but American Express and Hilton have done a great job loading this card up with a big bonus and benefits that make it an easy card to open and rewarding to hold onto for the long-term, too. Honestly, there isn't another co-branded hotel card that comes close to competing with it right now.

If you often stay at Hilton hotels, this card is a no-brainer. If you don't, this card might give you a reason to change that.

Here's what you can currently earn with each card in the full portfolio of Hilton Amex cards:

• *Hilton Honors*: bonus_miles_full 
• *Hilton Surpass*: bonus_miles_full
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $6,000 on the card within the first six months. 
• *hilton honors business card*: bonus_miles_full

On top of the bonus points, these cards also come with other perks like automatic elite status, annual resort credits, and the ability to earn valuable free night rewards, potentially making them worth keeping for the long-haul.

Just remember: Credit cards are serious business. All the Hilton points in the world aren't worth digging yourself into debt if you can't afford to pay off every dime you charge to your new card.

Read on for full details on each of these cards and their exciting new welcome offers.

Read next: Big Changes to the Hilton Aspire & Surpass Cards: Higher Fees, New Perks

The Suite of Hilton Honors Credit Cards

Hilton Honors American Express Card

• Welcome Offer: bonus_miles_full
• Earn Hilton Honors Silver Status for as long as you have the card.
• Get Hilton Gold Status if you spend $20,000 or more in a calendar year.
• 7x Hilton Honors Points: At participating hotels in the Hilton portfolio.
• 5x Hilton Honors Points: At U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• 3x Hilton Honors Points: on all other eligible purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• No Annual Fee (see rates & fees)

Learn more about the *Hilton Honors*.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

• Welcome Offer: bonus_miles_full 
• Earn a free night certificate after you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, valid at almost any Hilton property.
• Get up to $200 back each year for purchases made directly with Hilton. You'll get $50 in statement credits to use at Hilton properties each quarter, up to $200 per calendar year.
• Get Hilton Honors Gold Status for as long as you have the card. This will get you free breakfast at almost any Hilton hotel abroad or a daily food and beverage credit at U.S. properties.
• Work up to Hilton Diamond Status if you spend $40,000 or more in a calendar year.
• Earn 12x Hilton Honors Points at participating hotels in the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6x Hilton Honors Points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4x Hilton Honors Points on U.S. online retail purchases.
• Earn 3x Hilton Honors Points on all other eligible purchases.
• Get complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status – easily our favorite car rental elite status.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee (see rates & fees)

Learn more about the *Hilton Surpass*.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

• Welcome Offer: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership. 
• Get Hilton Honors Diamond Status: As long as your card account is open, you'll have Hilton's top-tier Diamond status
• Get up to $400 in Hilton Resorts statement credits: Each calendar year, you’ll receive up to $400 in statement credits for incidentals charged to your card at participating Hilton resorts – a category that includes many Hilton properties. Cardholders get one $200 credit from January through June and another credit July through December.
• Free night certificate: After opening your account and again each year on your cardmember anniversary, you will receive a certificate for a free night eligible at any property in Hilton's portfolio.
• Additional free night certificates: Earn an additional free night certificate after making $30,000 in purchases in a calendar year, plus another after spending $60,000 in the same year (for up to three free nights total).
• Get up to $200 in annual airline credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter on purchases made directly with an airline (including airfare) or through amextravel.com.
• Earn 14x Hilton Honors points per dollar for each eligible purchase on your Card made directly with a participating hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors points per dollar for eligible purchases on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.
• Earn 3x Hilton Honors points bonus points on all other purchases.
• Get complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status – easily our favorite status with a rental car chain.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Get up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for a CLEAR® Plus Membership with the Aspire Card.
• $550 annual fee (see rates & fees)

All information about the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

We consider the Hilton Aspire Card the best hotel credit card, period – read our guide to see why!

Learn more about the Hilton Honors Aspire Card (for full disclosure, this is our personal referral link)

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

• Welcome Offer: bonus_miles_full
• $240 a Year in Hilton Credits: $60 statement credit per quarter after eligible to use at any Hilton property worldwide.
• Get Hilton Honors Gold Status: For as long as you have the card. This will get you free breakfast at almost any Hilton hotel abroad, or a daily food and beverage credit at U.S. properties.
• Instant National Car Emerald Club Executive Status
• Get Hilton Diamond Status: If you spend $40,000 or more in a calendar year, you will earn Hilton's top-tier Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
• 12x Hilton Honors points: At participating hotels in the Hilton portfolio.
• 5x Hilton Honors points: On every dollar spent up to $100,000 annually, earning 3x thereafter.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• $195 Annual Fee (see rates & fees)

Not sure if you're eligible for a small business credit card? You might be surprised!

Learn more about the *Hilton Honors Business*.

What You Can Get With Hilton Points

From the no-annual-fee *Hilton Honors* to the top-tier Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, there are a lot of points at stake with the welcome offers on Hilton's suite of Amex cards.

But what can you really get with 175,000 Hilton Honors points?

Hilton's dynamic pricing system means nightly award rates – how many points you'll need to book a room – are constantly changing from night to night, so it can be hard to pin down. It ranges from 20,000 points per night (or less) for a simple city hotel to as much as 150,000 points per night (or much, much more) for a luxe resort in the Caribbean or the Maldives.

Pair all those points with the free night reward that comes with the Aspire Card (or can be earned with the Surpass), and you could book some great Hilton stays with these bonuses.

Take the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, for example. The words Bora Bora and cheap simply don't go together – but instead of shelling out $1,000 (or more) per night, you could instead book an award night for as few as 120,000 points. Better yet, you can use the Hilton Aspire's annual free-night certificate for an additional night in paradise … and still have points leftover.  

Getting two free nights (with points to spare) from a single welcome offer sure beats paying north of $2,000 in my book.

Wondering if you're eligible? American Express welcome offer bonuses can only be earned once per lifetime. That means you generally can't earn another bonus on a card you've already held … but you can earn a new bonus on other versions you haven't yet opened – at least for now.

Amex has been adding new restrictions to some of its other families of credit cards, making it much harder for travelers to stack welcome bonuses on different Amex cards. For now, though, Hilton's portfolio of cards has been spared.

Plus, there's a quick way to check whether you'll be eligible for one of these welcome bonuses on the Hilton credit cards. Read about Amex's handy Apply with Confidence tool – and make sure to check out our post breaking down all the bank application rules you need to know.

Even though Hilton Honors points may not go as far toward a free night as other hotel chains like Hyatt, this could still be an easy way to add to your stash of points. Plus, you'd be picking up valuable benefits like automatic Hilton status, too.

Just for holding the Hilton Honors Surpass Card (or the Hilton Honors Business card), you will get automatic Hilton Gold Status.

That was one of our favorite hotel credit card perks for years, as it offered free breakfast for two guests at every stay. Unfortunately, that's taken a hit as Hilton has replaced it with a less-valuable food and beverage credit at U.S. properties. Still, it can take some expense out of your next hotel stay – especially with free breakfast when traveling abroad.

Bottom Line

American Express just rolled out big, limited-time offers on the full portfolio of Hilton co-branded credit cards, with as much as 175,000 points up for grabs, depending on the card you choose. 

These big welcome offers, combined with other valuable benefits like elite status and free night certificates, make now the perfect time to add a Hilton card to your wallet. 

After announcing its goal of bringing renewals into the 21st century more than two years ago, several short-lived pilot projects, and a recent round of beta testing, the U.S. State Department on Wednesday publicly launched its online passport renewal system. Starting today, all eligible passport holders can now apply to renew their passport online. And unlike in recent months, there's no longer a daily limit on how many applications the agency will accept. 

Interested and eligible travelers can apply on the State Department's dedicated online renewal page. To be eligible, your current passport must be within a year of expiring but issued no more than 15 years ago. But keep in mind: Once you submit an application online, your current passport will be invalid until you get your new one back. 

This option to renew a passport online has been in the works for years. 

President Joe Biden's administration first put it on the map back in late 2021. The State Department initially targeted a full launch in the fall of 2022 but repeatedly pushed back that timeline. In the years since, the agency ran several pilot projects – first with federal employees and government contractors before expanding to a limited number of everyday Americans – but the last round of testing ended back in March 2023. 

In June, the State Department launched a public beta test of the online passport renewal system, slowly ramping up the number of daily applications it would accept. Now, that test is over and any eligible Americans can apply to renew their passport online. 

The State Department says there's no difference in wait times whether you renew your passport online or by mail. It currently takes six to eight weeks for routine processing – though that timeline doesn't include shipping, which can take several more weeks. However, in our experience, it's much faster. Our editor Kyle's brand-new passport arrived in under two weeks! 

Read next: Application to Arrival in 13 Days: My Online Passport Renewal Success Story

It's a far cry from last summer, when it could take it could take three-plus months to get a passport. The federal government blamed the lengthy delays on lingering backlogs of passport applications due to the pandemic and insufficient staff and resources.

“Thanks to increased staffing, technological advancements, and a host of other improvements, the average routine passport is being processed today in roughly one-third the time as at the same point last summer, and well under the advertised six to eight weeks processing times,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. 

There's still currently no option for expedited service with the online passport renewal system, although officials have said that's something they're hoping to offer eventually. 

An online system for passport renewals will be a welcome change for international travelers, who previously could only renew their expiring passports by mailing in their old passport with an application.

Not every American will be eligible to renew their passport online, though. To submit an online application, you must meet the following criteria: 

• Your most recent passport is/was valid for 10 years and you are age 25 or older.
• Your most recent passport was issued over nine years ago, but less than 15 years prior to the date they plan to submit their online application (i.e., most recent passport was issued between 2009 and 2015).  The most recent passport can be expired.
• You are not changing your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
• You are not traveling internationally for at least eight weeks from the date you will submit their application.
• You are applying for a regular (tourist) passport.
• You live in the United States (either state or territory). Applicants do not qualify to renew their passport online if they live in a foreign country or have an Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) address.
• You have your passport in your possession; it is not damaged or mutilated, or has been reported as lost or stolen.
• You can pay the passport application fees using a credit or debit card or bank transfer.

You also must digitally submit a passport photo, which was a big pain for many travelers trying to renew online during previous pilot projects. Officials said they improved that tool based on customer feedback from the previous pilot programs. 

Bottom Line

After a successful beta test, the State Department has publicly launched its online passport renewal system, allowing U.S. travelers who need to renew their passport to do so online. 

The ability to renew your passport online is a welcome change for travelers, who previously could only do so by mailing in their expiring passport, and one that has been years in the making. 

At first, just a dozen or so SLH properties were bookable through Hilton. This summer, Hilton rolled out a few hundred more. As of Tuesday, the work is done: Nearly 400 SLH properties are now bookable – and, as of publication, award availability booking with Hilton Honors points is expanding to nearly all of them … for as few as 50,000 points per night!

The integration of SLH has been a massive win for travelers with Hilton Honors points, opening the door to book some truly impressive properties around the globe. The biggest knock against Hilton Honors is that the points won't get you very far … but with many of these new SLH properties, you can get some serious bang for your buck. It could even be worth transferring points to Hilton from Amex in order to book some of them – especially with the current 30% transfer bonus!

Check out the full list of SLH properties now bookable through Hilton!

Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a portfolio of boutique properties scattered across the globe, but they were a bright spot in Hyatt’s portfolio for years. What they might lack in extra-special treatment for travelers with top status, they more than make up for it with unique inns, resorts, and properties in great locations with complimentary breakfast travelers can book with points. These aren’t your normal, stuffy big-box hotels.

What's stuffy about Hermitage Bay, a luxe all-inclusive resort on the Caribbean island of Antigua now bookable for 120,000 Hilton points per night? Absolutely nothing. 

With nearly 400 hotels now live, that's a sizable chunk of the 560 SLH properties total worldwide. It's unclear if or when any of those additional SLH locations will eventually join Hilton.

Brad Anderson, the vice president of Hilton Honors, previously told Thrifty Traveler that bringing those SLH properties under the Hilton umbrella was a way to complement the chain's other established brands, from top-tier Waldorf Astorias and Conrads to your typical Hilton Garden Inn. And so far, the feedback has been “really positive.”

“When you look at our luxury branded portfolio, I think each of those have a branded experience you want,” he said in a previous interview. “But if you want a small, independent experience in a small city in Europe, it’s just a different experience.”

While these aren't your typical Hilton hotels, they're priced much like any existing property when redeeming Hilton Honors points. And that's a good thing.

From the availability we've seen thus far, top-notch city hotels will typically cost you 70,000 to 85,000 points per night, though a few price out even lower. Meanwhile, while five-star resorts go for 120,000 to as much as 150,000 points a night. But much like your usual Hilton award stay, you might also see far higher priced award nights, too – Hilton's so-called “Premium Room Rewards” can easily climb north of 300,000 points a night. 

That all may not sound like the bargain of a lifetime, but that's par for the course with Hilton's usual (and admittedly inflated) award rates. And compared to the lackluster pricing through Hyatt and its new partnership with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, this is a big win. 

For example, you can now book Arctic Bath – an incredible-looking retreat in Swedish Lapland – for just 100,000 points per night. 

I loved our stay at the Tomtom Suites in Istanbul a few years back – when it was bookable using World of Hyatt points instead. The location was second to none for exploring the city, the suites and service felt more personal than your big box Hiltons and Hyatts, and the classic (and complimentary) Turkish breakfast in the top floor restaurant was to die for. 

At just 60,000 points a night next spring, this property would be at the top of my list for any trip to Turkey. 

A few additions just this week include Raiwasa Private Resort in remote Fiji and The Cellars-Hohenort in Cape Town, South Africa – a beautiful property steps from a winery in the shadow of Table Mountain. Best of all, it's bookable just 50,000 Hilton points per night – a stellar redemption considering it'd typically cost $600 or more.

As Hilton slowly introduced a handful of SLH properties earlier this year, we saw extremely limited award availability at the dozen or so properties that were initially bookable. But that has drastically improved as they've added more and more properties. While you might still struggle finding availability at the priciest properties like Calala Island or Canaves Oia Suites, many other SLH properties are fairly easy to book at the lowest standard room rates using points.

“It’s really important to us,” Anderson, Hilton's vice president for its Honors program, said of award availability. “What’s the point of going out and earning all these points if you can’t use them? Standard rooms at every hotel: That’s part of this partnership.”

You can search for and book these SLH properties the same way you would for any other hotel in Hilton's portfolio. 

Read our complete guide to earning and redeeming Hilton Honors points 

Whether you book with cash or points, Hilton members will get much the same treatment as at your typical Hilton hotel:

• Everyday Hilton members get the same “guaranteed member discount,” complimentary standard Wi-Fi, complimentary late checkout, a free bottled water/hydration per stay, and pay no resort fees on reward stays.
• Hilton Silver members get all those perks plus earn 20% more points when booking paid rates and a fifth-night free benefit when redeeming points 
• Hilton Gold members get those perks but earn 80% more points when booking paid rates, complimentary breakfast for two, space-available upgrades, and that same fifth-night free perk when redeeming points
• Hilton Diamond members get a 100% elite tier bonus, complimentary breakfast for two, space-available upgrades, and that same fifth-night free perk when redeeming points

Bottom Line

Months after officially stealing this excellent portfolio of boutique hotels and resorts from its competitor, Hilton's SLH integration is now (more or less) complete. And that's a big win for Hilton fans.

Nearly 400 SLH properties are now bookable through Hilton – and reasonable award rates combined with surprisingly solid award availability make this a rock solid addition. Don't sleep on these excellent new options to book through Hilton.

The major airline alliance shakeup was set in motion late last year, when the Copenhagen-based airline's ownership changed hands as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy: A huge stake from Air France/KLM would eventually pull it into the SkyTeam alliance. That changeover was made official Sunday, Sept. 1, putting SAS in league with Air France, KLM, Delta, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, and 15 other airlines. 

“This is the beginning of a new era for SAS,” CEO Anko van der Werff said in a statement Sunday. “Together, we will offer even greater value to our customers while strengthening our position in the global aviation market. We’re thrilled to continue connecting the world to Scandinavia and elevate the travel experience for our passengers.” 

Whether you're a once- or twice-a-year traveler or a jet-set frequent flyer, airline alliances and partnerships are invaluable. They allow travelers to connect more seamlessly from one airline to another, share benefits from elite status, earn their favorite airline's miles even when flying another carrier, and – most importantly, redeem miles from one airline to fly on a dozen or more different carriers all across the globe. Paying cash or using miles, alliances open up the world.

Although SAS is now a fully fledged SkyTeam airline, we're not yet seeing the ability to book nonstop SAS flights directly through Delta or other SkyTeam carriers like Air France/KLM – though some flights with connections on SAS cropped up on Delta.com last week. Nor are we seeing the option to redeem Delta SkyMiles or other miles from other carriers to book SAS flights just yet.

Once that happens, don't expect a bargain flying to Copenhagen (CPH) or Oslo (OSL) using your SkyMiles – even when booking partner airlines, Delta's award rates now match its own unpredictable (and often sky-high) dynamic award pricing. Virgin Atlantic's new award chart for SAS, however, spells out some potential deals, like a one-way from the East Coast to Copenhagen for 20,500 miles in economy … or just 60,000 points for business class, assuming you can find award availability.

Travelers with Delta Gold Medallion Status or higher will now get more benefits when traveling with SAS thanks to SkyTeam Elite Plus status, unlocking complimentary business class lounge access abroad, priority check-in and security, free checked baggage, and extra baggage allowance. Even lowly Silver Medallion flyers get extra perks like priority check-in and boarding through SkyTeam Elite status.

The ramifications will be even bigger for not just how you fly with SAS … but where. 

New Routes Coming?

With its changeover to the SkyTeam alliance looming, SAS added Delta's Atlanta (ATL) megahub to its route map earlier this year. Other Delta hubs could benefit soon. 

SAS's CEO, van der Werff, promised travelers in a (since-expired) post on the FlySAS Instagram feed that more long-haul routes were in the works. 

“One of the questions I’ve seen is: ‘Are you launching any new long-haul destinations in SkyTeam hubs?' The answer is simply: Yes, we will,” the CEO said. “We hope, already, to come out with something in September. So stay tuned.”

Van der Werff didn't tip his hand as to where the airline plans to begin flying and SAS representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comments. But according to a translation from a previous interview, the airline has been considering replacing its current route from Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) … with a nonstop to and from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP).

That's no slam dunk: Nothing has been announced or confirmed, and SAS is surely considering plenty of new long-haul routes – not just here in the U.S. Any new routes likely won't start until the spring or summer of 2025 at the earliest. 

But as SAS moves away from the Star Alliance (and its partnership with United) and cozies up with Delta, that move would make plenty of sense. To fill up their planes heading overseas, airlines rely on their partner airlines to funnel passengers connecting from nearby airports – and Minneapolis is a powerful hub for those kinds of connections.

Anyone departing from Midwest – heck, even the western half of the country – could fly to Scandinavia with one quick stop in Minneapolis … or vice versa, allowing Europeans to connect onward to many U.S. cities. And while Midwestern travelers would no doubt love a nonstop flight to Copenhagen (CPH), the real value would be in onward connections with SAS throughout Scandinavia, Finland, and the rest of northern Europe. 

Over time, we're likely to see SAS fly in and out of even more Delta hubs where they can schedule smoother connections – perhaps at the expense of major United hubs like Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) and San Francisco (SFO). Both Detroit (DTW) and Seattle (SEA) seem ripe for future expansion. 

Bottom Line

It's official: SAS is now part of SkyTeam, teaming up with Delta and other partner carriers like Air France/KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and more. 

In the near term, that's a big win for earning miles and status when flying with SAS – and, soon redeeming miles from SkyTeam carriers to fly with SAS. But longer term, it's even better: SAS will surely begin flying to more and more Delta hubs in the U.S.

We're a travel company, not a sportsbook. But we'd say the odds for a nonstop connecting Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) and Copenhagen (CPH) are looking good. 

The Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled the nuts and bolts of what a family seating rule would look like in proposed federal rulemaking Thursday. If enacted, it would require airlines to place all children under 13 next to at least one accompanying adult within 48 hours of booking – even on the cheapest basic economy fares that don't allow free seat selection. And if they can't, airlines would be forced to move families to another flight where it's possible … or offer a full refund.

Still, this may not happen anytime soon. 

Federal rules can take months, if not years, to actually become the law of the land. A rule requiring airlines to disclose fees for baggage and cancellation is now in limbo after a federal court temporarily blocked it this week. And with a presidential election looming, there's no guarantee free family seating is a priority under a new administration.

Trying to ensure families don't pay more to sit next to their children has been part of a broader regulatory push under the Biden Administration. Other rules have cracked down on airlines on everything from issuing refunds faster to mandatory compensation when flights get delayed or canceled.

Some airlines, like Alaska and American, already allow families to sit together on all flights while others like United have rolled out new processes to make that possible. But others, including Delta and many budget airlines, simply tell families they may need to buy a pricier fare that includes seat assignment or pay extra to pick two seats next to each other. 

“Many airlines still don’t guarantee family seating, which means parents wonder if they’ll have to pay extra just to be seated with their young child. Flying with children is already complicated enough without having to worry about that,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose previous calls on Congress to pass a law themselves went unanswered. 

Here's a closer look at what the DOT is proposing. 

The Family Seating Rule Proposal

On its face, the proposed federal rule is simple.

The rule applies to all children under 13, requiring that airlines seat them next to at least one accompanying adult (over 14) at no additional cost. 

If adjacent seats are available at the time a family books their tickets together, an airline would be required to assign those seats to the family. Airlines would have to comply with this rule within 48 hours of booking. And it would apply to any flight that touches American soil, whether it's operated by a U.S. carrier or a foreign airline. 

Notably, the proposal does not require a child to be seated with both parents – just one. In this case, a family of four with two parents could be seated separately, so long as each child is with one parent. 

But there could be some wiggle room for airlines to meet this requirement.

The rule proposal defines “adjacent” as “two or more seats positioned next to each other in the same row of the aircraft and not separated by an aisle.” But the DOT is specifically asking for comments on this part of the rule: Should two seats across the aisle be sufficient? Or what about seats 21C and 22C, one row behind? 

If seats are not available next to each other, the proposed rule would require airlines to:

1. Allow the family to choose to wait for adjacent seating to become available on that flight or get rebooked onto another flight where adjacent seats are available
2. Offer a full refund for the entire family to cancel altogether.

So long as flights are purchased more than two weeks prior to departure, the airline would have to give the family seven days to choose between a refund or the option to wait it out. If the family purchases within two weeks of departure, they must be given “a reasonable amount of time” to choose. 

This is proposed rulemaking, so plenty of details are up for debate. The DOT is explicitly asking for input, including if traveling families should be assigned seats “as close as possible” if they choose to take a flight where they're not directly next to each other. 

Finally, the rule would require seating children next to adults on every segment of the journey – at least so long as those segments touch U.S. soil. And it applies to every fare class and cabin, from basic economy to first class. 

Who is Considered “Family”?

While this might strike a chord with families, it goes beyond that. 

This rule would apply to anyone under the age of 13, requiring airlines to seat them with any “accompanying adult” aged 14 or older at no additional cost. It does not explicitly say “family” because the rule should apply equally to a “family friend,” a “caretaker,” or an older sibling, too. 

There's one critical caveat: Children and adults must be booked on the same reservation for these requirements to kick in.

Exceptions

The DOT is proposing a few exceptions to this family seating requirement.

For starters, if a family declines to accept the adjacent seats or chooses to sit apart from a child, the airlines wouldn't be held accountable. 

But there are also exception for large families as well as aircraft size restrictions:

• If there is a family of 7 and only six seats in a row, the airline would no longer be responsible for getting them in the same row together.
• That also applies for large families in smaller planes. If a small, regional jet only has three seats per row, the airline can't be responsible for putting an adult and three children into one row because the number of seats simply doesn't exist. 

In both cases, the airlines would have to seat young children “as close as possible” to their adult – like across the aisle from or directly in front or behind them. 

Finally, the airlines won't be responsible if families don't check-in or board according to the airline's rules. 

What Airlines Would Be Subjected to Free Seating Rule? 

This free-seating rule would apply to virtually any airline flying to or from the U.S.

According to the rule proposal, all commercial airlines that operate flights that touch U.S. soil would have to adhere to these rules. There's just one exception: Planes that carry under 30 passengers would be technically exempt.

That would, of course, include the likes of American, Delta, and United. But even foreign airlines like Lufthansa, Japan Airlines, and any other carrier flying to or from the U.S would be required to honor this rule too.

For airlines that haven't already done so, this will require new technological systems and policy changes to make it a reality. And carriers who don't do so to ensure they seat children with family members or other accompanying adults will face fines. 

According to the DOT, carriers who charge fees beyond their fare for families to sit together will be slapped with a civil penalty. Each individual child affected by the rule would incur a separate fee, though no exact amount was outlined in the proposal. 

When Will the Family Seating Policy Be Implemented? 

That's the big question. 

For now, this is just a proposal. The federal government is seeking feedback from airlines and travelers alike as they look to craft a final rule.

And that's just the next step in the long federal rulemaking process, which can take many months and even years to come to a close. Case in point: The federal government first proposed raising the cost of Global Entry way back in 2020 … and a hike to $120 will finally take effect in October 2024.

There is no official date that this new requirement would go into effect. And with President Joe Biden leaving office in early 2025, the next president could decide to scrap it altogether. 

Bottom line: Your flight in 2024 won't be affected by this role. Odds are, your flight in 2025 won't be, either. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess.

Current Family Seating Policies, Explained

Today, just what families can expect with seating varies wildly from airline to airline.

Most major airlines allow travelers to select many seats for free … but not when they buy the cheapest basic economy fares, which come without free seat assignment and other perks. Want to ensure you can sit together? That's part of how airlines hope to convince travelers to buy a main cabin fare, which often cost $35 or more apiece each way.

Still, some major carriers have gone further than others to give adults peace of mind that they won't be separated from their children:

• Alaska Airlines: “Minors under the age of 13 can be seated with at least one adult in their party in advance by calling our contact center,” the airline previously told Thrifty Traveler.
• American Airlines: “We’ll assign seats so children under 15 are next to at least 1 adult,” American explains on its website.
• Delta Air Lines: “Customers who need to be seated beside another person in their family are encouraged to select Delta’s Main Cabin product that allows for seat selections and ticket changes,” Delta previously told Thrifty Traveler.
• Southwest Airlines: Southwest doesn't offer seat assignments, period, instead using a first-come, first-served boarding model that allows families to board early and pick seats together. But that open-seating model is expected to end sometime in 2025.
• United Airlines: United rolled out a new feature last year that allows families to automatically select seats next to one another, though that policy currently only applies to children under 12. 

Read more: Can I Sit with My Kids Flying Basic Economy? Questions, Answered
 

Bottom Line

The Biden Administration and the Department of Transportation have honed in on family seating policy for airlines, finally unveiling a proposed rule that would require airlines to seat children next to accompanying adults without fees or fare differences. 

It's a long-awaited move, but still not a sure thing. There's no specific timeline for when this could take effect – if at all.

Southwest said it will also begin installing extra legroom seats on its planes starting next year, likely for an extra fee. And, for the first time ever, they'll begin operating overnight redeye flights in early 2025 on select routes like Las Vegas (LAS) to Orlando (MCO) and Phoenix (PHX) to Baltimore (BWI).

While big changes are afoot, Southwest executives reassured travelers that its ever-popular “Bags Fly Free” policy – with two checked bags included with every ticket – isn't going anywhere.

“We are not looking to change that policy,” CEO Bob Jordan said on the airline's earnings call Thursday.

But doing away with its first-come, first-served seating model is huge. It might be the biggest change in the Texas-based airline's history. Thursday's announcement is the beginning of the end of an era on one of the United States' most popular and groundbreaking airlines.

More specifics won't come until sometime in September, but here's what we know now.

Southwest to End Open Seating Policy

Southwest hasn't said exactly when the change to assigned seating will take place. But it will spell the end of racing to check in exactly 24 hours before departure, hoping for a prized early boarding position to pick a seat before other passengers get a chance.

The airline said it was driven by customer surveys and feedback: Many flyers want to know exactly where they're sitting in advance – Southwest said 80% of its own customers told them so. And many others who do have been choosing other airlines over booking Southwest, citing the desire for an assigned seat, according to Southwest's research.

“Although our unique open seating model has been a part of Southwest Airlines since our inception, our thoughtful and extensive research makes it clear this is the right choice – at the right time – for our customers, our people, and our shareholders,” Jordan said in a statement.

Southwest executives cited several reasons for the change, from helping guarantee families sit together to generating more revenue in the seat assignment process. But the other factor is how long Southwest's flights are in the modern age. With destinations like the far-flung Hawaiian islands and even all the way down to Aruba or Costa Rica, Southwest is flying further than ever.

“That's a large driver of this,” said Jordan during Thursday's investor call. “When you have a longer flight, passengers have the preference to know where they're sitting.”

Jordan added that while seats will be assigned, the boarding process might not look too different from before. Travelers with Southwest love the “calm and order of our boarding,” he said.

Southwest Will Add Premium, Extra-Legroom Seats

Airlines like Delta and United have been beating the drum about “premium travel” – Americans wan't more space and better service on the plane, and they're willing to pay for it.

Southwest isn't content losing those passengers any more.

Identical seating from back to front is on the way out. Southwest said it plans to convert roughly a third of the cabin on each plane to offer premium, extra legroom seating. Southwest flies more than 800 Boeing 737 planes, so this overhaul will take years to complete.

Southwest did not unveil specifics on how the new cabins would be arranged, but don't expect a full-blown first class cabin you'll find on many other major domestic carriers. Jordan said the plan is to use existing Southwest seats, just with more legroom.

“It will be different than the rest of the cabin, but it won't be a different seat,” he added.

Southwest says its new cabin layout and premium seats will be available for booking in 2025. The specifics of the new cabins will be unveiled at Southwest's investor day in late September.

It won't be alone. Alaska Airlines also recently announced a push for more premium seating, citing plans to add a row of first class and more rows of extra legroom economy options, too. Same goes for JetBlue, which is reportedly adding “Mini Mint” seating to more of its mainland fleet.

Redeye Flights for Sale Now

Among the quirks in Southwest's route planning is its aversion to redeye flights. While competitors like American and United carriers routinely operate overnight flights to get travelers from the West Coast to major hubs out east, Southwest has bucked that trend.

Not anymore.

While overnight flights, also known as redeyes, aren't everyone's favorite, they often come with significant cost savings for the travelers who don't mind them. And they're a convenient way to maximize your time in a destination before flying home.

Perhaps most importantly, these overnight flights will help Southwest connect travelers flying from Hawaii all the way back to the eastern United States. Before, those single-day connections were nearly impossible for most Southwest travelers. This will allow Southwest to schedule Hawaii travelers all the way to their final destination without overnight layovers.

Currently, these redeye fares are on sale starting Feb. 13 from Las Vegas (LAS) to Baltimore (BWI) and Orlando (MCO), Los Angeles (LAX) to Nashville (BNA) and BWI, and from Phoenix (PHX) to BWI.

They are only for sale on Southwest.com as of publication.

Why & What it Means for Southwest

Airlines are generally a monkey-see, monkey-do industry with carriers mimicking each other's every move. But Southwest has prided itself on doing things differently.

Other airlines now charge $35 or more for checked luggage, yet every Southwest ticket still includes two free bags. And long before other carriers did away with change fees, Southwest has offered free change and cancellation on every fare.

But the times for Southwest are changing.

Once a Wall Street darling that posted consistent profits even as other carriers lost money, the airline has been struggling financially in the post-pandemic travel boom. A new activist investor, Elliott Management, recently bought a $2 billion stake in the airline to push for an overhaul – including ousting its CEO.

Southwest previously hinted at major change on the horizon, so this is no surprise. Nor is it the first big move we've seen.

Out of nowhere this spring, Southwest suddenly began appearing on Google Flights. That's a monumental change, too: Previously, flyers could only search for and book Southwest tickets directly on the airline's website.

By opening the doors to Google Flights, it's a massive win for the airline, the flight search engine, and – most importantly – everyday travelers. It gives consumers an instant way to compare prices between airlines, increasing Southwest's exposure with travelers who might forget to check Southwest … if they even knew it was an option. And it'll help travelers get a better deal – even if prices drop after booking thanks to Google Flights Price Alerts.

And with Southwest now suddenly showing up alongside the likes of American, Delta, United, and a growing number of low-cost carriers, it could have some massive ramifications for the entire airline industry and how they all price flights. No longer can Southwest hide that their fares are more or less than the competition, and vice versa. Everyone's baring it all on Google Flights now, and consumers have more fare transparency than ever.

Southwest's expansion into Google Flights was a consequential shift on its own. Paired with this week's news that will make Southwest's in-flight experience closer to its competitors, it could be a turning point for the entire U.S. airline industry.

But it's not all good news. By allowing passengers to pick their seats in advance, Southwest is surely planning to charge for the privilege. And with that core difference in place, it could only be a matter of time before Southwest goes back on its word and rolls out basic economy fares.

Bottom Line

Southwest is doing away with its signature open seating policy, instead announcing plans to assign seats and built out a premium cabin on all of its Boeing 737s in 2025.

Details of Southwest's new premium cabin, seat assignment, and boarding process won't be known until the airline's September investor day, but in the mean time, this announcement makes it clear that Southwest knows it needs to change with the times and look more like its competitors that consistently turn a profit in this ultra-competitive industry.